In the December of 2016, the GraƧa Machel Trust birthed its first 100 high growth entrepreneur graduates in the Women Creating Wealth (WCW) programme in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. This number scaled to 300 in 2018 and as of 2021 we now have 430 graduates and alumni.Ā This Pan-African initiative has significantly grown businesses and positively
In 2016 the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Childrenās Fund (UNICEF) launched a global programme to fight against child marriage in 12 of the most prevalent countries. These include; Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. The East and Southern Africa regions are among
Including more women-owned businesses in public procurement processes can empower them and benefit governments. According to the World Bank,Ā 35%Ā of all small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are women-owned, producing aroundĀ 20%Ā of GDP. United Nations Global Markets estimates that, in 2019, the UN spent close toĀ USD 19.9 billionĀ on goods, services and civil works purchases for its functions through
New Leadership at the GraƧa Machel Trust ā Melizsa Mugyenyi Welcomed as New Chief Executive Officer Ā Johannesburg, 7th September 2021-Ā Ā On behalf of theĀ Board of TrusteesĀ of the GraƧa Machel Trust, I am delighted to announce that Ms. Melizsa Mugyenyi has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GraƧa Machel Trust and
Opportunities exist to deepen and accelerate financial inclusion through digital finance as a lever for contributing to economic recovery and growth. On 25th August 2021, the GMT Expert Leaders Group (ELG) and the Network leads held a joint meeting to highlight the 3-year work plan and regional analysis of COVID-19 Women's Financial Inclusion in the
In line with World Food Programme (WFP's) School Feeding Strategy (2020-2030) and its Southern Africa Regional Bureau (RBJ), SADC and government commitment to strengthen the implementation of school feeding programmes, WFP entered into an advocacy partnership with the GraƧa Machel Trust. Ā Through this partnership, WFP will leverage the Trus't's expertise and experience in nutrition and
The diagnostic study on āDocumenting Financial Inclusion Best Practices: Experience of 60 Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa and Zambia was undertaken by the Womenās Economic and Social Advancement (WESA) Programme at GraƧa Machel Trust (GMT) funded by the African Womenās Development Fund (AWDF). GMT has played a leading role in amplifying womenās movements, influencing governance,
This year, the GraƧa Machel Trust (GMT) convened a high-level Expert Group of African Women Leaders (ELG) in the finance sector as a group of strong actors to drive systemic action to advance women's active participation in digital economy. The expert leaders have been hard at work addressing structural barriers to gender equality faced by
The GraƧa Machel Trust (GMT) partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) on aĀ webinarĀ on accountability for Southern African civil society organizations (CSOs). The convening rallied CSOs from eight Southern African countries on 28 April 2021, discussing accountability and good governance in projects funded by multilateral development banks. Ā Photo Credit:
About the Author: Andia Chakava is the Investment Director at GraƧa Machel Trust and Investment committee member at OPES LCEF Restart fund, Justice, equality, diversity and inclusion steering committee member at GenderSmart, visiting lecturer at Bertha Centre for social innovation and entrepreneurship and Founding Chairperson of New Faces New Voices Kenya. Ā IMPACT INVESTING IN
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenās rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenās Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsā health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustās goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherās health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childās life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.