A significant challenge women small business owners face is raising finance to grow their businesses. It is estimated that women's financing gap is $42 billion. The GraƧa Machel Trust WCW (Women Creating Wealth Programme) and African Development Bank AFAWA (Affirmative Finance Action for women in Africa) have joined hands to start closing this gap. Our
The GraƧa Machel Trust is delighted to announce that its Founder, Mrs GraƧa Machel is this year's Lifetime African Philanthropy 2022 Recipient. Mrs Machel was recognised during The African Philanthropy Conference on Wednesday, 3 August 2022, in Sandton, South Africa. Ā Mrs Machel was awarded this prestigious Award for her tremendous contribution and notable efforts
Everyday inequality-related issue contributes to the death of 21,300 people. And this is a conservative estimate of the victims resulting from hunger, extreme weather events due to warming, lack of health care, and violence against women. Furthermore, the hypocrisy we witness every day: we see how European refugees fleeing war are treated with decency and
The GraƧa Machel Trusts' Uganda Chapter, which comprises women networks and partners, recently launched Gender Mainstreaming Standards for the COVID-19 Women's Leadership for Financial Inclusion (WLFI) and Economic Recovery project. Ā The network members from the Uganda chapter convened at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Uganda on the 19th of May 2022, where women
The GraƧa Machel Trust was established in 2010 as a Pan-African advocacy organisation that tackles structural barriers to change the way public and private institutions address women and childrenās rights. The Trustās work is underpinned by the conviction that the development of the African continent hinges on I) the sustained and equitable participation of women
āWe should be respectful, but we must also have the courage to stop harmful practices that impoverish girls, women and their communitiesā - GraƧa Machel, Founder - The GraƧa Machel Trust Ā Ā The Day of the African Child (DAC) is celebrated annually on June 16. It was first initiated by the Organisation of African
The Digital gender gap continues to expand across emerging markets. As a result, there is a rising need to address digital gender equality with targeted approaches, particularly among predominantly informal markets like rural communities, Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) segments. When women and girls are empowered through digital technologies, societies benefit
The GraƧa Machel Trust welcomes Shiphra Chisha as the new Director of Programmes. Ms Chisha's tenure began on Monday, 23rd May 2022. Her appointment clearly reflects the company's current state: ready to take on the future.Ā Ms Chisha holds a Master's in Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from the University of Johannesburg and Strategic
Africa continues to be positioned as one of the fastest-growing leaders in financial inclusion initiatives, with several markets at the forefront of establishing cases for the adoption of digital finance to promote access to much-needed services like health, education, and agriculture.Ā In Mozambique, financial inclusion has been identified to provide an opportunity for digital services, particularly
On 8th March 2022, the GraƧa Machel Trustsā Women Economic and Social Advancement (WESA) Programme launched a Financial Inclusion Project Documentary to mark this yearās Womenās Month celebrations. The launch, which took place virtually via Zoom and Facebook Live, spotlighted the impact stories of some of the women entrepreneurs from the āmissing middleā who have
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.