 Photo Credit: Zach Vessels  The COVID19 has brought about so many uncertenities around the world and the negative impact of the pandemic can not be ignored. During this years' RELX SGD Inspiration Day, Mrs. Graça Machel brought in inspirations and looked at positive examples of the COVId-19 pandemic. She focused on climate change and vaccines.
Photo Credit: Annie Spratt  On 15th April 2020, the Graça Machel Trust (GMT) and its African Women in Agribusiness Network (AWAB) hosted a Webinar with The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) to address the effects of COVID-19 on food systems and agribusiness in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region. The Webinar attracted different
 Prior to Covid 19 pandemic, the Trusts' Nutrition Programme team attended an African Union Summit on the CAAP 2nd Biennial Review Report which took place on 8th February 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the theme Silencing the Guns â creating conducive conditions for Africaâs development. This theme highlighted on Accelerating Implementation of Agriculture, Climate and
 What is the Malabo Declaration?  The Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods is a set of new goals showing a targeted approach to achieve the agricultural vision for the continent which is shared prosperity and improved livelihoods by 2025. It was adopted by African Union Heads
What's in the food? The month of October saw a lot of attention given to food, particularly around World Food Day, (WFD) that falls on 16th October of each year. And also, it is good to see that on the continent, we will be commemorating Africa Day of Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) on 30th
 Malnutrition has continued to claim the lives of many children especially in the sub- Saharan region and ripping the full potential from almost one out of three children under the age 5 years in the Africa region. When children are malnourished, their brains are not supported to grow to their full potential and hence
  15th Southern Africa Civil Society Forum, from left to right; Vitumbiko Chinoko of CARE International, Tumaini Mikindo of PANITA (representing ESA CSN) and Francis Hale of FANRPAN   It was an exciting week as we joined our partners in nutrition CARE International, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network
"It takes a community to raise a child." Â Often times we think that good education is the only way to ensure that a girl child can be successful in life. The Trust's Nutrition Program officer and Nutrition Champion, Christine Muyama, believes that there is more to developing a complete and fulfilled adult. She shares
 Our focus in the Nutrition Programme is to place nutrition high on the agenda of governments and civil society as a key development issue. Working with civil societies, our advocacy efforts are aimed at creating greater awareness and political commitment for effective food security and nutrition. Here is what our nutrition advocates got up
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenâs 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 Childrenâs Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsâ 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 Trustâs 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 motherâs health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childâs life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.