 Barbados recently commemorated the UN International Day of the Slave Trade and its Abolition and Prime Minister HE Mia Mottley invited Mama Machel to be part the countryâs reflection on this. Watch the incredible fire side chat Mamaâs journey as an activist, freedom fighter and global advocate for women, children, education and much more,
The Trust's Investment Director, Andia Chakava, attended the Invest In Africa Summit in Amsterdam in April this year. She spoke at the "Doing Business in Africa" plenary and participated in a roundtable on funding mechanisms to scale sustainable agribusiness in Africa. The summit attracted over 1,000 key economic stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, prominent African
Championing women in agribusiness at Datagrow conference  Mama Graça Machel addressed hundreds of agricultural professionals during the Brazil Datagrow Agribusiness Conference which took place in July 2024 - Sao Paulo, Brazil. She spoke about the crucial role of women in agribusiness, "We must tap into the untapped potential of women and youth as drivers
 Adolescent Girlsâ Movement expands across Africa  Our Pan-African Girls' Movement, a pioneering initiative led by African adolescent girls, continues to grow. In Kenya, the Movement has partnered with the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) to create three "Nests" in Kiambu, Marakwet, and Narok counties, reaching over 500 adolescent girls. Similarly, in South Africa,
On a global scale, women are 20% less likely to start business ventures compared to men. In South Africa, women entrepreneurs face significant challenges, including limited access to funding, mentorship, and networks, as well as societal expectations and gender biases, highlighting the urgent need for gender-focused investment and support.[1] Â Â Â In response to
200+ women entrepreneurs graduate from the Women Creating Wealth programme in 5 African countries   From March to May 2024, we proudly celebrated the graduation of more than 200 women entrepreneurs from the Women Creating Wealth (WCW) programme, adding to the existing 500 graduates. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the host partners in
Afrishela (her money in Swahili) is a $30M emerging innovative Pan-African impact-investment vehicle that seeks to invest with a gender and climate lens targeting early growth stage women-owned and led businesses in East and Southern Africa. It is currently being incubated by the Graça Machel Trust and supporting the women entrepreneurs we work with to
The Graça Machel Trust is filled with dedicated people whose leadership is evident in everything we do. We always appreciate and admire their contributions, but it's especially meaningful when others outside our organisation recognise their work. In this section, we highlight some of our leaders and colleagues who have made important progress in supporting the
There is so much amazing work being done by the various networks GMT is privileged to partner with... far too much to include all of it in a single newsletter. So, in this section we are highlighting just a few activities from some of the New Faces New Voices country networks, with links at the
To overcome market entry barriers and enhance women entrepreneursâ s access to local markets, the Trust has actively developed strategic partnerships, orchestrated convenings, and connected women to exhibitions and forums to advance them in the agricultural value chains. The Trust supported three women entrepreneurs from our Women Creating Wealth's Agricultural Value Chains and Fair for
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.