Our Board of Trustees includes individuals with extensive experience in advocacy and activism, policy, politics and business. The board informs the vision of the Trust and helps to ensure we are making progress in our mission. Mrs Graca Machel is the Chair of the Board.
Melizsa Mugyenyi is the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Graça Machel Trust. In this role, she provides leadership for the expansion of the organizationâs Pan African programming, to take its work of social and economic transformation to greater scale and impact.
Melizsa is a daughter of Africa, originally from Uganda and currently residing in Kenya. She is passionate about strengthening development outcomes for marginalized groups on the continent and has intentionally built her career to contribute to these efforts across multiple sectors. Specifically, Melizsa has designed, managed, or fundraised for high impact initiatives while working within philanthropic, intergovernmental, and implementing organizations. She brings strategic, executive level experience to the Graça Machel Trust, most recently as the Country Representative – East Africa at global nonprofit IREX; and prior to that as Head of Partnerships – East Africa at the Aga Khan Foundation.
Melizsa is a dedicated board member for a number of African rooted organizations, that are driving change in priority sectors. This includes Lwala Community Alliance, a leading Kenyan nonprofit that is building the capacity of rural communities to advance their own wellbeing; the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance, an ecosystem player committed to increasing the flow of capital into African social investment; and the African Visionary Fund, a sector disruptor that is tackling inequities and righting the power imbalances in philanthropy.
Melizsa holds a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Sheffield, and an MA in Law, Globalization, and Development from the University of London (SOAS).
Ms Sheila Sisulu currently serves as the Chancellor of Walter Sisulu University. Among her various board positions, Ms Sisulu is the Chairperson of the board of Tiger Brands Foundation and serves as a trustee on the board of Wiphold Trust. In April 2017, Rhodes University awarded Ms Sisulu with an honorary Doctorate, in recognition of her role in promoting food security for vulnerable communities across the world. Ms Sisulu recently consulted for the South African Department of Agriculture as a Special Envoy.
Between January 2008 and January 2013 she was the Deputy Executive Director for Hunger Solutions in the Office of the Executive Director of the World Food Programme in Rome, Italy. In her first appointment to WFP, Ms Sisulu served as the Deputy Executive Director for Policy and External Affairs Department from 2003. Prior to joining WFP, Ms Sisulu was South Africaâs Ambassador to the United States from 1999. Her diplomatic career began in 1997 as Consul General in New York.
In addition to her diplomatic skills, Ms Sisulu has over 25 years of experience in South African public service and government and the United Nations.
Her experience as an activist for equality and social justice spans over two decades. Prior to her tenure abroad, she served as a special adviser to the minister of education and a member of the team assigned the task of drawing up new legislation. She was responsible in particular for policy on gender equity, youth development and early childhood care and education.
Ms Sisulu received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) in Lesotho. Ms Sisulu holds a post-graduate degree in Education from the University of Witwatersrand in 199. She also obtained honorary doctorates from the University of Maryland and the City University of New York.
Theo is the Chief Executive Officer of the African Womenâs Development Fund. She has extensive experience as an independent advisor on a wide range of international issues with a focus on social development issues. Her work has covered advocacy, service, delivery, evaluation, facilitation, policy and organisational development with a range of international and intergovernmental organisations and grant making foundations, including UNICEF, Stephen Lewis Foundation, the African Union, DIFD and UNDP, amongst others.
Sisonke is a Ruth Frist fellow, a writer and activist who works on race, gender, democracy and politics. She has global, regional and national experience, having worked for the United Nations as well as in civil society and private philanthropy. Until November 2012, she led George Sorosâ Johannesburg-based philanthropic efforts as the executive director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa. Sisonke now works on human rights and democracy with the Sonke Gender Justice Network, which advocates for working with men and boys in promoting gender equality, and authors a weekly column at the Daily Maverick, a leading South African online news daily.
Fred Swaniker is deeply passionate about Africa and believes that the missing ingredient on the continent is good leadership. In line with this, he has successfully founded three organizations that aim to catalyze a new generation of ethical, entrepreneurial African leaders: African Leadership Academy, African Leadership Network, and African Leadership University.
By 2060, these three organizations expect to produce over 3million transformative leaders for the African continent. In recognition of his work in developing Africaâs future leaders, Fred was selected as one of 115 young leaders to meet US President Obama at the first-ever Presidentâs Forum for Young African Leaders held at the White House in 2010. He has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and was listed by Forbes Magazine among the top ten young âpower menâ in Africa in 2011. Fred was also recognized by Echoing Green as one of fifteen âbest emerging social entrepreneurs in the worldâ in 2006.
He was a 2009 TED Fellow and is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Global Leadership Network. Fred began his professional career as a consultant with McKinsey and Company and has an MBA from Stanford Business School, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top 10% of each graduating class at the business school. He was born in Ghana but has lived and worked in about 10 different African countries.
Ms. Josina Machel is a long standing human rights defender. As the daughter of Graça and Samora Machel, and step daughter of Nelson Mandela, she was born into a legacy of activism, and is fiercely passionate in her lifeâs calling to advance womenâs rights.
In October 2015, Ms. Machel was physically assaulted by her then-partner which led to her tragically losing sight in one eye. As a result of this horrific experience, Ms. Machelâs activism took on new meaning and she felt propelled to vigorously fight for the rights of abused women, realising that there are many like her who have faced brutality without being able to speak out. As a survivor of domestic violence, she is turning her personal trauma into purpose. Through the Kuhluka Movement, Ms. Machel is helping to accelerate social change in communities across Africa.
Ms. Machel serves on a number of international boards, including those of the Graça Machel Trust, the ABC Atlas Mara in Mozambique, the Emerald Group, and the Zizile Institute for Child Development. She also serves as director at the Samora Machel Documentation Centre. In 2015 she started a dance movement to contribute to Nelson Mandela Day with 67 minutes of Dance for Mandela.
Ms. Machel holds an MSc degree in Sociology (Gender) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor of Social Science in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Cape Town. She is a published author and has addressed numerous national and international audiences on issues relating to youth, gender, and culture.
Anurita brings more than 15 years of experience in international development and health. In the various positions she has held in the past decade, she has provided advice, strategic direction and analysis at senior levels of policy-making on public health and development, with particular expertise on and interest in womenâs health and rights. Currently, she is the regional advisor on HIV/AIDS for Unicefâs East and Southern Africa regional office. Before that she was the country director of the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Rwanda, where she and her team provided strategic, technical and policy support to that countryâs government in areas of HIV/AIDS, health financing, human resources for health, and nutrition.
Dr Ngwenya is an international development Consultant and business executive with expertise in business leadership, strategy, economic development, social development, finance and corporate governance. He has several years of experience leading teams of engineers, investment and socio-economic development experts who design and execute projects in more than 20 countries in Africa.
He is the Managing Director at Bigen Africa Group, an infrastructure, project finance and development advisory firm and also as Africa Director of Intellecap Advisory Services, a global Investment Banking and Impact Investor. Dr Ngwenya has international investments and grants management skills having run and substantially grown development funds and assets under management in excess of $2 billion with annual investments of more than $100 million aimed at developmental financing in Africa. He has written and presented conference articles, appeared in various publications and featured on television and radio interviews discussing topical issues related to business, sustainable development and politics in Africa with media stations such as Channel Africa, CNBC, BBC and CNN. Some of his recent publications on trade, foreign direct investment and socio-economic development have been covered in leading publications including the Financial Mail, Engineering News Africa, Mining Weekly, SABC Africa Live Broadcast, Johannesburg Stock Exchange News, and others.
Dr Ngwenya holds a Ph.D. in Law from the University of South Africa, a Master of Laws degree from Queen Mary College at the University of London, an MSc finance degree and an MBA finance specialism degree from Edinburgh and is a Chartered Company Secretary (FCIS). Dr Ngwenya has made significant contributions recently to the principles of international blended financing regulations as a member of the senior advisory group of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in France.
Priscillah Mabelane is the Executive Vice President of the Energy Business at Sasol. Ms Mabelane joined Sasol from BP Southern Africa (BPSA) where she was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to being appointed CEO, Priscillah was the Retail Operations Director for the BP UK retail business. Preceding this, she was BPSAâs Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for four years.
She comes with a strong corporate track record and has successfully led medium and large business functions and operations in both the UK and South Africa. Priscillah also served as a non-executive director at Standard Bank Group Limited and Vodacom (Pty) Ltd. She has broad international leadership experience and a track record of successfully leading and enabling transformation in large functions and operations. Priscillah is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bcom(Hons) from the University of Natal (South Africa) as well as an AMP from Harvard Business School.
Paballo Joel Makosholo is a newly appointed Board Member for the Graça Machel Trust. He serves as Chief Operations Officer at Kagiso Capital and a Non-Executive Director at Kagiso Tiso Holdings Proprietary Limited and previously as an Investment Executive at Kagiso Tiso Holdings Proprietary Limited and Kagiso Enterprises Rural Private Equity Fund. He has also served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Executive at Kagiso Trust for 10 years where his primary role was to oversee the trust’s investments and its financial operations. Mr. Makosholo has experience in due diligence and business structuring. He gained corporate finance experience at KPMG and Rothschild. Mr. Makosholo has been a Non-Executive Director of FirstRand Limited and FirstRand Bank Limited since October 1, 2015.
He serves as a Non-Executive Director at, Kagiso Capital, Wesbank and Kagiso Enterprises Rural Private Equity Fund. He serves on the Boards of FirstRand Empowerment Trust and Johannesburg Housing Company. Mr. Makosholo is a C.A. (SA). He holds a M.Com. SA, International Tax (RAU), Post Graduate Management Development Programme (UNISA SBL) and a Cost and Management Accounting Diploma from the University of Johannesburg.
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.