Johannesburg, 6 November – The Graça Machel Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Trustees: Rebeca Gyumi, Nthato Minyuku and Karimi Kinoti. Between them, they bring more than 60 years of experience in girls’ rights and legal reform, energy and infrastructure, and international development.

They join a seasoned Board made up of Anurita Bains, Fred Swaniker, Josina Machel, Dr Mthandazo Ngwenya, Paballo Joel Makosholo, Priscillah Mabelane, Sheila Sisulu, Sisonke Msimang and Theo Sowa.

“I am delighted to welcome our three new Board members to the Graça Machel Trust,” said Shiphra Chisha, CEO of the Trust. “We are honoured to have you join us at this pivotal moment in our journey as we accelerate our Agenda 2035 and deepen our contribution to the advancement of women and girls across Africa. Your leadership, experience and perspectives will be invaluable as we strengthen our strategic direction, amplify women’s and girls’ leadership and advance their economic power. As we build on the vision and legacy of H.E. Mrs Graça Machel, I look forward to working together in a spirit of shared purpose, collective responsibility and commitment to building caring societies grounded in social justice. Welcome to the Graça Machel Trust.”

Rebeca Gyumi

Rebeca Gyumi is an award-winning lawyer, girls’ rights advocate, and social entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in gender equality, legal reform, youth empowerment, and policy advocacy. As Founder and former Executive Director of Msichana Initiative, she built one of Tanzania’s leading girls’ rights organisations, spearheading the landmark legal challenge that led to the repeal of child marriage laws and the raising of the legal age of marriage for girls. Her expertise spans strategic leadership, policy and legal advocacy, movement building, organisational development, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement.

Nthato Minyuku

Nthato Minyuku is a senior energy, infrastructure, and public affairs executive with over 20 years of leadership experience across the private sector, government, and development finance institutions. She currently leads government affairs, market development, and growth initiatives for Siemens Energy across Africa and the Middle East, advancing energy sector reforms, strategic partnerships, and major investment opportunities. Her expertise includes energy policy, regulatory affairs, stakeholder engagement, corporate strategy, reputation management, infrastructure development, and sustainable economic growth. She is recognised for building influential partnerships that promote energy security, energy transition, industrial development, and infrastructure investment across Africa.

Karimi Kinoti

Karimi Kinoti is a seasoned international development leader with over 25 years of experience in climate action, governance, peacebuilding, gender equality, policy advocacy, and organisational leadership across Africa and globally. She has held senior executive roles at Christian Aid, led large-scale development programmes, influenced global policy, and built strategic partnerships across governments, civil society, and international organisations. Most recently, she has advised on climate governance, conflict transformation, and women’s rights initiatives across Africa.