Work /
Africa
Through our work in Africa, our goal is to improve the wellbeing and resilience of rural communities and people in poor urban areas through scalable, holistic programs. We collaborate with donors and partners for leveraged impact and give priority to communities that are most vulnerable.
We focus our efforts in countries where we can make the biggest difference - in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Credit: Brent Stirton
Our initiatives in Africa cover a range of interconnected areas /
Health
Economic advancement
Education
Culture
Peace & protection
Environmental stewardship
Credit: Brent Stirton
Our current focus areas in Africa are /
One
Tackling the most pressing health concerns in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fewer than half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s citizens have access to the healthcare they require, highlighting the unmet need for quality health services and family planning needs. We aim to address the leading causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa by improving access to maternal and neonatal health services, sexual and reproductive health services, and investing in innovative solutions to eliminate nutritional and diarrheal diseases.
Two
Enabling equitable access to learning, leadership and economic opportunities for women and girls
We recognise the critical connection between education and the economic prosperity of a community. With an equity lens, we prioritise supporting primary and secondary education as well as vocational training, with a focus on women and girls. Our initiatives will encompass on and off-farm enterprises that promote financial inclusion and environmental stewardship along various value chains, utilising innovation and agricultural technology where possible. To ensure representation and participation for the most vulnerable, we will also support voice and leadership programs.
Three
Building safe, resilient and thriving societies through community connections
We will promote intra and inter-community peace and positive connections for mental and physical health, income, education, and resilience outcomes. To do this we will invest in the arts, sports, and initiatives combatting violence against women and girls. We will also fund programs promoting the joint management of the environment and natural resources.
Partner spotlight /
Africa
Clinton Health Access Initiative
The Clinton Health Access Initiative is a global health organisation committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening governments and the private sector to create sustainable high-quality health systems. In Zimbabwe, a nation with one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the world, the Clinton Health Access Initiative is making cervical cancer preventative care and treatment more accessible and affordable for women.
Our partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative will ensure vital prevention and treatment services are more accessible for women, particularly in rural and underserved communities, with the goal of reducing the burden of disease and allowing future generations of women to live free from cervical cancer. If you would like to learn more, please visit their website.
(L-R) Olivia Marima, Cynthia Kapesa and Emelicia Mashonga at a clinic supporting cervical cancer screening and treatment for surrounding communities in Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe.
Wedzerai Manyere at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital Laboratory in Mashonaland West. CHAI is supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Care to optimise laboratory processes and integrate HPV testing.
(L-R) Steven Uladi, Pamela Masekela, Agnes Konie, at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital Laboratory in Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe. They operate the HOLOGIC Panther platform for accurate and efficient HPV testing.
Jane Mutimbanyoka, at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, Zimbabwe, provides cervical screening and treatment of precancerous lesions to women referred by local health clinics.
The Brave Ones
The Akashinga — which means the Brave Ones in Shona — are a remarkable team of female wildlife rangers protecting nature conservation areas across 9.1 million acres in Africa.
In 2017, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) began the Akashinga program in Zimbabwe with a group of just 16 women who were survivors of assault or were impacted by AIDS and HIV. Through the organisation’s investment in local infrastructure and social impact, the lives of the Akashinga women have been transformed, and their communities have seen significant improvements in healthcare, education, access to clean water, and sustainable employment opportunities.
Many of these women are now purchasing property and building their own homes, sending their children and themselves to school — often enrolling in higher education programs — and providing for their families while creating stronger economies within their communities.
Now with several hundred Akashinga, these rangers have changed the perception of women in conservation, proving time and time again that women can and should lead in the protection of nature and wildlife.
Our partnership with the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) focuses on empowering marginalised women in rural Zimbabwe through the Akashinga program’s investment in community. If you would like to learn more, please visit their website.
Contact us
For media enquiries, please get in touch via media@judithneilsonfoundation.org
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