ISSUE 48/DEC2022 - Flipbook - Page 41
Tsitsi Masiyiwa
ZIMBABWE
Co-Founder: Higherlife Foundation
Philanthropist
|
PUBLIC SERVICE
Gender Equality Advocate
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Pioneer
“
We are convinced that philanthropy can do more, and
want to encourage others to join our call for change.”
Tsitsi Masiyiwa is a philanthropist and
social entrepreneur devoted to empowering
young people in her homeland of
Zimbabwe, and Africa at large, through
technology-enabled access to quality
education and leadership development.
She heads Higherlife Foundation, which she
founded 25 years ago together with her
husband, Strive Masiyiwa.
The Foundation’s primary goal is to invest
in human capital development, to build
thriving communities and sustainable
livelihoods, and its portfolio encompasses
impact investments in education and
leadership development, healthcare
and sanitation, job creation, and rural
transformation. As a result of her work
and experience establishing and growing
Higherlife Foundation for over two decades,
Tsitsi has today become a sought-after
advisor and thought partner to universities,
national leaders, and social entrepreneurs
on issues of education, leadership
development, and youth empowerment.
Tsitsi is also a founding board member of
the African Philanthropy Forum. In October
this year, she spearheaded the creation of
the Africa Gender Initiative — a new cohort
of African philanthropists uniting behind the
common goal of advancing gender equality
across the continent and committing to
inspire more Africans to give directly to the
issue. (see page 146)
Tsitsi also serves on the Board of Trustees
of the Legatum Institute, the END Fund and
UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited initiative.
This year, she was named Philanthropist
of the year at the Africa Business Leaders
Awards 2022.
In 2017, Tsitsi established Delta
Philanthropies, as a vehicle for impact
investing and grant making. Delta
Philanthropies seeks to unlock and catalyse
innovative solutions to the elimination of
poverty by convening strategic partnerships
and incubating new development models.
Her work has garnered global recognition,
including Honorary Doctorate degrees from
Morehouse University in Atlanta, Georgia;
Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe;
as well as the prestigious Champions
for Change Award for Leadership from
the International Center for Research on
Women (ICRW).
Tsitsi has also worked with many local
and international organizations dedicated
to improving the livelihood of children,
including with World Vision, Let Girls Learn,
and PATH.
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