(Johannesburg, South Africa) 21 December 2022 – Africa Matters Initiative announces that Farai Mubaiwa, Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer, has stepped down as CFO and board director after a seven-year tenure during which Africa Matters Initiative (AMI) developed some of the continent’s premier youth-led leadership, entrepreneurship and advocacy initiatives and impacted the lives of over 27,000 youth.
"When Farai approached me with the idea to create a platform to empower African youth to see the beauty of the continent and their identities, we never imagined our vision would translate into a pan-African movement. We are deeply grateful for Farai's leadership over the past seven years. We will use the momentum she has created through her work as we embark on this next chapter as an organization. We wish her well in her next endeavours and we know she will find success wherever she goes,” said Reanne Olivier, Co-founder and CEO.
From 2015 to 2020, Mubaiwa served as Africa Matters Initiative CEO before stepping into the role of CFO until her recent departure. Mubaiwa has been instrumental in the co-development of Africa Matters Initiative. As CFO, she oversaw AMI’s financial and risk management functions. Following her departure, this position will be managed in the interim by AMI’s finance manager, Zikhona Hanabe.
As Africa Matters Initiative deepens its sophistication and impact, the organization will transition from its founding board of directors to a board of directors. In 2023, AMI will welcome five new board directors, including youth leader and mental health activist Danai Nyagani.
Since launching in 2015, Africa Matters Initiative has launched four signature programs, including the Schools Leadership Development Program (SLDP), Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP), Africa Matters Ambassadors Program (AMAP) and ShE is Empowered (ShE). In addition to these flagship programs, AMI builds bespoke partnerships with organizations such as Schmidt Futures, Fairtrade International, Africa Europe Foundation and Yale Young African Scholars that hope to positively impact youth in the Global South by expanding access to opportunity and amplifying youth perspectives.
This year alone, AMI has collaborated with 28 AMAP Ambassadors, and ShE Leaders from 12 African countries who have executed small-scale projects within their respective communities focused on an array of impact areas ranging from sexual reproductive health education to livelihoods and craftsmanship training that will positively impact 1,400 individuals across the continent. AMI also scaled its partnership network and staff, welcoming Africa No Filter, We Are Family Foundation and Ford Motors as partners and scaling its programming from 10 to 23 countries, including Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania. AMI will continue to build on this legacy in 2023 and beyond.
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About Africa Matters Initiative
Founded in 2015 by two young passionate black African and diasporan women, Farai Mubaiwa and Reanne Olivier, Africa Matters Initiative (AMI) seeks to provide youth leaders with the tools to contribute tangible change to their communities. Africa Matters Initiative has impacted the lives of over 27,000 African youth and diaspora through its four signature programs Africa Matters Ambassadors Program (AMAP), Schools Leadership Development Program (SLDP), ShE is Empowered Program (ShE), Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP) as well as bespoke programs to catalyze opportunities for African youth with local, national and global private, public and nonprofit partners.
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