Higherlife Foundation

“Empowering rural girls, building empowered communities.” At Higherlife Foundation, we’re committed to ensuring that girls in rural areas are not left behind. On International Day of the Girl Child, 11 October 2024, we celebrated with the incredible young women of Mwanza High in Goromonzi. Together, we explored pathways to overcoming rural girls' unique challenges and unlocking their full potential. #GirlChildEmpowerment #RuralGirls #InternationalDayoftheGirl #HigherlifeFoundation #FutureLeaders

From a Capernaum Scholar to a holder of a few Master's degrees, Gloriah Raundi is now part of the journey of empowering communities through her work in disaster risk reduction. Her experience with Higherlife Foundation as a young girl encouraged her to work with the organisation to continue giving hope to those who might have lost it. She's doing this by giving communities knowledge and information on communicating should disaster strike. #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild #WomenInLeadership #DisasterRiskReduction #HigherlifeFoundation #HLFCares

Celebrate our Graduate: Tinashe Chikwamba “The walk into the future has begun" I became part of the Higherlife Foundation family when I received the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship while doing Lower 6 at ZRP High School. They covered my tuition until I completed my BSc Honours Degree in Actuarial Science at the University of Zimbabwe. As Joshualites, we were taught to show up and make our presence count. As a result, I took up different roles and volunteered in various spaces. I am the Actuarial Society of Zimbabwe's past president. I also volunteer as the Social Media Manager for the Actuarial Society of Zimbabwe, and I am involved with regional Actuarial Bodies, including the Actuarial Society of South Africa. I have already gotten opportunities from these volunteering efforts and investment into building networks. A day before graduation, I signed a contract with a local firm as a Business Analytics Consultant. I am grateful for the opportunity and excited to finally have a chance to apply the knowledge I acquired from university. I can't wait to make my mark in the world; I am determined! #HLFCares #ActurialScience #JoshuaNkomoScholarship #AfricanPhilanthropy #Graduation

The digital skills gap in Africa remains a pressing challenge, with many countries scoring below the global average on the Digital Skills Gap Index. Limited access to technology, under-resourced schools, and a high student-to-teacher ratio are contributing factors, leaving many learners and educators without the tools they need for success in the digital age. Akello, through its digital learning platforms, is helping to bridge this gap by providing students and educators with access to quality educational materials, digital literacy training, and innovative tools that foster a more tech-centric approach to learning. This not only improves education outcomes but also prepares individuals for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital world. To learn more about our educational technology platform, visit www.akello.com. #DigitalSkillsForAfrica #EdTechInnovation #BridgingTheSkillsGap #FutureOfLearning

Celebrate our Graduate: Diana Ranganai. “I will share my blessing with others" I recently graduated with a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Zimbabwe. I am grateful for the opportunity and ready to put my expertise into the world. I am excited about what is ahead of me and what God is preparing for me. I plan on starting something similar to the Higherlife Foundation at some point. I am passionate about helping others and will forever be ready to share my blessing. I am here because someone took a chance on me. However, I will not wait until a later stage in my life to start giving back. I am going to start engaging with Children's Homes close to me and see how I can help. My college experience was more than academic; I grew as a person. When I started college, my faith was not strong but from interacting with peers and mentors through the Young and Dynamic platform, I am now prayerful. My communication skills have improved; I am now big on self-care and relating with others. I am grateful for the lessons; I enter the world as a better person. #HLFCares #ComputetScience #HigherlifeFoundationScholarship #AfricanPhilanthropy

Thank you, Rumbi Chakamba, for the fireside chat at Devex during the United Nations General Assembly last week, where we discussed the importance of genuine engagement with communities, among other issues.   We continue to see a renewed focus on community-led design and solutions in philanthropy. But do we share a common definition of what this means?   For me, community-led design is about authentic engagement. It is about going into the community, eating what they eat, sleeping where they sleep, and listening to their stories and life experiences. It is a philosophy that has shaped my philanthropy since day one and a value we live by as Higherlife Foundation and Delta Philanthropies. That is what co-creation is to me. Anything else is aspirational. The END Fund #UNGA79 #RedefininingPhilanthropy #CommunityLedSolutions #PhilanthropyInAction

Congratulations to our Co-Founder, Mr Strive Masiyiwa on being one of eight recipients receiving the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal from the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.  The medal is awarded to recipients who have made a significant contribution to African and African American history and culture.  Mr Masiyiwa was recognised for his contributions to African entrepreneurship and philanthropy.  The W. E. B. Du Bois medal was introduced in 2000 and has been given to high-achieving individuals who have performed eminently in their areas of speciality. Previous medalists include Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou (posthumously), Chinua Achebe and Wole Sonyika. As Higherlife Foundation we know him as Mr M. His compassion, vision and humility ground us in the work we do and inspire us to do more for the communities we serve.  Congratulations to Mr Masiyiwa and the seven other recipients on this worthy recognition.  Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University We encourage you to watch the medal ceremony here: https://lnkd.in/ehbtrMQ6   Photo L-R: Glen H Hutchins, Mr Masiyiwa, James Manyika and Professor Henry Louis Gates Image credit: Melissa Blackall

Celebrate our Graduate: Garikayi Mutamba “The future is digital, and I’m bringing it home.” 🚀 When I arrived at UZ, I was concerned that people might view me differently because I was on a scholarship. My biggest worry was being treated as a charity case. During our orientation, I realised that my fears were misplaced. Most asked how I managed to be a Joshua Nkomo Scholar and if there was a chance for them to join the family. This is when it dawned on me that I am part of a select and lucky few. Once I understood the responsibility that lay on my shoulders as a Joshualite, I worked hard to ensure I did not betray those who believed in me and saw my potential. If it weren't for the timely scholarship, I would have forgone university because my family could not afford it. Now I stand, armed with an Upper Second Class Bachelor of Science in Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things. I am ready to seize the future, just as we were taught in our Young and Dynamic Sessions. While there is interest in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies in Africa, many are overlooking a data management component. In the coming few years, there will be a massive need for cloud computing and server services. I want to make sure my country is ready for the revolution. I will set up a firm that brings next-level cloud computing and provides different Internet of Things services. I will now go on a six-month sabbatical to map my journey and plan how to achieve everything I intend to do. I want to make sure I take sure, deliberate steps in my mission. #TechInnovation #Africa #CloudComputing #IoT #HigherlifeFoundation #JoshuaNkomoScholarship #HLFCares

Celebrate Our Graduate: Tatenda Mutengwa. A rising star in Pharmaceutical Chemistry I recently graduated with a Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Zimbabwe. I specialised in Computational Chemistry, a branch of chemistry that utilizes computer simulations to solve chemical problems. Now that I have completed my undergraduate degree, I am entering the world with optimism. Higherlife Foundation has presented me to the world as worthy. My dreams are big; sometimes, they scare me. However, I am emboldened by the role my knowledge can play in changing lives here in Zimbabwe and across Africa. One thing I learned during COVID-19 is that Africa is behind in medicine discovery, and we cannot allow this to continue. Africa needs its own Pharmaceutical mega industries that seek to discover medicines that address the continent's health challenges. We should not always wait for other people’s innovations. In ten years, I should have established a pharmaceutical and biotechnology research company here in Zimbabwe. It is an audacious dream, but I have never been one to shrink their dreams. I know it is a long journey, but I am willing to walk through the paces. Immediately, I want to try and venture into pharmaceutical regulation, maybe end up at the World Health Organisation, before I pivot to my dream of building a pharmaceutical research company that understands our context and discovers medicines accordingly. #HLFCares #Innovation #HigherlifeFoundation #Graduation

This week, we celebrate our newly capped graduates in the "Celebrating our Graduates" series. Celebrate our graduate: Ruvarashe Kambila: I am ready to give the world wings When I walked into our first Aeronautical Engineering Class in 2019, the first thing I noticed was that there were only four girls in a class of 19. This immediately communicated something to me: there must be a big gender gap in this area of science. When I did my research, I discovered that only 10% of all aeronautical engineers are women. This emboldened me to pass by all means necessary. My desire for the degree grew two-fold. During the whole five years, every time I faced a difficult moment, I would remind myself that my story would inspire a young girl somewhere to pursue their dreams. Being in a male-dominated space wasn't easy; this graduation is a milestone. Up to now, I still pinch myself - I made it. I thought the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship would begin and end with tuition support, but I was wrong; it was a complete experience. I had incredible support from the Higherlife Foundation, which was always ready to listen whenever I had an issue. It was also comforting to constantly interact with peers on the Y&D platform. The session taught me how to set goals and pursue my dreams. #HLFCares #WomenInSTEM #Graduation #JNS