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Download logoThe African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved two grants for research that will increase African women’s access to a range of digital financial services including loans and micro-insurance. The grants, for $1 million and $300,000 respectively, will be disbursed through the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility, a blended finance vehicle supported by the Bank, to two financial technology firms, Pula Advisors Kenya Ltd., and M-KOPA Kenya Ltd. Pula Advisors will use the $1 million for research of social, cultural and economic factors that impact women farmers’ access to micro-insurance in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia. Research findings will inform the design and implementation of gender-centric insurance products. The project will be undertaken over a 3-year time frame. “This grant funding will be used to leverage technology to develop innovative and responsive loan and insurance products that can spur productivity and inclusion, especially for our women smallholder farmers and traders.” said Sheila Okiro, the Bank’s Coordinator for ADFI. The three-year project will have three phases: product development; piloting; and scaling; the outcomes are expected to benefit 360,000 farmers, 50% of them women, as well as boost farm yields by up to 30%. This will also raise incomes and enhance household and national food security. M-KOPA will use the $300,000 grant funding for research involving 250 women and 250 men in Kenya’s Kisumu, Eldoret and Machakos counties. The company will assess the barriers to and opportunities for women’s access to digital financial services and financial literacy programmes via smartphone, and use the research insights to design a financial services app that is relevant to small-scale women traders. The project, approved by the Bank on 9 February, 2021, will benefit women with no or limited access to financial services that run small informal businesses. Once developed, the mobile app will be used to pilot small loans to the women traders. Both projects align with ADFI’s digital products and innovation and capacity building intervention pillars  as well as its cross-cutting focus on gender inclusion, a thematic running across all its interventions. The PULA grant approval meets African Development Bank strategic goals, including the Ten-Year Strategy, two High-5 priority areas—feed Africa and improve the quality of life for Africans&#8212; and  the financial inclusion strategies of Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia.  The M-KOPA project is aligned with the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program that seeks to increase access to finance for women. ADFI is a pan-African initiative designed to accelerate digital financial inclusion throughout Africa, with the goal of ensuring that 332 million more Africans, 60% of them women, gain access to the formal economy. The Facility was formally launched in June 2019 at the Bank’s Annual Meetings in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Current ADFI partners are the French Development Agency (AFD); the French Treasury’s Ministry of Economy and Finance; The Government of Luxembourg’s Ministry of Finance; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and the African Development Bank, which also hosts the fund.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).Media Contact: Olufemi Terry Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: o.terry@afdb.org About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

The Africa Digital Inclusion Facility approves grants worth $1.3 million for two research efforts to enhance women’s digital access to loans and micro-insurance

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The African Energy Chamber (Chamber) (EnergyChamber.org) will host a virtual book launch for its inaugural advisory book titled, ‘African Energy Road To Recovery: How The African Energy Industry Can Reshape Itself For A Post COVID-19 Comeback’; moderated by Senior Vice President of the African Energy Chamber, Verner Ayukgba, the event will feature participation from its advisory board members including CEO of Shoreline Natural Resources, Kola Karim; Chief Executive Officer of Energy &#038; Natural Resource Security, Inc., C. Derek Campbell, and Regional CTO Strategy &#038; Innovation at Microsoft, Jovita Nsoh; The book launch will be held on March 16th at 4PM SAST. To attend, register here: http://bit.ly/2OfOm7f and use our official hashtags to join the conversation #ChamberNews #ChamberBoard #RoadToRecovery. The African Energy Chamber (Chamber) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a virtual book for the launch of its inaugural advisory book titled, African Energy Road To Recovery: How The African Energy Industry Can Reshape Itself For A Post COVID-19 Comeback on March, 16 2021 at 4PM SAST. The open to public event will introduce the publication through the voices of a few of its advisory board members who will share their insight on what it will take for the African energy industry to prepare for a post-COVID-19 comeback. “With the world still needing more oil and gas, and Africa having tremendous potential, the Chamber is determined that the continent will continue to prove its resilience and adaptability,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Through this publication, we are offering first-hand communication from active players in the sector and, pragmatic solutions to the remarkable circumstances the global energy sector finds itself in,” he added. The event will be moderated by Verner Auyukegba, Senior Vice President at the Chamber and will feature the participation of advisory board members Kola Karim, CEO of Shoreline Natural Resources; C. Derek Campbell, CEO of Energy &#038; Natural Resource Security, Inc; Jovita Nsoh, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and Akinwole Omoboriowo II, Chairman and CEO of Genesis Energy Group who represent several committees of the Chamber’s advisory board. To register for the event, click here (https://bit.ly/2OfOm7f) for more information and join the conversation by using the hashtag #ChamberNews #ChamberBoard #RooadToRecovery on all our social media platforms. The book is currently available for pre-order across all major online retailers including Amazon (https://amzn.to/3bsXuyq), Barnes &#038; Noble (http://bit.ly/3kSU7nt), iTunes (https://apple.co/2OBJWY7), and Google (http://bit.ly/3egi7Q4) Play Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.To book a media interview contact: Mandisa Nduli Director of Communications and Marketing African Energy Chamber news@energychamber.org  About the African Energy Chamber NPC: Established in 2018 to promote sustainable investments and best practice in the African Energy Industry, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (EnergyChamber.org) brings together stakeholders from multiple African and global jurisdictions who are interested in energy matters across the entire energy value chain. AEC members and partners include governments, indigenous and international businesses as well as multilateral organisations who are fully committed to free-market principles, the rule of law, education, entrepreneurship, transparency and other values that promote the development of the African energy industry in a manner that will render it sustainable and competitive. To become a member, head over to www.EnergyChamber.org/members and sign up. Media filesDownload logo

The African Energy Chamber to host Virtual Book Launch for its first ever advisory board book

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Download logoIn commemoration of International Women’s Day, the National Basketball Association (NBA) (NBA.com) and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) (TheBAL.com) today announced the launch of several initiatives to advance gender equality and economic inclusion across Africa.  The initiatives build on the NBA family’s collective efforts to advance equality and social justice in the United States, including the establishment of the NBA Foundation (http://on.nba.com/2PBgNgg) and the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition (http://on.nba.com/3boPEFW) last year. In Africa, the NBA’s and the BAL’s efforts will focus on raising awareness of gender-based violence, supporting girls’ education and growing female participation in basketball at all levels.  The leagues will each use their individual platforms and resources to promote gender equality among fans and key stakeholders, and collaborate with corporate and community partners on new programs and capacity-building initiatives that help minimize the gender gap across both leagues’ operations.  Additionally, the NBA and the BAL are seeking to work and partner with more African-owned enterprises across their business activities on the continent. “Social responsibility has been an integral part of the NBA’s youth development efforts on the continent for more than three decades,” said NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams.  “Following the establishment of the NBA Foundation and the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition in the U.S. and building on our broader efforts to help create a more equal and just society, the NBA and the BAL each look forward to deepening their engagements with partners, community leaders and other stakeholders to advance gender equality and create a more inclusive economic environment in Africa.”  “The Basketball Africa League is committed to fighting the stereotypes, prejudices and barriers that too often prevent women in Africa from realizing their dreams,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “These initiatives will help ensure that young girls and women across the continent have the opportunities and resources that will help them grow on the court and in life.” Specific actions and programming the NBA and BAL will implement over the next three years include: 	Addressing gender-based violence through educational workshops, participation in anti-violence campaigns, and by leveraging the influence and leadership of the leagues’ players; 	Supporting girls’ education through the development of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sports curriculum for girls ages 14 and under, inspiring them to explore fields that prepare them for future employment; 	Ensuring more opportunities for women in BAL gameday operation roles, including referees, scorer’s table officials, match commissioners and announcers; 	Growing the NBA’s and the BAL’s partnerships and business relationships with African-owned small and medium enterprises. The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg in 2010.  Opening-night rosters for the 2020-21 NBA season featured a record-tying 14 African players, and there are more than 100 current and former players from or with at least one parent from Africa.  Through NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, the NBA family has created more than 90 places in Africa where children and families can safely live, learn, and play. The Jr. NBA, the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls, has been implemented in 15 African countries.  Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has been held 17 times, with 10 former BWB Africa campers drafted into the NBA.  In 2018, the NBA and SEED Project opened NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal, for the top male prospects from throughout Africa and the first of its kind on the continent.  Since then, nine NBA Academy Africa and NBA Academy Africa Women’s Program participants have committed to NCAA Division-1 schools in the U.S. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).Media Contacts: Pawel Weszka NBA Africa PR pweszka@nba.com +27 10 0072666  Yvon Edoumou BAL PR yedoumou@thebal.com +221 776373401 About the NBA: The NBA (NBA.com) is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League.  The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2020-21 season featured 107 international players from 41 countries.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.9 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. About the BAL: The BAL (TheBAL.com), a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa.  The BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA has organized in Africa and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.  Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and register their interest in receiving more information at www.TheBAL.com.

NBA and Basketball Africa League launch Gender Equality Initiatives in Africa

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The Energy Sector wishes to extend its full support to the people of Equatorial Guinea and appeals to the international community and fellow Africans to come together, lend a hand and #PrayForEquatorialGuinea. Equatorial Guinea saw the loss of at least 20 lives and over 600 wounded following a series of explosions at a military base in the city of Bata. The explosion which occurred around 4 pm on Sunday caused severe damage to numerous houses and buildings in Bata. In an official statement, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said the detonation was “caused by the negligence of the unit in charge of storing explosives, dynamite and ammunition at the Nkoa Ntoma military camp.” Furthermore, he explained that, “These caught fire due to stubble-burning by farmers in their fields which ultimately made these depots explode in succession.” The head of state appealed to the international community for aid and acknowledged the vastness of the impact the explosions will have on the country’s economy &#8211; which has already suffered a major hit with the pandemic and drop in oil prices as an oil-reliant country. “We are shocked by this tragedy and pain. We should not dwell on the past or get stuck in grief,&#8221; stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “No one is more resilient than the citizens of Bata and the people of Equatorial Guinea and, I am confident they will beat this. As a business community, we need to focus on supporting the government in its building efforts. It has to be rebuilt not as it had been, but this is an opportunity to build Bata as it should be,” concluded Ayuk. In the aftermath of this tragic event, we urge the oil and gas community to mobilize their expertise, capabilities, and community resources to assist with the relief and recovery efforts in coordination with the government.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.Media filesDownload logo

Energy Sector stands with Equatorial Guinea as explosions decimate in residential areas

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The South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has announced the merger of Central Energy Fund (CEF) subsidiaries iGas, PetroSA and the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF). The merger will be effective from 1 April 2021 and the new company will be called the South African National Petroleum Company. The merger, driven by the pursuit of implementing a new company that has a streamlined operating model via the development of a shared services system and a common information platform, comes a few months after cabinet approval and the confirmation that PetroSA had incurred losses of R20 billion since 2014. Additional factors which prompted the move included the determination to strengthen PetroSA which had not had a permanent CEO in five years prior to the appointment of CEO Ishmael Poolo last and, had become majorly ungainful since its failure to secure gas for the gas-to-liquids refinery project in Mossel Bay.   While the merger deadline has been set, the portfolio committee expressed reservations to the department’s likelihood of meeting the deadline, considering the existing legislative regime, pending issues raised in the SFF and PetroSA forensic reports, as well as PetroSA’s current insolvency and liquidity challenges, the official press statement (https://bit.ly/2OBQeqH) on the briefing revealed. “South Africa’s energy sector is entering a new dawn,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “With gas discoveries off the coast and the announcement of the REIPPP programme bid window 5 and 6 on the horizon, now is the most opportune time for the merger of the CEF subsidiaries. Of course, it is not an easy task and delays may be anticipated but, this move signals a real change towards a meaningful strategy that will not only be beneficial to the DMRE but to potential investors and local development as well.” The African Energy Chamber welcomes this move and acknowledges that this is yet another step supporting the country’s determination to restarting the engines of sustainable growth and the transformation of energy policy and infrastructure.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.Media filesDownload logo

Oil and Gas sector welcomes merger of South Africa’s iGas, PetroSA and Strategic Fuel Fund

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Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) is very pleased to announce our partnership with premium cycling shoe brand Gaerne for 2021. Africa’s UCI WorldTour team, along with our under 23 team – Team Qhubeka &#8211; will see every single rider across both outfits don the famous brand as we compete at the very highest level of the sport. This partnership is unique for this very reason and speaks directly to the unified nature of the team in ensuring that every single rider will wear Gaerne during a season which will see our WorldTour team race approximately 280 days. Our riders will showcase the latest offering from Gaerne, the G.STL, which sets the new benchmark for innovation, ultimate race performance and comfort. The upper is made of one-piece of microfiber with laser-drilling to provide heat dispersion and a perfect climate. Marta Gazzola, Gaerne CEO: “Our history with the team extends as far back as Gerald Ciolek winning Milan-Sanremo in 2013 when we sponsored the team as a Pro-Continental outfit. “Gaerne is honoured to resume its collaboration with Team Qhubeka ASSOS; which includes some of the biggest names in the sport. In addition, what’s so special is the unique message that this team has through its philosophy of Bicycles Change Lives through its association with the Qhubeka Charity, and is a principal that’s fundamental to our business too.” Doug Ryder, Team Qhubeka ASSOS Principal: “Gaerne supported us from the beginning when our team first broke through into the world of professional cycling and we achieved some of our biggest successes together. “The last few years Gaerne have continued to partner our UCI Continental Team showing their support and commitment to African cycling development and our program. I am really happy to welcome them back to our WorldTour team in 2021 and I want to thank our riders who committed to a single on bike shoe platform in support of the team. “This talks directly to what Gaerne stands for and that is quality without compromise and to our philosophy of “Ubuntu” – I am because we are.” Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033 About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016. We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France. We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception. We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa. About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs. A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go.  All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release. Media filesDownload logo

Gaerne and Team Qhubeka ASSOS reunite partnership

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Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany together with 18 African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Education, Communication, and gender, mark International Women’s Day through their “More Than a Mother” campaign that aims to empower infertile and childless women through access to information, education, health and change of mind-set; and through “Educating Linda” program which aims to empower girls through education. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than a Mother explained, “We at Merck Foundation celebrate Women’s Day every day by empowering women and girls through education, information, health, and change of mindset as part of “More than a Mother” campaign. I strongly believe that now is the time to stand for the rights of women and empower them. Happy International Women’s Day to all the women in the world and to the men who support and empower women”. Merck Foundation empowers African childless women, Visit of Rasha Kelej with African First Ladies &#8211; https://bit.ly/3rty2Oz “Superwoman” song; Concept creation and executive production by Dr. Rasha Kelej and Merck Foundation production, to empower women across Africa, sang by Cwezi and Adina, two Ghanian singers &#8211; https://bit.ly/3cg281E “Happy Women’s Day to my lovely sisters and First Ladies of Africa. It is an honor for Merck Foundation to partner with First Ladies of more than 18 countries to lead and execute the initiatives in their respective countries as Merck More Than a Mother Ambassadors. With “More Than a Mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to break infertility at all levels by raising awareness and supporting girls’ education. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child” added Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej. In many cultures in Africa, childless women still suffer discrimination, stigma, and ostracism. The inability to have a child or to become pregnant can result in women being greatly isolated, disinherited, or assaulted. This often results in divorce or physical and psychological violence. Merck Foundation has provided specialty training to more than 180 local fertility specialists and embryologists, and more than 150 sexual and reproductive care specialists from 35 countries, with the aim to advance women&#39;s health and fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries. Merck Foundation has also trained over 1500 media representatives from 20 countries, to raise community awareness, creating a culture shift, and breaking the stigma around infertility and infertile &#038; childless women. Merck Foundation has also built advocacy in partnership with African First Ladies through their social media with more than 3M followers, launched Media, Fashion, and Film awards; created 20 local songs; children storybooks; and supported many childless women in starting their own small businesses through “Empowering Berna” program.  Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej further added, “I strongly believe that raising strong girls means empowering them for their future as strong women. Through our Educating Linda program, we support young African girls who are unprivileged but brilliant to continue their education, so as to enable them to fulfill their dreams and to reach their full potential”. Studies show that, in areas where there is high poverty and decades of conflict, girls face enormous challenges that limit their ability to get the education they deserve. It has been also seen that many girls drop out of school due to a lack of basic necessities such as fees and uniforms. Merck Foundation is supporting the education of some of the high-performing girls by providing scholarships and grants that can cover school fees, school uniforms, and other essentials including notebooks, pens, and mathematical instruments. Educating Linda program has contributed to the future of 100’s of girls, from countries such as: Ghana, Burundi, Malawi, Niger, and Liberia. Merck Foundation will continue to support young girls from the continent. “Empowering women and girls is the spirit of everything we do at Merck Foundation, and is a part of our DNA!” concluded Dr. Rasha Kelej. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.For more images: https://we.tl/t-fspFn3colU Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard: Facebook: bit.ly/2LdbD8F Twitter: bit.ly/2LesKH8 YouTube: bit.ly/3sdHMxm Instagram: bit.ly/2LC26rm Flickr: bit.ly/2XqzQdU Website: Merck-Foundation.com Download Merck Foundation App: bit.ly/2MmNvAU About ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ campaign: “Merck More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets. This powerful campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe, effective and equitable fertility care solutions. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education &#038; Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for fertility specialists and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries. With “Merck More Than a Mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility at all levels: By improving awareness, training local experts in the fields of fertility care and media, building advocacy in cooperation with African First Ladies and women leaders and by supporting childless women in starting their own small businesses. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. Through this program, Merck Foundation is making history in many African and Asian countries where they never had fertility specialists or specialized fertility clinics before ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ intervention, to train the first fertility specialists such as; in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Uganda.  So far, Merck Foundation has trained 180+ fertility specialists &#038; embryologists and enrolled 155+ doctors in one-year Diploma and two-year Master Degree of Sexual and Reproductive Medicine and two-year Master Degree in Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology from 37 countries. The Ambassadors of “Merck More Than a Mother” are: 	 		 			 			H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana 			 			 			H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia 			 			 			H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia 			 		 		 			 			H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, 			The First Lady of Burundi 			 			 			H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana 			 			 			 			H.E AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU, The First Lady of Niger 			 		 		 			 			H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic 			 			 			H.E. CONDÉ DJENE, The First Lady of Guinea Conakry 			 			 			H.E. AISHA BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria 			 		 		 			 			H.E. HINDA DEBY ITNO, The First Lady of Chad 			 			 			H.E. CLAR WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia 			 			 			H.E FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone 			 		 		 			 			H.E. ANTOINETTE SASSOU-NGUESSO, The First Lady of Congo Brazzaville 			 			 			H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi 			 			 			H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia 			 		 		 			 			H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, THE First Lady of Democratic Republic of Congo 			 			 			H.E. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique 			 			 			H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Zimbabwe 			 		 	 Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck More than a Mother COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, such as; 	‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Africa Media Recognition Awards and Health Media Training. Merck Foundation has trained 1400 Media Representatives from 20 countries to raise community awareness, creating a culture shift and breaking stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women 	‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Fashion Awards 	‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Film Awards 	Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it 	Children storybook, localized for each country About Merck Foundation: The Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com), established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality &#038; equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.  Please visit Merck-Foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation (bit.ly/38w0OXL); Facebook (bit.ly/2MU6Fht), Twitter (bit.ly/3scVf8t), Instagram (bit.ly/3boJ0jr), YouTube (bit.ly/3sf4aWX) and Flicker (bit.ly/3snPHZ8). Media filesDownload logo

Merck Foundation and 18 Africa’s First Ladies mark International Women’s Day by breaking the stigma around infertile women and empowering girls in education

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Canon Central &#038; North Africa (CCNA) (Canon-CNA.com) has launched today on International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 its latest program ‘Women who Empower’, coinciding with this year’s IWD theme #ChooseToChallenge. The theme encourages women to choose to challenge gender bias and inequality and celebrate women’s achievements as well. The year-long program is kicking off with a social media campaign which invites women in the creative industries in the Middle East, Central and North Africa and Turkey (META) to be a part of an initiative that enables them to bring forward their creative works, along with the challenges that they face in taking their initiative and be given the opportunity to take their projects forward. Participants can share a photo or record a one-minute video that showcases their original work with a caption describing the challenges they face in building their creative brand. Participants must upload them on their social media pages while tagging @CanonCNA and including #ChooseToChallenge, #Womenwhoempower and #CanonCNA hashtags. Mai Youssef, Corporate Communications and Marketing Services Director of Canon Middle East, Central and North Africa and Turkey (META) said: “In celebration of the International Women’s Day and in support of this year’s campaign themed #ChooseToChallenge, CCNA shares the same view of encouraging women to speak about their challenges as well as celebrate their achievements. There are countless unknown artists and creative designers who deserve to be recognized and be supported in the challenges they face as they work to create something unique for the world to see. We hope to give them a chance and voice through this campaign.” The ‘Women who Empower’ program seeks to support women by offering them Canon’s direct support to build their brand and reach wider audiences in their respective creative fields. It will be rolled out in three phases that include education, engagement, and celebration.   The campaign has four pillars which attracted the support of pioneering women in their fields who would mentor the participants and judge the entries; Tasneem Alsultan, a Saudi photographer, artist and Canon ambassador is representing the ‘Women with a Vision’ pillar, while painter and artist Gehan Fawzi is the ambassador for ‘Women with a Passion’. Art director and fine arts and fashion photographer and Canon Ambassador Menna Hossam is the flag bearer for ‘Women with a Story’ and a lifestyle editor and journalist take the stand for ‘Women with a Voice’. Under each pillar, women who have submitted their photos or videos will be reviewed and one woman will be chosen to be featured every month, prior to receiving support from Canon to help them build their audience reach in their respective fields. The company will also build on ‘She Rise’ programme dedicated to women within the company, which was launched in 2020 as part of its continuing commitment to empower and advance its women employees. The multi-stage program is designed to provide mentoring, training, and feedback sessions, and involves 10 to 15 young women from across the organization. The program is being implemented in three modules this year, workplace habits, the value of resilience, and unconscious bias. These programmes are crucial in bringing greater gender equality to workplace leadership positions and are aimed at helping women develop deeper personal insights and clearer action plans on how they plan to take forward their progress into their own communities. Canon values empowering women in the workplace through several initiatives such as providing support to working parents, maternity leave policies that exceed the mandated laws of the country it operates in, and flexible working hours, among others. Canon has maternity leave policies of 112 calendar days since the early 2000s and this year, the company has further extended paternity leaves to 15 days. The company also encourages women to return to work following a career break, allowing them to get back to the roles they have left and take their career forward. Canon which has more than 50% of women occupying leadership roles in the Middle East and Africa HQ, has been building women empowerment programs for many years driven by the company’s corporate philosophy ‘Kyosei,’ which means living and working together for the common good, and under the respect for humanity pillar. For more information on our Social Channels www.facebook.com/CanonCNA www.instagram.com/canoncnafrica/ twitter.com/CanonCNA Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).Media enquiries, please contact: Canon Central and North Africa Mai Youssef e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com APO Group &#8211; PR Agency Rania El Rafie e. rania.elrafie@apo-opa.com About Canon Central and North Africa: Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2015 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region &#8211; by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market. Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa. Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better. For more information: Canon-CNA.com Media filesDownload logo

Canon Central and North Africa launches ‘Women who Empower’ program in line with #ChooseToChallenge campaign on International Women’s Day

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On International Women’s Day, World Rugby (www.WorldRugby.org) has reconfirmed its commitment and investment into the acceleration of women in leadership positions in rugby through its transformational World Rugby Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship programme, with 12 new recipients identified across the globe for 2021. 	Twelve new Executive Leader Scholarship recipients in 2021 	World Rugby investment to date for the transformational programme stands at almost £500,000 	Forty-nine global recipients have been awarded scholarships since 2018 	Programme directly delivers against ambitious women’s strategic plan On International Women’s Day, World Rugby has reconfirmed its commitment and investment into the acceleration of women in leadership positions in rugby through its transformational World Rugby Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship programme, with 12 new recipients identified across the globe for 2021. Aligned to #IWD2021’s theme of #ChooseToChallenge, World Rugby has invested £490,000 in the Executive Leadership Scholarships since the programme’s inception in 2018, with successful candidates receiving a £10,000 grant to support professional development. In addition, recipients benefit from informal mentoring and are connected with inspirational leaders, both male and female, from the wider global rugby family. A key component of World Rugby’s ambitious strategic plan to accelerate the global development of women in rugby, 2017-25 (https://bit.ly/3rvoPFu), the Executive Leadership Scholarship programme directly delivers against the core pillar to develop inspirational leadership on and off the field. Initially a two-year initiative, the programme has been so successful it is now entering its fourth year, with 37 recipients worldwide already benefitting from scholarships with some notable leadership appointments from the alumni including: 	Marjorie Enya – Appointed to the World Rugby Council for Sudamérica Rugby 	Maria Catalina Palacio – Appointed to Sudamérica Rugby’s Council 	Ada Milby – Elected President of the Philippine Rugby Football Union 	Viengsamai Souksavanh – Appointed Chief Executive of Lao Rugby Federation 	Rolande Boro – Appointed to the World Rugby Council for Rugby Africa 	Dr Araba ‘Roo’ Chintoh – The first female Rugby Americas North board representative for Canada and is also the chairperson of the World Rugby Transgender Participation Working Group 	Maha Zaoui – The first appointed Women’s Development Manager of a region, Rugby Africa The programme is open to women in rugby who are currently involved at governance or senior management level or have the potential to be a senior manager or union/regional association board member in the sport within two years. World Rugby Chair Sir Bill Beaumont today said: “On International Women’s Day 2021 we are proud to be announcing 12 new recipients of our transformational Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship programme. We are fully committed to advancing women in leadership positions in rugby, and this is a key initiative that will have a significant impact on the future growth of our sport. “Our 2021 recipients will follow in the impactful strides of the programme’s alumni, who have progressed to achieve great things as leaders in our sport. I would like to congratulate all of our Executive Leadership Scholarship recipients for 2021.” 2021 World Rugby Women&#39;s Executive Leadership Scholarship recipients: 	Ana Tuiketei (Fiji) – Judicial Officer Fiji Rugby and Oceania Rugby 	Lanna Assaigo-Kami (Papua New Guinea) – Papua New Guinea Rugby Union legal consultant and volunteer, board member of a Coalition of Change NGO 	Annabel Kehoe (Canada) – Chief Executive Officer, British Columbia Rugby Union, Chair of the National Return to Play Working Group of Rugby Canada 	Meaghan Howat (Canada) – Board Member of Rugby Canada 	Abigail Mnikwa (Zimbabwe) – Zimbabwe Rugby Union board member, Chair of Zimbabwe Women&#39;s Rugby Committee 	Peris Mukoko (Kenya) – Board Member at the Kenya Rugby Union 	Deuyenit Valenciano Cascante (Costa Rica) – Women&#39;s Development Officer for Costa Rican Rugby Federation, member of the Central American Women&#39;s Rugby Committee 	Natalia Diaz (Argentina) – Coach in Women&#39;s High Performance in UAR, part of the Argentine national women’s team staff 	Hana Schlangerová (Czechia) – Czech Board Member and Technical Committee and Chair of Women’s Rugby Committee 	Rebecca Davies (England) – RFU Constituent Body and Club Development Sub-Committee member, Chairperson of Club Development in Staffordshire RFU 	Nahid Biyarjomandi (Iran, pictured) – Asia Rugby Exco member and first deputy of Asia Women’s Advisory Committee. Board member and Head of Development Committee of Iran Rugby 	Sarah Abd Elbaki (Syria) – Head of Women’s Rugby Development in Syria, member of Asia Rugby Competitions committee, advisory board member for the Girls’ Rugby Club (GRC) Women’s Advisory Committee Chair Serge Simon said: “Through the Executive Leadership Scholarship programme, the landscape of leaders within rugby is evolving, with more women moving into decision-making and leadership positions. We are committed to ensuring that women across the world have equal opportunities at all levels of the game. Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients.” World Rugby General Manager of Women’s Rugby Katie Sadleir said: “One of the real success stories of the Executive Leadership Scholarships is not only how the programme has proven it can propel and accelerate women into leadership positions in rugby, but also the organic emergence of a connected, global network of leaders and future women in rugby leaders, where they can seek guidance, knowledge share and importantly celebrate professional successes, no matter how big or small. We are looking forward to working and supporting this year’s scholarship group as they continue with their professional development aspirations.”Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Rugby.Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.comMedia filesDownload logo

World Rugby paves the way for future leaders in rugby with 12 new Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarships awarded

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Download logoMinister of Health Lizzie Nkosi&#39;s COVID-19 update on 7 March 2021: New cases: 11 Total cases: 17,184 Active cases: 1,239 New recoveries: 65 Total recoveries: 15,276Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (7 March 2021)

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Whenever you’re ready to travel again, Jumeirah Hotels &#038; Resorts (www.Jumeirah.com) is here to help plan the perfect escape. Whether craving poolside relaxation at one of its extraordinary beachside hotels or looking to enjoy an urban escape in a chic city destination, Jumeirah has launched a special global promotion for discerning travellers looking to channel their wanderlust and create new memories once travel opens up again. Through Jumeirah Escapes, anyone who books before 31st March 2021 for stays until 18th December 2021 can save up to 20% when staying for three nights or more, along with exclusive privileges and further discounts on wellness and dining. Eligible across its UAE portfolio as well as the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel &#038; Spa in Mallorca, guests are invited to experience Jumeirah’s renowned hospitality and exceptional service; from a sun-soaked Mediterranean escape at its stunning clifftop retreat, to an eco-friendly wellness stay at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, or a family friendly holiday at Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. Guests can be assured that all Jumeirah hotels are implementing the highest safety and hygiene standards to ensure that guests are in safe hands. 12 Jumeirah hotels have been awarded the Bureau Veritas’ Safeguard label, with Jumeirah Al Naseem being the first hotel in the world to receive the prestigious certification. Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification services, has developed detailed checklists with global health, safety, and hygiene specialists to ensure that procedures are in place, to allow for the resumption of operations, meeting local and international regulations, as well as globally recognised best practices. Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts understands that flexibility is key when faced with changing travel restrictions during these uncertain times. With the Jumeirah Escapes promotion, guests at the participating hotels are given the option to change or cancel their reservation free of charge, up to 24 hours prior to arrival if the reason is due to COVID-19 restrictions. These include a positive PCR test, cancelled flights or travel ban. Amendments will be based on the room rate and availability on the new date requested. Confirmation of flight cancellation and positive PCR test will need to be provided. The Jumeirah Escapes offer includes the following: 	Savings of up to 20% on stays of over three nights 	Complimentary daily breakfast 	15% savings on spa, food, and beverages at select hotels 	Early check-in at 12:00 and late check-out at 15:00 for bookings made directly on jumeirah.com (subject to availability and for selected hotels)  	Jumeirah One Loyalty Members also save an extra 5% and are entitled to a complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability)  For more information on Jumeirah Escapes or to plan your next holiday and save on your stay, please visit Jumeirah.com/Escapes.  PCR tests are available at all Dubai properties for guests and are bookable in advance, at additional cost. When staying at Jumeirah Beach Hotel for more than five nights, guests can receive a complimentary PCR test on-property. Images can be found in this link (https://bit.ly/3ccYVQE) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Jumeirah Group.For more information, please contact: Sharifa Al Maawali Cluster PR &#038; Communications Manager sharifa.almaawali@jumeirah.com For more inspiration, stay connected via our social media channels and don’t forget to tag us in your posts #LiveTheMoment Instagram: @jumeirahgroup About Jumeirah Group: Jumeirah Group (www.Jumeirah.com), a member of Dubai Holding and a global luxury hotel company, operates a world-class 6,500+-key portfolio of 25 properties across the Middle East (including the flagship Burj Al Arab Jumeirah) Europe and Asia, with more properties currently under construction around the globe. The health and safety of guests and colleagues is Jumeirah Group’s utmost priority. It has implemented a series of protective measures across all of its hotels, while strictly adhering to each market’s respective Government directives. Demonstrating Jumeirah’s commitment to operating its hotels to the highest global standards, 12 of its hotels were recently awarded the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Label, with Jumeirah Al Naseem being the first hotel in the world to receive the prestigious certification. The Group is working closely with Bureau Veritas to certify its wider portfolio. www.Jumeirah.com Media filesDownload logo

Whenever You Are Ready to Travel Again, Jumeirah is Here to Help Plan the Perfect Holiday With an Exclusive Global Offer

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Kasi Insight (www.KasiInsight.com), Africa’s leading provider of data, measures, and insights, announced that its consumer confidence data set is now available to Bloomberg Data License (https://bloom.bg/3rlKLTD) clients via  Bloomberg Enterprise Access Point (https://bloom.bg/3kMt6lz). This offers an additional way for alpha-seeking investors and financial professionals to discover Kasi Insight data. Download document: https://bit.ly/38jOE40 Kasi Insight has been collecting, analyzing, and normalizing consumer data since 2016 via consumer surveys done every month in the largest markets of Africa. The Kasi consumer confidence index, which is our flagship index, is Africa’s first monthly consumer sentiment data series providing a needed consumer-level view on economic activity and expectations in the largest markets in Africa. The index methodology is in line with the well-renowned consumer confidence dataset and uses a balanced approach (-100 to +100). The index which was launched in 2016 consists of seven data series tracking multiple consumer data points such as current economic conditions, consumer expectations, personal finances, purchase intent, discretionary spending, and job prospects. Bloomberg Data License clients now have access to the Kasi Consumer Confidence data to model consumer demand, industry performance, and forecast macroeconomic data such as GDP, inflation, unemployment rate, and even interbank lending rates of African markets. The index can also be used to evaluate performance such as retail sales and category performance. Kasi Insight has created and perfected a data acquisition model that allows it to effectively conduct multi-country surveys, using a consistent method and timing from various parts of Africa. To date Kasi Insight has over 20 million data points, covering consumer insights across eight African countries, namely, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, providing our users with a unique context in these markets so they can be able to assess current economic situations, but also predict future turnaround and investment opportunities. Research shows that consumer confidence data can be used to predict wage growth, inflation, retail sales, purchasing power, and unemployment rates in some of the markets we track. Bloomberg’s Enterprise Access Point is a web-based data marketplace for clients to easily discover and act on Bloomberg data products. It can be used to browse datasets, examine metadata, download, and test sample datasets prior to the acquisition, and immediately put them to use within an organization. It provides access to Bloomberg’s One Data offering including standardized reference, regulatory, pricing, and quantitative data. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kasi Insight.Contact Information: Asnath Ndosi Kasi Insight | Marketing and Partnerships Email- asnath@kasiinsight.com Yannick Lefang Kasi Insight | Founder and CEO Email- info@kasiinsight.com Media filesDownload logo

Kasi Insight data on Africa now available as part of an Alternative Data catalog through Bloomberg’s Data Market Place

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As the world celebrates International Women’s Day and the dynamic women who have and continue to excel in their fields in all industries, it is fitting that we celebrate one of the leading women in Rugby Afrique (www.RugbyAfrique.com), Paula Lanco – a Rugby Afrique Exco member and Chairperson of the newly formed Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee (WRAC). In this Q&#038;A Paula takes us on a journey to where she is today, and gives other women aspiring to follow in her footsteps advice on what it takes to become a true leader. As a Rugby Africa Executive member and Chairperson of the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee (WRAC), what significance does International Women’s Day have for you? It&#39;s a very important day, especially for women in leadership. It&#39;s a time to take stock of our progress, to review what&#39;s working, and to restructure to achieve better and stronger performances in the future. It is also a time to celebrate those that have and continue to do so much for our game, including the men that stand by us, and in our case being led by our President Khaled Babbou and Vice President Andrew Awor, among other members of the Rugby Africa EXCO and management. It is a day to recommit, to embrace, support and champion the women&#39;s agenda on and off-pitch. What inspires and drives you in the roles you currently occupy in rugby? I believe in the power of action, especially when it appears as though the odds are against us. This is greatly evidenced by the impact the benefactors of our women in Leadership Scholarship have and continue to deliver at local level, and more so the rising number of Union Women Presidents &#038; Vice Presidents in Africa. I believe in the power of sports to change and touch lives for the better, and that can be seen in the many &#39;Beyond Sports&#39; initiatives we&#39;re rolling out this year especially through our women’s rugby ambassadors, the Unstoppables. Equally importantly I believe in the power of women to deliver and their ability to rise to the occasion when called upon, and as such the excitement in the co-option of more women in rugby leadership in our WRAC committee and subcommittees. This aspect drives and inspires me to do and want more for our women in rugby and my continued quest to push for a brighter future for both our girls and women on and off the field.  How long have you been involved in rugby, and give us a brief description of journey to this point? I was first co-opted as a member of the first ever Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Women&#39;s Committee in 2011 and following this I was co-opted as a KRU Board Director and placed in charge of Women&#39;s rugby in Kenya. In 2013 we made history as a Union when I was appointed the first Woman to be duly elected, and as such, I shattered the glass ceiling, paving the way for more women to join in their own right as duly elected members. I also Chaired the Community Rugby Committee and served on the Finance &#038; Admin committee during my time at the KRU. I finished my term in 2017, and upon my exit from the KRU Board, I launched RUCKiT Girls Rugby Kenya in 2017 as a means of continued involvement in the growth and development of the girls game at the grassroots level. I continue to do so, and this year we launched the RUCKiT Queens Women&#39;s rugby team that made its maiden appearance in the recently launched KRU Women’s Festival on Sunday, 28th February. In 2019 I was duly elected as a member of Rugby Africa &#038; in August 2020 I was elected by the Rugby Africa EXCO to form and Chair the first ever Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee. It has been a humbling journey filled with many life lessons, great learnings and also great memories. We travelled the world representing our sport and flying our country&#39;s flag with pride. What no one ever sees though is the blood, tears and sweat it took to build the brand that stands proudly today as Kenya Lionesses, and that makes for a special bond between me and the players to date. While you lead and are judged by the public when it comes to rugby, I learned to manage privately &#8211; which on many occasions had me greatly misunderstood. This strategy, however, served to keep me focused, and as at the time of my exit, we were participating in International invitation games; had launched the historic 7s girls&#39; tournament in our public secondary schools; had over 2000 girls and women playing rugby; formed ten women’s clubs and sides, and rolled out our women&#39;s local league. We also hosted the first ever Women&#39;s Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) tournament in the EA region, and through God’s grace our girls participated in the inaugural 2016 Olympic Games. To crown it all, in 2014 and 2015 both Rugby Africa (then CAR) and World Rugby recognised Kenya Women&#39;s Rugby as the best run in the region. This was further affirmed by the Women&#39;s SOYA Awards 1st and 2nd place won in 2013 and 2014. I can truly say that while the journey may not be easy, it is certainly well worth it. What do you love the most about rugby? Our ability to use the sport, especially when you start them off early, as an entry to communities and to touch and impact lives for the better. Much like music, sport is a universal language and especially rugby, and what a great tool it is to introduce rugby as a way to build confidence and to help shape our next generation of players, while at the same time building character. What advice would you give women aspiring to take up rugby as players or in leadership roles? Truth be told, you will be misunderstood. There will be many that tell you this is a man&#39;s game. There will be many that tell you it can&#39;t be done. There will be many that will use your choice to join rugby leadership to tarnish your name, your reputation and tear you apart. But despite this and looking back at how far we have come in Women&#39;s rugby, I say to you, look at those that have gone before you and draw courage in that. Stay true to your intentions, to your calling, to your game and stand to be counted because you can and because you have a right to be here. What is your vision for women in rugby in the next 10 years? To borrow the words of Maggie Alphonsi, &#39;Rugby is a Sport, Not a Gender&#39;. As such my vision is to see the Africa women in rugby compete on the world stage, and equally importantly that both our girls and boys enjoy equal pay, preparation and opportunity &#8211; both on and off the field.Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.comMedia filesDownload logo

Q&A with Paula Lanco – Chairwoman of the Women’s Rugby Advisory Committee

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Webinar in summary: Mass immunisations must be treated as a multi-year marathon, and vaccine hesitancy must be addressed before herd immunity can be achieved. &#8211; Dr Tim Mastro, chief scientist at FHI 360; Health authorities must share vaccine rollout information with the public in layman&#39;s language to increase trust and acceptance &#8211; Dr Anban Pillay, SA Health Department; All countries must have national vaccine deployment plans that enable detailed planning. &#8211; Dr Phionah Atuhebwe (https://bit.ly/3qhE2Zr), World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region; To defeat the pandemic at scale, health authorities need to invest in micro-planning on the ground, as well as a global control tower approach backed by digital resources and data management &#8211; Dr Ernest Darkoh, BroadReach Group co-founder. BroadReach (www.BroadReachcorporation.com) Group, a global social enterprise focused on harnessing health technology and innovation that empowers human action brought key global and African health experts together yesterday to share challenges and solutions around mass COVID-19 immunisation across Africa. Dr Tim Mastro (https://bit.ly/3qjC2Qx), Chief Science Officer at FHI 360, a respected international nonprofit human development organisation, said the major challenges for 2021 included inequitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution between rich and poor, different viral variants, and vaccine hesitancy. Massive advances in vaccine science over the past year offered hope, but the global community needed to learn from its mistakes with inequitable HIV care access 20 years ago, as well as the advances made in ever-evolving annual influenza vaccinations. “If we do things right with research and investment for COVID vaccines, we could have greatly improved vaccines down the road. One vision would be that we have universal vaccines for all Coronaviruses and flues &#8211; that’s something vaccine science can deliver.” Responding to international research findings that only three out of four people were willing to be vaccinated, FHI 360 developed a simple three-step guide (https://bit.ly/3qiVAo3) to help health authorities win public trust for their vaccine programs. Dr Phionah Atuhebwe (https://bit.ly/3qhE2Zr), an award-winning public health specialist and new vaccination medical officer with WHO Africa Region, said there were three ways in which African countries could access vaccines: 	The WHO and CEPI GAVI’s COVAX (https://bit.ly/3kQb4P7) initiative, the fastest route, pooled demand to accelerate manufacturing and ensured enough supply for 20% of Africa’s population 	The African Union’s Africa Vaccine Allocation Task Team (AVATT) which was securing 670 million doses for Africa 	Countries’ bilateral agreements with vaccine manufacturers Atuhebwe said equitable distribution, national regulations, population targeting and vaccine hesitancy were the four greatest barriers to vaccine distribution and acceptance in Africa. Countries had to explore emergency use authorisation avenues, and adopt detailed national vaccine deployment plans which included details such as their target populations, vaccination schedules, chains of command, provisions for special import permits and indemnity agreements with manufacturers, so that they could do crucial “micro-planning”. Dr Anban Pillay (https://bit.ly/30jjOEd), Deputy Director-General of the South African National Department of Health, said they were in talks with all the major vaccine providers, and their advisory committee was reviewing the efficacy and practicalities of all vaccines in the context of the SA variant and other factors such as HIV prevalence. The government had national committees for vaccine selection, rollout, distribution, administration and communications, and consulted with stakeholders in the private and public sectors, associations of professionals, labour unions and civil society. The South African government prioritised choosing vaccines that would be effective against the South African variant and prevent hospitalisations and mortality. His department also prioritised communicating with the public in non-science language to increase vaccine trust and acceptance. Pillay was adamant about the importance of electronic data management to monitor supply, vaccine uptake and coverage, and adverse events &#8211; a vital tool that was not available during previous pandemics. South Africa would be vaccinating about 1.2 million health workers in Phase 1, a much bigger group including the elderly and those with comorbidities in Phase 2, and would launch mass vaccinations by the third quarter of 2021, Pillay said. Dr Ernest Darkoh (https://bit.ly/2OrsW77), co-founder of BroadReach, Schwab Foundation board member and TIME Magazine health hero, said achieving herd immunity quickly was a massive logistical feat that required pragmatic micro-planning. This entailed proper cold chain and storage management, ensuring that vaccines were handled and prepared timeously and correctly, that staff arrived early enough to prepare vaccines before patients arrived, that patients arrived on schedule, that syringes were safely disposed of, and that proper electronic records were kept along every step of the process so that rollouts could be managed well on the macro and micro levels.  “At BroadReach we’ve been obsessed with what makes programmes tick on the ground on a Monday morning at a large scale. When the vaccines arrive in pallets at the airport, that is where the real challenges begin. Staff must be trained on all aspects, including technology, and you must conduct dry runs before vaccine arrival.” The Africa Centers for Disease Control (CDC) target of 780 million vaccinations over the next 12 months would require 3.5 million doses a day for a single dose, or 7 million a day for a double dose. “A vast number of factors have to go right for that to work.” “We need countries to urgently invest in integrated digital and data solutions early on, and not when they are already in crisis mode, in the worst heat of the fire. Paper causes major issues.” “Essentially, we’re not developing all of these things just for COVID &#8211; we need it for all diseases. We need a global control tower approach. Don’t make COVID another vertical disease program, use it as an opportunity to improve all major healthcare systems for the future.”Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BroadReach.About BroadReach Group: BroadReach Group (www.BroadReachcorporation.com) is a group of social impact businesses focused on harnessing innovation and technology to empower human action. Through its business Vantage Health Technologies they provided training and support to thousands of healthcare workers who have performed more than six million community screenings on the Vantage cloud platform, in partnership with local health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.BroadReachcorporation.com.Media filesDownload logo

Global COVID-19 Experts See Inequitable Distribution and Vaccine Hesitancy as the Key Challenges for Africa in 2021

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Total cases: 19,551 (+42) Recovered: 17,840 (+40) | 91.2% Active cases: 1,443 In critical condition: 12 Tests: 1,037,604 (+2,735) Test positivity rate: 1.5% Vaccinated: 198,453 (+37,504) Deaths: 268 (+1) | 1.4%Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda.Media filesDownload logo

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (7 March 2021)

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In celebration of International Women’s Day, and to mark the rollout of the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) Guarantee for Growth program, the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the African Guarantee Fund are showcasing the first beneficiaries of the AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program – an innovation aiming to unlock up to $3 billion in loans to women-led small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). The beneficiaries are taking part in an online panel event, co-organized by AFAWA and the African Guarantee Fund on Monday 8 March. Under the theme, “Women entrepreneurs: key drivers of economic growth,” the virtual session centers on how the AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program works with financial institutions to address the financial and non-financial needs of African women entrepreneurs, by offering access to finance, providing technical assistance and create an enabling environment to promote policy changes and regulatory reforms. “The African Development Bank has mobilized its resources, and the support of its global partners, in what is to date, our most ambitious effort ever to change the landscape on access to finance for African women entrepreneurs,” said Vanessa Moungar, the Bank’s Director for Women, Gender and Civil Society. The first participants in the program include; Catherine Mumbua Wanjoya, the founder of a company manufacturing biodegradable and affordable sanitary towels, and waste incinerators; Terry Mungai, the CEO of a beauty and hair care franchise institution; Mbuaya Kalenga Mdhy, who heads a semi-industrial sewing company; and hotelier Bijour Esther Monga Ilunga Kazadi. The AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program targets financial institutions to increase their appetite to lend to women who are known to be better payers, and who reinvest up to 90% of their income in the education, health and nutrition of their family and community. The program de-risks women entrepreneurs and enhances financial institutions&#39; appetite in lending to SMEs. Supported by the Group of Seven (G7) countries as well as the Netherlands and Sweden, the AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program is implemented in collaboration with the African Guarantee Fund, which works to facilitate access to finance for SMEs in Africa. “We have realized when talking to financial institutions that they don’t see AFAWA as a favor that we are doing to women. It is a huge business opportunity to tap into a customer segment that has not been explored before,” said Jules Ngankam, CEO of the African Guarantee Fund. Esther Dassanou, Manager of AFAWA said financial institutions in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are signing on to the program, and that the program could be a game changer across the continent. “The AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program is different and innovative from what is on the market, in the sense that it tackles all the major challenges that women entrepreneurs face in accessing financing and growing their business at the same time,” Dassanou added. To register for this AFAWA virtual event, click here (https://bit.ly/2PC7QDA). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).Media filesDownload logo

The African Development Bank to introduce first women beneficiaries of AFAWA Guarantee for Growth program

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group. 
Africa Union Member States (55) reporting COVID-19 cases (3,955,148), deaths (105,490) and recoveries (3,533,574) by region: Central (106,319 cases; 1,815 deaths; 93,354 recoveries): Burundi (2,299; 3; 1,155), Cameroon (35,714; 551; 32,594), CAR (5,021; 63; 4,920), Chad (4,111; 140; 3,579), Congo (9,179; 131; 7,898), DRC (26,468; 712; 22,432), Equatorial Guinea (6,329; 96; 5,737), Gabon (15,254; 88; 13,495), Sao Tome and Principe (1,944; 31; 1,544) Eastern (417,462; 7,748; 323,952): Comoros (3,596; 146; 3,410), Djibouti (6,134; 63; 5,931), Eritrea (2,944; 7; 2,436), Ethiopia (165,029; 2,420; 137,785), Kenya (108,362; 1,874; 87,550), Madagascar (20,155; 300; 19,543), Mauritius (625; 10; 588), Rwanda (19,509; 267; 17,810), Seychelles (2,950; 15; 2,610), Somalia (8,041; 294; 3,932), South Sudan (8,677; 102; 4,317), Sudan (30,479; 1,895; 22,797), Tanzania** (509; 21; 178), Uganda (40,452; 334; 15,065) Northern (1,177,769; 33,494; 1,037,905): Algeria (114,012; 3,012; 78,886), Egypt (185,922; 10,954; 143,575), Libya (137,482; 2,236; 124,712), Mauritania (17,309; 442; 16,656), Morocco (485,974; 8,676; 471,919), Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (42; 7; 34), Tunisia (237,028; 8,167; 202,123) Southern (1,853,380; 57,274; 1,722,020): Angola (21,055; 512; 19,640), Botswana (31,746; 359; 26,760), Eswatini (17,173; 658; 15,211), Lesotho (10,523; 307; 3,888), Malawi (32,398; 1,067; 21,932), Mozambique (62,131; 686; 46,294), Namibia (39,877; 437; 37,366), South Africa (1,520,206; 50,647; 1,439,515), Zambia (82,011; 1,116; 77,609), Zimbabwe (36,260; 1,485; 33,805) Western (400,218; 5,159; 356,343): Benin (6,071; 75; 4,963), Burkina Faso (12,153; 143; 11,754), Cabo Verde (15,724; 152; 15,022), Côte d&#39;Ivoire (34,935; 200; 32,513), Gambia (4,759; 152; 4,143), Ghana (86,092; 640; 80,619), Guinea (16,540; 93; 15,130), Guinea Bissau (3,312; 49; 2,668), Liberia (2,024; 85; 1,892), Mali (8,560; 358; 6,439), Niger (4,740; 172; 4,250), Nigeria (158,237; 1,964; 137,645), Senegal (35,632; 907; 30,369), Sierra Leone (3,918; 79; 2,678), Togo (7,521; 90; 6,258) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).Media filesDownload logo

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