Africa Matters Initiative (Africa Matters), a youth-led organisation founded by Stellenbosch University (SU) Alumnae, Farai Mubaiwa and Reanne Olivier in April 2015 has a vision to impact the African continent.
“We’re in a growth phase, we just recently restructured so we have our ambassadors program which will make Africa Matters an African organisation. Becoming a bigger organisation and having Africa Matters hubs in these various African countries,” says Darren Davids, assistant head of operations at Africa Matters.
Africa Matters co-founder, Farai Mubaiwa gives the opening remarks at The Africa Day Networking evening. PHOTO: Alundrah Sibanda
Naledi Letsoalo, the schools program ambassador at the organisation agrees with this view and adds that Africa Matters has a plan of action to achieve this goal which includes posting Afrocentric articles, online engagements, hosting youth empowerment events, workshops and the Towards a Better Africa Summit annually.
“Last year it was hosted in Stellenbosch. This year, we’re hoping to host it in Johannesburg. In this way we’re targeting a much broader group of people to make sure that we impact as many Africans as possible,” Letsoalo says.
EXPLORE: Story Map of Africa Matters Highlights
The core messaging of Africa Matters is centred on changing the African narrative through equipping Africans with leadership skills and grassroots projects in African communities according to Aluwani Ramarumo, project manager at Africa Matters.
“We embrace Afrocentricity. We embrace everything African. Our Instagram @africamatters2015 showcases African art, music and scenery. Our ambassadors program was launched in Rwanda, Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe,” Ramarumo explains.
Students and professionals network at Africa Matters’ Africa Day Networking Evening. PHOTO: Alundrah Sibanda
Davids states that Africa Matters is combating Afro-pessimism among the youth by engaging them directly.
“We have various programs and workshops were we go into poorer communities and start to inform them of what we are doing and what opportunities are available for them. With regards to our school talks, we go into schools and basically start them at a young age getting interested in events such as this [Africa Day Networking Event] and basically trying and nurture them from a young age to get involved,” Davids adds.
WATCH: Africa Matters’ Africa Day Networking Evening
Letsoalo states that merely knowing that Africa Matters exists should attract people to the organisation as it spotlights Africa as an important topic of discussion and action. She explains that the organisation’s mandate is intentionally incorporated into each of its projects, “The spirit of Ubuntu is brought to life in these spaces.”
Ramarumo says that her involvement in Africa Matters has been a learning curve, “one of the biggest campaigns we had was the 56 days of Africa campaign were we showcased each and every country in Africa counting down to Africa Day and that showed us that there’s so much more to the continent”.
Aphiwe Dlamini, Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting was the guest speaker at Africa Matters’ Africa Day Networking Evening. PHOTO: Alundrah Sibanda
“My story was because I’m dark skinned, people would ask me are you from Nigeria? Ghana? Rwanda? I’m like no but when I joined Africa Matters I started embracing that so much. It helped me embrace myself. To be honest, Africa Matters has empowered me as a young person to love appreciate anything and everything African and to want to work towards a better Africa,” Ramarumo concludes.