Each regional office makes grants in fields that most effectively address problems in that region. In the Southern Africa office, we support efforts in seven key areas:
Development Finance and Economic Security, and Environment and Development
Our grants in this area seek to improve the economic prosperity of poor and marginalized people. One focus is on development finance to deliver a range of financial services to the poor. The other is on community-based natural resource management work. Our grants help to improve access and control of natural resource assets at the community level, and they support local efforts to market and add value to these natural assets—often through natural resource-based enterprises.
Education and Scholarship
Our work aims to encourage diversity and equity in the post-secondary education system; to strengthen teaching and research throughout the system; to support the development of a new generation of scholars; and to ensure coherence between our higher education grants portfolio and the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, which seeks to build capacity and support special initiatives to further the development of higher education in nine African countries.
Governance and Civil Society
We seek to enhance and promote citizen participation in the public sphere to further democratic and responsive governance. Our grants seek to empower civil society organizations to effectively engage with decision-making processes; to explore innovative mechanisms to facilitate discussion and collaboration between civil society and governmental bodies; and to encourage opportunities for public debate on critical issues.
Human Rights
Our overall goal is to support efforts that protect the rights of members of certain groups that experience greater vulnerability and, in particular, to promote access to economic and social justice for the poor, women, people living with HIV/AIDS, children and other marginalized persons. We support public-interest litigation, advocacy, policy analysis and development, research and documentation, law reform, and training to advance the rights of the disadvantaged.
Media, Arts and Culture
Our work in these areas recognizes the centrality of culture and media to everyday life and their combined power as potent forces for social change. Accordingly, we support major cultural institutions in South Africa in their efforts to preserve, protect and promote the historical legacy of the country. In addition, we support media- and culture-based initiatives that seek to raise awareness and promote debate on critical societal challenges.
Philanthropy
We support the expansion of the philanthropic sector in the region, both as a source of funds for building a strong, sustainable and democratic civil society, and as a means of promoting social justice outcomes. Our grant making aims to strengthen institutions that promote social justice through their work; to support learning and sharing of experiences; and to encourage and strengthen the culture of philanthropy in the region.
Sexuality and Reproductive Health
Our work in this area investigates the intersection of socioeconomic factors and HIV/AIDS. We also seek to support promising interventions that effectively address the structural factors of gender inequalities and poverty as key social and economic determinants of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. A key strategy is to address the grave imbalance in the vulnerability of young women and girls by supporting activities that promote positive gender norms and behavior and that increase access to appropriate HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health services.