Wikipedia

Higherlife Foundation


Higherlife Foundation is a philanthropic organisation founded in 1996 by Strive and Tsitsi Masiyiwa.[2][3][4] Since inception, foundation has been supporting orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa through education and material support.[5] Education support has been provided through the Capernaum Scholarship for orphaned and vulnerable children and the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship for highly gifted children.[6] Other than Education support, the foundation also supports beneficiaries with Guardianship and Pastoral Care.[7] In the communities it serves, the foundation partners with healthcare and crisis response institutions.[8]

Higherlife Foundation
Formation1996; 28 years ago (1996).[1]
Founders
TypeNonprofit organization
PurposeEducation
HeadquartersHarare, Zimbabwe
Area served
Worldwide
MethodDonations and Grants
Websitehttp://www.higherlifefoundation.com
Formerly called
Capernaum Trust
(1996–2015)

History edit

Founded in 1996 by Strive and Tsitsi Masiyiwa, the foundation formerly operated as the Capernaum Trust, offering primary, secondary and University scholarships to orphaned and vulnerable children.

In 2005, the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship fund for the talented and gifted was launched for highly gifted students that did not fall into the orphaned and vulnerable category.[6] In 2006, the Christian Community Partnership Trust was launched to offer pastoral support to the vulnerable.

In 2008, the foundation launched the Waterford Kamhlaba scholarship to take Joshua Nkomo Scholarship beneficiaries to Waterford Kamhlaba College in Swaziland.[9]

In 2008, the foundation ventured into health and crisis relief through the National Health Care Trust[10] which participated in the fight against the 2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak[11]Tokwe Mukosi disaster in Zimbabwe as well as the fight against Ebola in Africa.[12][13]

In 2010, the foundation spread its footprint to Lesotho and Burundi.

In the period 2010- 2015, the foundation achieved the following:

In 2015 the Higherlife Foundation merged all four Trusts into one foundation, focused on education. It also partnered with Yale University in the Yale Young African Scholars Programme.[20]

Basic Education edit

The Higherlife Foundation Basic Education programme is delivered through the Capernaum Scholarship,[21] a scholarship targeted at orphaned and vulnerable children between the ages of 5 and 18 years. The scholarship includes fees and tuition from early childhood to high school and has been running for the past 19 years. Higherlife foundations biggest programmes are currently running in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Burundi. In Zimbabwe the scholarship supports eligible children in Grade 1 to Form 4. In Lesotho it offers scholarships to eligible children in Form A to Form D, while in Burundi the scholarship covers eligible children from Grade 1 to Grade 10. Along with the academic education, the Basic Education programme incorporates mentorship, life skills training and specialized psychosocial support led by the Foundation’s Guardianship and Pastoral Care unit, in collaboration with expert partners. The scholarship program covers tuition, management levies, examination fees and other support materials.[22] Capernaum Scholars in dire need of food are supplied with food hampers. In addition, scholars with Chronic diseases and those who fall sick/ill receive supplies of medication and visit Hospitals/Clinics.

Talent development edit

The foundation's talent development programme is delivered through the merit-based Joshua Nkomo Scholarship.[6] The programme, now in its 10th year, focuses on identifying young African talent through a rigorous selection process and creating the opportunity for them to get the best and most relevant education at world-class local and overseas tertiary learning institutions.[20] The programme includes leadership training and mentorship through internships, community involvement and lifelong engagement through an active alumni network. The Joshua Nkomo scholarships are offered to the best students in the final 2 to 3 years of high school, and top university and college students in their first and straight Master's degrees. The Higherlife Foundation Talent Development programme currently offers merit scholarships to gifted students in several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Burundi, Lesotho, Rwanda and Ghana.

Response to crisis edit

The foundation's Health and Crisis support programme works with partners in health[11] to address health issues that would negatively affect beneficiaries’ health and their ability to access quality education. It works to alleviate and prevent epidemics and disease outbreaks that affect children. It partners with relevant public and private partners to mitigate the impact of health crises and natural disasters on communities in which Higherlife Foundation's beneficiaries live.

Pastoral care edit

The Higherlife Foundation Guardianship and Pastoral Care[23] programme addresses the social issues that affect its beneficiaries’ ability to learn, excel and lead normal lives.[22] It focuses on empowering the children served by the foundation with psychosocial support and essential life skills needed to overcome the stigma and emotional and psychological challenges of growing up as an orphaned child. The Guardianship and Pastoral Care programme also works in collaboration with expert partners, governments and policy makers to ensure the protection of the fundamental rights of children in general, and the rights of girl children in particular.

References edit

  1. ^ "Higher Life Foundation". Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  2. ^ USAP, USAP. "USAP Forum 2015 Speakers". usapglobal.org. USAP. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  3. ^ Masiyiwa, Strive. "Vision". Econet Wireless. Econet Global. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  4. ^ Global, Philanthropy. "Why Give: Tsitsi Masiyiwa, Executive Chairperson, Higher Life Foundation". Global Philanthropy Forum. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  5. ^ Masiyiwa, Tsitsi. "Work". Forbes. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Rutsito, Tonderai. "Joshua Nkomo Scholarship". Technomag.co.zw. Technomag. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  7. ^ Global, Editor. "Tsitsi Masiyiwa: Taking Care of Africa's Orphans". Globalblackhistory.com. Global Black History. Retrieved March 31, 2016. {{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Release, Media. "Masiyiwa pledges US$1,5 million for cholera fight". ewzinvestor.co.zw. Econet Zimbabwe. Retrieved March 31, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Times, Reporter (July 15, 2015). "Meet Kayitare and Mucyo, the history makers". newtimes.co.rw. New Times. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  10. ^ Health, Ministry. "National Health Care Trust Zimbabwe donates to Ministry of Health and Child Welfare". mohcc.gov.zw/. Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Zimbabwe. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Jongwe, Anthony. "Econet ramps up corporate social responsibility". financialgazette.co.zw. Financial Gazette. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  12. ^ Staff Reports. "Strive orders Econet to help Ebola effort". newzimbabwe.com. New Zimbabwe. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  13. ^ Ventures, Africa (October 19, 2013). "POLICY HELPING AFRICAN YOUTHS FINANCE HIGHER EDUCATION – TSITSI MASIYIWA". venturesafrica.com/. Venturesafrica. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  14. ^ Tinuoye, Kunbi (September 10, 2012). "Zimbabwean-born businessman commits $6.4 million to send African students to Morehouse College". thegrio.com. The Grio. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  15. ^ Zeto, Gordon. "Meet Spelman's Andrew Young Scholars". spelman.edu. Spelman. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  16. ^ Business, Reporter. "Econet launches digital learning platform". Herald.co.zw. The Herald Zimbabwe. Retrieved March 31, 2016. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ Gambanga, Nigel (January 30, 2015). "Muzinda Hub and its army of 1,000 Zimbabwean techies and entrepreneurs". techzim.co.zw. Techzim. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  18. ^ Gambanga, Nigel (February 26, 2014). "Econet Wireless Zimbabwe wins award at the Mobile World Congress #MWC14". Techzim.co.zw. Techzim. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  19. ^ Herald, Reporter. "Econet wireless donates to tokwe mukosi flood victims". Herald.co.zw. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Shah, Amy (October 26, 2015). "Yale partners with Higherlife Foundation to mentor African high school students". news.yale.edu. Yale University. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  21. ^ Deskmate, Deskmate. "The Capernaum Scholarship". Deskmate.co.zw. Deskmate. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  22. ^ a b Mfonobong, Nsehe. "The Millionaire's Wife Who Feeds 40,000 Children". Forbes. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  23. ^ Pindula, Pindula. "CCPT". Pindula. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
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