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Herald Reporter
LEADING entrepreneur and fsounder of the Econet Group, Mr Strive Masiyiwa has been
Honoured by Harvard University for his extraordinary contributions to African and African American history and culture.
Mr Masiyiwa was among eight distinguished individuals awarded the coveted W. E. B. Du Bois Medal at the ninth Hutchins Centre Honours, hosted by the Hutchins Centre for African and African American Research at Harvard University yesterday (October 1, 2024).
The W. E. B. Du Bois Medal is Harvard’s highest honour in African and African American studies.
Mr Masiyiwa and his fellow luminaries were celebrated for their exceptional work across various fields of endeavour and recognised for their efforts in advancing social justice.
Mr Masiyiwa is known for his groundbreaking work in telecommunications and philanthropy,
He is the founder of pan-African and global companies Econet Group and Cassava Technologies,
Mr Masiyiwa has received recognition for driving economic empowerment and prosperity across the continent through digital tools, technology, and connectivity. His business ventures span the globe, including operations in Europe, India, the Middle East, the UK, and the US.
In his remarks, Alphonse Fletcher University professor and director of the Hutchins Centre, Henry Louis Gates Jr, highlighted the honourees’ dedication to combating societal ills such as racism, sexism and xenophobia.”The Hutchins Centre recognises the contributions of these eight Du
Bois Medallists whose genius is evident not only in their respective fields but also in their unwavering commitments to combating racism, sexism, and xenophobia, to protecting the freedom of thought and expression and to celebrating the rich history and cultures of people of African descent throughout our rich diaspora,” Prof Gates said.
Mr Glenn H. Hutchins, co-founder of North Island and chairman of the Hutchins Centre’s National Advisory Board, praised the honourees for their transformative impact across academia, business and the arts.
“We honour an extraordinary group of individuals whose accomplishments have created new standards in academia, education, sports, the arts, entertainment, and business. In addition to celebrating their achievements, our awards ceremony seeks to share their example with the many students who are able to join us, plus the broader community and beyond.
“This is a group that inspires us all to persist in our work of bending the arc of history toward justice.”
Mr Masiyiwa’s global leadership extends beyond business.
He serves on the boards of Netflix Inc, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and National Geographic Society, having previously held roles with organisations like the Rockefeller Foundation and Unilever Plc.
A champion of social justice and public health, Masiyiwa and his wife Tsitsi are committed philanthropists. The couple founded Higherlife Foundation in 1996, which has since awarded scholarships to more than 300 000 African youths.
Their efforts to tackle public health challenges have seen Masiyiwa play a leading role in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malnutrition, and COVID-19. As the African Union’s Special Envoy for COVID-19, he spearheaded efforts to manage the continent’s response to the pandemic.
In recognition of his leadership in agriculture and food security, particularly as chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Mr Masiyiwa was awarded the prestigious Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Medallion.
Earlier in the ceremony, Kenneth E. Reeves and Linda Sowell Jackson, founders of
Harvard’s Kuumba Singers were also awarded the Du Bois Medal, marking the 50th anniversary of the influential singing group.
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