tawandamusarurwa
Online Reporter
Zimbabwean philanthropist and Higherlife Foundation chairperson Mrs Tsitsi Masiyiwa has been appointed board chair of the END Fund, a leading global collaborative fund dedicated to ending neglected tropical diseases.
She succeeds William Bill Campbell, who was appointed in 2012 as inaugural board chair by the organisation’s founders, Legatum.
The END Fund has mobilised resources from more than 6 400 donors to deliver over 1,5 billion treatments through locally driven neglected tropical diseases (NTD) programmes in 31 countries, targeting intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, trachoma and visceral leishmaniasis.
In a statement, Mr Campbell said having Mrs Masiyiwa’s voice at the forefront of the conversation on NTDs will increase the urgency and prioritisation of this issue among key decision-makers, from heads of households to Heads of State.
“Tsitsi Masiyiwa is a deeply respected philanthropist and social entrepreneur, well-known for her effective advocacy and exemplary leadership, particularly through her role as chair and co-founder of Higherlife Foundation.
“The END Fund’s growth and impact has been one of my life’s biggest achievements and there is no one better placed to entrust this to than Tsitsi.
“Her vision, experience and networks will accelerate and focus the END Fund’s ambitions, and enable us to deepen our impact in new ways,” reads part of the communique.
NTDs affect over 1,7 billion people worldwide, with over 40 percent of the global NTD burden concentrated in Africa.
“It’s an honour to be appointed as chair of the END Fund, having witnessed the incredible impact of the organisation first-hand. I’m excited to lead our efforts towards even greater sustainability by empowering affected communities to take the lead in eliminating NTDs.
“We are all responsible for ending NTDs. I look forward to working with governments to highlight their efforts and encourage greater ownership so we can end the scourge of NTDs for good,” Mrs Masiyiwa said in a statement.
Online Reporter