Alexandra van der Ploeg Archives - �鶹ԭ�� Africa News Center

From Mentorship to Female Empowerment: Learnings from �鶹ԭ��‘s Partnership with the Global Give Back Circle

Samantha Naidoo, Global Strategic Initiatives, �鶹ԭ�� — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 06:38:30 +0000

From Mentorship to Female Empowerment: Learnings from �鶹ԭ��‘s Partnership with the Global Give Back Circle

��In light of the United Nations 11th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, it is vital to shine a spotlight on the progress and persistent challenges that young women face. This year, we are focusing on Kenya, which like many nations, has witnessed increased awareness of the issues that matter most to girls—leading to improved opportunities for them to have their voices heard on the world stage. However, amidst concurrent global crises such as COVID-19 economic recovery, climate change, and humanitarian conflicts, investments in girls’ rights remain limited. While Kenya has made significant strides in promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, girls continue to grapple with various obstacles hindering them from realizing their full potential.

��The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) , a longstanding index that monitors countries’ progress in narrowing gender gaps since its inception in 2006, positions Kenya at 77th place among 146 countries, indicating that there is room for improvement. Further to this, the representation of women in decision-making processes in Kenya remains inadequate, and gender-based violence lingers as a pressing issue. Women and girls continue to spend extensive hours on household responsibilities such as fetching firewood and water, which not only hinders their school attendance rates and employment prospects but also impacts their overall well-being.

So, how can Kenya empower its girls and young women to overcome these challenges and achieve their full potential? One promising solution is mentorship which can provide guidance, support, and access to opportunities that young women might not otherwise have.

Forging a path to empowerment

��In Kenya, the youth (aged 15-24) hovered at around 13.35 percent in 2022, with little improvement from the previous year. To improve these statistics, mentors can serve as role models, demonstrating what is possible when women break down barriers and enter the labor force. Through mentorship, young women can gain valuable insights into various career paths, access networks, and receive advice on navigating the challenges they may face.

“At �鶹ԭ��, we believe that educating girls and women is one of the most effective ways to promote economic growth,” says Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Global CSR at �鶹ԭ��. “With this in mind, �鶹ԭ��’s Business Women’s Network joined hands with the Global Give Back Circle in 2019 with the aim to support vulnerable girls and young women based in Kenya. This initiative not only acknowledges the resourcefulness, creativity, resilience, and unwavering tenacity that girls embody in the face of adversity but also actively harnesses these qualities. Through the impact of mentorship, education, and sponsorship, the program drives empowerment and achievement for these girls and young women,” concludes Alex.

This is why �鶹ԭ�� colleagues volunteer as mentors, dedicating their time and contributing $1000 annually, a commitment that is matched and directed by the company towards beneficiaries’ tuition, school materials, and exposure to industry intellectual property. Perhaps most importantly, this $2000 covers a university scholarship for one year. At-risk girls require extra assistance to shift from a state of marginalization to one of empowerment. This support encompasses access to information, expanding their perspectives on possibilities, gaining 21st-century skills, life skills, and a caliber of mentoring that steers transformative leadership.

Operating in close partnership with local high schools and communities, the initiative pairs high school and college girls with inspirational mentors from across the globe. In doing so, it provides them with a toolbox of skills, bolstering their self-confidence, and fostering crucial networks essential for success, both in the workforce and as budding entrepreneurs. This closes the gap between education and employment, equipping girls and young women with the knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce.

Collaborative achievements have formed a springboard for success

��The achievements of �鶹ԭ��’s Global Give Back Circle Mentor Chapter in 2023 are a testament to the commitment of �鶹ԭ�� colleagues and the program’s vision. Monthly meetings, mentor-mentee pairings, financial support and mentorship from 12 �鶹ԭ�� colleagues have made a tangible difference in the lives of 12 young women. When asked about what they enjoyed about the program, a first-year student at the University of Nairobi shared the following feedback: “Seeing how our mentors care about us and how they gave us much-needed advice in life situations really impacted me”. Another mentee who is currently a first-year student from the Coast Institute of Technology added that they liked the fact that they were encouraged to share their unique viewpoints, both on and offline: “The program taught me that I should not be afraid to air out my points of view in a public place. I feel enlightened on how to build my communication skills.”

The Global Give Back Circle also emphasizes the importance of bridging cultural differences, career development, and preparing mentees for the job market. As these girls’ and young women transition into the labor market, they contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by bolstering its workforce and fostering economic development. In addition, Kenya’s GDP also stands to benefit further from the inclusion of a skilled and empowered female workforce. This mentorship initiative aligns with Kenya’s broader efforts to achieve gender equality, thereby contributing to a more equitable society and sustainable economic progress.

This exemplifies the profound impact mentorship can have on both individual lives and the overall prosperity of a nation. With the right skills and opportunities, these girls and young women can be the changemakers who drive progress in their communities.

The future looks promising

��In line with our purpose, �鶹ԭ��’s objective is to create positive economic, environmental, and social impact within planetary boundaries with a special focus on climate action, the circular economy, social responsibility, and holistic steering and reporting.��As we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, �鶹ԭ��’s Global Give Back Circle Mentor Chapter stands as an encouraging example of the power of mentorship and investment in girls’ education. We hope that the success of this partnership will serve as a source of inspiration for nations to invest in their young women.

By empowering girls and young women with essential skills, education, and mentorship, we unlock the boundless potential of Kenya’s female population. This collaboration between the private sector and local communities not only changes individual lives but also contributes to the growth of the Kenyan economy, paving the way for a brighter future for all. It is an illustration of the belief that girls are not just beneficiaries of change but powerful agents of progress who, with the right support, can shape a more inclusive and prosperous world for everyone.

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Meet Ethiopia’s Ten Year-old Coding Champion

�鶹ԭ�� News — Fri, 21 May 2021 07:02:47 +0000

Much has been written about the importance of advancing digital literacy on the African continent, especially among its younger citizens. With more than half of the world’s under-25s expected to live in Africa by 2050, mobilizing and inspiring this youthful population to be active participants of the global digital economy is central to the continent’s future.

For Soliyana Gizaw Hunde, ten year-old coder and recent winner of the inaugural AfriCANCode Challenge, a love of maths and science and a strong community spirit inspired her to develop a fun and engaging way to practice math and raise awareness of COVID-19 related health protocols.

“Being part of the AfriCANCode Challenge has been fun, and winning the national and overall competition was very exciting,” says Soliyana, who lives with her parents in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. “It has motivated me to do more and dream big.”

The AfriCANcode Challenge was introduced after the 2020 �鶹ԭ�� Africa Code Week program shifted to an all-virtual format in the wake of the global pandemic. The competition challenged youth aged 8 to 16 to develop a game using the Scratch coding language to reimagine school and education, or answer the question “How will your tech change the future of education?”.

Participants from 22 countries made it to the final round of the competition, and the winner was announced in early 2021. All of the top three winners were girls, with Soliyana crowned overall winner at a virtual prize-giving ceremony in February.

Soliyana says she was inspired to learn coding after seeing the projects her cousin, a software engineering student at one of the local state universities, was doing. “When I was eight, my cousin helped me take a short coding training course at a local center. Since then, I have watched instructional videos on YouTube, and I have been motivated to keep practicing.”

After the pandemic forced the Ethiopian government to close schools, Soliyana decided to apply her coding skills in service of her community by participating in the AfriCANCode Challenge.

“When we started staying at home due to the pandemic, I heard how it was affecting people in our community and what we could do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. I decided to develop my Mathstainment game to create awareness about COVID-19 and offer a simple and fun way to practice maths.”

Mathstainment, the educational game developed by Soliyana, was built using the Scratch programming language. It asks a series of maths questions that leads a character on the screen ever closer to personal protective equipment (PPE) for each correct answer. After a few incorrect answers, the player has to start over. Maths questions are posed at varying difficulty levels, ranging from ‘Easy’ to ‘Difficult’.

Asked what lies ahead for the young coding champion, Soliyana says: “I want to be an astronomer. I want to know how the universe works.”

Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at �鶹ԭ��, says Soliyana and her fellow participants at this year’s AfriCANCode Challenge are inspirations to youth across the continent. “The innovation and community-minded spirit displayed by this year’s participants point to a bright future for Africa’s citizens. It is also hugely encouraging to see the high ratio of female participants, whose ingenuity saw all three top place finishes claimed by girls.”

She points to progress over the past few years with expanding access to coding teaching and digital literacy opportunities for the continent’s youth. “�鶹ԭ�� Africa Code Week and the AfriCANCode Challenge mobilizes hundreds of partners in the public and private sector who rally around the urgent task of empowering Africa’s youth with essential digital skills. As we continue into an uncertain future, this investment into youth skills development will pay huge dividends over the coming years and decades.”

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Youth Activist-led Social Enterprise Inspires Next Generation of Female Leaders

�鶹ԭ�� News — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:07:51 +0000

Blackboard Africa tackles gender-based violence by inspiring, empowering young girls with leadership skills and practical tools for building a better future.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – September 9th, 2020 – Looking out over the skyline of the vibrant city of Johannesburg, one youth activist considers the work that still lies ahead to safeguard women’s rights and safety. In a country with one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence, Amonge Sinxoto is making sure young women are empowered to effect change in their communities.

“Globally, women’s safety remains in peril, and they often bear the brunt of gender-based violence. We need to work with young women and cultivate their talent, so they feel confident to help build a safer, more just society.”

Amonge Sinxoto is the co-founder of Blackboard Africa, a 2019 Global Teen Leader and current Allan Gray Candidate Fellow. She has lent her voice to speak on issues related to youth activism on programmes by Google, Facebook, and TEDx. And she’s only 19 years old.

In 2019, Sinxoto attended the Social Enterprise World Forum in Addis Ababa, where she met �鶹ԭ�� Head of Global CSR Alexandra van der Ploeg. After Sinxoto shared a proposal of their plans for 2020, Blackboard Africa was awarded an �鶹ԭ�� grant for €15,000 to help fund some of the planned activities. “Alexandra has been a mentor and helped guide us through the disruption from Covid-19 to ensure we can continue our programmes despite lockdown. She has also helped guide us as we make changes to our organisation to ensure we can continue delivering on our purpose, which is more relevant than ever.”

Sinxoto says the statistics speak for themselves: “South African women feel unsafe, bear the brunt of gender-based attacks, and often live in fear even as they contend with immense socio-economic challenges. It’s time to lean into young women and empower them to become the next generation of leaders in our country.”

Accurate figures over South Africa’s rate of gender-based violence are hard to come by, partly because most incidents are not reported. However, in one local study in 2011, data revealed that more than one in every three (37.7%) women in the country’s economic hub of Gauteng have experienced intimate partner violence. And last year, found that 43% of women surveyed reported feeling unsafe.

Blackboard Africa is a registered non-profit organisation based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The brainchild of youth activists and social entrepreneurs Amonge Sinxoto and Zingisa Socikwa, Blackboard Africa aims to bridge the leadership gap among young people aged 13 to 25 with a view to addressing Africa’s challenges.

The organisation runs a number of projects, including the Fan Her Flame leadership programme, a Boys Will Not Be Boys outreach programme for young men, and Pass The Baton, which aims to prepare young people aged 12 to 25 to overcome life’s hurdles in the pursuit of social impact.

Sinxoto and her team are currently working with two groups of girls as part of the Fan Her Flame programme, one group from Soweto and another from Alexandra township. “Many of these girls live in trying circumstances with daily battles against poverty and hunger. Despite this, the girls are incredibly bright, but their confidence levels are low. We want to inspire them to see themselves in situations where they can achieve more and make a positive change in the community around them.”

The Fan Her Flame programme takes the format of a series of workshops hosted over several weeks. The goal is for young women to understand their value, learn to better express their challenges and maximise their contribution to the development of their communities. “We want to show these young women that there is power in their voice,” says Sinxoto. “And we want to give them practical tools to help them build a better future, including planning techniques that help them set short and long-term goals that bring them closer to their vision.”

She adds that it’s important that the next generation of female leaders and role models don’t live in fear of violence and abuse. “Tackling the issue of gender-based violence requires interventions at multiple levels. Policy reform is needed to improve the structures that govern women’s rights. Police need to be trained to deal with gender-based issues and increase the intensity at which they investigate gender-based violence. And we need an honest conversation with men, many of whom continue to wage war against the women in our society.”

South Africa’s government is taking the matter seriously. It released a National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in 2020, which features built on four strategic pillars: Accountability Coordination and Leadership; Prevention and Rebuilding of Social Cohesion; Justice, Safety and Protection; and Response, Care, Support and Healing.

“The challenges are immense,” says Sinxoto. “In one of our communities, up to ten families share a single outdoor toilet. This means young girls often have to walk in the dark of night as far as 1km to use the bathroom, which puts them at incredible risk.��These are not problems that will disappear overnight, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t meaningful actions we can take now to improve the lives of these young girls and inspire hope.”

To help deliver on its purpose, Blackboard Africa often works with partners and volunteers to help drive the success of its programmes. “We are always seeking more industry support, particularly to bring in relevant mentors that can inspire and guide the girls on their journey. Funding is always a challenge: some of the communities in which we work face abject poverty. You can’t learn when you’re distracted by hunger, so we work with partners to meet some basic needs within our communities.”

Global head of CSR for �鶹ԭ��, Alexandra van der Ploeg says young women such as Amonge and her colleagues at Blackboard Africa hold the promise of a bright future for the African continent. “Undaunted by the scale of the challenges, Amonge and the Blackboard Africa team work tirelessly to support one of the most vulnerable communities, inspiring hope and creating opportunities for meaningful change in their communities. As a purpose-led organisation, �鶹ԭ�� is proud to support the vital work they are doing and will continue working with them to create sustainable, positive impact.”

For more information about Blackboard Africa’s initiatives, please visit

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�鶹ԭ�� Mandela Day Inaugural 67-minute VIRTUAL Design Thinking Sprint – Saturday 18 July 2020

�鶹ԭ�� News — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 09:49:57 +0000

An Innovative Approach to Volunteering, to Benefit Rays of Hope

With the constraints placed on organisations by the COVID-19 pandemic, �鶹ԭ�� Africa has adopted a ground-breaking, innovative and safe approach to provide employees with a unique volunteering opportunity on Mandela Day 2020. ��The organisation is hosting, what can be considered, a first Mandela Day 67-minute virtual design thinking sprint. ��鶹ԭ�� is partnering with the globally recognised Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking at the University of Cape Town .�� in partnership with Siyafunda Community Technology Centres to deliver the Mandela Day programme.�� The design thinking activity will support Rays of Hope, , based in Alexandra, Johannesburg, in close proximity to �鶹ԭ�� offices. ��As design thinking��is both an ideology and a process, concerned with solving complex problems in a highly user-centric way, �鶹ԭ�� employees will be called upon to utilise their knowledge, experience and skills to assist Rays of Hope to address the following challenge “ How can Rays of Hope enable Alex youth to thrive in a world where Covid-19 has deepened the inequality gap?”

��鶹ԭ�� Global Head of ��Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Alexandra Van der Ploeg said that “ �鶹ԭ��’s aspirational goal��is to create a��significant and sustainable social impact��in three core areas:

Building digital Skills
Powering best-run Non-Governmental Organisations & Social Enterprises, and
Connecting��employees��with purpose��

Mandela Day provides our most valuable resource, our employees, with a unique opportunity to support social impact in all three core areas of our CSR strategy.”

In addition, �鶹ԭ�� will also support Rays of Hope in establishing the #Hope4Alex programme office, which enables the organisation to support vulnerable families and residents of Alexandra through three streams, namely the educational and pastoral centre, the general centre office and the social workers and counselling centre. ��On the digital literacy front, �鶹ԭ�� will further support the continued digital skills building journey of Rays of Hope, its partner organisations and residents of Alexandra beyond Mandela month, in partnership with Siyafunda CTC, via a virtual learning platform.

Participating �鶹ԭ�� employees both in Africa and globally, will give up their time for approximately 100 minutes, to include the introduction, framing of the challenge, the design sprint and reflections on the proposed solution.

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Social Enterprise Shines Light on Nigeria’s Street Kids in Dark Days of Pandemic

�鶹ԭ�� News — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 10:19:24 +0000

How one social enterprise is working to protect and support street children in Africa as stigma, a broken system and a global pandemic puts them at risk.

As the sun rises over deserted streets, a group of volunteers prepares for their day. For a few hours – from late morning until curfews are enforced in the late afternoon – the volunteers will work to support one of the most vulnerable and often-forgotten communities in Africa’s most populous country.

“Being on the street is already traumatic,” says James Okina, founder at Street Priests, a social enterprise born from Okina’s own experience as an at-risk youth living on the dangerous streets of Nigeria’s urban landscapes. “Now, with COVID-19, there is also the added fear and pressure of a health emergency and a strict lockdown enforced by police and military forces, which is putting severe pressure on this vulnerable group.”

Street Priests was founded in 2014 by then-15 year-old Okina in the southern city of Calabar, near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon. The organisation operates on the belief that “If each one reaches one, together we would reach all”, relying on a highly-motivated group of more than 150 on-the-ground volunteers and local and international backers.

“We felt it was important that everyday people take up the responsibility of solving the pressing social issues in our country, in this case the plight of street children, who remain persecuted and neglected by state and other institutions,” says Okina. “Our work has taken on even greater significance during this time when countries are on lockdown and the most vulnerable – including street children – are at even higher risk due to COVID-19.”

Support, hope for those left behind

Nigeria has an estimated 8.6 million children living on its streets, with more than 10 million not attending school – the highest rate worldwide. Widely rejected and vilified by Nigerian society and state authorities, many street kids turn to a life of crime to survive.

One of the major interventions that Street Priests aim to achieve is to break the cycle of violence that often traps street children in a life of crime. “We do this by meeting kids half-way, engaging with them on their terms, and giving them opportunities to explore what it would be like to reintegrate into society,” explains Florence Louis, Director of Administration at Street Priests. “The approach has proven effective: nearly 10% of the kids we engage have returned home or gone back to school, and one recently completed their entry exam and will be attending university in the new year.”

Before the coronavirus made its way to Nigeria’s cities, Street Priests were able to centralise outreach via a community centre owned and operated by Street Priests. “Our Excellence Centre offered a safe place for street children to gather, learn, play and interact with our volunteers and mentors,” says Louis. “We were serving nearly 500 kids a month and providing social and emotional learning support. Unfortunately, when our government enacted a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, we had to close the centre, cutting off vital support to street kids when they arguably need it most.”

This sudden closing has had a distinct impact on Street Priests’ ability to continue its work. According to Hanson Hanson, Programs Director at Street Priests, volunteers currently have to travel to where street kids gather to hand out essential supplies – such as food and personal protective equipment – that may help keep them safe from the worst of the pandemic.

“With lockdown measures in place, this unfortunately means we have to pass some police and military checkpoints, which adds another layer of danger and uncertainty to an already-tense situation,” explains Hanson. “However, our volunteers have continued their outreach for more than 11 weeks, working across Calabar to directly reach out, engage with and support kids living on the streets. Ultimately, we want to instil confidence in these kids and inspire them to become beneficial to the societies in which they live.”

Scaling up for greater social impact

With an approach that works, Street Priests’ next challenge is to expand the organisation’s work to more kids in Nigeria – and other parts of the world. To do so, the organisation requires corporate support.

In 2019, �鶹ԭ�� Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Alexandra van der Ploeg and the We Are Family Foundation invited Okina to the Social Enterprise World Forum in Addis Ababa as one of ten young African leaders. Since then, �鶹ԭ�� has connected Okina and his team to experts, mentors and financial relief, both before Covid-19 and as part of �鶹ԭ��’s global emergency fund which was launched in response to the pandemic.

Okina says this type of support from the private sector is essential to Street Priests’ efforts to scale outreach to more kids in Nigeria as well as other countries with large populations of street children. “The process of building direct relationships with street kids and inspiring them to pursue lives of purpose has proven to work. We now need the financial and human resources to allow us to apply the model in other markets, for example Latin America, where millions of children live on the streets.”

Although the sheer number of street children living in Africa and elsewhere may seem overwhelming, Okina believes it’s only by acknowledging the scale of the problem and pulling in as many likeminded partners as possible that any meaningful progress can be made. “Simply put, if you really care about this you are bound to feel overwhelmed. However, if each of us takes on the role of a ‘street priest’ and makes a necessary contribution where we are, the problem is far more likely to be addressed, to the benefit of both the street children and the communities in which they live.”

For more information about Street Priests, please visit

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