{"id":3751,"date":"2025-12-17T07:37:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T07:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.gbstudio.co.za\/afri\/?p=3751"},"modified":"2026-01-27T07:41:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T07:41:53","slug":"andia-chakava-reframing-solidarity-in-africa-canada-relations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.gbstudio.co.za\/afri\/2025\/12\/17\/andia-chakava-reframing-solidarity-in-africa-canada-relations\/","title":{"rendered":"Andia Chakava: Reframing solidarity in Africa\u2013Canada relations"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe are creating a scenario where women are over-mentored but underfunded. Because they get into programmes, get inspired, gain new ideas, yet there is no money to fund those ideas.\u201d Said\u00a0Andia Chakava<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>As Managing Partner at Afrishela, she spends much of her time building bridges between African women entrepreneurs and global partners. At a fireside chat hosted by\u00a0Afropolitan<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/b>in partnership with\u00a0Mennonite Economic Development Associates<\/b>\u00a0(MEDA)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0The Asili Initiative Africa<\/strong>, she helped shape a powerful conversation on the future of Africa\u2013Canada relations.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The meeting brought together philanthropists, investors, diaspora leaders and advocates to ask a simple question: what does genuine solidarity between Africa and Canada look like in practice? Mrs Gra\u00e7a Machel set the tone by reframing solidarity as mutual responsibility rather than charity, reminding the room, \u201cI will not be whole if you are not whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Building on this, Andia spoke about how capital must follow that vision. She shared how Afrishela and the Gra\u00e7a Machel Trust are mobilising investment into women-led and impact-driven enterprises and called on institutions like MEDA and\u00a0The Asili Initiative\u00a0<\/i>to engage African partners as co-creators, not just beneficiaries. Real solidarity, she argued, is measured by who holds power, who sets the agenda and who shares in the long-term value created.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

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Mrs Machel sat on a panel and emphasised that true economic partnership means closing the funding gap decisively, anchored in the spirit of Ubuntu \u2013 \u201cI am because you are.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Theo Sowa Interim CEO at GMT was also present at the event. She reinforced that international assistance has often been patronising, short-term and unequal, and that we can\u2019t discuss new models without acknowledging the failures of the old ones.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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In a world where Africa is still too often framed as a recipient of aid, Andia\u2019s message was a clear invitation to do things differently: design financing models rooted in trust, shared accountability and respect for African expertise.\u00a0Watch Andia share her reflections from the fireside chat:\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/youtu.be\/It1iolW1aeo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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