Thread: If this is not pro-active, I don't know what is!

Shebeeners,

Now we can put our voice and vote where our mouth is: Please read and reply to the person concerned!

News Release
For immediate release
7 March 2008

Call for Nominations for the Southern Africa Drivers of Change Award

Nominations for the 2008 Drivers of Change Award are now open. The prestigious non-monetary awards acknowledge innovative practices and models that contribute to overcoming poverty in the region.

In the four award categories of business, civil society, government, and individuals, winners must demonstrate innovation in the strategies used to develop and implement better public policies to end poverty and inequality in southern Africa. They must particularly demonstrate how they have collaborated with others to create new models for cooperation to overcome poverty.

Communications and Partnerships Manager at the Southern Africa Trust, Petronilla Ndebele, said that, “there is need to co-ordinate efforts in anti-poverty work. Collective action among all key role players in designing and implementing effective anti-poverty strategies can no longer be optional if we are to work seriously to end poverty”.

Ndebele added that, “approaches, practices and methods of government, business and civil society may be different, but what is critical is to share a common agenda to end poverty”.
Since 2006, eight drivers of change from Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been recognised for making a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty.

In 2007, a special Drivers of Change award went jointly to the Ministry of Planning and Development of the Mozambique government and the Group of 20 for their outstanding and creative partnership to overcome poverty in Mozambique. In the business category, Allan Gray was recognised as a driver of change for his efforts to promote job creation by fostering excellence in entrepreneurship through both funding and education.
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) was honoured as the winner in the civil society category for linking sound conversation practices directly with supporting sustainable livelihoods in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia, and supporting voices of the poor to be heard in government policy development processes.

This year’s winners will be honoured along with the Mail and Guardian Investing in the Future awards on 23 October 2008 in Johannesburg.
Nominations for the 2008 Drivers of Change Award close on 4 July 2008 and are accepted in English, French and Portuguese.

Nomination forms and guidelines are available by contacting Sudley Adams at +27 11 250 7300/7425 or +27 82 900 0776.
The Southern Africa Trust is an independent, regional, non-profit agency established to support deeper and wider engagement in policy dialogue to overcome poverty in southern Africa.

More information about the Drivers of Change award is available on Southern Africa Trust

For more information, contact;
Mpho Kgosidintsi
Tel: +27 11 318 1012
Mobile: +27 78 459 0152
Email: Mkgosidintsi@southernafricatrust.org