Zimbabwe's Angeline Murimirwa wins Africa Education Medal 2024

Zimbabwe’s Angeline Murimirwa, CEO of CAMFED, has won the Africa Education Medal 2024.

Founded by T4 Education and HP Inc., the Africa Education Medal is Africa’s most prestigious education accolade.

Murimirwa was chosen from among finalists that included Kenya's Ahmed Omar, Co-Executive Director, of Kenya Drylands Education Fund, and Christopher Khaemba, Co-Founder & Director, Nova Pioneer, Kenya.

Other countries represented included Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa.

The Africa Education Medal recognises the tireless work of those who are transforming education across the continent – celebrating the stories of those who have lit the spark of change so others will be inspired to take up the torch.

It is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.

“I am deeply honoured by this recognition and want to pay special tribute to T4 Education and HP for highlighting Africa’s education champions. This medal belongs to our entire movement - to every single person whose commitment to education drives them to go further and do better every day. The need is great, and we cannot do this alone – together we’re raising the flag for a more equitable world,” said Murimirwa.

CAMFED is a pan-African, grassroots-led NGO that tackles poverty, inequality and injustice through girls’ education and women’s leadership.

Murimirwa herself was one of the first girls supported by CAMFED to go to secondary school in Zimbabwe and understands from first-hand experience the hurdles girls face in accessing education.

Now CAMFED’s CEO, she is uniquely positioned to bring the expertise of girls and women once excluded from education to inform policy and strategy at every level.

Murimirwa is leading CAMFED in the delivery of a proven solution that enables marginalised girls to enrol and thrive in secondary school and then graduate into secure livelihoods and positions of leadership.

Mayank Dhingra, Senior Education Business Leader at HP, said, “Our warmest congratulations to Zimbabwe’s Angeline Murimirwa. Her vital work has led the way in breaking down barriers to girls in education. We know that so many others will be inspired to follow in her footsteps to build a world where every child receives the quality education that is their right.”

Noting that the vast majority of girls in rural Africa never complete secondary school. Their exclusion from education plays out at every stage of a young woman’s life and is passed on to future generations.

CAMFED’s model operates at three levels: First, in engaging with school communities to implement a comprehensive support system targeted at the most marginalised girls, tackling impediments to their school attendance and learning.

Second, as girls graduate from secondary school, enabling their transition to work or entrepreneurship, and providing a platform for them to step up as leaders and support younger generations of girls. Third, in partnering with governments to embed what works in national school systems, to ensure these better serve the needs of girls.

CAMFED currently operates at scale in five countries: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana, working with 7,044 partner schools in under-served rural communities. Its model has proven highly successful.

For instance, in Zimbabwe, marginalised girls supported by CAMFED were nearly three times less likely to drop out of school relative to peers in comparison schools.

In Tanzania, literacy gains for marginalised girls were twice as high and maths gains were five times higher in CAMFED partner schools.     

Murimirwa was a founding member and first elected Chair of the CAMFED Association — the pan-African network of 279,000 women leaders educated with CAMFED support, and united in their determination to secure every girl's right to quality education.

Each member of the association is financially supporting at least three other girls in their community to help them stay in school - a huge multiplier.