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‘Lazy, weak, bewitched’ – how stigma stops Uganda’s children from getting help, and what schools can do about it

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lydia Namatende-Sakwa, Associate Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center

“Me who is a poor person, do I have the luxury to have depression? No, it is only you who is rich that has the luxury to have depression.”

This statement, shared by a research participant in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, captures a persistent misconception: that depression belongs to wealthy people or those whose lives are comfortable enough to permit emotional vulnerability.

It is an example of how socio-cultural beliefs can become a barrier to recognising mental health problems and seeking support.

In 2025, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports issued a set of mental health and psychosocial support policy guidelines and resources for schools. These included a training manual, teachers’ handbook and wellbeing guide. They provide practical information on recognising distress, psychosocial support, referral and wellbeing in education settings.

The next challenge is to put the guidelines into practice.

Our team of researchers at the African Health and Population Research Center did a study to provide evidence that would help schools in Uganda follow the guidelines. We looked at what people understand by mental health, what learners and staff need, school capacity and what needs to happen first to put the guidelines into action.

The study engaged 200 learners, teachers, parents, community representatives, policy actors and development partners across four districts: Kampala, Jinja, Gulu and Mbarara. Kampala is the capital city; Jinja is a mixed rural-urban context. Gulu is an area affected by conflict and displacement. Mbarara is an education and economic hub with urban and rural schools.

We found socio-cultural and gender norms strongly influenced whose distress was recognised, how it was explained and whether seeking help was considered acceptable. Mental health at school was linked to issues like literacy, spirituality, poverty, family instability, displacement, disability and trauma.

Learner distress reflected overlapping academic, family, economic, social and institutional pressures. The responses at school must take all these into account. School mental health programmes must address both emotional wellbeing and structural pressures such as poverty, stigma and exclusion.

Listening to Ugandans

Our four study sites were chosen to reflect a range of environments, with different resources and socio-cultural influences.

We held dialogues at each site with learners aged 13-18, parents, teachers, government representatives, youth-led organisations, religious and community leaders, NGOs and researchers. Special interest groups (including refugees, LGBTQ organisations and people with disabilities) were also included.

The dialogues explored understandings of mental health, learner and staff needs, school capacity and future priorities.

What’s influencing mental health

The study participants described student mental health as a growing concern. They mentioned depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, fear, social withdrawal, substance use, bullying-related distress, trauma, anger, academic pressure and poor emotional regulation.

Participants described these as interconnected problems.

The drivers of distress among students were identified as:

  • academic pressure

  • family and home background, including absent parents, domestic violence and neglect

  • poverty that resulted in lower self-esteem and greater exclusion from peer groups

  • bullying, teasing, humiliation and harsh discipline

  • substance use and addiction, especially among boys and urban learners.

Boys and girls were seen as vulnerable to different pressures.

Barriers to getting help

Participants in all sites said mental illness carried a stigma. It was seen as morally wrong, caused by supernatural forces, or “a disease for the rich”.

Another perception was that boys and men couldn’t seek help for fear of looking weak.

Learners also felt they could not trust adults with their problems. They feared that teachers might judge them or reveal their personal stories publicly. Learners experiencing anxiety or distress thought they might be labelled lazy or badly behaved, or accused of “faking it” or “seeking attention”.

The danger is that withdrawal, poor concentration, anger or declining performance might then be treated as deliberate disobedience.

Mental health difficulties were sometimes attributed to witchcraft, curses or demonic possession. Religious and cultural systems can offer hope, belonging and support, but problems arise when they become the only explanation for distress. As one Kampala teacher warned,

Some people will pray until somebody dies.

Learners reported being told, “You have to be strong … a guy who does not cry.” Such expectations encourage boys to hide stress and may lead to withdrawal, anger or risky behaviour rather than seeking support.

Girls face pressures linked to harassment, poverty, reproductive-health stigma and social judgment, often while being expected to remain silent. Female educators also face gendered scrutiny, including questions such as, “Where are their husbands and why are they not interested in staying with them?”

Counselling can itself carry stigma. People reported fear and shame associated with getting professional help.

Changing systems to change norms

Teachers should recognise that a child’s behaviour may arise from bullying, poverty, bereavement or family conflict. Schools should ask not only “What is wrong?” but also “What may have happened?”

School mental health programmes should respect cultural beliefs without delaying appropriate help.

Girls should be protected from harassment and enabled to report problems confidentially. Schools should promote a broader understanding of masculinity in which recognising emotions and seeking help are seen as responsible behaviours.

Schools need private support spaces, clear confidentiality procedures and counselling that is normalised. Learners must be able to seek help before problems escalate.

Socio-cultural and gender norms are reinforced through everyday practices and cannot be changed through awareness messages alone. Uganda’s response must combine norm change with system change. Schools need culturally grounded mental health literacy, safe environments, respectful discipline, confidential support, gender-transformative programming, trained staff and links to health and community services.

The key question is whether schools can recognise distress without judgment and respond with dignity, protection and appropriate care.

– ‘Lazy, weak, bewitched’ – how stigma stops Uganda’s children from getting help, and what schools can do about it
– https://theconversation.com/lazy-weak-bewitched-how-stigma-stops-ugandas-children-from-getting-help-and-what-schools-can-do-about-it-292539

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Radical economic policies in Argentina offer lessons – but not a blueprint – for South Africa

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lyal White, Director of the Porter Institute Africa Hub, Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria

Economic reform is usually judged by its numbers: inflation, deficits, growth. Less attention goes to the beliefs and habits that decide whether people will accept those numbers, and for how long.

Based on my research on comparative political economy and strategy in Africa, Asia and Latin America, there’s an argument to be made that Argentina under President Javier Milei offers an unusually clear view of that psychology at work as well as useful insights into South Africa’s economic path.

Javier Milei took office in December 2023, promising a set of libertarian policies. Libertarian doctrine holds that individual freedom and free markets work best when government is kept to a minimal role, largely limited to protecting property, contracts, personal safety and free market forces.

Milei was true to his promise. His policies included spending cuts, removing a raft of business rules and restrictions, making the peso officially worth less against the dollar, and stopping the central bank from printing new money to cover the government’s budget gaps.

Together, these steps were meant to end the habit of overspending and money-printing that fuelled runaway inflation, even though they caused short-term hardship for many households.

Milei delivered Argentina’s first fiscal surplus in over a decade and brought monthly inflation down, though at the cost of recession, higher poverty in the early period, and falling real wages and pensions. Later gains included a partial economic rebound and easing of currency controls.

A closer look into Milei’s programme reads less as a test of libertarian doctrine than an experiment shaped by Argentina’s long history of inflation, default and dependence on the state. That history helped make radical reform possible. Yet by August 2026, more Argentines disapproved of the Milei government than approved. So why might support weaken even as headline indicators improve? Inflation has fallen sharply and the budget is back in surplus.

Central to the Argentine story, and to the role of the state, is how citizens come to rely on – but fail to trust – those at the helm. The concept of “state dependency” captures it. This is a society in which large numbers of people organise their lives around income, jobs and support from the state. Their dependence creates powerful resistance to cuts. Argentina built this over decades.

South Africa and Argentina make a revealing pair. Both are middle-income democracies under fiscal pressure, where frustration with corruption and failing public services sits alongside heavy reliance on the state. But the roots differ.

Libertarianism with Argentine characteristics

In 1943 Colonel Juan Perón introduced social measures to help the country’s growing class of urban industrial workers. His set of policies became known as Peronism. It fused union power, protectionism and redistribution.

In 2001 the country suffered an economic collapse. More than half the population was pushed into poverty. Subsidies, price controls and welfare became central to everyday survival. By the end of 2023, roughly 40% of households received a state transfer, and inflation exceeded 200%.

Yet Argentines also learned to distrust the state. The country has defaulted on or restructured its debts at least nine times, and repeated currency collapses wiped out savings. People came to feel losses sharply, to favour spending today over trusting tomorrow, and to meet every stabilisation plan with suspicion. Hoarding dollars and working informally were rational responses.

Decades of crisis produced these defensive habits among citizens. Milei, as a political actor, set out to redirect them.

A society that experiences the status quo as a guaranteed loss is more willing to gamble on radical change. Milei’s campaign against la casta, the political class he cast as living off “productive Argentines”, changed the yardstick by which people judged reform.

Milei presented cuts as a moral clean-up targeting insiders and middlemen, even as retrenchment imposed costs on vulnerable households. This helps explain why his libertarianism took the form of a crusade rather than technocratic market reform. This is designed and implemented by technocrats.

The reforms came in phases. A front-loaded fiscal shock, while his mandate was new, turned a deficit into a small primary surplus within a year and cut ministries from 18 to eight. A dedicated deregulation ministry scrapped rent controls and hundreds of rules. Ending central bank financing of the Treasury worked as a shock to expectations. In a front-loaded fiscal shock, government makes its biggest and most painful budget cuts and tax or spending changes at the very start of a reform, rather than spreading them out over time.

Annual inflation has since dropped from a peak of nearly 300% when Milei was voted in to around 33% in 2025.

Greater predictability reduces panic buying and dollar hoarding, making longer-term planning and formal saving more attractive.

It was never pure libertarianism. Free marketeering has not been implemented in local and international trade practices. Universal child allowances and basic pensions survived. Welfare was restructured, with payments made directly to recipients rather than through political brokers. Rule by decree gave way to deals with Congress.

The result is libertarianism with Argentine characteristics.

Real, but provisional, gains

The gains are real but provisional. A post-drought harvest helped, unusually high earlier inflation flattered annual comparisons, and the social costs were substantial. Real public spending fell by roughly 30%, energy and transport subsidies were slashed, and tens of thousands of public jobs were eliminated.

Industrial policy was largely abandoned, and deep cuts to science, education and social protection raise questions around the institutional capacity needed for lasting development.

The central question is whether an early shock can become lasting credibility. Reforms endure only if households, businesses and investors believe they will not be reversed.

As the memory of crisis fades, people judge the government against their wages, jobs and the prosperity they were promised, not against 2023 when Milei was elected. Argentine surveys increasingly point to concern about wages and employment. And because his appeal rested on a moral break with a corrupt elite, corruption allegations reaching the Milei government strike at the story that made hardship bearable.

Falling approval does not mean the experiment has failed. It underlines how hard it is to turn a mandate for disruption into lasting support.

Is Milei’s shock therapy transferable?

South Africa’s defining trauma is not inflation, which its Reserve Bank has kept in check, but mass unemployment and deeply racialised inequality. More than 26.5 million South Africans receive social grants, which are widely understood as a pillar of post-apartheid redress.

South Africans expect the state to tackle these problems, not retreat from them. Coalition politics, strong unions, active courts, powerful big business and constitutionally protected socio-economic rights make shock therapy far harder. Cuts to social protection would be read through the lens of racial injustice.

Where Milei treats the state as the constraint to be cut back, Operation Vulindlela, run by the South African Presidency and National Treasury since 2020, treats weak coordination in basic infrastructure as a problem to fix.

Credibility can be earned by demonstrating state capability, not only by shrinking the state.

Argentina offers lessons, not a blueprint. Credibility and expectations matter as much as policy design. Confronting patronage works when reform separates the intermediaries who exploit support from the vulnerable people who depend on it. Business and investors can sustain momentum when politics is fragile. And reform needs a story that citizens recognise.

For South Africa, a libertarian route risks eroding the institutions that inclusive growth depends on. The more promising path is a hybrid: a capable developmental state that borrows Argentina’s lessons on credibility and patronage while strengthening the state.

Whether Milei’s experiment proves a turning point or a temporary rupture remains open. What it already shows is that reform depends less on ideological purity than on institutions, credibility and behavioural context.

This article draws on Argentina’s experiment in libertarianism and behavioural political economy: Lessons for South Africa, South Afican Journal of International Affairs (2026), available open access.

Annabel Dennison contributed to this article. She is a Master’s candidate in Economics and Psychology at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and an intern with the Porter Institute’s Africa Hub at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in South Africa.

– Radical economic policies in Argentina offer lessons – but not a blueprint – for South Africa
– https://theconversation.com/radical-economic-policies-in-argentina-offer-lessons-but-not-a-blueprint-for-south-africa-292915

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Minister of State for International Cooperation Participates in Interactive Session with Children from Noor Orphan Care Program in Gaza

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | October 12, 2026

HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad participated on Monday, via videoconference, in an interactive session with children from the Noor orphan care program in the Gaza Strip.

During the session, Her Excellency learned about the children’s perspectives, interests, and aspirations for the future, emphasizing the importance of providing children in the Gaza Strip with a safe and supportive environment that empowers them to build a better future.
The session was attended by Chairman of the Board, Taawon (Welfare Association), Dr. Nabil Qaddumi, along with a number of officials.

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Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets with Syrian Foreign Minister

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | October 12, 2026

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met Monday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic Asaad Al Shaibani, who is visiting the State of Qatar.

The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen it, the latest developments in Syria, and a range of issues of mutual interest.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State of Qatar’s support for Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and independence, as well as for the Syrian people’s aspirations for a dignified life and the establishment of a state governed by institutions and the rule of law.

His Excellency also reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s support for efforts to rebuild Syria and promote stability.

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Municipal reforms key to advancing social justice

Source: Government of South Africa

Municipal reforms key to advancing social justice

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Deputy Minister Namane Dickson Masemola has called for stronger support from national and provincial government, together with decisive intervention where failures persist, to restore institutional stability, improve performance and rebuild public confidence.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile during the 8th Social Justice Summit at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape on Monday, Masemola said financial distress, weak governance, poor planning and capacity constraints continues to undermine service delivery in many municipalities.

“The impact is felt directly by communities through unreliable water and electricity supply, deteriorating infrastructure, delayed housing projects and limited economic opportunities. When local government falters, it is ordinary citizens who bear the greatest burden.

“Communities have a right to expect ethical, accountable and capable local government. Our task is therefore not simply to rescue struggling institutions, but to build municipalities that are sustainable, well-managed and responsive to the needs of the people,” Masemola said.

The recently approved Revised White Paper on Local Government provides a framework for reform, with an emphasis on professional and merit-based administration, financial sustainability, infrastructure management and stronger accountability.

Masemola said the reforms must move from policy to implementation as the country prepares for a new local government term.

“Public office must remain a vehicle for service, while professional administrators must be empowered to perform their duties without undue interference and with full accountability to communities and the law,” Masemola said.

Proposal to accelerate development towards 2030

With four years remaining until the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Masemola called for a shift from planning and commitments towards implementation.

“Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require coordinated action across government, business, labour and civil society,” he said.

Masemola presented five proposals to the summit, including ensuring that every reviewed district One Plan is supported by a clear project pipeline and aligned budget, with defined responsibilities, funding and completion dates.

He also called for district plans to be assessed through a social justice lens, and prioritise people most in need, particularly women, young people, persons with disabilities and rural communities.

Other proposals include publishing district delivery scorecards to track targets and progress, prioritising infrastructure maintenance same as new projects, and strengthening partnerships between government, business, labour, civil society, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations and communities to drive development and monitor progress.

“If we are serious about advancing social justice, we must move beyond consultation to collaboration, and beyond commitments to implementation. Together, we have the opportunity to ensure that development reaches every community and that no one is left behind,” Masemola said.

Masemola also emphasised the importance of using credible data to get a clear understanding of where needs are greatest, who is being left behind, and what interventions will make the greatest difference.

Shaping local development

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the need to address persistent inequalities rooted in apartheid and ensure that development reaches communities historically excluded from economic opportunities and essential services.

While acknowledging progress since 1994 in expanding access to services and strengthening democratic institutions, Masemola said poverty, unemployment and inequality continue to affect many South Africans.

He noted the official unemployment rate, which stood at 33.6% in mid-2026, with women disproportionately affected.

As the country prepares for the local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026, Masemola challenged newly elected municipal councils to govern effectively, deliver services and restore public trust.

“Government must also listen carefully to the concerns and frustrations of communities and respond meaningfully.”

He also warned against the destruction of public infrastructure, including schools, clinics, libraries, roads and water facilities, as these harm the very communities that rely on them.

“Our collective challenge is to ensure that people have trusted and effective channels through which their voices can be heard, concerns addressed and solutions found before frustration gives way to unrest,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Police step up festive season operations to combat crime

Source: Government of South Africa

Police step up festive season operations to combat crime

Police will intensify operations across the country during the festive season, with increased visibility on roads, at shopping centres, ports of entry and other busy areas to protect residents and visitors.

Police Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale said the South African Police Service (SAPS) would deploy dedicated officers around the clock as part of efforts to combat crime and improve public safety.

“We are ensuring that there is heightened police visibility nationally,” Mathale said.

Speaking at the launch of the Safer Festive Season programme in Mpumalanga, Mathale said the festive season brings a surge in tourism, with ports of entry becoming busier as people travel in and out of the country for holidays and other reasons.

“We will therefore ensure that our police officers are more visible on the road, in shopping centres and other areas with high concentration of our people and tourists,” Mathale said.

He said road fatalities and accidents also tend to increase during this period, with many accidents resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Therefore, a zero tolerance approach will be followed against drinking and driving. SAPS will therefore ensure the enforcement of legislation regarding liquor trading and public consumption thereof, as well as enhancing safety at sports and recreational events.

“The continuous senseless and brutal killings of women and children demands a much stronger response from us. Hence we will be strengthening our interventions towards combating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

“To this effect, we will be conducting integrated campaigns and law enforcement operations across communities to aggressively target perpetrators of violent crimes against women and children,” the Deputy Minister said.

Other key interventions during the festive season will include:

  • Preventing aggravated robberies and trio crimes.
  • Strengthening border security in collaboration with the Border Management Authority (BMA).
  • Dismantling the illicit economy.
  • Enforcing compliance with firearm, liquor and second-hand goods legislation.
  • Intensifying road safety operations with national, provincial and local traffic authorities.
  • Strengthening security at major events, including preparations for the 2026 local government elections and the protection of voting stations and election results.
  • Targeting extortion and kidnapping.

Mathale said fighting and eliminating all forms of crime remained the primary mandate of the Department of Police.

“We remain sharply aware of our pressing obligation to continue pursuing every effort that will deliver a crime-free South Africa, where our citizens and everyone within our borders will live without fear of being attacked or becoming victims of criminality.

“Therefore, the safer festive season programme does not replace our primary policing functions but is intended to augment and upscale policing during the holiday season,” Mathale said.

He said the launch marked a renewed commitment to protecting residents and visitors and ensuring that criminals had nowhere to hide.

“We are committing to protecting our citizens and visitors. We are declaring war against crime and criminality. We are ensuring that criminals will have nowhere to hide.

“The police cannot fight crime alone. You (communities) need to take decisive action to stand with the police against crime and criminality. Criminals live with us and among us as members of the community, we know who they are,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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District Development Model must deliver tangible results: Mashatile

Source: Government of South Africa

District Development Model must deliver tangible results: Mashatile

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for stronger implementation of the District Development Model (DDM), emphasising that government plans must translate into measurable results in people’s lives.  

Delivering the keynote address on Mashatile’s behalf during the 8th Social Justice Summit at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape on Monday, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Namane Dickson Masemola said the success of the model must be measured by its impact on communities.

“The success of the DDM will not be measured by the number of plans produced, but by the positive impact it has on people’s lives,” Masemola said.

Held under the theme: “The District Development Model (DDM) Inter-Governmental Relations as Catalysts for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Social Justice”, this year’s summit underscores the importance of cooperation across all spheres of government in driving development, improving service delivery and advancing social justice.

The model, guided by the principle of “One District, One Plan, One Budget”, aims to improve coordination between national, provincial and local government, align resources and address fragmented planning and implementation. 

Masemola said the challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality and uneven access to services cannot be addressed by any institution acting alone.

“They require coordinated action, shared responsibility and a steadfast focus on the needs of our people,” he said.

Masemola said all district and metropolitan areas have now developed One Plans, providing a foundation for integrated planning and investment. The task is to ensure effective implementation and measurable results.

“Encouraging progress has already been recorded in areas such as infrastructure development, water security, healthcare and local economic development. These examples demonstrate the value of coordinated action and partnership across government. 

“However, communities rightly judge success by outcomes. They want reliable services, quality infrastructure, access to economic opportunities and safer neighbourhoods. Development must be visible and tangible in everyday life,” the Deputy Minister said.

He highlighted five priorities for strengthening the model, and these include accelerating funded and achievable projects; strengthening alignment between planning and budgeting; building institutional capacity, particularly in infrastructure delivery and financial management; expanding partnerships with business, academia, civil society and communities; and measuring success through improved services, economic inclusion and better living conditions.

At its core, the DDM is about building a capable, responsive and developmental state that works as one to serve the people of South Africa, Masemola said.

“The DDM gives practical effect to this vision by promoting integrated planning and coordinated implementation. It recognises that challenges such as housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure and economic development are interconnected and therefore require integrated solutions.

“This approach remains particularly important as South Africa continues to address the enduring legacy of apartheid, which left deep spatial, social and economic inequalities. Advancing social justice requires deliberate efforts to overcome these disparities and expand opportunity for all,” Masemola said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund (VCHF) publie son premier rapport d’impact annuel : les participations ont contribué à la création de plus de 316 000 emplois

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Verdant Capital (www.Verdant-Cap.com) est convaincu que la véritable mesure d’un investissement dépasse le capital déployé et le rendement financier. Cette conviction se reflète aussi dans les entreprises qui se développent, les emplois qu’elles créent et les vies qu’elles contribuent à transformer.

En 2025, le fonds a franchi une étape importante vers le renforcement de sa méthode de mesure d’impact en mandatant 60 Decibels (https://apo-opa.co/4dAqYdi) pour élaborer un cadre de gestion d’impact conforme aux normes du secteur et mener une mesure d’impact indépendante sur l’ensemble de son portefeuille d’investissements. La création d’emplois constitue le principal objectif d’impact du Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund (VCHF), et les études ont été conçues pour renforcer la compréhension de la manière dont ses investissements contribuent à l’emploi et à des opportunités économiques plus larges.

Dans le cadre de ce processus, le VCHF a élaboré une thèse d’impact pour chaque participation et commandé des études de référence visant à comprendre qui ses participations touchent, comment leurs services influencent la vie de leurs clients et, surtout, leur contribution à la création d’emplois.

Les résultats fournissent une base de référence importante pour suivre l’impact dans le temps, en combinant des données au niveau des participations à des éclairages de clients finaux sur la façon dont l’accès au financement influence leurs activités et leurs foyers.

« Notre conviction a toujours été que le bon capital, associé à un soutien technique concret, peut aider les prestataires africains de services financiers à atteindre des entreprises mal desservies, à créer des emplois et à améliorer les conditions de vie », déclare Edmund Higenbottam, CEO de Verdant Capital. « Nos premières études d’impact apportent des preuves encourageantes, mais ce n’est qu’un début. Nous nous engageons à utiliser les données et les enseignements de ces études pour renforcer notre approche et approfondir notre mesure d’impact. »

Faits saillants au 31 décembre 2025

  • 39,5 millions d’USD déployés dans six investissements.
  • Plus de 179 000 MPME touchées.
  • Plus de 316 000 emplois créés dans l’ensemble du portefeuille et plus de 1 066 000 emplois soutenus.
  • 24 projets d’assistance technique menés pour les participations, soutenus par la KfW pour le compte du ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du développement (BMZ).
  • Six participations opérant dans 12 pays africains, principalement des pays à revenus faible et intermédiaire de la tranche inférieure.

À ce jour, le VCHF a réalisé six investissements dans des établissements financiers inclusifs : WATU, Mogo, LOLC Africa, Zeepay, UsPlus et Bfree. Par ces investissements, le fonds contribue à élargir l’accès à des solutions financières qui permettent aux particuliers et aux petites entreprises de développer leurs activités, de renforcer leurs revenus et de contribuer à la création d’emplois. Les faits saillants ci-dessus sont tirés d’études indépendantes de 60 Decibels menées auprès de plus de 850 clients de quatre participations.

Pour l’avenir, le VCHF dispose de 51 millions d’USD d’actifs sous gestion et prévoit de faire croître son portefeuille par des investissements supplémentaires et une expansion vers de nouveaux marchés au cours des prochaines années. Le fonds cherche également à mobiliser des capitaux additionnels auprès d’investisseurs qui partagent son engagement à générer des rendements commerciaux tout en produisant un impact mesurable.

Au-delà des chiffres, on retrouve des personnes qui accèdent à des services financiers, des entrepreneurs qui développent leur activité, des foyers qui renforcent leurs moyens de subsistance et des entreprises qui contribuent à des chaînes de valeur plus résilientes.

Ce rapport marque une étape importante dans le parcours d’impact du VCHF. Il renforce la compréhension des retombées associées à ses investissements et réaffirme son engagement à mesurer non seulement sa portée, mais aussi les changements vécus par les personnes et les entreprises derrière les chiffres.

Verdant Capital exprime sa sincère reconnaissance à son partenaire, la KfW Development Bank, pour son soutien indéfectible, ainsi qu’à ses participations pour leur engagement et leur collaboration tout au long de ce processus.

Verdant Capital remercie également 60 Decibels pour son précieux partenariat à titre de conseiller en mesure d’impact, ainsi que toute l’équipe du Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund pour son dévouement et sa contribution à cette étape importante.

Aux côtés de ses partenaires, le VCHF continue de démontrer que rendements commerciaux et impact significatif peuvent aller de pair.

Consultez le rapport dans son intégralité : Click Here (https://apo-opa.co/4B26qV8)

Distribué par APO Group pour Verdant Capital.

Pour des informations complémentaires, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter aux coordonnées ci-dessous :
Oluwakemi Akintola
Responsable du dispositif d’assistance technique et de l’ESG
Email : oluwakemi.akintola@verdant-cap.com
Tél. : +27 10 140 3700

Orient Mahonisi
Assistant marketing
Email : orient.mahonisi@verdant-cap.com
Tél. : +27 10 140 3700

À propos de Verdant Capital :
Verdant Capital est un gestionnaire d’investissements panafricain et une banque d’affaires spécialisée dans les marchés du crédit privé et du capital-investissement. www.Verdant-Cap.com

À propos du Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund :
Le Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund est un fonds d’investissement panafricain géré par Verdant Capital. Le fonds fournit du capital hybride à des établissements financiers inclusifs au service des micro, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME) et des micro-entrepreneurs. Le fonds vise des rendements commerciaux assortis d’un impact développemental, en soutenant les établissements financiers qui élargissent l’accès au financement, créent des emplois et renforcent les moyens de subsistance à travers l’Afrique.

Le VCHF investit dans un éventail d’établissements financiers, à savoir des banques spécialisées, des organismes de microfinance, des sociétés de crédit-bail et d’affacturage, des fintechs et d’autres établissements financiers non bancaires. Le fonds a la flexibilité d’investir par l’entremise de divers instruments de capital hybride, notamment de la dette au niveau de la société de portefeuille et de la dette subordonnée, avec une forte attention au maintien de normes environnementales et sociales élevées.

Le fonds est soutenu par un dispositif d’assistance technique de 4,5 millions USD, qui renforce les capacités opérationnelles, organisationnelles, environnementales et sociales des établissements bénéficiaires et constitue un élément essentiel de la stratégie de valeur ajoutée post-investissement du VCHF.

À propos de la KfW Development Bank :
La KfW Development Bank est l’investisseur d’ancrage du Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund. La KfW soutient des projets et programmes de développement dans les pays en développement et émergents, en mettant l’accent sur le développement économique et social durable. Parallèlement à son investissement, et pour le compte du ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du Développement (BMZ), la KfW met à disposition un dispositif d’assistance technique. Ce dispositif permet au fonds de travailler avec ses sociétés bénéficiaires pour renforcer les pratiques commerciales responsables, promouvoir l’inclusion sociale et produire des résultats positifs en matière de développement.

À propos de 60 Decibels :
60 Decibels est le chef de file mondial des études de perception client appliquées à l’impact social. Forte d’un réseau de plus de 1 700 chercheurs dans plus de 110 pays, l’entreprise apporte portée, rapidité et reproductibilité à la mesure de la performance sociale. 60dB a constitué le plus vaste ensemble mondial de données de référence en matière d’impact, avec une attention particulière à l’inclusion financière, à l’énergie hors réseau et à l’agriculture.

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Bénin – Prix national de la simplification administrative : Une initiative présidentielle pour moderniser l’administration

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Le Ministre délégué chargé du Budget et de la Fonction publique, en collaboration avec le Ministre de la Transformation digitale et de l’Innovation, chargé de la stratégie nationale d’intelligence artificielle, lance l’initiative présidentielle « Prix national de la simplification administrative »

La modernisation de l’Administration publique s’accélère. Le Gouvernement y associe désormais l’ensemble des citoyens à l’identification de solutions concrètes pour simplifier les procédures administratives, budgétaires et financières à travers l’institution du « Prix National de la Simplification Administrative ».

Cette initiative prolonge la dynamique de co-construction du Plan d’action national du Partenariat pour un Gouvernement Ouvert (PGO), engagée lors de la tournée départementale auprès des porteurs de responsabilité et concourt au principe « dites-le-nous une fois » et à l’objectif de 100 % des démarches en ligne à l’horizon 2030.

Le « Prix National de la Simplification Administrative » est une prime à l’innovation administrative. Son objectif : provoquer un choc de simplification ou d’allègement des procédures, en suscitant, recueillant et récompensant les propositions qui les rendent plus simples, plus rapides, moins coûteuses et plus accessibles. Chaque procédure allégée, c’est du temps rendu aux usagers, des coûts en moins pour les entreprises/ménages et de la croissance en plus.

Le Prix est ouvert à deux catégories de participants

  • les agents de l’Administration publique en service dans les ministères, institutions de la République, services déconcentrés, décentralisés et autres organismes publics, qui connaissent les procédures de l’intérieur et peuvent proposer des solutions concrètes pour accélérer la délivrance des services ;
  • les citoyens et les acteurs socio-économiques à savoir les travailleurs, entreprises, associations, organisations de la société civile, cabinets d’expertise et de recherche, ainsi que les autres usagers des services publics, qui vivent les blocages au quotidien.

Une procédure vous paraît trop complexe ? Dites-nous comment la simplifier. (Décrivez la procédure actuelle et ses blocages/difficultés, puis la solution proposée.) Les propositions peuvent porter sur :

  • la réduction des délais de traitement et du temps passé par l’usager ;
  • la limitation des déplacements et des coûts supportés par les usagers ;
  • la digitalisation, la dématérialisation ou l’automatisation des procédures ;
  • l’archivage électronique et le partage d’informations entre administrations, pour ne plus demander deux fois la même pièce à l’usager ;
  • la simplification des circuits de validation, des formulaires et des modalités d’accès aux prestations ,
  • toute autre innovation permettant de rendre un service public plus simple, plus rapide, moins coûteux et plus accessible.

Comment participer ?

Les propositions seront déposées sur la plateforme dédiée https://prix-simplification.gouv.bj

Le formulaire de dépôt permettra de renseigner

  • la catégorie/le statut du participant ;
  • la procédure ou le service concerné ;
  • l’administration ou les administrations concernées ;
  • la situation actuelle et la difficulté identifiée ;
  • la solution de simplification proposée ;
  • les améliorations attendues pour les usagers et/ou l’administration ;
  • les contraintes identifiées et les pièces justificatives utiles.

La plateforme sera accessible dès le jeudi 15 octobre 2026 pour préparer votre proposition. Le dépôt des propositions sera ouvert du jeudi 29 octobre au jeudi 12 novembre 2026. Le règlement complet du Prix (conditions de participation, critères d’éligibilité et d’évaluation, étapes de la sélection) sera accessible sur la plateforme.

À noter : les propositions doivent respecter les textes en vigueur ou, lorsqu’elles

impliquent une évolution normative, identifier les dispositions à adapter. Comment les propositions seront-elles évaluées ?

Les propositions recevables seront évaluées selon les critères suivants

  • la pertinence du problème identifié ;
  • le caractère réellement simplificateur de la solution ;
  • l’impact attendu pour les usagers et/ou l’administration ;
  • la faisabilité juridique, technique, organisationnelle et budgétaire de la proposition ;
  • son caractère innovant ;
  • son potentiel de généralisation à d’autres services ou administrations.

Un jury assurera l’évaluation. Sa composition réunira les compétences requises en administration publique, droit, économie et finances, transformation numérique, organisation et relation aux usagers, selon les modalités fixées par le règlement du Prix.

Quelles distinctions pour les meilleures propositions ?

Les lauréats recevront une récompense : un trophée ou certificat officiel, une reconnaissance institutionnelle et un accompagnement pour la mise en œuvre de leur solution. La nature des récompenses est fixée par le règlement du Prix.

Des catégories particulières pourront être instituées : Prix Agent public, Prix Citoyen, Prix Entreprise/Organisation, Prix Innovation numérique et Grand Prix National de la Simplification Administrative.

Et après le Prix ?

Le Prix ne s’arrête pas à la récompense des meilleures propositions.

Toutes les propositions recevables, primées ou non, alimenteront un vivier national de solutions de simplification administrative.

Les plus pertinentes feront l’objet d’une analyse de faisabilité juridique, organisationnelle, technique, numérique et budgétaire, puis pourront être expérimentées et mises en œuvre avec les administrations compétentes.

Une bonne idée non primée peut donc, elle aussi, transformer une procédure.

Agents publics, citoyens, entreprises, cabinets d’expertise et de recherche, associations, usagers vous connaissez une procédure qui peut être simplifiée ? Proposez votre solution.

Distribué par APO Group pour Gouvernement de la République du Bénin.

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République démocratique du Congo (RDC) : Médecins sans frontières (MSF) poursuit sa réponse face à la malnutrition alors que le conflit et les réductions des financements aggravent la crise humanitaire

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Au Nord-Kivu, dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), la poursuite des combats entre les forces congolaises et l’AFC/M23, ainsi que leurs alliés, contraint des populations à fuir leur foyer et perturbe leur vie quotidienne. En fuyant, les familles perdent l’accès aux terres agricoles, à leurs revenus, à la nourriture, à l’eau potable, ainsi qu’aux soins de santé. Parallèlement, l’insécurité sur les axes stratégiques perturbe l’approvisionnement et fait grimper les prix, tandis que les réductions de l’aide internationale – notamment celle destinée à la sécurité alimentaire et aux programmes de santé – aggravent une crise de malnutrition déjà sévère.

La prise en charge des enfants souffrant de malnutrition demeure un volet essentiel de la réponse de MSF au Nord-Kivu. En 2025, 53 000 enfants ont été pris en charge pour malnutrition dans des structures de santé soutenues par MSF en RDC. Entre janvier et août 2026, plus de 33 000 patients ont déjà été soignés dans la seule province du Nord-Kivu.

Je souffrais du froid. La pluie s’abattait directement sur nous.

Thérèse, qui se cachait dans la forêt avec ses enfants tandis que les combats s’intensifiaient dans sa région d’origine.

Walikale figure parmi les zones du Nord-Kivu confrontées à l’insécurité alimentaire la plus sévère. En novembre 2025, une analyse du Programme Alimentaire Mondial et de l’UNICEF a révélé un taux de malnutrition aiguë globale de 46 % dans la zone, qualifiant la situation d’urgente. 

MSF soutient également cinq autres structures de prise en charge ambulatoire pour les enfants dans la zone.  

Une perte d’accès aux terres agricoles et aux moyens de subsistance 

Dans l’est de la RDC, les déplacements de population causés par les conflits entraînent souvent la perte simultanée du logement, des terres et des moyens de subsistance. Les personnes déplacées peuvent se retrouver dans des centres d’accueil collectifs, dormir dehors ou se cacher dans la forêt, où l’accès à l’eau potable, à la nourriture et aux soins de santé devient encore plus difficile. D’autres sont hébergées par des familles d’accueil, ce qui accroît la pression sur des communautés peinant déjà à subvenir à leurs propres besoins.  

« La vie à Bunyakiri était difficile, mais plus stable. J’avais accès à mes champs et je pouvais cultiver ma nourriture. Ici, il est devenu très difficile de se nourrir. »

Jawadi, 32 ans, qui a fui le Sud-Kivu avec sa famille et a emmené son fils de 14 mois dans ce même hôpital de Walikale pour qu’il y soit soigné contre la malnutrition.

Selon les Nations unies, près de 5 des 6,1 millions de personnes déplacées à l’intérieur de la RDC se trouvent dans les provinces du Nord-Kivu, du Sud-Kivu et de l’Ituri. 

Dans la région, beaucoup d’habitants, à l’instar de Jawadi et Thérèse, dépendaient autrefois de l’agriculture pour nourrir leurs familles et générer des revenus ; cependant, se rendre aux champs est devenu dangereux, et les attaques – incluant des meurtres et des violences sexuelles – les empêchent d’accéder aux terres agricoles. Dans certaines zones, des groupes armés exigent également des paiements informels de la part des agriculteurs souhaitant accéder à leurs terres et les cultiver, ce qui constitue un obstacle supplémentaire.

« Cela signifie que les familles perdent à la fois leur nourriture et leurs revenus, et sont contraintes de dépendre davantage des marchés, où les prix augmentent et où l’approvisionnement alimentaire se raréfie. »

Dr Fabien Kabongo, coordinateur médical adjoint de MSF au Nord-Kivu.

Des millions de personnes confrontées à l’insécurité alimentaire 

L’insécurité entrave également l’acheminement de biens essentiels, notamment de la nourriture et des médicaments. Dans de nombreuses zones du Nord-Kivu, les routes sont souvent boueuses, endommagées ou impraticables, et les violences le long des axes de transport rendent les livraisons encore plus aléatoires. 

« Le recours aux vols humanitaires constitue une solution pour les zones très difficiles d’accès, mais cette option est coûteuse et complexe sur le plan logistique », explique le Dr Fabien. « Cela peut affecter la disponibilité des approvisionnements et retarder les interventions médicales et humanitaires au moment où elles sont le plus nécessaires. » 

Même loin des lignes de front, l’accès aux principales sources de nourriture et de revenus reste précaire. L’accès aux terres cultivables devient plus difficile pour les petits exploitants, car des producteurs plus aisés contrôlent de plus en plus les terres et utilisent des outils de pointe pour la production de masse, ce qui fragilise la production locale. D’autres se sont tournés vers l’exploitation minière, notamment l’extraction d’or, de diamants et de cobalt. 

« Je ne gagne pas assez d’argent pour nourrir correctement ma famille. Je travaille dans les champs. Si je trouve un endroit où planter des haricots, je le fais, mais toutes les terres cultivables servent actuellement au pâturage du bétail, il reste donc peu de terres pour les cultures. »

Chantal Hakishimana, mère de sept enfants qui s’occupe également de sa petite-fille, actuellement soignée pour malnutrition au centre de santé de référence de Kachehembe.

Selon le Cadre intégré de classification de la sécurité alimentaire (IPC), plus de 26 millions de personnes en RDC ont été confrontées à des niveaux de crise ou d’urgence en matière d’insécurité alimentaire en 2025, dont près de 4 millions au Nord-Kivu. 

Les enfants particulièrement vulnérables à la malnutrition 

Depuis des décennies, MSF soutient les structures de santé locales pour traiter les enfants souffrant de malnutrition dans les zones de santé enregistrant le plus grand nombre de cas, notamment Mweso, Walikale, Kibirizi, Masisi et Bambo. Ce soutien comprend la mise en place d’unités de nutrition thérapeutique intensive pour les enfants atteints de malnutrition aiguë sévère au sein des hôpitaux, ainsi que des soins ambulatoires pour la malnutrition dans les centres de santé locaux. 

Après qu’une évaluation menée par MSF en mars 2026 a révélé que près d’un enfant sur quatre dépisté à Katoyi souffrait de malnutrition aiguë, les équipes y ont lancé une intervention d’urgence. 

Cette crise survient alors que les financements humanitaires subissent des coupes drastiques. La RDC est durement touchée par la réduction de l’aide internationale, les interventions en matière de sécurité alimentaire étant particulièrement sous-financées. Selon l’UNICEF, seuls 4,3 % des besoins de financement pour 2025 concernant les interventions de sécurité alimentaire ont été couverts. 

Dans certaines zones du Nord-Kivu, MSF est soit la seule organisation humanitaire médicale internationale à fournir des soins, soit l’une des rares à intervenir de manière constante. « Dans les centres de santé non soutenus par MSF, nous constatons une disponibilité limitée de médicaments essentiels, avec des rayons de pharmacie parfois presque vides », explique le Dr Fabien. « Dans certaines structures, les aliments thérapeutiques prêts à l’emploi sont disponibles en quantité limitée et, dans certains cas, ils font totalement défaut. »

Cette offre de soins limitée peut amener les familles à retarder le recours aux soins jusqu’à ce que l’état de l’enfant devienne critique. Cette situation est particulièrement dangereuse pour les enfants souffrant de malnutrition, dont le système immunitaire affaibli les rend plus vulnérables aux infections telles que le paludisme, la rougeole et la tuberculose. 

« MSF ne peut pas se substituer à elle seule à l’ensemble de la réponse humanitaire. Un financement pérenne est urgent pour garantir que les enfants touchés par la malnutrition puissent accéder à l’alimentation ainsi qu’aux services de dépistage et de traitement dont ils ont besoin pour survivre. »

Dr Fabien Kabongo, coordinateur médical adjoint de MSF au Nord-Kivu.

Distribué par APO Group pour Médecins sans frontières (MSF).