Joyce Banda decorated in Bahamas: ‘Women of distinction awards’

Founder of the Joyce Banda Foundation International (JBFI) and former President of Malawi, Joyce Banda was awarded the 2015 ‘Women of Distinction Global Leadership Award in Politics’ by Celebrating Women International (CWI), at a ceremony that took place on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at the Atlantis Theatre, Paradise Island, The Bahamas.

JB and other awardees
JB and other awardees
JB stands up as the Bahamas Nation Anthem is played before activities got under way
JB stands up as the Bahamas Nation Anthem is played before activities got under way
Four time Grammy and Academy Award winning vocalist Regina Belle performs during the award ceremony at the Atlantis Theatre, The Bahamas
Four time Grammy and Academy Award winning vocalist Regina Belle performs during the award ceremony at the Atlantis Theatre, The Bahamas
JB with Nelson Mandela grandson Ndaba Mandela, Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and daughter Edith Akridge
JB with Nelson Mandela grandson Ndaba Mandela, Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and daughter Edith Akridge
JB's daughter Edith Akridge and other family members attended the colourful event in The Bahamas on Saturday
JB’s daughter Edith Akridge and other family members attended the colourful event in The Bahamas on Saturday

CWI is a group of prestigious women’s advocates in The Bahamas, Canada and the USA. Together, they form a team that has one common goal—to support women’s rights.

It was founded in 2013 as a subsidiary of The King Global Humanitarian Foundation (TKHGFI),a non-profit organization that aims at to “mobilize and inspire women across the globe; to honour, recognize and celebrate their achievements and leveraging their untapped leadership capabilities in order for them to thrive and lead productive lives”.

According to Lynn Whitfield (actress) and Clint Watson (journalist), who were directors of ceremonies at the event, CWI recognized Banda and her fellow awardees for demonstrating an untiring zeal for service to the community and selfless commitment to improving the lives of others.

Other awardees in the ‘Global Leadership in Politics’ category included Catherine Samba-Panza, President of the Central African Republican, Janet Kataaha Museveni, First Lady of the Republic of Uganda, Sheikha Bint Khalid Al Qasini, Minister of International Cooperation and Dvelopment, United Arab Emirates, Sandra Granger, First Lady of Guyana and C. V. Hope Strachan, MP and Minister of Financial Services.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of the late Nelson Mandela was honoured under the ‘Global Leadership Award in Social Justice and Development, alongside Deolatchmee Ramotar, former First Lady of Guyana and Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Gospel singer Cissy Houston, mother of the late Whitney Houston, was also recognized during the event.

In her acceptance speech, Banda dedicated her award “to the women of Africa”, whom she described as “persevering and hardworking”.

She said through her own experience, she had observed that African women face many obstacles to acquire education, access modern antenatal and medical services and gender imbalances in their quest for leadership.

JB said for some time now, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that girls attain basic and tertiary education. In this regard, she said she runs primary and secondary schools for the underprivileged children and said the current enrolment in these schools is at 3,500.

“Distinguished ladies, I also resolved that as long as I live, I will not tolerate incidences of women dying while giving birth because they cannot access modern antenatal services. During my time as President, I made sure that we construct holding shelters at many health facilities so that pregnant women can stay before giving birth. We discouraged pregnant women seeking traditional birth attendants’ services because it is simply unsafe,” said Joyce Banda.

She said women ought to support each so that they have a “fair representation at policy formulating tables”. She, however, cautioned women against sidelining men in any of their endeavours and aspirations, saying men and women ought to be “partners and work together to emancipate and empower women and the girl child”.

The event was spiced up by a powerful, five-star live performance by American four-time Grammy and Academy Award winning artist, Regina Bella. Apart from receiving the award, Dr. Joyce Banda also received a gift from the Founder and President of CWI Rudy King, who described the former Head of State as “highly inspirational”.

An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Joyce Banda is a recipient of more than 15 international accolades including “Hunger Project Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger” that she shared with President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique in 1997.

She founded the Joyce Banda Foundation International in 1997, which has guided projects from empowering women, rural communities to providing orphans education.

Currently JBFI has benefitted over 1.3 million people in Malawi through various programs and interventions ranging from economic empowerment, agriculture and food security, education, water and sanitation, youth development.

Other organization that Banda established are the National Association of Business Women, which lends start-up cash to business women, and the Young Women’s Leadership Network, which mentors female students in schools.

On the international scene, Banda was instrumental in the formation of such organizations as the African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (AFWE) currently running in 41 countries in Africa, Council for the Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa (CEEWA) and Americans & Africans Business Women’s Alliance (AABWA) of which she served as First President.

The ‘Women of Distinction Global Leadership Award in Politics’ award is an addition to a litany of awards that have been conferred on Banda over her glittering career. Between 2014 and 2015, Joyce Banda has received nine (9) International Awards, including being named as the ‘Most Inspirational Woman in Politics’ by CNN; the ‘Legacy Award’ by the International Women’s Forum; and the African Union (AU) “Living Legends’ Award in South Africa.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
84 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ameneyo
Ameneyo
8 years ago

JB walowa DPP wayamba kubvala Malaya a Blue. Chenjerani a First Lady. Kodi inu muyamba liti kulandira ma award? Kodi Beautify Malawi anthu kunjaku sakuyidziwa?

Thako Lambeta
Thako Lambeta
8 years ago

Kodi amama mwatsala ndima award angati kuti mulandire, tatopa kukhala tokha ife opanda mai pakhomo adad nawonso atopa ndikuphika ngati osakwatira.

Thako Lambeta
Thako Lambeta
8 years ago

Kodi amama mwatsala ndima award angati kuti mulandire, tatopa kukhala tokha iwe opanda mai pakhomo adad nawonso atopa ndikuphika ngati osakwatira.

Thakwalakwa
Thakwalakwa
8 years ago

Let amayi do what she is doing.Enanu mukufuna akabwera mudzawanamize kuti mudzawadyere.
Just concentrate on how you can manage mabvuto a za chuma akukukhaulitsaniwa.

chris
chris
8 years ago

Yes Mama, I proud of you.

Jimbo
Jimbo
8 years ago

JB is now living in exile. She is wandering the world proclaiming all the wonderful things she has done and is doing in her native Malawi. She will never return as longs as the DPP are in power. My big question is: Who is funding her travels around the world? If she is using her own money, where did it all come from? To live outside Malawi for so many months and to travel around presumably by plane must be costing many thousands of dollars/pounds. If she is not in Malawi, how can she claim to be doing anything to… Read more »

i miss kamuzu
i miss kamuzu
8 years ago

ndalephela kuwerenga nkhaniyi chifukwa cha ntchafu zili pa chithunzi chomalizilacho. the woman in the middle has very nice thighs. i’ve alredy downloaded the photo.

gomba
gomba
8 years ago

Chokani alomwe anthu osatha kulankhula. You are putting us in problems. Look at what your presidents have done. If God is this stupidity will come to an end. Don’t assume that you are above Him.

Bakayawo
Bakayawo
8 years ago

CONGRATULATIONS MASTINE OSATI ZA APETER OPANDA MANO CHINDRE CHAKUFIKAPO

Bazooka
Bazooka
8 years ago

This is what we call a woman of substance. Malawians are jealous people. Especially the Lomwes. They want everything for themselves. Thats why we chose this clueless lMuthalika and rejected Joyce Banda. A woman who has the welfare of Malawians at heart.

Read previous post:
Man sexually assault herbalist’s granddaughter, arrested

A 19-year-old man, Gift Tembo is currently under police custody for defiling a 13-year-old girl in Mzimba district on Tuesday. Tembo...

Close