The winner of the Fourth Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize is Bhekinkosi Moyo, executive director of the Southern Africa Trust and chair of the Africa Philanthropy Network.

In a continent where philanthropy has long been marginalized, where very little infrastructure exists to support its development and there is little understanding of its role, Bheki Moyo has consistently promoted African philanthropy locally and globally.

Moyo has contributed greatly to building stronger participation and more horizontal processes around philanthropic efforts in Africa, both through his direct interventions and through his academic and knowledge achievements.

In choosing Bheki Moyo, the judges commented on ‘his broad and long-term contribution to African philanthropy, playing different roles and critically contributing to building African institutions and networks … dedicated to strengthening philanthropy in Africa and helping to create the potential to achieve progressive social change in a sustained manner’.

Awarding the Olga Prize to Bheki Moyo is also a recognition that philanthropy should not be limited to the mobilization of private money, said the judges. Moyo has contributed greatly to building stronger participation and more horizontal processes around philanthropic efforts in Africa, both through his direct interventions and through his academic and knowledge achievements.
This was not an easy decision, however. The judges made clear how impressed they were by the commitment and remarkable records of all the finalists in their own fields and contexts.
The prize will be presented at the Global Summit for Community Philanthropy, to be held 1-2 December in Johannesburg, South Africa, hosted by the Global Fund for Community Foundations. The prize winner and all the other finalists will be attending the Summit.

For more information

To find out more about the prize and the other finalists:

http://www.alliancemagazine.org/olga-alexeeva-memorial-prize

http://www.alliancemagazine.org/blog/category/memorial-prize-2014