20-05-2025
Tsitsi Masiyiwa and Strive Masiyiwa
Guided by their deep Christian faith, Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa and his wife Tsitsi, a social entrepreneur, have devoted much of the estimated $1.2 billion fortune he has amassed through the telecommunications company to empowering Africa's people.
Originally from Zimbabwe, the couple launched their HigherLife Foundation in 1996 to provide educational support to orphaned children from their native country. Today, the organization— together with Delta Philanthropies, which the Masiyiwas founded in 2017—focuses on education, health, disaster relief, and rural entrepreneurship initiatives to help communities across Africa thrive. It has so far supported over 250,000 people with scholarships and leadership training, while investing $100 million on job creation and $60 million on health care and crisis response. Strive is also the former chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, which promotes sustainability efforts for Africa's small farmers.
In May, Tsitsi announced Delta Philanthropies' role as a founding donor for the nearly $500 million Beginnings Fund, which seeks to improve newborn and maternal health across the continent. 'Travelling and connecting with communities through my philanthropic work, I've seen the transformative impact of investing in our people,' Tsitsi posted on LinkedIn. 'I feel a quiet call—not a burden, but an invitation—to do more to foster a culture of ownership and accountability, empowering us to shape a better future.'
