The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $32 million in investments to fund tobacco control in Africa through its network of partners including The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). In a communiqué to its partners, Cynthia Lewis, the Gates Foundation Deputy Director stated that the commitment “represents the largest funding commitment from the foundation to the African continent for tobacco control to-date”.
In her communiqué Cynthia Lewis says “African countries have [also] faced challenging tobacco industry road blocks, and a shifting landscape. This new phase of grants capitalizes on the excellent work already underway, while also responding to evolving and critical needs of many country partners.”
The Gates -ACBF funding supports strategic grant-making and capacity building of Civil Society Organizations to advance evidence-based Tobacco Control policies in Africa including tobacco taxation, advertising bans, graphic warning labels, and smoke-free environments.
“The African Capacity Building Foundation (a three-year grant covering 12 African countries) fills a key role as an Africa-based strategic partner providing both grants and capacity building support for civil society and others. They are a highly-respected leader on institutional and human capacity building and have managed $500M in grants in 45 African countries. “
ACBF has since made a ‘Request for Proposals (RFP) from Civil Society Organizations in Africa to implement Tobacco Control Advocacy’ through its website.
Gates Foundation is also supporting social marketing and behavior change work against tobacco use in Africa as a complement to important and ongoing policy work.
Read the full communiqué from the Gates Foundation.
