Tracey Malawana
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Age:
30
Project Name/Description:
Founder – I_Menstruate Movement
As a social justice activist with a decade of experience in community and youth organising, Tracey Malawana is driven by a commitment to creating a more equitable society. Her passion stems from personal injustices and a belief in grassroots movements' power to effect meaningful change. Malawana’s activism highlights include leading the Healthy Living Alliance campaign that resulted in the Health Promotion Levy, commonly known as the Sugar Tax. This initiative tackled obesity and non-communicable diseases affecting marginalised communities, particularly women. In her former role as the deputy secretary-general of Equal Education, she helped legislate Uniform Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure, revolutionising South Africa's educational landscape. Now, through the I_Menstruate Movement she has founded, Malawana fights against period poverty and advocates for free access to menstrual products. Malawana recognises significant progress made in education over the past 30 years, including improved infrastructure standards and early childhood development programmes. “Ongoing disparities in resource allocation, worsened by historical inequalities, perpetuate unequal access to educational opportunities, particularly for marginalised communities. The legacy of apartheid-era policies continues to loom large, leaving many learners under-served and disadvantaged, exacerbated by corruption within the system,” she states, adding that lack of access to menstrual hygiene products often results in missed school days for disadvantaged girls.
