Tekano 2753 views

Tekano is inspired by the achievable dream of building a more equal South Africa in which all people enjoy better health and wellbeing. Our name derives from the Sesotho word for “equality” and speaks to our goal of social justice.

We aim to foster a body of dynamic, progressive changemakers – working individually and in empowering networks – who can inspire and sustain some of the changes South Africa needs to bridge the enormous gulf between rich and poor and build a healthier nation.

The key to this is a visionary international leadership programme, the Atlantic Fellows, which aims to promote equity on five continents by investing in changemakers. Tekano is part of this initiative and home to the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa, a programme of learning and interactivity for social advocates, progressive professionals and innovators. The programme is designed, above all, to affirm, reinforce and connect leadership for health equity.

The establishment of Tekano and its role in the Atlantic Fellows programme have been made possible by a generous grant of US$45 million from The Atlantic Philanthropies. As Atlantic will make its final grants by the end of 2016, the Atlantic Fellows represent the foundation’s culminating investments in leaders who seek transformative change and greater equity in policies, practices and systems.