The END Fund, a leading collaborative philanthropic fund dedicated to ending neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), has announced the appointment of Tsitsi Masiyiwa as Board Chair. She succeeds William (Bill) Campbell, who led the fund since its inception in 2012.
NTDs are a group of diseases that affect over 1.7 billion people worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. They cause disability, stigma, and poverty, and hinder economic and social development.
The END Fund works with partners to deliver treatments for NTDs such as intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, trachoma, and visceral leishmaniasis.
Under Campbell’s leadership, the END Fund has mobilised resources from more than 6,400 donors to deliver over 1.5 billion treatments through locally-driven NTD programs in 31 countries.
The fund has also supported innovative approaches to NTD control and elimination, such as mass drug administration campaigns, community-led interventions, and digital health solutions.
Tsitsi Masiyiwa is a renowned philanthropist and social entrepreneur, who co-founded and chairs the Higherlife Foundation, a pan-African organisation that supports education, health, and rural development initiatives.
She has been an integral part of the END Fund’s journey since 2012, serving as a board member and co-vice chair. She is also a board member of PATH, an international health organisation.
Speaking on behalf of the END Fund, Campbell said: “Tsitsi Masiyiwa is a deeply respected philanthropist and social entrepreneur, well known for her effective advocacy and exemplary leadership. The END Fund’s growth and impact has been one of my life’s biggest achievements and there is no one better placed to entrust this to than Tsitsi.”
“Her vision, experience, and networks will accelerate and focus the END Fund’s ambitions, and enable us to deepen our impact in new ways. I believe having Tsitsi’s voice at the forefront of the conversation on NTDs will increase the urgency and prioritization of this issue among key decision makers, from heads of households to heads of state, and finally bring an end to NTDs in our lifetime.”
Tsitsi Masiyiwa said: “I am honoured and humbled to take on the role of Board Chair of the END Fund. I have witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of NTDs on individuals and communities across Africa. I have also seen the remarkable progress that can be achieved when we work together to tackle these diseases.”
“The END Fund has been a pioneer and a partner in this fight for almost a decade, and I am excited to lead the fund into its next chapter. I thank Bill Campbell for his outstanding service and leadership, and I look forward to working with the board, the staff, and the partners of the END Fund to end the suffering caused by NTDs.”
