Flaviana Matata Foundation Launching
Former Miss Universe Tanzania, Flaviana Matata, a model turned philanthropist who is also an African Angel for the Diamond Empowerment Fund, has launched the Flaviana Matata Foundation (FMF), a new foundation for girls and women in Dar Es Salaam.
At the Foundation's official launch in early June, Flaviana said that her foundation would support projects that focus on young females; teaching life skills, sponsoring education and vocational training as well as empowering women's groups, cooperatives or individual young girls or women with the goal of giving them dignity, pride and self-esteem.
An impressive number of luminaries graced the occasion held at the Kilimanjaro Kempinski hotel in Dar Es Salaam, including government officials, some members of parliament, as well as stars from different arts and cultural sectors. The foundation is aiming at raising funds in Tanzania as well as in USA where Ms. Matata is currently based. The foundation is a tribute to Flaviana's mother, who perished when MV Bukoba sank in Lake Victoria on May 21, 1996 where over 800 lives were lost in the tragedy, one of Africa's worst maritime disasters.
Ms. Matata said the Foundation, co-founded early this year by Matata together with Ruge Mutahaba, Clouds FM Director, and Mwamvita Makamba, Vodacom Tanzania's Head of Corporate Affairs, seeks to financially assist projects that support the development of the girl child and women empowerment in Tanzania.
"I am here today not as Flaviana Matata but as a young person with a vision to stimulate a cause that I hold very dear. It's been 15 years since my mother's passing and I miss her dearly I am happy to say; I have been raised by my father and the community in general. I am lucky to have had people around me to guide and protect me." My hope today is to start something that will collectively help the youth that are not as lucky as most of us. Issues of child abuse, child pregnancy, street children, just to mention a few need our support," she told the audience.