Understanding challenges
Equilibrium Africa believes in the old Chinese proverb; “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  
We are also sensitive to the fact that in Africa ‘teaching a man to fish’ is easier said than done, and that making large-scale paradigm shifts happen around poverty alleviation can pose innumerable challenges for role-players. For this reason, our portfolios are designed to take an inter-disciplinary approach to seeking solutions, whilst guiding us to know specifically where to encourage collaborations among role players. Through leveraging our networks and expertise in a synchronized manner within civil/ NGO, government and business sectors, we aim to shift national focus from challenges to lasting solutions to make socio-economic targets attainable.

Responsible resource mobilisation
Equilibrium Africa’s mandate is to enhance the capacity of organizations that are working toward solutions and actively forging self-sustaining networks among them. A resource which bears the potential to assist in achieving lasting solutions is a rapidly emerging trend known as impact investing.  In substitute to aid, impact investing is a win-win concept aimed at solving social or environmental challenges, while generating financial profit.

According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing its effectiveness; ‘Impact investing could expand to a $500 billion industry in the next decade.’  GIIN’s Investors' Council founding members include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, J.P. Morgan, and The Rockefeller Foundation among others.  The organisation originated on the premise of collaboration; “Investors across the world are looking for a platform that allows them to work together to capture the powerful potential of impact investing.”  

Organizations are clearly starting to realize the advantages of collaboration in saving time, energy and resources and unnecessary duplication efforts. Equilibrium Africa believes that if local best practice efforts of governments, foreign foundations and business are effectively coordinated, impact investment can make a substantive contribution to dissolving barriers of economic isolation. As impact investment recipients we should endeavour to build equally strong self-sustaining networks of collaboration to effectively receive and ensure equal participation in collaborative efforts of a network as strong as GIIN. In our view, it is as important to protect the interests of the communities who stand to benefit, as it is those of the investors.