Thokozile Mnguni
Founder of the Collen Mashawana Foundation, Dr Collen Mashawana, has been honoured at the Community Builders in Africa Awards held in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Dr Mashawana received the Outstanding Leadership in Community Building and Philanthropy Award in recognition of his humanitarian and development work across the continent. He was honoured alongside African leaders, government representatives and business figures.
The recognition highlights more than 14 years of work by the Collen Mashawana Foundation, which supports vulnerable and underprivileged communities through housing assistance, social development programmes and empowerment initiatives across Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mashawana emphasised the importance of unity and social cohesion on the continent.
“Africans must continue to treat one another with kindness, dignity and respect,” he said, adding that Africa is bound by shared history and humanity.
He called for greater cooperation across borders, saying collective progress should take precedence over division.
“The African continent has become too small for its people to remain divided by borders designed to separate them,” he said, stressing that unity and human solidarity must come first.
Addressing regional perceptions and coexistence, he said respect for national laws remains essential for peaceful integration and cross-border movement. “South Africa is not xenophobic,” he said, urging Africans to respect and comply with the laws of their respective countries while promoting peaceful coexistence across the continent.
The foundation said the award reflects the collective efforts of partners, volunteers and communities involved in its programmes. It added that the recognition is a tribute to ongoing work restoring dignity and hope to vulnerable communities.
The organisation continues to expand its continental outreach initiatives, focusing on strengthening partnerships and scaling its humanitarian footprint across Africa.