Her career started in 2001, when she joined Anglo-American as HumanResources Officer, where she was involved in providing policy andstrategic insight on issues such as HIV, Wellness and employmentequity. 

In 2007, Ms. Machel started a consulting and training company Pfukani(Ltd) which was the first company in Mozambique to design,coordinate and manage wellness and communication tools forHIV/Aids.

She later joined the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA),where she led the work on assisting political stakeholders in the AIDSpandemic by enhancing governance in AIDS programmes andproviding research and analyses around those two specific issues.

Following a horrific incident of domestic violence that left her blind inone eye, Ms. Machel founded the Kuhluka Movement, a non-profitinitiative that empowers survivors of Gender-based violence, to whichshe dedicates her life. 

The Kuhluka Movement, premised on the principles of advocacy andmitigation, bridges the gap between giving a face and a voice to victimsand survivors, and providing them with a safe haven in their time ofneed.

Kuhluka provides a platform to engage on practical solutions foraddressing the scourge that is gender- based violence. The movementwhile focused on preventative measures by bringing cultural custodianstogether to interrogate practices and traditions that continue toengender GBV in the society to open the conversations with traditionalleaders, community leaders and men in general. 

Also provides shelter and a safe haven for women transitioning fromabusive relationships to healing and living independently of theirabusive partners.

She is also the founder and director of Protect Her Life. 

An insurance company that seeks to support the safety of women whoare subjected to unprecedented levels of gender-based violence. 

The company provides easily accessible tools for use in the event ofabuse or an emergency, by providing comprehensive insurance andemergency assistance packages specially designed for women. 

The cover is underwritten by Capital Alliance, a division of the LibertyLife group.

Ms. Machel is also a Director in other corporate entities on wastemanagement, and in the health Spa and wellness industries. 

She has extensive experience in advocacy, political advisory andmanagement of projects on gender -based violence as well as Humandevelopment and Gender equality in the private and public sectorswithin SADC and internationally.

Recently elected to be a representative of Survivors of Violence inMozambique through the group Civil Society for the new GlobalSpotlight Initiative. 

This is a multi-year initiative by the EU and the UN which seeks toeliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and tobring focused attention to this issue by moving it into the spotlight andplacing it at the Centre of efforts to achieve gender Equality andwomen empowerment. This is in line with the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development.

The UNFPA has appointed her as a Celebrity Spokesperson for theSADC region. At the same time, she is one of the Main Ambassador’s forthe Ministry of Higher Education’s “Higher health Programme” onGBV in South Africa.

Ms. Machel delivered a TEDx Lyttleton Woman address on “MaleViolence against Women: The next frontier of Humanity” and she hasbeen vocal on a number of issues aligned to the work of Kuhluka suchas:

• Leadership and women development

• GBV: ‘I may have lost my eye, but I have not lost my vision’

• Economic and financial costs of GBV to business and countries

• Healing and Regeneration

• Resilience and Overcoming adversity

• Building Social Movements

• Cultural practices and the role of traditional leaders in changingcommunity narratives

Through her work, Ms. Machel has been the recipient of a number ofawards in recognition for her contributions towards advocacy againstgender-based violence, including the following:

• Soho Trailblazer Award (USA)

• Fabulous Women Resilience Award (South Africa)

• Game Changer Award (USA)

• Mama Albertina Sisulu 100 Women of Fortitude

• #African Doers 2020 by Tropics Magazine (Africa)

• Global Impact Award for Community Building by Global AfricanAwards

• The Mail & Guardian 40 Powerful Women 2020

• BBC 100 Influential & Inspirational Women 2020

Current Board memberships

The Graca Machel Trust (2010)

A Pan –African advocacy organization founded by Ms. Machel’s mother, Mrs.Graça Machel, which focuses on child health and nutrition, education,women’s economic and financial empowerment, leadership and goodgovernance.

The Samora Machel Documentation Centre (2005)

The Centre was launched in 2005 by Samora Machel’s immediate family,colleagues, friends and those who fought alongside him in Mozambique’sindependence struggle and reflects on Machel’s passion for history and hisneed to preserve the rich history of the Mozambican people.

The Emerald Group Dubai (2014)

A specialist global search and selection company focused on supplying highcaliber services across the financial services industry. The Group is made up ofEmerald Capital, and Emerald Resources.

South African Norwegian Association (2019)

An Association which promotes opportunities, collaborations, investmentsand partnerships between Norway and South Africa.

She has also served on the following boards:

Atlas Mara BancABC (Mozambique) (2015-2018)

An investment vehicle founded in 2013 by former Barclays executive BobDiamond and entrepreneur Ashish Thakkar. Ms. Machel headed up theHuman Resources and Remuneration committee.

Right to Care (2006 -2011)

A non-profit organization that supports and provides prevention, care andtreatment for HIV and associated diseases, namely tuberculosis (TB), cervicalcancer and sexually transmitted infections.

International Women’s health Coalition (2008-2011)

An International non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1984 tofocus on issues relating to women and girls’ human rights, health and genderequality. It’s currently the oldest active global feminist group.