Two Newly Elected Chairs Bring Vast Skills and Experience to m2m

 mothers2mothers (m2m) is delighted to announce that Jolly Mokorosi and Afua Basoah have been elected as Chairs of the m2m South Africa Board of Directors and the m2m United Kingdom (U.K.) Board of Trustees, respectively. This development means Jolly and Afua will lead two of three independent Boards that govern m2m globally—the third being m2m’s United States Board of Directors. Jolly replaces m2m Founder Dr. Mitch Besser, who served as Interim Chair of m2m’s South Africa Board since December 2019, and will continue as a Board Member on m2m’s South Africa and U.S. Boards. Afua is taking over from Carl Stewart, who left his long-time leadership position on the U.K. Board of Trustees this past November. They join Colin Freund, who was elected Chair of the U.S. Board of Directors in November 2019, and continues in that role.

“I am delighted that m2m’s South Africa and UK Boards are to be led by Chairs with such remarkable skills and experience, combined with strong links to the communities we serve. Afua and Jolly are both passionate about our mission of creating health and hope and ending paediatric AIDS. Their leadership could not come at a more critical time, as the world reckons with the interlinked health and racial inequities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19,” said Frank Beadle de Palomo, m2m’s President & CEO.

“Tackling inequities has always been at the heart of m2m’s work, and will remain a cornerstone of our forthcoming new five-year strategic plan. We are grateful to be able to count upon Afua and Jolly’s deep experience and expertise to help grow and evolve our female-led, community-driven model, which is creating a healthy, more equitable future for women, families, and communities across sub-Saharan Africa,” Frank added.

Jolly Mokorosi

Jolly is a financial services professional and business owner, who has been a member of the m2m South Africa Board of Directors since 2020. She also serves on the boards of various South African Retirement Funds and Trusts as an executive principal officer and trustee, and is actively involved in the education of retirement fund trustees and officials in Southern Africa. She is a member of the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP), as well as previously a member of the Institute of Directors South Africa and a Registered Person (equities). She is also an advisory committee member of the Southern Africa Pension Fund Investment Forum and the inaugural Deputy Chair of Batseta’s Asset Owner’s Forum.

“I am constantly inspired by the dedication, passion, and effectiveness of m2m’s frontline health workers, and am excited by this opportunity to help support and expand their important work. Through employment and the status afforded by their role as health workers, m2m’s Mentor Mothers become role models and leaders, shattering norms, stereotypes, and transforming the status quo.” said Jolly.

Outside of financial services, Jolly also focuses on enterprise development, climate change, sustainability, and agriculture, and has received a community development award for her work and advocacy for economically vulnerable mothers and child-headed households.

For more information on m2m’s three Boards, leadership, and structure, please visit https://m2m.org/who-we-are/