Founder & Chair Emerita
Ann Cotton OBE
Ann Cotton’s journey from English teacher to global advocate for girls’ education is a testament to her vision, determination, and unrelenting commitment to social justice. Born in Cardiff, Wales in 1949, Ann began her career teaching marginalized students in London, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education. This experience ignited her lifelong commitment to securing educational opportunities for those lacking the power to advocate for themselves.
The pivotal moment in Ann’s career came in 1991. As a graduate student of the London University’s Institute of Education, she travelled to rural Zimbabwe to investigate the barriers preventing girls from attending school. In spending time on the ground with families, teachers, and tribal leaders, Ann came to realize that it was poverty that forced families to limit their daughters’ progression to secondary school, a finding that challenged the received wisdom that cultural norms were the primary obstacle.
Spurred by this understanding, Ann committed to doing all she could to address this inequity. In 1993 she founded the Campaign for Female Education, which became known as CAMFED. Starting with grassroots fundraising, the organisation initially supported the education of 32 girls in Zimbabwe. This small but significant beginning laid the foundation for what would become a transformative movement for girls’ education across Africa.
In 2006, Ann was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to education in Africa. She also received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Cambridge University and an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the Open University. In 2014, Ann was honoured with the WISE Prize for Education. Ann is a respected speaker on international platforms, including the World Economic Forum. She is a Skoll Awardee and an Honorary Fellow of Homerton College at the University of Cambridge.
More from Ann Cotton
Ann Cotton: Ahimsa Award Recognizes Girls’ Education Imperative
Ann Cotton, Founder and President of CAMFED, which for over 20 years has supported girls in rural Africa through school and into independence, today received the Ahimsa Award at the House of Commons in London.
The Neglected Capital in the Fight against Poverty and Injustice
Watch Ann Cotton’s 5-minute presentation at the World Economic Forum 2015, discussing how CAMFED unlocks the rich capital in poor communities in support of girls’ education
To fix U.S. schools, consider CAMFED’s work across rural Africa
In advance of Camfed Founder and President Ann Cotton's presentation at SXSWedu® this week, Forbes Contributor Jordan Shapiro spoke with Ann about how "Camfed succeeds by leveraging data not simply to eradicate poverty, but also to increase multiple forms of capital in struggling communities by educating young girls."
Data as a Democratic Process
Across countless rural communities in Africa, children politely answer questions posed by researchers. Then silence. Who knows what happens to the information, how it is analyzed and with whom it is shared?
Interviewing Graça Machel at the Skoll World Forum
April 2015
In 2015, Ann Cotton interviewed the the renowned international advocate for women’s and children’s rights and social and political activist Graça Machel at the Skoll Awards For Social Entrepreneurship. Graça Machel is a former freedom fighter and was the first Education Minister of Mozambique. She is a member of The Elders and founder of the Graça Machel Trust.
An interview with Ann Cotton
November 2015
WISE Prize winner Ann Cotton explains why the CAMFED education model works well: the model puts children at the centre. CAMFED works with families and other stakeholders to enable girls to move through education and becoming professionals themselves. Through the CAMFED Association, tens of thousands of young women graduates are working together to change their societies from the inside.