Undergraduate Scholars
Arthur Adinda is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelors degree in electrical and computer engineering. As an only boy and the only one in his community to proceed to tertiary education, Arthur has a lot of expectations – from his family and his community – placed on his back. This motivated him, and five of his friends, to start Mshauri Trust, a mentorship organisation focused on youth peer mentorship in Nairobi. The goal of Mshauri Trust is to help high school children overcome their struggles, both academically and socially, so as to avoid a scenario where a whole society looks up to one person. He rather wants to foster a society of people that look to one another. When Arthur achieves this, he believes his community will have a reason for looking up to him, and he will have delivered. The mentees of Mshauri Trust will also have given their families a reason to smile. Arthur believes that a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
Jaspher Chifagume is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. Jaspher has won several awards, including four academic awards for the best scholar in maths and biology and a competency certificate for the best scholar in a quiz at the provincial level. At Mount Selinda, Jaspher was the president of the Interact Club, vice-president of the Quiz Club, school vice-head boy, chairman of the Entertainment Committee, a Debate Club member and also a Worship Committee member. In sports, Jaspher was a judo (martial arts) scholar and enjoyed playing handball. Currently, at UCT, Jaspher has a vision of one day becoming a tech pioneer in Africa. With interests in renewable energy, telecommunications, real estate and investment banking, Jaspher spends his free time reading books about entrepreneurship and public speaking. His main goal is to develop African solutions for Africa by contributing to the continent's self-sufficiency in the technology sector through innovation.
Cassandra Dacha is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering. She is fascinated by sports and leadership, and as such, she is the UCT East African Society sports representative and participates actively in the residence's running team. She has been involved in many social outreach programmes and does her best to give back to the community, which has led to her work on a project that involves collecting bottles in her residence to accumulate funds with intentions of feeding the homeless in Cape Town.
Nozipho Sibanda is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. She has a strong sense of ethics and integrity, values which have seen her occupy some of the highest leadership positions available during her schooling. She has served the city of Bulawayo as one of the honourable members of its highly esteemed Bulawayo Junior Council, a position she used to uplift the less privileged and campaign against teenage drug abuse. In that same year, she also assumed the presidency of the Interact Club, which was pivotal in the improvement of the lives of local orphans and the empowerment of girls. Working with people for the entirety of her high school years taught Nozipho the art of putting others before oneself. This is evident in her university activities: she is part of the SHAWCO team at UCT that aims to educate scholars at lower grades. Looking into the future, she hopes to graduate in 2021 and go back to her community to spread wisdom as a well-groomed leader. Her life goal is to debunk the girl child myth by making opportunities available for young girls to become engineers, a profession dominated by male counterparts. Above all, she hopes to work for the greater good through the application of her skills to find and develop sustainable, efficient and clean energy solutions to save what matters the most, Mother Earth.>
Tamia Jansen is an undergraduate scholar studying towards a bachelor's degree in social sciences. She is passionate about travelling and exploring new cultures. She is a play counselling representative for Operation Smile South Africa and a volunteer at Red Cross Children’s Memorial Hospital. She is always striving to help the less fortunate and she does this by hosting fundraising initiatives throughout the year. Tamia is also an editor, as reading and writing are among her favourite things to do. She wants to advocate for the importance of reading to the youth by initiating book drives that will motivate learners to learn and develop the capacity to think critically.
Sadiyah Rawat is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a Bachelor of Science majoring in marine biology, and oceanography and atmosphere science. She is an avid swimmer, an advocate for women’s rights and an active speaker for mental health. As of April 2017, Sadiyah was elected as the vice-president of Eunoia, a non-profit organisation in Mauritius. She is a member of the Habitat for Humanity Club, a society dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty in South Africa through participating in development of infrastructure. She is also a member of the Biological Sciences Club, Zoobots, a society revelling in the exploration of nature in the hope of furthering our understanding of it, enabling ever-better conservation efforts. Sadiyah is eager to learn and acquire knowledge. She is a creative thinker with an eye for detail and a devotion to logic that serves her well both in the sciences and outside them. Her goal is to make a contribution to secure a sustainable future for Africa by devoting her professional life to scientific research in marine fields.
Silaji Andrea is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He is a self-motivated and highly committed individual determined to give back to his local communities. Back in Tanzania, Silaji volunteered as a tutor at Pacha's learning centre teaching mathematics, physics and chemistry to both secondary and high school scholars from disadvantaged families. Capitalising on his skills as a chemical engineer, he is currently working on a project related to cashew nut production in the Mtwara region of Tanzania. The project aims to teach farmers how to use hybrid seeds and proper weed control. Furthermore, this project will open doors for farmers to engage, explore and experience modern and advanced methods used for controlling pests and diseases that hinder the flourishing of cashew nut trees.
Lwazi Simelane is an undergraduate scholar pursuing a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He enjoys mathematics, physics, design and technology. With these abilities, Lwazi wants to help his country achieve King Mswati III’s vision of seeing the Kingdom of eSwatini gain and maintain a first-world status by 2022 through the development of infrastructure and improved economic growth. Moreover, Lwazi is a forex trader with two years’ experience and a good track record specialising in charts. At UCT, he is an active member of the South African Students’ Congress (SASCO), which champions the interests of scholars and seeks to ensure access and success in every institution by fighting for better accommodation, more computer labs, better-equipped libraries and lower costs of education. He is also an active member of the Swazi Students' Society.
Postgraduate Scholars
Mudzuri Takudzwanashe
Mudzuri Takudzwanashe was a Zimbabwean postgraduate scholar who pursued an honours degree In Criminal Law. He is motivated to be the best version of himself and considers any circumstance as an opportunity.
Brindley Fortuin
Brindley Fortuin pursued an honours degree in Sociology, with an emphasis on race politics and identity formation in post-colonialism. He was a member of the Mastercard Scholars Council and interned at UCT’s Global Citizenship Programme, where he engaged in teaching and other areas. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Science (majoring in Politics, Religion and Sociology). He aspires to become an academic and was part of Mellon Mays before he joined the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. He sees the world through the eyes of a researcher and an activist. He embarked on an activism journey in high school and this became the foundation for the career he hopes to pursue in social justice and social responsiveness.
Ebenezer Hutchful
Mixo Ngwenya
Mixo Ngwenya pursued a master’s degree in Structural Engineering. She was elected as the speaker of the Polokwane Junior City Council, and served as school captain and president of the debate club at her high school. Mixo's passion for scholar governance led her to apply to be part of the UCT Forest Hill Residence scholar tribunal. She was part of the tribunal for a year, and in subsequent years, she became the External Development Committee team leader and the Residence Sub-warden. Mixo volunteered at the UCT Disability Centre and was a peer mentor for the Mastercard Scholars Foundation Programme and the Civil Engineering Department at UCT. These roles prepared her to be the fourth-year class representative, a position she held during the final year of her undergraduate studies.
Bright Tetteh
Bright Tetteh pursued a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He has strong academic and leadership abilities, which enabled him to complete high school as the top student and graduated from his studies with a first-class honours degree. During Bright's undergraduate studies, he took up several leadership roles. He served as the vice president for Relevant Achievers Impacting Nations (RAIN), a religious organisation that led and taught students to pursue a purposeful life and prepare them for life in eternity. As the first person in his family to attend university, Bright has excelled in several areas against all odds. He is someone who aspires to be the best he can, irrespective of his background. He is also passionate about helping others think positively and strive for excellence, especially those who come from underprivileged backgrounds. This mindset inspired him to return to his high school on multiple occasions to inspire, encourage and educate pupils. His goal is to influence his generation positively through knowledge and leadership.
Ruvimbo Chigwanda
Ruvimbo Chigwanda pursued a master’s degree in Public Health, prior to which she was a qualified social worker by profession and an all-around enthusiast for life who believes in making the most out of every situation. She aspires to become a cervical cancer specialist. Her interest in this profession arose during her internship at the Saartjie Baartman Centre, where she noticed that cervical cancer had high fatality rates despite being a preventable disease. One of her ultimate career objectives is to be a key player in revamping the health system in her home country, Zimbabwe, making it accessible to all who need it and not just those who can afford it. Ruvimbo's hope is to inspire young girls everywhere to believe in the validity of their dreams and to pursue their passion, no matter what field it is in. She hopes to live in a world where everyone reaches their highest potential.
Tendai Mbanje
Tendai Mbanje pursued a master’s degree in Human Rights Law. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Zimbabwe where he studied Philosophy with a distinction in comprehensive examinations. He has done several advanced human rights courses with the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria. He is passionate about social justice, transformation, and socio-economic and political development through the realisation of human rights. He also has a passion for innovation and social entrepreneurship. Tendai's hobbies are hiking and reading about philosophy, particularly ancient Greek philosophy and Greek mythology. In the area of law, he enjoys doing research and personal reading on the United Nations and the African Union.
Fadlah Gassiep
Fadlah Gassiep completed a master’s degree in Development Studies. She is passionate about transformation, particularly exploring ways in which research and collaborative work can be used to transform the lives of those who have been historically marginalised and continue to experience the unjust consequences of marginalisation in their everyday lives.
Emmanuel Ampomah
Emmanuel Ampomah pursued a master’s degree in International Relations. He undertook his undergraduate studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, where he majored in Philosophy and Political Science. During this period, he served as vice president of the International Central Gospel Church, Campus Ministry (University of Professional Studies, Chapter) where he was later appointed president. He also served as the chairman of the Constitutional Draft Committee of the Professional Christian Union in 2017. Emmanuel has published two books: Step Up to the Front and Unlocking Your Success. He wrote his first book while still in high school. Emmanuel’s passion for leadership drove him to mentor young people and speak at seminars. He believes Africa’s quest for development could be achieved if young Africans come to appreciate and embrace ethical leadership. His Master’s thesis was focused on peace and security in West Africa.
John Chisembele
John Chisembele pursued a master’s degree in education specialising in Policy, Leadership and Change. He is passionate about education and convinced that this is a means of social and economic mobility for both individual and societies. His belief that a lack of education excluded individuals from participating in social, political and economic activities, inspired him to study education polices in order to contribute to the policy conundrum and ensure that all policies are in the best interest of social justice and do not exclude marginalised sections of society. John believes in transformative leadership and has experience in the scholar’s union movement at the University of Zambia. During his tenure, he contributed to the welfare of students through various fund-raising ventures and engagements with the corporate community. Prior to his enrolment at UCT, he worked for almost two years as a research and administrative assistant at the University of Zambia, Institute of Economic and Social Research. John has a great interest in livestock agriculture, having owned and successfully run a poultry house, and envisions being a commercial farmer who supplies beyond the borders of his country. He has an interest in state politics, public policy and higher education. He periodically writes to parliamentary committees expressing his concerns on certain bills and aspires to be a leader in his country.
Daniel Adeleke
Daniel Adeleke pursued a master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering. He is a public speaker and strategic motivator. During his undergraduate studies, Daniel deployed his competencies to provide primary oversight in the development of plans and human resources for the Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship (CACYOF). Designing innovative, sustainable interpersonal development and career progress kept Daniel up at night and got him up in the morning. Highlights in Daniel's work experience include design, construction and maintenance of construction projects, industrial research and imparting knowledge to undergraduates in Nigeria and South Africa.
Danielle Sympathie Goho
Danielle Sympathie Goho pursued a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering. She was involved in the Social Law, Social Justice (SLSJ) mentoring programme at UCT, which provides mentorship to grade 11 female scholars from Usasazo High School in Khayelitsha, with the aim of empowering young women to reach their full potential. From 2014, Danielle volunteered at the City Church, where she held different positions, such as children’s leader and youth leader.
Desire Mwanza
Desire Mwanza pursued a master's in Development Studies. “Things do not happen, things are made to happen,” describes the essence of Desire. She strives to live in a world where individuals who belong to minority groups can make things happen and are given the opportunity. Desire believes that for individuals belonging to minority groups, hard work is not sufficient to overcome life's glitches. Rather, elevating the social and economic standing of those individuals must be the precursor for hard work, so that they stand an equal chance to pursue opportunities alongside their colleagues. It is in this spirit, as a teacher by profession and development studies scholar, that Desire shows passion for girls’ excellence in education, entrepreneurship and leadership in Malawi. Desire has worked in a network of graduates in Malawi that volunteer their time to mentor and tutor girls in high school.
Charity Nkomo
Charity Nkomo pursued a master’s degree in Commercial Law. She believes that “life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to dance in the rain”. Charity was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and graduated from the University of Zimbabwe in 2014 with a Bachelor of Law Honours Degree. She believes that her postgraduate studies, made possible with the assistance of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – which not only provided her with full financial support but also skills training, mentorship, leadership development and other life skills – will doubtlessly empower her to make a statement in her community. She is inspired by the works of Strive Masiyiwa, who was her mentor. Notably, by his exemplary service helping underprivileged youth, including herself, to build a brighter future by funding their academic studies.
Paul Kuodi
Paul Kuodi pursued a master’s degree in Public Health. Paul has a passion for humanitarian service and dreams of serving his country as a health professional. He pursued a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Makerere University and started working in marginalised communities in Kampala. His passion for health humanitarian service allowed him to offer leadership in projects whenever opportunities arose. He is driven by collaborative approaches to finding innovative solutions to health problems. He aspires to develop his leadership skills and make meaningful leadership contributions on the African continent.
Paulina Naupu
Paulina Naupu is fascinated by viruses and their impact on human health and pursued her master’s with the Biopharming Research Unit at UCT. Due to her financial situation, she was not able to pursue her master’s immediately after completion of honours, and she took a gap year in 2017. Thanks to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, she enrolled and worked on a master's project that focused on the production of cost-effective antibodies against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the main causative agent of cervical cancer, that can be used in serological assays. At the time, there were no commercial anti-HPV antibodies. Her goal was to help develop affordable yet effective viral vaccines and commercial antibodies. She envisions an African community where cervical cancer is no longer a burden.
Kudzai Ngwara
Kudzai Ngwara pursued a master’s degree in Social Development. Kudzai is a young, energetic, goal-oriented, vibrant and hard-working individual who is eager to learn, interact and assist. Kudzai graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from UCT and was top of the Dean’s Merit List for four consecutive years. As a qualified social worker, she volunteered her services at City Mission in Salt River, Cape Town. She was also a professional supervisor in the Department of Social Development in the Humanities Faculty. Kudzai is passionate about helping the vulnerable and marginalised in society, particularly refugees in South Africa. Her research was based on how refugees could be integrated into South African society. She hopes to contribute her knowledge and lifelong enthusiasm to the social, political, economic and management development of her homeland, Zimbabwe, and the African continent.
Asisipho Mnyanzeli
Asisipho Mnyanzeli was born and raised in rural villages of the Eastern Cape. Prior to joining the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, she graduated from UCT with a Bachelor of Social Sciences majoring in Media and Writing, Sociology and Gender Studies. Asisipho then pursued her honours in Media Studies specialising in Political Communication. She is a Wannabes@UCTHumanities alumnus, a self-taught photographer and is passionate about human rights and equity. Asisipho has been involved in school development programmes, such as SHAWCOand 100up. Her goal is to build a library in her village, and she aspires to be a crisis communicator.
Thapelo Hlongwane
Thapelo Hlongwane pursued an Honours degree in Drama at UCT, specialising in directing. He is a spoken-word artist, theatre maker, community builder and co-founder of WordnSound Cape Town, a literature platform bringing together older practitioners of literature with young people to encourage, inspire and give them a sense of the trajectory for a literary career. His poetry has been published in the Sol Plaatje international poetry anthology. Thapelo is a firm believer in education and the notion that future leaders need to be nurtured and groomed from an early age to lead the Africa we all envision. He has an interest in early childhood development and his research focused on tailoring early years performing art experiences to the developmental capabilities of toddlers through to teenagers. Since discovering that Early Years theatre is pivotal to the cognitive, physical and social development of the young, Thapelo realised that theatre has great potential in the economic and social development of Africa as a whole. As an artist and an aspiring educator, he is fascinated by theatre and its role in inspiring the imagination, creativity and community building. He is committed to leadership and cultural development: Thapelo approaches his work in early childhood development with the belief that the best creative environments are those that embrace a well-organised process, collaboration and communication, and create opportunities for all.
Mubiana Tumelo Muyangwa
Mubiana Tumelo Muyangwa pursued an honours degree in Economics and was involved in mentorship and proactive leadership initiatives. Mubiana played an instrumental role in multiple community engagements, including tutoring at Manenberg Primary School, fundraising for Sarah Fox Children’s Hospital in Cape Town and painting murals for St Augustine’s Library. As an information technology, applied data services and economics enthusiast, Mubiana has done customer-centric research on mobile money ecosystems in Africa and South-East Asia, and intends to pursue a master's degree focused on applied behavioural data science. This, coupled with her time as an intern at JUMO, inspired her to focus her thesis on the barriers to mobile money adoption, as she was convinced that technology powered by behavioural data can greatly empower people. Mubiana plans to help digitise governmental systems and use behavioural data to better inform economic policy implementation in Zambia.
Fezeka Lephaila
Fezeka Lephaila is an Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls alumna, with a BCom in Economics and Finance from UCT. With the Mastercard Foundation Scholar Program, she pursued an honours degree in Economics. Fezeka has a long history of community involvement ranging from volunteering at an old age home, the Help the Rural Child Charity Shop and Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO), as well as mentoring first-year students at UCT. She was part of student faculty leadership, sitting as treasurer for the UCT Postgraduate Commerce Scholars Council 2018. Fezeka also worked as a research assistant at the UCT Centre for Social Science Research. She interned at the Centre for Financial Regulation and Inclusion (CENFRI). Her main areas of interest are finance, economics, development and policy. Her ambition is to combine those interests and work with governments, the private sector and communities to achieve social and economic inclusion in both South Africa and the global community. Due to her interest in African development, she was a delegate at the African Youth Network Summit 2018, organised by the Graca Machel Trust, and she attended the Baobab Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, courtesy of the Mastercard Foundation.
Zimingonaphakade Sigenu
Zimingonaphakade Sigenu pursued an honours degree in Sociology. She volunteered as a mentor for the Faculty of Humanities and was part of the Resilience Network Initiative. Zimingonaphakade has also been involved in various outreach programmes, such as the Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO), 100Up, the HIV/AIDS Inclusivity and Change Unit (HAICU) and Ubunye. She held a position as programme assistant in the Humanities faculty. Zimingonaphakade aspires to pursue a career in academia with a focus on a human-centred approach to research privileging the lived experience of young people. She is passionate about writing, research and social justice, and hopes to make a meaningful contribution to social change.
Keagetswe Alex Kgotlaetsile
Keagetswe Alex Kgotlaetsile pursued an honours degree in Social Policy and Management. He served as a resident assistant, peer counsellor and mentor during his undergraduate studies at the University of Botswana and as president of its Social Work Society. He is an enthusiastic, energetic and social individual who is always eager to learn, develop and make a difference in people’s lives. He believes that minority and marginalised groups need access to opportunities that will elicit their potential for self-upliftment. He volunteered at SHAWCO and has worked with his friends on a newly established sports club in Botswana (Visionary Sports and Recreation).
Sonwabile Ngcukuva
Sonwabile Ngcukuva was a postgraduate scholar who pursued an honours degree in Social Policy and Management. Sonwabile participated in the UCT LEAD Programme and the GIBS-TSIBA Spirit of the Youth Programme. He is described as an intersectional feminist, who has a passion for justice, both transitional and restorative. He supports the education system’s potential to deliver justice to the previously marginalised.
Choongo Chibawe
Choongo Chibawe completed his postgraduate honours degree in Mathematics at UCT. He was a sub-warden for his residence and used this position to inspire and guide students under his care. His passion is seeing people grow in their understanding of who they are and what they can be.
Read Choongo Chibawe's complete profile here.
Emmanuel Adonyo
Emmanuel Adonyo pursued an honours degree in Bioinformatics. His research focused on observing the inference of host adaptive mutation on protein-coding sequences of the HIV viral genome. Adonyo was the health and safety representative at South Point student residence. He was also an alumnus of the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa, Nairobi. In addition to his engagement with YALI community, he was committed to helping people in his community access secondary education and he was able to achieve this through a charity organisation called Lango Development Forum. In 2012, he volunteered for six months with War Child Holland in Uganda as an information and communications technology (ICT) trainer, where he delivered comprehensive ICT training among the Lord's Resistance Army war victims, helping them to use information and communications technology to maximise productivity in their livelihood ventures. He worked for USAID health system in strengthening their project in Uganda. He was also involved in mobilising communities, especially men in northern Uganda, for the voluntary medical male circumcision programme.
Read Choongo Chibawe's complete profile here.
Sandra Zaroufis
Sandra Zaroufis pursued a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. She believes that one does not seek leadership but is called by an internal compulsion to get involved, speak out and assist where there is a need. This belief inspired her to become a member of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, where she graduated from its Youth Leadership Programme in 2012. She served UCT as the Bikelink chairperson of the Green Campus Initiative in 2017, and worked as a residence dining hall monitor, residence mentor and tutor. Her mixed heritage and involvement in anti-racism, anti-sexism, and Fees Must Fall movements shaped her into a socially conscious woman who considers the complexities of human-environmental systems. She is a proud South African who hails from Soweto and envisions a better world, achieved through sustainable design and management of diverse landscapes and communities.
Jeff Watitwa
Jeff Watitwa pursued a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Jeff believes that Africa’s access to sustainable energy will improve the living standards of its inhabitants, which is why he focused his research on the optimisation of smart grids that would deliver clean power. He strives to gain the requisite experience and qualifications to be a valuable player in the energy sector. In his spare time, Jeff was involved in school sporting activities and was a member of the Obz Square residence billiards team. He was also an avid hiker with the Mountain and Ski Club.
Erwin Miyoba
Erwin Miyoba pursued a Master of Philosophy in Programme Evaluation. Prior to coming to UCT, she worked for Programme Against Malnutrition (PAM) in Zambia. There, she was promoted to the position of acting project coordinator for empowering women in the western and southern provinces through an agricultural support project, which she did while also serving as head of the organisation’s monitoring and evaluation unit. Her responsibilities included providing technical support in programme design, writing funding proposals, designing monitoring and evaluation systems, assessing the performance of all PAM projects, and building the capacity of project staff in monitoring and evaluation, activity planning and reporting. Erwin represented PAM at a national level as a member of the Zambia Vulnerability Assessment Technical Committee. Erwin has a keen interest in ensuring greater participation, inclusion, accountability and transparency of governments to deliver on their commitments. She plans to engage in research, monitoring and evaluation work at the national level and contribute to ensuring that evidence-based information is available to inform policy-making decisions and programming.
Ezinwanne Ezekannagha
Ezinwanne Ezekannagha pursued a master’s degree in Environmental and Geographical Science specialising in Environment, Society and Sustainability. Ezinwanne served on the Faculty of Science's student council as the director of social, where she organised science fairs, seminars and scholar outreach. She was also an active member of the district 9140 Rotary Club Anambra State, which carrie out community development projects. Ezinwanne is passionate about research and environmental issues. She believes that an interdisciplinary approach can solve problems easily and quickly, which is why she switched from Computer Science to Environmental Science. Her love for education and community development led to her involvement in the formation of St Mary Nursery/Primary School in Amaokpala, a local school established to make education accessible to children in the community. She hopes to use the knowledge and skills she gained from her studies to make a positive impact towards environmental and agricultural sustainability, food security and biodiversity.
Shamiso Malekano
Shamiso Malekano is driven to contribute to the socio-economic development of Malawi and pursued a master’s degree in Risk Management of Financial Markets. After her undergraduate university education, she joined the Reserve Bank of Malawi as a bank examiner where she worked for more than five years. Shamiso developed leadership skills from a tender age and has received numerous acknowledgements for her role as a leader in curricular, extra-curricular and professional activities. Her vision is to enhance her career in the regulation and supervision of the financial sector in Malawi to ensure that it continues to be the country’s catalyst for social and economic development.
Samantha Moyo
Samantha Moyo pursued a master’s degree in Philosophy specialising in Development Studies. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Fort Hare where she majored in Development Studies and Public Administration. In addition to her academics, Samantha has been part of several organisations including Restless Development as a peer educator, Enactus South Africa (ENtrepreneurial Action By Us South Africa), Junior Chamber International SA, Activate Leadership South Africa and The Unleashed Woman, all of which required articulation of community engagement activities that address problems of socio-economic development in marginalised communities. Samantha strives to become an empowered young woman who displays intellectual capacity at all times given the appropriate developmental platforms despite her background and the societal stereotypes held against women.
Theresa Ayerigah
Theresa Ayerigah is pursuing a master’s degree in International Relations. Theresa showed an interest in scholar leadership and gender-related issues during her undergraduate studies when she served as the women’s commissioner of the Historical Society of KNUST, also known as the scholars union of the Department of History and Political Studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. She also served as the secretary of the Scholar Chaplaincy Council in the transport department. Theresa has a keen interest in global affairs and her dream career is to become a diplomat, an international civil servant and a policy analyst in Ghana. She mentors young females in her local community as the founder of the Girl Child Club, which seeks to groom young females for their career goals and to serve as role models for their peers and society alike. Theresa combined her studies with fashion works and entrepreneurship, working as a model and businesswoman. She aims to continue her studies in international law and human rights, and hopes to improve the justice system in her home country, Ghana.