Elizabeth Anokyewaa Sarfo

Elizabeth Sarfo (32) from Ghana is pursuing a PhD in Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch.

Elizabeth grew up in a rural area in Ghana and witnessed the negative effects of poverty and lack of resources in her own life and that of others in her community. Furthermore, as a young undergraduate she observed a friend suffer from mental illness and receive no empathy from her family. It was this experience that inspired her to deeply pursue psychology and become an expert in the field so she can alleviate some of the distress felt by individuals with mental illness.

Elizabeth is a dynamic clinical psychologist who is passionate about helping to empower the next generation of women in Ghana and has keen leadership abilities and a strong work ethic. She has successfully defended her PhD in Stellenbosch University and hopes to graduate in March 2020. Her research is focused on the impact of child marriage on mental well being of married female adolescent spouses by exploring the experiences of married girls, their parents, community elders and professionals working to eradicate child marriage in the Northern region of Ghana.

She has been instrumental in child empowerment activities that is aimed at improving the livelihood of children in deprived communities in Ghana. As a member of the volunteering team she offered counselling and mentoring services to children and teenagers. Elizabeth was also instrumental in organizing Christmas parties for children in deprived communities in the Volta region of Ghana.

In the future, Elizabeth plans to become a lecturer and leading researcher on the psychological effects of child marriage and other social vices in Ghana. She plans to advocate for women and children’s rights and develop interventions to help individuals affected by patriarchal norms, child marriage and other social imperfections.

Aline Aurore Niyibizi

Aline Aurore Niyibizi (34) from Rwanda is pursuing a master’s in Medicine/Nursing at the University of Stellenbosch.

Aline was born in Rwanda, but her family fled the country when she was very young. She grew up in Burundi as the youngest of eight children. Her mother was an inspiration role model as she valued education and equal opportunities for both boys and girls. At age ten her family returned to Rwanda and there she experienced being both a refugee and a “returnee”. She also witnessed how a country that was reduced to near nothing was able to rebuild itself. She later observed that it was women who took the lead on this rebuilding of society, particularly of families communities.

During her undergraduate studies at the University of Rwanda, she discovered her calling. It was from overhearing an exchange between two women on the life-threatening experience of giving birth that inspired her to become an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Aline has always been devoted to community health projects, particularly in the reproductive health of rural women. She co-founded an outreach project that informed women on contraceptives. Furthermore, the organization visited rural schools to motivate young girls to pursue education in the sciences and to educate them in sexual and reproductive health.

Aline worked for humanitarian organizations in other African nations that gave her the opportunity to diversify her skills and acquire cultural sensitivities on women’s health issues. Additionally, Aline worked with Doctors Without Borders where she was involved in research of women’s health especially on the effects of maternal care programs on maternal health.

Upon graduation, Aline aspires to take on a leadership role in advocating for contraceptive use in women’s health and reproductive lives. She views a lack of initiatives by government in her country in this public health issue.

Mary Katusiime

Mary Katusiime (26) is pursuing a Doctorate degree in Medical Virology at the University Stellenbosch.

Mary was born in Uganda to parents who were teachers and later NGO workers. Her parents’ work involved tackling the issue of HIV/AIDS and its affect on the youth population.  This early childhood exposure made Mary uniquely aware of the negative social impact of HIV/AIDS on children, youth and community.

Her parents instilled in her the importance of education making learning a happy journey for Mary. Her childhood was a positive one despite some economic challenges. Tragically during high school, Mary’s mother passed away from a heart attack. This personal tragedy affected her life in more than an emotional way. Finances were tough so Mary could not pursue her dream of medical school and becoming a doctor. Instead she settled into doing a bachelor’s in Biology at a local university. During her semester breaks, Mary continued to volunteer in her community and at hospitals. At university, she discovered her interest in medical virology, specifically, HIV and Hepatitis diseases. While working on a research project, she discovered that she wanted to continue her research in HIV. She then pursued a master’s degree at the University of Stellenbosch. There she was presented with a research fellowship opportunity at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. Practical lessons learned in the Pittsburgh laboratory was later transferred to her future work in her home country laboratories.

Upon completion of her PhD, Mary has plans to pioneer research in future cure and prevention methods of HIV infection in children. Additionally, she aspires to form a network of female researchers in the African continent who can take leads in their communities and build research collaboration. Mary is motivated about this long-term goal and plans to spend much of her time to host information sessions to get future researchers inspired and motivated to join the cause.

Samantha Adams

Samantha Adams (31), is pursuing a master’s degree in rehabilitation at the University of Stellenbosch.

Samantha grew up in South Africa during a tough political time period. Both her parents worked hard to support Samantha and her two bothers. Her childhood was a happy one and her involvement with her Christian faith was a big part of her upbringing. Samantha knew she had to find employment in order to support her family, so she started working part-time after secondary school.

During this period, she found inspiration for occupational therapy. This interest came about when she interacted with a friend’s mother who attended an arts and crafts group. This group consisted of older people some of who were disabled. Samantha soon found that she was particularly interested in helping people with disabilities have access to equal opportunities in society.

After receiving her bachelor’s in occupational therapy, Samantha pursued a diploma in disability studies. She was motivated by the aspirations of people with disabilities and their desire to live normal lives. She also realized from her experiences and during her program that women are usually the main caregivers to disabled people. This understanding further motivated Samantha to help create avenues and collaborative platforms for caregivers to turn for resources. Her current study aims to create a social integration system that is currently lacking, particularly in employment services for people with disabilities.

Nina Callaghan

Nina Callaghan (42), is pursuing a master’s degree in sustainable development at the University of Stellenbosch.

Nina was born at the end of South Africa’s Apartheid period. Even though she was much too young to have understood it fully, she became aware of the challenges of being black in South Africa. Growing up, her father taught her about race and politics and his lessons shaped her own vision for the future.

Nina’s commitment to women and children is clear. She has spent many years working for the Children’s Radio Foundation (CFR). The foundation uses radio to share information, create dialogue, advocate and build community outreach for children and young adults. Important issues such as school bullying and sexual health issues are discussed through radio where serious and helpful conversations take place between community members. Nina believes in providing children a platform to voice their concerns and debate their opinions in a safe yet productive environment. This is especially beneficial for the young people that come from under-served communities.

Another organization that is close to her heart is Mothertongue. Nina volunteered there for several years. While there, she learned the importance of community building and support for farming and other land-based workers. This is critical to women and children who deal with social issues such as gender violence, inequality and substance abuse in rural areas. Through this organization, Nina helps women climb out of poverty and indentured service, something that still exists in farms in rural areas.

After graduation, Nina plans to continue the important work of building open and safe places for women to share and improve their social circumstances while sustaining their livelihoods. She aspires to provide hope, education and power to women so they may improve their lives and the community around them.