Hilda Dinah Kyomuhimbo was born and raised in Masindi, Uganda. Despite the common perception in her village that sciences were a boys’ specialty, she developed a love for the subject in primary school. Her university journey started in 2011 at Makerere University, studying for a BSc in Industrial Chemistry, and she later attended University of Nairobi, where she graduated with a Masters in Chemistry. She is currently at University of Pretoria, pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Her current research is focused on incorporating metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in polymer beads to form nanocomposites. The nanocomposites are then used to immobilize the laccase enzyme to improve its lifespan and reusability in environmentally relevant conditions. The improved enzyme will be used to detect organic pollutants in freshwater systems and treat effluents from industries, especially textile and paper, hence minimizing pollution. She believes that using affordable and environmentally friendly materials to eliminate organic pollutants is a significant step toward protecting our environment and the ecosystem against severe hazardous degradation, thus providing improved conditions of living and a healthier environment for the vulnerable groups in our community. Previously, she utilized invasive weeds in Uganda, Bidens pilosa and water hyacinth, to make antiseptics and produce biofuels, respectively.

On top of community impactful research, Hilda aspires to work as a lecturer and do community outreach in her area to encourage girls to complete their education and attain higher levels required for research careers, since the majority of women opt out after their undergraduate studies.

Sibusiso Tshuma, a Zimbabwean, is registered for a PhD in Publishing Studies at the University of Pretoria. She holds a BA Hons and a Master’s in Publishing Studies, both from the University of the Witwatersrand. She also holds a BA Hons in English from the University of Zimbabwe.

Sibusiso’s mission is to make reading fun and accessible for black tweens throughout Southern Africa by creating culturally and contextually relevant books. She believes this could be a step towards developing interest in reading, pointing out that the publishing industry currently relies on Eurocentric imports for this age-group. Sibusiso is developing an Afrocentric Critical Racial-ethnic framework for trade books, which should be a useful tool in improving reading for understanding in contexts of low-comprehension skill levels among tweens, such as in South Africa where Grade 4 and 5 students have been performing badly in performance metrics like PIRLS, TIMSS, and SACMEQ.

Her limited access to culturally relevant books (or any books at all) as she was growing up between rural and peri-urban Plumtree made her alive to the need to improve the availability of and access to such books. She seeks to combine her love for literature with the knowledge she has gained in publishing to realize this dream.

Sibusiso gives back to her community by collecting and distributing pre-loved books for children in rural Plumtree, runs a community library manned by her parents, and offers writing workshops on a voluntary basis to young women in academia. She has over 8 years’ experience in editing magazines, adult, and children’s books. She is currently working at the University of Pretoria as an Assistant Lecturer.