Support South African Water Conservation Interns

Delivering good news is surely one of life's greatest joys!  This week, we had the pleasure and privilege of letting Msizi Mazibuko and Nolubabalo Ntabeni know that they had been selected as the inaugural recipients of The Chris Buckley Memorial Internship bursary.  This came at the end of a search process that had narrowed to seven interviewees, then four finalists, and then the final selection of Msizi and Nolubabalo.  Their excitement on learning the news was wonderful to see!

Msizi, 35, and Nolubabalo, 29, have each completed two years of classroom study towards a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering and are now required to complete a year of in-service training. Both have solid academic records, were recommended by their professors, and had outstanding interviews with our four-person panel.  Both come from rural communities and have seen first-hand the problems of water scarcity and pollution in South Africa. 

Msizi shared that he has "always been fascinated by the vital role water plays in sustaining life and ecosystems. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the impact of water scarcity and pollution on local communities. This sparked my interest in pursuing a career in the water sector."  And from Nolubababalo, "I'm worried about water scarcity in South Africa.  We don't have enough water.  This causes problems for many people, especially in rural areas and in my community we are still struggling to find clean water.  We drink is with animals which makes the water dirty and unhealthy,  We need to find new ways to save and use water wisely."

The in-service training year required for completion of the National Diploma is not funded by the South African National Student Financial Aid Scheme.  Many promising students end up not completing this third year due to a lack of financial resources.  This is where The Chris Buckley Memorial Internship comes in, as a scholarship that funds third-year National Diploma students for their in-service training.

We could not be more thrilled with the partnerships that are making the dream of creating this scholarship come true.  Through our Memorandum of Understanding with the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), the USP has committed to providing Buckley Internships to up to two highly qualified MUT students each year.  Msizi and Nolubabalo will begin their in-service year on May 1 with the other of our two program partners, Umgeni-Ukuthela Water, the leading provider of water services in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal.  They will be joining a cohort of trainees to pursue a structured, high-quality year of practical experience, professional development, and personal growth, with their progress monitored and assisted by Umgeni Water supervisors, MUT faculty, and USP staff. 

All of you, our GlobalGiving donors to The Chris Buckely Memorial Internship (listed as "Support South African Water Conservation Interns"), are our most important partners of all in this venture.  Your generosity truly makes all of this possible. Thank you for this, and for your commitment to honoring Chris Buckley's memory by lifting up promising young engineers so they can join the ranks of skilled professionals working to provide South Africa with an abundant, well-run, and sustainable water sector. 

We look forward to keeping you updated on Msizi and Nolubabalo’s journey! 

With sincere gratitude, 

Martha