Women Leaders Transforming Southern Africa

Dear supporters,

After completing their studies, our Graca Machel scholars go on to do incredible things and serve the communities in which they live.

Kgadi Mathabathe became the first in her family to reach postgraduate level when she completed her Master’s degree at the University of Pretoria in 2011, on a Canon Collins Graça Machel scholarship. She gained an MSc in Science Education, and now has a permanent position as a lecturer at Pretoria.

“The job has afforded me opportunities beyond my wildest dreams”, she says.  “I train both in-service and pre-service science teachers, supervise postgraduate research, and write articles on ways we can improve performance in science in South Africa”. She is also involved in an after-school project which offers tutoring in science to high school students from the local township. Kgadi has been proud to see many of these students go on to further their education in science at the University of Pretoria.

Scholars like Kgadi exemplify the values of Canon Collins Trust’s scholarship programme. We believe in the ‘ripple effect’ of education—that by empowering one leader we can empower a community. We are proud to see so many Canon Collins alumni doing just that, and very grateful to you for supporting our work.

Best wishes

Emily

Dear supporters,

Our Scholarships team has had a very busy summer processing nearly 700 applications for just 3 Graca Machel Scholarships available next year. It's clear that there is overwhelming demand among women in southern Africa to continue their education to postgraduate level, and tough as it is to make the final decisions, we're proud to be able to support some of them. 

Each Graca Machel Scholar goes on to use their education to empower their communities and further generations of women...

• In Lesotho, Phaello Malataliana is Assistant Commissioner at the Correctional Services where she is hoping to build on her research Masters in education by setting up education and mentorship programmes for incarcerated women.
• In Mozambique, Alda Ester Chongo is sharing her medical expertise gained during her MSc at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine by lecturing in Immunology at Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo. 
• In Zambia, icthyologist Zyangani Chirambo is working in the Department of Fisheries where she provides aquaculture services to farming communities in ten districts
• In Malawi, Dinah Katonda is putting her Masters in Education Policy into practice as a Senior Inspector and Education Methods Advisor for government primary schools.

In Zimbabwe, Graca Machel Scholar and Brookings Institute Fellow Pamhidzayi Berejena organized national celebrations for the United Nations Day of the Girl Child, which you can read more about here: http://www.izimbabwe.co.zw/news/africa/item/19578-us-supports-the-united-nations-international-day-of-the-girl-child.html. 

Thank you once again for your support of our work, and we look forward to updating you on the new Graca Machel Scholars who will be beginning their studies in 2013. 

Best wishes

Emily

Links:

• Graca Machel Scholar leads Day of Girl Child in Zimbabwe