Thabang Bongani Junior Baloyi, matriculated in 2014 from Nghonyama High in Limpopo Province, South Africa. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Business Science majoring in Analytics at the University of Cape Town. He has served as a housecomm at My Domain Observatory. Currently, as Service director of Golden Key Society and Subwarden at My Domain Observatory. Is passionate about farming and property investments and renewable resources to reduce pollution in South Africa. His short-term goals are being an Actuary where I will influence the business sectors in a mathematical way.
Jude Bukongo graduated with a Diploma in Civil Engineering and Surveying at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2019. He is currently studying for a BSc. (Eng) in Civil Engineering at UCT. He serves as a mentor to scholars of the MasterCard Foundation, as a Youth Leader, and also as a volunteer tutor in an NPO that focuses on serving youth from underprivileged communities. Additionally, he has and enjoys serving in various community development projects. His vision is to create a platform that will facilitate and initiate construction projects and collaborations in the African continent and ultimately contribute towards its expansion and development. Passionate about Youth, he also intends to initiate and continue working on youth development projects that will help them to be leaders in their communities.
Tarisiro Katuruza matriculated in 2017 from St Thomas Aquinas School in Witbank. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Cape Town. He formerly served as the Head Student at Medical Residence, Academic Officer of the Health Sciences Student Council and member of student parliament all at the University of Cape Town. Currently, he is working as a Subwarden at Medical Residence and as a Juniors Assistant Coach at local football club Rygersdal FC in Cape Town. He is passionate about sport, youth development and life-long learning. His long-term goal is to have helped create youth-friendly ecosystems in vulnerable communities across Africa that enable the youth to both access and utilise opportunities in varying spheres of life while uplifting the communities they hail from.
Inae Kim is a South Korean who completed her AS/A levels at El Shaddai Christian High School, graduating as the Dux Scholar and the Head Girl. She is currently studying Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at UCT, whilst having participated in the intercalated program, allowing her to obtain a Bsc in Medical Sciences specializing in Immunology and Infectious Diseases (in the first class) during her MBChB studies. She has led in various university structures such as previously serving as the Vice President Internal of UCT Surgical Society, Executive committee of the South African Student Surgical Societies and International Association of Student Surgical Societies. She continues to strive for excellence which is evident through her top achievements throughout her MBChB program. Furthermore, she is passionate about listening to individual stories during patient interaction in hospitals. Through true listening and compassion, she hopes to bring more than just physical healing in every patient interaction by advocating for those who are hurting due to societal injustices. Throughout her studies, she has been passionate about advocating and empowering communities to provide access to quality health care. She hopes to continue this by partaking in the Global Surgery Research Fellowship, by harmonizing her experience in research and her passion to use research to advocate for and improve health care in South Africa and Africa. Being a South Korean and an Asian in South Africa has built resilience in Inae, and she hopes to use her cultural background to celebrate diversity whilst paving the way for Asian communities in Africa.
Bonolo Mokoka matriculated from St Anne’s Diocesan College in 2019 with six distinctions. She is currently studying a Bsc in Occupational Therapy (OT) at the University of Cape Town since 2020 but currently lives in Johannesburg. She chose OT because of her love of working with people and a calling to use her skills to better the lives of other individuals. She is passionate about mental health, helping those less fortunate, children and disabilities and hopes to pursue a working career which encapsulates all these elements. Bonolo is the founding member of the non-profit organization (NPO) Reyagobona, founded in 2020. She wants to use her NPO to provide the tools needed to give marginalized people an equal chance in society. Bonolo is currently part of SHAWCO where she partakes in drives around Cape Town. Once she has graduated, her dream is to open her own OT practice, in South Africa and other neighboring African countries,to help people resume to normal function after an injury and hopes to employ others who are equally as passionate about social justice.
Tendani Emanuel Mufeba matriculated in 2019 from St. Augustine Residential School. He is currently pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Social Sciences majoring in Psychology, Organisational Psychology and Social Development at the University of Cape Town. He served as a member of the St. Augustine Residential School Council, mentor and tutor at TOSC and Easy Study respectively. Tendani uses his deep interest in poetry to advocate for socio-economic issues. He aspires for his poetry to be translated to several languages in Africa, in order to educate and give hope to people on the continent. He is currently a volunteer at UCT Office of Inclusivity and Change (OIC) where he assists UCT students with special needs to better adapt to the university. He takes a keen interest in student leadership and currently serves as the Deputy Head Student & Academic Representative of Leo Marquard Hall Residence in UCT. His long term goal is to ensure inclusivity, change, better mental health, peace, acceptance and poverty reduction. In his tenure, he wants to ensure that individuals take education seriously as it is the golden tool to help alleviate prevailing socio-economic issues in society.
Dango Mwambene matriculated in 2014 from The Settlers High School. She is currently studying medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She is also part of the medical intercalated program and thus holds a BSc (Med) Hons in Infectious Disease and Immunology and MSc in Clinical Sciences and Immunology . She is a sexual and reproductive justice advocate and has served as a founding member of UCT’s chapter on The Standing Committee on Sexual and Reproductive Health Including HIV/AIDS. She is former deputy-chair of the board of the South African Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition. She is the co-president-elect for the board of directors of Medical Students for Choice. Dango is a fierce feminist who is passionate about the immune system and vaccine immunology. Her long term-goals are to become a clinician-scientist, specialising in infectious disease and immunology. She’d like to have her own research group one day that conducts translational research that can improve the lives of many patients.
Oluwatoni (Toni) Ojo-Akinkunmi matriculated from Curro Aurora Private School in 2018 and is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, majoring in Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Having served in notable leadership and philanthropic positions since high school, first as Head Girl and carrying forward to university level as member of the Outreach Subcommittee in the University of Cape Town’s Fuller Hall Residence, she possesses the affinity for and continually demonstrates her passion for promoting the welfare of surrounding communities and humanity in general.
Her attempt at contributing to environmental sustainability and waste management led to the creation and management of a platform called Totostry (on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook), which seeks to raise awareness for eco-friendly, zero waste concepts and ideas through upcycling. This led to her selection to compete as one of the first season of contestants in an international YouTube challenge show called Next Top Upcycler. While she seeks to be an active voice for innovative sustainable solutions, her long-term goal is to be at the forefront of bio-medical research, development and breakthroughs to the benefit of Africa and beyond.
Vuthlarhi Shirindza matriculated in 2016 from Penryn College. She is currently studying for a Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery (MBChB) at the University of Cape Town. In 2020, she obtained a Bachelor of Medical Science Honours specialising in Medical Biochemistry at the University of Cape Town. She served as the member of the 2018 UCT Health Sciences Students’ Council. She has served on the Rural Support Network society and held the Deputy Chairperson position in 2021. She headed TEDxUCT as the Lead Organizer (Chairperson) in 2021. Currently, she is a Talloires Network Next Generation Leader and the Student Representative of the Rural Doctors Association of South Africa. She was awarded the 2021 UCT DSA student leadership individual award. She is the co-founder of Chewi, an award-winning South African pet telehealth start-up. She is driven to combine her passions for health, research, social justice and entrepreneurship to create innovative, sustainable solutions to the problems facing the world, with a particular focus on Africa. Her long-term goal involves being in positions where she can influence public policy to enable healthcare for all, greater youth empowerment and effective nation building in Africa.
Yazini-Nangamso Xinindlu matriculated from the King’s School West Rand in 2019. This was where she began her journey in being a leader – after holding several leadership positions, including being a prefect and an active member of the school learner council. She is currently doing her third year at the University of Cape Town studying towards her Bachelor of Business Science majoring in Finance with Accounting. Her love for commerce stems from growing up in a family full of entrepreneurs and small business owners, appreciating how commerce can change lives and be used as a tool to uplift individuals and entire communities. Alongside that, Yazini-Nangamso is passionate about education and believes it is an integral tool in the upliftment of young people. Currently she runs a small tutoring e-business. In the long term, upon qualifying as a Chartered Accountant she hopes to work in the public sector, perhaps in the Office of the Auditor General, and play a role in holding the South African government accountable and continuing the good work started by the current AG, Ms. Tsakani Maluleke.