Scholar Alumni

Siphosethu Nguta is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, where she completed a master’s degree in social development after completing an Honours and bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. She is passionate about education, communication, entrepreneurship, and student development, particularly issues relating to student well-being in higher education. Since completing the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Siphosethu has become more confident in pursuing roles involving communication, leadership, and community engagement. She currently works as an academic tutor at UCT, supporting students in social sciences, while also working as a Service Consultant for the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Through these roles, she has strengthened her leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills while engaging with diverse communities. Siphosethu values the program for empowering her personal and professional growth and remains eager to further her studies by pursuing a PhD in the future while continuing to contribute to her community and students.

Monica Elise Hella Ilonga is a learning designer and technical advisor for Curriculum and research innovation at Namibia’s Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture through the Umholiwe Africa (UwA) Fellowship. In this role, she supports national curriculum reform, education research, and evidence-based policy development. With over a decade of experience in education, educational technology, youth development, and inclusive innovation, she works at the intersection of policy, learning design, and digital transformation across Africa.
At the University of Cape Town (UCT), Monica completed an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation and a Master of Education in Educational Technology, equipping her with strong expertise in research, learning design, curriculum design, and technology-enhanced education. Monica is passionate about advancing equitable education systems and empowering young people to participate meaningfully in Africa’s development. Her achievements include contributing to national policy processes, mentoring youth through continental initiatives, and supporting innovation in higher education learning. Since completing her programme, Monica has reflected on this experience as a commitment to Pan-African collaboration, public service, innovation, and building sustainable and inclusive development for Africa’s future.

Stephanie Achieng is an experienced environmental and programme management professional currently engaged in regional initiatives on natural resource management, blue economy, and climate resilience in Africa. She holds an MSc in Environmental Management from UCT and has built strong expertise in policy development, project formulation, and data-driven decision-making through her work with organizations such as UNDP, UNEP, UNECA, FAO, and UN Women. She works at the African Union (AU) as a Senior Environment and Gender Expert. Her career aspirations focus on advancing sustainable blue economy practices, strengthening nature-based solutions, and influencing policy at continental and global levels. Stephanie is also committed to capacity building and knowledge sharing, supporting institutions and communities to enhance environmental governance. Beyond her professional work, she actively contributes to initiatives that promote gender inclusion in natural resource management and supports community-driven conservation efforts, reflecting her dedication to sustainable development and social impact.

Andisiwe Gojela currently serves as the Asivikelane Project Intern at the Development Action Group (DAG) in Knysna, where she supports community-led advocacy for dignified housing and basic services in informal settlements. Her work involves engaging with municipal housing policies, the PIE Act, and budget advocacy to advance spatial justice. She holds an MPhil in Criminology, Law, and Society from the University of Cape Town, where she also completed her undergraduate and honours degrees in anthropology and sociology. Her dissertation examined how urban governance shapes inclusion, safety, and trust in Cape Town, drawing on over 50 semi-structured interviews and a partnership with an urban justice organisation. She is a MasterCard Foundation Scholar alumna and has published in SAIREP Focus on unequal spatial outcomes. Since completing her studies, she has learned that meaningful change requires not only rigorous research but also patient, collaborative engagement with communities and local institutions. This role at DAG is where theory meets practice on the ground.

Babajide Bankole is an MSc student in Marine Biology at the University of Cape Town and an alumnus of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program from Lagos, Nigeria. During his time at UCT, he served as chairperson of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars cohort (2023/2024), where he supported scholar engagement, coordinated community activities, and strengthened peer connections and well-being. Babajide also served as public relations officer for the Science Faculty Postgraduate Council, contributing to student representation and academic community engagement. His leadership roles enhanced his skills in coordination, communication, and advocacy while allowing him to contribute meaningfully to student life and interdisciplinary collaboration. Babajide's passion lies in environmental conservation and the protection of marine ecosystems, which continues to guide his academic and career direction in marine science and sustainability. Babajide's experience as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar was transformative. It provided leadership development, global exposure, and collaboration opportunities that shaped his personal growth, strengthened his confidence, and deepened his commitment to making a meaningful impact through science and community engagement.

Since completing his MSc at the University of Cape Town through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Tinashe has earned an MRes in Future Propulsion and Power from the University of Cambridge. He is currently a DPhil candidate in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. A passion for high-impact engineering and social enterprise defines Tinashe's journey. He currently serves as an Aerothermal Engineer at Qdot Technology in Oxford, focusing on enabling clean flight. As an entrepreneur, Tinashe is the CEO and co-founder of Maarifa, an EdTech company expanding access to educational materials across Botswana and the continent-a venture that won the Orange Social Venture Prize (Botswana and International Jury Special Prize). Additionally, Tinashe is a founding team member and Business Development Lead for MariTest, where they have developed a non-invasive malaria diagnostic device that won the Oxford Student Entrepreneurship Programme and many other prizes. He has also participated in the Mastercard Foundation FAST Entrepreneurship Program, which honed his business and leadership skills.

Amandla is a Mechatronics Engineer with an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, where his research focused on dynamic modeling and robust control of CERN's CO₂ cooling systems for the High Luminosity LHC upgrade. Amandla's work formed part of the ATLAS-UCT and broader SA-CERN collaboration, which enables African researchers and engineers to contribute to world-leading scientific infrastructure. This spanned R&D, digital twin development, and commissioning of complex thermal systems for the ATLAS and CMS experiments.
Amandla's long-term goal is to further develop expertise in advanced engineering systems, automation, and energy technologies, while eventually leveraging these skills to contribute to technological growth and engineering capacity development in Africa.
Outside of engineering, he mentors students at his former high school (St. Boniface) in Maputsoe, Lesotho, and remain involved in a youth-founded organisation supporting disadvantaged members of the community. This past Christmas, he participated in organizing a Christmas outreach initiative for vulnerable children (and families), which included a Christmas lunch and clothing donations.

Saratu Mshelia is a doctoral researcher at the African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, where her PhD examines insurgent democratic innovation through housing movements in Cape Town. She holds a BSc in Environmental Biology and an MPhil in Urban Studies (UCT). Her research interests include urban governance, grassroots democratic innovation, and inclusive and ethical digital development.
Saratu is the founder of PulsivaHub, an AI-powered civic companion platform for African citizens, and co-founder and project lead of Women's Digital Futures Africa (WDFA), a project that aims to promote AI literacy and digital citizenship, particularly in underserved communities. She also serves as a Research Assistant on the PAR-CITY project at UCT. Her work and research interests sit at the intersection of scholarship and civic empowerment, with a commitment to bottom-up democratic participation across African cities.