Name: Stephanie Achieng
Nationality: Kenyan
Current place of residence: New York, United States
Degree: Master of Science in Environment, Society and Sustainability
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/achieng-stephanie/
Stephanie Achieng is a Climate Security Risk Expert at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Headquarters in New York, with over five years experience in coordinating a broad range of partnerships activities, resource mobilisation and analytical work/ research through engagement with internal stakeholders, as well as public institutions, the private sector and external entities such as governments, UN agencies, NGOs and member states. She has previously worked with the UN Environment, UN Women and the African Union in various capacities. Stephanie has a strong focus on climate change, the environment, gender, and peace and security matters across the globe. She holds a Master of Science in Environment, Society and Sustainability from the University of Cape Town.
Name: Daniel Adeleke
Nationality: Nigerian
Current place of residence: Pennsylvania, USA
Degree: Masters in Geotechnical Engineering
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/damilare-daniel-adeleke/
Daniel is a graduate research assistant and doctoral student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, with a specialiszation in geoenvironmental engineering at Villanova University. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Benin, Nigeria in 2016, and a Master's in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Cape Town in 2020. Daniel is passionate about infrastructural development, education and continuous learning. He interned with an engineering consulting firm (Aurecon South Africa - Pty) that offered educational tutorials and consultation.
Name: Emmanuel Ampomah
Nationality: Ghanaian
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Master of Social Science in International Relations
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ampomah-134665161/
Emmanuel Ampomah is currently enrolled in a PhD programme in Sociology at the University of Cape Town. Emmanuel’s research focuses on ethno-political conflict mediation in Africa. Prior to this, Emmanuel had completed an Master's in International Relations and a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Cape Town and the University of Ghana respectively. Emmanuel is passionate about youth development and leadership in Africa. He has published two books and he enjoys working with and for people. Emmanuel has experience in working with multinational and cross-functional teams in Ghana and South Africa.
Name: Musonda Chipampata
Nationality: Zambian
Current place of residence: Kabwe, Zambia
Degree: Master of City and Regional Planning
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/chipampata-musonda-37074058/
Musonda Chipampata is a consultant at Urban Innovations Ltd, a firm he founded with two friends. He is also an associate researcher at the Centre for Urban Research and Planning (CURP) at the University of Zambia. He presented a research paper titled 'Land Value Capture: Innovations in Financing Natural Resource Management' at the 2020 USAID Integrated Land and Resource Governance Symposium, and has been accepted to present a paper at the 5th Association for African Planning Schools (AAPS) Conference in Dar es Salaam titled 'Infrastructure Planning and Provision in a Multi-Layered African City'.
Name: Natalia Dambe
Nationality: Malawian
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Master of Social Science in International Relations and BA Philosophy and Political Science
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-dambe-125a11127/
Name: Brindley Fortuin
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Edinburgh, UK
Degree: Bachelor of Social Science, Honours and Masters
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/brindleyjfortuin
Brindley is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, where he completed a Masters in Africa and International Development that focused on the intersection of race, religion and gay identity in South Africa. Born and raised in Atlantis, a Coloured township on the periphery of Cape Town, he known for activist work at a community level, primarily on LGBTIQA+ rights, race and integration. Brindley completed an undergraduate degree in Politics, Sociology and Religion and Honours in Sociology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. During his undergraduate degree, he completed an internship with the Global Citizenship Programme and a research assistant internship with the Centre for Higher Education and Development, both at the University of Cape Town. Above all, Brindley is passionate about intersecting development with lived experience of gender and race. (More than he likes to admit, he follows several golden retriever and husky accounts on Instagram and volunteers at an animal shelter.)
Name: Kezia Fortuin
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Bachelor of Social Science in Environmental and Geographical Science, and Sociology
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/kezia-fortuin-493ab0174/
Kezia is pursuing her Honours degree in Environmental and Geographical Science at the University of Cape Town. Her research is on inner-city building occupations in Cape Town, forming part of a larger international project researching land and housing struggles that compares São Paulo, Bogotá and Cape Town. Her firm belief that her education, knowledge and skills should be used for the advancement of her country informs her academic and professional passion for addressing the legacies of spatial inequality in her country. Kezia has experience in research, project management, formal presentation, public speaking, tutoring at a tertiary level and cartography.
Name: Fadlah Gassiep
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Master of Philosophy in Politics specialising in Justice and Transformation
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/fadlah-gassiep-61011313b
Fadlah completed her Master of Philosophy degree specialising in Justice and Transformation at the University of Cape Town. Her research interest is focused on gender activism, specifically on women in the African context. She hopes to use her leadership skills as a Mastercard Foundation scholar to create a support network for marginalised women and young girls to act against injustices in the workplace and in society.
Name: Crispus Kamau
Nationality: Kenyan
Current place of residence: Nairobi, Kenya
Degree: Honours Property Studies
LinkedIn profile: za.linkedin.com/in/crispus-macharia-kamau
Crispus is a dynamic and motivated professional with combined experience in the property and financial sectors. He is currently working for a global real estate company specialising in strategic consulting and real estate advisory for large complex real estate projects across Sub-Saharan Africa. He is also a passionate entrepreneur, analytical and data-driven investor, a transformative leader and a mentor with strong communication skills. Crispus is excited about the affordable housing opportunities that arise when the private sector and the public sector work together to reduce the housing deficit across different African countries.
Name: Paul Kuodi
Nationality: Ugandan
Current place of residence: Lira, Uganda
Degree: Master of Science in Public Health
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kuodi-1350436b/
Paul is a Public Health Research enthusiast and academic who is interested in promotion of health in underserved communities and in humanitarian settings. He teaches at a public university in Uganda.
Name: Fezeka Lephaila
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Honours in Economics
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/fezekalephaila
Fezeka has an Honours degree in Economics from UCT and works as an associate consultant at MasterCard in Cape Town. As a Mastercard Scholar, she completed an internship with an organisation that is a recipient of Mastercard Foundation funding, and felt this was a good use of networks, as well as showing Mastercard's confidence in its scholars by encouraging these relationships. Fezeka is grateful that Mastercard is confident enough in its investment to create opportunities for scholars and appreciates the wonderful network for those like her who, in their personal capacities, do not have access to such networks.
Name: Bongane Madolo
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Mbombela, South Africa
Degree: Master’s in Architecture
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bongane-madolo-466985a4/
Bongane is working for the Department of Health ins South Africa, and recently started his own architecture practice doing residential and commercial design work.
Name: Nyasha Mashanda
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/nyashamash
Nyasha is from Zimbabwe and is passionate about leadership because he believes that Africa will only thrive when there is a collective drive among Africans to become better leaders in their societies. He is pursuing a Master’s in Data Science at UCT. He also believes that the solution to the energy shortage in Africa can be solved through the application of machine learning processes in harnessing the energy from renewable resources like wind and solar.
Name: Carol Masingi
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Masters in Development Studies
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/carol-masingi-93661195/
Carol Masingi has a Master's in Development Studies with a background in both Environmental and Geographical Science, and Sociology. She is currently working as a social science researcher for an non-profit organisation. She has a key interest in human geography, particularly spatial inequality in the context of South African cities, and hopes to advance her studies further to a doctoral level.
Name: Takudzwanashe Mudzuri
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Current place of residence: Harare, Zimbabwe
Degree: LLB Law
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/takudzwanashe-mudzuri-9bb729143/
Takudzwanashe is a young, enthusiastic and vibrant Zimbabwean. He is currently interning as a Candidate Attorney at Lawman Law Chambers and is a firm gender-based violence activist. While completing his LLB undergraduate studies, he was part of the first team of UCT peer mediators. Taku also holds a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Law and Psychology. A confident and flexible person, he is always engaging in social entrepreneurship, and intends on using his leadership skills to build a network that plays a pivotal role in Africa's development especially with regards to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
Name: Hilda Namakula
Nationality: Uganda
Current place of residence: Kampala, Uganda
Degree: Master’s in Social Sciences
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/hilda-namakula-9364909b/
Hilda has a Masters in Sociology and works as the Learning and Collaborations Coordinator for Makerere University's Centre of Excellence for Maternal Newborn and Child Health.
Name: Chwayita Ntwasa
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Bachelor of Social Science in Politics and Economics, Honours in Social Development
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/chwayita-ntwasa-28bb49b3
Chwayita is a two times UCT graduate, with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Economics and Politics, and Honours in Social Development. She is passionate about education and the upliftment of lower-income areas, and has experience in working with youth, as well as in research, organisation and people management. Chwayita is fluent in isiXhosa and English and has intermediate-level German.
Name: Michael Okpara
Nationality: Nigerian
Current place of residence: Grahamstown, South Africa
Degree: Master of Science in Medicine
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-obinna-okpara-09b804151/
Michael's first degree is from the Federal University of Technology, in Akure, Nigeria, where he graduated with a first-class (honours) degree in Biochemistry. He proceeded to the University of Cape Town, where he completed a Master’s in Medicine with Distinction in Medical Biochemistry. Michael is studying towards a PhD in Biochemistry at Rhodes University, South Africa. He has over 6 years of teaching experience at all levels (primary, secondary and tertiary) of education. He is interested in teaching university students and carrying out research in Biomedical Sciences. During his academic journey, Michael has developed the teaching and research skills and expertise required in academics. He is always interested in learning new skills and developing to be better equipped for the post of a lecturer.
Name: Ramontsheng Rapolaki
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: PhD in Ocean and Atmosphere Science
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/ramontsheng-rapolaki-9b28971b/
Ramontsheng is a second-year Postdoc Research Fellow in Ocean and Atmosphere Science at the University of Cape Town, and a LaunchPAD (Priority on African Diagnostics) Research Fellow (Oxford University’s project). He graduated with his MSc in Ocean and Climate Science from UCT in 2016, sponsored by the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program, and began his PhD in the department of Oceanography later that year. He has extensive experience in data analysis, climate change/variability, and capacity building, including mentoring and teaching. His expertise lies in severe weather, numerical modelling, moisture transport, and southern African meteorology and climatology.
Name: William Sammy
Nationality: Kenyan
Current place of residence: Nairobi, Kenya
Degree: Masters in Law
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/kiema-william-2a9252a1/
William Kiema Sammy is a legal practitioner, consultant and academic. William is currently pursuing his PhD in Aviation Law and International Trade at the University of Cape Town. He has a Master's degree in International Trade Law (LLM) from the University of Cape Town. He also has an undergraduate degree in law (LLB) from the University of Nairobi, a postgraduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law (KSL) and a certificate in Copyright Law from Harvard University. He is a Certified Public Secretary, Certified Governance Auditor and Public Policy Analyst. His research interests include Air and Aviation Law, International Trade Law, Law Regional Integration and Development in Africa, Commercial Arbitration, Intellectual Property, Competition Law, and Investment Law. William is a public-spirited scholar who is passionate about mentorship and leadership development, good governance, public policy, trade negotiation, trade facilitation, and aviation law.
Name: Clayton Sibanda
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Current place of residence: Vancouver, Canada
Degree: Honours in Computer Science
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-s-a77a60b6/
Clayton Sibanda is a software engineer at Microsoft in Vancouver (Canada) where he works on the Office 365 team. After graduating from the University of Cape Town, he joined a fin tech startup in Cape Town where he worked on building financial solutions for South African banks and retail companies. While at UCT he was part of the Mastercard foundation where he worked with the leadership team to help provide services to students and organise events. Aside from his interests in everything tech, Clayton is also interested in entrepreneurship and business on the African continent.
Name: Eugene Fotso Simo
Nationality: Cameroonian
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: Master's in Water Quality Engineering
Fotso Simo obtained a BSc in Civil Engineering with first-class honours and an MSc in Water Quality Engineering with a distinction in coursework at the University of Cape Town. He is currently a water engineer at Zutari, in Cape Town. His goal is to improve the water and wastewater treatment systems around Africa. In his spare time he enjoys outdoor activites, particularly hiking, drawing, both digitally and non-digitally, and reading.
Name: Bright Tetteh
Nationality: Ghanaian
Current place of residence: Accra, Ghana
Degree: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/bright-tetteh-879959106
Bright Tetteh has an MSc in Electrical Engineering. During his studies, he held many leadership positions both in and outside academia. He loves to teach and served as both a tutor and a teaching assistant over the course of his studies. He is currently lecturing at Regent University of Science and Technology. Bright is also an entrepreneur and is running a business in Ghana called "My Radiant", which comprises of a hair salon and laundry services. He is one of the winners of the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund (SEF) and is open to business partners and investors.
Name: Thapelo Hlongwane (Tharaga)
Nationality: South African
Current place of residence: Cape Town, South Africa
Degree: BA Honours in Drama
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/thapelo-tharaga/
Thapelo pursued an Honours degree in Drama, specialising in Directing. As an Andrew W Mellon scholar, he is currently pursuing a Research Masters in Theatre and Performance as part of the Re-Imagining Tragedy from Africa and the Global South (RETAGS) at the University of Cape Town. He is a spoken-word artist, filmmaker, community builder and co-founder of WordnSound Cape Town; a literature platform bringing together older practitioners of literature with young people to encourage, inspire and give them a sense of the trajectory for a literary career. Thapelo's poetry has been published in the Sol Plaatje International Poetry Anthology, amongst others. Thanks to the Mastercard foundation, he was afforded an opportunity to intern at Okuhle Media, a Cape Town-based television and multimedia production company, where he ended up being employed as a freelance director for one of their flagship shows and as a full-time content producer and scriptwriter. Thapelo is a firm believer in education and the notion that future leaders need to be nurtured from an early age to lead the Africa we all envision.