Mandela Washington Fellowship

at the University of Delaware

Reflections on Week Three

Community Room 218, 15 Ray Street A, University of Delaware (9pm) – Enjoying African snacks which they brought from the mother of continents, Guerson Neuyambe, Silindile Buthelezi, Agnes G. Chie, Abdallah M. Bourhan and Patrick K. Stephenson, 2019 UD Mandela Washington Fellows, pored over presentations from various academic classes, whilst reminiscing on the exciting volunteering activities they have had as they penned this piece. Together, they chronicled the third week of the six week fellowship at University of Delaware.

One of the characteristics of humanity is our ability to connect with people. This week was full of giving back to the communities of Pennsylvania and Delaware through our volunteering activities at Project C.U.R.E, and the Food Bank of Delaware, both institutions doing some amazing work to support those in need.

UD Fellows stand and sit for a group photo in front of a Project C.U.R.E. sign. UD Fellows stand and kneel for a group photo in front of a Project C.U.R.E. truck.

It is evident that the Food Bank of Delaware “…has a head for business and a heart for community, as they were focused on empowering citizens with essential skills needed to become self-reliant,” remarked Agnes Chie, a Fellow from Liberia.

UD Fellows stand and sit in front of a Delaware Food Bank Sign with members of the Delaware Food Bank team for a group photo. UD Fellows work at the Delaware Food Bank

With Fellows working in various parts of the health and advocacy sectors, some interesting perspectives were brought to bare. Our understanding of global and African healthcare systems has only strengthened our resolve to work and advocate more for the disadvantaged and marginalized.

In the words of Tony Robins, “the limitation to our impact is our sense of imagination and commitment!”

While on imagination and impact, the long debated subject of the role of women in African government is one that requires a re-imagination across the continent. We definitely had a rethink after an exciting presentation by UD Prof. Gretchen Bauer on “women’s under-representation in parliaments and implications for democracy in Africa.” Using Ghana and Senegal as case studies, Dr. Bauer provoked our thoughts, generating interesting discussions on the role of women in Africa’s governance systems.

Professor Gretchen Bauer stands in front of a screen, delivering a talk to UD Mandela Fellows.

Michael Jackson famously sang, ‘…I am starting with the man in the mirror…’ and this echoed the guidance through our time with Loraine McCamley, who used the CliftonStrengths Assessment to help us develop practical ways of leading from our strength. She highlighted the need for us to know ourselves before attempting to lead others. Leadership indeed begins with knowing one’s self, and seeing ourselves through this ‘mirror’ was a surreal experience.

Leadership is not an event, but a process, and we eagerly await the next phase of our development through further community engagement and intellectually stimulating debates and discussions!

Agnes Chie smiles for a photo in fronnt of greenery and the ISE Lab. Agnes Gbenyenoh Chie has five years of experience working with students and holds a degree in Biology from the University of Liberia. She has organized girl’s science club in private and public schools, and mentors over twenty-five young girls currently enrolled in STEM courses at the University of Liberia. In addition to her time spent tutoring young women in STEM courses. She also serves as a trainer for high school biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics teachers. Through her work as a program officer for technology education at the Ministry of Education, she has contributed significantly to advances in the educational policy initiatives of the Liberian government. This past January Agnes and her team launched a new educational campaign, “Prioritizing Girls Education” over six counties. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she intends to continue to build the capacity of young women through science clubs, workshops, community forums, and vocational trainings.
Guerson Neuyambe has over five years of experience serving as a senior statistician at the National Agency for the Employment in Chad and holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics. He is the founder of PROMO-SCIENCE, a platform that encourages secondary students to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and also serves as a program manager at the Participatory Development and Technology Agency, a local NGO that works to advance the health and well-being of poor children and young mothers. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he hopes to grow the PROMO-SCIENCE platform and help his organization continue to encourage a generation of young people to pursue a career in STEM.
Patrick Stephenson smiles for a photo in front of the ISE Lab. Patrick Stephenson has seven years of experience in public policy analysis and advocacy. Currently, Patrick is the Head of Research at the Imani Centre for Policy and Education, where he leads a team of policy analysts in projects on gas and energy, government spending, commodity management, and national procurement policies. Patrick volunteers as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper with the Accra Hub and leads youth discussions around government accountability and active citizenship. He also currently works on nCLUDED, a participatory planning and development platform aimed at improving voter experiences and participation in public policy creation. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Patrick will continue to work with nCLUDED on advocacy strategies.
Silindile Penelope Buthelezi smiles for a photo in front of the ISE Lab Silindile Penelope Buthelezi has over five years of experience in government, working on international and government relations programs. In addition to her local government work, she also has extensive experience in media relations and corporate communications. She has worked for programs at the University of South Africa, AmaZulu Football Club, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. She holds a national diploma in Public Relations Management from the University of South Africa and is currently in her final academic year of her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, also at the University of South Africa. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Silindile plans to continue sharing her experiences, passions, and knowledge with young graduates through her self-designed mentorship program and looks forward to its expansion in 2019.
Abdallah Mohamed Bourhan smiles for a photo in front of the ISE Lab. Abdallah Mohamed Bourhan holds a master’s degree in International Trade from Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion d’Agadir and is fluent in four languages. Abdallah works for the Bank of Africa Mer Rouge, the Djiboutian branch of the multinational Pan-African bank conglomerate, as the head of the organization department. Driven by his commitment to social inclusion, He has served as the Executive Director of the Djiboutian Association for Family Planning (ADEPF) since 2018. The ADEPF is a member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation RAB region and aims to promote sexual and reproductive health rights. His work at the ADEPF focuses on projects related to youth access to comprehensive sex education, the eradication of female genital mutilation, and advocacy. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Abdallah will work to strengthen access to quality sexual and reproductive health services in Djibouti for local and migrant populations while continuing work to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

 

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