Mawazo Institute

TO SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE THOUGHT LEADERS AND SCHOLARS IN AFRICA

THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM HELPS EQUIP AFRICAN WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT WITH RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS. THE PROGRAMME IS IN ITS THIRD ITERATION WHERE FELLOWS COMING INTO IT ARE NOW REFERRED TO AS MAWAZO FELLOWS. THE PROGRAMME ACHIEVES THIS THROUGH THE FOLLOWING KEY ASPECTS: - FELLOW FUND WHICH OFFERS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AIMED TOWARDS ATTAINMENT OF PHD - PROFESSIONAL TRAINING VIA THE MAWAZO LEARNING EXCHANGE PLATFORM (MLEX) WHICH PROVIDES DEDICATED TRAINING COURSES FOR EARLY-CAREER AFRICAN WOMEN IN ACADEMIA AND RESEARCH, AS WELL AS A GROWING LIBRARY OF RESOURCES TAILORED TO THE AFRICAN CONTEXT AND AVAILABLE TO SCHOLARS AND ACADEMICS EVERYWHERE. - MENTORSHIP SCHEME WHERE FELLOWS GET BESPOKE ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT FROM MAWAZO MENTORS WHO ARE ALL SENIOR PROFESSIONALS WITH PHDS IN FELLOW-SPECIFIC FIELDS - WELLNESS SUPPORT THROUGH COACHING AND OTHER PSYCHO-SOCIAL SUPPORT

THE VOICES PROGRAMME AIMS AT AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF OUR WOMEN RESEARCHERS TO ENSURE THEIR ACADEMIC AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AND SOLUTIONS DO NOT REMAIN IN THE CONFINES OF THEIR THESES, BUT RATHER, ARE KNOWN BY VARIOUS PUBLICS WHERE THE WORK CAN MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOLVING THE CONTINENT'S MANY CHALLENGES. THE PROGRAMME ACHIEVES THIS VIA THE FOLLOWING KEY ASPECTS: - PUBLIC AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT WHERE WE RUN PUBLIC EVENTS AND PRODUCE DIFFERENT MEDIA OUTPUTS AMPLIFYING THE WORK OF OUR WOMEN RESEARCHERS. WE DO THIS VIA OUR PODCAST, DIGEST, IDEAS NIGHTS, IDEAS EXCHANGES, AND IDEAS COLABS - STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE WORK TOWARDS LINKING OUR WOMEN RESEARCHERS TO MAWAZO'S STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN DIFFERENT SPACES WITHIN THE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS. SUCH PARTNERS INCLUDE VENTURE BUILDERS, FUNDERS, PHILANTHROPISTS, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AMONG OTHER ENTITIES. THIS ENSURES OUR WOMEN RESEARCHERS GET FULL SUPPORT TO ACTUALISE THEIR WORK BEYOND WHAT MAWAZO INSTITUTE ITSELF CAN DO. - CONNECTS NETWORK IS OUR ALUMNI NETWORK THAT BRINGS ALL FORMER MAWAZO FELLOWS INTO A NETWORK IN WHICH WE OFFER SMALL SCALE FUNDING FOR POST-PHD WORK AS WELL AS ORGANIZED THE NETWORK INTO THEMATIC GROUPS FOR MAXIMUM REACH AND PARTICIPATION. - RESEARCH ARM, WHICH IS OUR MAWAZO INSTITUTE INTERNAL RESEARCH MECHANISM THAT ENSURES THE INSTITUTE PRODUCES RESEARCH OUTPUTS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF OUR FELLOWS AND ALUMNI. SO FAR WE HAVE SEVERAL OUTPUTS ON THE WEBSITE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN AFRICA, AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT ON THE STATUS OF AFRICAN WOMEN IN RESEARCH.