Mawazo Institute Blog
In 2021, when Dr. Janet Surum, an educational Psychologist from Kenya, embarked on the Mawazo Fellowship Programme, she only had a vague idea of how her research would impact future learners. She credits the Mawazo Institute for empowering her to dream big, and consider how her research can be used to generate change in her field of education.
Her doctoral research investigated the parental, scholastic, and personal factors that promote the academic resilience of students in marginalised areas in Turkana County, Kenya. It was born out of a desire to understand why some students succeed despite challenging and debilitating conditions that put them at risk for educational failure, and therefore lowering their life chances.
Dr. Peace Uwambayeis the Acting Deputy Dean of the School of Dentistry at theUniversity of Rwanda, and a 2021 Mawazo Fellow. She is a passionate advocate forimproving oral health awareness and access to care on the continent. Dr. Peacebelieves that oral healthcare affects the entire body’s health, and yet in Africa, it is oftennot prioritised, both by the individual, as well as in government healthcare policy and initiatives.