About Us
The Mawazo Institute is a women-led organisation supporting early-career African women researchers to contribute important evidence-based solutions and a critical perspective to pressing development needs.
Mawazo believes that (1) African women conducting PhDs are driven, creative, analytical and critical thinkers, and (2) as African women they bring a unique (and often forgotten) perspective and voice to research and development. We believe that they hold the key to driving innovative, holistic, sustainable development on the continent and beyond.
By equipping early-career African women researchers with essential non-technical skills, mentorship, and funding support (Mawazo Fellowship Programme), and using public engagement as well as strategic communications and partnerships with both academic and non-academic partners (Mawazo Voices Programme), we create and facilitate opportunities for them to become thought-leaders and change-makers in critical fields and sectors.
Our vision is a world in which the voices and big ideas of African women researchers shape the future of the continent and the world.
Our mission is to support the big ideas of early-career women researchers and thought leaders in Africa to strengthen their research, public engagement, and influence on the development of the continent.
At its core, Mawazo holds the following values:
Respect
We treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Purpose
We are bold and ambitious. We work hard and with conviction in pursuit of meaningful impact.
Excellence
We raise the standard through creativity, innovation, and rigour. We are dedicated to ongoing learning and impact.
Integrity
We are principled, transparent, and consistent in all we do.
Collaboration
We are collaborative and partnership-driven—as a team and within our ecosystem.
Independence:
Our scholars and fellows set their own research agendas and their findings are not influenced by funders or others.
These values are a springboard for how we act, both as individuals and as an organization. In line with these values, we strive to foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, equality and belonging.