An Online Graduation Celebration for the WESAF Inaugural Cohort
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2024 ended on a memorable note for the WESAF Inaugural cohort with an online graduation event.
2024 ended on a memorable note for the WESAF Inaugural cohort as we celebrated the achievements of the MScR in Sustainable African Futures (SAF) programme, part of the Mastercard Foundation Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (SAF) programme, part of the Mastercard Foundation Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Programme, with an online graduation event.
The event, chaired by the Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Director, Charlie Bevan, was opened with some celebratory remarks by the WESAF Coordinators, Professor Sumaya Laher and Dr Megan Douglas, who commended the Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellows for their perseverance and hard work. Both Prof Laher and Dr Douglas acknowledged the challenges of navigating a demanding academic program, particularly one conducted almost entirely online.
Despite the physical distance between so many of the attendees, the event had elements that promoted a feeling of togetherness and celebration. Organisers had encouraged the Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellows to meet in-person at their respective institutions and where possible, to share a single screen. The event kicked off in true virtual party mode, with colourful video backgrounds, emojis and light banter in the chat.
Professor Ruksana Osman, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Wits and WESAF Chair congratulated the cohort on reaching this milestone and praised the cohort’s resilience and dedication. She said, "I think what this program has done is strengthened the continental pipeline of talent. The responsibility on you is how do you take forward what you've learned... and ensure that together we're a global community of scholars thinking deeply about issues on sustainability."
Two videos were shared that highlighted moments from the Programme’s in-person Orientation Week and Sustainability School, which were both held in Johannesburg. Class representatives Sibongile Mlotya and Jones Odei-Mensah then reflected on the past year concluding with positive and inspirational messages. Jones Odei-Mensah said, "Our shared experiences have made us more than just colleagues. We are now part of a community that is dedicated to fostering sustainable African futures... Let us remember the lessons we have learned, the networks we have built, and the vision that brought us together."
Sibongile Mlotya added, "Completion of the MScR signifies that we can climb the next mountain with bravery and courage. The future of a sustainable Africa is actually in our hands, and we are the change that we want to see.” They also extended words of appreciation to the MScR SAF Programme Director Dr Ian Russell. Dr Russell was instrumental in the development of the MScR programme and provided ongoing academic support to the cohort over the past year. Dr Russell shared some reflections and reminded the cohort to remain curious and humble as they go forward in their academic and professional journeys.
One of the most impactful parts of the celebration were the digital presentations from Mastercard Foundation WEAF Fellows, with each of the 11 different institutions represented. Each group delivered a 3-minute presentation on the theme of “Institutional Change,” showcasing creativity through slideshows, videos, and poetry. These presentations captured the depth of the learnings over the course of the WESAF MScR, and offered insightful suggestions for how they can be applied within the Fellows’ own institutions.
Professor and Wits WESAF Programme Director, Brett Bowman, shared some inspiring remarks, reminding the cohort that as the very first WESAF MScR graduates, they are trailblazers tasked with leading this new way of thinking and mentoring others to drive growth and transformation in African research and knowledge systems. Mrs. Bevan closed the event by reminding the cohort of the important work they have done over the past year around co-creating a list of values, and shared some next steps in terms of how this work will continue to be built upon for the next phase of the Mastercard Foundation WESAF Programme.
Here’s to the continued success of the WESAF MScR Class of 2024 - we are so excited to see what is next in your journeys as transformational sustainability leaders in Africa and beyond!