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Alumni: Where are they after qualifying?

From time to time our alumni send us information about where they have landed up. We then post this information here.

Our students go on to work in a wide variety of situations -  in South Africa, and internationally. Some work for local NGOs, research institutes or local and national government, others for international NGO's or government think-tanks. A proportion go on to study further, locally and abroad.
       
If you want to have your information posted on this page, or wish to update an entry, please email zondim6@ukzn.ac.za

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• Miss Lungisile Shange (Masters in Population Studies 2017)

  She is currently working as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Visual Methodologies for Social Change and she is hoping to do a PhD at the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

• Mr Siyabonga Ntombela (Development Studies, 2017)

  He holds a Master in Development Studies degree plus is currently registered for a PhD with the School of Built Environment and Development Studies. His Master’s qualification managed to secure a lecturer post with School of Social Sciences, International and Public Affairs Cluster teaching Political Philosophy to undergraduates and providing supervision to Honours students. (ntombelas@ukzn.ac.za)

• Ms Thembalethu Shangase (Development Studies, 2017)

  Ms Thembalethu Shangase is currently working as a research consultant at ikapadata. ikapadata (www.ikapadata.com) is a survey research and data science company specializing in social research, M& E and market research. at ikapadata Thembalethu is responsible for the management of research projects in the development sector. Within this space she was responsible for designing questionnaires, undertaking focus groups, managing fieldwork, data analysis, compiling research reports and client presentations. Miss Shangase is reachable via email: mzhangase@gmail.com

• Zinhle Mthembu (Development Studies, 2017)

  She is a Lecturer at the University of North-West, Mafikeng Campus in the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences under the Department of Development Studies. She is lecturing final year students and also supervising Honours students. Before she joined NWU, she was working at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in the HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB (HAST) Unit, Cape Town Office as a Supervisor for The Fifth South African HIV, Behaviour and Health Household Survey (SABSSM V). She is currently busy with her PhD proposal. She can be contacted at: mzinhle2@gmail.com

• Taygen Edwards (Population Studies, 2017)

  She is currently employed at the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies (AHRI) working as a junior researcher on a cluster randomised controlled trial that aims to jointly treat perinatal depression, enhance parenting and improve child developmental outcomes.

• Maryking M Masebo (Population Studies  2013)

  Currently lecturing at Chancellor College, the biggest of the four constituent colleges of the University of Malawi.
  I am teaching Population and Healthy Geography in the dept of Geography and Earth Sciences.
  Before joining the university, I was teaching Geography and Social and Development studies at secondary/high school.

  Thanks SDS/UKZN. I am enjoying my work.
  Maryking M Masebo (MA Population Studies)

• Natashya Kristanna Pillay

  (Population Studies, 2010), is enjoying the working world after graduating on her 24th birthday. In 2011, she worked at Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) – a UNAIDS Collaborating Centre. During that time she continuedher associationat the School of Development Studies, producing a few academic publications. Thereafter, she served as National M&E Officer for the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), for one of its donor organisations, Childline South Africa. Since 2013, she has been part of the Democratic Alliance first as the National Contact Centre Manager, and more recently National Manager of Memberships, Volunteers, Activists and Statutory Obligations. She can be contacted on natashyakpillay@gmail.com

• Farzana Alli (Population Studies cum laude, 2012)

  ...is currently working in the field of monitoring and evaluation at the Maternal, Adolescent and Child Health (MaTCH) Unit in Durban. She previously worked as a research consultant/researcher for various organizations including Oxfam, PEPFAR, HEARD and the Medical Research Council of South Africa. She is currently pursuing a PhD in population studies at the School of Built Environment and Development studies. She can be contacted at alli.farzana@gmail.com

• Mohammed Vawda

  (Population Studies, 2012)

• Sarah Montgomery (nee Hobbs) (Development Studies 2007)

  Sarah is working at CAFOD in London as their Economic Justice Policy Analyst.She isspecifically looking at the role that small and micro enterprises play within economies and at what an enabling environment that would best suit their needs (from their perspectives) would look like. She added this to a blog recently. http://cafodpolicy.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/what-would-thinking-small-look-like-in-global-value-chains/

• Zack Zimbalist (Development Studies, cum laude, 2012)

  Zack is a PhD candidate in African Studies at Johns Hopkins, Washington DC.His PhD topicwill most likely berelated to labour and migration in South Africa, and as a result will keep him connected to South Africa. He can be contacted on ZZIMBAL1@jhu.edu

• Loveness Satande (Development Studies, 2009)

  ...dida one year internship at the Health Economics HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD). Currently employed as Program Coordinator by the American International Health Alliance, Twinning Centre Regional Office, a USA based NGO in Pretoria, working to advance global health by helping communities and nations with limited resources build sustainable institutional and human resource capacity(refer to www.TwinningAgainstAIDS.org).Her main role is to keep abreast of all program activities and maintain close contact with partners, volunteers, and other collaborators. 'I am grateful to the School of Development Studies for making me reach this far'. she says. Shecan be contacted on lsatande@aiha.co.za

• Anthea Dallimore (Development Studies, 2000)

  Anthea has been awarded a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science. The title of the doctoral thesis is 'Banking on the Poor: Savings, Poverty and Access to Financial Services in Rural South Africa'. She is currently working as an independent consultant, and can be contacted at: antheadallimore@webafrica.org.za

• Michiel Arnoldus (Development Studies 2008)

  Michiel Arnoldus is an economic development consultant who works mostly in Africa. Originally he was trained as a business economist and worked for five years in strategy and marketing in the corporate world. After completing his Masters in Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2007 he started working as an Economic Development Consultant. In 2008 he joined the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, where he helped organisations such as the World Bank, IFAD, NGOs and embassies with the design and implementation of economic development programs. He was also responsible for the investment strategy and evaluation of investment opportunities for an €14 million investment fund for SMEs in Africa and Latin America with the potential to alleviate poverty by creating jobs and opportunities for small farmers. In addition he has developed a number of practical training modules on business plan development, market research, branding and value chain analyses, for development practitioners, university students and staff, farmer organisations and entrepreneurs.
  In 2012 Michiel started his own consultancy company: Sense. Bridging the gap between business and development is his specialty. His belief is that if we want a more secure livelihood for people in developing countries we need to nurture entrepreneurs and help them to build self-sustaining businesses, that offer jobs and opportunities to small farmers, emerging commercial farmers & Small and Medium Sized companies. In order to do so Michiel is working with entrepreneurs in Africa, and tries to build partnerships between Businesses in Africa and Europe and Development programs.

• Catherine van de Ruit (Development Studies)

  has completed her PhD in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. The title is 'The Institutionalization of AIDS Orphan Policy in South Africa.'

• Steven Lawrence Gordon (Population Studies cum laude 2011)

  is currently a researcher at the Democracy, Governance and Service Delivery (DGSD) programme within the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). DGSD is dedicated to addressing key national, regional and international questions of service delivery, development, democratisation, the state, citizenship, crime and corruption. Steven Gordon is currently working with the longstanding South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) projects to help build a body of research and knowledge on these issues. He has a great appreciation and admiration for the School where he acquired the skills and competencies necessary to perform his current duties. Steven Gordon is currently exploring the prevalence of xenophobia in South African society for his doctoral studies. He can be contacted at sgordon@hsrc.ac.za.

• Ganzamungu Theo Zihindula (Population Studies 2010)

  after completing a one year internship at the Health Economics HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD), he moved on to become a PEPFAR Fellow hosted by Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies. He is currently the Quality Assurance Manager of the organization and works with 26 clinics plus the main hospital to ensure and implement quality improvement strategies in service delivery as well as the integrated management of TB/HIV. He notes: “this degree was my gateway to opportunities and I am cognizant of the support from the school staff”. Currently he can be reached at: tzihindula@africacentre.ac.za

• Melhiku Tiruneh (Development Studies 2009)

  is working in Ethiopia as Project Officer for a pan-African NGO called The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) (www.africanchildforum.org). His job is to manage the Information Hub, a platform for the exchange and dissemination of information and networking among organisations, experts and advocates for the rights and welfare of the child. The InfoHub also has a resource centre as well. He can also be reached at tiruneh@africanchildforum.org or melhiku@gmail.com.

• Thorin Roberts (Population Studies 2004)

  is currently Project, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager for an early childhood development NGO called TREE, based in Durban. He writes that he’s satisfied with the job which challenges the width and breadth of his skills set, a great deal of which has its roots in his training and experiences with the School of Development Studies. He can be contacted at maxlagoon@gmail.com

• Siboniso Cele (Development Studies 2010)

  has been appointed as Assistant Director: Impact Assessment at the Economic Research and Policy Co-ordination Office of the Director-General (ERPC), Department of Trade and Industry. He can be contacted at SCele@thedti.gov.za

• Jason Musyoka (Development Studies 2010)

  has joined a consultancy, Sabalala Consulting Africa based in Newcastle, KZN. His email address there is jason@sabalala.co.za

• Lene Leonhardsen (Population Studies 2007)

  is part of the education team of UNICEF Southern Sudan. Based in Juba, her area of responsibility is in the Statistics and Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Education conducting the Annual Education Census (AEC) which is part of Southern Sudan's Education Management Information System (EMIS). Her main task is to transfer skills in the areas of data collection, capturing, analysis and dissemination and she can be reached at leneleonhardsen@gmail.com

• Dr Oliver Mtapuri (PhD 2009)

  has been appointed to the position of Senior Lecturer in the Development Management Programme at the Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership (TGSL) of the University of Limpopo. The TGSL runs three main programmes: Master in Business Administration (MBA), Master in Public Administration (MPA) and Master in Development Management (MDEV). He can be contacted at simbaomtapuri@yahoo.com

• Kathleen Diga (Development Studies 2008)

  is a Project Manager under Professor Julian May, (South African Research Chair in Applied Poverty Assessment) in the School of Development Studies. Her main focus of research is in the poverty and economic dimensions of information and communication technologies for development. Prior to joining UKZN, Kathleen worked at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as a research officer under the ICT4D Africa (Acacia) initiative in Johannesburg and Nairobi.

• Elise Bjåstad (Development Studies 2008, cum laude)

  is currently working for UNDP Thailand, based in Bangkok. As part of the Governance Unit, she is working with projects focusing on Legal empowerment of the poor, decentralization and capacity building for local governance. She is more specifically providing support in drafting technical papers, advising on project administration, coordinating knowledge sharing, monitoring and evaluation. In Thailand, the UNDP is working closely with various ministries to improve the lives of underserviced and vulnerable people in a country with a growing economy. Elise can be reached on elisebjastad@gmail.com

• Erin Raab (Development Studies 2009, cum laude)

  will be starting a PhD programme in International Comparative Education (ICE) at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, in September 2010. Similar to the SDS Development Studies programme, the ICE programme is multi-disciplinary, and it ‘explores how education is related to economic, political, and social development in both developed and developing countries’. The ICE doctoral programme takes approximately five years to complete, during which time students undertake one full time and two part-time years of coursework, and complete a dissertation in an area where 'a social science discipline and policy problems of development education intersect'. Stanford University's School of Education (SUSE) has been ranked the numberone school of education overall, and its International Comparative Education programme number one specifically, for some years. (since at least 2004 or before) - see http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/programs-degrees/sspep-ice.html
  One area Erin is interested in further exploring in her doctoral studies is the issue of teacher quality in a context where under-skilled teachers make up a large percentage, or even majority, of teachers overall. She became interested in this line of inquiry during her research at SODS, as well as through her professional experience founding an education centre in KwaNdengezi and as a Senior Researcher at MIET Africa. She can be contacted at erin.raab@gmail.com.

• Andrew Rylance (2009)

  After a year in Rwanda with the GTZ Program for Economy and Employment Andrew has completedhis contract and will be moving back down to South Africa to join the GTZ Mpumalanga Rural Development Program (MRDP) in South Africa as a Local Economic Development Advisor.

• Lerato Tladi (Population Studies, 2005)

  After graduating, Lerato Tladi (Population Studies 2005) initially worked with Julian May on data analysis and report writing for the 2005 UKZN’s Institutional Climate Survey. This was followed by a 2-year internship at the HSRC examining social aspects of HIV/AIDS and health. She then worked for African Development Economic Consultants (ADEC) as a Research Associate before joining the Johannesburg City Parks in February 2008 where she worked as a Researcher in the Marketing Department. During this period, she was again contracted to the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s HR and Equity Office analysing data and writing reports for the 2008 UKZN Institutional Climate Survey as well as the 2008 Equity Report and it was this work that enabled her to land the position of Institutional Researcher in the Department of Information and Strategic Analysis (DISA) at the University of South Africa (UNISA), where she is currently employed. She can be contacted at tladis@unisa.ac.za

• Graham Sherbut (Development Studies, 2008)

  Graham is working as Director of Monitoring and Evaluation with the Aga Khan Foundation-Mozambique's Coastal Rural Support Programme. Based in Pemba in Cabo Delgado, Graham is helping to support programmes and research on topics relating to agricultural value chains, village governance, food security, and early childhood development. After leaving the School in 2008, Graham worked for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada, and was an Aga Khan Foundation 'Microfinance and Microenterprise Fellow' in Tajikistan. Graham can be contacted at graham.sherbut@gmail.com

• Lucia Knight (Population Studies, 2004 cum laude)

  Lucia is currently a PhD student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom. Lucia has been involved in a range of work as a researcher and research assistant at UKZN between 2004 and 2006 including among other things work on health care access and teenage pregnancy using the KIDS dataset in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
  Since completing her Masters, she has helped tutor in Demographic Methods at UKZN and also facilitates on the Basic Demographic Methods, Statistics for EPH and Analysis and Design of Research Studies MSc modules at LSHTM.
  Lucia's PhD research explores the impacts of HIV and AIDS-related illness and death on the livelihoods of households in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The research is particularly focused on the way in which households utilise social welfare and social relationships to deal with these impacts. Lucia has utilised a range of qualitative methods to develop in-depth household case studies. The PhD research is linked to the AIDS, Demographic and Poverty Trends (ADaPT) project which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom.

• Mike Rogan (Development Studies cum laude 2007)

  Mike Rogan has completed his PhD on 'The Feminisation of Poverty, Female Headship and Household Resource Allocation in South Africa from 1993-2006' at UKZN. He has been awarded a Post-Doctoral fellowship in the Discipline of Development and Population Studies, School of Built Environment and Development Studies, UKZN.

• Liqu Teshome Gebre (Population Studies, 2008)

  Liqu Teshome Gebre completed his undergraduate study in geography in Ethiopia. He then worked as the income generation activities officer for International Rescue Committee (IRC) at Sherkole refugee camp in Ethiopia. His major responsibility was to build the capacity of female heads of households and the elderly so that they can be economically independent. He later joined Health Communication Partnership (HCP) and progressed to various positions in the area of youth and HIV/AIDS. He served as a team leader, program assistant and program officer. He was involved in the development of behavior change communication materials, training and supervision. In 2008 he graduated with his Masters in Population Studies at the School of Development Studies. The focus of his dissertation was on the experiences of Ethiopian immigrants in South Africa. He is currently working for the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, AIDS Resource Center as a Behavior Change Communication (BCC) Officer. He is also working as a consultant for various organizations including IRC, HCP and Emmanuel Development Agency (EDA).

• Sarah Massey (Development Studies 2006, cum laude)

  is working as a Curriculum Writer for the Choices Programme, a national education initiative based at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies in Providence, USA. She produces a range of high school materials on US history, world history, global studies, current issues and government.

• Alyssa Wilson Leggoe (Development Studies, 2002 cum laude)

  is based in Moscow where she has been posted as a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She and her husband Jesse are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Sophia Rena on 10 August 2008.

• Thabani Buthelezi (Population Studies, 2004)

  is working for the National Department of Social Development in Pretoria with the Monitoring and Evaluation Chief Directorate. His work involves spending two out of every three months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of a General Cooperation Agreement to promote political, economic and social cooperation between South Africa and the DRC. His key responsibilities involve research and policy development in the field of social development which he has found to be a real challenge because of having to learn French as well as experience development in practice.

• Anna Marriott (Development Studies 2006, cum laude)

  is working as Health Policy Officer for Oxfam Great Britain. She co-ordinates Oxfam International's health advocacy and lobbying work focusing on expanding public health services, removing user fees for health and pushing for more long-term predictable government and donor spending for health care workers. She says her studies at the school have proved invaluable for this exciting and very demanding role. She can be contacted at marriott.anna@gmail.com
  Her dissertation was recently published as a Research Report,in the School series under the title, Extending health and safety protection to informal workers: an analysis of small scale mining in KwaZulu-Natal. (RR76)

• Nicci Earle-Malleson (Development Studies, 2003 cum laude)

  works as Specialist: Policy Investigations for the secretariat of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) whose mandate is to advice the Minister of Science and Technology on issues related to Innovation. As part of her role, she facilitates the activities of the National Biotechnology Advisory Committee (NBAC). Prior to her work at NACI, Nicci was senior researcher in the Education, Science and Skills Development (ESSD) research programme of the HSRC. Besides the range of client reports, book chapters and academic papers produced during her time there, she also write the book entitled, Social Work in Social Change: The Profession and Education of Social Workers in South Africa.

• Tim Hadingham (Development Studies, 2000)

  is Research Manager at the Monitoring, Research and Learning Facility, an institution set up as part of the European Union-funded Gijima KZN Local Economic Development (LED) Programme. A knowledge management centre involved in LED research as well as impact monitoring of LED projects, it aims to promote best practice and sustainable local economic development. Tim can be contacted on 031 563 9023 and more information on the LMRF can be found on their website www.lmrf.org.za

• Willy Gasafari (Population Studies, 2006)

  has been appointed Head of the Department of Demography in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Kigali Independent University (Universite Libre de Kigali), Rwanda.

• Andrew Bowden(Development Studies, 2005)

  previously at GTZ, has taken up a position as the Governance Advisor with Irish Aid. Based in Zambia, his main focus is on parliamentary reform supporting Zambia’s decentralization reform process, advocacy civil society groups and support of community radio stations throughout the country. His new email address is Andrew.Bowden@dfa.ie

• Ted Leggett (Development Studies, 1999)

  spent three years as a Senior Researcher in the crime and justice programme at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria before joining the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Based in Vienna, Austria, he supervises a small team that is conducting intersectoral research on the relationship between crime and development in regions throughout the world. His recent publications include ‘Crime and Development in Africa’, ‘Cannabis: Why we should Care’, and the forthcoming ‘Crime and development in Central America and the Caribbean’.

• Leanne Sedowski (Development Studies, 2005)

  Since February 2007,Leanne has been working for the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) in Geneva, Switzerland. ICTSD is an NGO looking at trade issues with a development and environmental perspective, which encourages stakeholders involved in development to incorporate a sustainable development perspective. While primarily focused on agricultural and environmental issues, ICTSD is now expanding into industrial concerns.
  Leanne has been responsible for launching ICTSD’s new Programme on Trade and Clothing and Textiles, so she has been putting her experience gained at SDS to good use. Besides launching the programme and attending clothing industry related meetings in Geneva, the highlight of her time was organizing a conference in Mauritius for key sub-Saharan African clothing industry stakeholders to discuss the future of the industry, where she met up with Professor Mike Morris, her dissertation supervisor. You can read more about the conference. Of her experiences she says: “I have definitely gained greater insight into how the world trade system works. This hands-on experience has been fascinating, and extremely helpful for my career.”

• Isaac Nkuna, (Development Studies, 2005)

  has been attached to the Research and Evaluation Unit of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature as a Researcher since 2006. As one of the most powerful institutions in government, the Legislature exercises an oversight role over all government Departments in the Province. Isaac serves on three critical committees of the provincial parliament: the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment & Tourism; the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA); and the Portfolio Committee of the Provincial Treasury. His role is to examine issues that are relevant to the work of these committees and to analyse reports (quarterly and annual) of government departments and then brief Portfolio Committee members accordingly. Major and critical decisions in parliament are informed by the work and activities of the research and evaluation unit. Isaac reports that “… although operating in a political environment, research work at this level is exciting because of the opportunity to interact and be taken account of by highly influential people in government, and it is pleasing to see results when you witness decisions being taken on the basis of your findings …”

• Baruti Amisi (Development Studies, 2005)

  is a Research Fellow at the UKZN’s Centre for Civil Society. He is working on his PhD in the School. Having graduated against great odds as a French-speaking refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he writes “… I had a dream of working in the research field whilst a car guard, security guard and gardener and I am still convinced that with determination, hard work and a clear vision, this dream will be fully realized. My work currently provides opportunities for involvement in research with a team of hard working academics and researchers who are also very supportive ...”

• Justin Barnes (Development Studies, 1995)

  was recently identified by FinWeek as one of South Africa’s 40 movers and shakers who will shape South Africa. As facilitator of the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal clothing and textile clusters (which aim to help the local industry improve its competitiveness), Justin and his company, Benchmarking & Manufacturing Analysts, has been pivotal in bringing together retailers and manufacturers as well as local and provincial government to share and implement best-practice benchmarks at all points in the value chain. South Africa’s garment and textile industry has been struggling to remain competitive in the wake of Chinese imports landing in South Africa due to rand strength and a failure to keep up with manufacturing trends.

• Roya Damabi, (Development Studies,2006)

  ,was awarded a Fellowship in International Development Management which is part of a programme of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada. She was matched up with the NGO Resource Centre in Zanzibar, Tanzania in July 2006.
  She first attended a month-long management seminar in Ottawa learning about planning projects as well as relations with donors and met a lot of people who work in different NGOs and with the Canadian International
  Development Agency (CIDA).
  She is currently working with the provincial government of Alberta, Canada in the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, as a Research and Policy Analyst with the Corporate Research and Policy Analysis shop. This area deals with all policies relating to post-secondary education in the province, including funding, the roles and mandates of institutions and sectors, and the effects of local dynamics and global trends in higher education. Appointed on a one-year contract, she is looking forward to gaining experience in policy analysis and development.

• Adria Mueller and Craig Hunter, (Development Studies)

  are currently working for a health research consulting company (United BioSource Corporation - UBC) in different departments: Adria as an Associate Project Manger in the Centre for Health Outcomes Research (CHOR) and Craig as Project Manager for Science Policy in the Centre for Health Economics, Epidemiology and Science Policy (CHEP).Their offices are located in Bethesda, Maryland which is part of the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Whilst Adria’s role is to help run research studies, Craig is responsible for assisting in development of UBC's policy centre. Adria writes that they often talk about their time in South Africa and how much it meant to both of them, especially the different perspectives of fellow classmates from around the world. These have been invaluable and help keep them grounded about what is really important in life.

• Thabo Rakoloti (Development Studies, 2003)

  Thabo is Director for Public Private Partnership in the health sector and the acting Director for Social Health Insurance within the National Department of Health. His dissertationwas looking at the building of community-based health insurance schemes in rural areas, and before he had completed it he was appointed as the Deputy Director for Social Health Insurance at the national Department of Health. He says 'The fact that I was appointed a Deputy-Director in government directly from the programme (that is with no working experience) even before completing it says a lot about the programme itself. I had the opportunity of working closely with internationally renowned researchers who have shaped my conceptual and analytical skills to deal with the developmental challenges facing countries. The programme teaches you not only to think globally but to also act locally in dealing with these challenges. Given that I had completed this programme, it was also easy for me to gain access to the London School of Economics where I studied the MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing which I completed in 2005. So, whether you want to be an academic or a professional, this programme is the gateway to success'.

• Sabrina Lee (Development Studies,2005)

  Sabrina isfrom the UK and is basedin Pretoria working for the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) - the largest health and development non-government organisation based in Africa, with its headquarters in Nairobi and seven offices across East and Southern Africa. Based in programme development, her role is to research international best practice in health systems, review government policy, consult with local communities, governments, health services and design appropriate interventions, and then market projects to donors. So far things have gone very well and she has managed to raise the income of the organisation by almost US$ 3million, with some very exciting projects on Orphans and Vulnerable children, as well as TB and HIV as well as Water and Sanitation which are about to start shortly.
  Her work has been both exciting and rewarding and she has learnt a great deal about the South African public health system, community based health systems including traditional health practices which the organisation focuses on. In addition, she has had the opportunity to travel extensively within South Africa to discuss issues with community health workers, traditional health practitioners, and local clinic staff and use their views to inform appropriate interventions. Her work has also taken her to Uganda and Kenya on a number of occasions to develop regional project proposals with other country teams.
  Sabrina says her degree from the School and the great research and work experience she had here (including her work with HEARD) was a excellent foundation for her work which she is enjoying immensely. She is especially delighted to be able to stay in South Africa working in such an exciting field, and feels she owes many of these opportunities to the team at SDS.

• Tim Gibbs (Development Studies Masters, 2003)

  Tim completedhis PhD at Oxford and is currently inoccupying a post-doctoral position at the University of the Witwatersrand inPhil Bonner's NRF chair in local histories. In Jan 2012, he willbe taking up a 4 year JRF at Trinity College, Cambridge.

• Dr. Shandir Ramlagan (Development Studies, 2003)

  Dr. Shandir Ramlagan is a Chief Research Manager in the Public Health, Societies and Belongings (PHSB) Division of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). He obtained his master’s degree in development studies from the University of Natal, South Africa, and his Ph.D. in psychology at Maastricht University, The Netherlands. His project experience includes working on all six of the South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour, and Communication surveys in roles ranging from data collector in 2002 to Project Director in 2022. This study has not only impacted the face of the HIV epidemic in South Africa but also in the rest of Africa. He has also worked on numerous NIH R01-funded randomized controlled trials as well as on projects for organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the World Bank, and various government departments. He is currently Managing Editor of the Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA-J). He can be reached at sramlagan@hsrc.ac.za