Watipa turns 12, and 4, all in the same week…

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This has been a milestone week for Watipa. Now, even more than ever, it’s so important to celebrate small moments and take the time to celebrate the really important things in life.

The ‘real’ Watipa, our namesake who lives and is at school in the north of Malawi, turned 12. Happy birthday Watipa! She is looking forward to school starting up again in July, and she will be in Standard 8. Just a few days earlier, Watipa the organisation turned 4. Happy birthday Watipa! We raised a toast to the friends near and far, whose vision, camaraderie and hard work have enabled us to get this far…

We send best regards to all friends, family and supporters of Watipa and hope that you are well and doing as best as possible during these uncertain times.

Sharing precious resources: knowledge, soap and clean water to beat COVID-19 in Malawi

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This is the third in a series that profiles the work and thought leadership of Watipa scholars in their local response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despina Gwaza is a Watipa scholar in Malawi, who recently finished secondary school and is starting at College in 2020. She has been actively supporting families in her local areas, Kalowa, Liuzi, Mukwachi and Kasuza, to know about COVID-19, have more regular access to soap and clean water.

“Our aim is to improve good sanitation… people need help.”

Continue reading “Sharing precious resources: knowledge, soap and clean water to beat COVID-19 in Malawi” →

Watipa scholar forms youth group to inform community and give textbooks to school children in Wowve, Malawi

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This is the second in a series that profiles the work and thought leadership of Watipa scholars in their local response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comfort Menard Comfort Menard is studying Mining Engineering in Malawi and is looking forward to classes resuming. In the meantime, he has been mobilising his peers to share information, textbooks and soap to households in his community.

Just like many other countries in the world, Malawi is not spared from the Covid 19 pandemic. As of 1st June, 2020, according to ministry of health and population, Malawi has recorded 284 cases. Out of this, four have died, fourty six have recovered, and two hundred and thirty four still remain active cases.

Due to this pandemic people particularly in my community, Wowve, live in fear and feel hopeless, because their small businesses are now on stand still due to fear of contracting the virus. In order to join forces in contributing to the fight against the pandemic in my community, Wovwe.

I decided to encourage my fellow youths and form and chair a group. As a group we conduct door to door activities where among others we civic educate the households on the importance of staying home and avoiding unnecessary movements, keeping social distance of about 1.5 meters, avoiding handshaking, and regular hand washing with soap. Continue reading “Watipa scholar forms youth group to inform community and give textbooks to school children in Wowve, Malawi” →

Watipa scholars supporting their community response to COVID-19

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This is the first in a series that profiles the work and thought leadership of Watipa scholars in their local response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read about the thoughts and reflections during COVID-19 in Uganda, from Mariam Nassaka, a Watipa scholar and graduate of Social Work and Administration in 2019.
“As advocates, we need to strive to identify common patterns that could possibly lead to cheaper, long-term and healthier solutions.”

What motivated me to write? 

The rights of people mostly women and young people were at risk of violation therefore as an advocate for sexual and reproductive health rights for the most at risk of HIV, l had to come out and speak out their voice.
The zeal to fight COVID-19 in my community motivated me so much to write and suggest possible response interventions. I wanted to investigate on the perceptions of people in Uganda on COVID-19.

Continue reading “Watipa scholars supporting their community response to COVID-19” →

Happy International Women’s Day: Meet an inspiring medical student from Malawi, Tiyamike Peace Malungo

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Today we celebrate the inspiriting and strong women around the world, and those that support us…

Meet Tiyamike Malungo from Malawi, a Watipa scholar, who was honoured in the Dean’s List last year (2019) for her hard work and excellent scholarship in medicine. Congratulations Tiyamike!

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Tiyamike Peace Malungo, Watipa Scholar and medical student, Malawi

I am Tiyamike Peace Malungo currently in my final year of Medical school and a proud Watipa scholar since 2017.

My vision is to see my community being able to freely access quality health services. That is my greatest motivation and the reason I chose medicine and why I do it passionately.

I recently have been recognized by the Dean of Medicine as one of the best performers in my class in the last academic year (2018-2019). This is one of the new developments put in place by the Dean of Students as a way of encouraging students to do more in their academics. Continue reading “Happy International Women’s Day: Meet an inspiring medical student from Malawi, Tiyamike Peace Malungo” →

Hope for the future: Mariam Nassaka – graduate in Social Work and Social Administration, Uganda

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Here is the latest in a series of reflections from recent Watipa graduates – meet Mariam Nassaka, who graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration in Uganda.

IMG-20191128-WA0045As a recipient of the watipa 2016 Education scholarship, I want to thank you for awarding me this scholarship. I was very excited to learn that l have been selected as the winner of the scholarship. I am appreciative of your support of my education.

I am currently a bachelor’s degree holder in social work and social Administration at Uganda Christian University. I work with the community and   I spend most of my time figuring out how best I can create a well enabling environment for the young people to achieve their dreams. I chose to focus on this because I am completely a change maker, passionate and an ambitious advocate for people’s rights and this has become a reality through the watipa scholarship. Continue reading “Hope for the future: Mariam Nassaka – graduate in Social Work and Social Administration, Uganda” →

Congratulations graduates – we’re proud of you, and we’re listening

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This International Human Rights Day we are celebrating “Watipa style” by focussing on the number of graduates we have had in 2019 supported through our scholarship programme. Thirteen… and counting. This takes the total graduates since the start of the Watipa scholarship programme to more than 20, across 7 countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda), in just 3 years. These are real life examples of what it means to have the right to education.

We’re proud of our graduates, and they are proud to be Watipa scholars. Here’s what they said in their review of the programme this year. 

“Being on the Watipa scholarship programme gave me courage to do better, knowing that someone somewhere cares about my education as I care about it. This feeling made me proud .”

Naomi Nyasulu, Malawi, Bachelor of Science in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources Continue reading “Congratulations graduates – we’re proud of you, and we’re listening” →

Could you be Watipa’s new Chair of the Board of Trustees?

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Are you passionate about education? Do you believe that young people have the ideas and solutions to develop and solve problems facing their communities? Do you have experience in charity governance in the UK? Do you have time, energy and vision to chair the Board of Trustees of Watipa? Are you willing to volunteer your time? Would you like to gain more experience with a dynamic, nimble, ethical, intelligent and worthwhile charity?

If you answered yes to these questions – or know someone inspirational who could – please get in touch. Watipa is looking for a dynamic, experienced, visionary and responsible person to join the Board of Trustee and take on the role of Chair.

Continue reading “Could you be Watipa’s new Chair of the Board of Trustees?” →

Launched today: Study by Watipa scholars for UNAIDS and the PACT about the role of young people in community responses to HIV

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Geneva, Switzerland. Hot off the press: Watipa, UNAIDS, and the PACT launch study today about the importance of youth participation in community responses to HIV. Watipa scholars were the researchers in this important project. Join the conversation and take part in the Facebook Live session that is happening now…

Ruben Pages Ramos, Youth Programmes Coordinator at UNAIDS, chats with Allen Kyendikuwa, sexual and reproductive health and rights advocate and Watipa Associate, about the results. Allen Kyendikuwa was one of the lead young researchers in the report launched today.

Allen Kyendikuwa
Ruben Pages Ramos

Continue reading “Launched today: Study by Watipa scholars for UNAIDS and the PACT about the role of young people in community responses to HIV” →