Khitam Abuhamad

West Bank & Gaza

PhD, Social Policy & Management

Brandeis University

Dissertation: "Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Impact of Maternal and Child Health Service Utilization on Subsequent Use of Contraceptives in the Gaza Strip."
Khitam’s research combines quantitative and qualitative research methods to develop an in-depth understanding of the fertility behavior among Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip and explore women’s perceptions of service integration.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Khitam helped establish and then worked at the first women’s healthcare center in the Gaza Strip. She provided health education sessions in prenatal nutrition, family planning, prevention of diarrheal diseases, and care for newborn infants. As Gaza is a conflict zone, Khitam has volunteered for many first-aid programs which train women to treat the seriously wounded. Khitam also participated in many campaigns to vaccinate children against poliomyelitis and other infectious diseases.

Personal details
Khitam earned a BSc in Nursing from The Islamic University of Gaza and an MPH from Al-Quds University both in Gaza, Palestine. She also holds an MA in Social Policy from Brandeis University. Before attending Brandeis, Khitam was the head of the primary healthcare information department, Ministry of Health, a lecturer for nursing students, and has published articles on the risk factors associated with preterm birth in the Gaza. She has also contributed to numerous official reports on Palestinian health.

Career Plans
In May 2011 Khitam will complete her degree and return to Palestine where she will hold positions at the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Community College of Applied Science and Technology. Khitam’s goal is to create and promote programs that will improve the health of women and children in Palestine.

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Tahreer Araj

West Bank & Gaza

PhD Sociology

University of Illinois

Dissertation: “From Services to Ideological Formation: Building Community Agency in Palestine”. Tahreer’s research examines how services provided by nongovernmental grassroots organizations can lead to progressive community change. She assesses the conditions and types of organizational structures that influence progressive community change. Her research will contribute to debates over the role NGOs play in affecting gender equality in community-based, development programs in Palestine.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Born and raised in a conflict zone, Tahreer’s personal history, as a Palestinian refugee, has shaped her deep commitment to serve marginalized populations, especially women. She has conducted numerous community empowerment training programs for refugee women; she has headed of Amnesty International’s programs in Palestine and she has volunteered for a national gender organization working to secure just laws and policies for Palestinian women.

Personal details
Tahreer holds a BA in Sociology and a MA in Gender, Development and Law, from Birzeit University, Ramallah, Palestine. As a refugee in the Gaza Strip, Tahreer worked for nine years with two major grassroots NGOs, The Palestinian Agriculture Relief Committee and The Health Work Committee. These experiences in community development, advocacy, and gender inequality influenced her decision to attain a PhD to strengthen her leadership capabilities.

Career plans
When Tahreer completes her dissertation in Spring 2011, she will take a position at the Institute of Women’s Studies at Birzeit University, where she will teach courses on gender and become chair of the department on gender, training, and outreach. Her goal is to work at both policy and grassroots levels to make a difference in areas of gender equality and social justice for Palestinian women.

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Comfort Asoogo

Ghana

Mc Nursing

University of Cape Town

Thesis: “Factors Contributing to Late Presentation of Breast Cancer Patients (data collection in Ghana)”.

Ms. Asoogo is currently earning her Masters after serving as a nurse for eight years at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. After completing her degree, she plans to continue not only the treatment of cancer patients, but also to organize health care education and support groups for women and children in Ghana. She realized early on in her work in the Oncology Unit in Ghana that there was a dearth of trained and qualified oncology nurses in her country. She states: “My interest in cancer research emanates from my desire to acquire more knowledge on how to prevent and care for cancer patients, especially from the pediatric care perspective.” Her continued training in Oncology has led her to explore the reasons for late presentation of breast cancer patients in Ghana

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Priscila Cacola

Brazil

PhD Neuroscience/Kinesiology

Texas A&M University

Dissertation: "Development and Validation of the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development - Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS)".
Priscila’s research aims to enhance understanding of the potential of home and day-care environments to optimize the motor development of children, as well as promote tools for early intervention. She will develop and demonstrate the application of an observational instrument to assess the quality of motor development opportunities in the home for infants of ages 3-18 months.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
As an advocate for early childhood motor development programs in poor communities in Brazil, Priscila is committed to improving the lives of children. Her experiences teaching dance and rhythmic gymnastics to children in slums were the driving force that led her to pursue advanced degrees in motor neuroscience. Recognizing that socio-economic factors account for wide differences in children’s motor abilities, and that these abilities affect children’s cognitive, emotional and social development, Priscila is very committed to becoming a leader in creating better access to motor development programs for underserved children in Brazil.

Personal details
Priscila has a BSc in Physical Education and an MSc in Motor Behavior from the University of Parana, Brazil. She grew up in Curitiba, the capital of Parana.state. She is inspired by her father, a former truck driver who was able to get an education and a career.

Career plans
On completing her dissertation in August 2011, Priscila plans to return to Brazil to teach at the university, continue her research, and train teachers in motor skills applications for young children. She will work with women’s multidisciplinary health centers in poor areas to promote women’s access to healthcare from pregnancy to the child’s first years of life. These programs will help to prevent low-birth-weight and preterm babies, conditions that often lead to poor motor development.

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Birke Anbesse Hurrissa

Ethiopia

DPhil Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

University of Cape Town

Thesis: “Pathways to Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Care in the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town.”

Upon completion of her degree, Ms. Anbesse Hurrissa hopes to continue to strengthen the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit of Ethiopia - a program she personally was instrumental in establishing, leading, and coordinating. She stated: “I hope I will be able to be a good and skilled clinician...that enables me to serve my country’s children and adolescent population.” A widowed mother of two, she studied Psychiatry previously and before that medicine at the University of Addis Ababa.

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Christine Gumunyu-Manatsa

Zimbabwe

B.Soc.Sci. Community Development

University of Pretoria

Thesis: “The Unintended Consequences of the Social Economic Situation on Children and Women on Commercial Farms in Guruve, Zimbabwe”.

Mrs. Gumunyu-Manatsa’s thesis will assess why up to 90 percent of school age children in Zimbabwe do not attend school due to the need to work with their parents on farms to sustain home incomes. She says:” Female children as young as eight years old are being forced into marriage by their families, as this is seen as a way of alleviating a burden yet gaining something from it”. She hopes to offer individual farm based education for children not attending school to encourage school attendance.

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Lillian Mukandiwa

Zimbabwe

PhD Paraclinical and Veterinary Sciences

University of Pretoria

Dissertation: “Screening and Determining Efficacy of Ethno-Veterinary Plants Used to Treat Cutaneous Myiasis (blowfly) in Southern Africa”.

Ms. Mukandiwa holds an MS in Animal Science and a BS in Agriculture from the University of Zimbabwe. After completing her studies she plans to establish Phytomedicine and Ethnoveterinary programs in Zimbabwe, continue her research on medicinal herbs and plants that have a proven effect on livestock health, and disseminate her information to farmers who can benefit greatly from this. She will also remain a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. Ms. Mukandiwa firmly believes that “Women play an important role in livestock management; they prevent and treat illness in the household’s livestock.”

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Ruth Mwandira

Malawi

PhD Public Health; Health Management and Policy

Oregon State University

Dissertation: “Examining Equity in Health Systems Financing: Who is Bearing the Burden of Health Care Expenditures?”
Ruth’s research examines factors that determine where households seek maternal and child health care services, how much people can afford to pay for health care, and how health care payments are distributed. She believes the results of her research will help address issues of equity and efficiency in meeting Malawi’s healthcare goals.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Ruth has worked on numerous socio-economic empowerment programs where she has advocated for equal treatment of Malawian women. She lobbied for reforms of laws and policies that discriminate against women, such as laws banning pregnant girls from school. Ruth is a member of several voluntary organizations that work with women and youth, the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi and the Cabinet Committee on Gender.

Personal details
Ruth has worked on numerous socio-economic empowerment programs where she has advocated for equal treatment of Malawian women. She lobbied for reforms of laws and policies that discriminate against women, such as laws banning pregnant girls from school. Ruth is a member of several voluntary organizations that work with women and youth, the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi and the Cabinet Committee on Gender.

Career plans
After graduating in September 2011, Ruth plans to return to her country to hold a research position at the University of Malawi. This post will enable her to identify feasible financing strategies for Malawian healthcare systems. She will also reunite with her family. Ruth aspires to be a mentor to women and girls in Malawi and throughout Africa; she wants to tell them about how women mentors kept her on course to be where she is today. Her message: “Education is the key to our empowerment and to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.” 

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Rana Obeidat

Jordan

PhD Nursing; Oncology

SUNY Buffalo

Dissertation: “Understanding Jordanian Women’s Experiences with the Diagnosis and Treatment for Early Stage Breast Cancer”.
This study is the first phase to develop “culturally sensitive decision and support interventions” for Jordanian women with breast cancer. Educating women on treatment options for breast cancer will enhance their ability to make informed decisions.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Rana has twelve years of clinical and grassroots experience in providing breast cancer support and awareness to Jordanian women. Her commitment is evidenced by her role in improving training programs for oncology nurses. In 2009 Rana collaborated with US-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and the Oncology Nursing Society to teach breast cancer courses to Jordanian nurses. She has established programs in underserved areas to educate women about breast cancer and the importance of screening and early detection.

Personal details
Rana has a BSc in Nursing and an MSc in Oncology from Jordan University of Science and Technology. Before completing undergraduate studies, Rana became department head at King Abdullah University Hospital, where she helped to establish the first oncology unit in Northern Jordan. Working full-time and managing her family, Rana completed her MSc with honors. Currently completing her PhD, Rana is very proud to be the first woman from her village to receive a scholarship to pursue a PhD in the U.S.

Career plans
Upon completing her PhD in 2012, Rana plans to resume a position at Zarqua University, where she will teach and conduct research on women with breast cancer. She will volunteer at clinics which care for cancer patients and for the Jordan Breast Cancer Campaign. Rana seeks to attain a leadership role in both clinical and educational programs that will improve treatment and awareness about breast cancer for Jordanian women.

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Lilyann Katiwa-Oyugi

Kenya

PhD Special Education

University of California, Santa Barbara

Dissertation: “Empowerment of Disabled Children through Inclusive Education in Kenya.” 
Lilyann recognizes that inclusive education programs in Kenya benefit the social inclusion and development of children with disabilities as well as reduce stigma and prejudice associated with disability and segregated schools. Lilyann’s research evaluates how well teachers understand different elements of effective inclusive education. It also assesses the impact of teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards children with disabilities on the effectiveness of inclusive education practices in Kenya.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Lilyann has an impressive record working to protect the rights of disabled children in Kenya. She has fought for access to schools for girls with disabilities. She participated in forums such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists and is active in advocating for the educational rights of disabled children. She developed educational programs for girls for Within the Girl Child Network and is a founding member of Wazazi Wema, an organization for mothers of disabled children.

Personal details
Lilyann earned both her BA and MA degrees in Education and Counseling Psychology from Kenyatta University, Kenya, and an MA degree in Special Education, Disabilities and At Risk Studies at the University of California/Santa Barbara. Born to a large family in Kitui district, Lilyann struggled to overcome the many cultural barriers that Kenyan girls face to stay in school and go to college. Lilyann was a teacher and counselor at St. Angela’s Girls High School in Kenya.

Career plans
After completing her dissertation in June 2012, Lilyann will rejoin her family in Kenya and will take a position at the Kenya Institute of Special Education. There she will conduct research, lead policy initiatives in teacher training, and continue her advocacy for children with disabilities.

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Evelyn Sakeah

Ghana

PhD Maternal and Child Health,

Boston University

Dissertation: “Utilizing Community-Based Health Planning and Service Programs to Promote Skilled Attendants During Delivery in Rural North Ghana—A case Study of the Upper East Region”.
Ghana’s maternal mortality rate is among the highest in the world. Skilled birth attendance is an effective strategy for reducing maternal mortality. Evelyn’s research makes the case for expanding Community-Based Health Planning and Services, which will provide the skilled delivery care needed to close the human resource gap for skilled delivery care attendance.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Evelyn was a research officer in a five-year trial of community mobilization to prevent the practice of female genital mutilation in the Kassena-Nankana District of Northern Ghana. The trial achieved over a 95 percent reduction in the practice. She also conducted research on home management of malaria in children under five years in northern Ghana. Evelyn worked on the World University of Canada Girl-Child Education Project in the Kassena-Nankana District.

Personal details
Evelyn received a BA in Political Science from the University of Ghana, and an MA in Public Health from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She grew up in a rural community where few girls gained access to schools, yet she persisted and today is among the few women from her community to have a university degree.

Career plans
Evelyn will finish her PhD in July 2011 and return to Ghana, where she plans to work at the Navrongo Health Research Centre. There she will research maternal and child health issues and is confident that her advanced degree will enhance her ability to lead policy initiatives that will improve Ghana’s rural maternal and child healthcare services.

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Neo Selikane

Lesotho

MA Public Health

University of Pretoria

Thesis: “The Impact of Cooking Fuels on Acute Respiratory Infections in Children below Five Years in Swaziland.”

Ms. Selikane plans to pursue a career dedicated to the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS and strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems of the HIV/AIDS and other programs. She has always looked to her mother’s sacrifice and hard work as inspirations for her own success. Her experience as a professional nurse for the Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (a program funded by UNICEF) and Medical Rescue International honed her determination to be a champion for women. She will use her MMMF Scholarship to fund her master’s thesis on the relationship of commonly used biomass cooking fuels and the development of acute lower respiratory infections; Ms. Selikane hopes that her research will lead to the development of safe and cost-effective alternatives to the cooking fuels used in the homes that are especially dangerous to very young children.

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Refilwe Sello

Botswana

MPH Tropical Medicine

Tulane University

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Touched by the devastation caused by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Bostwana, Dr. Sello believed that a medical career would enable her to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in her country. Her commitment to children is demonstrated by her experience as a physician at the Botswana-Baylor Children’s Center of Excellence (COE), a clinic in Gaborone, Botswana, which emphasizes prevention as a strategy to halt the spread of pediatric HIV/AIDS. She was the first woman physician to work at COE, where she conducted research, provided care and advocated for HIV-infected children and their families. She also managed The School Teacher Training Pilot Project. Dr. Sello organized and coordinated an AIDSIMPACT conference entitled “Eliminating Pediatric HIV: Schools as Venues for Managing and Preventing HIV in Botswana” and devoted time to counseling families at an HIV-Positive Teen Club.

Personal details
Dr. Sello has a degree in medicine from the National University of Ireland. Raised in a rural area, she has a deep understanding of the issues that need to be addressed to reduce HIV/AIDS and improve the quality of healthcare for Botswana’s rural population. Prior to her position at COE, Dr. Sello was an intern for the HIV division at WHO, where she conducted research on “disclosure, confidentiality and treatment adherence.” She frequently volunteers her time for public service announcements to promote HIV/AIDS prevention on radio and television.

Career plans
Upon completing her MA in Public Health in May 2011, Dr. Sello plans to return to Botswana to continue to increase evidence-based interventions in HIV/AIDS prevention and advocate for children with HIV/AIDS. She believes that her Public Health degree from Tulane will enhance her future opportunities to be a leader in implementing effective HIV/AIDS programs in Botswana.

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Evaline van Wijk

Republic of South Africa

PhD Psychiatric Nursing

University of Cape Town

Dissertation: “The Impact of Sexual Assault on Intimate Partners of Female Rape Victims within the First Six Months Following the Sexual Assault.”

Upon completion of her doctorate, Mrs. van Wijk plans on remaining a lecturer and course coordinator of Mental Health Nursing at UCT. She began her career as a nurse in 1976 and has been a teacher and practitioner of psychiatric nursing for the past 15 years. She has worked in community outreach programs for women and children who were victims of trauma in Cape Town, teaching social skills and the negative impacts of drug abuse to drug addicted adolescents, and is a trauma counselor for church and local police. She will use the scholarship to research an underdeveloped area of sexual abuse trauma: that of the victims’ partners. “In most cases [the partners] receive no support whatsoever here in South Africa,” she says.

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Merit Award Recipients

In 2010, the MMMF board decided to award two women, in addition to the eight main recipients of full educational grants, with smaller grants, based on the merit of their studies and commitment to women and children

Maggie Madimbo

Malawi

PhD Organizational Leadership, Education Sector

Eastern University, PA

Dissertation: “Effectiveness of mentoring done by women leaders teaching in higher learning institutions in Malawi.”
Maggie's research looks at the impact of mentoring of high school girls as a means of increasing girls' enrollment for college education.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Maggie is inspired to continue to help increase the number of young women attending college in Malawi, not only at her institution—African Bible College—but also at other colleges, through a program she created visiting secondary schools to encourage girls to consider higher education. She hopes to develop structured mentoring clubs for female students on her return to Malawi.

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Clarice Reis

Brazil

MSc Family Medicine

McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Thesis: “Barriers to Access Dental Care by Low Income Women in Montreal”.
Clarice's research will examine how low-income women and children access dental care and the attitudes of providers of such care.

Demonstration of commitment to women and/or children
Clarice worked as a dentist for the Brazilian Health Ministry in northeastern states, treating low-income women and children, and leading women's groups aiming to empower families in accessing dental health care. She plans to continue such work on return to Brazil, and to gain a position in northeastern Brazil public universities to encourage new dentists to address the needs of lower-income families.

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