The Mawazo Institute

We're celebrating our CEO, Dr Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, PhD who has been selected as a 2025 Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship 🥳 🎙️Chosen from a competitive pool of over 900 nominees across the continent, Dr. Fiona joins a remarkable cohort of leaders in the prestigious Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship—AFLI’s flagship programme run in partnership with the University of Oxford. The Fellowship recognises visionary, values-driven individuals who are shaping Africa’s future across sectors. 🎙️Through her work at The Mawazo Institute and Mawimbi Ocean Innovations, Dr. Fiona is championing inclusive, research-driven, and sustainable solutions to some of Africa’s biggest challenges. This recognition is a testament to her bold leadership, deep commitment to the continent, and the impact of our growing community. #AfricanWomenInResearch #2025TutuFellowship

Earlier this year, I was appointed as an external reviewer in selecting the 2025 Mawazo fellows. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to The Mawazo Institute for the trust. It was also an opportunity to learn and grow as an emerging researcher. I express my heartiest congratulations to all 2025 the selected Mawazo fellows. Looking forward to exploring new collaboration opportunities and advancing Women in Science. #MawazoInstitute #womenInScience

Publishing a research paper is more than a requirement for graduation — it’s a milestone that reflects resilience, critical thinking, and a commitment to knowledge-sharing. For many African PhD students, especially women, the road to publication is full of challenges — from limited access to training opportunities to the financial hurdles of open-access publishing. Mwigereri Dorcas achievement speaks to a broader truth highlighted in our 'Status of African Women in Research' report (https://lnkd.in/dcv4_yxJ) : 93% of applicants cited preparing a paper for publication as a significant challenge — a statistic that underscores just how momentous this accomplishment is. By holding out for a journal that matched the caliber of her research, Dorcas didn’t just publish a paper — she asserted the value of African scholarship, setting a bold example for others to follow. 👏🏽 Access Dorcas' publication here : https://lnkd.in/dc_WB8yC #SOAWIR #AfricanWomenInResearch #ResearchMatters #PhDJourney #PublishingChallenges #CelebrateResearch #MawazoVoices

Grateful for moments that remind us why we chose this path ✨ I recently took a moment to reflect on an unforgettable workshop I attended at Nairobi Street Kitchen, organized by the Mawazo Institute under their Women in Research program 👩🎓. It brought together brilliant minds from different fields to tackle one of the world’s most urgent issues: Climate Change—from diverse, interdisciplinary perspectives. Our team focused on a topic very close to my heart: Indigenous Knowledge Systems. We explored powerful questions such as how to incorporate indigenous wisdom into formal school curricula and what it means to center traditional knowledge in climate discourse. After thoughtful, spirited discussions, we were required to choose a representative to present our ideas and I volunteered — and to our excitement, our team won first place after the vote! This experience reinforced a truth I continue to witness: colleagues can shape your future, and sometimes, friends lead you to opportunities you never knew you needed. Through my experiences with the BIEA and the MAEASaM project, I’ve come to deeply appreciate how humanities and social sciences intersect with environmental and sustainability issues. This workshop was yet another reminder of how dynamic and ever-relevant our work is. It was a beautiful evening filled with learning, laughter, and inspiration—but more importantly, it renewed my commitment to research that is inclusive, transformative, and rooted in the richness of our own cultures and experiences. Neema Athman Njuguna Kamau The Mawazo Institute British Institute in Eastern Africa #WomenInResearch #IndigenousKnowledge #ClimateChange #SocialSciences #ResearchForChange #SustainableFutures

In March and April, Mawazo partnered with the Schlumberger Foundation to deliver “Owning Your Spotlight”—a workshop series focused on enhancing public visibility for researchers. Held in Paris (March 27–28) and Accra (April 8–9), the sessions brought together Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellows—both alumnae and new cohort members—for training in personal leadership and grant writing. Led by Mawazo’s team— Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, PhD , Naliaka Odera and Kari Mugo —the workshops created space for reflection, skills-building, and meaningful conversations around the power of visibility, especially for women researchers and researchers of colour. 🎙️ As Dr. Fiona shared: “Public visibility is often not viewed as a priority by many researchers who frequently ask, ‘what is the point?’ For women researchers—and women of colour—this concern can be even more daunting. But through numerous conversations, I’ve come to understand the importance of visibility: It’s not about me; or about the ‘I’. It’s about who we are and what we represent. We are experts. We are leaders. We just happen to be women.” Thank you to the Schlumberger Foundation for your continued partnership and for fostering safe, collaborative spaces. 🌍✨

🚀 Launch of ARUA 2025 Early-Career Research Fellowships We are offering 42 fully funded six-month research fellowships for early-career academics (under 35 years), to be hosted at ARUA’s 13 Centres of Excellence across Africa. 🔹 At least 70% of the positions are reserved for female candidates 🔹 Research fellows will collaborate with leading African scholars 🔹 Fellows must be hosted outside their country of residence 🔹 First intake start date: July 1 Apply now: 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/gywZ3KWv #ARUAFellowships #AfricanResearch #EarlyCareerResearchers #PostDoc #AcademicOpportunities

We are pleased to announce the venue for the upcoming Evi4Dev Conference—the elegant Hyatt Regency Hotel Nairobi Westlands! With only 20 days to go, the countdown is on to Africa’s premier platform for evidence-informed development. The conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, and innovators to centre research, data, and innovation in accelerating progress towards the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Register now at https://lnkd.in/drzYtbde and be part of shaping Africa’s future. AUDA NEPAD ACED African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) Pan-African Collective for Evidence NPC IDinsight Afrobarometer Africa Health Research, Innovation and Development Alliance (AHRIDA) The Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHReaD) EUEPiN Project The Mawazo Institute PATH Speak Up Africa Strathmore University University of Lagos Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands #Evidence4Development #Evi4DevConference #Evi4Dev2025 #Agenda2063 #SDGs #STI #EIP #EIDM #AfricaDevelopment #InnovationAfrica

In March and April, Mawazo partnered with the Schlumberger Foundation Foundation to host “Owning Your Spotlight” workshops in Paris and Accra—focused on boosting public visibility for researchers. The sessions brought together Schlumberger Foundation Fellows from across Europe and Ghana. 🎙️ As Dr. Fiona Wanjiku Moejes shared: “Public visibility is often not viewed as a priority by many researchers who frequently ask, "what is the point?" For women researchers and women of colour this concern can be even more daunting! But through numerous conversations, I have come to understand the importance of visibility: It is not about me; or about the "I". It is about who we are and what we represent! We are experts. We are leaders. We just happen to be women. Here’s to all the researchers—especially women—who continue to step into their spotlight. Thank you Schlumberger Foundation for creating a safe space to collaborate.🌍✨ #WomenInResearch #Leadership #PublicVisibility #MawazoImpact

Get to know our invited discussant: 🎤 Dr. Melissa Boonzaaier-Davids (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa; Iziko Museums of South Africa) To celebrate International Women's Day Month, we are excited to invite you to a thought-provoking webinar on The Status of African Women in Research, featuring leading inspiring women in the field. 📅 Date: 9th April 2025 ⏰ Time: 12h30 – 13h45 EAT 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dKaTuSAb #WomenInScience #AfricanWomenInResearch #InternationalWomensDay #ECOPAfrica #MawazoInstitute #DFFE #IzikoMuseums #GenderEquality

📢 Join Us for an Inspiring Webinar on African Women in Research! 🌍👩🔬 To celebrate International Women's Day Month, we are excited to invite you to a thought-provoking webinar on The Status of African Women in Research, featuring leading experts in the field. 🎤 Speakers: 🔹 Dr. Fiona Wanjiku Moejes (CEO, Mawazo Institute)  🔹 Aisha Mugo (Research Officer, Mawazo Institute) 💬 Discussant: Melissa Kay Boonzaaier-Davids (Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, South Africa)  🎙 Moderator: Sarah Viana (ECOP Africa Node)  📅 Date: 9th April 2025  ⏰ Time: 12h30 – 13h45 EAT  🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dzXEpAgm Join us as we discuss the challenges, opportunities, and contributions of African women in research and explore ways to foster gender equity in science. Let’s amplify the voices of women shaping the future of research! 🚀💙