A BBC documentary titled ‘Sex for Grades’ has exposed the extent of systematic sexual abuse against female students in West African universities. Although cases have been reported they are almost always dismissed due to lack of evidence causing an endemic that has left students vulnerable and unprotected.
Education
Africans rising Zimbabwean scholar Tererai Trent among the first ten life-size statues erected in New York to honour women championing gender equality
Tererai Trent is among ten women including media mogul Oprah Winfrey, conservationist Jane Goodall, activist Janet Mock and chemist Tracy Dyson whose statues have been unveiled in New York. The women are being honoured for their contributions towards gender equality by Statues For Equality
Africans rising PhD student Takunda Chitaka wins 2019 Excellence in Academia PETCO Award
PhD student Takunda Chitaka has received the 2019 Excellence in Academia PETCO Award for her engineering approach towards tackling plastic marine pollution. This recognition highlights the need for peer-reviewed research that supports strategic interventions in the areas of recycling, waste minimisation and sustainability.
Africans rising South African student, Ghaneshree Moonsamy, has Masters thesis converted to PhD
Master’s degree student Ghaneshree Moonsamy has been awarded a PhD for her breakthrough work in the farming of the highly threatened foodstuff abalone.
Politics and Society African Studies Association of Africa names writing award after Prof. Pius Adesanmi
A prestigious literary award has been instituted to honour the late Nigerian intellectual Pius Adesanmi.
Africans rising Lisa Chiriseri: The young activist working to eradicate pit latrines in schools
Access to education is a basic human right but many young children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Zimbabwe still struggle to get access to learning opportunities because of many barriers. FACEZ (Fund a Child’s Education Zimbabwe), an education fund is helping underprivileged children to get access to education, and improving toilet facilities in schools. Led by Lisa Chiriseri, a young activist, the project currently supports over 90 learners.
Politics and Society A new language doesn’t hamper kids learning. Other things do
The ability of multilingual children to learn and advance academically from pre-primary has little to do with their English proficiency.
Africans rising Meet Dehlia Umunna, the first Nigerian to be appointed as a professor at Harvard Law School
Dehlia Umunna, deputy director and clinical instructor at Harvard Law School Criminal Justice Institute, is the first Nigerian to be appointed as a professor at Harvard School of Law.
Africans rising Meet 17-year-old Ghanaian Jeramy Botwe, who got into eight Ivy League schools
Getting accepted at your university of choice is one of the best things that can happen to a student. Jeramy Botwe is a 17-year-old Ghanaian who applied to 15 universities and got into all of them. Of the 15 schools, eight were Ivy League.