Finalists Selected for MMMF Overseas Project—Africa

“A living testimony that women can rise from nowhere amidst timidity, lack of confidence and surpass cultural barriers and gain confidence in themselves, get empowered and change many others” says one of the MMMF scholarship selection finalists.

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF) Board of Directors, at its November 2008 meeting, unanimously voted to approve and award grants of $4000 each for scholarships for seven women from Africa for graduate study at the University of Cape Town or the University of Pretoria for the academic year commencing in January 2009.

This newest initiative of the MMMF, in the second year of its pilot Overseas Scholarship Project, awards scholarships for graduate study for the first time to women attending the University of Cape Town and increases the total number of students and amount of funds available for students at both universities. This decision by the MMMF Board was based on the successful initial pilot program begun last year at the University of Pretoria, where two grants of $2500 were awarded, and on the success of MMMF fundraising and the generosity of MMMF Fair shoppers, World Bank staff and retiree donors, and other MMMF Friends and foundation support.

Citizens of Cameroon, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe(2), the students are studying Sociology, Rural Development Planning, Gender and HIV/AIDS, Plant Pathology, Natural Resources Economics, Public Health, and Virology. Ranging in age from 28-40, their research is focused in areas which will benefit the lives of women and children in their home countries, the goal of the MMMF since its beginning in 1981.

Presentation of the finalists was done by Elna van Greuning, Co-chair of the Selection Committee and Panel, who summarized the information about the applicants, presented an analysis of the general applicant pool, and thanked the Selection Committee for their dedication. She was introduced by Naline Kouame, MMMF Vice President, heading the OSP efforts in Africa; who outlined the development of the project to date.

Since summer 2008, the Selection Committee, made up of dedicated volunteers and staff located in both Washington and in South Africa, have been reviewing the 43 applications received to the Overseas Scholarship Project from throughout Africa. Noting the 400% increase in applicants in one year from students at the University of Pretoria, to 29 and the 14 applications from the University of Cape Town, Ms.van Greuning attributed the growth to a longer lead time for publicity leading to greater student awareness, enhanced staffing, and efforts toward online applications.

Selected students will have to verify their university registration for the academic year and sign an agreement regarding funding. An Awards Ceremony will take place at the World Bank Pretoria Country office to acknowledge their achievements in early February 2009.

Sarah Brau, MMMF Board member

Watch for names and pictures of the recipients in the next edition of Mosaic.