The Board of the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund announce the selection of six 2009-2010 MMMF scholarship recipients from Africa who are currently studying in South Africa. Recipients participated in a competitive online application process and interviews.

They are: Birke Anbesse Hurrissa, Comfort Asoogo,Lillian Mukandiwa, Neo Selikane,Evalina van Wijk, and Christine Gumunya Manatsa. The recipients will use their scholarships to continue their studies at either the University of Cape Town or the University of Pretoria.

Their areas of study included graduate studies in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Oncology Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Development, Ethnoveterinary Medicine, and Monitoring and Evaluation. Once their graduate work is completed, they are expected to return to their own or another developing country to use their studies to assist women and children.

They come from Zimbabwe (2); Lesotho (1); Ethiopia (1); South Africa (1); and Ghana (1). They range in age from 27 to 52, reflecting the priority of the MMMF scholarship program for women who might be outside the usual scholarship programs due to age or family situation. One is widowed with two children; three are married, two with children; and two are single.

Recipients will receive their awards at a forum in March in South Africa attended by World Bank staff, volunteers, some MMMF Board and Committee members, and University faculty and officials involved in the scholarship application process The Board thanks all involved in the processing of applications and the selection reviews, especially Elna van Greuning, Washington Chair of the Africa Selection Committee, and Melanie Jaya, South Africa chair of the Selection Committee. Their dedication has led to a successful second year of this program.

All WBFN volunteers who helped with the MMMF Fair, or Friends of MMMF members who contributed funds, or World Bank staff both in Washington and South Africa are sincerely thanked by the recipients for helping make their aspirations real.

Recipients of the US/Canada scholarships will be named in the Spring of 2010 and announced in time for an awards ceremony in Washington in May.

Sarah Brau,

MMMF Board