THE ARICAN STUDIES PROGRAM ANNUAL … draft...THE ARICAN STUDIES PROGRAM ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2010/2011...

THE ARICAN STUDIES PROGRAM ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2010/2011

SPRING 2011

CONTENTS

Message from the Interim Director …….. .01

Pitt Students In Africa …………………………. 03

Graduate Studies from Africa ……………….13

ASP Lecture Series ………………………………..16

Student Annual Research Symposium……21

Certificate Recipients …………………….25

Affiliations …………………………………….28

Outreach………………………………………..31

Visiting Scholars …………………………….37

Upcoming Conference …………..………38

African Studies Program 2010/2011 Newsletter Page 1

The African Studies program at the

University of Pittsburgh is committed to

the advancement of knowledge on Africa

and people of African descent. Our

diverse research, teaching and outreach

activities are carefully designed to

enhance greater understanding and

appreciation of the continent and its

people. We are guided by the realization

that in a world that is increasingly

becoming global, ASP should play an

active role in providing students the

tools they need to compete and succeed

in the global marketplace. Our focus is to continue to promote the study of Africa in

global perspective by building bridges with other area-studies programs,

international centers, professional schools, the Study Abroad Office (SAO) and the

various departments across campus.

I am pleased in my capacity as Interim Director, to present information about

the African Studies program activities throughout the 2010/2011 academic year. We

have had a very successful year that culminated in the Annual Student Research

Symposium and the Award of Certificates on April 14, 2011. A total of twenty one

undergraduate and seven graduate students received the certificate in African

Studies after having successfully completed all the program requirements. An

additional two graduates and one undergraduate will be receiving their certificates

at the end of the summer term in August 2011. We are very pleased about this

achievement and we are proud to congratulate all our students and wish them well

as they begin their respective future plans.

The Annual Student Research Symposium is an opportunity for students to

present what they have learned through their research experiences to fellow

students and faculty. This year, a panel of seven students who have done research in

Africa or library research about Africa related issues shared their experiences and

knowledge on a variety of themes pertaining to the development challenges facing

the continent and its people. We have featured the seven students and the regions

and topics of their presentations in this newsletter.

Throughout the academic year, ASP has hosted a diverse range of activities

that have included the African Studies Lecture and Film Series, students participating

in Model African Union (MAU) in Washington D.C, outreach to schools and to church

communities in the Pittsburgh area and speaking engagements by African Studies

Affiliated faculty in various forums to discuss Africa related issues. All these

DR. MACRINA C. LELEI

MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR


activities, most of which will be reported in this newsletter have served to

demonstrate the richness and diversity of the African continent, and at the same time

served to strengthen our collaborative efforts to enhance knowledge about Africa

on campus and in the larger Pittsburgh community.

A key function of African Studies is to coordinate these kinds of activities and

to bring together scholars from a variety of perspectives to address important issues

and I am thus particularly pleased with the dynamism of our various interdisciplinary

programmatic activities. The work reported in this newsletter reflects our

understanding of the important connections between research and training. The

many linkages you will find between the faculty and student reports spring from the

belief that, as a unit in a major research university, our mission must be to both

produce new knowledge about the world and its challenges, and to train and

prepare a new generation of scholars to address the challenges of global society

with open minds and cross-cultural understanding.

ASP is well served by a dedicated and strong group of Africanist faculty

teaching courses on Africa and engaged in various researches and consulting

activities with partner institutions in Africa. We acknowledge their hard work and

efforts in promoting the study of Africa at the University of Pittsburgh and urge them

to continue to work collaboratively with the students interested in learning more

about Africa and doing research on issues pertaining to Africa.

Last but not least, I want to acknowledge my ASP dedicated staff without

whose hard work, all that we do would not be possible. They are our students who

are committed and passionate about what they do and deserve much recognition

and appreciation the excellent work they do.

Sarah Kafui Amanfu: Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) – School of Education

pursuing a Master of Education (MED) in Social and Comparative Analysis in

Education and pursuing a certificate in African Studies

Andrew Juba: Work Study Student – Undergraduate, Swanson School of

Engineering, majoring in Industrial Engineering

Devani Whitehead: Work Study Student – Undergraduate, School of Arts &

Sciences, Majoring in Communication and pursuing a certificate in African

Studies

I hope that you will enjoy reading about the varied and important things

happening in African Studies particularly about the exciting research activities

our students are participating in. And thank you all for your continued support for

African Studies at Pitt. For information about individual faculty teaching and

research activities please visit our website at www.ucis.pitt.edu/africa.

http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/africa


Every year a good number of students enrolled in the

African Studies Program (ASP) participate in various

opportunities of study abroad in Africa. The countries most

frequently represented include: Ethiopia, Congo, Ghana,

Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal,

Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Students go

for semester long, yearlong and summer long programs.

Other students go to Africa for research activities that

range from conflict, development, education, health,

human rights, violence, corruption, politics, cultures and the political economy

among other interests. Seven of the students who studied in some of these countries

participated in this year‟s annual student research symposium. The goals of the

symposium are to provide students the opportunity to showcase the outstanding

quality and diversity of their research at both undergraduate and graduate levels. In

addition students have the opportunity to practice their communication skills with

those outside of their discipline. The symposium is also designed to demonstrate the

importance of student research not only for academic purposes at the University but

for professional and personal development and in contributing to the policy debates

of the issues and challenges facing the continent in the 21st century. .

In summer 2010, ASP received the Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA)

Grant Award to support student study abroad in Africa. A group of 14 students under

the leadership of Dr. Macrina C. Lelei travelled to Tanzania for a period of six weeks

to study Swahili language and culture through immersion, and to participate in

individual research projects. The Pitt in Tanzania “Swahili Language and Culture

Immersion” program was established in 2009 with support from the Undergraduate

International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) grant. The UISFL program is a

discretionary grant program designed to strengthen the undergraduate instructional

program in the areas of international studies and foreign languages. A group of 5

students participated in the inaugural program in Karagwe District of Tanzania in

summer 2009. This coming summer 2011, although we do not have grant funding to

support the program, a total of 7 students will be travelling to Tanzania in June-July

for the Swahili program. They will travel under the leadership of Dr. Macrina C. Lelei

and the Pitt Swahili instructor Dr. Leonora Kivuva. They will spend 4 weeks in the

country where they will learn Swahili and participate in cultural activities as a way of

learning about the cultures of the Swahili people. Another group of 12 students will

travel to the same location in Tanzania under the Pitt in Tanzania “Health Issues in

East Africa” program directed by Dr. Linda Winkler, Department of Anthropology

at Pitt.

PITT STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS IN AFRICA


The Swahili and the Health Issues programs are the two Pitt in Africa programs

developed by African Studies and Anthropology and approved under the Study

Abroad Office (SAO). Some students will be travelling to other countries in Africa

under various study abroad providers for semester long programs, and others will

be going on their own for internships or yearlong study in African countries as

reflected in the student news section of this newsletter.

Pitt in Tanzania Students

during a field trip to the

town of Bagamoyo – an

important cultural

heritage site for

Tanzania. It is Famous

for its slave and ivory

trade. The group is

listening attentively to a

lecture by the local tour

guide about the history

of the Indian Ocean

Slave trade after visiting

a number of slave ports

including the Bagamoyo

Museum - which

displays Bagamoyo

history in relation to its

contact with foreigners.

Pitt In Ghana: ASP is pleased to share the good news that the new program “Pitt in

Ghana” will be instituted in the spring 2012. This program is designed for students

who wish to spend a semester long studying abroad in Ghana. The program will be

located at the University of Ghana, Legon and will be directed by Professor Joseph

Adjaye of the Department of Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Pitt-in-

Ghana is an interdisciplinary program established in collaboration with departments

including Africana Studies, History, Anthropology, Political Science and Music. This

will be the first semester long study abroad program in Africa offered through the

Study Abroad Office (SAO). Students will have the experience of living in Ghana

while completing courses toward graduation at Pitt. Ghana is on the west coast of

Africa and is known to be one of the most politically stable countries in Africa.


In summer 2010, fourteen students travelled to Tanzania for the “Swahili

language study and culture immersion” study abroad program. The students had the

opportunities to learn Swahili language, immerse themselves in the language and

culture, experience firsthand the society, and learn how to interact with people in

both casual and formal situations, and to learn about the history of Africa in general

and specifically that of Tanzania and East Africa. Learning was designed to take

place through a series of planned activities that included classroom instruction,

participation in community cultural activities and visits to community social

organizations , and trips to places if historic and geographic significance and to the

animal parks. The program gave students an opportunity to enhance their language

skills and knowledge and develop an appreciation for Africa in a manner that would

help shape positive perceptions of the continent both in their academic and

professional careers and in their everyday lives. They have all shared their

experiences through their stories told through pictures that are found in the picture

book project that the students put together. It is available in our office for anyone

interested in reading about students‟ experiences studying abroad in Tanzania and

also also available on our website.

SWAHILI LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IMMERSION IN TANZANIA

June 16 – August 2, 2010

Front row from the left Mr. Phares Kakulima ; Cory Rogers; Carissa Chandroo-Kiprotich;Abena Botwe-Asamoah (holding Kakulima Jr:

Sarai Martinez-Suazo (holding AKiza Kakulima); Nina Weaver; K.C. Euler; Rael Kakulima; Macrina Lelei: Back Row from Left L. Caitlin

Newman; Stacey Stachera; Katharine Daley; Nicholas Bennett; Skyler Dewalt; Brooke Shannon; Esther Terry and Piniel Berhane


My name is María Paz Ortega Rodriguez, and I

completed an internship with the Embassy of

Spain in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of

Congo (DRC) in the past summer 2010. From

the very beginning I was expected to help with

the organization of activities and meetings and

with the creation of reports, briefings, and

even official cables for Madrid. Congo is an

extremely complex environment per se, but

my time there was especially “interesting”: the

human rights defender Floribert Chebeya was killed, the Congo celebrated its 50

years of independence, the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo MONUC changed its mandate, and the 2011 elections were

coming close. A lot of interesting things were happening while I was there.

My work was extremely rewarding and in close connection with my interests

(Human Rights, peacemaking and peacekeeping, democratization issues, etc), and

after so much time doing research about Congo I finally had the chance to see on the

ground such a fascinating country. I stayed with a Congolese family, which allowed

me to learn a lot about the culture, the population and about myself in a very short

period of time. In every single moment they made me feel at home despite that the

general context of the city was very hostile for white people. In short, once I had

overcome the difficulties of the beginning, I had an incredible learning experience.

Maria spend three months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the then-Republic of the Congo gained its

independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social

instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a

November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko -

as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years

through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil

war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and

Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion

backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the

country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Currently Joseph Kabila is the

president of the DRC since 2006; presidential elections will be in November 2011.

STUDENTS SHARING THEIR ABROAD EXPERIENCES IN AFRICA

MARÍA PAZ ORTEGA RODRIGUEZ

MPIA-HUMAN SECURITY CLASS OF 2011


CAMILLE RAQUEL DAVIDSON

EMASITHANDANE --"WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHER"

During my Spring 2009 semester I lived, studied and volunteered in Cape

Town, South Africa. Nyanga Township, home of Emasithandane Children‟s Home, is

located about 20 minutes outside of the city. It was here that Mama Zelphina

Maposela was officially able to register “Emasi” as a safe home through the South

African government back in 1994. Now, as is stated on their website,

“Emasithandane” is a home/shelter that provides education, food and moral

programming, for orphans; abandoned, abused and otherwise vulnerable children;

and those infected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Currently there are 39 children

living at Emasi, and the home provides a feeding kitchen for an additional 25

children in the community.”

I recently returned to Cape Town, along with my boyfriend (Lance Woods,

University of Pittsburgh 2011), during the first week of March and stayed for three

weeks. After a successful clothing drive in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, we were

able to take with us approximately 200 children‟s sized sweaters and long-sleeved

shirts to donate to Emasi. In addition, with the help of many generous monetary

donations, we were able to purchase 100 pairs of shoes, diapers, and toys.

Many people seldom realize how cold it can get in South Africa during the

months of May, June, and July. Cold weather clothing is expensive and therefore, as

per their website, Emasi lists warm sweaters as part of their “needs”. For more

information about Emasithandane Children‟s home or to find out ways in which you

can help, please visit their website listed below or contact me for further inquiries.

http://www.emasithandane.org.za/

[email protected]

Camille Raquél Davidson

Board Member: Emasithandane Children‟s Home South Africa

http://www.emasithandane.org.za/

mailto:[email protected]


Gwendolin (Wendi) Bandi is a senior Africana Studies major who is also pursuing a

Bachelor of Philosophy: International and Area Studies (BPHIL:IAS) with a concentration in

Global Governance and Economy. Since her sophomore year, Wendi has been studying

Swahili under Dr. Leonora Anyango-Kivuva. It is through her exposure to Swahili and East

Africa that Wendi chose to become engaged with the local East African community in

Pittsburgh. Wendi has tutored English as a Second Language with the Greater Pittsburgh

Literacy Council (GPLC) and Big Brothers Big Sisters at Arsenal Middle School with Keep It

Real, an on campus ESL tutoring group. Using her background in Swahili language studies,

Africana Studies and international organizations, Wendi chose to focus her research thesis

on The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya‟s Education Sector. With the help

from Dr. “Mwalimu” Leonora Kivuva, Wendi travelled to Eldoret, Kenya to conduct focus

group interviews to supplement her research on NGOs in Kenya. From June –August 2010

worked with a group of researchers at the Institute for Gender Equity, Research and

Development (IGERD) at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. During this time she met with

Minsitry of Education officials, primary school teachers, and education officers at SNV

Netherlands, a Dutch non-governmental organization (NGO) working on education reform in

Eldoret. During her time in Eldoret, Wendi spoke with community leaders and members,

students and families about the effect the post-election violence had on the education sector

in Eldoret. Eldoret is the fifth largest city in Kenya and was hit the hardest in the post-

election violence. Also while in Kenya, Wendi was able to work on her Swahili speaking

skills, studying with the Swahili professor at Moi University and staying at with students at

Moi University and family friends of the Kivuvas.

During Wendi‟s travels, she was able to experience a referendum vote that resulted

in a non-violent decision to pass the resolutions of the proposed constitution. For the last two

weeks of her trip, she stayed in Ngong, about 45 minutes from Nairobi by matatu. She also

was able to visit Naivasha and Hell‟s Gate National Park (the inspiration for Pride Rock in

“The Lion King”). Wendi views her Africana Studies major as an essential aspect to

understanding the dynamics which shape the current affairs and relationships within Africa.

To truly understand politics and socio-economic policies requires an in depth knowledge of

and experience with the people, the language, the history and the culture.

Gwendolin Bandi

Africana Studies Major

Bachelor of Philosophy:

International and Area

Studies (BPHIL:IAS)

Concentration: Global

Governance and Economy

BPhil thesis topic: The Role

of Non-Governmental

Organizations in Kenya’s

Education Sector

Summer 2010


JOHN CHRISTIE-SEARLES

After a corporate executive career spanning 12 years, two

cities (San Francisco and Pittsburgh) and four companies

(three on the Fortune 500 list, one being a management

consultancy), John returned to academia as an administrator

at a liberal arts college in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Through varied contacts with alumni, students, faculty, and

administrators at the college, he was compelled to strive for

higher career advancement through the pursuit of a PhD.

John chose to pursue his PhD at University of Pittsburgh

Graduate School of Public and International Affairs because of its excellence in the

areas of International Development and Public Administration. John was born and

raised in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. He attended Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (SB), The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced

International Studies (MA), and University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School

(MBA).

John‟s research will lead him to travel to Tanzania this summer (through the

support of a University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms Fellowship) in order to

conduct an exploratory study of public-private partnerships between the Tanzanian

Government and nongovernmental organizations with an emphasis on faith-based

organizations. The proposed focus of his dissertation is on the impact of Benedictine

monasticism on the development of the United Republic of Tanzania.

PATRICK YINGLING

Patrick Yingling attended college at Bucknell University in

Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Science in

Management. While at Bucknell, he received a

scholarship to attend the University of Heidelberg in

Germany for duration of one year following graduation

from college. At the University of Heidelberg, he studied

history and German as a foreign language before

returning to the United States to attend law school at the

University of Pittsburgh. In law school, he served as the

Senior Articles Editor of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review and also completed

study abroad programs in Hamburg, Germany and Bologna, Italy.

UPCOMING STUDENT PROJECTS IN AFRICA 2011


After sitting for the bar exam in July 2011, Yingling will fly to Eldoret, Kenya to

teach at Moi University during the first semester of the 2011-2012 academic year. At

Moi University, he will likely teach American Legal Writing and International

Commercial Law. On his return from Kenya, he will begin as an associate attorney at

the international law firm of Reed Smith LLP in January 2012.

CORY J. RODGERS

Cory J. Rodgers is an undergraduate student at the University

of Pittsburgh Honors College majoring in biological sciences,

history and philosophy of Science and Africana Studies and

the certificate in African Studies. He was among the students

who travelled to Tanzania for the Swahili language study and

culture immersion program. He spend 6 weeks in Tanzania

studying the language and carrying out independent

research on AIDs and other related illnesses. He worked with

KADERES and with their assistance he was able to visit health

centers to learn about AIDs from personal stories told to him

by the patients and their families. This year, Cory was named the Samuel Huntington

Public Service Award (SHPSA) Winner. The SHPSA provides a $10,000 stipend to a

graduating college senior to pursue public service anywhere in the world. The

award allows recipients to engage in a meaningful public service activity for one

year before proceeding on to graduate school career. Cory will be undertaking his

public service in Tanzania with the Karagwe Development and Relief Services

(KADERES). His project topic is “The Poultry Program for People Living with HIV

and AIDS in Rwambaizi”. He will spend one year in Tanzania and hopes to join

medical school at Tulane University when he returns home to the United States.

ELIZABETH VAN LOON

I graduated this spring from the Bachelors of Science in

nursing program at the University of Pittsburgh, and have

always been interested in applying what I learned in nursing

school to health care issues in developing countries. As an

undergrad, I served as President of the group Student

Leaders in International Medicine (SLIM) for two years.

Through SLIM, I traveled twice to Lilongwe, Malawi first as a

participant and later as the team leader of our Project Malawi

program. Project Malawi is unique in that it is run completely

by students and involves a significant academic segment and

a month-long service trip to community-based health groups

in Malawi. Over two summers with Project Malawi, I collaborated with other SLIM

members to solicit a large donation from a Pittsburgh Rotary club to build wells in


Malawi as well as several road race fund raisers held in Pittsburgh that were used to

start small businesses at the community sites we visited. I also completed a

Brackenridge Research Fellowship at the University Honors College that involved

interviews with Malawian healthcare workers to expand my knowledge of the

challenges they face.

By working with the Pittsburgh Rotary Club on the well project in Malawi, I learned

about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program and applied. I was accepted

for the 2011-2012 academic year and given a placement at the University of Nairobi,

Kenya. I plan to move to Nairobi this October and pursue a Master's in Public Health.

My goal is to become involved in infectious disease research at the University of

Nairobi and volunteer in the community using my skills as a nurse. I am extremely

grateful for the help given to me by Nate Hilberg and Judy Zang at the Honors

College, as well as Linda Holden and Judith Matthews at the School of Nursing for

their help.

NINA ELIZABETH WEAVER

Nina Elizabeth Weaver graduated this spring 2011 from the

University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree

in International& Area Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in

history through Pitt‟s Honors College and School of Arts and

Sciences. She also received certificates in African Studies,

Global Studies as well as in Nonprofit Management. Her thesis

for the Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil) focuses on the historical

shifts in national educational policy in Tanzania for primary and

secondary schools from independence until the most

recent1995 policy that is used today. She is particularly

interested in the current Tanzanian educational policy. She examines the

transformations of the conceptual definition of „relevant education‟ in educational

policy and the corresponding educational policy shifts of the general approaches in

the national curriculum. She aims to discern the impact that these historical shifts

have had upon student and teacher definitions of relevant education and their

perceptions of its role within the national educational policy. Nina was among the

students who participated in the Pitt-in-Tanzania Cultural immersion study abroad

program in summer 2010. She studied Swahili and had opportunities to visit schools

and non-profit organizations dealing with educational issues. She did independent

research as part of her research study project for her B.Phil thesis. Nina was among

the four students at the University who received the 2010-2011 Rotary Ambassadorial

Scholarships to study abroad for one year. Nina will be studying at the University of

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania beginning September 2011.


PINIEL BERHANE

Piniel Berhane is a sophomore at the University of

Pittsburgh in the college of Business Administration,

majoring in Finance and pursuing certificates in the African

and Global Studies Programs. She has received the

University Honors College (UHC) scholarship award that

will enable her pursue a research study in Ghana in

summer 2011. Her proposed research project is titled

“How microfinance loans are benefiting the beneficiaries

as well as contributing to the improvement of Ghana’s

economy”. She will be working as an intern for the

Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa (VPWA), a non-

profit NGO. VPWA aims to promote better life

opportunities for people in under privileged communities through providing

education, health, sanitation and sustainable development. The work of VPWA is

based on a collective commitment to support the principles of the UN Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) and therefore uses an integrated approach to

sustainable development. Piniel will particularly focus on the concept of

microfinancing and its impact on the economic empowerment of women and rural

communities in Ghana specifically and in Africa generally.

RACHEL ANN MURRAY

“I didn't just want to learn about other cultures - I wanted to experience them”.

Rachel Murray was an undergraduate at the

University of Pittsburgh, School of Arts &

Sciences majoring in Neuroscience with a minor

in chemistry. She also received certificates in

Global Health, African Studies and Conceptual

Foundations of Medicine. She graduated on May

1st 2011. She left for Sierra Leone on May 31st as a

Peace Corps volunteer where she will be

teaching secondary education science. After 3

months of training in Makeni, she will be

evaluated, sworn in, and placed in a town/village.

Rachael Murray grew up in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, Latrobe

(also known as the best (technically) city in the world). She found keen interest in

meeting people worldwide. Her love for meeting different people grew and this led

her to pursue a Global Health certificate along with a Neuroscience major, chemistry

minor, and certificates in African Studies and Conceptual Foundations of Medicine at

the University of Pittsburgh. During her course of study, she went for a study abroad

program in Tanzania. Rachael applied and got accepted into the Peace Corps


program in September 2010. Peace Corps Volunteers live, learn, and work with a

community overseas for 27 months, providing technical assistance in six program

areas: education, youth and community development, health, business and

information and communications technology, agriculture, and environment. Rachel

will be in education serving as a science teacher.

"We must put faith and love into action to make them real, to make them come alive for

people." - Milliard Fuller

SIGEE T. KOECH

Sigee T. Koech graduated from Moi University Eldoret with LLB

undergraduate degree in Law. She is currently a graduate

student at the University of Pittsburgh Law School pursuing

LLM in Law & Legal Studies with concentration on International

Trade, Business & Arbitration Law. She worked as a legal

assistant at Hamilton Harrison and Matthew Advocates, a law

firm in Nairobi, Kenya, for 2 years before coming to the

University of Pittsburgh. Koech is a recipient of a tuition

fellowship from the University Center for International Studies

(UCIS) and a Franklin West Inc housing fellowship.

She pursued her 2011 summer internship at H.J. Heinz

Corporation in the Corporate Counsel's -Department and will be going back to

Kenya to rejoin Hamilton Harrison and Mathews upon completing her program at pit.

SILVER FRANCIS OONYU

Silver Francis Oonyu is a graduate student

from Uganda, in the School of Education in the

Department of Instruction and Learning. He is

enrolled in the Vision Studies Program (VSP).

For his research he is interested in examining

the learning difficulties of blind children in

Uganda. Prior to coming to the University of

Pittsburgh, he was a student at Makerere

University in Uganda where he received a

bachelor‟s degree in Education specializing in

history and religious studies. In 2009, Francis

was one of 12 students out of 4,000 applicants who was awarded the Ford Foundation

Scholarship to study in the United States.

Francis lost his vision when he was four

STUDENTS FROM AFRICA IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT PITT


years old due to complications from measles. According to the World Health

Organization (WHO), scarring from measles is a leading cause of blindness in

under-developed countries, according to the World Health Organization. Africa is

home to an estimated 300,000 blind children. So prolific is measles that one Uganda

tribe named it Akwap, or „disease of the wind.‟

Silver has adjusted well to life in Pittsburgh. He says his biggest shock at Pit

was the talking computer that he had to use in his course work. “I had never used or

even seen a computer” he says, “but now one year later I even text my friends using

my cell phone…”Another unforgettable experience for Silver was the Pittsburgh

winter and the snow. It was a remarkable experience for Silver who for the first time

felt the kiss of snowflakes that he cannot see. During a break between classes at

BVRS, someone told Francis it was snowing. He sprinted outside, turned his face

upward and grinned as snowflakes began to land. Until then his face had only known

rain and the sting of hail. How does it feel, someone accustomed to winter wanted to

know, to touch snow for the first time? “It feels soft. It feels light and cold,” he said,

“Very, very cold”. He loved it!

After Silver graduates he wants to return to his home country to help others who

are blind and vision impaired.

“I dream to set up a center where they who want jobs, they who want skills,

they who want training, they who want to learn, will come and a blind man will

help them,” he said.

But first, Francis is learning independence-building techniques at Blind and

Vision Rehabilitation Services (BVRS). He is learning to use adaptive computers and

learning to use a white cane through orientation and mobility classes so he will be

prepared for life and studies at Pitt and to fulfill his dream in his home country of

Uganda. He credits his progress in his academic and personal life to new friends that

he has met in Pittsburgh. You can read more about his incredible story at

http://www.pghvis.org/FrancisStory.asp

Silver Frances and Barb walking to School

“… I was fortunate to meet

two new friends at my

apartment building when I

was having a hard time

finding the key hole at my

apartment. My new friend

Barbara, the wife of a part-

time professor at Pitt,

assisted me in opening the

door. Since then I have

become very good friends

with Barb and her husband.

They are assisting me learn

many things and a

appreciate them.”

http://www.pghvis.org/FrancisStory.asp


CHARLES LWANGA

Charles Lwanga is a Ugandan who grew up in Kampala, the capital city of

Uganda. He is a Fulbright/PhD student of composition and theory, and the new

director of the University of Pittsburgh‟s African Music and Dance Ensemble. He

holds an M.A in music composition, a B.A (first class honors) in music, a post-

graduate diploma (first class honors) in education, a diploma in Music, Dance and

Drama, and a diploma in Law. He is an assistant lecturer in music at Makerere

University in Uganda, whose composition interest entails the blending of his

indigenous musical materials with European musical idioms. Charles is also a master

drummer and specialist in most African instruments, as well as a clinician in African

music, dance, and multicultural Music Education

He has studied composition with Justinian

Tamusuza, Mathew Rosenblum, Amy William,

Trevor Bjorklund, and Eric Moe. Having

experienced and interacted with both African

and Western/European musical idioms in

theory and as a performer, Charles believes in

an intercultural approach to composition as

inspired by Bartók, Reich, Tamusuza, and Akin

Euba among others. He believes in making use

of field materials in compositions as one of the

ways of preservation through creative

musicology/ composition. As the director of the African Music and Dance Ensemble,

Lwanga has contributed to the diverse intercultural atmosphere of the University of

Pittsburgh by teaching African music and dance to students and members of the

community, as well as organizing and performing during concerts at Bellefield

auditorium every fall and spring term. Upon completion of his doctoral training,

Lwanga will resume his job as assistant professor at Makerere University in Uganda,

where he has been teaching since 2002. He is currently at the University of

Pittsburgh on a Fulbright scholarship.

Students from all over the university participate in musical

activities and performances and are often joined by their

faculty and members of the community at large. To your left

is a picture of one of the students on the drums during the

African Drumming Ensemble performance and the Director

Charles Lwanga also on the

drums.


The Pitt African Ensemble was founded in 1983 by Ghanaian ethnomusicologist

Willie O. Anku as an African drumming ensemble. Presently directed by Charles

Lwanga, the ensemble now known as the Pitt African Music and Dance Ensemble

(PAMDE) specializes in music and dances from Africa. It introduces students to

various techniques of drumming, dancing, and other artistic expressions of Africa.

Through drumming, voice, dance, and other musical and visual art forms, this

ensemble brings to the stage a unique African theatrical experience. Besides being

a class, PAMDE is a recognized student organization (known as the Pitt African

Drumming Club), in which members of various departments come together to share

and celebrate the performing arts and cultures of Africa

COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF KARAGWE DEVELOPMENT AND

RELIEF SERVICES (KADERES), TANZANIA

MR. LEONARD KACHEBONAHO, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, KADERES

October 13th, 2010

Mr. Leonard kachebonaho discussed the work

of KADERES, the impact it has had on rural

populations, the challenges and opportunities

for sustainable development in rural Tanzania.

KADERES is a Non-Governmental

Organization (NGO) based in Kagera Region

of Tanzania serving rural communities in

Karagwe. It works with rural communities in

the fight against poverty through providing

services in three key areas which were

covered by Mr. Kachebonaho in his

presentation: Clean water Clinics and health

centers, and Micro financing. These are important aspects and very critical for

sustainable development in rural Africa. According to Mr. Kachebonaho, they strive

to provide tanks that provide clean, easily accessible water to help prevent diseases

and sustain good health. They provide clinics and health centers to help cure

illnesses and save lives in the rural areas where big government hospitals are

inaccessible. The work with rural communities to provide micro finance centers

located in rural villages so that peasants and the impoverished have the opportunity

to invest and save their money for the future of their families. Mr. Kachebonaho

discussed the importance of rural communities at the grassroots in development

programs. Some of our students have done internships at KADERES and were happy

to host Mr. Kachebonaho at the University of Pittsburgh.

AFRICAN STUDIES LECTURE SERIES


Some of the Africanist faculty

members in attendance in the

picture from the left:

Dr. Christophas Walker is an

Assistant Professor & Director of

Frederick Douglass Institute at

Slippery Rock University. He is also

a pitt alum, School of Education. Dr.

John Weidman is a professor of

Education at the University of

Pittsburgh and a member of the

African Studies Program Advisory

Board.

“A KENYAN'S DANGEROUS INVESTIGATION TO EXPOSE EXTRAJUDICIAL

KILLINGS, SUMMARY AND ARBITRARY DISAPPEARANCES–MR. JOHN

IMANENE “A REFUGEE FOR JUSTICE FROM A RE-BORN NATION”

October 27th 2010

Mr. John Imanene presented a public lecture on the

topic “A Kenyan‟s dangerous investigation to expose

extrajudicial killings, summary and arbitrary

disappearances”. He shared his experiences with

students and faculty who attended the event. His

presentation focused on what happened in Kenya when

Mr. Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the

presidential election on December 27, 2007.

Supporters of the opposition candidates suspected that

the results were rigged following unfair voting

practices. To show their dissent, the opposition held

many protests both violent and non-violent. The

ethnically diverse country erupted into violence with

ethnic groups fighting between each other. The United Nations was brought in to

intervene and quell the violence that had erupted. Many people lost their lives

during this post-election violence.

Mr. Imanene (Notre Dame LL.M. class of 2010) talked about his experience as

the lead investigator for the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR)

of extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances in Kenya. His investigations lead

to a report which found the Kenyan security forces complicit in the extra-judicial

killings of over 500 civilians. These findings were subsequently corroborated by the

findings of NYU law Professor Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-

From Left: Christophas Walker, Leonard Kachebonaho, Macrina

Lelei , John Weidman


judicial, summary or arbitrary executions. The two reports were presented to the

11th session of UN Human Rights Council where the Government of Kenya,

represented by five cabinet ministers, acknowledged government complicity in the

killings which started in 2000. As a result the Government undertook to reform the

judiciary, the police force and the entire criminal justice system.

Mr. Imanene was in Pittsburgh on the

invitation of the Pitt Amnesty

International Club of the Allegheny

College chapter of Amnesty. The visit

to Pitt was coordinated by the faculty

advisor Dr. Eve Wider, who is the Head

of the Business and GSPIA/Economics

Libraries at the University of Pittsburgh.

EDUCATION AND HEALTH ISSUES IN CAMEROON:A PEACE CORP’S STORY

A Presentation by Angela Ayukachale, Drexel University, Philadelphia

February 10th, 2011

Angela Ayukachale was born and raised in Philadelphia,

PA. She attended North Carolina A&T State University

where she received her Bachelors‟ degree in Biology.

One year after completing her degree she entered the

Peace Corps and spent 2 years in Cameroon, Africa -

teaching Biology to 7 & 8 graders. Upon her return to the

U.S, she worked for 7 years before obtaining a Master‟s

degree in Public Health in 2008. She is the Emergency

Room HIV Coordinator at Drexel University. She was in

the Pittsburgh area for the UCIS International

Connections event for High School Students from the

Pittsburgh Schools. She spoke to the HS students about her experiences and

encouraged the youth to serve in the Peace Corp like she did. She was also invited

by the African Studies program to speak to students about her experiences in

Cameroon.

From left: Eve Wider; John Imanene; Macrina Lelei


The Republic of Cameroon is a country of West-Central Africa. The

former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the

present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the

development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.

Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in

the hands of President Paul BIYA. Cameroon has one of the highest literacy rates in

Africa. However, the country's progress is hampered by a level of corruption that is

among the highest in the world. In 1986 Cameroon made the world headlines when

poisonous gases escaped from Lake Nyos, killing nearly 2,000 people.

The peace corps has had a continuous presence in Cameroon since 1962

focusing on education and rural development. Mrs. Ayukachale discussed education

and health issues based on her two-year experience as a peace corps and from

stories narrated to her by her husband‟s family who live in Cameroon. Most of our

students planning to study in Africa or wanting to join the Peace Corps attended the

lecture.

“GOD SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME IN AFRICA”: RELIGION,

EDUCATION, AND AMERICAN EVANGELICALS IN EAST AFRICA”

By Dr. Amy Stambach, University of Wisconsin Madison

March 31st, 2011

Amy Stambach is Professor of Educational Policy Studies at

the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is also an

affiliate of the Department of Anthropology and Director of

the Global Studies Program. Her early research and

publications (including her first book Lessons from Mount

Kilimanjaro: Schooling, Community, and Gender in East

Africa) are the result of two years of anthropological

fieldwork in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. More

recently, she has expanded her interests to include a study of

the educational initiatives of trans-regional religious groups who work in

governmental and private settings. This research informs several recent

publications, including her recent book, Faith in Schools: Religion, Education, and

American Evangelicals in East Africa. Dr. Stambach was at the University of

Pittsburgh as a visiting scholar to serve as an external member of the examination

committee for Nina Weaver who was defending her thesis for the completion of her

Bachelor of Philosophy degree in International & Area Studies. Nina‟s area of interest

is Africa and her thesis topic focuses on the historical shifts in national educational

policy in Tanzania for primary and secondary schools from independence until the

most recent 1995 policy used today.


Dr. Stambach gave a lecture presentation largely discussing her research

work in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. She focused on religion,

education and American evangelism in East Africa. She provided background

information about how American Evangelicals have long considered Africa a

welcoming place for joining faith with social action, but their work overseas is often

ambivalently received. Even among East African Christians who share missionaries'

religious beliefs, understandings vary over the promises and pitfalls of American

Evangelical involvement in public life and schools. She drew largely from her first-

hand account doing research in East Africa. She discussed missionary involvement

in East Africa from the perspectives of both Americans and East Africans.

NEO-LIBERAL DEMOCRACY ON THE CROSS: MULTIPARTISM AND

THE CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRACY IN KENYA

By Dr. Joshua Kivuva, University of Nairobi – Kenya

April 22nd, 2011

Joshua Kivuva is a Fulbright Scholar and Alum of

the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of

Public & International Affairs (GSPIA). He is

currently an assistant professor at the University of

Nairobi, Department of Political Science and

Public Administration. Dr. Kivuva delivered a

lecture presentation on Friday April 22, 2011 to

students and faculty at the University of

Pittsburgh. He discussed the neo-liberal

democratic system introduced in Africa by the

“Third Wave” and how it has failed to democratize

the continent. According to Dr. Kivuva, while the

multiparty systems have expanded political spaces, allowed more political parties

and regularized elections in many African countries, the expanded political spaces

have not succeeded in institutionalizing or consolidating democracy. Rather, the

contradictions of democracy and the opening up of political spaces in the continent

have led to a gradual institutionalism and other anti-democratic practices. Dr. Kivuva

was a visiting scholar at the University of Pittsburgh to serve as an external examiner

for Ms. Gwendolin Bandi‟s thesis for the Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil) awarded by

the University Honors College. Ms. Bandi was a major of Africana Studies and Area

Studies in addition to her B.Phil degree. She conducted research in Kenya under the

guidance of Dr. Kivuva. Her research topic: “The impact of Non-Governmental

Organizations on the Implementation of Education Policies in Kenya.” Dr. Kivuva


also gave a presentation at the Honor‟s College on the topic “Adapting to a new

constitution in Kenya: Redesigning and restructuring institutional governance.”

“REINVENTING PEACE:

AN ANALYTICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE DEMOBILIZATION AND

REINTEGRATION OF EX-COMBATANT SOLDIERS IN RWANDA”

Zachary Karazsia is a Master of International

Development student, specializing in Human Security

concerns in sub-Saharan Africa; principally in Rwanda and

Congo-Kinshasa. Karazsia has spent time in Rwanda

researching the 1994 Rwanda genocide, and the psychosocial

impacts of the genocide on Rwandan residents and

subsequent DDR programs. Karazsia has obtained Bachelors

of Arts degrees in Global Studies and Communication Arts &

Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University. For his

certificate in the African Studies program, Zachary presented his paper on,

“Reinventing Peace: An Analytical Perspective of the Demobilization and Reintegration

of Ex-Combatant Soldiers in Rwanda”. Karazsia plans to draft a paper concerning

individual human security dimensions and there inherent linkages in developing

nations, and the impact these dimensions have on future DDR programs which effect

the aggregate advancement of the Global South.

“HIPSTERS, BOBOS, AFROPOLITANS, AND

THE EMERGENT TRANSNATIONAL AFROBEAT CULTURE"

Oyebade Dosunmu holds a PhD in ethnomusicology and a graduate certificate in

Africana studies from the University of Pittsburgh. A 2007 Andrew Mellon

Predoctoral Fellow, he has conducted extensive ethnographic research in several

contemporary Afrobeat scenes, including New York City, San

Francisco and Lagos. His dissertation, Afrobeat, Fela and Beyond:

Scenes, Style and Ideology, chronicles afrobeat‟s transnational

networks, and discusses processes of stylistic, ideological and

cultural affiliation that have shaped such networks. Oyebade has

delivered papers at various academic conferences in the United

States, Europe and Nigeria. He has reviewed journal articles,

contributed a chapter to the Festschrift, Multiple Interpretations of

ANNUAL STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM


Dynamics of Creativity and Knowledge in African Music Traditions, in honor of Dr. Akin

Euba, and written for the non-profit organization Afropop Worldwide. His research

interests include Transnationalism in music, music and politics and the aesthetics of

Afropolitan cultural production.

“SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURAL TOURISM:

EXPLOITATION OR EXPLORATION”

Camille Davidson was an undergraduate student at the

University of Pittsburgh (Alumni 2010). She majored in

Africana Studies/Political Science and also earned a

certificate in African Studies Certificate. She

graduated Summa Cum Laude. she studied abroad at the

University of Cape Town, South Africa in 2009 and

studied abroad in Kenya during the summer of 2010. She

will attend Yale University for graduate school beginning

in the fall.

“SOMALIA’S EXTERNAL CHALLENGES TO

FUNCTIONAL GOVERNANCE”

Geoff Heiple is an MPPM student concentrating in

Security and Intelligence Studies and African Studies. A

native of Johnstown, PA, he was commissioned a Second

Lieutenant of Armor in the United States Army upon his

graduation from the University of Notre Dame in 2001 where

he received a B.A. in Government & International Studies.

Geoff worked as a Supply Management Specialist on

the V-22 Osprey Program for Bell Helicopter Textron in Fort

Worth, TX from August 2005-August 2006. He departed Bell

and entered Duquesne University School of Law, graduating

with honors in 2010. During law school, he worked for one

year as a tipstaff for the Honorable Jeffrey A. Manning of the

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and interned for

U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti, summer 2009.

He became a full-time assistant professor of military science with the Three Rivers

Battalion in February 2008. Geoff continues to serve in that position in addition to

practicing law.


“ACHIEVING THE MDG’S BY 2015: AN IMPLEMENTATION DILEMMA”

Eric Eghan graduated from Pitt with Bachelors of Art in

Economics and Africana Studies in 2009. He graduated

with a Master‟s degree from the University of

Pittsburgh, School of Social Work (MSW) 2011 with

concentration in Community Organization and Social

Administration (COSA), School of Social Work. He has

personally done extensive research on the Millennium

Development Goals and has attended several MDG

Summits. He is an avid advocate for the MDGs at School

of Social Work classrooms, campus organizations, and

conferences. His research focuses on the MDGs with a

special interest on poverty fighting strategies. In July

2011 he will be beginning work for the ONE campaign, a grassroots advocacy and

campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease,

particularly in Africa, by raising public awareness and pressuring political leaders

to support smart and effective policies and programs that are saving lives, helping to

put kids in school and improving futures. Eric is passionate about Africa‟s progress

and welfare. Eric was the former president of the Pan-African Graduate and

Professional Student Union (PanAf GPSU) – the official Black Graduate Student

Association at Pitt. He is currently the president of the Campus Chapter of the ONE

Campaign

“HOW FOOD FUELS THE APPETITES OF THE CORRUPT: A MAJOR

CAUSE OF FOOD SECURITY ISSUES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA”

Rachael Long is a graduate student at University of

Pittsburgh‟s Graduate School for Public and

International Affairs receiving a Master in

International Development with a major in Non-

Governmental Organizations and Civil Society, a

minor in Human Security, and certificate in African

Studies. Her research interests lie in Sub-Saharan

Africa with a focus on governance, anti-corruption

initiatives, and development in post-conflict

environments. She has had prior experience

interning for Bright Kids Uganda (BKU) located

outside of Entebbe, Uganda. Bright Kids Uganda is a

local non-profit both founded and directed by Victoria Namusisi Nalongo. According

to Rachel, “…one of the major learning outcomes of this internship was experiencing

firsthand the difficulties that small, grassroots organizations face in developing

countries. More importantly, I saw how powerful small development organizations

can be and the way that they positively impact the lives of individuals who receive


services from them. By providing great opportunities to children who would

otherwise be ignored, Bright Kids Uganda strengthens the future of Uganda.

Working in the field and traveling throughout Uganda gave me invaluable

experiences and a unique insight into the world of international development as well

as an advanced understanding of the challenges and benefits of a career in this

field.” In her presentation she focused on food security issues and how food can be

used to establish power or as a cause for corruption by government regimes. She

used case examples of the food corruption scandals in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and

Kenya among others and how this impacts on the most vulnerable populations.

“LEGAL AND SOCIETAL INJUSTICE:

GENDER INEQUALITY AND LAND RIGHTS IN TANZANIA”

Caitlin Newman is a master‟s degree candidate in

International Development with a major in Non-

Governmental Organizations and Civil Society and a

certificate in African Studies at University of Pittsburgh‟s

Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

For her research, she is primarily interested in

harmful cultural practices which impede upon gender

equality, specifically in East Africa. Previous research

topics include female genital cutting, obstetric fistula, and

gender disparities in secondary school completion rates.

Last summer 2010, Caitlin participated in the Pitt in Tanzania Swahili program and

also completed an internship in Karagwe, Tanzania where she worked with the

Women Emancipation and Development Agency (WOMEDA). She worked with the

site facilitator in Karagwe, a local translator, and the Executive Director of WOMEDA

Mr. Juma Masisi. Her research focus was to examine how women can or might be

able to more easily access land ownership in rural Karagwe (WOMEDA is currently

exploring the idea of shared farming plots). Caitlin shadowed the ED. Met with other

women‟s rights NGOs doing work in the region, met with women struggling to gain

land rights, and submit a technical report to WOMEDA on the status of women and

land ownership in rural Karagwe. Caitlin in her presentation shared her experiences

living and working in Karagwe and the findings of her research and the report she

prepared for WOMEDA. She hopes to join the world of International Development

and believes that the exposure and experience she has received is invaluable.


A total of 21 undergraduate and 7 graduates received the certificate in African

Studies on April 14th during the graduation reception held at the WPU in the Cross-

Cultural Leadership and Development (CCLD) Lounge. By the time the

photographer (K.C. Euler) took the picture, most of the students had left. We

apologize to all our graduates who are not in the picture. But all the names are listed

in this newsletter. Congratulations to everyone and we wish you every success as

you begin your professional and or academic careers. For those of you travelling to

Africa for job or study opportunities, we wish you well. Keep us posted on what you

are doing and we will continue to brag about you to incoming students as we

encourage them to enroll for the African Studies Program certificate.

THE CERTIFICATE IN AFRICAN STUDIES RECIPIENTS

From Left: L. Caitlin, Julie, Rachael, Maria, Oyebade, Belen, Saleemah, OluSesi, Nina, and Gwendolin


Undergraduate Students Spring 2011

Olusesi Aliu

School of Arts &Sciences

Africana Studies & French

Sarah Bakhit


Political Sciences & German

Gwendolin J. Bandi

School of Arts & Sciences

Africana Studies

Allyson Marie Barnett


French

Sarah Louise Crisp


Psychology

Michael George Daniel


Chemistry/History

Katharine Delay


History

Sara G. Dufner


Anthropology

Saleemah Y. Flythe‟


Chemistry

Sarah C. Grill


History

Imani J. Harper


Africana /Political Science

Janelle Nichole Johnson


Africana, Psychology and Sociology

Aurielle Marie McCauley


Chemistry

Belen Habte Michael


Neuroscience/Psychology

Rachel Ann Murray


Neuroscience/Chemistry

Elizabeth Marie Navratil


English writing /French

Yewande T. Olugbade


Biological Sci/Chemistry

Cory J. Rodgers


Biological Sciences, Conceptual Fields of

Medicine, Chemistry

Meghan Barbara Rogers


Anthropology/French

Nina Elizabeth Weaver


International Studies, History/French


Graduate Students Spring 2011

Oyebade Ajibola Dosunmu

Department of Music, Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology

Geoffrey John Heiple

Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)

Master of Public Policy & Management (MPPM) concentrating in Security and Intelligence

Studies

Rachael Quinn Long


Master of International Development (MID) with a major in Non-Governmental

Organizations and Civil Society, a minor in Human Security

L. Caitlin Newman


Masters of International Development (MED) with a major in Non-Governmental

Organizations and Civil Society

Maria Paz Ortega Rodriguez


Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA)with a major in Human Security

Julie Blaskowski Savane


Masters of International Development (MED) majoring in NGOs and Civil Society

Emily E. Thurston


Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) majoring in Human Security

Undergraduate Students December 2010 Graduate Students December 2010

Marie Evangeline Berube


History & French

Davidson, Camille


Political Science & Africana Studies

Ashley Beckett

Graduate School of Public and

International Affairs (GSPIA)

Master of International Development

(MID), Majoring in Post Conflict

Reconstruction


Initiative for Sustainable African Development (ISAD)

When the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)

announced support for new student groups, it was a golden opportunity for students

to create unique social forums. For ISAD, the new student initiative fund would allow

African students to institutionalize a passion for their homelands. ISAD was

developed to explore alternative approaches to African development issues. It is

one of the first student groups at GSPIA to focus exclusively on African topics. As a

student group, ISAD hopes to focus on the synergistic aspect of participation;

students are encouraged to engage in discussions about Africa by honing their own

interests. The group consists of a number of “PODS” focused on particular policy

areas including the impacts of the financial crisis on Africa, the Millennium

Development Goals, governance, and post-conflict initiatives. “As future policy

leaders, it is important to participate in policy dialogue,” stated Ngalula Kapinga

Kabundi. “ISAD provides an organized research venue to create and present policy

solutions for a key region.” Board members hope to share their cultural ties with

other GSPIA students. The group hopes that the policy POD structure fosters unique

solutions to enduring problems in Africa. GSPIA‟s diverse student body and

research tools could greatly add to the creativity of policy proposals. “We can‟t

afford to be divisive in creating solutions,” stated Rosemary Muliokela. “More

insight will lead to bigger and better solutions”. Policy proposals will be presented

and published throughout the year.

African Students Organization (ASO)

ASO is an African Students Organization based at the University of

Pittsburgh‟s main campus. The members of the organization comprise staff, faculty,

and students of various ethnic backgrounds interested in African affairs at Pitt in

surrounding universities such as CMU and Duquesne. ASO is committed to creating

and maintaining a cohesive African community in Pittsburgh and the surrounding

regions as well as organizing various forums to share information about and develop

an understanding of the economic, social and political development needs of Africa.

STUDENT GROUPS AFFILIATED TO ASP


Student Leaders in International Medicine (SLIM)

SLIM fosters interest in issues and professions within the realms of

international medicine and global health. The hope is to give students a route to

further their interest and advance their education in such topics through networking,

experiential learning and volunteering. The ultimate goal of SLIM is to progress and

amplify the development of health care professionals that are looking to spread their

knowledge beyond the borders of the United States. Members of this organization

interact as family, helping one another to achieve their own personal and

professional goals in global health.

Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment

(FORGE)

The purpose of FORGE is to advocate for refugees and the poor. The

organization has four underlying objectives: FORGE educates the University of

Pittsburgh community, the Pittsburgh community, and the nation about the

challenges facing these vulnerable populations. FORGE members advocate for

solutions to refugee problems. FORGE provides opportunities for refugees to

advocate for themselves by sharing refugee artwork and messages with the

community. FORGE empowers both students and refugees as agents of social

change.

Keep It Real (KIR)

The mission of KIR is to provide quality, personal tutoring to support the

educational development and cultural adjustment of refugee kids and their families

in the Pittsburgh communities. It is a student-run volunteer organization at the

University of Pittsburgh comprised of over 85 dedicated members, the vast majority

of whom are undergraduates at PITT. Although the tutors stretch across a wide

range of majors and backgrounds, they all share an enthusiasm that has earned KIR

the reputation as one of the most involved and fun-loving organizations on campus.

What they do:

After school tutoring at Arsenal M.S. twice a week in coordination with Big

Brothers, Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh.

After school programming with MGR Foundation‟s Murals program at Arsenal

M.S. once a week

In-home tutoring for Somali Bantu families in Lawrenceville

Site-based tutoring for refugee kids in Greentree.


Model African Union (MAU)

The University of Pittsburgh students interested in African Affairs have

organized the MAU group composed of the Executive Council and the members.

MAU at Pitt is recruiting students interested in serving as delegates in the

simulations. The Model African Union is essentially a simulation of the proceedings

of the African Union, augmented by pre-conference study at home institutions and

Embassy briefings in Washington, D.C. It provides a unique opportunity for

university and college students to study the role, structure and activities of the

African Union as well as the economic, social, and political-security issues facing

African countries. Through simulation, students gain a better and clearer

understanding of the capabilities and constraints that shape the policies of AU

member states in the arena of intra-African diplomacy on issues of mutual concern.

In addition to a prepared agenda containing these issues, students in the Executive

Council grapple with a contemporary crisis to be revealed at the Model.

On February 24-27, 2011, a group of seven students attended the Ninth Annual

National MAU in Washington D.C at the Washington Plaza Hotel: Abena Botwe-

Asamoah; Jessica Collazo; Scott Crawford; Katharine Daley; Eric Eghan, and Dillon

Narry. The students attended the event under the leadership of Ronald A. Gray,

Assistant Director, Leadership Development & Greek Affairs and Nosakhere Griffin-

El, Graduate student in the School of Education. (Picture included). The group was

the delegation of Ghana. They performed very well in their roles and were one of

three delegations that received the most points in all categories of the competition.

They received the Outstanding Delegation Award. This is an indication that they

were well prepared to serve as the Ghana Delegation.

Please e-mail Scott Crawford at [email protected] if you are interested in

participating or if you have any questions/concerns. This is a great opportunity that

we hope many students can take advantage of.

Pitt students at the MAU in

Washington D.C. with their

faculty leaders and the

Embassy of Ghana

representative

From Left front row: :

Nosakhere Griffin-El, Abena

Botwe-Asamoah, Jessica

Collazo, Kojo Boatend

(Embassy of Ghana), Katharine

Daley, Dillon Narry

Back row from left: Ronal A.

Gray (group leader), Eric

Eghan and Scott Crawford.

February 24 -27, Washington

D.C, the Washington Plaza

Hotel


SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL AFRICAN STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (NASA)

CONFERENCE, DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA

Three Pitt students who are also members of the

African Students Organization (ASO) -(Fata

Karva, Sarah Amanfu and Onaopemipo Dina),

participated in a 3-day conference (March 18-

20, 2011) organized by the National African

Students Association (ASA) at Daytona Beach,

Florida. The guest speaker was Her Excellency

Amina Salium Mahama. Other dignitaries

present were Angelle Kwemo (Counsel for

Congressman Booby L. Rush, Senior member of

the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee) and Justin Jones Fosu (CEO, Justin

Inspires). The conference brought together more than 200 African students across

the United States to discuss, learn, share and think about development opportunities

and challenges of Africa.

Outreach is an important component of the African Studies Program

objectives. The program directs, develops and coordinates interdisciplinary

instruction, research and outreach on Africa to schools, the church communities,

local communities and other organizations as requested. Our outreach agenda

includes a variety of activites with the goal to improve the teaching of Africa in

schools at the K-12, college, and university level, and also to the general community.

Faculty and students participate in giving presentations on Africa to the mentioned

institutions and other diversity settings around the Pittsburgh area, as well as

offering individual consultations to educators and other groups. This academic year

ASP collaborated with schools, churches and with the World Affairs Council of

Pittsburgh to offer presentations about Africa in a variety of settings and forums.

Outreach is a great way to increase awareness about Africa.

ASP STUDENTS ATTENDING CONFERENCES

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES


International Women’s Day March 8, 2011

The IWD is a global celebration of the economic, political, and social

achievement of women, past, present and future. The first IWD events were run in

Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911 and attended by over one

million people. 100 years on, IWD has become a global mainstream phenomena

celebrated across many countries. During this year‟s celebrations in Pittsburgh, the

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and the YWCA‟s Center for Race and Gender

Equity organized an event that composed of a panel discussion and reception

commemorating the 100th anniversary of International Women‟s Day! The African

Studies program was a co-sponsor of the event and some of our faculty and students

attended and participated in the presentations and discussions of the main theme

“Women Around the World: Achievements and Challenges Today”. Dr. Macrina

Lelei, the current Interim Director of ASP was among the diverse group of

international women speakers who provided their perspectives on major

contemporary issues confronting women around the world. What are some “success

stories” that highlight how women‟s lives are improving on a global scale? What are

the main challenges that women still face today - politically, economically, and

socially? How can we work together to find sustainable solutions in bettering the

lives of women and girls around the globe?

In her presentation, Dr. Lelei not only

discussed the challenges facing African

women in development but the opportunities

and the progress that African women have

made in a relatively short period since

independence in African countries. She talked

about the hope that has been demonstrated by

influential African women such as Professor

Wangari Maathai (2004 Noble Peace Prize

winner),Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (the 24th President of Liberia and the first elected

female Head of State in Africa), rural women promoting change in their communities

citing the example of the Mozambican National Association for Rural Women

Development a local organiztion working on improving life circumstances for rural

women in Mozambique and other such organizations across the continent. She also

cited a host of the young generation of women activitists across the continent

promoting change for development.

Annual Student Ambassador Conference May 3, 2011

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh held its annual Student Ambassador

Conference in Oakland at the University of Pittsburgh‟s David Lawrence Hall. The

Student Ambassador Program is a two-part program designed to familiarize middle


school students with global issues and cultures through interaction with foreign

nationals or regional experts. The program consists of International Speaker Visits to

participating schools and culminates in a Conference with keynote and breakout

speakers. The 2011 Student Ambassador Program focused on Africa. Among the

University of Pittsburgh students who were invited as speakers for the breakout

sessions were: Olusesi T. Ali from Senegal (Undergraduate, School of Arts&

Sciences, majoring in Africana Studies & French); Sarah Amanfu from Ghana

(Graduate, School of Education - Social and Comparative Analysis in Education):

Charles Lwanga from Uganda (Doctoral candidate, school of Music Composition and

Theory); and Rebecca Cech ( Doctoral candidate of Literature and Critical Studies,

English Department).

The breakout out speakers from Africa

represented their countries of origin and

conducted interactive sessions with

students from over 20 schools with their

school teachers/representatives by

sharing, teaching short languages,

organizing game activities and

presentations on the different cultures of

their countries of origin (Senegal, Ghana

and Uganda) and shared their experiences. The conference began at 9:00am with a

welcome performance from Charles Lwanga (Director, African Music and Dance

Ensemble) and his ensemble from the University of Pittsburgh. The other breakout

speakers educated the students on the cultures of their countries of origin by

teaching short language lessons, organizing game activities and presenting on their

countries of origin and experience- Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, Congo and Tanzania.

Middle school students attending the

conference May 3, 2011 A presentation by the Pitt African Drumming

Ensemble at the conference May 3, 2011


Cultures Day: Harold Middle School April 21st, 2011

Cultures day is often marked with a display of varieties of cultures from

different countries around the world. It is aimed at helping students develop a sense

of place and a connection between what they learn in the classrooms and their

community, and to awaken children‟s curiosity and cultural competency.

Harrold Middle School is located in Greensburg, PA and is one of 4 middle

schools in Hempfield Area School District. It is a public school that serves 485

students in grades 6-8. The school held its 2nd annual cultures day event on

Thursday April 21, 2011. The school invited speakers from ASP to give lessons to

students on African countries. There were about 130 students that participated in the

day's events. The program commenced with rotation of sessions from 8:15am to

11:30am. The school students had the chance to engage in conversations and view

presentations from representatives from the African Studies Program. Having learnt

about the history behind the use of some cultural artifacts in ancient times, students

designed their own masks from clay molds. The speakers discussed with the

relevance of masks in African societies. Through active discussion, engagement and

presentations students learnt about the geography, language, food, dressing,

symbols, music and dance among other cultural aspects from some selected

countries in Africa. Other cultures represented were from China, South Korea,

Mexico and Holland. It was a very interesting and productive event and the school

children and their teachers were appreciative of our participation. At the end of the

event, each of the school children designed “thank you” cards which were sent to us

via mail by their teachers to express their gratitude. It was an amazing experience!


African Oral Traditions: Propel Andrew Street High School December 21, 2010

The Propel Andrew Street High School is located in Munhall, PA across from

the Carnegie Library of Homestead. The school consists of an average of a total of 50

students from grades 9-12. During the winter semester, Miss Lyndsie Whitehead, the

language arts and social studies teacher invited the African Studies Program to teach

her students on the topic “African Oral Traditions”. According to Ms. Whitehead, the

African American perspectives in literature are often too overlooked. She is trying to

change that perception in her classroom and one way she believes this can change

is to let students hear from speakers who understand the meaningfulness and

importance of African culture. Two representatives, Dr. Macrina Lelei (Interim

Director) and Sarah Amanfu (ASP GSA & Graduate Student, School of Education)

went to the School to talk to the students about African literature and with a specific

focus on the oral traditions, using audio, visual resources and engaging the students

in performances.

Oral traditions, oral culture and oral lore are cultural material and traditions

transmitted orally or through vocal utterance from one generation to another.

African oral tradition is often found in myths, legends, folktales, idioms and riddles,

ballads, songs or chants, adages, music and dance. Through active discussion,

engagement and simulation the students learned about African oral traditions. In

addition, students watched sample videos depicting storytelling in an African

setting. The students who had been studying oral traditions as part of their school

curriculum were delighted and actively asked questions which were addressed

appropriately to help them develop a better understanding of African cultures.


The Nyadire Connection: Imagine No Malaria February 2011

The Nyadire Connection (TNC), based in Pittsburgh,

Pennylvania, is a faith-based, non-profit organization that

seeks to support and sustain the Nyadire United

Methodist Mission in northeastern Zimbabwe, Africa.

Nyadire Mission offers a hospital, primary and secondary

schools, an orphanage and many other services to the community. The Christ United

Methodist Church in Bethel Park a member of the Nyadire Connection dedicated the

month of February to Africa, with a particular focus on Imagine No Malaria.

Speakers, events, concerts and programs were organized throughout the month. The

objective was to raise significant funds and to provide in-depth educational

opportunity where the community members would learn more about Africa, the

opportunities, the challenges and the hope.

The ASP was invited to participate in the events promoting and enhancing

knowledge on Africa. The topics varied for each day. On February 13--" Today's

Africa and How It Got That Way" - Dr. Macrina Lelei (Interim Director, ASP); Abena

Botwe Asamoah & Piniel Berhane (ASP students, University of Pittsburgh, discussed

the general situation in Africa using their specific countries of origins as examples of

the specific topics they addressed. Dr. Lelei provided a brief background

introduction to Africa, some of the success stories of democracy and development,

but also discussed some of the challenges using East African countries (Kenya,

Tanzania, Rwanda etc). Piniel talked about Ethiopia‟s economic development with a

specific focus on women and the role of microfinance in sustainable development.

Abena discussed Ghana and explained why it is considered one of the most

politically stable countries in Africa. On February Dr. Annamore Matambanadzo of

the School of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh and Mark LaRosa of Bethel

Park discussed “A Day in the Life” (contrasting a day in Nyadire, Zimbabwe with a

day in Pittsburgh) –They drew interesting parallels but at the same time pointed to

the disparity especially in the standard of living and quality of life in the two

contexts.

Outreach to the Church Community


ZEMENU ADANE ASRES, MD

HJ HEINZ FELLOW 2011-2012

Zemenu Adane Asres is from Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia. He graduated from the University of

Gondar School of Medical Sciences with a

medical degree in 2004. Asres was then

assigned to St. Peter's TB Specialized Hospital

(Ethiopia's only TB referral center) in Addis

Ababa where he worked as primary care

physician for two and a half years. There he used to care for individuals and families

with tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. While working on TB and HIV/AIDS, Asres began

working with different prestigious local and international NGOs like the Clinton

Foundation, JHPIEGO and OPRIFS (on a part time basis) and with I-TECH/Ethiopia as

Clinical Team Lead and Physician Mentor for twenty months full time. He is now

working for USAID/Ethiopia in the capacity of Health Network Programs Advisor. His

main duty is provision of technical, operational and management support to the

implementation of Ethiopian government prioritized national health programs

especially those supported with PEPFAR fund. With this fellowship he hopes to

acquire standard public health knowledge and skill to improve health promotion,

disease prevention, health education and monitoring and evaluation in Ethiopia.

VISITING SCHOLARS

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy

maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a

short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta,

the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since

1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups,

uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the

regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the

Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A

constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty

elections were held in 1995. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and

Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war

with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December

2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission

remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but

final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold

because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's

finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to

Ethiopia.

Ethiopia


The African Studies Program, in collaboration with the Department of Africana

Studies, Schools of Education, Public Health and the Graduate School of Public and

International Affairs (GSPIA) will be hosting an international conference on “Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa.” This conference has been

organized with collaboration from partners from African institutions namely: Forum

for African Women‟s Educationalists (FAWE); the University of Ghana, School of

Public Health (SPH); and the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The aim is

to bring together partners with a major focus on sustainable development in

research, policy and practice from universities, research centers and community

based organizations to share their mutual experiences and research regarding the constraints and opportunities for sustainable development in the areas of: (1) Health

and environmental sustainability; (2) Education Improvement; (3) Gender

equality and women empowerment; (4) Conflict mitigation and institutional

governance.

Historically, there has been a general tendency to approach development as a

process of acquiring and using Western-style systems, standards, expertise,

problem-solving methods, resources, and so on. Obviously, this approach has

proved problematic because there is more to development than looking outward for

solutions to a country‟s or society‟s problems. Further, sustainable development is

generally homegrown and not something that is readily or easily exportable from

one place to another. It is against this background that we believe that this

conference-driven endeavor will create a useful and much-needed forum for

dialoguing on critical issues facing Africa‟s development and engender innovative,

meaningful research as well as policy driven and practical contributions. Dealing

effectively with poverty and underdevelopment requires balanced and integrated

grassroots efforts, good leadership, and an enhanced continental ability to negotiate

with other participants in the global environment. We hope that the volume of

collected papers that will be generated from the conference will be a significant

contribution to this effort. We are expecting the Keynote speaker to be the President

of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is also the first female to be elected president of

an African country. She will speak about the challenges of development in Africa

specifically with respect to Liberia – a country that suffered over three decades of

turmoil. President Sirleaf‟s visit has not been confirmed but the process for her

invitation has begun and we will keep everyone posted of the outcome. Please keep

tuning into our website for more information. Thank you for your time and please

feel free to share any comments and observations with us. Send us emails.

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

“SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA”

MARCH 29-30, 2012

“Dzigbodi wotso koa anyidi (dide) hafi kpon efe doka.” (A Ghanaian proverb in ewe language): If you dissect

an ant patiently, you will see its entrails. Meaning: With patience, you can accomplish the most difficult task.

PROGRAM Ne10-2011

AFRICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

4138 Wesley W. Posvar Hall

230 South Bouquet Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15260648-2058

Tel: 412-648-2058

E-mail:[email protected]

www.ucis.pitt.edu/africa

THE ARICAN STUDIES PROGRAM ANNUAL … draft...THE ARICAN STUDIES PROGRAM ANNUAL NEWSLETTER 2010/2011...

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