​​​Nigerian born Chioma Amaechi says she first heard of Stellenbosch University (SU) when she was searching for the best universities in Africa after completing high school in 2010.

Chioma is a full-time honours student in public and development management at SU's Faculty of Economic and Management Science (EMS). She also works as a student research assistant for the Africa-UK Trilateral Research Chair, Mainstreaming Gender for Energy Security in Poor Urban Environments (GENS), at Stellenbosch University (SU).

“I am a community builder at heart, and I am excited to be realising my dreams at this prestigious university in my field of study," said the 25-year-old.

Chioma's hard work has resulted in her being awarded the 2020 Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship alongside 54 other scholars from all over Africa. Chioma says she cherishes the achievement and sees it as a learning, inspiration and propelling platform to be a phenomenal African leader.

The Mandela Rhodes Foundation is an official Nelson Mandela legacy organisation tasked with developing exceptional leadership capacity in Africa. The organisation provides a combination of postgraduate funding with a leadership development programme to young Africans with academic prowess and demonstrated leadership potential.

“I believe that education is a very important tool and a necessary aid required to create the desired future and to combat the poverty that plagues most of Africa. Development studies will help me in fulfilling my dreams of creating a sustainable Africa for the most vulnerable people.

Driven by her passion for young people, Chioma is also the convenor of Youth Activate the Movement (YATM) and Hadassah's Mere, a platform she uses to train and empower youth and girls in underprivileged communities in Lagos, Nigeria.

She says the platform seeks action and integration of sustainable agendas to make the lives of Africans better. “I am passionate about societal development, sustainable growth, gendered entrepreneurship and public policy. I see these as necessary tools required for building a sustainable society."

She uses various mediums to speak against the sexual harassment of African girls and aims to seek solutions to the fundamental problems associated with women and children in emerging economies, particularly in relation to poverty, inequality and hunger.

“It is my dream to see a society of thriving women exceeding boundaries and breaking stereotypes and the programme at SU is exceptional for this," she adds.

“Being at SU and in South Africa has been a beautiful and gratifying experience, I'm excited to be here, learning every day in my chosen field of study. The ultimate life lesson I have learnt up till this point is to 'go for it'. This sums up dreams, passion, and impacts. Whatever you want to achieve is possible when you go for it," says Chioma.

She says most of her life challenges are inflicted by the mind, but she has willed herself to move above it and it worked. “Sometimes, I have to remind myself and play it in my head as a mantra that I can be better. Other times I take actions that make me better. Either way, the trick is to condition your mind that you are better than the lowest of days; so you keep moving," she adds.

She says her job and life goals are intertwined, and she wants to be happy while doing what she loves, which is a public service. Apart from serving people, Chioma enjoys engaging with family and friends, making videos of funny dances and creating a comfortable space for herself.

To read more on her work, click here.