The International Rescue Committee has been so fortunate to have had a longstanding relationship with Princeton in Africa since our very first Fellows landed in Rwanda in 1999. Whether it was Emily or Renee in 1999 or the 110 Fellows across 14 IRC countries over the years, we have been blessed by the relationship, the quality of the Fellows and the impact on what IRC does on the ground every single day.
May 2022 Newsletter
Alumni & Fellow Updates
Alumni Philile Shongwe featured in Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy’s Graduation Stories
Philile Shongwe (2016-2017 Fellow with African School of Economics in Benin) was born and raised in Eswatini. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Global Affairs and French from Yale University before going on to work with the African School of Economics as a research assistant Fellow. She recently graduated from Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, where she completed a Master’s Degree in International Development Policy.
In 2021, Shongwe founded Govuka, a non-profit based in Eswatini, which advocates for the health of adolescent girls in her home country. The goal of this organization is to help improve the wellbeing and economic outcomes of girls between the ages of 11 and 19 by demonstrating the benefits of not engaging in intergenerational relationships. Govuka envisions an Eswatini where all young people can reach their full potential.
Read more about her work in Duke University’s Graduate Profiles, written by Carol Jackson.
Vogue Magazine features Collective Focus, a non-profit founded by PiAf alumni Sarah Rooney and her friends.
Princeton in Africa is always proud to see our alumni go on to found their own organizations that help the public good. Like Philile Shongwe with her organization, Govuka, in Eswatini, Sarah Rooney (2019-2020 Fellow with BIPAI in Botswana) and her friend Briana Calderón Navarro also saw a need in the community and began advocating to improve the health and wellbeing of those around them.
Last month, Vogue Magazine published a feature on Collective Focus, a non-profit community center founded by Rooney and Calderón Navarro. The center can be found in Brooklyn, NY where it provides food, clothing and supplies to locals and offers a safe place to gather. The organization is just getting started, as it’s goal is to become completely self-sustaining and keep growing to fit more needs of the community.
Learn more about Collective Focus here.
Haja Isatu Bah (Mount Elgon Ecosystem Trust, Kenya) performs her second TED Talk
Last December, Haja Isatu Bah made her first appearance on TEDx with her talk on Education for Climate Action. She was invited back to TEDx to talk about her entrepreneurial spirit and her love of learning.
Haja talks about building her social enterprise, Uman4Uman, which tackles period poverty, sells reusable pads to girls and women and spreads awareness about the environmental impact of disposable period products. Since launching her social enterprise in 2020, over 4,500 reusable pads have been sold, with an average of 375 pads a month.
In this TED Talk, “Haja Isatu highlights the importance of one merging a love for learning with an entrepreneurial spirit, without neglecting either. She tells us how to embrace this idea by sharing the stories of two Sierra Leonean greats, the renowned academic – Dr. Davidson Nicol and serial entrepreneur – Alhaji Mohamed Bailor Barrie.”
PiAf Updates
In April, Princeton in Africa announced seven new and distinguished members to our Board of Directors. Our organization looks forward to learning from these experts in their fields and continuing to build partnerships with African organizations and individuals. Please read about our new members here.
Amaka Anku, Princeton in Africa Alumni
Ettie Philitas, Princeton in Africa Alumni
Steve Feldstein, Princeton in Africa Alumni
Upcoming PiAf Events
Princeton in Africa is holding a Post P-Rade reception from 4 PM to 6:30 PM on May 21st in the Butler College 1915 room. You do not need to be a Princeton University alumni to attend, and we welcome all. We look forward to seeing members of our PiAf community at the first in-person Princeton Reunions since 2019!
Our History
In 1999, a group of Princeton alumni, faculty, and staff launched Princeton in Africa as an independent affiliate of Princeton University inspired by the University’s informal motto, “Princeton in the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations.” In 2010, the program opened up to include graduates of any US accredited university in order to meet the growing demand from host organizations and allow more young professionals access to the unique opportunities afforded by PiAf. During the past 20 years, we have placed over 600 Fellows with more than 100 organizations in 36 countries, while developing more strategic partnerships across Africa and creating more opportunities for our alumni community to engage with the continent and with one another.