Selected students Academic year 2020-2021
My name is Angie Erditha and I come from Indonesia. It was the desire to help others that ultimately drove my decision to become a doctor. My passion to help was later reinforced as a volunteer doctor who serve people affected by conflict, armed violence, and disasters. Indonesia is a very large and diverse country, vulnerable to health issues in human-made crises and natural disasters. As a doctor and a healthcare humanist, I have contributed to Indonesia’s plans and programmes to create a sustainable development, with a focus on fostering an equitable social development. I worked also as volunteer as medical emergency response doctor for several disaster relief organisations. I participated in missions for Rohingya refugees, during medical emergency missions for victims of earthquakes in North Lombok, and many other missions for victims of war, violent conflict, outbreaks and other disasters. KIT Royal Tropical Institute offers the perfect blend of courses for me, because of its high quality of research and education; its standpoints and decisions that are based on a clear responsibility for the development of society; its work that is guided by a global engagement that constantly reminds us of our role in the world; and its stimulating and dynamic work environment. I believe that the Master in International Health will provide me with the knowledge and skills to critically reflect on health and healthcare in low and middle-income settings and in Indonesia. This will help me to participate in further development and strengthening of people and organisations involved in humanitarian medical emergency response in Indonesia, with a focus on poorer, vulnerable, and underserved populations. This way I want to improve health and achieve equity in health for all Indonesian citizens regardless of circumstances. Thank you for this opportunity.
ANGIE ERDITHA, MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM INDONESIA STUDIES THE MASTER IN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH WITH A SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
My name is Ebtisam Zabara, I’m a Pharmacist by profession and I come from Yemen, a low income country being devastated by over five years of active war. I have worked in different positions and since 2014 I have worked in Yemen and Jordan as a mission pharmacy manager. I am delighted and excited to pursue the Master’s in International Health at KIT Royal Tropical Institute. I believe that this course is crucial for my community. My 12 years of related work experience has given me significant insight into the challenges that the health system in my country is facing which are most relatively similar in other low and middle-income income countries. I am currently experiencing the global health response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which makes me extremely motivated to be as effective support as possible in the fight against such pandemics. I strongly perceive the need for sound policymaking and healthcare resource management, taking into account the existing situation in the field. I would like to learn more about disaster settings, public health, and health resource management. It is difficult and painful to see people suffering and dying. This pain is made worse in knowing that there is something that could be done to ease their suffering. With KIT scholarship assistance, I am now able to join this master’s program and, in turn, be able to be a valuable part of the improvement process of people’s lives in Yemen or elsewhere in the future.
EBTISAM ZABARA FROM YEMEN HAS A BACKGROUND IN PHARMACY AND WORKS AS MISSION PHARMACY MANAGER FOR MSF-HOLLAND. SHE STUDIES THE MASTER IN INTERNATIONAL HEALTH WITH A PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
I am a Bachelor of Science Nursing graduate from the University of Nairobi in Kenya. After my internships, I became passionate about obstetrics and gynecology particularly midwifery and child health and worked for a number of years as a midwife and in neonatal child health. I decided to move to research and was involved in feasibility studies for microbicide trials (Dapirivine ring that helps stop the spread of HIV among women) for highly vulnerable populations – communities where women have no say in sex matters. That is how my interest in Public health started. Since then I have worked in programs coordinating activities for Young Key Populations, Adolescent First Time Young Mothers providing comprehensive HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health services including Gender Based Violence. Women bear a huge burden in health. Especially for women living in poor economic status, where culture does not give them power to negotiate for sex, this situation is even worse. Girls have early marriages, early sex debut, loss of school years and lack of work, disease, higher burden of unwanted pregnancy, cultural practices (dowry exchange), maternal and neonatal risks high. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. After graduation of this Masters of Public Health I will work in my country and other regions in the world to ensure that at planning level, at policy level- we continuously engage these girls and women in activities, advocating for resource allocation for programs and training them- empowering them. Impact is not to be read in books, but to be given and done by us. Thank you’’.
GLADYS WARUGURU FROM KENYA HAS A BACKGROUND IN NURSING AND WORKS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH KENYA. SHE STUDIES THE MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A FOCUS ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS WITH A SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
My name is Tariro Mantsebo. I am a young medical doctor originally from Harare, Zimbabwe. I trained in medicine in South Africa and I have been working in the public health sector as a clinician for the last four years in rural South Africa. Working in the rural community of Mafikeng, in the North West province opened my eyes to the lack of adequate comprehensive health education and understanding, amongst young people regarding sexual health, reproductive health, and mental health. With limited resources and accessibility, I was driven to want to know how I could better serve such a community and many others in improving their health and wellbeing. I hope my time at KIT will guide and teach me how to navigate the field of global public health in a way that is innovative, engaging and impactful. It is a great opportunity to be taught and inspired by public health professionals creating change in their fields of focus. My future goals are to use the tools and skills I gain at KIT to work towards improving the quality of healthcare access, health education and health promotion that young people, in particular young women in Southern Africa receive. My love for public health and medicine has driven me to sacrifice, challenge myself and leap into a new environment with hopes of gaining experiences, insight and growth to utilize back in my home country and region. I will represent the values of my people and KIT Scholarship Fund, and use this is as a platform to empower and improve the lives of those around me.
TARIRO MANTSEBO IS A MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM ZIMBABWE. SHE STUDIES THE MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
MY name is Farzad. I am a medical doctor from Iran. I have been working in the field of harm reduction, HIV/AIDS, drug addiction, and youth health, especially among vulnerable groups. I was involved in different public health projects. The MPH allows physicians to transition from pure clinical to research, policy and/or management work, preparing them to innovate changes for effective health systems, responsive to the health needs of populations. Usually, people who enter the field of health with a clinical vision can help their community more. I think that the master of Public Health will provide me with the knowledge and skills that I need to improve the public health situation in my country so that . I strongly believe that prevention is better than cure. I am sure that the presence of different experiences from students from different countries can be the biggest advantage of this program along with experienced experts and specialists in this institute and it can change our view towards thinking globally. Today's world situation (COVID-19 Pandemic), further showed that in the field of public health, the whole world should be united and all nations must stand together for a healthier world. Thank you KIT scholarship Fund for your support.
FARZAD JALALI FROM IRAN IS A MEDICAL DOCTOR. HE STUDIES THE MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
My name is Khin Thawdar Shein and I come from Myanmar and am a medical doctor by training. I am a passionate public health professional with about twelve years of experience working on health care projects with various international and local Non Profit Organizations; These consisted mainly on maternal, child health and immunization projects within and outside Myanmar. My roles were management and development of health programs for serving population in need, coordination with subnational and national health staff and providing necessary technical assistance for health system strengthening. Myanmar is putting efforts to strengthen the current health system by formulating a National Health Plan and by aiming to achieve universal health coverage in 2030. Nevertheless, Myanmar still has a large human resource gap in public health services. I strongly believe this Master in International Health programme at KIT is essential to be equipped with skills and competencies I need to contribute better to the health situation in my country. Learning in an international environment is also providing me with an opportunity of broader networking amongst diverse nationalities of public health professionals and to better understanding of lessons learned and best practices. After completion of this Masters, I am committed to serve as an international health leader working on strengthening of the health system which can accelerate access to health for all people in the country without discrimination in race, religion, and culture. With strong confidence in my professional skills, I will continue my leadership journey and be the voice of people in need and generate the idea of introducing right to health for each and every citizen.
KHIN THAWDAR SHEIN IS A MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM MYANBAR. SHE STUDIES THE MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH WITH A FULL SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
My name is Alhadi and I come from Khartoum, Sudan. I am a medical doctor by profession. I have worked in different hospitals and at the federal ministry of health in the global health directorate. Before coming to KIT I was working at the healthcare system strengthening project in Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). These different work experiences made me realise that a large part of the sufferings of the Sudanese people -in terms of health- are due to the devastation of the healthcare system. Health services are not efficient, not properly distributed, not affordable. The system lacks equal & fair distribution of facilities and resources -evident by the congestion of patients and medical professionals in Khartoum and urban centers, and their major absence in rural areas. Since 2019, Sudan has observed a drastic social and political change, dawning a new era, new hopes & vision. We need to realize the importance of creating a sustainable health system in Sudan, based on the principles of equity, justice, and quality. In order for that to be achieved, we need to create strong health policies that are built on data, evidence & research. And then design the strategies and long term vision for our systems and dissect it into medium term and short term objectives. With the MPH/ICHD learning experience, I aspire to working on a strong health system in Sudan based on the true health demands of the country and the people. I am very grateful to KIT Scholarship Fund for this opportunity.
ALHADI KHOGALI ELFAKI OSMAN, MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM SUDAN STUDIES THE MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP FROM KIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND. HE WORKS AS A MEDICAL OFFICER.
I am a Clinical Officer from Kenya with experience ranging from sub-national clinical work, national, region and international policy-related work. Kenya like most developing countries is facing a double burden of diseases due to the raising prevalence of Non communicable diseases (NCDs) while still struggling to contain communicable diseases. The rapid rise in NCDs in Kenya is driven by the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle resulting from globalization and industrialization in the sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently there is an increasing prevalence of the NCDs risk factors such as obesity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity. If comprehensive policies and structures are not put in place, NCDs threaten the economic and social development of developing countries as they are debilitating, expensive to manage and cause premature death. I believe that the MPH/ICHD programme with major in Health Systems, Policy management track will help me bridge the gap in knowledge in research development, data analysis, scientific writing while fine tuning policy development and evaluation skills. Upon completion of my Master in Public Health, I aspire to participate actively in the efforts to halt and reverse the NCDs in my country, continent and the world at large. The Social Determinants of Health approach seem the most wholesome and cost-effective to reduce the NCDs burden in developing countries as it addresses the risk factors as well as providing interventions that support behaviour change with supportive policies to facilitate sustenance of healthy lifestyles. I cannot adequately express my joy for this opportunity from KIT Scholarship Fund and KBF Foundation to achieve my aspiration to build my academic qualification and therefore validate my professional contribution to public health.
Dorcas Kiptui, clinical officer from Kenya studies the Master of Public Health, track in Health Systems Policy and Management with a focus on Non-Communicable Diseases including Obesity, with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund and KBF Foundation.
Selected students Academic year 2019-2020
I come from the state of Nagaland in India. This region with more than three million people borders Myanmar. It is a land of tribal communities where socio-economic problems are widespread. After my MBBS graduation as a doctor, I started working under the Health & Family Welfare Department of Nagaland in different rural areas. During this period, I saw the disparity of the health status in Nagaland especially in the rural areas. I realised then that effective policy making from the ground level was necessary, so I decided to pursue my masters in an area which would help me be a part of the system so I would be able to make a difference through proper management and be the voice for the people who need it. I am thankful to KIT for giving me this amazing opportunity to study my Masters in International Health and to KIT Scholarship Fund and it donors for supporting and enabling me to pursue my dreams. I believe the skills acquired from this programme will help me be a part of the movement to successfully educate, encourage and empower people to live a healthy life. I believe I would be able to make informed and enlightened contributions to improve the present health care system for the underprivileged communities across the borders and in my home country India, Nagaland in particular and play a significant role to help connect people and the health care system. I hope to serve as an instrument to enhance the efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency of existing health programs and find better ways to promote health.
Oonno Jamir, Medical doctor from India studies the Master in International Health with a partial scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund. He works as Medical Officer.
My name is Merette Khalil from Cairo, Egypt. My background in public health has spanned from grassroots level advocacy, to entrepreneurship for maternal health education, to health systems research and policy. I have always been motivated by social justice and am particularly passionate about ensuring the right to health for all, especially women and girls and those in vulnerable settings. I am grateful for the opportunity to study at KIT for my Masters, not only to sharpen my skills in health systems management, but more so to strengthen my critical thinking, leadership, and multi-cultural communication, as I learn from scholars who value equity and public health practitioners with experiences from all around the world. I look forward to bringing the lessons and experiences back to Cairo, and to all future field assignments related to the global humanitarian agenda. I aspire to transform the landscape of maternal health, not just in Egypt, but across the surrounding Region. My dream is to reform health systems in my Region to become more gender-inclusive and equity-sensitive as they respond to the increasing pressures from escalating conflicts and increasing refugee populations. My hope is to become a catalyst for this change that would drive systems to protect, center, and serve the most vulnerable, provide access and quality care to marginalized communities, empower women and girls, and improve health equity for all. One step at a time… starting with KIT.
Merette Khalil from Egypt has a background in public health and is a Doula. She studies the Master in International Health with a partial scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund. She works as Technical officer and a Doula.
My name is Melina Dzowela, from Malawi. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Malawi and I have twelve years professional experience in the management of development centred projects in in my country, particularly in the areas of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, HIV/AIDS, Comprehensive Sexuality Education programmes targeting youth and adolescents. I believe that key to sustainable STI and HIV prevention programmes, is ensuring availability of quality and age appropriate Youth Friendly Health Services, accessibility to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (Life Skills), existence of well-tailored impact mitigation activities, and a supportive community structure in place. My motivation for applying for the Master of Public Health/International Course in Health Development course, track in SRHR is that this qualification will enhance my capacity to formulate effective strategies and design sustainable programmes to apply in Malawi and in the developing world. Upon completion of the course it is my intension to continue working in non-governmental organizations that work to increase the accessibility of health facilities for all Malawians, at the same time improving the quality of service delivery at the health facilities and even community level. As my heart and special interest lies with working with adolescents and young people, it is my intention to continue coordinating programmes that facilitate a supportive environment for adolescents and young people to access their sexual and reproductive health rights.
Melina Dzowela from Malawi has a Bachelors Degree in Education. She studies the Master of Public Health, track in Sexual and Reproductive Health with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund. She is currently working at the Christian health Association of Malawi as an SRHR programme manager.
My name is Ramadhani, and I am an Indonesian community dentist with a physical disability. Indonesia has a population of over 260 million people living mostly in Java as the capital Island. Based on the national basic health research, 22% Indonesian population are people with disabilities. The access to good quality health care shows great differences within Indonesia. Professionals in health education are needed in my country in order to reach the optimum level of public health. As candidate of Master in International Health at KIT Amsterdam, I am interested to empower people with physical disabilities in Indonesia as human health resources, I want to contribute to creating affordable and effective health facilities, and innovate programs in health prevention and promotion. KIT Royal Tropical Institute Amsterdam has courses that provide basic and advanced knowledge about social determinants of health, basic research methods, health needs and responses, health systems. In addition KIT as the SDGs house will provide me more information about the SDGs which I can implement as lecturer, government employee and health professional both in national and international perspectives in my country. KIT Scholarship Fund has supported me not only in finance, but it helps me also to broaden my international network and opportunities for the future. I look forward to put newly acquired skills to use in Indonesia in support of the people who need it.
Mochamad Nur Ramadhani from Indonesia has a background in dentistry. He studies the Master in International Health with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund. He works at the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.
Selected students Academic year 2017-2018
“My name is Linda, I am from Burundi and have experience working in a district hospital in Rwanda. I find passion by providing health care. During my work in the hospital I realized that some realities are not thought in school. I can prescribe medication but this would not help if someone cannot pay for it. The majority of the patients that came to the hospital had chronic diseases which were diagnosed very late because they only came to the hospital in times of crisis. This complicated the treatment and increased the costs. I could prescribe medication but this would not help if patients could not pay it. Throughout my studies and clinical experience I my interest in preventive medicine grew. I could see how important it is for a community to be healthy. It is always better to prevent than cure. This helps the community but also the economy of a country. The reason why I wanted to study the Master in Public Health programme at KIT is to be better equipped to assess and address the health needs in my country and contribute to better health through policy making. KIT’s vision and programme offers a unique learning experience. I envision working in public health institutions in my country and to contribute to the global health system, expertise about the economy factor, policies and management for health systems. Thanks to the support of KIT Scholarship Fund I will use the acquired knowledge and skills to develop public health in my country, Africa and all over the world. ”
Linda Manirambona from Burundi, background in Medicine, studied Master of Public Health at KIT with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund.
“I am Yemeni Female doctor and since my graduation I have been working in emergency relief programs in different areas in Yemen especially in Health and Nutrition. During this period I have worked with many Humanitarian international NGO’s working in life saving programs mainly focusing on the most vulnerable people (ACF International, Save the Children International, Medecins du Monde (MDM) France, and MSF Spain, Unicef). I feel however that I still need to increase my knowledge, build my capacity and learn new skills to contribute better to the improvement of health in my country. Yemen is one of the developing countries in the middle east with low income where there is a lack of public health specialists and there are huge public health issues, e.g. high rate of acute malnutrition, food insecurity, a fragile health system. Thanks to KIT Scholarship Fund I am now able to study the Master in International health at KIT Royal Tropical Institute and this will enable me to support my country and help in saving lives of vulnerable people as well as improve the level of health system in Yemen. This year at KIT will provide me with the essential skills which in my path as a public health specialist. I look forward to working on public policies and strategies that can have a positive preventive impact. And as such will bring benefit to the most vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and children under 5 years old.”
Amal Atef from Yemen, background in Medicine, studied Master in International Health at KIT with a partial scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund.
“Being the village health worker, my mother was responsible for managing minor ailments also overseeing local distribution of food handouts donated by charity organizations. As I grew up, I began to enjoy serving people and assisting my mother in her community duties. The realization that we were standing as a beacon of hope for the community brought about a tremendous feeling of joy and fulfilment in me. Through these experiences, an interminable passion for the health and welfare of the public was integrated into my genome. I was aided by several benefactors that contributed financially to enable me to study. After my graduation with Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of surgery degrees I worked in a general hospital and later at a district hospital in a remote area of Matebeleland South province in Zimbabwe. During this period I realised the importance of public health as I was involved as a trainer of trainers in many public health implementation strategies in TB and HIV diseases. The pursuit of the Public Health discipline grants me the perfect platform to give back to my community which has always been my ambition. There is an immense sense of pride and fulfilment that comes with the knowledge that one is the pillar of the whole nation’s health domain and not just a clinician who can’t treat beyond their arm’s length. I chose to do Masters in International health to be able to acquire knowledge and skills in developing strategies and policies to improve the health situation in my country and other low and middle-income countries through different platforms. It is my conviction that my Master in International Health qualification will go a long way in reviving the health delivery system of our economically hamstrung nation. I endeavour to spearhead the establishment of effective local research bodies so that we get a tailor made understanding of the epidemiology of diseases affecting our population. I am grateful to study at KIT Royal Tropical Institute because I believe it presents me with an opportunity to broaden my knowledge in an academically stimulating environment. Mixing with international students of diverse cultures and backgrounds at KIT will surely empower me and broaden my understanding of public health.”
Marjorie Jaffet from Zimbabwe, background in Medicine, studied Master in International Health at KIT with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund.
“Despite the challenges of being a working mother with 2 daughters living modestly in Egypt, I have learnt how to build my capacity and assume multiple responsibilities both at family and career levels. My professional and voluntary activities have helped me realize the integration of health and human development, focus my ideas and thoughts and set my main goals of helping in the development process, particularly in developing countries. Having worked at the health minister’s technical office, I have been given a unique opportunity to actively participate, learn and widen my horizons about the complexity of health issues in Egypt given the strong exposure to various governmental bodies and international organizations. I am prepared and confident to evaluate situations and to contribute well processed opinions and offer solutions on the subject of health systems. I am motivated to continue my education on the topics related to Public Health. Both living in Egypt and volunteering abroad have allowed me the privilege of developing a unique perspective on international healthcare development. I am fully convinced that this prestigious master program in Public Health is essential for me to gain the practical tools and required knowledge to realize my dreams of improving healthcare in Egypt. I come from a modest hard working family who invested all their resources in our education as a way for a better future not only for us, but also for the whole community. I am fully convinced that this prestigious master program in Public Health is a stepping stone for a middle age female like me to gain the practical tools and required knowledge to realize my dreams of improving healthcare in Egypt and the whole world.”
Doaa Abdalla from Egypt, background in Medicine, studied the Master in Public Health with a partial scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund.
“I have a background in medicine. Currently I am working as project site manager (Occupational Medicine doctor) for healthcare facility in central of Sulawesi Indonesia in Donggi Senoro Liquefied natural gas (LNG). Previously, I worked for another healthcarepost in a coal mining region in Kalimantan on Borneo Indonesia. In both regions I have to work with a lot of people from other countries in South East Asia. I felt I wanted to develop myself to be able to work more efficient and on prevention of the health problems these regions are facing. I really enjoy learning through problem solving, handling health event, and managing for win win solution, my application decisive was the fact that the course emphasises for those who aspired to develop orboost your career in international health, so i am sure that this course is designed for me. I believe that studying at KIT under the guidance of experienced professionals I will gain the tools that are needed to contribute to improve the health situation on all levels in Indonesia.”
Rully Christina from Indonesia, background in Medicine studies the Master in International Health with a partial scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund.
Selected students Academic year 2016-2017
“Since I graduated from college was my dream to pursue a postgraduate study. Education has been a vital part of my career. I am a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in a premier university. I am a registered nurse and midwife by profession. At present, I am working with the Episcopal Commission on Health Care of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). I am the program officer of the entire TB program of the church, concerning 86 dioceses all over the Philippines. I am also the nurse of the HIV Center of the Camillian Fathers, a church-based initiative to help and support people living with HIV that also offers preventive services such as testing and health education. I chose to study the Master of Public Health/International Course in Health Development (ICHD/MPH) because I want to help my country and my community to have an equal and unbiased access to health services. I believe that the skills I learn at KIT will help me in my advocacy towards access to sexual and reproductive health and rights including HIV-related services in my country. These are my driving forces and my motivations to pursue this master’s programme. Following the MPH/ICHD at KIT (Royal Tropical Institute) will advance my level of knowledge, and learning with people from all over the world will help me to learn new and better methods in addressing public health concerns. I believe that pursuing this program will be a great help in empowering youth like me in addressing public health concerns and pushing limits to reach equality on rights and health care. I humbly take this opportunity to thank KIT Scholarship Fund and the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) for granting me this scholarship. I look forward to sharing what I learn in my community in my constant effort to help those in need. Changing someone’s life for the better is something to be proud of. Thank you.”
Daren Paul Katigbak from the Philippines, background in Nursing and Midwifery, studied MPH/ICHD at KIT with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund and co-funding NFP, Nuffic.
“Being from Afghanistan, I have studied Nursing in Pakistan while living as refugee. Since more than ten years I work with the international humanitarian organization Medicins Sans Frontieres. I worked over five years in Pakistan as national staff , supporting Afghanistan refugees and host population in remote parts of Pakistan. Since 2011I joined the international pool of humanitarian aid workers and since then I have worked in South Sudan, Uzbekistan, Papua New Guinea and Iraq. My work ranges from nutrition, reproductive health, outbreak response, emergencies, mass vaccinations campaigns, MDR, and drugs sensitive TB program, sexual and reproductive health, communicable and non-communicable disease programs, across the nations, around the developing world, and in developed nations. My ultimate goal is to work in Aghanistan with the Ministry of Public health. Studying the Master in International health and Netherlands Course in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from KIT will equip me with both technical and soft skills that I can apply in my daily work as health professional and in any future work and projects. I look forward to apply these skills in the communities that need it.”
Abdul Wasay from Afghanistan, background in Nursing, studies the Master in International Health in 2016-2017 at KIT with support from KIT Scholarship Fund and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
“I am a medical doctor who works with the the Hospitals’ Management Board of Ondo state government in southwest Nigeria. Since my graduation from medical school seventeen years ago I have worked in different clinical positions, as a health manager leading healthcare service delivery, as well as working on the implementation of health programs in rural and semi-urban settings. In each of these working experiences I realised that in addition to my medical education, I needed to acquire skills in public health, particularly health system policy and management in order to approach my task of healthcare service delivery and program implementation from a broader perspective. I reached this conclusion because I observed on many occasions that our health system often leaves gaps that make health interventions difficult. I think this is partly due to improper engagement of stakeholders. Consequently efforts aimed at improving health are often met with disappointing outcomes. Coming to KIT for this Master of Public Health and International Course in Health Development is one right decision I belief I made to launch myself into a realm of new knowledge discovery that will enhance my continuous and better participation in the process of contribution to health development in my home state in particular and Nigeria in general. The contribution of KIT Scholarship Fund to my co-finance scholarship will facilitate my acquisition of these new skills and knowledge. I look forward to apply these new skills and knowledge in influencing the government of my state and country to evolve health policies that favor universal health coverage and improve the health and well-being of our people.”
Ayodotun Aminuu from Nigeria, background in Medicine, studies MPH/ICHD at KIT with a scholarship from KIT Scholarship Fund, co-funding NFP, Nuffic and self funding.