SOME OF SAEP's 2001 FELLOWS

 

ANNIE FABIAN CHIMPHANGO (Malawi) was a Lecturer (on Leave of Absence) in the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Malawi -Bunda College of Agriculture. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Engineering with a major in Postharvest Engineering, which was obtained from McGill University - Canada, in 1997 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture with Distinction obtained from the University of Malawi in 1992. Annie is very dynamic and diverse in her experiences. She recently graduated from a two year international training programme on Leadership for Sustainable Environment and Development offered by the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) -a Rockefeller funded programme and she is now a Fellow of the LEAD Programme. In addition to the LEAD training, Annie has attended courses in Natural Resource Management, Applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Harvest and Postharvest Technologies of Root and Tubers. She also participated in consultative meetings/ workshops on: Gender; Energy and Women; Environmental Security and Implementation of SADC Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology. Furthermore, she has been involved in many social, economical and environmental activities some of which are: Socio-economic and Gender assessment of water and sanitation in Malawi; Energy saving in food processing for Rural Communities in Malawi, Socio- economic studies on Spices Production and Marketing and Government Food Subsidies in Malawi. Prior to joining the University of Malawi, Annie worked for Lever Brothers Malawi Limited as a Management Trainee for one year. Annie has some expertise in computing such as Web Page Design and Development using Microsoft Frontpage. As an SAEP Fellow she volunteered her services in designing and maintaining the SAEP website (http://www.saep.org). She wrote that she was "very inspired with her work at SAEP because in the process of compiling documents for the website, she has an opportunity of reading, learning and analyzing practical issues that are underpinning sustainable environment and development in developing countries particularly Southern Africa. The work complements well the training she had with the LEAD Programme. She is very grateful to Norton Tennille and Boyce Papu (also a fellow of LEAD) for giving her the opportunity to be part of SAEP and get empowered on environment and development issues."  Annie left SAEP in late 2001 to work for another environmental NGO, the Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG) in Cape Town.

BELEMANE SEMOLI (LESOTHO-SOUTH AFRICA) is a graduate student at University of Stellenbosch with an MSc degree in Environmental Management - Industrial Waste Management. He completed his BSc degree in June 1997 at the National University of Lesotho where he majored in Applied Environmental Sciences and Physics. He Completed BSc honors Environmental Analysis and Synthesis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at University of Stellenbosch in December 1998. He joined SAEP to gain hands-on experience in various environmental management fields at grass roots level. He devoted considerable time to waste management issues in the township of Philippi, Cape Town. After over a year at SAEP, he went to work in the South African Marine and Coastal Management Programme, specializing in community marine resource management along the South African coastline.  His ultimate ambition is to work as an environmental consultant or corporate environmentalist.

JOHN SOLLY (UK) interned with SAEP for  eight months between degrees.  
He graduated from Edinburgh University in 2000 with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and returned to the UK to do a Masters in Biochemical Research.
"I wanted to spend this year working with an Environmental NGO on the ground to gain practical experience with a view to a possible career in this area. SAEP fitted the bill perfectly, and working in South Africa is an absolute bonus."
While here, John helped to maintain SAEP’s website and also researched South African Government’s attitude to genetic engineering and GMOs. He wrote during his stay at SAEP: "The work is very stimulating and rewarding and I feel that I am learning every day".