Four Set to Receive Mentorship under WACSI’s Flagship Research Fellowship Programme
“Being chosen as a research fellow fills me with thrill and excitement. This remarkable opportunity allows me to enhance my research skills and contribute significantly to the advancement of CSOs through knowledge curation and documentation”, says Samira Seidu.
Seidu is one of four new research fellows set to receive six-month intensive coaching and mentorship that will sharpen their research skills and make them contribute more to the body knowledge in the civil society sector.
The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) has admitted four fellows into its flagship research fellowship programme. Sani Mohammed from Nigeria, Rachad Bani from Benin, Samira Seidu and John Obuaba from Ghana are taking part in this year’s fellowship programme.
WACSI’s research fellowship programme is one of the most recognised mentorship initiatives in the civil society sector which seeks to promote indigenous knowledge production for the West Africa’s third sector. It is a 90-180-day action-oriented initiative targeted at young researchers, particularly those enrolled in master’s or PhD programmes, or candidates who have recently completed from any of these programmes.
It equips participants with research and analytical skills they need to effectively engage with government, the private sector and the global community to improve good governance and sustainable development.
The new fellows, John Obuaba (Ghanaian) is the Founder and Executive Director of Celdar Foundation while Muhammad Sani Kassim (Nigerian) is a public sector reform specialist.
The others, Rachad Bani (Beninese) is a public policy graduate student at the American University of Cairo while Samira Seidu (Ghanaian) is a graduate of law studies and a volunteer at WACSI.
John Obuaba, comes to this role with thirteen years of experience working in the civil society sector, focusing on project management and facilitating community-led development processes. He has worked as a convener of the community of practice which focused on promoting local philanthropy and human rights in Ghana.
Presently, the new research fellow is leading a local philanthropy project in Anum, Eastern Region of Ghana, which aims to strengthen the community’s ability to claim their rights and promote sustainable development.
He hopes to gain new insights and perspectives on how communities he can contribute to their own development through indigenous knowledge.
“I feel excited to be selected for this enriching fellowship. It’s a great opportunity to join other young African researchers passionate about Africa’s development and contribute towards strengthening the civil space in West Africa”, he said.
Muhammad Sani Kassim, is an accomplished public sector reform specialist driving transparency and citizen-centric government systems. With over eight years in the field, Kassim has collaborated with state and non-state actors to co-create effective governance mechanisms. His research interest areas include aid practices, natural resource governance, combating corruption, citizen engagement, and public finance management for improved service delivery outcomes. Kassim has conducted research for esteemed organisations such as United Nations Development Programme, Mastercard Foundation, and Transparency Centre, among others.
Muhammed aims to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding aid and neo-colonialism. He looks forward to engaging in thought-provoking dialogues that challenge his perspectives, enabling him to explore innovative approaches to promote equitable and sustainable development in Africa. The new fellow hopes to broaden his knowledge, expand his research capabilities, and actively contribute to the ongoing efforts of decolonizing aid practices on the continent.
“I feel elated and honoured to join fellow Africanists who believe in Africa and are working to make it better through researching new aid governance systems. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the continent”, he said.
Rachad Bani is a graduate student studying public policy at The American University in Cairo under the African Graduate Fellowship. He has worked on various policy analysis projects, including climate change adaptation, supply chain finance in agriculture, cash transfers, women empowerment, e-governance, and fiscal policy. Rachad’s prior experience includes working as a Programme Associate at the Media Foundation for West Africa, where he supported projects aimed at improving participatory governance, public accountability, and media development in West Africa.
Rachad aims to practice methodological approaches to conduct research and analyse data scientifically and systematically, resulting in the generation of credible and reliable knowledge. He firmly believes that the skills he acquires during this fellowship will contribute to his personal and academic growth as a researcher, enabling him to generate knowledge that can have a positive impact on lives in West Africa and beyond.
“I am really happy and feel honoured to have been selected for this fellowship. I believe it offers a unique opportunity to further fine-tune my research skills and generate credible and reliable knowledge likely to impact lives in West Africa and beyond”, he told WACSI’s communication team.
Samira Seidu is a passionate human rights activist who has keen interest in peacebuilding and community empowerment initiatives. She has led several peacebuilding campaigns in some of the conflict-prone areas in Ghana. She has also embarked on philanthropic initiatives such as providing food support to childing leaving in some streets in Ghana. With a law degree from Central University, Ghana, Samira aspires to be a legal human rights advocate.
Samira’s expectations for the fellowship are ambitious yet focused. Firstly, she aims to develop her research skills and grow professionally, capitalising on the resources and support provided by the programme. Additionally, she plans to conduct high-quality research and provide recommendations and best practices to enhance the design and implementation of capacity strengthening interventions led by WACSI.
The research fellows will contribute to the Institute’s body of knowledge while receiving one-on-one coaching and guidance from our carefully selected mentors.
They embark on this journey with some valuable research experience gained through previous roles in the civil society and development sectors.
The research fellowship programme perfectly aligns with the Institute’s mission and new five-year strategic plan.
Partners interested in collaborating with WACSI to hone the research skills of West African graduates can write to research@wacsi.org
