Alumni Stories

Zambia, with its vast mineral resources and minerals, is facing a dilemma, says Australia Awards alumnus Barnaby Bwalya Mulenga. That dilemma is to create wealth by growing its extractive industry and taking advantage of booms in commodity prices while meeting the development needs of the Zambian people.

Zambian smallholder farmers face financial challenges, including prohibitive interest rates, that constrain growth and restrict access to the funding needed to increase production.
Muma Bwalya works as a Development Specialist for the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), an organisation that facilitates low interest loans and trains fa

Kenya’s Bondo sub-county in Siaya county is facing high rates of maternal and child mortality related to non-communicable diseases. Mr Victor Emali Mukaka, an alumnus from Queensland University of Technology is tackling these challenges.

Australia Awards alumnus Dr Ardy Arsyad is determined to find the cause of the largest liquefaction disaster in modern history, in an effort to prevent the same devastation from happening in cities across earthquake-prone Indonesia.

A dentist at the Alotau Provincial Hospital, Dr Hilda Audubo became the first local dentist to partner with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Medical Ships when they made their maiden trip to Papua New Guinea in 2011 visiting some of the most remote villages along the Kikori River in Gulf Province and the Fly River in Western Province.

Meet OzAlum Mathilda Agnes Maria Wowor who developed a series of books for parents and teachers under five-year-old that celebrates tolerance and diversity. She says laying a strong foundation for children about empathy and tolerance is important to build characters as we live in a diverse culture across Indonesia.

Dr Oluwakemi Fapojuwo, Australia Awards alumnus, is on a quest to promote climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria, using skills developed while studying at the Development of Agricultural Research, University of Sydney.

The indigenous chicken value chain, the focus of Sheila Nabwire Apopo’s work in agribusiness, is helping Kenya support food security.

For Grace Corcoran, applying for a New Colombo Plan Scholarship was the “perfect way to be exposed to the [Indo-Pacific] region and to learn more about their area-specific health issues,” as part of her Bachelor of Applied Public Health and Bachelor of Global Studies at the Australian Catholic University.

Meet Dr Jeanne Rini Peospoprodjo, #OzAlum Australia Awards from Charles Darwin University, who has spent more than 20 years of her medical career working on malaria in Papua province.

OzAlum Faye Alund recently became a National Coordinator of the 1000 Digital Start-up Movement, a long-term plan initiated by the Indonesian government to develop and inspire younger generation to drive the economy through technology and innovation.

OzAlum Erlina Marlinda runs a Training of Trainers program teaching people with disabilities in Aceh Besar regency how to recycle plastic and paper waste into handicrafts for income.