A selection of 100 young Nigerians to
participate in the 2016 Mandela Fellowship. Ex beauty queen, Matilda Kerry is one of the selected
candidates from Nigeria.
The
U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria said in a statement, on Friday, that the
beneficiaries were selected from among other 10,000 Nigerian applicants and tens
of other applicants from across Africa.According to the statement, the selected
applicants, who were selected from across Nigeria, would undergo six-week
studies in civic leadership, business and entrepreneurship and public management
in various universities in the United States.
The
Mandela fellowship was initiated by the U.S Government to recognise the
increasing roles that young Africans are playing in strengthening democratic
institutions, economic growth, and enhancing peace and security in Africa. The
Mandela Fellowship, which empowers Young African Leaders through academic
coursework, leadership training and networking, started in 2014; so far, 86
Nigerians have participated in the programme. The Fellows, who are between the
ages of 25 and 35, have established records of accomplishments in promoting
innovation and positive change in their organisations, institutions, communities
and countries.
Dr.
Matilda Kerry is the Founder of George Kerry Life Foundation an NGO working
towards equitable health care for all African women. She has over eight years’
experience in community health outreach programs focusing mainly on women’s
health through a fast growing cervical cancer campaign.
This
cervical cancer control campaign’s goal is to provide free screening to 1000
Nigerian women annually. So far it has
reached and screened over 100,000 families and 9000 community women
respectively. Creating awareness about cervical cancer is key to this campaign
and the campaign needs more local and international partnerships to continue to
empower women through multimedia messages, social network and direct face to
face engagement. Also, in order to
continue and further expand the reach of the free health services offered to
neglected impoverished women, steady funding from a long term partner and
sponsor is critical. Finally this campaign seeks partnerships with institutions
to train primary healthcare workers in establishing preventive cancer awareness
and screening services at the grassroots and ensure every woman has a fair
chance of preventing and beating cervical cancer.
Dr.
Matilda Kerry also works at the community health department of the Lagos
University Teaching hospital where she joins a team of public health specialists
to provide much needed vaccination and treatment services to community women and
children. Dr. Matilda Kerry is a member of the West African College of
Physicians and holds a Master’s Degree in public health from the University of
Lagos. She is also a member of the
Sexuality Leadership development fellowship a program that Provide exposure to
cutting-edge conceptual, theoretical and programming issues in sexuality, sexual
health and sexual rights.
After
the Mandela Washington fellowship, she hopes to partner with like-minded
international organizations to expand the reach of ongoing cervical cancer
control activities and begin to positively impact the inequities crippling the
healthcare system in Nigeria.
Dr.
Matilda Kerry held the renowned and glamorous title of the Most Beautiful Girl
in Nigeria 2000 and represented Nigeria at both the Miss Universe and Miss World
pageant.
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