URL: http://www.bpb.de/veranstaltungen/format/studienreise/76498/scholarship-holders-2009-10

Scholarship holders 2009/10

All the scholarship holders of the current exchange are listed here. The programme will start on 16th August 2009 in Germany and ends in March 2010 with a round trip through Ghana and Nigeria.

Abdulrahman Salaudeen Adeshina (Nigeria), born in Lagos in 1986, is studying Business Administration at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and is due to complete his studies this year. He has a high level of proficiency and interest in the use of computers and information technology. He was recently nominated as the Best Graduating Student, Department of Business Administration, University of Ilorin (2008/2009 Session). (last updated 2009)

Adam Natia James (Ghana), born in Tamale in 1983, holds a B.A. (Integrated Development Studies) from the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana. He is a specialist in Rural Sociology and Community Development. He works as a research assistant at ZODA, a management consultancy firm in Ghana, where he is involved in data collection and analyses with SPSS and epi info computer software programs and report writing. He is currently completing his National Service at the Metropolitan Health Directorate, Tamale, Ghana, as an Assistant Executive Officer. His hobbies are reading and writing articles, listening to gospel music and playing table tennis. (last updated 2009)

Alexander Schwartz (Germany), born in Marburg an der Lahn in 1981, is studying Political Science at the universities of Hamburg and Vienna. He also works at the Research Department on War, Armament, and Development (FKRE), covering the conflict in Chad and political development in post-war societies. Further fields of interest are resource revenue management and international development. He also did project work in Panama. (last updated 2009)

Alexandra Stertz (Germany), born in Neuwied in 1984, worked as an au pair in an American family in Seattle, USA, for six months after finishing high school at the Rhein-Wied- Gymnasium in April 2003. Subsequently, she studied Political Science and American Literature at the University of Hamburg and at the University of Paris X Nanterre. Her Master´s thesis dealt with the democratic development of three governing parties in Southern Africa (ANC, SWAPO and ZANU-PF) and, for that reason, she completed a two-month internship at the German Embassy in Windhoek, Namibia. She graduated in December 2008. At the moment, she is working part-time at Airbus in Hamburg. (last updated 2009)

Chidiogo Akunyili (Nigeria), born in Enugu in 1985, is originally from Nigeria. She has lived and worked in United States, Germany, France, Cameroon and China, where she currently resides. Her interests lies in international affairs and politics of developing and transitioning countries with an emphasis on the African continent. Her background is in International Relations and Political Science, having studied at the University of Pennsylvania and at the Institut d´Études Politiques de Paris. In the past, she has held positions with the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) in Philadelphia, where she researched the state of think tanks and civil societies in Sub-Saharan Africa and China, as well as with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) in Berlin, where she was the Program Director of the Cultural Diplomacy in Africa (CDA) Program. (last updated 2009)

Claudia Hargarten (Germany), born in Trier in 1982. When she spent nine months in Southern Africa after completing her "Abitur" (senior secondary leaving certificate examination), she discovered an interest in development policy and international cooperation, which prompted her to begin her studies in International Development in Vienna in 2004. During her studies, she was able to build up her practical experience by working for the African organisation ICAP and by completing an internship at the United Nations. She sees her professional future in international cooperation, particularly with African countries. (last updated 2009)

Constanza Zähringer (Germany), born in Geilenkirchen in 1983. After completing her intermediate examination in Politics in Cologne, she embarked on a law degree in Bonn in 2004. That same year, she also travelled to Kenya and Tanzania, where she stayed for an extended period. In 2007, she completed an internship at the German Embassy in Cameroon. (last updated 2009)

Coretta Maame Panyin Jonah (Ghana), born in Ghana in 1981. She has a Bachelor Degree in Economics, a Diploma in Statistics as well as a Masters in Economics from the University of Ghana. After having worked at the Institute of Economic Affairs in Ghana as well as for the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, she is currently a lecturer in the Business Studies Department and a coordinator of a number of educational programmes as well as a mentor and role model to many a female student s of the university. Her primary research interest is in trade issue whilst her secondary interest is in health economics. Coretta´s hobbies include reading, cooking, playing scrabble, tennis and writing. (last updated 2009)

Corinna Braun-Munzinger (Germany), born in Ludwigshafen in 1982, holds an M.A. in Economics and Politics from the University of Freiburg and a B.A. in Integrated Social Sciences from International University Bremen, with an exchange semester at the Institut d´Études Politiques in Aix-en-Provence. After completing a traineeship at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union in Brussels, she is currently working in the area of trade relations between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries at the European Centre for Development Policy Management in Maastricht, Netherlands. She completed internships at Germanwatch e.V. in Bonn, Centre for Civil Society in New Delhi and Bertelsmann Stiftung (Foundation) in Gütersloh and spent a high school student exchange in La Paz, Bolivia. (last updated 2009)

Emmanuel Antwi Akoto (Ghana), born in Tema in 1983, is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, and holds a first class Marketing degree from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Greenhill College. Emmanuel´s passion for international development developed when he represented Ghana at the International Young Professionals Summit (IYPS 08) in Manchester, UK, in August 2008. He is the Founder and President of ECA Leadership Foundation, an NGO determined to raise the next generation of Ghanaian leaders, and he also works with Coca Cola Ghana Limited. Emmanuel hopes to begin a Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) programme at Harvard Kennedy School in September 2010. (last updated 2009)

Fabian Kiehlmann (Germany), born in Berlin in 1984, is currently completing a semester abroad at Sciences Po Lille as part of the ERASMUS Programme at the University of Mannheim, where he has been studying Political Science (Bachelor of Arts) since 2007. Following an eleven-month period of voluntary service at the Presbyterian Comprehensive High School (PCHS) Kumbo in Cameroon, he spent a year in Paris, completing internships at "Bread for the World" (a protestant aid organisation based in Germany) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Benin. Fabian Kiehlmann is also involved in the "Terre des Hommes" and "Ökonomie und Ökumene" (Economy and Ecumene) higher education initiatives. (last updated 2009)

Fatoumata Binta Diallo (Guinea), born to a Guinean father and a Nigerian mother in Conakry in 1984, has lived in Nigeria and is currently a second-year student in Private Law in the University of Conakry´s Faculty of Law and Political Science. She has gained experience in the field of communications, having worked for a telecommunications company. International law and politics are her main interests and she speaks French, English and two African languages, Yoruba and Fulani. (last updated 2009)

Isaac Owuso (Ghana), born in Accra in 1984. In 2005 he entered the University of Ghana to obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. Through his work and excellent academic performance, he was selected by his university in 2007 to take part in an international study abroad programme at Macquire University in Sydney, Australia. The programme was designed to teach intercultural communication competence and led Isaac to different countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. He plans to graduate in March 2010 and intends to pursue a Masters Degree in International Relations. (last updated 2009)

Joseph Goakai (Sierra Leone), born in Serablu-Bonthe District in 1985, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Sociology from University of Sierra Leone Fourah Bay College and is a postgraduate student at Njala University, Sierra Leone. He is currently studying Peace and Development, with interests in issues around extractive resources, identity, youth and conflict. He is a research assistant to the Conflict, Security and Development Group (CSDG) at King´s College London on the Youth Vulnerability and Exclusion (YOVEX) project - Sierra Leone. He is also a volunteer with Peacelinks Sierra Leone, a local NGO working with children and youth. (last updated 2009)

Joseph J. Matimbwi (Tanzania), born in Ifakara in 1980, gained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Tumaini University in Tanzania in 2006. Since then, he has been working at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) (German Society for Technical Cooperation) in the Tanzanian German Programme to Support Health as a junior legal advisor in health. His duties mainly focus on the legal aspects of health, on public-private partnerships and on the links between health and human rights. Currently, he is coordinating a human rights-based approach of the Tanzanian German Programme to Support Health. (last updated 2009)

Kai Striebinger (Germany), born in Brunsbüttel in 1986. His French-German undergraduate studies in Political Science (Sciences Po Paris in Nancy, 2005-2008), his double Master´s programme in International Affairs and Security Policy between Sciences Po Paris and the Free University of Berlin (since 2008), several exchange programmes (USA, France) and his participation in a student project in Niamey, Niger (summer 2006) have taught him the importance of knowing about cultural peculiarities, political and historical sensitivities, and social and economic disparities in order to create true understanding. This understanding is possible because of our common humanity. In that respect, we are all equal. (last updated 2009)

Keren Asante (Ghana), born in Accra in 1986 and married, graduated with a Bachelor´s degree in Business Administration from Ashesi University (Ghana) in 2006. She currently works as a local unit accountant with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, Africa West Area. Her responsibilities include analysing local unit finances, reconciling financial data and training clerks on basic financial record keeping. In the course of her life, Keren has won several awards, including a scholarship to study at the American University of Rome and the opportunity to be Ghana´s female representative at the Summit for Africa´s Young Business Leaders in the USA. She is actively engaged in girl guiding. (last updated 2009)

Kristin Heinig (Germany) born in Schmölln in 1984. After her high school graduation, she completed European Voluntary Service in a Belgian Red Cross home for asylum-seekers. Since 2004, she has been studying Cultural Studies, Politics and History and Culture of Africa at the University of Leipzig. She spent a semester at the University Paris 7 Diderot in France and two months in Azare, Nigeria, for a Hausa language course organised by the German Academic Exchange Service. In addition to her studies, she is working voluntarily on different projects in the field of migration and refugees as well as in a cultural club. (last updated 2009)

Liliane Uwimana (Rwanda), born in Kigali in 1982. After completing her high school education in Nursing Sciences and working as a nurse for a year, she embarked on a Social Sciences degree in 2002. During her four years at the Université Libre de Kigali, she had the opportunity to do various internships with different organisations involved in counselling vulnerable people, especially children, women and HIV/AIDS positive people. One year after completion of her "Licence" degree in Sociology, in August 2008, she started a one year Master´s programme in Humanitarian Studies at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. (last updated 2009)

Lotta Mayer (Germany), born in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt in 1983, studied Sociology, Political Science and Philosophy in Heidelberg and Madrid from 2002 to 2008. Since 2008, she has been working on a PhD dissertation with Prof. Dr. Mathias Bös in Marburg. Her dissertation involves developing a socialisation theory-based model of the self-perpetuation of violent conflicts. Since 2004, she has been a Member of the Board of Directors at the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK) and joint head of the working group "Conflicts in sub-saharan Africa". (last updated 2009)

Matthias Roth (Germany) born in Munich in 1981. After gaining his German high school leaving certificate and completing basic military service, he studied Business Administration and Engineering at Munich University of Applied Sciences. During his academic studies, he also completed a period of vocational training, various internships and several sojourns abroad. Since October 2007, Mr. Roth has been working towards his PhD in the field of Medical Engineering as part of research cooperation between the University of Lübeck and Munich University of Applied Sciences. In his leisure time, Mr. Roth is a keen sportsman and is also interested in languages and foreign countries. (last updated 2009)

Nicolas Hausdorf (Germany), born in Heppenheim in 1984. After graduating from high school in southern Hesse, he moved to Hamburg in 2005, where, a year later, he began studying for a degree in Political Science at the University of Hamburg. He is majoring in International Relations and Political Philosophy and has recently worked on authoritarian regimes in transition, the political philosophy of Carl Schmitt as well as megacities as actors in international relations. Nicolas Hausdorf has lived and studied in the United States and in France and is currently preparing his Bachelor´s thesis. (last updated 2009)

Susanne Meltl (Germany), born in Munich in 1983, studied Political Science at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and at Duke University, USA, graduating in August 2009. Her research interest is in regime transition, logic of political violence, and conflict resolution. During her studies in Erlangen, she worked at the university´s Central Office for International Affairs and was a delegation member to the National Model United Nations (NMUN) in New York in 2008. She completed an internship at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), South Africa Office in Johannesburg and is currently engaged as an intern at the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Uganda. (last updated 2009)

Serge Otis Tokom Tchepnkep (Cameroon), born in Mbo Bandjoun 1980, graduated from Siantou Higher Institute (Yaounde, Cameroon) in 2005 with International Business and Marketing Management as majors. Since then, he has being working toward integrated solutions that may help enhance the development of Africa in general and of Cameroon, in particular. He initiated the web portal www.237online.com in 2008. It focuses on information about Cameroon. Moreover, he was an observer during the legislative and municipal elections of 2002. He is also engaged in several community works programmes. (last updated 2009)