Scholarship holders 2007
8.7.2009
24 participants - 12 from Africa and 12 from Germany - took part in the first exchange programme of "Go Africa... Go Germany..." during August and September 2007 in Germany and Namibia. Click here to find a list of the first generation of scholarship holders.
German Participants
Anna-Rabea Acker, born 13/10/1983 currently studies Urbanisation & Development at the London School of Economics. She has completed a MA (Hons) in Politics at the University of Edinburgh. Anna has volunteered in several community-based projects in East Africa, has worked as a project coordinator for an NGO in Ghana and as short-term consultant for the GTZ Urban Governance and Decentralisation Program in Ethiopia. (last updated 2009)
Benjamin Bach, born 12/02/1979, studied Politicd, Economics, and French at the Technical University Aachen and the University of Bonn, with a special reference to International Relations, Development Politics and Comparative Politics. (last updated 2007)
Silke Bellmann, born 18/04/1979, has studied Political Science, Latin American Studies and Sociology at the Universität Potsdam, the Freie Universität Berlin and the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. She has worked with the NGO Maihan Rehabilitation Agency in Kabul, the human rights organization Memorial in St. Petersburg, the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin, the Institut for Iranian Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, as a research officer and advisor on Afghanistan policies for a member of the German parliament and as capacity development specialist for the basic education programme of the GTZ in Dushanbe and Kabul. Now she is cultural affairs officer and press officer at the German Embassy in Kabul. (last updated 2009)
Phuong Lan Böhm, born 14/11/1982, is studying Politics at the Free University of Berlin, focusing on Civic Education, Media and Development Policies. She has been working as a project coordinator for the German Youth Press, was active in a youth participation movement and founded a charity for "Agent Orange"- Victims in Vietnam. (last updated 2007)
Lena Giesbert, born in 1979, is a research fellow at the GIGA Institute of African Affairs in Hamburg and a PhD candidate at the Humboldt University of Berlin. She has a degree in African Studies with a major in economics and politics at the University of Leipzig. Her main areas of research are poverty reduction, development and growth, household risk management, microfinancing and social security in subsaharan Africa. Since 2006 she has been involved in intensive field research in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana. (last updated 2009)
Josef Hien, born 11/05/1981, is currently a PhD candidate at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. Before joining the EUI, Josef Hien studied at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, the Universita di Bologna, and in the graduate program of Duke University. In 2010 he has been a visiting fellow at the Berlin Graduate School of Social Science at Humboldt University where he has taught undergraduate students in Comparative Politics. His thesis explores the way how some ideas rise to the top of the political agenda and get institutionalized and why others do not. This is investigated through an in-dept empirical study of the role that the idea of Catholic Social teaching played in the formation process of the Continental-Conservative European welfare regimes. The goal of the study is twofold, first to give an empirical answer to the question of what actually brought these specific welfare regimes about, and second to develop an ideational research framework that allows to test how much influence ideas have on politics and political actor's motives, and whether they matter at all in policy-formation processes. Hien is especially interested in the fields of Comparative Political Economy, welfare states, collective action, social mobilization, party systems and institutional theory. Main regional focus is the OECD countries but Hien also has a profound interest in African, and especially in sub-Saharan politics. (last updated 2011)
Alice Hohn, born Stühler, is currently working as a science officer at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB), Germany. After high school she worked for two years as a volunteer in the outskirts of Mexico-City. She studied at the University of Hohenheim in Germany and at the Aarhus School of Business in Denmark. After completing her Diploma in Communication Science, she worked as a researcher at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) focussing on the life course of young women and men, their career aspirations and personal goals. (last updated 2012)
Alexander Nguyen is a PhD candidate and a research fellow at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. His major fields of research and teaching are Constitutional Law, European and International Law especially International Criminal Law. He studied in Giessen (Germany) and Adelaide (Australia) and holds a German law degree as well as a master´s degree in International Law. He completed his legal training and his bar exam in Berlin in 2007. (last updated 2009)
Linda Poppe completed her M.A. in Peace Studies at Tübingen University in August 2009 and is currently visiting lecturer at Erfurt University. In 2007/08, she completed an Erasmus year in Leuven, Belgium. Previously, Ms. Poppe studied law and economics in Erfurt, Germany and Claremont, USA. She is actively involved in university level simulations of the United Nations, amongst others as as member of the Advisory Board for the NMUN NY. (last updated 2009)
Following his studies of political sciences at Sciences Po Bordeaux and the universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen, Samy Saadi compledted multiple internships at the UN, the Federal Foreign Office in Germany and others. After postgraduate studies in Public Administration at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA) in France he is now employed as Consultant at UNDP in New York, focussing on reconstruction and conflict-prevention. (last updated 2009)
Miriam Shabafrouz, born 09/04/1980, studied Social Sciences at the universities in Stuttgart and Bordeaux. Subsequently, she did an internship at the German Association for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) in Eschborn, and at the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Now she is working for the German Instititute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) of the Leibniz Society in Hamburg on causes and solutions to disputes over resources (esp. crude oil, natural gas and water). (last updated 2007)
Artjom Wolf born 14 August 1981 in Tashkent/Uzbekistan. A-levels in June 2000, following a professional apprenticeship in banking until June 2002. Studied economics and social sciences and graduated in November 2007 with a thesis on microfinance institutions. He is working for German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) since December 2007, on an assignment in Lao PDR within a project on the establishment of village banks since July 2009. (last updated 2009)
Benjamin Zasche, born 23/10/1983, studied Law at the universities of Augsburg and Nice (France) and passed his first state examination in July of 2009. During his studies in Augsburg he was student member of the faculty board and was engaged in different fields of academic policy. He is currently working for a law firm and a Centre for Further Education and will attend legal traineeship at the Superior Court of Justice in Berlin. His research interests are International and European law. (last updated 2009)
African Participants
Helena Amutenya, born 09/09/1984, obtained her Bachelor of Law in 2006 from the University of Namibia. She is Registered Candidate Attorney and enrolled at the Justice Training Centre of the University of Namibia. (last updated 2007)
Osang Ankwenseng, born 13/04/1982, holds a B.A. in accounting from the Institute de la Gombe in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Subsequently, she worked as an executive secretary (2002-07). (last updated 2007)
Dambe Baboki, born 14/06/1985, is doing a Bachelor of Law at the University of Botswana and worked as intern for M Mmohe Attorneys. (last updated 2007)
Joanna Marie Frivet, born 30/10/1986, is doing a Bachelor of Law at the University of Mauritius. He intends to specialize in human rights, international or labour law. (last updated 2007)
Tracy-Lee Jooste, born 24/04/1981, has a B.A. in Political Science and Economics and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Cape Town. She worked as Junior Research Fellow at the University of Cape Town (2002-05), and currently works at the Palmer Development Group, a public sector consultancy in Cape Town. Her work areas include urban economics, local government, intergovernmental relations, social development and the environmental sector. (last updated 2007)
Leitago Narib, born 05/05/1981, has a B.A. in Media Studies with a double major in Journalism and German Language and Literature from the University of Namibia. Since 2002 he worked for different Non- Governmental-Organisations and with the arts. He is working for the United Nations in Namibia as a journalist. (last updated 2007)
Alfred Chancy Nthowela, born 28/02/1982, studied Political Science at the Chancellor College, University of Malawi (2002-06). His focus lies in the areas of civic education, democratic decentralisation, conflict resolution and management, local development and good governance. (last updated 2007)
Reginald Ntomba, born 28/02/1980, studied Journalism at the Evelyn Hone College (Zambia). He wrote as freelance journalist for local and international media, before he worked for the European Commission Delegation in Lusaka as a Press and Information Assistant. Currently, he is studying economics at the University of Zambia. (last updated 2007)
Carmen Vonisoa Lahatra Razafindramisa, born 18/05/1985, studied Political Science at the University of Antananarivo (Madagascar), where she finished her studies with the Maîtrise. Currently, she is preparing for a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) in Population and Development at the Catholic University of Madagascar. (last updated 2007)
Ethel Nasimiyu Sirengo, born 29/09/1980, studied Print and Broadcast Media, as well as Television Broadcast at the St. Augustine University of Tanzania, and has a diploma in Journalism. Currently, she is doing an Executive Master of Business Administration. She was project assistant in a project from the German Association for Technical Co-operation (GTZ). (last updated 2007)
Lerato Tsebe, born 26/08/1984, studied Political Science, Sociology and International Relations at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is an intern at the Helen Suzman Foundation and a volunteer for the Treatment Action Campaign in Johannesburg, as well as a regional representative for the Pan African Youth Leadership Forum (PAYLF). (last updated 2007)
Simiso Lucinda Velempini, born 31/05/1983, is writing her Masters thesis in International Relations. She is currently a part-time lecturer at the University of Pretoria, and chairs the Pretoria Chapter of the United Nations Association. (last updated 2007)
