We are excited to present the 2023 class of USAP Capstone Fellows!
The 2nd Class of the USAP Community School graduated in November 2022 after a successful completion of their final year. As part of their curriculum, the students embarked on a year long Capstone research project. The students researched into their home communities to identify a pervasive problem, extensively research its causes and consequences using primary and secondary research methods, and later provide a possible solution. After writing 20 page capstone research papers, each student also prepared an academic poster and presentation which they presented to an audience at the Capstone Showcase.
The purpose of Capstone is to expose the students to a variety of research methods that they can implement in their communities. The showcase provided a platform for the students to apply for funding to execute their ideas as Capstone Fellowships. The following eight fellows were awarded six month fellowships to working on implementing their projects into effect during the first half of 2023.
Meet the Fellows
Research Topic: Aborting ignorance: The rise in teenage pregnancies and their termination in Gweru, Zimbabwe
“Catch them young they say and indeed, l will. Unbounded is an Educative group for the girl child by the girl child which serves to empower the 10 to 18 year old girls on sex education simultaneously engaging them in fun activities and life skills. This will help eradicate teenage pregnancies and abortions, as we ABORT IGNORANCE.”
Research Topic: Prevention over cure: Latrine maintenance in Tongogara Refugee Camp
“We are proud to introduce the Unified Double-pit Blair Latrine (UDBL) into our community in Tongogara Refugee Camp. This innovative new approach is designed to address issues such as latrine maintenance, odor control, and providing hand-washing facilities after toilet use. We believe that this latrine will significantly improve the overall user experience and increase the lifespan of the facility.”
Research Topic: Our voices, our future: Ending early child marriage in Chikombedzi
“After investigating causes and consequences of early child marriage on girls below the age of eighteen in Chikombedzi, I am finally going to minimize, if possible end early child marriage in my community by starting two clubs at Boli secondary school, a girls club and a Drama club that uses Theatre of the Oppressed. As well as empowering education by volunteering to teach Math and Combined science at the school.”
Research Topic: Ignorance cost: Financial illiteracy among self-employed people in Harare
“I look forward to making a positive difference in my home community by tackling financial illiteracy among self-employed individuals. The tailored and engaging financial education program will include one on one sessions where we will discuss technical topics such as managing business cash flow, budgeting, and recording finances better. In addition to this, the participants will learn taxation, and business registration.”
Research Topic: Venting for vendors: Challenges faced by street sellers in Gokwe Center
“Relieve yourself and enjoy the rest of the day, I am going to make sure that vendors in Gokwe Center get access to a free-clean toilet. I believe this will reduce their expenses as well as solve the most dominant challenge that they are facing which is lack of toilets.”
Research Topic: Ignorance cost: Financial illiteracy among self-employed people in Harare
“I look forward to co-working with Tadiwanashe Chamisa to make an impact in Mabvuku, Harare, by tackling financial illiteracy among self-employed individuals. The tailored and engaging financial education program will include one on one sessions where we will discuss technical topics such as managing business cash flow, budgeting, and recording finances better. In addition to this, the participants will learn taxation, and business registration. We are also looking to work with a select number of poultry-breeders to reduce the costs incurred in the upkeep of broilers.”
Research Topic: The mind virus: Impacts of Covid-19 on learning of secondary school students in Waterford, Bulawayo
“Research suggests that a drastic decrease in academic performance occurred during the pandemic as a result of unfinished syllabuses, lack of financial funds, unfamiliarity with E-learning e.t.c. To counter this effect, my solution introduces a community homework center along side the installation of WiFi so as to help Waterford students get all the educational resources and support they need to learn productively.”
Research Topic: Without argon all of our hopes are gone: Absence of science subjects at St Michaels School in Tongogara Refugee Camp
“The absence of Natural sciences at St Michael’s secondary school in Tongogara Refugee Camp proved to have a negative impact on many of its students. Therefore, working hand in hand with Dieudonne, we would like to work as volunteer teachers at St Michael’s secondary school where will assist in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics We will be assisting teachers in their lessons and work as an extra resource to students and create a stronger foundation in the natural sciences.”
