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Peter Kabethi is an education leader and passionate advocate for inclusive learning in Kenya. At age ten, following open-heart surgery, Peter lost his hearing—a life-altering experience that shaped his future calling.

He excelled in primary school and later attended a high school for the deaf, where he witnessed firsthand the systemic barriers Deaf students faced, including limited sign language fluency among teachers and a lack of adapted curricula. Determined to help transform special needs education in his country, he pursued a degree in Special Needs Education at Mount Kenya University, graduating in 2016.

Peter went on to serve at Tumutumu School for the Deaf as a teacher, Head of Department, and leader of the school’s monitoring and evaluation team. His impact extends beyond the classroom through the founding of the Mathira Self Help Group, an initiative that creates employment and business opportunities for Deaf adults while supporting students and families navigating educational pathways. In 2018, he was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders in recognition of his leadership. Today, Peter is a respected voice in equitable education and grassroots advocacy, working to ensure Deaf Kenyans have the tools and opportunities to live with dignity and purpose.

As a child, Dr. Melisa Bhebe dreamed of becoming a doctor to help others. That dream began to take shape in 2013, when she became a WMI Scholar and pursued a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at the National University of Science and Technology.

After graduating, Dr. Bhebe chose to "pay it forward" by founding the Lwisani Uplifting Women In Education-LUWIE Foundation, which supports adolescent girls in her hometown of Hwange with the resources they need to stay in school and grow into community leaders. She has since completed a Master’s in Public Health at the University of Cape Town as a prestigious Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholar, focusing on policy-making and research in African populations.

Through her work and research, Dr. Bhebe champions equitable health care for underserved communities while continuing to mentor and support young women in Zimbabwe. Her leadership has also been recognized within the WMI community, where she received the Founder’s Award and presented at the Dream Big Conference in Nairobi.

Today, Dr. Bhebe’s journey is a beautiful reflection of the long-term impact of education—not only transforming her own life, but the lives of many more along the way.

A 2022 WMI scholar from Malawi, Ackim has demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination in pursuing his education. After losing his father at a young age and facing significant financial challenges, Ackim remained committed to his studies, developing an early passion for computers that would shape his future.

With limited access to resources, he took the initiative to teach himself concepts in physics and technology and sought out every opportunity to learn. With support from WMI, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Livingstonia.

Today, Ackim is a software engineer with over four years of professional experience and serves as an Assistant Systems Engineer at the University of Malawi. He is particularly passionate about using technology to drive community impact and is currently working on a project to make artificial intelligence more accessible to marginalized communities through mobile devices. Through this work, he aims to bridge the digital divide and expand opportunities in Malawi.

Ackim’s journey reflects a steadfast commitment to leveraging innovation for local and global good.

Dr. Daniel Ayodele Femi is a Doctor of Optometry and public health advocate from Nigeria who is transforming access to eye care through innovation, leadership, and service. A dedicated WMI Alum and Global Advisory Board member, he has played key roles across the network—from Educate Your Own (EYO) to global leadership—championing scholar-led initiatives and expanding opportunities for others.

After earning his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Benin in 2024, Daniel developed expertise in ocular disease management, low-vision rehabilitation, and epidemiology—skills he now applies as an Eye Doctor at St. Teresa Specialist and Laser Eye Centre. Beyond clinical care, he is leading efforts to address preventable blindness in underserved communities, where millions still lack access to basic eye health services.

Through initiatives like the Rural CARE program and the Sustainable Rural Eye Care Programme (SREP), supported by WMI CDG Seed and Growth Grants, Daniel has delivered screenings, treatment, and referrals to thousands. As Co-Founder of Iconnect, he also launched the Icare Programme, leveraging digital tools to raise cataract awareness and connect patients to free surgical care. His partnerships with local and international organizations have further expanded access to screenings, eyeglasses, and life-changing surgeries.

A winner of the 2024 ACAD Pitch Competition, Daniel’s work reflects both innovation and impact. His research and global fellowships—including the Millennium Fellowship and Clinton Global Initiative University—underscore his abiding commitment to advancing equitable health systems throughout Nigeria.

Grace Tiwari’s journey reflects the long-term power of education to transform not only one life, but entire communities. Raised in a rural village in Nepal where girls are often expected to marry young, Grace used her WMI scholarship to pursue higher education and redefine her future—and what is possible for women in her community.

After earning her degree in agricultural science, she returned to serve rural Himalayan communities, leading livelihood programs and launching a WMI-supported beekeeping enterprise that equipped women farmers with sustainable income and long-term resilience.

Today, Grace is pursuing a dual-titled PhD in Entomology and International Agriculture and Development at Penn State University, deepening her expertise with the intention of bringing that knowledge back to benefit communities like her own in Nepal. Her research applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop decision-support tools that help farmers manage destructive crop pests, connecting advanced science with real-world agricultural needs. With experience at organizations like the FAO and American Farmland Trust, she brings both global perspective and practical insight to her work.

Grace embodies WMI’s vision: gaining knowledge on a global stage and returning home to create lasting, locally-driven impact in sustainable agriculture, food security, and women’s empowerment.

Nasilele Mubita knows firsthand how life-changing education can be. Raised in rural Zambia by a widowed mother who struggled to provide for her four daughters, Nasilele often relied on the support of family members, neighbors, and local organizations just to remain in school.

Despite financial hardship, she excelled academically and held tightly to her dream of becoming a dental surgeon so she could one day give back to her community. With support from WMI, Nasilele completed her degree in Dental Surgery at The Copperbelt University in 2022 and transformed that dream into action.

Today, Nasilele is a dental surgeon, WMI alum, and founder of We Smile, an organization dedicated to expanding access to oral healthcare and education for underserved communities in Zambia. Through her Give Me a Smile Initiative, funded in part through a WMI Seed Grant, she provided oral health education, brushing tools, and restorative dental treatment to 350 children with disabilities and their caregivers at the Bauleni Special Needs School in Lusaka.

Nasilele is improving health outcomes and restoring confidence for vulnerable young people who lack access to even the most basic dental care, using her education to build healthier, stronger communities at home.

Raised in a Nigerian slum where overcrowded classrooms, financial hardship, and long days of hawking water threatened to derail her education, Mariam Sulleiman has refused to let her circumstances define her future.

Today, she is a PhD researcher in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, advancing groundbreaking research in Human-AI collaboration and AI in Engineering Design after earning degrees from Carnegie Mellon University Africa and Federal University of Technology Minna.

Mariam’s remarkable journey recently earned her the prestigious Women in Engineering: Rising Star Award from the SAE Media Group, recognizing her leadership, innovation, and impact as a role model for women in STEM. Mariam is also pioneering the integration of 3D printing into African manufacturing, with research accepted at the International Conference on Engineering Design exploring how additive manufacturing and traditional casting methods can modernize industries across the continent.

Beyond her academic achievements, she has remained deeply committed to service, co-founding the Females in Clean Energy Foundation to expand STEM access, mentorship, and sustainable energy initiatives in underserved Nigerian communities. As a proud alum of WMI and former Global Advisory Board member, Mariam continues to embody WMI’s mission by transforming opportunity into lasting change.

When Dr. Catherine Nagadya received a WMI scholarship, she set her sights on a future of healing patients, uplifting communities, and creating opportunities for others to thrive. Today, she is a practicing General Surgeon at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, and is pursuing a Fellowship in Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery and Endoscopy through the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa.

Beyond her work in medicine, Catherine is the Founder and CEO of Girls Unstoppable Uganda, an organization dedicated to helping marginalized adolescent girls stay in school through scholarships, educational materials, mentorship, and social support. Since its founding, the initiative has impacted more than 500 girls, opening doors to brighter futures for young women across Uganda.

Catherine's commitment to sustainable impact led her to launch SaniKits, a hand-hygiene enterprise supported by WMI’s Community Development Grants from 2020 to 2021. Remarkably, 40% of the business's proceeds are reinvested into Girls Unstoppable scholarships, creating a cycle of opportunity that continues to grow.

A passionate advocate, mentor, and public speaker, Catherine has earned national recognition for her leadership, including the WMI President's Award and selection as a 2022 WMI Scholar Ambassador. Her achievements also include recognition through the Association of Surgeons of Uganda's mentorship program, where she was honored as one of its youngest award recipients.

Raised by a single mother and inspired by values of perseverance and service, Precious earned a B.Sc. in Accounting and Financial Reporting from Botho University and later an MBA in Leadership and Strategy from Africa Research University. Today, she serves as a Finance Officer at Cheshire Homes of Eswatini, where she helps strengthen programs that support people with disabilities.

Driven by her belief that every young person deserves the chance to succeed, Precious founded the Sisonkhe Youth Empowerment Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting young people with educational opportunities, mentorship, and personal development resources. As an active leader within WMI's Educate Your Own (EYO) program, she continues to invest in the next generation of changemakers.

In 2025, Precious earned third place in the WMI Academy Pitch Competition and used her award funding to organize a youth career-readiness workshop focused on resume writing, job applications, and interview preparation. The event was met with enthusiastic participation and positive feedback from attendees.

Through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to empowering others, Precious embodies the spirit of service and community impact that defines the WMI network.

As a young boy in South Sudan, Mayom Mabuong's future nearly ended before it began. After losing his father during the civil war, his mother withdrew him from school, believing there would be no way to pay his fees. But a dedicated teacher convinced her to let him return, and Mayom excelled in his studies until, at age 15, he was forcibly recruited into the military. He would not be reunited with his family for three years afterwards.

Determined to build a different future, Mayom won a WMI scholarship and earned degrees in Community Health and Humanitarian and Conflict Studies. Today, he serves with South Sudan's Ministry of Health and leads his nonprofit, Errand of Mercy International, which provides emergency humanitarian assistance across the country.

Using support from WMI's Community Development Grants (CDG) and President's First Award programs, he launched a Community Development Fund that has evolved into a community-based livelihoods program, helping families build economic stability. In 2024, Mayom also established Community Information Hubs in central South Sudan, equipping local operators with smartphones to share community news and promote responsible media use, strengthening access to information in underserved areas.

When Dr. Phinuella Okunamiri was born, her family wasn't sure she would survive. Growing up in a large family facing financial hardship in Nigeria, she experienced firsthand the challenges that come with poverty, uncertainty, and limited access to opportunity. Yet even as a young student, she dreamed of becoming a doctor and using her life to serve others.

She was awarded a WMI scholarship in 2013, went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Ibadan, and is now a Senior Registrar in Psychiatry at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Lagos. Along the way, she distinguished herself as one of West Africa's top psychiatry trainees, earning the George Eze Prize and Egarton Luke Prize for outstanding performance in her membership examinations.

Passionate about demystifying the stigma surrounding mental health, Phinuella launched Well-Mind Naija through a WMI Community Development Grant. Using accessible video training, the initiative helps families better understand mental illness and supports caregivers facing burnout.

Beyond her medical work, Phinuella has served as WMI's West Africa Regional Coordinator, led the Nigeria Fellowship, participated in the WMI Academy, and continues to mentor and inspire fellow scholars.