Deadline: September 16th, 2024.
Open to: Female doctoral students aged 35 or below, from African universities in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia.
Benefits:  Fully-funded fellowship of up to $30,000 per year for a maximum of five years. The scholarship covers tuition, research costs, and living expenses but does not cover personal or domestic costs like travel insurance or visa fees.

Description:

The Ph.D. Fellowship on the Non-Profit Sector’s Contribution to African Economies, supported by the Mastercard Foundation and hosted by the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School, is designed to provide opportunities for young African doctoral students. The fellowship focuses on research into how non-profit organizations contribute to African economies, with a specific emphasis on creating dignified and fulfilling work for young Africans.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the Fellowship Programme, applicants must:

1. Be a female aged 35 years or below
2. Be currently enrolled as a full time student in a relevant doctoral programme at an African university, focusing on themes and research aligned to the project.
3. Have research interest in the non-profit sector’s contributions to dignified and fulfilling work for African youth.
4. Demonstrate commitment to the programme and the ability to work effectively in a team.
5. Be available to participate in the programme for its entire duration.
6. In the first or second year of their PhD programme.
7. Be nationals of any of the countries listed above and conduct research on any of them or some of them.

Benefits:

• Fully Funded Fellowship: Each selected fellow will receive a full scholarship of up to $30,000 per year for a maximum of five years including tuition, research expenses, and living costs. Additional funding may be available for collaborative research and fieldwork.
• Research Opportunities: Fellows will engage in research focusing on how non-profit organizations contribute to creating dignified and fulfilling work for young Africans.
• Collaboration with Experts: Fellows will work closely with Regional Research Leads and senior researchers, gaining mentorship and support in their research endeavors.
• Focus on Marginalized Groups: The fellowship pays special attention to youth marginality categories such as gender, disability, geography, and other forms of marginalization, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful social research.

How to apply:

Eligible candidates should prepare and submit the following as part of the application package:

1. Current curriculum vitae (CV).
2. A personal statement (maximum 500 words) outlining their research interest, motivation, and alignment with the advertised CAPSI Research programme.
3. An outline of their proposed research project (Maximum 2500 words) covering the following.
   • I. Background of study
   • II. Problem Statement
   • III. Research questions
   • IV. Research objectives
   • V. Literature review and theoretical framework
   • VI. Proposed methodology (covering research design, sampling and, data collection and ethical considerations)
4. A letter of recommendation from supervisor/proposed supervisor.
5. A copy of academic transcripts.
6. Proof of age (e.g., passport, birth certificate, etc.)
7. Proof of admission or registration in an African University

The application must be sent by email to: dennis.osei@wits.ac.za (applicants from West and North Africa), wycliffe.ouma@wits.ac.za (applicants from East Africa), and eleanor.chipeta@wits.ac.za (applicants from Southern Africa) clearly marked “PHD FELLOWSHIP IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR’S CONTRIBUTION TO AFRICAN ECONOMIES,” and copied to Joseph.Sobuthongo@wits.ac.za.

For more details, visit the official website.