CBIE is pleased to introduce this new series of episodes aimed at elevating the voices of international students, scholars and researchers who currently pursue or have pursued higher education studies in Canada under a government-sponsored scholarship program. In Episode #1, launched for the international celebration of the United Nations’ Public Service Day (June 23rd), we present the views of two of our Africa Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) alumni on the impact that studying in Canada has had on their personal lives and, especially, on their roles as former public servants and future leaders in their home countries. Around crucial matters such as healthcare and climate change, both alumni discuss how their Canadian education has propelled their search for ‘’African solutions to African issues’’ through new ideas on policymaking, multi-layered partnerships and leadership development. These two guests completed their Master’s degrees in Public Policy in Canada under the framework of the ALT scholarship program, a program jointly funded by the Government of Canada and the Master Card Foundation.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, and the Master Card Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumnae of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Christiana Oluwatoyin Onabola
Christiana grew up in a small suburb in Lagos, Nigeria, and received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos. She came to Canada in 2016 as a recipient of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) scholarship and earned a Master in Public Policy and Global Affairs from the University of British Columbia. She is currently a Vanier Scholar pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia. Her research interest is in exploring health and its intersections with other socio‐ecological issues, especially those grounded in policies. Outside of school, Christiana is involved in policy research and advocacy. She is a founding member of the Nigerian Working Group ‐ a subsidiary of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR), and a dynamic team of Nigerian graduate researchers in Canada coming together to do research and launch initiatives around addressing the health impacts of climate change in Nigeria.
Bintu Jabbie
Bintu is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in public administration with a minor in public policy with over 5 years of work experience with governmental, private for-profit and non-profit organizations including international NGO‘s in her native Sierra Leone. Her role cuts across health care administration, policy analysis, strategic planning, research and emergency preparedness including responding to emerging global health threats such as Ebola Virus Disease. She is a passionate health care provider promoting a practice towards a functioning health system that works for all and delivers quality and timely services to the nation with the resources available while adhering to the nursing ethics and emphasizing prevention through community participation and empowerment. She is continually pursuing knowledge and hone skills relevant to the improvement of health systems with a focus on governance and leadership.