Kibona, who completed an MA in International Policy and Economic Development at UoB in 2008, is one of 24 social change leaders chosen for the program’s inaugural cohort.

In a press release sent to Redbrick, the Ford Foundation described the fellowship as ‘an investment to build a global network of leaders to fight inequality.’ 

The scheme, launched at the beginning of June, will dedicate $50 million to 240 social justice figureheads over the next ten years.

Kibona was delighted to be among the first fellows selected. ‘It was really exciting,’ she told Redbrick. 

‘I was particularly excited about the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others across the world [and] how we are fighting inequality.’

Six countries and four different continents are represented in the network, diversity which Kibona believes will help ‘accelerate the impact of our individual work.’ 

Though her official title is a social development advisor for the Department for International Development in Tanzania, Kibona’s induction as a fellow was a result of her efforts beyond this role.

‘What drove me to apply for the fellow program was my work outside the formal space,’ Kibona reveals.

Focusing mainly on gender inequality, Kibona pushes for women and girls’ voices in Tanzania to be increasingly heard. ‘I felt this void in the development space, where young women were not given the same opportunity.’

Kibona feels ‘the programs being designed for young women are not catering to their really key needs.’ Each fellow will receive a $25,000 stipend, and Kibona is determined to make the most of this assistance and ‘lend my time to the movement on the ground’.

The world is not short of social challenges currently, with Kibona saying that ‘COVID is exasperating existing issues.’

‘The social distancing measures make it more difficult to access services for women and girls in the communities we serve.’

Reflecting on her time at UoB, Kibona said ‘It’s a really great learning environment.’ Though only a student for one year, she has happy memories of campus. ‘I feel very honoured to have passed through [the university], and I wish I had spent more than one year.’

She is still benefiting from the connections she made on campus today. ‘The opportunities to engage with not only your friends [and] fellow colleagues, but also the professors,’ have been valuable for Kibona.  ‘If there is anything in my [work] that I need support on, they respond really quickly.’

‘You still really feel part and parcel of the university.’