Page 37 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)

GLENDA GRAY, SOUTH
AFRICA

PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL
RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC)
DAILY MANTRA: “Dare to dream, dare to achieve
and dare to question.”

rofessor Glenda Gray has built a career dedicat-
ed to HIV research. She fearlessly paused her sci-
ence career to lead, as a civil servant, South Afri-
Pca’s national medical council. She has had many
successes, including establishing the first whole-genome
sequencing unit in Africa. However, it is making science Whatisyourproudestachieve-
OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ more inclusive that oils her engine every day. ment?
Over the years, she has endeavored to transform the sci-
Myproudestmomentisbeingableto
EZEKWESILI, NIGERIA ence landscape by fast-tracking transformation of medical beamother,ascientistandaleader,to
and science graduates and post-graduates within medical juggletheserolesandnotdropaball.
SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA research programs.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE As the first female president of the SAMRC, she is proud Whatdoesbeingapowerfulwomen
(AEDPI) to promote the careers of women and black scientists. meanin2020?
DAILY MANTRA: “Nothing is worthy enough Her awards are numerous. In honor of her significant con- Itmeansembracingyourpower,but
for me to negotiate my values.” tribution to the prevention of mother-to-child transmis- beingmindfulofsupporting the jour-
sion of HIV, she was awarded the Nelson Mandela Health neysofothers.
A self-confessed softie who enjoys laughter, Dr Obiage- and Human Rights Award in 2002. A decade later in 2013,
li Ezekwesili is an accountant turned global politician. she was bestowed the Order of Mapungubwe by former Whatdoyouenjoymostabout
Ezekwesili is a woman of impact with influence that president Jacob Zuma. Gray has brought treatment to beingawoman?
many women and children who were HIV infected and is
has stopped the world, its leaders and civilians to focus highly dedicated to finding an HIV vaccine. In 2017, she Wearingredlipstickandhighheels!
on one issue, #BringBackOurGirls, a social media cam- was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the What do you want your legacy
paign turned movement she co-founded after the hor- world by TIME magazine. She says more in an interview to be?
rific abduction of 276 girls from their school in the town with FORBES AFRICA: Iwantmylegacytobeaboutpushing
of Chibok, Nigeria, by terrorist group, Boko Haram. The scientificboundariestofindanHIV
campaign received support from former American first Whoandwhatinspiresyoureffortseveryday? vaccine,todevelopwomenscientists,
ladies, Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama, as well as Thecitizensofthiscountryinspireme.Isalute their resil- andaboutcreatingopportunitiesthat
prominent international figures including Beyoncé, An- ience and their hope for a better future. allow people to grow and thrive.
gelina Jolie and Malala Yousafzai. The movement com-
pelled the government of Nigeria to take action that led
to the rescue of 107 abducted Chibok School Girls, 104 ture”.Herinitialfindingspromptedtheongoing
abducted Dapchi School Girls and thousands of other ZondoCommissionofInquiryintostatecapture.
abducted citizens of Nigeria. Aftervacatingherposition,Madonselahasre-
"[Being powerful] means using my privilege, my agen- mainedthemoralvoiceforSouthAfricathrough
cy, my power, my voice, my leverage, my resources, my herinfluenceonsocialmedia.Shehassettledat
talent, my networks and every other thing within my theStellenboschUniversityintheWesternCape
control to advance the cause of the weak, vulnerable provinceasadedicatedlawprofessor.There,she
and marginalized people starting from my country, to focusesonteachingconstitutional,administrative
Africa and the rest of the world," she says. andsocialjusticelawwhilepursuingdemocracy
strengtheningresearch."Ienjoymypeace-mak-
Ezekwesili has dedicated her life to building vibrant ingdispositionthatcomeswithbeingamother
and tolerant societies with democratically accountable formany,whooftenhavedisparateneedsandout-
governments. She travels the continent and the globe looks,"shesays.She'sthefounderoftheThuma
advising a number of presidents and their cabinets on FoundationforDemocracyLeadershipandLiter-
sound economic policies to achieve inclusive growth. THULI MADONSELA, acywhichlaunchedtheSiyazakhelaEnterprising
Amongst her many accolades including her nomina- Communities,asocialinitiativewhichseekstoig-
tion for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, Ezekwesili recalls SOUTH AFRICA niteentrepreneurialcenteredcommunitiesandis
that her proudest is receiving the highest civilian honor LAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE currentlypilotingatEmanzimeleninearEmpan-
of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for service geniinKwaZulu-Natal.Shehasbecomeamoun-
tainclimberofnoteandledawomen'sdayhikeup
to her country. "I became the first woman ever to be RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY tothesummitofKilimanjaro,called#Trek4Man-
decorated with the CFR in 2006.” DAILY MANTRA: “Give everything your delaExpedition,toraisesupportforthedignityof
She holds herself in high regard for being able to bal- best shot.” girlsthroughsanitarypadsandhighlightsocialjus-
ance her fascinating career across many sectors: busi- A fewyearshavepassedsinceadvocateThu- ticeamongotherissueslikeclimatechange.
ness; government and global civil society whilst func- lisileNomkhosiMadonselawasthemostfeared "It was the most difficult physical and emotion-
tioning as well as possible in her reality as a daughter, womaninSouthAfrica.Herruleasthepublic al challenge I ever faced. Over 200 000 girls got
wife, sister and mother. "The capacity to multi-task prosecutorofSouthAfricafrom2009to2016, sanitary pads as an outcome of the expedition,"
across this diversity of roles makes me value and enjoy wasdecoratedby"nofearandnofavor,"asshe she says. To her, being a powerful woman in
my skills as a woman," she concludes. ledthecorruptionchargesagainsttheserving 2020 means to be at peace with yourself and the
world while enjoying the ability to collaborate
president, Jacob Zuma, known as “statecap-
with others to influence change.

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