It is one of the few institutes in Europe offering development studies Masters tailored to the context of Africa
Petro Aurelian Mahuwi from Tanzania
2019-2020-MA - Governance and Development Policy (GDP)
Name: Petro Aurelian Mahuwi
Major: Governance and Development Policy (GDP)
Background: A trained rural development practitioner, with 8 years’ experience working in the NGOs/CBOs sector especially in coordinating and managing health and nutrition interventions in rural Tanzania. My passion for governance and development policy resonate from this end and in recent years I development interest in promoting sustainability of local NGOs in my country by advocating their role as key governance stakeholders.
Scholarship awarded: Orange Knowledge Scholarship Programme (OKP)
Any advice on getting that scholarship?
Prior planning with specific milestones towards application for the scholarship is key. I had sufficient time to read/research well about requirements of the scholarship such as OKP country priorities, deadlines, document formats, lessons from previous alumni, ISS Facebook platform and participation in the ISS Webinars was very helpful. Well-articulated motivation with clear linkages on how the Masters will benefit my country, employer and myself was key. It is good to have one or two people review your document before submission, this helped me clear some mistakes. Lesson learned from my previous NUFFIC application “Rushing is a fatal error”.
Why study abroad?
The zeal to acquired contemporary perspectives in understanding and addressing development challenges in my country triggered the desire to study outside my country. Learning from experiences of other countries and building my professional network at international level tempted me to make this tough decision. Again, the cost to meet advanced studies in Tanzania are quite high for many ‘Thanks for OKP’ my dream has been a success.
Why ISS?
I was impressed by its location at the most famous city of peace and justice The Hague. The use of English and the fact that the course it offers on the basis of my research received international appreciation by many international organizations. Academic credibility of the institute and Erasmus University Rotterdam rank wise was impressive. It is one of the few institutes in Europe offering development studies Masters tailored to the context of Africa.
How is your experience so far?
With exception to the ‘Dutch weather’ my 5 months experience with ISS has been wonderful. The diversity of the students and the teaching staff is amazing. I am confident by the end of my Masters programme I will learn a lot not only with staff and students but also with a lot of experts currently in the Hague, which is an important opportunity for my next career.
What are your future plans?
I look forward to coming back home after graduation and contribute to my country development. I anticipate continuing working in the nonprofit sector more especially in the interventions related to policy and governance of health and nutrition sector.
Would you recommend ISS to your friends?
I am proud to recommend ISS to anyone interested to do development studies with interest of working with national, international non-Governmental Organizations and UN systems.