A Monash University student’s excellent academic record and community involvement initiatives recently afforded her an opportunity to meet the former president of the United States (POTUS), Bill Clinton.
Thembile Ndlovu (21) is an International Studies honours student. She was selected by Laureate Education to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
“Growing up, I never thought that I would have travelled and met the former president of the United States at the age of 21,” said Thembile. She said she would like to extend her deepest gratitude to Monash South Africa, the Community Engagement department at Monash South Africa and Laureate International Universities for making this opportunity available to her.
According to Monash South Africa’s community engagement manager Craig Rowe, CGIU hosts an annual conference that brings together young leaders, organisations and experts where discussions about global challenges take place.
“As a prerequisite to attending the event, delegates need to develop their own practical solutions to solve global issues, focusing on any of CGIU’s five core areas like education, environment and climate change; peace and human rights; poverty alleviation and public health,” Rowe said and added that Ndlovu is one of the world-changers who is clearly making a difference.
Ndlovu said after her connection and networking with all the other students that were at the conference, she realised that there is a global need for a platform for women to be heard.
“I realised that what I thought was a local issue, was actually global. My project is not just a need within my region, but it is a global need as well,” she said.
She mentioned that her favourite part about the conference was the live streamed plenary sessions that people all over the globe could participate in through social media.
Ndlovu is involved in an Authentic Chicks Talk (ACT) which is a series of facilitated dialogue sessions designed to empower young girls from impoverished communities. She said ACT provides a platform for young girls who are restricted by cultural stigma and norms, to voice out their opinions and be heard.
“We look forward to helping young leaders develop their initiatives and to drive social progress in their countries,” Laureate Education’s director of corporate social responsibility and global public affairs, Steven Gray said.
Details: Monash University 011 9504000
