Meet the Cohort - KEMRI Graduate School

Cohort 1 · 2026 – 2027

Meet the Inaugural Fellows

The LEA-WH Cohort 1 fellows represent a diverse community of researchers, clinicians, biotechnologists, and innovators from eleven African countries, united by a commitment to advancing women's health. Each brings a distinct discipline, geography, and vision for impact — together, they form the foundation of a continent-wide network that will grow with every cohort that follows.

Twelve months. Two tracks. One generation of African leaders.

Track 01

Reproductive Health Researchers

12 Fellows Generating evidence that shapes policy & practice across the continent

Dr. Aamirah Mussa

Women's Health Researcher, Botswana

STIs & RTIs. Improving male partner engagement to reduce sexually transmitted infections among adolescent girls and young women in Botswana.

Dr. Mbah Clarisse Engowei

Biomedical Scientist, Cameroon

STIs & RTIs. Discovering microbial and host genetic variants associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis carriage.

Dr. Wepnje Godlove Bunda

Biomedical Scientist, Cameroon

STIs & RTIs. Advancing diagnosis, treatment, and control of female genital schistosomiasis in rural and semi-urban endemic regions of Cameroon.

Gelila Biresaw Sime, Biomedical Scientist from Ethiopia, LEA-WH Cohort 1 Reproductive Health Researcher

Ms. Gelila Biresaw Sime

Biomedical Scientist, Ethiopia

STIs & Cervical Cancer. Three-arm cluster randomised trial comparing clinician-led, self-collected, and HEW-assisted HPV screening in Southern Ethiopia.

Dr. Sitsofe Gbogbo

Behavioural Scientist, Ghana

Menstrual Health. Embodied Signals — heavy menstrual bleeding as an early marker of cardiovascular risk, with art-based participatory co-design in the Volta and Oti regions.

Ms. Hellen Abibata Habib, Lab Technician and Public Health Officer from Ghana, LEA-WH Cohort 1 Reproductive Health Researcher

Ms. Helen Abibata Habib

Lab Tech & Public Health Officer, Ghana

Menstrual Health. Advancing person-centred diagnosis and management of heavy menstrual bleeding across the reproductive life course.

Dr. Onyekachi Ewa Ibe

Biomedical Scientist, Nigeria

Vaginal Microbiome Research. Expanding clinical research on cervical-vaginal dysbiosis toward microbiome-driven prevention and translational women's health innovation.

Dr. Kenneth Toby Maduako

Medical Doctor, Nigeria

Endometriosis. Evaluating a digital symptom-tracking and risk-stratification model to accelerate laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis in low-resource settings.

Dr. Airat Adeola Bakare

Reproductive Biologist, Nigeria

STIs & RTIs. Integrating reproductive health education, early detection, and care for STI and HIV infections among girls and women in Nigeria.

Dr. Chinelo Cynthia Nduka

Medical Doctor, Nigeria

Cervical Cancer. Advancing gender-responsive cervical cancer care in Nigeria through community norm transformation and women-centred health system adaptations.

Dr. Uduak Adiakot Okomo

Medical Doctor, The Gambia

Menopause. A mixed-methods population study of reproductive ageing and midlife women's health in The Gambia.

Dr. Rogers Kajabwangu

Medical Doctor, Uganda

Cervical Cancer. Adapting an enhanced antiretroviral treatment adherence package to improve follow-up after treatment for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in women with HIV.

Track 02

Product Developers / Innovators

8 Fellows Building solutions, products & platforms that reach women where they are

Dr. Marie Keka Therese Esengwa

Medical Doctor, Cameroon

Menopause. Developing a fully integrated digital menopause health platform tailored for African women.

Mr. Joel Alex Olang

Public Health Officer, Kenya

Contraceptive Technologies. M Kliniki — an AI-enabled telehealth platform for contraceptive access and women's health equity in Kenya.

Dr. Kathryn Dayo Kadasia, Biomedical Scientist from Kenya, LEA-WH Cohort 1 Product Developer and Innovator

Dr. Kadryn Kadasia - Tangai

Biomedical Scientist, Kenya

Vaginal Microbiome Research. Building context-specific AI diagnostics for rapid vaginal health assessment in African women.

Mr. Kennedy Mulungu

Biotechnologist, Malawi

Menstrual Health. Producing alginate-based biodegradable sanitary pads and wound dressings for local manufacturing in Malawi.

Dr. Leonard Naphazi Kambewa

Medical Doctor, Malawi

STIs & Cervical Cancer. One Visit, Two Lives Saved — an integrated STI and cervical cancer screening innovation for low-resource health systems.

Dr. Joy Odimegwu

Biomedical Scientist, Nigeria

Menopause. Developing Menopause Reset™, a phytomedicine-based nutraceutical for managing menopause symptoms.

Dr. Fezile Bongekile Khumalo

Biotechnologist, South Africa

STIs & RTIs. From Risk to Action — an integrated modular LAMP-based diagnostic platform for women's reproductive health in Africa.

Dr. Nyasha Manyeruke

Medical Doctor, Zimbabwe

STIs & RTIs. Evaluating an AI-enabled telemedicine pathway via the YouthWyze digital health application to optimise STI care for adolescent girls and young women.

20 Fellows

11 Countries

4 Regions

9 Priority Areas

Across two tracks — Reproductive Health Research and Product Development & Innovation — Cohort 1 will spend twelve months turning research and ideas into impact for women across the continent. Follow their journey on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube, or subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates.