EIGHT students from one of the USA’s top tertiary institutions, Harvard University, have arrived in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) for an intensive internship programme to learn about important HIV-prevention and cure research underway in the country.
The five women and three men will spend the next two months in the province. For all eight Harvard undergrads, it’s their first trip to South Africa.
Drawn by the opportunity to engage in global health research, the eight internship finalists were selected by a committee that included senior HIV scientists from the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) and HIV Pathogenesis Programme (HPP) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Nelson R Mandela Medical School, and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard.
Six of the students will be based in the Durban area, at either the Females Rising Through Education, Support and Health (FRESH) clinical research site in Umlazi’s W Section or one of the research laboratories, AHRI or HPP.
FRESH is a unique clinical study that combines HIV cure research with an empowerment programme for young Umlazi women that includes computer and job skills training. The project is the result of a collaboration between researchers from the Ragon Institute and the University of KZN.
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“We loved the idea of bringing Harvard students over to work side-by-side with their South African peers. They’ll be paired with local doctoral and post-doctoral candidates who are engaging in cutting edge HIV-research with leaders in the field,” said Dr Krista Dong, Clinical Director of the FRESH study.
“This internship will give me a chance to participate in HIV-research with people who are passionate about developing a cure. I believe it will be a transformative experience, conducting research at the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, under the supervision of scientists who share the same passion towards alleviating the suffering caused by the epidemic as I do,” said Mazuba Siamatu, a Zambian who is about to enter his third year of studies at Harvard.
“This internship is unique because the projects that I’ll be involved with will have a real impact on the FRESH programme and the future of HIV-research. It is very exciting because I am able to learn many new skills and experience personal growth, while also making a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Nellie Ide, a third year Harvard student from Minnesota.
The final two interns will be based at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg where they will work with ITEACH, an NGO that is a longstanding partner of the KZN Department of Health and focused on improving TB and HIV care in under-resourced communities.
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