Professor Thokozani Xaba – UKZN, Ms Saudamini Siegrist - UNICEF, Ms Hannah Uprichard – Save the Children, Ms Sabine Rakotomalala – UNICEF and Ms Marlene Abrahams – UKZN.New post-graduate diploma’s success celebrated
The School of Built Environment and Development Studies (BEDS) in the College of Humanities hosted a gala dinner to welcome their partners and thank students involved in the newly- launched Child Protection in Emergencies (CPIE) post-graduate diploma.
BEDS’ partners include UNICEF, Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) and Save the Children UK and it has students from around the world.
Project Leader and Dean and Head of the School, Professor Thokozani Xaba, thanked the partners for the trust they had in the University. Expressing his appreciation to the students, he said the programme would not have existed had they not being part of it.
Student Ms Riyam Maraq of Palestine said she felt privileged, inspired and motivated to be part of the programme.
Ms Caroline Erong thanked the donors and UKZN adding that she was privileged to be part of the course. ‘We must continue to fight for the children,’ she added.
Ms Hanna Uprichard of Save the Children UK said she was pleased to work in this partnership, adding that UKZN had been fantastic from the outset.
The CPIE postgraduate diploma seeks to strengthen the capacity of staff within national child protection systems to respond to emergencies and to increase the number and capacity of deployable child protection mid-level staff in international organisations to respond to emergencies.
The CPIE Postgraduate Diploma students and donors were also honoured at a recent civic reception held at the Luthuli Hall at which eThekwini Mayor Mr James Nxumalo commended the establishment of the postgraduate diploma thus far and wished the CPIE diploma programme continual growth and success.
The Dr John Langalibalele Dube Institute for Humanitarian and Development Praxis, which is currently operating on the Howard College Campus was also introduced.
The Institute was established with the purpose of furthering the humanitarian and development principles of John Dube, specifically those that relate to humanitarian and development service aimed to address both natural and man-made conditions and disasters that negatively affect the powerless, KwaZulu-Natal, and South Africa.
Sithembile Shabangu