Princeton in Africa News | September 2024

Partner Organization: USAP Community School, Education Matters

In August, PiAf staff had the privilege of interviewing Rebecca Zeigler Mano, Founder and Director of Education Matters, pictured above with students engaged in college counseling.

Rebecca Zeigler Mano creates pathways for individuals to thrive. Originally from California, she was first introduced to Zimbabwe while serving as a volunteer teacher after completing her undergraduate degree. The experience, which proved to be incredibly influential, launched her into a graduate degree program in International Education at Stanford University, where she also met her husband. Shortly after graduation, the couple moved back to Zimbabwe to begin the next chapter of their lives. Rebecca assumed a position at the U.S. Embassy as an Education Advisor, working with young people to secure scholarships abroad. During this time, she was struck by the fact that many of the individuals that she was assisting were predominantly privileged. “I was also meeting amazing kids that I knew could get a scholarship, but they never felt that they were capable of such an opportunity and didn’t have access to the resources,” states Rebecca. After quickly discovering that such programs were virtually non-existent for high-achieving, low-income students, Rebecca did what made the most sense at the time - she built it herself. From 2000 to 2015, the USAP program expanded to 15 countries globally, before being adopted by the State Department into what is now known as the ‘Opportunities Program’. 

As the program continued to evolve, Rebecca and her team discovered that, while it was providing a tremendous service, it was not meeting a secondary need. “I quickly realized that people participating in these scholarship opportunities were not returning to help build and support their own communities,” she states. To address this, they raised over $4 million and built the USAP Community School, a Quaker academic, residential institution for 11th and 12th graders with a redeveloped curriculum that places a heavy emphasis on STEM, critical thinking, qualitative and quantitative research skills, computer literacy, and coding. With over 650 applicants from across Zimbabwe competing for 45 available spots, placement is highly competitive. Since its opening in 2020, the first three graduating classes have received over $20 million in scholarships. 

USAP Community School was founded on an Honor Code based on values of integrity, equality, service and curiosity. Amongst the many features that make the 2-year program unique, there are two components that stand out above the rest. First, the school's commitment to investing back into the local municipality and the country at large. At the conclusion of each student’s education, they are required to engage in a yearlong intensive capstone project where they are tasked with identifying a problem in their community and building a solution to solve it. During their 8-month window between high school and university, each student can then apply for a fellowship to receive funding to implement their project. Further, graduates return to Zimbabwe after their sophomore year of college to participate in an internship with a local company or organization. Second, as part of the school’s work program, each student maintains a campus job to help support the needs of the school and their fellow classmates. While teaching stewardship and responsibility, this structure also allows the school to reduce employee overhead, keeping tuition costs at bay (on average, it costs approximately $5k for a student to attend the program for a full 12-month cycle, which includes room and board).

As she honors the incredible progress the organization has made, Rebecca also recognizes the terrific partners that have been a part of USAP’s journey. “The Fellows we have had in the past have been amazing,” states Rebecca, reflecting on her partnership with Princeton in Africa and the role that Fellows have played in supporting the overarching goals of the organization. Each hiring season, when she receives resumes of several PiAf candidates, she describes her goal to identify the most well-rounded individual who will connect with students beyond the classroom. Rebecca recalls the ambitious drive of several previous Fellows who launched new clubs or extracurricular activities that still exist within the school’s curriculum, including Music Theory, Model UN, yoga, and currently, Latin Dance. Further, she highlights the significant role that Fellows have played in supporting USAP students throughout the college admissions cycle through informal conversation around college admissions and life. “PiAf Fellows are enriching the fabric of the work that we are doing and have been an asset to our program.” As both organizations continue to grow and evolve, it is clear that their mutually beneficial partnership will continue to deliver results for the most important piece of the USAP puzzle. That is, the countless students who enter the program and thrive under their care and support.  

Support our Work: Uplift alumni activity!

While the majority of our efforts focus on the success of our fellowship program for all parties involved, we also invest a significant amount of time and energy into advancing our alumni community to ensure that they remain engaged with one another and up to speed on opportunities on the African continent. Through ongoing webinars, in-person events, referrals and recommendations, and more, we remain actively interested in seeing our alumni thrive! Help us continue to enrich this component of our program by making a donation today.

Meet PiAf Alum: Avukile Zoya, A Beacon of Goodwill

Avukile (Avu) Zoya was born in a small, rural town on the east coast of South Africa. At a young age, her family relocated to Johannesburg, where her mother found stable employment as a domestic worker. Reflecting on her childhood, Avu recalls, “The trajectory of my life really took shape when I was accepted into the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls at the age of 12.” The school, designed for girls with exceptional academic and leadership potential from disadvantaged communities, offered Avu a life-changing opportunity. She remembers the intense selection process, which culminated in a final interview with Oprah herself. As part of the inaugural class, Avu spent six formative years in a rigorous academic environment, surrounded by brilliant minds and unparalleled resources.

Upon graduating, Avu enrolled at Colorado College where she pursued a bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology. Although intellectually stimulating, her experience revealed a gap in her personal fulfillment. “It was an amazing opportunity that taught me about diseases and how to be meticulous,” she shares. “But spending long hours alone in the lab wasn’t what I envisioned for my future.” Her desire to work directly with people led her to Colombia, where she completed several internships during her undergraduate years. After graduation, Avu discovered the Princeton in Africa fellowship, a natural fit given her passion for public health and service.

Through the fellowship, Avu was placed in Botswana, where she immediately felt at home due to its proximity to South Africa. As the Volunteer and Teen Club Coordinator at the Botswana Baylor Children's Clinic, she worked closely with youth living with HIV/AIDS. “My primary focus was developing a monthly life skills program for the youth,” she recalls. The program, which served over 200 young people, aimed to increase their understanding of HIV, its risks, and their own sense of identity within their community. Reflecting on the experience, Avu says, “One of the most important lessons I learned was the value of meeting people where they are and truly listening to their needs before offering solutions.”

After completing her fellowship, Avu tapped into Princeton in Africa’s extensive alumni network, securing a role with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in South Africa, where she worked in the sexual and reproductive health department. This experience sparked deeper reflections on how to positively influence human behavior, ultimately leading her to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling at Columbia University.

Today, Avu is back in South Africa, working with WomenLift Health, a global organization dedicated to advancing women in leadership across the health sector. Her spirit of service extends well beyond her current role, however, as she played a pivotal role in developing resources to support Princeton in Africa’s Nexus program. To increase awareness and participation, she created videos featuring Nexus Fellows, built a toolkit for applicants, and co-led informational sessions alongside PiAf staff. “My dream is for Princeton in Africa to be known on every continent,” she says. “It’s such an intentional program with a dedicated team, and I want it to be flooded with exceptional applicants.”

Welcome New Board of Trustees Member: Brian White