FULLY-PAID, AFRICA’S MULTILINGUAL FELLOWSHIP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES, TESTS AND TREATMENTS. APPLY NOW!

Deadline: 22 September 2023

ABOUT FELLOWSHIP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES, TESTS AND TREATMENTS

Are you a young African who wants to contribute to transformative and revolutionary thinking and action to destabilise, disrupt and decolonise the African research and development landscape?

If so, apply now for this ground-breaking opportunity FELLOWSHIP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES, TESTS AND TREATMENTS to have your thinking amplified.   

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The Decolonise R&D Fellowship is one of several health justice interventions the African Alliance runs that seeks to contribute to the decolonisation of research and development (R&D) of vaccines, tests, and treatments on the African continent.

The African Alliance is home to the People’s Vaccine Alliance Africa and Ports2Arms.

Decolonisation means working actively and consciously with power, careful of its effect on the system it operates within. Critical to the African Alliance’s approach is working actively to elevate the voices of those who are intentionally ignored or made invisible in traditional civil society and R&D practice and ensuring that the diversity of African voices are heard clearly and that Africans who contribute to knowledge generation, particularly for the development or advancement of global public goods, benefit equally from these technologies.

Through this FELLOWSHIP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES, TESTS AND TREATMENTS, the African Alliance aims to advance a world where our continent’s response to future pandemics is not dependent on the charity or goodwill of wealthy countries but on our sovereign, independent and autonomous ability to research, develop, manufacture, and distribute lifesaving and health-affirming products and technologies in solidarity with other developing countries.

Attempts at solidarity and allyship from wealthy countries should always remain complimentary to our African response, never a central and, at times, the only component of how Africa responds to pandemics. This reflects our collective desire to move beyond the basics of survival towards lives characterised by dignity, justice and prosperity for Africans in our diversity.

WHAT DOES THE FELLOWSHIP OFFER?

• Introduction to a broad spectrum of issues related to the research and development of vaccines, tests and treatment on the African Continent
• A 2 part residence programme (2 three-week, in-person sessions at the beginning and the end of the 4-month fellowship) to reimagine what a decolonised R&D approach truly means for Africa and the tangible steps that need to be taken to realise the future that we dream of and must be our reality in our lifetime.
• Access to and engagement with African and Majority World thought leaders, sector visionaries and technical experts.
• The publication of your research on a globally visible platform.
• Lifetime membership of an advocates network advancing health justice of Africans in all of our diversity.

COSTS

Fellows will receive a competitive remuneration package for the time spent on the Fellowship. In addition, all related costs of participation are covered.

THE FELLOWS

We are looking for health justice activists with a passion or an active interest in R&D – in the context of COVID-19, but we will also consider other disease areas. We have two openings for each of the five African regions (10 places in total). You are eligible to apply if you:

• Are an African currently resident in Africa.
• Have basic knowledge about human rights and the right to health.
• Accept and celebrate, not merely “tolerate” or “be aware of” people with HIV, people who use drugs, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and queer individuals, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, sex workers, refugees and migrants and people with disabilities.
• Have a documented and verifiable track record of interest in and engagement with research and development in public health issues.
• Have a clear understanding of the nature and manifestation of white supremacy and the current discourse on the decolonisation of public health.
• Are ready to commit to 50 per cent of your time each month for the four-month period from the 1st  of  December 2023 – the 31st of March 2024, including the two in-person residency sessions in an African country.
• Have access to a laptop/computer and reliable internet connection;

For you to complete the fellowship, you must:

• Be available and actively engaged for the whole duration of the Fellowship;
• Participate in both the in-person training/learning events and online workshops;
• Submit all deliverables and reports on time.

HOW TO APPLY

Eligible applicants should fill out this form. Please note that this cannot be saved but can be worked on for as long as the tab is open, so make sure you have stable internet, power connection and other documents ready before filling out the form. Initial screening will be based on responses from the online application and eligibility criteria.

Only complete applications will be considered. Applicants selected during the initial screening will go through an oral interview before they are informed about the final selection.

ABOUT THE AFRICAN ALLIANCE

The African Alliance works closely with a wide range of non-profit organisations in a network that, while rooted in the local, is connected to and visible in national, regional and global actions. Its work is underpinned by a thoughtful, inclusive and consultative practice that, importantly, resonates with the values of its team members and allies at both personal and professional levels.

The African Alliance seeks to strengthen and amplify civil society voices working on solutions to the current and future pandemics and those working in the public health sector addressing access and quality of services impacting underserved populations in one of the most unequal regions on earth. To achieve this, we focus on developing and implementing public education and engagement strategies, advocacy, policy reform and research translation to ensure that all people across the continent are informed about their rights and have the skills and access to platforms to hold others to account for violations. In particular, the Alliance focuses on strengthening community-led and controlled initiatives that contribute to human dignity and enhance solidarity.

APPLY NOW

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