Fellows

Harvard Center for African Studies Fellows

Fellows at the Center for African Studies are emerging and established scholars and practitioners whose work is centrally focused on Africa and who deepen Harvard’s engagement with the continent. Whether through dedicated programs like the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program, appointments as CAS Visiting Fellows, or affiliations with other Harvard centers and departments, they contribute to our intellectual community by advancing research, sharing expertise on the continent, and fostering cross-campus collaborations.

Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) was established in 1979 by Harvard President Derek Bok to address the needs of South Africans denied access to advanced education under Apartheid. The Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) continues to serve as a powerful bridge-builder and intellectual opportunity for talented South Africans, with the goal of providing a “transformational experience” at Harvard University during recipients’ fellowship year and beyond.

CAS Visiting Fellows are appointed scholars at Harvard’s Center for African Studies who collaborate with faculty on a defined research project and contribute to the Center’s intellectual life by attending events, sharing their work, and serving as a subject-matter resource and ambassador.

Fellow Affiliates are scholars who hold fellowships in other Harvard centers, departments, or programs, but are formally connected to the Center for African Studies because their work is centrally focused on Africa. Through this affiliation, they engage with our community by sharing research, participating in events and workshops, and contributing to cross-campus collaborations that deepen and expand Africa-focused scholarship at Harvard.

 

HSAFP Fellows

Zinhle Hadebe

HSAFP Fellow — Master in Public Administration (MPA), Harvard Kennedy School, 2026/27
Zinhle Hadebe is a Master in Public Administration candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School and a recipient of the Harvard South Africa Fellowship. She is a registered Professional Land Surveyor with more than 13 years of experience across the public and...

Rufaro Mapanda

HSAFP Fellow
Harvard Business School/Advanced Management Program (HBS/AMP)
Rufaro Mapanda is a seasoned financial markets professional with over 18 years of experience across equities, commodities and private markets. He currently serves as  the Head of Equity Trading at  ABSA Group ( https://cib.absa.africa/ ), one of the...
Rufaro

Robert Ndlela

HSAFP Fellow — Program for Leadership Development (PLD), Harvard Business School, 2026/27.
Robert Ndlela is a South African education entrepreneur, executive leader and community development practitioner serving as Group Managing Director of Agile Learning Group, where he leads AV College and LearnAgile. His work focuses on expanding access to...

Hazel Pillay

HSAFP Fellow — Advanced Management Program (AMP), Harvard Business School, 2026/27
I am currently a group executive at Pick and Pay Group, which is one of the leading omni-channel food and clothing retailers in South Africa. Pick and Pay Group employs approximately 90 000 people across its operations of Pick and Pay Foods (owned and...
A professional headshot of Hazel

CAS Visiting Fellows

Yoshiko Tonegawa

Visiting Scholar (2023-2026)
Dr. Yoshiko Tonegawa is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Sciences, Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Her teaching and research areas include international development, education and development, and civil society. Her current research...
Yoshi

Sishuwa Sishuwa

Visiting Scholar
Sishuwa Sishuwa is a Senior Lecturer in History at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Sishuwa was previously a Lecturer in African History at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Cape Town. A Rhodes...
Bio

Amanda Haarman

Visiting Scholar 2026/27
Amanda Haarman is a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard University Center for African Studies for the 2026–2027 academic year. Her research focuses on entrepreneurship and cultural and creative industries, with a particular focus on Ghana. Across her work, she...
A professional headshot of Amanda

Vivien Chang

Visiting Scholar 2026/27
Vivien Chang is a historian of development, decolonization, postcolonial Africa, and international political economy. She is completing her first book titled Creating the Third World: Postcolonial Development and the Search for a New International...
A professional headshot of Vivien

Fellow Affiliates

Wilmot Allen

Mossavar-Rahmani Center Senior Fellow (2025-26)
Research / Professional Focus: His work includes sovereign wealth funds, health systems, renewable energy etc. Market-driven development in Africa; investment, economic development Country / Affiliation: Founder of VentureLift Africa (VLA). USA https:/...
Fellow

Salam Alsaadi

Weatherhead Scholars Program Visiting Scholar
Research / Professional Focus: Interest in Africa / global south (via “Africa (MENA)” labeling in program listing) Country / Affiliation: PhD, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto. Canada https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/people/salam...
Fellow

Hellen Chabunya

HKS Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) Research Fellow
Research / Professional Focus: Gendered political participation; intersection of academia and practice; research on digital and social barriers to women’s political representation Country / Affiliation Senior Researcher/Vice President of the United...
Hellen

Jamie Hintson

Weatherhead Scholars Program Visiting Scholar
Research / Professional Focus: Governance; corruption; political economy of development; public goods provision; sub-Saharan Africa; and state building. Country / Affiliation: PhD, Department of Political Science, Stanford University. USA https://www...
Fellow

Joseph Lasky

Weatherhead Scholars Program Visiting Scholar
Research / Professional Focus: Legacies of violence; narratives of conflict; identity; memory politics; African politics; nationalism; political behavior and attitudes; and political socialization. Country / Affiliation: Postdoctoral Fellow, PhD...
Fellow

Neha Sanghrajka

Weatherhead Scholars Program Visiting Scholar
Research / Professional Focus: Peace mediation; negotiation; policy design; contemporary politics; conflict resolution; and design of practical tools for peace processes and strategic thinking. Country / Affiliation: Senior Conflict Sensitivity Advisor...
Fellow