07/08/2026
We are thrilled to announce that our Teaching Assistant, Godfrey Jidiga, has been awarded the prestigious African Fellowships for Research in Indigenous and Alternative Knowledges (AFRIAK) 2026, a programme implemented by CODESRIA with the support of the Mastercard Foundation .
The AFRIAK fellowship is a highly competitive programme that brings together young scholars from across the continent . Its core mission is to strengthen Africa's research ecosystem by recentring Indigenous, local, and endogenous knowledge systems in the quest for social transformation .
Godfrey's research will centre on engaging with Indigenous knowledge holders and keepers at the sacred M'boma (Khulubvi) and Kaphirintiwa shrines in Malawi . These sites are deeply significant, acting as centres for rainmaking, spiritual worship, and cultural heritage for the Chewa and Mang'anja peoples . His work will explore the rich epistemology of these communities, aiming to document and apply their knowledge in a way that values reciprocity and co-production over extractive research practices .
Over the next seven months, Godfrey will dedicate himself to fieldwork, mentorship, and a residency at one of AFRIAK's intellectual hubs, contributing to a new generation of knowledge production that honours what we have in our communities .
This is a tremendous achievement for Godfrey and a point of pride for our department. We look forward to following his journey and the insights he will bring from this critical research on Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
Please join us in congratulating him!
