The Women Rise COVID-19 Slum Study – Studentship Opportunity

Background

Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) in collaboration with University of Waterloo, Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC), and Afrislum Uganda (Afrislum) has received a two-year research funding from the IDRC to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on employment, economic status, and HIV risk and vulnerability, among women living in urban informal settlements in two cities in Uganda: a participatory action research. This research, to be conducted in Kampala and Mbale, Uganda is part of the Women Rise/IDRC-funded projects whose objective is to inform inclusive, sustainable, and equitable solutions for COVID-19 recovery and future health emergencies.

Components of the Women Rise COVID-19 Slum Study

• Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on employment (paid and unpaid work) and socio-economic status of women living in urban informal settlements
• Determining how the changes in employment and economic status due to COVID-19 have influenced risk and vulnerability to HIV among women living in urban informal settlements Expediting product choice introduction in policy and programs
• Exploring the strategies implemented by women living in urban informal settlements to cope with employment-related stress that expose them to HIV risk and vulnerability
• Assessing fit between existing COVID-19 recovery interventions in Uganda and the current socioeconomic and health needs of the urban women living in informal settlements
• Designing gender transformative solutions to improve the socioeconomic well-being of women living in urban informal settlements and living with HIV.

Call for a Studentship Opportunity

Part of the objectives of the research is to build capacity for young researchers to engage in policy-relevant research, package and communicate the findings to relevant audiences for action. In this regard, the research study has provided a studentship opportunity. The goal of the studentship is to build students’ capacity (as young and prospective researchers) in research and research utilization expertise through a hands-on training. The selected student will receive high-level mentoring, and hands-on experience in conducting health research, learn about gender integration in to research, participatory planning and Action, as well as knowledge translation. The fellow will work with a mentor(s) to focus on one or more of the above research areas during the studentship.

This call is therefore to requests applications from suitably qualified candidates to take up the studentship position, particularly in the field of HIV and emerging epidemics (COVID-19) within the Women Rise COVID-19 Slum Study.

Eligibility Criteria

The fellowship targets master’s students who meet the following criteria:

• The student must be in their second year of a master’s program at Makerere University School of Public Health, specifically Master of Public Health Fulltime (MPH-FT) or Master of Health Services Research (MHSR)
• The student should be at the stage of preparing their research concept to start their dissertation writing process.
• The student must be on normal progress with their course work and other academic deliverables
• The student must have a minimum CGPA of 3.6 as of their last examination marks verified by the MakSPH Principal Register
• The student should be committed to meeting deadlines, able to work in teams, highly organized, detail-oriented, willing to work in a fast-paced environment, and have good interpersonal skills
• The student commits to and is available to work an average of 16 hours per week to support project deliverables through the duration of the Fellowship
• The student from minority and/or marginalized backgrounds are encouraged to apply
• Students who have already secured scholarships or financial support for their studies from other sources are not eligible to apply. 

Duration of the Fellowship

An initial contract for twelve (12) months (November 2022 – October 2023) with a possibility of extension based on the performance.

Scope of Work

Under the guidance of the mentors and subject to project timelines, the Fellow is expected to:

• Regularly attend all courses for which the student has registered
• Attend meetings organized by MakSPH and/or the consortium papers
• Assist in the review and finalization of research instruments
• Help the Women Rise COVID-19 Slum study research team in training of data collectors
• Support the Women Rise COVID-19 slum study with local ethics and administrative clearance of the research activities
• Participate in the implementation of a research protocol.
• If required, travel to data collection sites
• Support data analysis
• Participate in international trainings
• Provide bi-monthly reports to the Women Rise COVID-19 slum study about the work completion
• Any other activities assigned by the study PI

Key Deliverables

• Short bi-weekly reports (1 page) to the study lead at MakSPH on on-going research activities
• A student research concept and protocol (proposal) embedded into the primary study submitted to Makerere University School of Public Health
• Research dissertation upon undertaking the research addressing specific areas of the study as agreed between student and research team; submitted to Makerere University School of Public Health.
• A two-pager research brief summarizing and packaging the conducted research for knowledge translation and dissemination.
• A competency acquisition report that demonstrates how each of the core competencies for the studentship was acquired; the Fellow would present to MakSPH mentors.

Financial Terms of Reference

The studentship will provide a modest monthly stipend for 12 months to allow for protected time and commitment to the deliverables. The following would be provided to the Fellow during the fellowship period:

• A modest monthly stipend for 12 months
• Research funds (amount to be determined based on the Students research proposal)

Application Package

• Fully completed application, including responses to short-answer questions (will be provided on google drive for completion, see below link)
• Copies of bachelor’s academic transcripts and degree certificates; transcripts or testimonial of first year of master’s courses completed
• One reference letter from a MakSPH Faculty member  

How to Apply

• Interested persons should fill out the application form located at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Dk3uYQdz61O6uGJbWKgbV3nAvJv7sF_JSUHJRn93rk8  and submit all required documents
• Deadline for receipt of application is October 21, 2022