Lewis' Story

"My time at Sussex shaped me into a well-rounded international legal scholar and prepared me for making my mark on the world."

Adarsh on campusLewis Sibanda speaking at the Mandela Scholarship Fundraising Dinner in 2020

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“Graduating with an LLM from Sussex has been life-changing. In fact, my graduation marked the beginning of my new life as an academic activist. Studying for my LLM was intense and I was challenged to rethink my biases, to question grand narratives and to see the world from the eyes of those who are pushed to the margins of society. My time at Sussex has shaped me into a well-rounded international legal scholar and prepared me for making my mark on the world. None of this would have been possible without the support of The Mandela Scholarship.

“Studying for an LLM at Sussex was an amazing launchpad for my career in academia. Sussex made me highly employable and gave me the right tools to succeed. The School of Law, Politics and Sociology (LPS) has an excellent global reputation. In fact, on the basis that they would only recruit from the top law schools around the world, Jindal Global Law School (where I now work) made a direct approach to LPS for candidates for my role.

“I am now a Lecturer in Law at O.P Jindal Global University (India). I teach courses in Human Rights & Theory, International Space Law and Constitutional Law, and my area of research interest is contemporary human rights law. One particular focus of mine is human trafficking in terms of human rights and labour rights.

“I hope to establish myself as an expert in my field through the publication of journal articles that address human rights issues. I currently have a manuscript under peer review, which deals with the regulation of abortion on the international legal scene. It is my hope that my article will raise awareness about the damaging effects of laws that restrict women’s access to healthcare, including abortion services. Ultimately, it is my wish that the conversation will lead to policy makers doing away with paternalist remnants of the past that oppress women and hold them captive to their reproductive functions.

To those who support Sussex Scholarships I would say you are a perfect embodiment of the African concept of 'ubuntu'. Ubuntu means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. In other words, your humanity goes a long way in shaping lives and in turn making the world a better place. For supporting scholarships at Sussex, I say thank you. Siyabonga.” lewis sibanda
mandela scholar 2021

Lewis recorded a short film about the value of his scholarship and to thank donors for their support. You can watch it here.

You can help more young Africans like Lewis by supporting the Mandela Scholarship.