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Karabo Asala’s journey to Sussex is both a personal milestone and a powerful reflection of the impact alumni support can have on future leaders.

Originally from South Africa, Karabo is the first in her immediate family to pursue a master’s degree. Her path began in nursing, where she worked in rural and peri-urban communities and during the pandemic witnessed first-hand the links between health, inequality and underdevelopment. This experience shaped her life’s purpose, leading her to participating in youth empowerment work to support vulnerable communities whilst studying her undergraduate degree at the University of Witwatersrand.

Today, she is studying for an MA in Governance, Development and Public Policy at the Institute of Development Studies.

“What drew me to Sussex was its commitment to development as something real and urgent,” she says. “It’s shaped by people actively working in the field.”

Financial barriers, however, made postgraduate study uncertain, until the Mandela Scholarship changed everything.

“As a young South African, to receive a scholarship carrying Madiba’s [Mandela’s] legacy was overwhelming. It made me feel seen, valued and supported.”

At Sussex, Karabo has found a truly global community. Studying alongside peers from across continents, she has been able to contribute her own perspective from the Global South while learning from others’ lived experiences. This environment has deepened both her academic development and her sense of purpose.

Her Sussex experience has already created further opportunity. Following a globally competitive process, Karabo was invited to attend the UN Graduate Study Programme in Geneva where she will gain direct experience of UN operations and multilateral policy frameworks used within international development and governance. Karabo’s attendance on this programme has been generously supported by the alumni-funded Sussex Fund.

“The Mandela Scholarship brought me to Sussex. The Sussex Fund is taking me to Geneva. None of this would have been possible without alumni support.”

On returning home to South Africa, Karabo aspires to shape inclusive policies to ensure that marginalised voices are heard, helping to build the South Africa Mandela called for. Her journey demonstrates the lasting impact of Sussex and the generosity of its alumni: to empower students to create meaningful change worldwide.