Meet the Research Team
Dr. Sandra Jumbe
Principal Investigator
Health psychologist and health services researcher with a Doctorate from UWE Bristol, United Kingdom. She has worked at Queen Mary University of London within the Wolfson Institute of Population Health since 2016 and is now also a senior lecturer in research at Millennium University in Blantyre Malawi within the School of Social & Health Sciences. She has over 10 years’ experience working in both clinical and academic research settings in primary care and mental health. Sandra is an African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) fellow, funded by the African Academy of Sciences. Within this role, her long-term aspiration is to expand understanding of global mental health and related problems e.g., substance use, by advancing research niched on youth mental health in Africa, as well as training fellow young African scientists. Her health psychology background makes her an expert in behavioural science, enabling her to set the foundations for evidence-based work that can inform development of effective interventions, treatments, and policy decisions to improve human health.
Gloria Chirwa
Research Assistant
Social Scientist and aspiring youth development researcher with a background in Sociology and Psychology from University of Malawi and a master's degree in Cooperation and Development from University of Pavia, Italy. Gloria has worked with youth in youth development programmes since the onset of her career and has 8 years experience of working with young people. Her passion for positive youth development drove her to understand more about the challenges that the youth face in attaining positive outcomes in their development through research. Currently, Gloria works at Millennium University in Blantyre, Malawi within the Department of Research. Gloria is a former Board Chairperson of Little Big Prints - a youth organisation in Malawi, and an alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa, among other roles. Gloria’s long-term goal is to be an implementer of evidence-based youth development programmes in Malawi.
Joel Nyali
Research Assistant
Development economist with a bachelor of science from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Malawi. He currently works as a research assistant at Millennium University on a mental health literacy project. Joel’s work experience involves working on youth health projects with the aim of improving health outcomes for young people in Malawi. Due to his experiences in youth health programming, Joel aspires to acquire more knowledge on health programming and research with the ultimate goal of becoming a health economist. Joel believes when applied, his health economics research aspirations will improve the Malawian health system and policy.
Beatrice Cynthia Chitalah
Research Assistant
Passionate mental health nurse from the University of Malawi, Kamuzu College of Nursing. She currently works with Millennium University in the School of Health and Social Sciences research department as a mental health research assistant. Her previous job in the mental health and psychiatric unit at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital gave her a passion and desire to contribute to the advancement of mental health care in Malawi and therefore joining the mental health literacy e-curriculum project. She is dedicated to promoting mental well-being, advocating for mental health awareness and actively contributing to the development of evidence-based practices.
Chinsisi Makwero
Social Media Manager
Chinsisi is a recent Social Science graduate with a major in Developmental Studies from IIE MSA, who's driven by a commitment to understanding global development and social complexities. Her main passions lie in sustainable development and social empowerment, focusing on community development, mental health studies, and social development. Currently serving as a Social Media Manager for the project, Chinsisi is enhancing the project's online presence and engaging with the larger audience. She has a strong interest in mental health, particularly among the youth, and greatly believes in the power of social media to connect and inspire.Her goal is to drive positive change through strategic communication and meaningful connections.
Our partners
Our partners are project collaborators with defined roles and are ultimately responsible for supporting and advising on all matters related to the effective development, implementation and success of the research project.
We have a diverse group of partners who are leaders in their fields. They are our collaborators because of their commitment to young people, mental health and their experience and skills, which enable them to provide technical skills and advice on the project’s trajectory. Our partners’ support helps us ensure we make the best use of our funds and continue conducting mental health research and mental health promotion activities in Malawi.