Kasi girl to study in Netherlands
“I will be emigrating to the Netherlands for four years and I understand this will not be without challenges, but I am comforted by the love and support I am receiving from my family and friends."
KwaThema – KwaThema-born remote sensing scientist Mbali Mahlayeye has secured a doctoral scholarship to study at the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
The remote sensing scientist will be jetting off to the Netherlands for the second time this year in September.
This comes just months after her return from the Netherlands where she participated in an information-sharing programme organised by the Dutch government to showcase the Dutch expertise on drinking water and waste water.
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Mbali holds geology (Hons) and geo-informatics (MSc) degrees from the University of Pretoria (UP).
She says her doctoral studies will focus on developing methods and algorithms that will aim at bridging the technological gaps that exist in the agricultural sector of acquiring information for decision-making, using remote sensing.
“The subject matter of my PhD is very close to my heart as it will focus on food security, monitoring agricultural lands and crops using earth observations. When I received the approval of the scholarship I could not believe it. I had to pinch myself several times just to ascertain myself of the reality,” she says.
Mbali expressed that as much as she is excited to pursue her studies overseas she was going to miss her family in South Africa.
“I will be emigrating to the Netherlands for four years and I understand this will not be without challenges, but I am comforted by the love and support I am receiving from my family and friends.”
The 29-year-old joined the Department of Water and Sanitation four years ago as a graduate trainee and has since acquired the knowledge and expertise in the fields of geography, geo-sciences and related branches of science and engineering.
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“My time with the department has been a learning curve. I was involved in projects that addressed drought, forestry and agricultural matters.
“I was also afforded an opportunity to interact with young minds from developing countries in the Netherlands in a Dutch Visitors Programme on water and sanitation issues in March this year,” she explains.
Mahlayeye adds that the scholarship comes at an opportune time as South Africa commemorates Women’s Month.
“I am a feminist at heart and believe women deserve equal opportunities as men.
“This opportunity, more than anything, symbolises how far we have come as women and what we are capable of achieving.”
She encourages young girls who aspire to be successful in their career of choice to believe in the existing greatness.
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