Belinda Mativenga

My name is Belinda Yemurai Mativenga and I am from Zimbabwe. My native language is Shona, but I am also fluent in English, our schooling language. I reside in a lively high-density township called Chitungwiza, just outside of Zimbabwe’s capital city Harare.

What I appreciate most about my home area, is the resilience my family and neighbors have for survival. Being part of this community has instilled a flame propelling me to be part of this struggle, the struggle against poverty and deprivation. I have always been fascinated about Biology which drives my passion to use biological principles to solve real life problems in the Agricultural and Medical fields. Not much investment has been put in the research field in Zimbabwe and it is my goal to involve myself in the latest research in Medical Science and Agriculture, to focus on ways I can improve my country.

I love socializing with diverse people, understanding what makes them tick, and I also enjoy reading widely to keep myself mentally stimulated and knowledgeable about the world. What motivates me to be a successful Botstiber Scholar, is the thrill of being part of a determined community, gifted with bright minds and full of young people with whom I share the same ethos and values, which is to give back to my nation and contribute to the development of Africa. The Botstiber Scholarship will provide me the golden opportunity to be exposed to expansive research at Penn State, which certainly is lacking in Zimbabwe, and will also give me the platform to form relationships with other young people who are just as eager to be a force for African development as I am.

The Botstiber Foundation has enabled me to access high-quality education at Penn State without having to be stressed financially about my schooling.