Mentorship & Support
Our commitment doesn't stop at tuition. We provide holistic support through mentorship, workshops, and community building to nurture not just academic success, but self-worth, voice, and vision.
Chiamaka Rita Akpuogwu
Lawyer, Researcher, GCCM Climate Mobility Fellow and Migration Researcher at Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
Chiamaka Rita Akpuogwu is passionate about building a more just and equitable world at the intersections of migration, gender, and climate justice. With a background in law and international development, she thrives where policy meets people, and where global challenges demand grounded, community-led solutions.
She is currently a Climate Mobility Fellow with the Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM) and a Researcher at Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany, where she earned her European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) with distinction. A trained lawyer, she also holds a Law degree from the University of Nigeria.
Across Nigeria and Europe, her work has spanned refugee integration, reintegration support, gender advocacy, climate action, and community empowerment. From supporting return migrants and survivors of trafficking in Nigeria to contributing to research on immigrant histories in Norway (in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley), Chiamaka brings care and rigour to every space she enters. At the International Organization for Migration in Czechia, she supported refugee integration in alignment with European migration policies. In Lagos, she led legal, gender, and migration initiatives with JDPC Lagos and SoWoGiDi, and designed GIZ-supported programmes under the SEDIN project to empower displaced, disabled, and migrant women through entrepreneurship and skills development.
Chiamaka is the Co-Founder and Chair of Blank Pages Global, a Germany-based organisation fostering intercultural dialogue. Recognised for her work, including being named one of UN SDSN Nigeria's Top 10 Climate Innovators, she remains deeply committed to community-centred leadership, intersectional advocacy, and systemic change.
“Mentoring matters to me because I know what it means to carry unanswered questions about identity, belonging, and purpose, especially as a young African navigating the disorienting systems that shape migration, exclusion, and identity, and I believe in paying forward the wisdom and kindness that once held me up. For me, mentoring is an act of solidarity, not a certainty: it's about listening, holding space, and walking alongside others as they find their voice.”
More Than a Scholarship
Career and Academic Mentorship
Scholars are matched with established professionals in their field of study who provide personalized guidance, share industry insights, and help navigate academic challenges. Mentors assist with course selection, study strategies, internship opportunities, and career planning.
Leadership Workshops
We organize regular workshops focused on developing leadership skills, public speaking, conflict resolution, and project management. These sessions are designed to empower scholars to become change agents in their communities and future workplaces.
Support Networks
We create safe spaces for scholars to connect with each other and with mentors, building a supportive community that understands the unique challenges women face. These networks provide emotional support, practical advice, and a sense of belonging.
Storytelling Workshops
We believe in the power of narrative to heal, inspire, and advocate. Through storytelling workshops, scholars learn to articulate their experiences, find meaning in their journeys, and develop confidence in sharing their voices.
Our Mentorship Philosophy
Through these relationships and engagements, we aim to nurture not just success, but self-worth, voice, and vision. We believe that mentorship can be transformative, providing both practical guidance and emotional support as scholars navigate their educational journeys and prepare for their futures.
Join Our Mentor NetworkMentor Spotlight
Ifunanya Okolie
People Support Lead at Deimos
Ifunanya Okolie is passionate about building spaces where people can thrive, through thoughtful systems, meaningful connections, and intentional growth. With a background spanning People Operations, Administration, and Internal Communications, Ifunanya thrives at the intersection of people, process, and purpose. She has honed her skills in cross-functional coordination, process optimisation, and cultural development at Deimos, a cloud-native solutions company. A McKinsey Forward Program alumna and a passionate advocate for continuous learning and self-development, she believes in leadership rooted in service, intentionality, and human connection. When she isn't supporting people initiatives, she's creating meaningful content through her blog, exploring personal development projects, or telling the stories of creatives through her platform, Creatives Around Us.
"Mentoring is important to me because I believe in the ripple effect of encouragement - one voice believing in you can change the course of your life, and I want to be that voice for someone else"