Senior lecturer in the WSU Faculty of Education and School Development, Dr Newlin Marongwe was appointed as the Head of Education and Research by the African Refugee and Migrants Aid (ARMA) in March 2023.
ARMA is a South African not-for-profit organisation (NPO) that seeks to protect, promote, and build awareness around the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and international migrants throughout the Southern African region.
Amongst other things, the organisation seeks to provide educational support, repatriation, and community education, as well as- assist vulnerable orphans, refugees, and asylum seekers around Southern Africa.
Marongwe, who has won several research accolades, was recognised for contributing immensely and participating in Community Engagement and impactful community outreach jointly with ARMA.
“I do voluntary work as part of my community engagement that focuses on social cohesion and is line with the ARMA vision as well as that of WSU. One of the WSU Community Engagement themes is on social cohesion. That is the project I am working on, and it is sustainable. I engage the communities on issues related to gender-based violence, xenophobia, hate, and abuse,” said Marongwe.
In 2021, Macrotrends reported that South Africa had close to eighty thousand Africans who held refugee status. This is largely due to the country’s middle-income status, stable democratic institutions, and its comparatively industrialized economy.
The work of organisations such ARMA is highly imperative then for the restoration of dignity, protection, as well as helping asylum and refugee seekers to access civil, social, economic, and cultural rights.
“Organisations such as ARMA are very important in the protection of vulnerable Africans because they use humanistic and peaceful approaches in their educational efforts and social cohesion operations to educate communities to live in harmony with migrants. Such organisations are committed to the sound and just treatment of asylum seekers, refugee, and international migrants, and towards a general cohesive experience within the greater South African community,” said Marongwe.
As she assumes her role as Head of Education and research, Marongwe hopes to see WSU partnering with ARMA and other organisations that seek to promote social cohesion. She also plans to collaborate with ARMA and other organisations on impactful research.
“I am grateful to WSU and ARMA for supporting me to do such a community outreach programme. As a university we cannot afford to be quiet, we need to reach out to the communities that we are serving in collaboration with other stakeholders such as ARMA and take part in driving mindset change programmes such as this one,” Marongwe concluded.
By Yanga Ziwele