Ruth Kasanga is a third year BPolSci (International Studies) student at UP who has earned some outstanding accolades recently. Ruth was selected to co-chair the UNICEF committee at the IE University Model United Nations which will take place in November 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

But wait, there’s more! Ruth has also been selected to be part of the first cohort of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) Youth Implementers for Change (YIC). YIC is a partnership between SAIIA and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, UNICEF, Global Change Institute and Youth@SAIIA. This programme will help Ruth develop a project related to nutrition and food security – which is her passion given her experience as a former recipient of the SNAPP Programme at UP. Should her project proposal be selected, the SAIIA YIC will help Ruth implement it. In an interview, she outlined the link between accessing a balanced meal and the level of learner engagement and success.

“These children are the future of our country, and it is imperative that we implement policies that will allow them to realise their potential to make a difference,” says Ruth Kasanga.

Besides these achievements, Ruth is also a member of the United Nations Association of South Africa University of Pretoria Chapter (UNASA UP), University of Pretoria Consulting Society (UPCS) and UNICEF University of Pretoria. During her second year, Ruth was appointed as the Head of Leadership Development of TULIP (Tuks Leadership & Individual Programme). She is also a member of the Golden Key Honours Society and received the Fly@UP Assist Senior Undergraduate Award for receiving an 80%-100% GPA.

Last year, Ruth was also selected as a Bilateral Exchange Programme Scholarship Nominee and spent a semester studying abroad at Leiden University in the Netherlands. While abroad, she was a delegate at the Leiden University Model United Nations Foundation and travelled to Spain and the United States to take part in two Model UN conferences. At the IE University Model United Nations Conference in Spain, she received an Honourable Mention. While in the US, she won the Outstanding Delegate by the Harvard National Model United Nations hosted by Harvard University. Ruth was also awarded Best Delegate by the Dutch Invitational Model United Nations at Leiden University. She describes being selected to co-chair the upcoming UNICEF committee at IE University Model United Nations in November as a “full-circle moment”, as she started her journey as a delegate and has now been promoted to the position of co-chair.

Ruth credits her achievements to a combination of hard work, her mother’s prayers, her father’s motivation and the support of her community. She plans to study her Honours degree at UP and to work in international public policy and development. Ruth also plans to be involved in youth empowerment and wants to help others realise their potential. She wants to effect change by giving the youth the tools and support necessary to begin their journey of making a difference.

The Faculty of Humanities is very proud of Ruth and her achievements and looks forward to seeing what she will accomplish in the future!