‘Historic moment’ for first-generation PhD candidate
- Wits Communications
Anele Siswana, a support staff member in Humanities, has been awarded a prestigious doctoral fellowship.
Siswana, resident clinical psychologist and support staff member in Teaching and Learning within the Faculty of Humanities, has been awarded the 2025 Next Generation Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Fellowship by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC).
The award, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, is part of the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program.
The highly competitive fellowship recognises Siswana’s research, titled “Bridging Mental Health Interventions and African Healing Practices: The Role of AmaGqirha (Xhosa Divine Healers) in Advancing an Integrative Model of Clinical Practice.” The fellowship includes a research grant and offers support over six months to develop his doctoral proposal.
“This is a deeply humbling and historic moment for me. As a first-generation PhD candidate in my entire family, this recognition is far more than a personal achievement – it’s a generational milestone. It represents a rewriting of my family’s narrative, where dreams deferred now find space to be realised, honoured, and celebrated,” Siswana reflected.
The Fellowship affirms the significance of culturally grounded, African-centred approaches in transforming mental health care. It also recognises the need to decolonise clinical frameworks by embracing indigenous healing systems that continue to play a vital role in our communities.
Siswana added: “I carry this award not only for myself but for my lineage – for those before me who never had the opportunity, and for those who will follow with greater confidence and courage. This is a moment of collective triumph.”
This award is a meaningful recognition of the scholarly contributions emerging from within support staff roles in the Faculty of Humanities. He offered words of encouragement to fellow scholars and support staff researchers:
“Remain committed. The process is demanding, and at times long and uncertain, but trust in your voice, your story, and your craft. Resilience, self-awareness, and showing up fully even when it’s tough are your greatest tools. You are not only doing this for yourself but for many who will one day be inspired by your journey.”
This award is a meaningful recognition of the scholarly contributions emerging from within support staff roles in the Faculty of Humanities.