UDs Student grabs  International Award

Yolande Feudjio fosters scientific Development

Dschang-UDs/SIC-19/01/18.The banner of excellence for the University of Dschang continues to be lifted at the International level through the brilliant performances of its students at International competitions. Yolande Ndemanou Feudjio, Ph.D student from the Department of Bio-chemistry was a happy beneficiary of an award from the Merck Foundation (Mars Africa Research Summit). The award granted her as second winner came as a result of her exceptional research abstract related to the topic “Cancer Research and Vaccine Development”. This award is the third edition of the UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit (UNESCO-MARS) which took place on the 28th and 29th of November 2017 in the Republic of Mauritius under the Patronage of the President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim. The summit attracted 200 African Researchers representing the whole continent and hosted two ministerial panel discussion with participation from over 30 African Ministers of Science, Education, Gender and Health, on better harmonization of life science research between the different ministries in the public sector. Yolande expressed her joy to the Communication Unit of the University of Dschang. Here are excerpts of her interview

 SIC: What is MERCK all about?

Yolande: It is an award offered by Merck foundation given during the Merck Africa Research Summit which had as theme of Research “Cancer Research and Vaccine development on November 28^th to 29 at Mauritius. More than 500 abstracts were received and 100 were selected. There were three main categories, Young African Researchers Award, Women Researchers Award and Mauritian women Researcher’s award.  60% of the abstracts collected were from women and I came second out of the five best, the 1^st from Mauritius, 2^nd from Cameroon, 3^rd from Nigeria, 4^th from Rwanda and 5^th from Mauritius.

SIC: What are your feelings and impressions after receiving this award?

  Yolande: I am very happy and grateful. Through this award, I came to know that all what I am learning in the university has not been useless. What I learned through my guides Prof. Tume and our head of Department Prof Jules Roger Kwaite has been very helpful and with it I can compete all over the world. My voice can count. I am so Happy.

SIC:After such an award what are your future plans?

Yolande: I intend to continue to compete with my PhD and since this award is just the beginning of the research, I really want to focus on cancer research so that we can come out with solutions and treatments or how to better understand cancer because cancer cases are increasing and people are dying due to poor diagnoses. I intend to continue with it to help reduce cancer cases in Cameroon and save more lives.

What Advice do you have for youths especially the female students?

Yolande: The first advice goes to PhD students. Research condition in our country is poor; we should not give up but do our best to carry out valuable research. The PhD youths should aim for high standards. As far as women are concerned we can say, now is the time for women empowerment. We women should believe in ourselves that we can do the research like men and carry out good work equally as men. I encourage us women to do something for ourselves and not wait on others that is only when we can enjoy empowerment.GC