Wanting to offer locally led approach to peacebuilding, a group of alumni launched the project Peace Breakfasts: Transforming regional perspective through dialogue, a grassroots initiative that brings people together, rebuilds trust and inspires collaborative peacebuilding.  

Funded by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF), the initiative aimed to revitalise public conversations around peace by hosting a series of 16 ‘peace breakfasts’ across five conflict-affected regions. Chevening alumni, civil society leaders, local authorities and subject-matter experts gathered to foster social cohesion and conversations focused on four thematic pillars:  

• Peace education  

• National-level social dialogue 

• Implementation of the Peace Accord  

• Ongoing peace negotiations 

Participants listened to conflict survivors, heard expert insights, and worked together to develop practical recommendations for their regions.  

Over 400 people took part over 16 breakfasts, leading to 17 concrete proposals which were later published to inform policymakers at local and national levels.   

By creating safe and respectful spaces, the Peace Breakfasts gave communities the opportunity to share experiences, challenge assumptions, and discuss peace solutions.  

The project has resulted in new alliances and a drive for collective action, with several participants already developing joint initiatives inspired by their conversations.  

These emerging networks now have the potential to shape long-term collaboration and meaningful conflict resolution. In Pasto, Samaniego and Dabeiba in particular, there has been a strong demand to continue the initiative, with participants noting that it was the first time that local organisations from different sectors had discussed peacebuilding issues specific to their territories.  

These newly formed connections are gradually strengthening the groundwork for reconciliation and helping to pave the way for a more peaceful and sustainable future in Colombia.  

1. Stay curious about how the field is evolving

AI in 2026 will look very different from the systems we’re working with today. A shift toward smaller, specialised models designed for specific tasks, and multimodal systems that process text, images and sound. New governance frameworks that emphasise transparency and security mean that future engineers will often work with a combination of models rather than one large system.  

To thrive, you need to stay curious about how the field is evolving, not just in terms of tools, but in the values and priorities shaping their use.  

2. Build strong foundations in software and systems 

Behind every great AI solution is a solid grasp of software engineering. Understanding data structures, system design, and machine learning operations is essential. Learn how to deploy, monitor and improve models in production and get comfortable combining practical coding skills (Python ,Docker, Kubernetes) with infrastructure knowledge (cloud APIs, edge runtimes).  

 The more you understand how the whole system fits together, the more effective and employable you’ll be. 

3. Don’t underestimate the power of non-technical skills

AI engineering isn’t just about algorithms. You’ll need to turn abstract ideas into measurable problems, communicate clearly with non-technical teams, and understand how your work contributes to business or societal goals. Learn to talk about your projects in terms of impact – cost, safety, latency, and ethics. 

The best AI professionals blend technical fluency with empathy, communication, and domain understanding.   

4. Learn by doing – and showing

Employers value hands on experience over theory. Build two or three full projects that take an idea from data pipeline to deployment and monitoring. Open-source your work where possible and describe your design choices clearly – what you built, why it mattered, and what you learned.  

This not only develops your skills but signals curiosity, initiative and accountability, traits that stand out to hiring managers everywhere. 

5. Keep your mindset agile

The AI field moves quickly. What you know today might be outdated next year, but your ability to learn, adapt, and collaborate will always stay relevant. Stay inquisitive, approach technology with empathy, and think globally.  

Chevening taught me that leadership isn’t just about expertise; it’s about using your skills to create meaningful change for others.  

 In the end, the brightest AI professionals will be those who combine deep technical know-how with ethical awareness and human understanding. Keep learning, stay open-minded and mentor others along the way.  

Kanishka Kumar is a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) with 18 years of experience in driving marketing for AI, B2B SaaS and digital transformation companies across global markets. A British Gas/ Strathclyde/Chevening Scholar with an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, he has led marketing functions that accelerated revenue growth, brand visibility and market expansion.

At the age of two, he contracted poliomyelitis and lost the use of his legs. But even though ‘disability often meant exclusion from education, employment, and public life’, Mahmud refused to let it stop him.

‘At age seven, I overheard my father planning to enrol my younger brother in school. He was afraid to enrol me, not out of neglect, but out of fear that I would be bullied or broken by a system unprepared for a child with a disability and no mobility aid,’ he explains.

‘But I insisted. I cried, pleaded, and refused to be left behind.’

‘That was how my schooling began, crawling to and from school every day, often arriving home bruised, dusty, and exhausted. Yet, I never gave up. I studied harder, stayed focused, and eventually became the best pupil in my class.’

Fast forward to today and Mahmud is now a proud member of the Chevening alumni community. What’s more, he’s using what he learnt during his time in the UK to rewrite the narrative for people with disabilities.

In 2022, with the support of a Chevening Scholarship, Mahmud pursued a master’s in public health and health promotion at Brunel University of London.

Throughout his studies, Mahmud explored how social and environmental factors shape mental health outcomes for people with disabilities in low-resource settings. This not only broadened his academic horizon; it gave him the strategic insight and global perspective to address systemic inequities in Nigeria’s health and policy systems.

Upon returning to Nigeria, Mahmud was quick to put what he had learnt into practice.

While continuing his work with the HEAL Disability Initiative, Mahmud founded the Coalition for Disability Rights and Inclusion in Bauchi (CDRI-Bauchi), a group that has become ‘a catalyst for inclusive health governance in Northern Nigeria’.

As part of the coalition’s work, Mahmud led an advocacy campaign that prompted the Bauchi State Government to begin the process of transforming its agency for persons with disabilities into a fully functional commission.

‘The proposed bill I presented to the Bauchi State House of Assembly has now passed its first and second readings at the hallowed chamber of the Bauchi State House of Assembly,’ he shares. ‘I am [also] in close contact with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health regarding policy dialogues with the ministry to integrate disability perspectives into healthcare planning and implementation.’

But Mahmud’s work doesn’t stop there.

He currently serves as a human rights activist at the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF), contributing to cross-Commonwealth advocacy on inclusive development. And most recently, he was accepted into the Disabled Leaders Network (DLN) Advanced Leaders branch, a UK-based network that brings together global leaders driving disability inclusion across sectors.

‘All these achievements are grounded in the leadership training, critical thinking, and collaborative mindset that Chevening instilled in me.’

In addition to his advocacy work, Mahmud is inspiring future generations as a lecturer at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA).

‘In this capacity, I integrate disability perspectives into teaching and research, mentoring future public health professionals to view inclusion as a core element of sustainable health systems.’

Going forward, Mahmud hopes to influence the design of disability-inclusive health systems across Africa. He also plans to establish a ‘Mental Health and Disability Research Hub’ that will ‘advance research, policy innovation, and leadership training for inclusive governance’.

But ultimately, his goal is simple: ‘to build a world where inclusion is not an act of charity but a standard of justice and progress’.

To help bridge this gap, Chevening Alumni Malaysia Health Hub, supported by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF), launched Project Healthy Futures, empowering communities with tools and knowledge to take charge of their health. 

The project set out to:  

1. Increase awareness of the HPV vaccine and its role in preventing cervical cancer among indigenous communities  
2. Promote awareness of speech, language and literacy development for children and adolescents  
3. Empower indigenous community leaders to raise health awareness within their communities, building local capacity for health advocacy  

Launched in August 2024, the project delivered interactive sessions on HPV prevention and early childhood development.

By partnering with indigenous leaders, alumni helped create workshops and educational materials in local languages. This made sure the messages were respectful, meaningful, and connected to local culture.

Because the team listened to community traditions and needs, people trusted them and got involved. This built a positive space for learning and change.

Two months later, a major outreach event in Tapah, Perak brought: 

• Engaging HPV education sessions, with open Q&A 

• Free speech-language screenings for children 

• HPV vaccination clinics for community members aged 9 to 45 years 

So far, more than 200 indigenous people have received the HPV vaccine as a result of the project, in partnership with the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM).

The results of the project are already promising:

• More girls want to get vaccinated. 100 have signed up through NCSM’s ongoing program.

• 73 participants now have a better understanding of health and prevention.

• Culturally relevant learning materials are being shared widely across communities

Through the empowerment of local leaders and working through trusted partnerships, Project Healthy Futures has laid the groundwork for a sustainable, community-driven model of health advocacy and health education.  

‘Over time, I have realised that success depends… on a set of skills that allow us to grow, adapt, and contribute meaningfully.’

1. Be curious

A genuine curiosity about the world and different perspectives can open unexpected doors.

While teaching and researching in Central Asia, I explored how global norms are adapted locally, uncovering overlooked insights and inspiring cross-border collaboration in the Central Asia Yearbook on International Law.

Curiosity drives initiatives that connect communities, encourage dialogue, and amplify diverse voices. It helps us learn from each other and address shared challenges.

2. Be adaptable and resilient

Academic and professional life rarely follow a straight line.

I’ve moved between countries and institutions, from Europe to Central Asia, which taught me to adapt quickly and to learn from every new environment.

Resilience is essential for navigating challenges, uncertainty, and change. Every setback can become an opportunity to learn, grow, and reinvent yourself.

3. Communicate clearly

Whether drafting a legal argument, writing an academic paper, or explaining complex ideas to students from diverse backgrounds, I have learned that being clear shows respect for both the audience and the subject.  

The most effective communicators make complex ideas easy to understand while keeping their core meaning. Clear, thoughtful language invites others in and fosters understanding.

 4. Collaborate

No one succeeds alone.

Collaboration sparks innovation and shared learning. Working with others across projects, disciplines, or borders strengthens ideas and builds communities.

‘Working with colleagues on edited volumes, research projects, and international conferences has shown me that intellectual partnership is one of the great privileges of academia.’

Equally fulfilling is mentoring students and emerging scholars. Seeing them develop their own voices in international law has been among the most rewarding parts of my work, and a reminder that teaching is, at its best, an act of shared discovery. 

 5. Think beyond yourself

Making a lasting impact means looking beyond your own individual achievements. Building long-term projects requires vision and the ability to bring others along.

Founding the Central Asia Yearbook on International Law taught me that successful initiatives are built on communities of trust, purpose, and shared commitment to knowledge. 

We thrive when we are curious, adaptable, collaborative, communicate clearly, and think strategically, skills which are developed through reflection, humility, and persistence.

For those starting out, my advice is simple: stay curious, remain open to change, express your ideas clearly, invest in others, and think beyond yourself. The impact you make will reach further than you might expect. 

Dr. Sergey Sayapin is Professor at KIMEP University School of Law in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He is the Editor of the forthcoming Central Asia Yearbook on International Law (Brill, 2026) and a Distinguished Global Visiting Scholar at the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore. 

For more tailored guidance and resources to support your professional journey, visit our professional development page!

To help restore the area’s natural beauty, a group of Chevening alumni, supported by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF), created EcoFest 2024.  

The event brought together hundreds of volunteers for a two-day clean-up festival and environmental workshop. It combined hands-on action with engaging discussions on how education, environmental protection and community joy can go hand in hand.  

Empowering communities through action  

Over 346 volunteers took part in the festival, including more than 160 residents from Bakuriani, Tabatskuri and surrounding villages in the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Shida Kartli regions. The event encouraged participants to take a proactive role in caring for their local environment and fostered a growing sense of shared responsibility and sustainability for Georgia’s environment, as well as collecting an incredible 86, 500 liters of waste over two days.  

‘EcoFest wasn’t just about collecting waste,it was about building awareness and giving people the confidence to protect their own environment. We wanted to show that change starts locally – with us.’ – Chevening alumna Tako Rodonaia, project lead 

Promoting sustainability nationwide  

EcoFest 2024 received widespread national attention, featuring on multiple TV and radio broadcasts, amassing over 205,000 social media views. The project was supported by 21 partner organisations, from local businesses and media outlets to environmental NGOs, highlighting how collaboration between public, private and community sectors can create meaningful impact.  

Beyond cleaning up, the festival demonstrated the importance of education, unity and pride in shared spaces.  

‘Thanks to CAPF, we were able to bring people together around a shared cause. EcoFest reminded everyone that environmental protection can be joyful, communal and deeply meaningful.’ 

The project, ‘Empower Minds: MHPPS for Crisis Affected People’, recognises the increased prevalence of mental health conditions in people affected by humanitarian crises.  Through research, community outreach, capacity building and advocacy, the initiative seeks to facilitate early treatment and consultations and integrate Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) into Somaliland’s national emergency preparedness framework.  

Somaliland’s first comprehensive mental health study 

The programme began with outreach activities and an in-depth study in Qalax Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, marking a significant milestone as the first comprehensive mental health study conducted in Somaliland. Over 600 individuals were reached through structured assessments, helping identify common mental health challenges and offering on-site psychosocial counselling.  

To build local capacity, ten volunteers received training in basic psychosocial counselling and data collection, equipping them with the skills to continue supporting communities, laying the foundation for ongoing capacity-building, sustainability and locally driven support systems.  

In February 2025, a two-day high-level stakeholder conference brought together over 70 participants from government, NGOs, academia and international partners.  

At the conference, Chevening alumni: 

• presented their study’s findings,  

• led discussions on integrating MHPSS into national emergency response plans 
• established a Technical Working Group to guide MHPSS policy integration 

What was achieved?   

Stakeholders reached consensus on the importance of expanding mental health services and committed to implementing study recommendations, which included strengthening research, coordination and policy frameworks.  

The initiative has set a precedent for mental health research and service delivery in Somaliland.  

By training local volunteers and establishing a technical working group, it has laid the foundation for ongoing capacity building and sustainability.  

The project has also elevated the profile of Chevening alumni as influential leaders in humanitarian health showcasing how the global network can drive positive action across the world.   

The Public Health Emergency and Research Centre (PHERC) will keep a close contact with the crisis affected people who participated in this programme and will continue ensuring they access the necessary mental health services and psycho-social support. 

‘I had to really think critically… I’m a better writer and researcher after going to university in the UK.’  

An international learning community  

Beyond the classroom, Chevening scholars are also encouraged to connect and learn from each other. Bea lived in halls at Goodenough College, alongside Chevening scholars and postgraduate students from around the world. They exchanged perspectives not just on food and music, but also on public health, infrastructure, and governance.  

‘Chevening makes it really easy to make friends.’  

This exchange of ideas helped Bea see her own country’s challenges in a new light. From comparing power cuts with peers from across Africa, to discussing health systems in South America, to experiencing London’s public transport and safety firsthand, she realised how different futures are possible, and how policy choices shape them. 

Inspired to achieve more  

Returning to South Africa, Bea quickly earned a promotion at Genesis Analytics, a development consulting firm where she has participated in health policy research focused on health economics and financing. Bea applies the leadership standards and advanced research skills she honed at LSE.   

She also tapped into the Chevening alumni community at home, securing a mentor through her network to help her maximise her impact. 

She believes that she wouldn’t be as far along in her career without support from Chevening and the Anglo American Foundation.   

‘People always say ‘you can’t change the world’, but you can with these degrees.’  

Intense study, amazing connections  

Amanda had visited the UK as a teenager and, as an LGBTQ+ person, felt she could belong there. Plus, at the time she became interested in studying abroad, the UK was passing strong GBV prevention laws. Her research into courses revealed that UK universities taught a behavioural approach to public policy, what Amanda described as ‘the art of understanding how to influence people’s decisions on policy based on psychology.’  

With her degree co-funded by the Lemann Foundation, Amanda now benefits from access to two influential networks. 

‘The best asset you can have [as a social entrepreneur] is the ability to create good and profound connections.’ 

Amanda says her confidence grew as she learned how to connect with other high-achieving individuals with very different perspectives and experiences. She honed her networking, communication, and negotiation capabilities, skills she uses regularly as a founder and CEO. 

She built strong relationships within her Chevening cohort, including Anelize Lenzi Ruas de Almeida, another scholar co-funded by Lemann. Anelize now serves as Attorney General for the National Treasury in Brazil and as a board member for Serenas.  

‘I count my Chevening and Lemann connections among my closest friends and colleagues.’ 

Returning home: Turning WhatsApp messages into a multi-state nonprofit  

‘When I came back, I didn’t have money to start a non-profit, but I had . . . amazing connections and people willing to help. That’s what Chevening does. It makes you feel part of a group, a community that says: let’s help each other.’ 

She credits those connections with helping make Serenas a reality. She put a call out on her Chevening WhatsApp groups, gathered board members from her networks, and contacted professors for advice.   

‘Doing the MPP opened my mind on how I had the potential to have more impact. [Chevening] completely changed my mindset, showing me that what I used to do by myself could actually become public policy. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing now.’ 

Serenas, named for Amanda’s great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, was established in 2021. It offers education programs to help first responders deal sensitively and humanely with victims of GBV and supports local governments with outreach programmes and capacity-building for GBV prevention.   

Serenas has since operated in five Brazilian states and has directly impacted more than 60,000 people. Amanda is currently partnering with the Mariana Filizola, a fellow Chevening alumna, the UK Embassy and the Secretariat for Social Communication of the Presidency Brazil, to launch the first nationwide course on internet-based GBV prevention in Brazil.  

In addition to delivering the education programmes Serenas offers, Amanda is proud that she’s been able to build a women-run organisation that is developing confident, skilled female leaders. She continues to take the Serenas message – supporting the rights of women and girls to live free of violence – beyond Brazil. Before Serenas, she worked at organisations such as UNICEF and the MALALA Fund.

In 2023, she was part of the Official Brazilian Committee at the Commission on the Status of Women in the United Nations. In 2024, she was awarded the UK Alumni Prize for Social Impact in Brazil.    

‘I can’t imagine my life without [Chevening]’.  

As a first-generation refugee from Afghanistan, Heela has long been committed to using activism and storytelling to drive systems-level change. But studying in the UK with Chevening helped her to increase her impact and reach more people.

‘Chevening gave me the skills and visibility to launch projects that support thousands of people, and it continues to connect me with leaders and changemakers across the world.’

Read on to find out more.

‘Across the world, millions of young people in conflict and displaced communities are living with untreated trauma,’ Heela explains. ‘Research shows that more than 70% of refugees experience psychological distress, but less than 10% ever receive support… That leaves a huge gap.’

‘I know this first-hand. While working and leading projects, I was diagnosed with CPTSD and I didn’t understand how deeply it was linked to my experiences,’ she shares. ‘If I, with access to education and networks, struggled to recognise or address it, the barrier for a young refugee with no resources is even greater. Many don’t even know what help looks like, or how to ask for it.’

This gap is what led Heela to create MUSKA, a trauma-informed mobile app that combines mental health and sexual and reproductive health support with practical tools to help people rebuild their lives.

‘Most digital mental health tools are built for high-income countries, requiring stable internet, high literacy levels, or cultural familiarity that people in fragile contexts don’t have,’ she says.

That’s why MUSKA is available offline, uses a low level of data, and is accessible in Persian, Pashto, and English.

‘It connects mental health and sexual and reproductive health support with practical skills for business and tech,’ she explains. ‘Because healing alone is not enough… people also need tools to integrate and rebuild.’

With MUSKA, Heela aims to bring together policy, research, and AI-driven technology to create solutions that can be scaled across countries, particularly those facing rising levels of displacement due to climate disasters.

Studying in the UK with Chevening helped make this vision a reality.

‘Chevening opened the door for me to education, leadership opportunities, and global platforms that I would not have accessed otherwise,’ she reflects. ‘Coming to the UK through such a competitive scholarship gave me not just a degree, but the confidence and network to take my work further.’

Looking ahead, Heela’s determined to help more people.

‘My plans are always evolving with the realities around me, but the direction is clear. I want to keep building at the intersection of technology, mental health, and accessibility, making sure that young people and refugees in fragile contexts are not left behind.’

‘Scaling MUSKA is a key priority; expanding to more languages, integrating AI for personalised support, and linking wellbeing with skills for entrepreneurship and climate resilience.’

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll find inspiring Chevening alumni like Heela making a positive impact.