Ubuntu Research Group (URG) researches and educates on the experience, philosophy and practice of Ubuntu. Members of URG are academics whose research encompasses Ubuntu. The URG will focus on the projects listed below and others.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/screen-shot-2018-10-22-at-11.06.26-pm.png?resize=656%2C538&ssl=1)
Members of URG
- Associate Professor Vincent Mabvurira, PhD
- Mr Felix Kakowa
- Dr Thembelihle B. Makhanya, PhD
- Dr Rugare Mugumbate, PhD
- Mr Bernard Mayaka
- Professor Chinwe R. Nwanna, PhD
- Dr Sharlotte Tusasiirwe, PhD
- Mr Robert Kudakwashe Chigangaidze
- Associate Professor Mfundo Mandla Masuku
- Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize
- URG Badge
- Program of Work
Next Meeting
17 November 2023
via Zoom
11am – 12pm Central Africa Time
2023 Meeting Dates
01 December
Associate Professor Vincent Mabvurira, PhD
Zimbabwe
School of Psycho-social Health, North-West University, South Africa
Vincent Mabvurira is a Social Work academic who holds Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Zimbabwe. He is also a holder of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from University of Limpopo, South Africa. His teaching career began in 2010 when he joined Bindura University of Science Education as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Social Work. He has also taught at Women’s University in Africa and the University of Zimbabwe. He is currently serving as an Associate Professor in the School of Psycho-social Health at North-West University, South Africa. His research focuses on indigenous knowledge systems, religiosity and spirituality in social work and child welfare.
Ubuntu Project: See program of work at the end
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Professor-Mabvurira.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Dr Thembelihle B. Makhanya, PhD
South Africa
University of KwaZulu Natal, Department of Social Work, South Africa
Dr. Thembelihle Brenda Makhanya (PhD) is a lecturer at the University of KwaZulu Natal, School of Applied Human Science, Department of Social Work. She serve as a discipline representative in Teaching and Learning. She was also appointed as a language champion for the school of Applied Human Scince. Her research interest includes teaching and learning; (de) coloniality; Social Work education; Languages; Gender and Fatherhood. She has produced 7 peer reviewed journals that are publiched in accredited journals and 4 book chapters. Dr Makhanya Presented papers in International, National and regional conferences. Recently attended and presented a paper in the international conference held at Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya on May 25-27, 2022. She offers her professional services to the Department of Correctional Services, in the restorative Justice Programme as a facilitator and a coordinator for Victim Offender Mediation Diologue (VOM-D). She is a founder and a chairperson of Imbewu Youth Empowerment Centre, an NGO offering pyschosocial needs to young peope in the Ugu District. She received Working Groups Programme research funding from the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) for year 2021/2022. She was nominated and profiled as the insipiring women of UKZN college of Humanitoes during womens Month in August 2022. She also received an award from the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI) as Emerging Social Work Educator of the Year for 2021. Dr Makhanyawas also listed among 13 young academics on sport light at UKZN in 2021. She also won a first price award for the best paper at the 2019 NIHSS Annual National Doctoroal conference and won a best paper award at the NIHSS 2021 Alumni conference.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dr-T-Makhanya.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Ubuntu Project: Decolonising and deconstructing Ubuntu
Dr Rugare Mugumbate, PhD
Zimbabwe
School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Australia; Convenor ASWNet; Department of Social Work & Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, South Africa; Formerly Bindura University, Zimbabwe
Dr Rugare Mugumbate holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work from the University of Zimbabwe and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He worked in the disability sector before joining the Department of Social Work, Bindura University of Science Education, Zimbabwe. Presently, he is with the School of Health & Society, University of Wollongong, Australia where he teaches international social work and other subjects. He works with the Africa Social Work Network (ASWNet) which promotes production and dissemination of indigenous knowledges such as ubuntu and the African Journal of Social Work (AJSW) published by the National Association of Social Workers (Zimbabwe). He is a founder of Sanga Development Foundation (SDF), a community-based organisation in his home village in Buhera District; Epilepsy Resource Centre of Zimbabwe based in Harare and the Epilepsy Africa Alliance (EAA) based in Kigali, Rwanda. He participates in global disability advocacy and research. His research interests are in social justice as it interfaces with marginalised groups in society.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/screen-shot-2021-07-14-at-2.01.11-pm.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Ubuntu Projects: Survey on use of Ubuntu in teaching and learning | Collaboration of educational institutions to bring Ubuntu in the curricula
Mr Bernard Mayaka
Kenya
International Federation of Social Work
Mayaka is a passionate inclusive social worker with experience in child protection, youth work, medical social work, and participatory practice. He is a professional development advocate for indigenous and international social work, writing on Ubuntu social work. His interests include children and family, migration studies, resiliency, international relations, and inclusive social development with an Afrocentric lens on sustainable wellbeing.
Currently he works as a member of the IFSW Secretariate and an International Social work lecturer at the HAN University.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/12d4c928-786e-4038-b6b0-1cbb42f1a090.jpg?resize=856%2C839&ssl=1)
Ubuntu Project: Development of online courses
Professor Chinwe R. Nwanna, PhD
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Qualifications: Diploma in Social Development and Administration (Social Work); B.Sc. (Sociology); Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) [Social Policy] and Ph.D. (Sociology with a bias in social work)
Chinwe R. Nwanna (Ph.D.) is a Professor and the current Head of the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos. She has numerous research studies and publications in reputable peer-reviewed national and international journals and books in Social Work, Population Studies including HIV/AIDS, Women Studies including Gender-based Violence, Urbanization and Migration. Having attended many national and international capacity building programmes and chaired numerous Faculty and Departmental Committees, Prof. C. R. Nwanna has amassed a wealth of experience in teaching, researching and administration. She served as the Coordinator of B. Sc. Social Work Programme from 2007 to 2014 when it metamorphosed to a Unit and then continued till 2018 when it became a full-fledged Department. She participated in the review of Social Development Curricula for National Diploma (ND)/Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nigeria, 2015; finalization of Social Welfare Policy in Nigeria, 2017; harmonization of B. Sc. Social Work Curricula in Nigerian universities, 2017; review and development of National Universities Commission Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (NUC BMAS) for undergraduate and postgraduate Social Work programmes respectively, 2017. She is a recipient of several grants and awards for academic and research excellence and for attending international conferences. She is affiliated to various professional associations such as Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASOW) Lagos Chapter, Nigeria Association of Social Work Educators (NASWE now ASWEN), International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA), International Union for Scientific Studies of Population (IUSSP), France, Union for African Population Studies, (UAPS), Accra, Ghana to mention but a few.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/nwana.jpg?resize=381%2C440&ssl=1)
Ubuntu Projects: Development of online courses | Survey on use of Ubuntu in teaching and learning
Dr Sharlotte Tusasiirwe, PhD
Uganda
Secretary, Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA); Lecturer, Social Work, School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-07-at-12.23.04-pm.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Dr Sharlotte Tusasiirwe is a lecturer of social work at the School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University, Australia. Sharlotte is an internationally-educated social worker. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Makerere University in Uganda and a master’s degree in Social Work and Human rights from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Sharlotte pursued her PhD at Western Sydney University, Australia from 2016-2020. Sharlotte is very interested in researching Social Work Education and her PhD has been focused on how to decolonise social work education and practice to create culturally appropriate and contextually relevant profession. She has researched areas of indigenous African knowledges and Obuntu/Ubuntu philosophies; culturally appropriate practice; ageing and age-old wisdom; community-led initiatives, mental health and parenthood of migrant parents in diaspora. Sharlotte is the secretary of the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA) whose purpose is to promote interests of social work education in Africa and internationally.
Ubuntu Project: See program of work at the end
Mr Robert Kudakwashe Chigangaidze
Zimbabwe
Practitioner and Academic
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chigangaidze-Robert.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Robert K Chigangaidze holds a Master of Clinical Social Work degree from Midlands State University and a Bachelor of Social Work from University of Zimbabwe. He is a motivated, versatile and registered social worker who has special interest in the advancement of humanistic philosophies and social work as a profession. Robert is a client-centered practitioner who believes in diversity, human rights, competence and critical reflection with special interests in mental health. An author focusing on integrating developmental and clinical social work perspectives.
He has published several articles in international journals, presented at regional and global conferences. As a researcher with interest in Ubuntu philosophy, he focuses on the relevance of this African philosophy in Humanistic Social Work. His work has been cited by academics across the globe. Robert has taught at Midlands State University, Women’s University in Africa and as a part-time lecturer at University of Central Lancashire. In terms of practice, Robert has worked as a registered social worker in mental health settings in Zimbabwe and United Kingdom. Beyond social work practice and education, Robert has presented guest lectures at the University of Zimbabwe, Department of Psychiatry and taught Post Basic Mental Health courses at Parirenyatwa School of Nursing. He also served as a committee member for the Clinical Social Work Education committee with Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe from 2015- 2020. Currently, Robert is working towards publishing chapters and books on Ubuntu, Environmental Social Work, Human Rights, Clinical Social Work and Humanistic Social Work.
Ubuntu Project: Creating a database of Ubuntu literature in social work and development | Critical Ubuntu
Associate Professor Mfundo Mandla Masuku
South Africa
Associate Professor in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Mfundo-Mandla-Masuku-.jpg?resize=265%2C265&ssl=1)
Mfundo Mandla Masuku is an Associate Professor in the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is supervising at master’s and PhD level from different universities and has been actively involved in curriculum development. He is very passionate about research, and he has published more than 40 scholarly articles in accredited journals on his area of expertise which includes food security, Ubuntu Philosophy, inclusive education, Local Economic Development, governance and scholarship of teaching and learning, and many book chapters. He has presented papers at both local and international conferences. He has worked with different government institutions including the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. He has been appointed by different local and international journals as the reviewer and external examiner for different universities. He has published an edited book on African epistemologies including Ubuntu philosophy as a lens to understand social issues in an African context.
Ubuntu project: Ubuntu for Children | Survey on use of Ubuntu in teaching and learning
Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize
Uganda
Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Uganda
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Janestic-twikwirize-.jpg?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1)
Janestic Twikirize holds a PhD in Social Work and Social Development. She has a teaching experience of more than 18 years at both undergraduate and post graduate levels and has supervised several graduate students to completion. She has served as a visiting Professor at several Universities in Africa and Europe and on the Erasmus Mundus Master of Advanced Development in Social Work, Lincoln University, United Kingdom. She has published over 30 scientific papers including four (4) books; and has made over 30 presentations in international conferences in the past 8 years. Between 2012 and 2018, she served as the Vice President of the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa and a Board member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). She has previously served as a Commissioner on the Indigenous Committee of the International Federation of Social Workers. Currently she coordinates the implementation of an innovative approach, Community Social Labs, under the NORHED/NORAD funded Resilient project.
Ubuntu project: Survey on use of Ubuntu in teaching and learning | Developing, and facilitating workshops and lectures
Mr Felix Kakowa
Head of Sociology Department and Senior Lecturer in Social Work,
University of Malawi, Chancellor College, Zomba
Malawi
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/KAKOWA-1.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Felix Kakowa is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Head of the Sociology Department at the University of Malawi. He has also served as President of the Association of Social Workers in Malawi from 2014 to 2021. Areas of research and publication include: Social Work education, child and social protection, and indigenous social work practice. Other responsibilities include the following: Chief of Party for the ‘Strengthening social welfare workforce through in-service and pre-service training support’ project; and Chairperson of the Country Advisory Board for the Regional Psycho-social Support Initiative (REPSSI).
Ubuntu project: Critical Ubuntu | Decolonising and deconstructing Ubuntu
URG Badge
Members of URG are free to use the URG bagde and message for their profiles, email signatures, social media and video conference backgrounds.
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Ubuntu-Research-Group-URG.png?resize=900%2C530&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/africasocialwork.net/motsi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Ubuntu-Research-Group-URG.png?resize=300%2C177&ssl=1)
Member of the Ubuntu Research Group (URG). Our group publishes, researches and educates on the philosophy, experiences and interpretations of Ubuntu.
Program of Work
Our program of work has 8 focus areas. We work on projects collaboratively.
Focus areas (8) | Members | Projects |
Publications: More publications, more literature so that Ubuntu philosophy and theories remain at the centre of social work in Africa and globally e.g. Ubuntu Dictionary Ubuntu Handbook Ubuntu Case Studies Ubuntu Video Demonstrations/Simulations Journal articles, special issues Ethics codes Books, book chapters Interviews, conversations, talking circles Models, frameworks Reviews – media, literature, social media, orature etc | Dr Rugare Mugumbate Professor Chinwe R. Nwanna Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize Prof Mandla Mfundo Masuku Dr Tusasiirwe Prof Mabvurira | Original research on Ubuntu. Quantitative survey with few qualitative questions. Respondents will be students, faculty and practitioners. Ethics – Africa Independent Ethics Committee for advice, distribute survey link through networks, informally and through classrooms where possible. Apply for ethics clearance in countries requiring this, if need be. |
Workshops and lectures: More workshops and lectures to support the application of Ubuntu in practice and teaching. Regular workshops, webinars or seminars on Ubuntu focusing on conceptualisation of the philosophy to address differences that currently exist as to what Ubuntu means, what is encompasses, how it can be applied, nomenclature etc | Dr Sharlotte Tusasiirwe Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize | Create workshops and lectures using feedback from the survey results above. |
Decolonise, deconstruct Ubuntu: Often, what the world knows about Ubuntu is not told by Africans. Positionality, meaning sharing our experiences of Ubuntu, would do a lot in strengthening it. This means being ready to share our experiences of Ubuntu, and that of our families and communities. Being deep, more critical and introspective about the use and application of Ubuntu in Africa today, especially in urban Africa and this discussion to include changes in society, the impact of colonisation in these changes and threats to Ubuntu. | Dr Thembelihle B. Makhanya Mr Felix Kakowa Mr Robert Kudakwashe Chigangaidze | Conversations on Ubuntu globally |
Databases: Create Ubuntu database so that it becomes easy to locate, identify, share and recommend (1) database on Ubuntu literature for students, lecturers, libraries etc (2) database on Ubuntu resources | Mr Robert Kudakwashe Chigangaidze | Edit Ubuntu database that has already been created, available here https://africasocialwork.net/motsi/ubuntu-database/ |
Ubuntu at the lower levels of education: A focus on children, communities and the education system as a whole, so that Ubuntu is taught early in life at the lower levels e.g. primary and secondary and high school not just focusing on higher education. | Prof Mandla Mfundo MasukuB Mayaka | Write African history incorporating Ubuntu, emphasise African languages, philosophies |
Training: Courses (short and long) on Ubuntu – these could include general courses and courses focused on Continuous Professional Development (CPD). There was more discussion on this item, and it was agreed to start work on it next year. This could involve developing a short course on the ASWNet website, then scale up. Partners could include ASSWA, IFSW and UNICEF. Mayaka offered to lead this area. | B. Mayaka R. Mugumbate | Short online training courses on Ubuntu. Start with simple session and evaluate ASWNet to create a web platform Mayaka and Mugumbate to meet |
Guest lectures: invite each other for guest lectures on Ubuntu and related topics. | Dr Thembelihle B. Makhanya | Facilitate guest lectures, inviting each other to our departments |
Funding: Seek research funding with a focus on internal funding but also global funding that contributes to decolonisation. | Dr Rugare Mugumbate Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize | Apply for IASSW grant involving IAASW members |
Digital Ubuntu: create Ubuntu resources for the internet, including social media. Creating images and videos about Ubuntu that are easy to share. Ensuring that platforms like Wikipedia have correct information about Ubuntu and to correct wrong information. | Dr Rugare Mugumbate Associate Professor Janestic Twikirize | Collaboration to design and develop an Ubuntu-inspired virtual learning and teaching platform with multiple digital resources and test the platform in different countries across the globe. |