Meet Phillip T. Chigiya from Zimbabwe!

Phillip T. Chigiya

He is the 4th-year medical student, born in 1995, studying since 2014 at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences in Zimbabwe, who has been awarded with the 6th GA Scholarship in the history of our Fund  to travel to Egypt for the IFMSA General Assembly – March Meeting 2018 representing his country and ZIMSA, of which he is the current NMO President.

Phillip Chigiya was chosen among 69 applicants for the scholarship, according to his background, expertise and motivation. The amount of €500 of scholarship money has partially covered Phillip’s expenses for registering and traveling to the MM2018 in Egypt to meet with friends and colleagues studying Medicine from all over the world!

Learn more about Phillip, by reading through his CV, as well as his Letter of Motivation.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Name

Phillip Tinovimbanashe Chigiya

D.O.B 20-05-1995,

Age: 22

Country of Birth: Zimbabwe

Medical Education: Fourth Year Medical Student, Class of 2020. Enrolled with the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences in 2014

Languages: English: Written 10/10, Spoken 10/10 / Shona – Native, speaking and writing 10/10

Career Objective: To be a successful Health Practitioner working in the clinic and boardroom level to eradicate HIV/AIDS and STIs in Africa. To provide critical leadership in the healthcare sector in Africa.

ZiMSA and IFMSA Experience:

• Joined in 2014 and joined the SCORA where I became the Treasurer of the Standing Committee
• By end of 2014 I was selected to be the Training Support Division Director where I co-ordinated multiple workshops which were critical in capacity building of our Association.
• In 2015 I was the focal person responsible for integrating two other Local Medical Schools in our National structures thus enlarging our National Member Organisation
• In 2015 was part of the Committee working on the Application for ZiMSA to be a full member of IFMSA.
• In 2016 I became the Local Director (ZiMSA’s part) of an International Partnership Project (IMUNZI) to reduce prevalence among the Zimbabwean youth. (IMUNZI is a partnership among International Medical Co-operation Committee, Denmark, UNICA and ZiMSA). In that year we managed to reach over 3000 youths
• Also in 2016 became SCORA Director, LORA where I led various campaigns on SRH and HIV/AIDS and workshops, assumed role of Acting NORA for 3 months
• Founded Meddy-Bear Zim, enrolled it with Meddy Bear International and later put it under the ZiMSA SCOME. It posts information on Medical Education and Public Health. It has a following in excess of 6000 people worldwide.
• In 2017, elected NMO President for ZiMSA- Zimbabwe
• In 2017, selected to be part of the IFMSA delegation to attend ICASA 2017 Professional Qualifications
• Certificate in Global Health Course, Global Health Focus Africa
• Certified Peer Educator by the National AIDS Council, Zimbabwe
• Trained and Certified in Rights of Women and Children, Young African Leaders Initiative(YALI)
• Trained and Certified in Advanced HIV Management
• Certificate in Membership Involvement and Inclusive Decision Making, Danish Youth Council
• Fundamentals of Leadership, Le Vision Africa
• Certified First Aid Trainer Volunteering Experience
• I was a volunteer peer educator between 2009 and 2014
• Volunteer in the IMUNZI Project
• Volunteer in the Rotaract Club of College of Health Sciences
• A volunteer with the Higher Life Foundation on Clean up Campaigns, mentorship sessions and Career Guidance Initiatives
• A volunteer at Meddy Bear Zim
• A volunteer in Medical Outreaches in rural Zimbabwe organized by the Zimbabwe Medical Association(ZiMA)
• Volunteer for Love Without Reason Free Cleft Surgeries Skills
• Social Media administration
• Programming Language( JAVA)
• Organising and Co-coordinating Events
• Writing Medical Articles
• Facilitating workshops and moderating panels Other Achievements
• Founded Meddy Bear Zimbabwe and registered it with Meddy Bear International. Meddy-Bear is an online platform where Medical Students where Medical Students and Professionals can share knowledge and it also seeks to raise knowledge on some critical Public Health Issues.
• Led the Fit out Forum a bi weekly session whereby we invited different successful people to speak to youths in our Medical School so they can be inspired.
• Columnist on the Health section of a local weekly paper, the Surbaban Hobbies
• Reading personal development books
• Long distance running
• Playing mbira(a traditional instrument)
• Mentoring high school children

References

1. Masimba Ndoro, Former ZiMSA VPi (masimbadean[at]gmail.com)
2. Tinotenda Madzima, ZiMSA Alumni (tinomadzima[at]gmail.com)

LETTER OF MOTIVATION

Phillip T. Chigiya

It is difficult to attend GAs when studying in a Third world country.Earlier this year I was selected to be part of the IFMSA delegation to attend ICASA 2017 in Ivory Coast but I failed due to lack of funds. My motivation to attend the MM is as follows:

• Noone in our NMO has ever attended a March Meeting
• It is difficult to get funding, due to the dire economic situation in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has one of the poorest economies in the world today
• I have gained a lot of experience having been in ZiMSA.I have something which I can share with other students having lead various projects in a country like ours.It will be an opportunity to learn from other Medical Students
• Having served in ZiMSA for a long time, I believe I have what it takes to take a position of leadership in IFMSA in the African Region. Unfortunately I am not eligible to run for these positions as the IFMSA bye-laws require that one has to have attended at least one GA. By attending the MM I will be eligible run for a Regional position and make my contribution.It will also be an experience where I will gain more information on IFMSA.
• ZiMSA is the only NMO which applied to host the African Regional Meeting in 2018. Voting has not occurred yet but in all humbleness we will likely win the bid. It is required that the host NMO update the whole region on the progress made in preparation for the ARM at the MM. Being on the OC if I win the scholarship and attend the MM 2018 I will be able to make the relevant updates that should be done. It will also be an opportunity to see how we can deliver best the ARM seeing how the MM will be organized.This will be really beneficial to ZiMSA and African Region
• I plan to come back home and conduct various workshops on whatever I may have learnt at the MM
• I have looked up the Visa requirements and it is very easy to get a visa from Zimbabwe to Egypt and comparing with the upcoming GAs this one seems to be the most feasible to attend.