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How studying MSc Sexual & Reproductive Health Policy and Programming at LSHTM has significantly boosted my career

Written by Brian Mutebi.
Brian Mutebi

In today’s WhatsApp era, where any messages can be posted, crucial messages can easily be lost in the floods of forwarded messages and links. But if the heavens have opened up for you to connect to your blessing, there will be that one message forwarded in the group, and your heart and soul sense that message is probably for you and you alone. That happened to me in April 2022 when a link to a scholarship to study at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) was posted in one of my WhatsApp groups. I knew that was my opportunity. I wrote my application, submitted it, and kept my fingers crossed for the outcomes.

The news of being admitted to this prestigious university was soothing. A life-transforming experience had started. Education is perhaps the most valuable asset one can ever have. It creates a world of opportunities and transforms the lives of individuals, their families, communities, and nations. Yet access to education in Africa remains a big challenge because of living in resource-constrained circumstances.

I needed specialised training in reproductive health because my work rotates around knowledge management and communication consulting in reproductive health, gender equality, and women’s rights, but because of the high cost of graduate training, there was simply no way I could study at such a top academic institution as  LSHTM is without significant financial support. So, it was a huge blessing to receive a scholarship to study for an MSc in Sexual & Reproductive Health Policy and Programming at LSHTM. It has been a significant boost to my career since.

Because of the practical nature of the training, I have applied the knowledge acquired in the programme in my consulting work. I recently got a consultancy opportunity to write a UN report and used knowledge from the programme to write it. Then, I got another consultancy to train civil society organisations, and the programme materials were my key reference materials. I am a member of the Gender and Rights Advisory Panel (GAP) of the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, and I can say that I have been more productive and resourceful in GAP meetings since doing my MSc at the LSHTM. That’s how relevant the programme has been to my work!

Yet we ought to know that we receive education not just to feel good about ourselves or make money but to transform our communities. I am using my education to impact my community. I have used the programme's knowledge, skills, and tools to design projects and integrate reproductive health into my charity’s programmes. In Uganda, where reproductive health factors such as sexuality myths and misconceptions and gender inequality hinder access to education, especially for adolescent girls, integrating reproductive health into our programming could not be more timely.

It's important, however, to note that studying at LSHTM is academically demanding. If you’re a student planning and praying to study at LSHTM, you should be prepared to give your best as a student to get the best from the School. It is said that the world opens up doors for those who know what they want, and because I knew what I wanted from the programme, I paid maximum attention to it, excelled in all my modules and graduated in record time on March 8 2024. Do you want to be a part of this wonderful community of LSHTM alumni?