London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

On my first day studying at LSHTM many years ago I sat down between a woman from Chad who had just completed medical training in Moscow and who cheerfully told me that learning Russian wasn’t as big a challenge as being a lesbian in Russia, and a Belgian woman who had just come back from caring for people with cholera in the refugee camps in Rwanda. I instantly felt connected to the world.

Today our students tell us “You really get to interact with people from all across the globe, which I don’t think I would have been able to do at any other institution.”

That feeling of connection, of shared purpose, of global community is why I’m joining a fantastic team of LSHTM students, staff, alumni and friends of the School to take on the 55-mile London to Brighton Cycle Ride. We’re raising funds for scholarships for students from low resource settings like this year’s LSHTM Fund scholars Neema and Sheefat.

Because education doesn’t just change individual lives; it builds a more just and equitable world.

Education is our strongest tool against inequity

At LSHTM, our mission is to deliver internationally leading research and teaching to improve health and health equity worldwide.

In a time of accelerating change and uncertainty, in which so many of our communities face ever more complex challenges to human health, the expertise and knowledge that come from education are needed more than ever. Scholarships are a vital part of this mission.

Why scholarships matter

Scholarships are more than financial support. They are gateways to opportunity especially for students from low-and-middle income settings. These are the future clinicians, researchers, and leaders who understand their communities best. When they gain access to world-class education, they return with the tools to make real and lasting change.

We know from our work that those with less money, power and influence in society are more likely to face health challenges, and, in a connected community, that inequity and those health challenges affect everybody and are everybody’s responsibility. Without scholarships, many of our students wouldn’t be here. And without them, the School wouldn’t be the same.

Diversity is a superpower

There’s a Gambian saying: “A single tree does not make a forest”. Individual success is part of the larger eco-system and strength lies in diversity and interdependence. We know that lived experience, insights and wisdom from around the world are a source of new public health ideas, inspiration, policy and practice.

When students from different backgrounds come together, everyone benefits. They challenge assumptions, broaden perspectives, and enrich every class and canteen discussion. They help us all learn not just about disease or research, but about resilience, empathy, and the complexity of the world we share.

A personal commitment

Over the last 20 years I have taught and mentored hundreds of postgraduate students in public health and epidemiology, many of whom are now leaders in their fields around the world. I’ve seen firsthand how scholarships open doors that would otherwise remain closed and witnessed how one student’s journey can affect an entire community. I’ve felt the sense of belonging that comes from learning alongside people whose experiences are vastly different from mine - yet deeply connected by a shared vision to help create a more healthy, sustainable and equitable world.

That’s why I am getting on my bike again because education is the most powerful tool we have to fight inequity, and we believe positive change is possible.

Hear about the impact of scholarships from this year’s scholars Neema and Sheefat.

To show your support for the team visit the LSHTM London to Brighton Team 2025 JustGiving page.