PI: Claudia Leung, Department of Medicine
Partner Organizations: University for Development Studies School of Medicine
This proposal outlines a new partnership between the University of Chicago and AMPATH Ghana, aimed at advancing global health equity through sustainable faculty collaboration, reciprocal exchange, and pilot innovation projects in northern Ghana. Building on UChicago’s longstanding global health engagement and the AMPATH model, the initiative seeks to formalize institutional ties with the University for Development Studies and Tamale Teaching Hospital. The two-phase approach includes establishing long-term faculty dyads focused on clinical, educational, and research initiatives, and launching locally informed pilot projects to strengthen health systems. Ultimately, this partnership aims to cultivate a pipeline of scholars dedicated to addressing health disparities through mutual learning and cross-continental collaboration.
PI: Yasmin Cho, Department of Anthropology
Partner Organizations: The Centre Buddhist School
This project investigates the local perceptions of Chinese influence in Namibia by conducting forty days of ethnographic fieldwork in Okahandja and Windhoek. Building on thirty months of prior research within a Chinese Buddhist NGO operating K–12 schools across southern Africa, the PI now shifts focus to everyday Namibian perspectives on China, Buddhism, and Chinese actors in their communities. The study seeks to explore how Chinese cultural and economic presence is interpreted by ordinary citizens beyond institutional boundaries, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of Chinese soft power in Africa and addressing a significant gap in Sino-Namibian studies.
PI: Nick Feamster, Department of Computer Science
Partner Organizations: USF, SA Connect
This project aims to design and deploy a novel network measurement infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve the accuracy and relevance of public datasets on Internet access. Building on the University of Chicago’s open-source Netrics platform—previously used in U.S.-based digital equity initiatives—the research will adapt the tool for mobile broadband contexts common in Africa. The enhanced system will collect lightweight, application-level performance metrics (e.g., mobile banking, education access) while addressing issues like sampling bias and data overhead. Through a pilot deployment with the Internet Society, the project will generate open, longitudinal data to guide policy and academic research on Africa’s digital infrastructure.
PI: Anjli Parrin, Law School
Partner Organizations: African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED), The University of the Gambia
This project builds on the groundbreaking work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in The Gambia and the community-led TRRC Digest, a youth-driven initiative that has advanced grassroots documentation and transitional justice. Led by ANEKED in collaboration with the University of the Gambia’s new Centre for Transitional Justice and the University of Chicago Law School Global Human Rights Clinic, the project will develop a locally grounded transitional justice curriculum informed by the TRRC’s findings. It includes bilateral seminars in Chicago and The Gambia, a pilot large language model (LLM) for perpetrator analysis to support international prosecution, and a scholarly contribution on the role of victim-led documentation.
PI: Haun Saussy, Department of East Asian Languages
Partner Organizations: Partners In Health, University of Global Health Equity
This project deepens collaborations between the University of Chicago and the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda through a shared commitment to exploring healthcare ethics as a foundation for social solidarity. It includes three key activities: (1) teaching an updated version of a course on medical ethics and law in Rwanda; (2) hosting Rwandan physician-educators in Chicago for seminars and clinical dialogues; and (3) convening a major international conference in Paris on “Solidarity as Reparative Value,” addressing post-conflict healthcare reconstruction. Together, these initiatives promote reciprocal engagement, interdisciplinary inquiry, and a global ethics of care.
PI: Ahmed Hamini, Department of Radiology
Partner Organizations: RAD-AID Tanzania
This project, titled “Bridging the Gap Between USA and Tanzania: Knowledge Sharing in Abdominal Imaging,” aims to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of Tanzanian radiologists through a collaborative, multifaceted educational initiative. Spearheaded by University of Chicago radiologists in partnership with RAD-AID Tanzania, the program includes a scientific conference, a comprehensive review course, and onsite, hands-on training sessions. The initiative addresses Tanzania’s critical shortage of radiologists and limited access to advanced imaging technologies by sharing up-to-date expertise in CT, MRI, ultrasound, and abdominal pathology. Scheduled for Fall 2025, this engagement fosters sustainable professional development and global radiology collaboration.