3 November 2004
Farayi Chipungu was a long way from her home in Zimbabwe when she graduated with an arts/law degree at Clayton campus last month.
|
|
Monash arts/law graduate Ms Farayi Chipungu.
|
The inspirational 24-year-old Zimbabwean student came to study at Monash on a scholarship in 1998. Since completing her course in 2003, Ms Chipungu has worked as executive officer to pro vice-chancellor Professor John Anderson at the Monash South Africa campus.
She is scheduled to start work on her articles next year at Melbourne law firm Mallesons Stephen Jacques.
Described by Professor Anderson as an inspirational young woman, Ms Chipungu said she planned to return home to Zimbabwe in years to come to help rebuild the shattered nation.
"Zimbabwe is a big mess at the moment, and a lot of young people have left the country to study so there aren't a lot of them around to help with the rebuilding process," Ms Chipungu said.
"And with the AIDS epidemic ravaging Africa and killing so many young people -- those of us who have been lucky enough to gain an education need to make a contribution."
Ms Chipungu said she would like to practise law for a few years to gather some useful skills before heading home to Africa.
"Ultimately I would like to study a masters degree at Oxford and move into aid and development for third-world countries, which would pave a pathway into politics.
"Thousands of young graduates leave Southern Africa every year, so there is a massive brain drain and there is much work to be done." | 
