EAST LONDON – Walter Sisulu University(WSU) recently hosted a successful two-day writing retreat, EWIRA (Empowering Women in Research Affiliation), from 27th to 28th March 2025, at the Buffalo City Campus (BCC) in East London. The initiative aimed to empower women in research and academia.
A Building Technology student at the Potsdam Campus in WSU Anathi Mnyanda praised the retreat, saying, “The overall experience was successful. I learned the importance of excelling in academics and how technology simplifies research writing. We were equipped with databases, sites and apps to ensure accurate writing.”
Senior Consultant at the WSU Writing Centre Perfect Okojie echoed Mnyanda’s sentiments, stating, “It was a great success. This platform is not only for those pursuing further studies but also for postgraduates to enhance their understanding. The library assists us in accessing more information beyond Google.”
Furthermore, E-access manager at Phyllis Ntantala Collaborative Library, at the Library and Information services Lungile Danyana emphasized the importance of providing WSU students with access to all online library resources, “We are training women in research on all our research tools,” Danyana stated.
“On day one, we installed browser extensions that allow our researchers to access our resources while navigating Google or Google Scholar, avoiding paywalls,” Danyana added.
In addition Administrater for the office of the Dean Thina Sisanda Bhikitsha expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, “It was a privilege to interact with other researchers, hear about their challenges and learn how they overcome them. EWIRA is indeed productive. I’m thankful to Professor Songca and Professor Mashwama for introducing this initiative, especially here at WSU where resources like this are scarce,” Bikitsha said.
As WSU continues to pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable research environment, EWIRA is set to have a lasting impact on the academic community.
photograph: supplied
Ziphelele Nompula & Nontando Mbonwa
31 March 2025
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