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Two of our African MBA in Healthcare STARS tell us what the fellowship has taught them so far.

Dr Juandré Klopper

My STARS fellowship and MBA in Healthcare has so far not only equipped me with technical business knowledge, but also given me transferable skills that I can use to become a more effective clinician, researcher and leader. Statistics has helped me think more clearly about research and data. Economics and Accounting has helped me understand resources, sustainability and decision-making. Strategy, operations, and organisational behaviour have helped me understand how complex systems work, and how people can be supported to perform better within them. Through my classes, studying and projects, I have developed a broader understanding of the systems that shape patient care, and how I can better support both my team and my patients.

For me, the STARS journey has done much more than send me to “business school”. It is equipping me with a network and skills that I can bring together with my clinical background and training to become a better researcher, clinician, and more effective part of the greater healthcare system.

 

Teopolina Ihuhua

Becoming an MBA STARS fellow has been both an exciting and transformative journey. I began this experience believing that my previous academic and professional background had prepared me well, but I quickly realised that the programme demands much more. It requires persistence, continuous learning, curiosity, and a willingness to be challenged.

Even in this first year of the MBA, I can already see how the programme is reshaping the way I think about leadership, systems, and creating impact. I am especially looking forward to our second year, where we will focus on healthcare, a sector I strongly believe is critical to Africa’s future.

Beyond academics, the fellowship has expanded my network and continues to shape both my personal and professional growth. I remain deeply grateful to the Mastercard Foundation and African STARS for this life-changing opportunity.

News date: 2026-07-31

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