Nobody decides when and where to be born. I was born in Africa, by Africa for Africa. I look forward to seeing a reduction in vaccine preventable diseases in Africa. It was an honor and a privilege to be part of the Masters in Vaccinology with African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise with the aim of developing new vaccines and strengthening the immunization program. Besides academic, I appreciate the various platforms the program availed, with the aim of networking. Platforms such as Afro-ADVAC, Bactivac, VALIDATE and IMPRINT. Moreover, I was privileged to physically attend IMPRINT annual meeting, held in Kingston upon Thames, London, 2023. Furthermore, through the program I accessed Studentship position with the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation and South Africa Medical Research Council, where I am current based, with aim of building a skilled workforce to manufacture vaccines on the African continent.

I appreciate our lecturers and Mrs. Kay Davidson for your overwhelming support. Special appreciation to Dr. Cutland, your consistent management, guidance, inspiration, and devotion are invaluable. My supervisors Dr. Nellie Myburgh and Dr. Andile Sokani deserve special thanks for their tenacity, wisdom, and support. Your commitment to educating the future generation and understanding the factors contributing to vaccination reluctance is extraordinary. A special thank you to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations for the funding that enabled maturation of the program. Special gratitude to the Wits Article Processing Charge fund for their support to publish our paper based on my master's report in the Vaccines journal, entitled: COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Youths in Soweto, South Africa https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/5/960