Sithabile Mngadi-Ncube recently completed a research stay at Queen’s University as part of the BCDI 2030 scholarship program, where her research focused on mental health, digital innovation, implementation science, and community empowerment. Her time at Queen’s included transdisciplinary networking opportunities, entrepreneurial training, and a deepening commitment to equity-driven public health solutions. She includes her reflections for those considering the BCDI 2030 opportunity below.
During her time in Canada, Sithabile advanced her own research and contributed to a broader dialogue on how digital tools and culturally grounded approaches can transform mental health care globally, including participating in a AIDS Impact Conference in Casablanca, Morocco.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Dr. Lisa Butler and Dr. Sophie Pascoe for their support throughout Sithabile’s research stay.
Is there a collaboration from your BCDI 2030 experience that you're proud of?
Absolutely. Two collaborations actually stand out.
First is the Canadian Grand Challenges grant proposal, which focused on a mobile-based mental health support intervention for young people in Ghana’s urban slums. This initiative brought together mental health equity, digital innovation, and community co-creation in powerful ways. Being part of the core team that developed the proposal and integrated systems thinking, youth voices, and digital equity into the design was a highlight of my time at Queen’s.
Secondly, I’m proud of the progress made on my Wellcome Trust Early Career grant which focuses on developing responsive mental health strategies for violence-exposed youth in South Africa. The BCDI 2030 fellowship provided a valuable space to deepen this work by engaging with scholars and practitioners working on similar issues in Canada, particularly around trauma, systemic exclusion, and culturally grounded interventions. These cross-contextual insights have already begun to shape the methodology and partnerships for that project in meaningful ways.
Together, these experiences reflect the program’s emphasis on impactful, interdisciplinary collaboration and this is something I will carry forward well beyond the fellowship.
Can you share a highlight from your time here at Queen’s?
One of the most memorable moments was collaborating with Ms. Oopik and a Program Evaluation student on blending Indigenous and South African cultural approaches to mental health interventions. It reminded me of the deep power of culturally grounded methodologies in healing and community empowerment. That cross-cultural exchange, bridging Nunavut and KwaZulu-Natal, was both humbling and inspiring, and it left a lasting impression on how I think about innovation and relevance in public health.
Another very memorable moment, was my seat down meeting with Queen’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick Deane. I was incredibly honoured that the Principal could make time for this meeting made possible by Dr. Lisa Butler. We shared meaningful and critical conversations and discussions around the future of international engagements and collaborations and Queen’s role in enhancing and advancing cross-boarder developmental engagements. This meeting left me with some much hope, despite the unfortunate disastrous situation happening in my home country South Africa, following abrupt funding cuts that has affected critical public health research, including my own projects.
Additionally, the meaningful engagement with students in the Program Evaluation course, also marked a great highlight during my first few weeks at Queens. I had the opportunity to deliver a guest lecture on qualitative methods, support students with their analysis plans, and guide some in developing a Theory of Change for their final projects. The level of curiosity, critical thinking, and openness from the students was energizing and reminded me of the power of mentorship and reciprocal learning in academic spaces.
Lastly, but definitely not least, the BCDI program supported my time for a conference attendance and participation, where I attended the AIDS Impact Conference in Casablanca Morocco for 3 days. This conference was fully sponsored through my research projects with Dr Butler, but I appreciate the support of the BCDI program by the time provided for me attend, and this was another international platform where I got to not only engage as a researcher but to also impart some of my development lessons gained from the BCDI program.
Has your perspective on digital tools for healthcare professionals changed during your stay?
Coming into the program, I saw digital tools primarily as efficiency enhancers in service delivery. But through my engagements, especially the DDQIC Explore course and discussions with experts, I now see digital tools as a good potential vehicle for equity, inclusion, and social innovation. I was particularly excited by concepts like digital storytelling, telehealth, and youth-led app development, especially when framed through systems thinking and human-centered design. These tools aren’t just about scaling services, they’re about transforming how we listen to, design for, and empower communities.
What entrepreneurial or innovation-related skills did you develop during your time in the program?
Through the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre (DDQIC) Explore course, I gained a solid foundation in systems thinking, social enterprise development, and innovative grant writing. These skills helped me reframe my research and implementation strategies to be more sustainable and impact-driven. I learned how to integrate co-creation into program design and began developing a proposal for a youth-centered digital mental health platform, rooted in cultural relevance and community ownership. Additional and importantly, I have also learned about social enterprise and the subtle but powerful skill in being able to “sell” and market the right interventions to relevant stakeholder, that are critical for intervention scale-up and integration.
What advice would you offer to future scholars thinking about joining the BCDI 2030 program?
As anyone approaches this lovely and unique opportunity, I would advise to lean into the transdisciplinary and cross-cultural opportunities, they are where the real innovation happens. Don’t be afraid to bring your full context and identity into the work; this program values authentic, grounded contributions. Also, take full advantage of mentorship, engaging with leaders like Dr. Lisa Butler, Dr. Vahedi, Dr Stuart and Dr Karen Yeates, and others truly shaped my experience and opened doors for ongoing collaborations. Finally, and very important think beyond the fellowship this is a launchpad for meaningful, equity-driven change in public health and innovation.
Learn more about Ӱֱ BCDI Programs
BCDI 2030 is an eight-year, $80-million program funded by Global Affairs Canada and jointly administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada in partnership with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Association of African Universities (AAU).