In an inspiring turn of events that has reverberated across the Southern African academic and development communities, Dr. Stellah Chewe Sabi, a Zambian-born scholar based in South Africa, has been honoured with the City People Outstanding Talents Award. This accolade, which celebrates excellence and impactful service across Africa, recognises Dr. Sabi’s exceptional contributions to interdisciplinary research, education development, and policy advocacy, especially in the realms of food security and social justice.
Out of a competitive pool of over 10,000 nominees across Africa, Dr. Sabi emerged as one of the selected few to receive the City People Outstanding Talents Award. The rigorous selection process involved a multi-stage evaluation led by a diverse panel of experts in media, academia, and development practice. Nominees were assessed based on the impact, innovation, and scalability of their contributions. Dr. Sabi’s interdisciplinary approach, merging academic scholarship with real-world policy solutions, distinguished her work from that of her peers. Her track record of producing research with tangible outcomes, influencing both institutional reforms and national policy discussions, ultimately positioned her as an exemplary candidate for this prestigious recognition.
The award, administered by Nigeria’s leading urban media outlet City People Magazine, stands as a testament to Dr. Sabi’s persistent dedication to addressing some of the continent’s most pressing issues through a holistic and human-centric academic lens.
Dr. Sabi’s journey is both compelling and emblematic of resilience. Born and raised in Zambia, her intellectual voyage began at the University of Zambia, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Education in 2007. Her early exposure to educational policy, developmental studies, and teaching methodologies sowed the seeds for what would become a distinguished career in academia and policy reform.
After relocating to South Africa, Dr. Sabi furthered her academic portfolio at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), where she completed her PhD in Science, with a specialization in Food Security, in 2018. Her doctoral research broke ground by developing a novel Framework for Managing Food Security Interventions, a contribution that not only added academic weight to the discourse but also offered actionable strategies for food policy stakeholders in Southern Africa.
Dr. Sabi’s work had already carved deep inroads into various academic disciplines. One of her most impactful roles was as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Medical Education at the College of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). In this capacity, she focused on enhancing psychological safety within healthcare environments, a crucial factor for improving both practitioner well-being and patient outcomes. Her research centred on publishing scoping review protocols and systematic reviews in leading peer-reviewed journals, contributing substantially to the discourse on medical education and professional training in Africa.
In addition to her scholarly output, Dr. Sabi played a critical support role by assisting postgraduate students in the School of Clinical Medicine, helping them navigate complex data analysis processes and elevate the academic quality of their work. Her involvement reflects her deep commitment to capacity building and the advancement of a new generation of African scholars in health sciences.
Her involvement with the University of Johannesburg’s Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) marked another chapter of impact. As a Senior Researcher, she co-authored policy drafts aimed at addressing xenophobia and inequality and served as co-editor for a forthcoming academic book on slavery, colonialism, and reparations in Africa.
Notably, Dr. Sabi also demonstrated institutional leadership in drafting strategic documents like the Anti-Xenophobia Policy and Postgraduate Programme Charters, positioning herself as both a thinker and a reformer in higher education and policy.
Perhaps one of Dr. Sabi’s most notable strengths lies in her unrelenting focus on social justice through education. Her published academic work has addressed vulnerabilities in food security among South African university students, with one of her most cited papers, “Students’ vulnerability and perceptions of food insecurity at the University of KwaZulu-Natal,” garnering significant scholarly attention and citations.
She has also examined the intersection of poverty, health, and governance, notably contributing chapters to global academic volumes, such as “Poverty, Compromised Dietary Intake and Health Implications among South Africa’s Sub-Populations” and “South Africa and the Quest for Land Reform: Implications for Integrative Food Security and Nation-Building”. These works have collectively advanced regional and international understanding of systemic inequality in African contexts.
Beyond research, Dr. Sabi has played a foundational role in academic mentorship, particularly for underperforming and underserved students. Her leadership in UKZN’s academic mentoring programmes saw her coordinating workshops, tutoring sessions, and study support initiatives for students across multiple disciplines.
A champion of lifelong learning, Dr. Sabi has also actively engaged in digital education platforms and faculty development initiatives, underscoring her adaptability in a rapidly evolving academic landscape.
Dr. Sabi embodies the essence of African excellence, transcending national boundaries. Her Zambian heritage enriches her South African academic environment, bridging nations through research, policy, and practice. She stands as a model for what Pan-Africanism can achieve, transforming abstract ideas into institutional policies and lived realities.
Her recognition by City People Magazine is not merely a nod to past accomplishments but a clarion call to amplify the role of African scholars in solving African problems. It’s a celebration of a woman who uses her platform to champion inclusion, decolonise knowledge systems, and empower others through education.
As Africa navigates the complexities of inequality, food insecurity, and educational reform, leaders like Dr. Stellah Sabi offer a blueprint for sustainable and inclusive development. Her City People Award is richly deserved, an affirmation of a life’s work centred on advocacy, academic rigour, and people-first policy.
In a world seeking authentic leadership, Dr. Sabi’s voice resonates not just across lecture halls and journal pages but within communities, policies, and lives reshaped by her passion and intellect.
