Womanity - Women in Unity

This week on  Womanity ,  Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka  speaks with Dr. Susan Akinyi Otieno , a geneticist and plant breeder at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) .  As the head of the potato breeding program Dr. Otieno brings over two decades of experience as a pioneer in clean potato seed production and a passionate advocate for food security, sustainable agriculture,...

This week on Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Mosadi Mahoko, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon breaking both medical and societal boundaries. As the first Black female plastic surgeon to qualify from Stellenbosch University , and a recipient of the prestigious Jack Penn Medal for the top national exam results in plastic surgery, Dr. Mahoko exemplifies excellence, resilience,...

This week on Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Nomali Ngobese from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at Northwest University , an agricultural botanist specializing in crop physiology, agronomy, and sustainable food systems. She shares her journey and drive for social impact into South Africa’s agricultural sector. Prof. Ngobese’s research includes opti...

This week on Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Despina Demopoulos , a leading paediatric intensivist and Head of Paediatrics and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. Dr. Demopoulos shared insights into her career, personal experiences, and vision for paediatric healthcare in South Africa. Her extensive career has included major hospitals in Sou...

This week on Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Jennifer Veitch a physical oceanographer at the South African Environmental Observational Network ( SAEON ) who heads up the SOMISANA (A Sustainable Ocean Modelling Initiative: a South African Approach) Initiative. This conversation spans the scientific, societal, and personal dimensions of oceanography: exploring the crucial role of...

In this episode of Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Candice Royal , a paediatrician and allergy specialist , who shares her compelling journey through medicine, motherhood, and meaning. Dr. Royal reflects on her early desire to become a paediatrician, a dream seeded in childhood and fulfilled through hard work, resilience, and a deep commitment to helping children thrive. She de...

In this episode of   Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Prof. Alisha Wade – Director, Research in Metabolism and Endocrinology at the University of the Witwatersrand and a Reader and Clinician Scientist in the Department of Internal Medicine in the School of Clinical Medicine at the same institution. Prof. Wade discusses her unique path in medicine, the critical gaps in women’s...

In this episode of Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Sara Grobbelaar from Stellenbosch University’s Department of Industrial Engineering . She is also a research associate at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology ( CREST ). Professor Grobbelaar has an unmistakable sense of purpose and shares her multi-faceted journey through the world of engineering—...

In this episode of Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Lesley Wood , an acclaimed researcher and educator from North-West University in South Africa. Professor Wood is a pioneer of Participatory Action Learning and Action Research ( PALAR )—a methodology that challenges hierarchical academic traditions and champions a more inclusive, collaborative, and justice-oriented approa...

In this episode of Womanity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks to Dr. Adeléne Esterhuizen , an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Dr. Esterhuizen shares her 16-year path to specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, revealing the grit, resilience, and self-belief required to navigate one of the most demanding fields in medicine. A self-described nature lover with roots in the bushveld and a backgroun...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Francisca van der Schyff — one of South Africa’s few abdominal organ transplant surgeons, working out of Wits University’s Donald Gordon Medical Centre. A true pioneer in her field, Dr. van der Schyff performs life-saving kidney and liver transplants for both children and adults. She also serves as the President of t...

This week on W omanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Associate Professor Mathabatha Evodia Setati , Co-Director of the African Microbiome Institute and a leading researcher at the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute at Stellenbosch University. Professor Setati opens a window into the invisible universe of microbes—organisms we can’t see, but which shape nearly...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr Elsabé Wessels who is the Deputy Director of the School of Psycho-Social Education, in the Faculty of Education at the Mafikeng Campus of North-West University. Dr. Elsabé Wessels is an educator, academic, and advocate for holistic early childhood education. The conversation opens with a deep dive into the School of P...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Natalie Africa , a leading advocate for women’s economic empowerment and is Interim Director, Economic Opportunity, Africa Team, Gates Foundation . The conversation offers listeners a deep dive into how economic transformation on the African continent can be accelerated through inclusive financial systems, agricultural i...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , we explore the fascinating world of oceanography with Dr. Tammy Morris , a physical oceanographer with extensive in-field experience in the Southwest Indian and South Atlantic Oceans. She serves as the Ocean and Polar Coordinator at the SAEON Egagasini Node and is a member of several international oceanographic committees, including the Argo Steering Team a...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka sits down with marine scientist Dr. Lara Atkinson from the South African Environmental Observational Network ( SAEON ), Egagasini Node. She shares her journey into marine science, her role in deep-sea exploration, and her mission to promote ocean conservation and capacity-building in Africa. The Path to Marine Science Dr. Atkinson r...

In this special episode of Womanity for International Women’s Day , Judge Jacqueline Henriques , alongside Prof. Beatrice Opeolu and Dr. Lara Atkinson , emphasize education, leadership, policy change, and advocacy as essential tools for creating a more equitable future. Their powerful insights remind us that progress requires collective action, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justic...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka sits down with Professor Beatrice Opeolu , a pioneering scientist in environmental toxicology whose work is shaping the future of environmental research and policy. From a reluctant student in a newly introduced field to becoming the first African woman to lead a global environmental toxicology organization – Society of Enviro...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Luz-Helena Hanauer , who was part of the 2025 African Women In Dialogue Secretariat, a powerful movement that unites women from across the continent to amplify their voices and drive meaningful change. As she shares her experience with AfWID, Dr. Hanauer takes us behind the scenes of the 2025 African Women in Dialogue c...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Parliamentarian Ms Sanny Ndhlovu , Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament , Chairperson of the Select Committee on Finance , representing the A frican National Congress . Ms Ndhlovu shares insights from her extensive career in governance, financial oversight, and political leadersh...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka is in conversation with Dr. Ilze van der Merwe , a counselling psychologist based in Cape Town, South Africa. As the head of a multidisciplinary private practice, Dr. van der Merwe works across psychological, therapeutic, and forensic fields, specializing in family mediation, parent coordination, and mental health interventions. Our...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka is in conversation with Dr. Bridget O’Neill Kruger , a clinical psychologist and Earth medicine practitioner based in Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. O’Neill Kruger shares her unique perspective on holistic healing, integrating psychology, Earth medicine, and somatic practices to support personal transformation. She has established a ph...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Professor Elizabeth Asiedu , a globally recognized economics professor from Howard University , and founder of the Association for the Advancement of African Women Economists (AAAWE). With her extraordinary career trajectory, Professor Asiedu shares her experiences as a trailblazer in the traditionally male-dominated field o...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Malvina Bartmanski , a clinical psychologist in private practice who brings a holistic approach to understanding the mind-body connection. With expertise spanning psychodynamic and somatic therapies, Dr. Bartmanski shares her professional and personal journey, shedding light on the transformative power of psychology in...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity , Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Annette Antwi-Anyimadu , a specialist psychiatrist in private practice at The Couch in Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr. Antwi-Anyimadu offers insights into the intricate connection between mental and physical health, reflecting on the World Health Organization’s holistic definition of health as “a state of complete...