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ASSURE Africa is guided by experienced leaders in the social sciences:
Director of Bio-Behavioural Research at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Wits. She has led groundbreaking research in HIV and vaccines, with a passion for empowering African researchers.
Head Anthropologist at Wits VIDA with over 20 years’ experience in social science research. She specializes in health, migration, gender, and equity, ensuring that research is rooted in real-world human experiences.
At ASSURE Africa (African Social Sciences Unit of Research and Evaluation), we believe in the power of African-led research to shape healthier, stronger, and more equitable societies. Based at the Wits Health Consortium in Johannesburg, our work bridges academic excellence, community engagement, and evidence-based policy development.
We bring together social scientists, researchers, and practitioners to address some of the most pressing health and development challenges facing the African continent. Through research, mentorship, and collaboration, we are building capacity and creating solutions that are grounded in Africa’s realities and responsive to global needs.
African-led, African-focused: Grounded in the realities of our continent.
Interdisciplinary expertise: Blending sociology, anthropology, public health, and behavioral science.
Community-centered: Ensuring research translates into meaningful impact for the people it serves.
Globally connected: Working with partners across Africa and the world to shape policies and practices that matter.
ASSURE Africa is guided by experienced leaders in the social sciences:
Mamakiri Mulaudzi is part of our team as a Principal researcher.
Gugulethu Tshabalala is skilled in Epidemiology, Program Evaluation, Public Speaking, Data Collection, and Report Writing.
Lerato Tsotetsi is a Junior Researcher and PhD Candidate at the African Social Sciences Unit of Research and Evaluation. Her research focuses on the intersections of mental health, digital innovation, and climate resilience, particularly within underserved communities in South Africa. With extensive experience in health research in Soweto, Lerato has contributed to projects in mental health, digital health, and HIV. Her work emphasizes participatory and community-engaged approaches to research, aiming to develop inclusive and contextually relevant solutions. Passionate about leveraging technology and evidence-based interventions, she is committed to advancing health equity and psychological well-being in the Global South.
ASSURE Africa is guided by experienced leaders in the social sciences:
Mamakiri Mulaudzi is part of our team as a Principal researcher.
Gugulethu Tshabalala is skilled in Epidemiology, Program Evaluation, Public Speaking, Data Collection, and Report Writing.
Lerato Tsotetsi is a Junior Researcher and PhD Candidate at the African Social Sciences Unit of Research and Evaluation. Her research focuses on the intersections of mental health, digital innovation, and climate resilience, particularly within underserved communities in South Africa. With extensive experience in health research in Soweto, Lerato has contributed to projects in mental health, digital health, and HIV. Her work emphasizes participatory and community-engaged approaches to research, aiming to develop inclusive and contextually relevant solutions. Passionate about leveraging technology and evidence-based interventions, she is committed to advancing health equity and psychological well-being in the Global South.
Stefanie Vermaak is a Senior Researcher at ASSURE and currently leads the Vaccine Demand Social Sciences Approaches for the Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network in Africa and Asia (MIRNA). She is a public health specialist with a strong foundation in social sciences, and holds a Research Joint Appointment at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, where she is also completing her PhD in Public Health.
With over a decade of experience, Stefanie has led and contributed to numerous interdisciplinary research projects spanning vaccines and immunization (including COVID-19, influenza, HIV, and maternal vaccines), HIV prevention and treatment, mental health, digital health, and implementation science. Her work is grounded in community- and youth-engaged research, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, and she has particular expertise in the design and execution of large-scale, longitudinal cohort studies, mixed-methods, and qualitative research.
