Makhaya Malema, a senior lecturer and researcher at University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa, will spend three weeks at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development to collaborate with UMKC-IHD staff and researchers on sharing knowledge between the Global north and south institutions. The Institute for Human Development at UMKC (UMKC-IHD) is the federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for the state of Missouri and offers a multitude of programs for individuals with disabilities, their families, and the community who serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the lifespan as well as programs focused specifically on early childhood initiatives.

“I was particularly interested in working with UMKC’s IHD after looking at the different programs it offers, the organization’s partnerships and amount of impact it has on society,” said Makhaya Malema. “There’s so much that can be done in communities and in society, particularly on the topic of disability, and I thought there are some programs I can align with my own research and what I hope to achieve in terms of making an impact in the people that I work with and also in the broader context of South Africa.” 

Malema holds a doctorate degree in Sports, Recreation & Exercise Science. His research focuses on using leisure education for leadership and capacity development among youth with physical disabilities.

“Our focus should not just be on the individual with disability, but also on building awareness, the knowledge and skills that can be transferred to the broader society about disability,” Malema explained. “The more people are aware of such things, the greater the impact and then you can get the entire society to rally behind supporting individuals with disabilities. I believe building the broader awareness is a positive way of making an impact rather than just supporting a targeted isolated case.”

Malema’s collaboration with UMKC’s IHD will focus on three phases: 1) knowledge sharing; 2) research development; and 3) course development.

The staff of UMKC’s IHD and Malema will share techniques to improve life outcomes for people with disabilities. Specifically, phases 1 and 2 revolve around training Malema in the implementation of UMKC-IHD training and technical assistance activities and then developing a research agenda to test the efficacy of the training materials for improving the lives of people with disabilities in South Africa.  The collective team will develop an online course focused on cultural and social responses to disability with a special emphasis on comparisons between the United States and South Africa. 

Malema brings experience from previous roles at World Leisure Organisation, University of the Western Cape, University of the Western Cape and North West University Potchefstroom Campus. He is involved in community recreation programs with non-governmental organizations from disadvantaged backgrounds and health institutions for special populations.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD) is the federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for the state of Missouri. It is a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and one of 67 UCEDDs located in every state and United States territory. As an applied research and training center for human services at UMKC, the IHD reports to the Office of the Provost and serves as a bridge between the university and community.