Sihle A. NXUMALO, from Eswatini, is pursuing a PhD in civil and environmental engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focuses on the barriers and enablers of the application of Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) in low-income households in Gauteng, South Africa, and on implementing sustainable sanitation technologies that enhance the health, safety, and dignity of women. Women and children are disproportionately affected by poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. She aims to design community-based DEWATS initiatives that include training in wastewater management and reuse and that promote women's leadership and economic participation. These efforts will also inform gender-sensitive policies in infrastructure and environmental planning.
Identifying point source pollution
Sihle earned an MTech in civil and environmental engineering at Andhra University, India, in 2020, after which she was promoted to a lecturer position at the University of Eswatini. Since 2021 she has been providing career guidance in Manzini and Mbabane, focused on empowering young girls to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to enhance gender equality in the field and contribute to innovation that improves the lives of women and children.
