Biography
Nokwanda Mgwaba holds a MSc degree in Environmental Management and Physical Planning from Stockholm University, a BSc Honours and BSc degrees in Environmental Sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and several certificates in areas that include Climate Change, Integrated Water Resources Management, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience, and Youth Leadership and Advocacy.
Caring for the environment has always been a strong passion of hers. However, her enthusiasm for water came recently through education and experiencing the changing climate and its impacts. Having experienced both droughts and flooding events, she recognised how water is central to most climate-related challenges and became very aware of the value of water, particularly in adaptation and resilience to climate challenges. Her passion for the integrated water resource management, WASH and strengthening the adaptation and resilience to climate change grew.
She is affiliated with several youth-led organisations. She is a Chairperson of Sweden Alumni Network – South Africa (2022), which fosters partnerships and collaborations, exchanges information and ideas, and plan events, campaigns or activities related to the SDGs. She is a member of United International Federation of Youth (UN1FY) and World Youth Parliament for Water's Research Group - connecting young water professionals from around the globe, facilitate collaboration on water-related projects and campaigns, and bringing the voice of youth to water and climate-related gatherings. She is also a founding member and the Communications Lead of the South African Youth Parliament for Water.
