London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The LSHTM Scholarship Fund enables talented students to study at LSHTM to improve health and health equity for people worldwide, regardless of their financial circumstances. This year we are delighted that Meenakshi Monga is our LSHTM Fund Scholar, enabling her to achieve an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health and fulfil her desire to harness nutrition as a tool that can improve health and wellbeing worldwide.

Meenakshi's journey to LSHTM started in 2015 while delivering public health initiatives during the Nepal earthquake. Meenakshi gained valuable fieldwork experience and made a tangible impact on millions of lives but was becoming increasingly aware that she needed the academic expertise to match. This was especially true when Meenakshi worked with the Government of India and UNICEF, coordinating, and implementing nutrition interventions in some of the most marginalised communities of India. Additionally, she worked as a part of emergency response in drought and flood affected states, in which many people lost their livelihoods and lives.

Meenakshi dreamed of studying at LSHTM because of its ability to produce leaders and researchers at the top of their fields. The opportunity to learn, network, and receive support from academics, alumni, and fellow students with the shared mission of improving health and wellbeing worldwide inspired her.

Now feels like the right time and place for Meenakshi to make a difference. She believes that full tummies have a role in improving public health worldwide, including mental health and wellbeing. Especially for children, who Meenakshi feels deserve for the cycle of chronic hunger to be broken so that they can grow up reaching their full potential without hunger holding them (and their futures) back. Meenakshi advocates nutrition for the mind and soul and hopes to apply knowledge and skills from the MSc programme to this ethos.

However, studying at a postgraduate level in London was beyond Meenakshi's reach. To be able to afford the cost of tuition and living in London, financial support was crucial. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Meenakshi fulfilled her dream of becoming an LSHTM student. Meenakshi extends her heartfelt gratitude to the alumni, friends, and supporters of LSHTM for making her scholarship possible. The opportunity to study at LSHTM has been a long journey, and Meenakshi is committed to making the most of every moment of being at the School.

"It has been a long journey to LSHTM, and I feel incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to study at the School. Your financial support will not only ensure that I excel in my MSc degree but will have an impact on the lives of the mothers and children that I will work with after graduation. I will relish every moment of my time in London and hope to show future students the same kindness that you have shown me."

Meenakshi Monga, MSc Nutrition for Global Health 

Donors to the LSHTM Scholarship Fund have supported Meenakshi to achieve her ambition of studying at LSHTM. With the knowledge and skills she will gain, Meenakshi will be empowered to change the health outcomes and lives of people in her community. Next, Meenakshi hopes to pursue a PhD and return to work so that she can give back in recognition of you, the alumni who have helped her get this far. Thank you for your continued generous support.

The LSHTM Scholarship Fund helps deliver our mission to improve health worldwide and transform lives. Since 2011, alumni and friends have donated over £1.3 million to support essential scholarships, teaching and research. Scholarships help remove the barriers to education for the next generation of global health leaders, like Meenakshi. Find out more about how you can support the next generation of health leaders.