Programme officer and director: Dell Young Leaders Programme

Thashlin Govender lives by a code of excellence and a will to assist the urban poor. Determined to make an impact, he splits his days between his two defining passions: health and education.

With a PhD in community health from Stellenbosch University, he’s striving to extend his influence and become a global health player in policy and development by studying his second master’s in medical sciences with a specialisation in epidemiology. Equally passionate about education, he works at the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation as a programme officer and director of the Dell Young Leaders Programme, which offers wraparound support throughout the university to students who show great potential.

At 27, Govender also serves on the board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, has published numerous papers in international journals and has won scholarships and awards for his research. A strategic thinker, he is interested in changing the way people think about scalable solutions and, essentially, making a difference.

— Lu Larche

Website: dellyoungleaders.org