On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 tragically crashed near Addis Ababa, claiming the lives of 157 people from 35 countries, including 18 Canadians. To commemorate the victims, the Flight 302 Legacy Award supports students whose work reflects a commitment to global impact, service, and remembrance.
Joan Kaburia, a PhD student in Geography at the University of Waterloo and member of the GoHelp Lab, is this year’s award recipient. Her research focuses on food security and building equitable, sustainable food systems, work that directly supports communities both in Canada and globally.
“This award represents both responsibility and continuity of memory for those who leave home to pursue missions beyond themselves,” Joan says. “As an international graduate student studying away from home in pursuit of justice for marginalized smallholder communities, I resonate deeply with the values of equity, service, and global solidarity embodied by the lives commemorated through this award.”
Receiving this recognition has allowed Joan to focus more fully on research, community engagement, and impact-driven scholarship. It has also opened doors to mentorship and service opportunities that strengthen both her academic and personal growth.
Through her work, Joan seeks to transform remembrance into meaningful action—upholding values of accountability, dignity, humility, and collective responsibility. By bringing international perspectives to Canadian research, she aims to inform policy, support environmental sustainability, and advance innovation in food systems.
Joan’s dedication exemplifies how scholarship and service can honour the past while creating a more just and resilient future. Through her research and engagement, she carries forward the legacy of Flight 302 victims, turning memory into action that benefits communities near and far.