Layers, Borders and Belonging: Through the Eyes of an Early Career Researcher

By Doofan Udendeh

A few months ago, I stepped into a new role—hungry, hopeful, and eager to begin my journey in research after completing my MSc in Global Public Health. Almost immediately, I was immersed in the layered and ambitious world of GEMMS. It felt like stepping into a vast, interdisciplinary ecosystem—complex, fascinating, and sometimes overwhelming. I’d liken it to an onion: each layer revealed something new. For weeks I was trying to make sense of this vibrant, dynamic collective that spanned continents, disciplines, and perspectives.

Then came the GEMMS annual workshop—a much-anticipated event that promised to demystify it all. I was excited, not just about stepping out of the virtual Zoom boxes we’d all grown used to, but about meeting colleagues face to face, engaging deeply, and truly connecting. And that’s exactly what happened.

From the very start, team-building activities helped strip away the formalities. I began seeing my colleagues not just as names or email threads, but as real people—with stories, humour, warmth, and shared purpose. Those one-on-one chats over coffee or in-between sessions helped unlock a new level of understanding and camaraderie. It felt like we were all peeling back the layers together. The workshop sessions themselves were grounding. Listening to fieldwork insights from across countries brought clarity to the lived realities we’re researching. Stories of displacement, violence, and resilience hit hard. I found myself reflecting deeply challenging my assumptions and confronting my own biases. What does it really mean to be a migrant? What does precarity look like beyond the academic framing? These sessions reminded me why I chose this path in the first place.

The collaborative exercises pushed us to draw connections across our data, to find patterns, and make meaning as a team. A personal highlight was witnessing other early career researchers pitch their ideas with passion and receiving thoughtful feedback. It was inspiring and affirming— it reminded me that I, too, have a voice in this space, and that support exists to nurture it.

But nothing hit home quite like the community engagement visit to Musina. Engaging with the community through participatory methods like asset mapping and photovoice activities was transformative. Watching community members take charge—mapping, storytelling, and documenting in their own voice and on their own terms—was powerful. There was familiarity, ownership, and pride. They weren’t just participants; they were narrators of their own experience. They were confident, creative and grounded – delegating, collaborating and leading. It was a humbling reminder that research should never reduce people to numbers but rather amplify their voices. Another notable learning is the delicate balance required when working in communities—how to manage expectations, build trust, and ensure that our presence does not create more harm than good. These are lessons I’ll carry with me moving forward.

As we journeyed back to Johannesburg from Musina, I found myself staring out the window, reflecting on borders—not just the physical one we had just crossed, but the ones we carry within. I thought about my own position as a migrant in the UK, and how easy it is to feel disconnected from places we once called home. And yet, here I was, in South Africa, witnessing another kind of border—one that divides but also reveals. One that challenges but also connects.

In all, the GEMMS annual workshop was not just a meeting—it was a moment of clarity, connection, and commitment. I left feeling recharged, inspired, and more certain than ever that I’m on the right path, with the right people beside me. It did not just deepen my understanding of the research but also deepened my understanding of myself. I left with a renewed commitment to listen more, question more, and work in ways that honour the dignity and knowledge of those whose stories we seek to understand.

The blog image depicts: An image of community engagement meeting with migrants in fruit farm
in Musina, South Africa during GEMMS research group field visit. In this image community
members take the lead in presenting an asset map they collaboratively worked on. Image taken
by author for the photovoice exercise conducted for GEMMS researchers (incl community
researchers)

This research was funded by the NIHR (NIHR Global Health Research; grant nihr134629) using UK
aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this
publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK government.