Dr. Varaidzo (Vee) Kativhu, the youngest recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bradford, is a prominent leader in education and youth empowerment, with a dedicated focus on expanding access to girls’ education.

As a Girls’ Education Activist and YouTube visionary, Vee leverages her platform of over 500,000 followers to advocate for youth empowerment, educational access, and equal opportunities. She is the Founder of Empowered By Vee, a charity aimed at widening access to higher education. Through her Empowerment Workshop Model, Vee delivers transformative, skill-based workshops to students from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds.

An alumna of both Oxford and Harvard universities, Vee is celebrated for her significant contributions to diversity and female empowerment. In 2023, she was honored as one of BBC’s 100 influential Women alongside Michelle Obama and has received numerous accolades, including the Diana Legacy Award from Prince William and Prince Harry, the Rare Rising Star Award from UK Parliament members, and the Diversity Champion Award from Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor.

In 2023, Vee was selected as a Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations by the United Nations Youth Office, a GPE Youth Leader, and a Youth Advisory Board Member for Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation for 2022-24.

Currently, Vee is pursuing her PhD in Education Leadership at Claremont Graduate University in California. She aspires to use her degree to address critical issues in girls’ education and youth empowerment on a global scale.