In Memoriam Sina Oehler

On Sunday 22 May, Sina Oehler sadly passed away. Sina had just returned home to her parents in Germany after a period of fieldwork in Ghana, which she conducted as part of the MA Globalisation & Development Studies. Sina was a young woman who travelled the world without limiting herself. She seized every opportunity to make new discoveries, going as far as Latin America, Africa and Australia. Her eagerness to learn took her to the Gambia during her undergraduate degree, which sparked her interest in Africa and issues surrounding globalisation and development. She also embraced new experiences through her studies in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. Even in Maastricht this curiosity stimulated her fellow students to discover hidden corners, such as the Livin’ Room Café.

Being a strong-minded and smart student, she successfully submitted a research proposal to undertake fieldwork in Ghana as part of her MA degree. Her research included three months interviewing rural Ghanaian women in order to critically examine how technology affects rural women’s perception of pregnancy and birth. Her supervisor, Bernike Pasveer, was impressed by her achievements in the field, stating that she was pleasant to work with, and a fast and eager learner - her thesis might very well have been good enough for a thesis award, as well as being very relevant for academia and society as a whole. 

Both students and staff thought her a joy in class. Whilst modest and sometimes a bit quiet, when she took the floor she always had something really meaningful to say. Her humour and irony were special as well as the sparkle in her eyes and her generous smile. Sina was always willing to offer her help and support to friends and fellow students. She talked very fondly of her family whom she visited on a regular basis, despite the distance. A keen horse rider and outdoors person, she was fond of animals, especially her mischievous dogs and her horse, Alf.

We will miss her passionate drive and her love for life. Her loss will be deeply felt throughout the GDS programme. Sina will be remembered this year and for the years to come.

Students and staff of the Master Globalisation & Development Studies