Nomtha Bell-Mandla is a PhD candidate at Stellenbosch University. She graduated as a Physiotherapist form the University of the Western Cape in 2004. After completing her community service in Umthatha Hospital Complex, a rural hospital in Eastern Cape South Africa, she has worked at various health facilities i.e. Westfleur, Khayelitsha District hospital and Tygerberg hospital. These experiences lead her to work as a research manager on HPTN 071 (PopART) study. From 2012 to 2018 Nomtha led the implementation of the PopART population cohort (PC), one of the largest cohorts implemented to date.