This paper qualitatively explores PhD candidates' experiences in two Sub-Saharan African countries: Ethiopia and South Africa. While the countries are self-evidently very different, their respective drives to graduate PhDs create a strong point of commonality, prompting the programmed initiative focused on, herein. Drawing from observational data, candidates' engagements within their proposal stage of their PhD, on a doctoral education programme, are presented. The programmes, at a stage, supported 855 candidates of whom 276 were in Ethiopia. Called, respectively, Research Capacity Initiative and PhD Proposal Development Programme, the intervention was provided by an international development co-operation programme, SANPAD, and its commissioned arm, SANTRUST. Encompassing the dimensions of gender, technology, as well as early doctoral scholarship, the paper contributes to studies that seek to understand doctoral candidates' perspectives through the theoretical lenses of 'stages of doctoral education' and "internationalisation at home".