25-year-old Lady who vowed to become a Doctor after witnessing father’s death fulfills goal, becomes the first graduate in her family.
After witnessing her father’s tragic death, A 25-year-old lady named Shylette Ngwenya from Binga in Zimbabwe vowed to become a doctor—and she has now fulfilled that promise.
She recently earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Zimbabwe, making history as the first graduate in her family.
Shylette, the youngest of eight siblings, experienced a heartbreaking loss at the age of five when she watched her father take his last breath in their village home due to a lack of medical attention.
His prolonged illness caused her to skip kindergarten and begin school at the age of seven. “I watched my father getting sick. He was bedridden for months. He couldn’t even go to the hospital because of the bills,” she said.
Her father’s passing ignited a deep passion for medicine within her. Determined not to see her loved ones suffer the same fate, she committed herself to becoming a doctor. She is also the first woman from her community to earn a medical degree.
“So, I told myself that I wanted to do medicine, reach out to people and help them. I believe that’s where God wants me to be and that is where I can help my family members and the community at large,” she said.
Recognizing her potential, one of her siblings, a professional teacher, took her in during her fourth-grade year, providing her with a better learning environment. Despite facing numerous challenges, Shylette excelled in high school, consistently topping her class.
Beyond her academic success, Dr. Shylette is a humanitarian at heart. She dreams of building a hospital and an orphanage in Binga, believing that charity begins at home.
In recognition of her selfless efforts, she was honored with the 2024 Diana Award for her project Fund A Child, which helps provide tuition fees for 20 underprivileged 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren in an underdeveloped school in her village.
Shylette has also served as a volunteer with Doctors and Nurses on a Mission Trust, in Zimbabwe, and as Co-Chairperson of the Christian Medical Fellowship at the University of Zimbabwe.
