AFRICA | A 21-year-old African lady named Ramla Tyrow has made history as the first person in her family to graduate from university. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Counselling from Middlesex University, London.
Ramla shared the emotional moment on Twitter, posting a video of her and her mother in tears, reflecting on the long journey they had taken to reach that point.
“Just after the ceremony, my mum told me how unbelievably proud she was that I was the first person in her family to graduate from university,” she said.
Ramla’s mother, Fardowsa, moved to the United Kingdom from Somalia in 1999, fleeing decades of civil war in search of a safer and better life for her children. That decision gave Ramla the opportunity to get the education her mother never had.
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“My mum moved us here to give us a better future. Somalia wasn’t a very child-friendly place then,” Ramla said.
Though they found safety in the United Kingdom, life was not easy. Ramla is the eldest of seven children, and her mother raised them alone as a single parent. Coming from a poor background, Fardowsa had to drop out of school early after having Ramla at a young age.
Still, she remained determined to give her children the chance she never got. Watching her daughter walk the stage in a cap and gown was more than a proud moment—it was a symbol of triumph.
“I think she felt like I totally changed destiny for her. She felt rewarded for everything she’s been through— the heartache, the pain, the refugee camps. When I graduated, it felt like she had achieved something too,” Ramla said.
Ramla dedicated her degree to her mother, crediting her sacrifices and strength as the driving force behind her success.
“Mama, you ran from a civil war so I could be safe and get the education you didn’t. Today, you cried when you saw me in my robe. I did it for you,” she said.
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