AFRICA | After witnessing her father’s tragic death, 25-year-old Shylette Ngwenya from Binga, Zimbabwe, made a vow to become a doctor—and she has now fulfilled that promise.
She earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Zimbabwe, making history as the first graduate in her family and the first woman from her community to earn a medical degree.
Shylette, the youngest of eight siblings, was only five years old when she witnessed her father take his last breath at home due to a lack of medical care. His prolonged illness prevented him from going to the hospital because the family couldn’t afford the bills.
“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.
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His prolonged illness caused her to skip kindergarten and begin school at the age of seven.
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.
“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 fourth grade, providing her with a better learning environment. Despite facing numerous challenges, Shylette excelled in high school, consistently ranking at the top of 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 provides tuition fees for 20 underprivileged children in her village’s underdeveloped school.
She has also volunteered with Doctors and Nurses on a Mission Trust in Zimbabwe and served as Co-Chairperson of the Christian Medical Fellowship at the University of Zimbabwe.
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