Woman who Became Mother at 15 Earns Doctorate Degree
Babalwa Tyabashe Phume, a young South African woman who became a mother at the tender age of 15, has defied societal expectations , earning a doctorate in Psychiatry and Mental Health from the University of Cape Town. She credits her now 16-year-old daughter for being supportive and serving as a constant motivation. She dedicated her doctorate degree to her daughter.
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Babalwa Tyabashe Phume, a young South African woman who became a mother at the tender age of 15, has defied societal expectations and achieved remarkable academic success. Recently, she earned a doctorate in Psychiatry and Mental Health from the University of Cape Town.
Phume shared her inspiring journey on LinkedIn, highlighting the numerous challenges she faced and how she persevered through them to reach this academic milestone. She gave birth to her daughter while still in school at the age of 16. Despite the discouragement from friends, family, classmates, and teachers who suggested she drop out of school, Phume chose to ignore their advice and remained determined to continue her education.
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However, despite these challenges, she persevered and completed grade 11 with excellent grades, enabling her to apply to various universities. Her final year of high school was particularly challenging as she was a mother to a sickly baby, causing her to miss tests and classes in the first term.
Despite the odds, Phume passed her matric and received a scholarship to further her studies. She went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Johannesburg, followed by a master’s degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of Cape Town in 2019.
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The following year, she enrolled for a PhD at the University of Cape Town, which she described as a very long, difficult, and lonely road. Phume faced financial challenges as she had to quit her job to study for her doctorate full-time.
However, throughout all the challenges, Phume remained determined, holding on and pushing forward with the support of her family and friends. She credits her now 16-year-old daughter for being supportive and serving as a constant motivation. She dedicated her doctorate degree to her daughter.
