Discovery

Unstoppable: Tebello Nyokong

21 snips
May 5, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Professor Tebello Nyokong shares her remarkable journey from herding sheep in Lesotho to becoming a leading figure in nanotechnology and cancer treatment. Overcoming systemic educational barriers during apartheid, she emphasizes the importance of mentorship and the transformative power of education. Tebello passionately details her groundbreaking work in photodynamic therapy, aiming to establish Africa as a science superpower. Her story is a testament to resilience, ambition, and breaking gender stereotypes in the scientific community.
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ANECDOTE

Childhood Sheep Herding Lessons

  • Tebello Nyokong herded sheep as a young girl in Lesotho, a task usually done by boys.
  • This experience taught her resilience and that she could do anything a boy could do, fueling her determination for education.
ANECDOTE

Uprooted to Escape Apartheid Education

  • Apartheid restricted black South Africans' education, pushing Tebello's family to move to Lesotho for better schooling.
  • There she alternated school and herding sheep, facing gender stereotypes but excelling through discipline.
ANECDOTE

Perfectionism Drives Success

  • Tebello was a perfectionist who got angry if she didn't score 100%.
  • She believed discipline was key to overcoming poverty and changing one's life.
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