Phakamile Mazibuko grew up in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal, where rural challenges shaped her resilience and instilled a belief in education as a tool for transformation. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a teacher, seeing knowledge as a means to break the cycle of poverty. Today, at just 28, she is the youngest lecturer in her department at North-West University and a PhD candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, combining teaching, research, and mentorship to create meaningful change. Her work focuses on gender and education, including research on gender-based violence in university residences. Her days are a mix of lecturing, supervising student research, mentoring young academics, and driving initiatives to create safer, more inclusive institutions. Phakamile is passionate about helping students realise their potential and translating scholarship into tangible community impact. Inspired by her own experiences navigating limited opportunities and gendered challenges, she founded the Phakamile Mazibuko Foundation. The foundation has had a significant effect, empowering over 3,000 rural learners with career guidance and access to higher education. Beyond academia, she mentors young people, runs motivational programmes, and champions pathways for social upliftment. Her guiding principle is simple: “Lift as you rise.” For Phakamile, resilience and purpose turn obstacles into opportunities, ensuring her success creates opportunities for others. Through her dedication, she is shaping lives, breaking cycles of inequality, and leaving a lasting legacy of empowerment and transformation.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal – (*in progress)
- Master of Education (MEd) degree, University of KwaZulu-Natal – (*passed with cum laude)
- Bachelor of Education Honours (BEdHons) – (*passed with cum laude)
- Bachelor of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal – (*passed with summa cum laude)
ACHIEVEMENTS
- Representing South Africa in 2024 on the Erasmus Mobility Programme in Europe, Latvia
- Publishing international scholarship on gender-based violence in higher education
- Serving as a lecturer and PhD candidate, mentoring the next generation of teachers and researchers
- Passing all my degrees with the highest academic achievement of summa cum laude
- Founding the Phakamile Mazibuko Foundation, which empowers over 3,000 rural learners (2020–2025) to gain access to higher education institutions through career guidance initiatives.
- Selected to represent South Africa at the One Young World Summit 2024 to be part of global engagement in promoting gender equality and social justice.
