From Mpumalanga to Russia: A doctor defies expectations
Dr Zamekile Khumalo, originally from eMkhondo, hopes to mobilise change in the community through her NPO, Going Beyond Limitations.
The MEC for education, Cathy Dlamini, says Dr Zamekile Khumalo, one of the beneficiaries of the Ephraim Mogale Bursary, is a powerful reminder that a person’s circumstances do not define them.
Originally from eMkhondo, Khumalo hopes to make an impact on local communities by being a part of the community’s healing and by mobilising projects with her non-profit organisation, Going Beyond Limitations.
Khumalo had the opportunity to study medicine in Russia. In 2023, she became a general practitioner after graduating from the First Moscow State University in Russia with a medical degree.
Khumalo said she hopes to make an impact on her community with her organisation. “I wanted to be a doctor from a young age and always had compassion and a heart to help sick people in my family. I hope to specialise and become a paediatrician or gynaecologist one day.”
She reflected on life after matriculating and how she had studied engineering before pursuing her real passion.
“Even after finding a job as an engineering designer, I still felt I was not happy where I was and I wanted to pursue medicine. I then started applying to different South African universities in 2016, and I was not accepted. By God’s grace I got the scholarship to study in Russia, and I grabbed that opportunity with both hands,” said Khumalo.
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She detailed how her life experiences have inspired the initiatives on which her NPO focuses.
“As a young girl who grew up in the village, I know the pain of not having enough toiletries such as sanitary pads, toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap and deodorant. There were moments when I would go to classes knowing exactly that I might mess up my uniform, because I didn’t have sanitary pads that month,” she recalled.
Khumalo hopes her life story will serve as an inspiration to the young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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“My NPO focuses on giving out sanitary pads, toiletries and school uniforms to local schools. I would love for young people not to look down on themselves. There is a seed of greatness in each and every one of us.”
She also mentioned the importance of men changing the status quo by protecting their communities.
“Together we can build a safe community, and from there, a safe province and then a safe country,” Khumalo said.
