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Q: In a few words, describe who you are and what you have been up to in life?
A: My name is Shylette Ngwenya. I come from Binga and I am Tonga.I am a third year medical student at the University of Zimbabwe. I am the founder and president of Young People for Jesus. I am involved in a number of initiatives that focus on women empowerment, charity work and leadership. And so essentially, I have been pursuing and stewarding over my purpose to the best of my ability.
Q: What has been the highlight of your journey so far?
A: From a very young age till high school, I had a low self-esteem because of my background and it affected me on taking up space. I was never chosen to be a prefect let alone a class monitress. Teachers assumed I was too shy to lead. I decided I had to focus, and committed to working on unleashing my potential. After I was nominated for the Role Model Award in 2020 by the Ignite Youth Organization,I realized that something had changed and was continuing to change on the inside of me.
Q: What challenges have you faced so far in your journey?
A: 1) School journey
When I received my results in 2019, i applied for scholarships but I did not receive any positive response. In 2021 around September, the person who was paying for my uni tuition and accommodation could not do it anymore because of some reasons beyond their power. I was stranded.
2)Leadership journey
My biggest challenge was and to some extent continues to be that I have imposter syndrome. Each time I would make a presentation or communicate my thought to anyone, I would cripple inside thinking "Did I say it right?" . This affected me a lot as it made me loose out on opportunities.
Q: How have you dealt with the challenges that have come your way?
A: 1)School journey
Someone advised I do an interview just to put my story out there as they were plenty well-wishers. I felt like I was begging, but then again I had no option than to do it. I did the interview and it was released to the world. A lot of people reached out to a point that I did not know who to choose as most of them wanted to take me through school . I had a positive feeling about one couple, not only that, their love for God was a core principle they held that I resonated with,it immediately stood out for me. Therefore I took up the offer and now I can say, I am living a life I never imagined. God came through for me at His time. Paulo Coelho said it best when he said, 'And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.' Surely this quote materialized when I was in the tunnel. I took up the offer and now I can say, I am living a life I never imagined. God came through for me at His time.
2)Leadership journey
Since late 2020, I have joined several leadership programs that have positively boosted my confidence. I attend a lot of leadership events and mentorship seminars. This has resulted in a profound improvement in my communication skills.
Q: What is it that keeps you going?
A: The Word of God keeps me grounded. Each time I remember what God promised in His Word, am strengthened to take up any challenge/opportunity that comes my way no matter how difficult it might seem. Also, I read a lot of self-growth books, my favourite writers being Robin Sharma and Myles Munroe. Their way of writing makes me feel that I can achieve what most people would assume is "impossible". I have developed my knowledge and skills through these three "writers". In addition, if I forget to mention the gift of friends and family around me, I wouldn't have completely answered the question. Their support and guidance makes me stay afloat.
Q: What advice would you give to other young people who would like to occupy the same spaces as you?
A: Turn pain into impact. There's no one who is going to take that brave step of realising your potential after life has knocked you down unless you stand up for yourself. You need to be bold because you can materialize more when you have experienced the worst in life. Only if you are willing to do that. Don't stay in the valley too long, climb that mountain and represent what you believe in."Life is too short to play small with your talents". Change the narrative.
Q: Do you have any favourite saying you would like to share?*
A: "Everyone has a purpose, and putting God first will help you to realize that. Make God your first and everything will fall in place," Shylette Ngwenya
Q: What are your social media handles?
A: LinkedIn : Shylette Ngwenya
Facebook : Shylette Ngwenya
IG : shylette_ngwenya
Tiktok: shyie_0699
Shylette is my classmate and friend and I have had the honour of watching her grow and take over spaces of leadership. Her life is an inspiration to many and the future is definitely bright for this young lady!