Mother and Daughter Both Earn University Degrees Together

When Suzeni Kalambo became pregnant in high school, many people told her to give up. She refused, choosing instead to have her daughter Chikondi and restart her life from scratch.

The path forward was anything but easy. Suzeni moved to Mzuzu and found work in Chinese-owned shops, earning modest pay through long hours. But she saved every kwacha she could and enrolled in part-time studies to retake her MSCE examinations after exhausting workdays.

Her persistence unlocked a life-changing opportunity. Suzeni was selected for Karonga Teachers Training College, marking her first major academic comeback.

Meanwhile, young Chikondi was living with her father's relatives so her mother could focus on building stability. The separation was painful but purposeful. Chikondi excelled at Euthini Secondary School, and in 2023 she passed her MSCE exams with flying colors, earning admission to Mzuzu University for biomedical sciences.

That same year, something remarkable happened. While teaching at a primary school and living in Lilongwe, Suzeni enrolled at Likuni Boys Secondary School as an open student. Mother and daughter sat for their MSCE examinations in the same year, and both passed.

Today, Suzeni and Chikondi walk the same campus at Mzuzu University. Chikondi studies biological sciences while Suzeni pursues education. They attend lectures together, share deadlines, and motivate each other through exams.

Why This Inspires

Their story demolishes the myth that teenage pregnancy ends educational dreams. Suzeni proved that setbacks don't define destiny when you refuse to surrender to shame or circumstance. She worked in shops, studied after dark, and rebuilt her future one exam at a time.

Chikondi's success shows what becomes possible when a mother's determination creates space for the next generation to thrive. The decision to live separately was heartbreaking, but it allowed both to pursue their potential.

If everything goes according to plan, they will graduate together in 2029, standing side by side as proof that education has no expiry date.