The character arc of Tebello Nyokong
A life drawn by Character Arc from the public record
Born on 20 October 1951 in Maseru, Lesotho, and raised largely in South Africa. Between then and now sit a poor childhood, years sent to live with grandparents in the mountains of Lesotho where she spent one day at school and the next minding sheep, a switch from art to science two years before her final school year, a school certificate in 1972, degrees in Lesotho and Canada, a doctorate in 1987, a Fulbright fellowship in the United States, a lectureship at Rhodes University in 1992, and a research group building nanodrugs. The line below draws the story so far, in order.
Drag along the line to move, pinch or use the buttons to look closer. Tap the line to pluck it, or any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of her life; the sources are at the foot of the page.
Who is Tebello Nyokong?
One day at school. The next with the sheep.
She was born in Maseru in Lesotho and spent most of her youth in South Africa, and she came from a poor background in challenging circumstances. Sent to live with her grandparents in the mountains of Lesotho, she divided her childhood between caring for sheep and going to school. Her own description of the arrangement is the clearest thing anybody could write about it: she would spend one day at school and then one day with the sheep, because somebody had to care for them.
She has written about that period herself, in an open letter addressed to her own eighteen year old self. In it she reflected that despite the hardships ahead, hard work would let her excel in mathematics and science, and that material poverty does not equate to intellectual poverty. She reminded herself to trust her independent mind and not be swayed by peers or by what society expected, and told herself that determination and a love of science would take her to a career, a family, and a contribution.
Two years before her final school year she switched from art to the sciences and became interested in chemistry, which is a late change of direction for somebody whose schooling had been half-time. She received her Cambridge Overseas School Certificate in 1972, took a bachelors degree in chemistry and biology from the National University of Lesotho in 1977, a masters in chemistry from McMaster University in Ontario in 1981, and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Western Ontario in 1987. A Fulbright fellowship took her to Notre Dame for postdoctoral work.
She went back to Lesotho briefly for a post at its university, and then took a lectureship at Rhodes University in South Africa in 1992. The National Research Foundation rated her highly and helped her obtain a research laboratory there. She moved from lecturer to professor and then to distinguished professor.
The work is photodynamic therapy: an alternative to chemotherapy for treating cancer, using light-activated compounds, which her pioneering research is opening up as a safer route to detection and treatment without the debilitating side effects. Her group develops multifunctional nanodrugs for diagnosis and therapy by chemically linking metallic, magnetic and semiconductor materials. In 2007 she was one of the top three publishing scientists in South Africa.
The moments
Tebello Nyokong's timeline.
The 1950s
Born in Maseru
Everyday. Maseru, Lesotho, 1951.
A poor background
Setback, and it changed everything. Sent up into the mountains, to her grandparents.
The 1960s
Alternate days with the sheep
Setback, and it changed everything. Half a school week, because somebody had to mind the animals.
The 1970s
Finish in art, or start again in science
Crossroads, decided.
The paths laid out: change to chemistry, taken, or finish the art course. Three degrees in chemistry, a Fulbright, a distinguished professorship, and a place among the most published scientists in South Africa.
She switches to science
Milestone, and it changed everything. Two years out from her final exams, she changed subject.
A school certificate
Milestone, and it changed her direction. The certificate, from half a schooling.
A degree in Lesotho
Milestone, and it changed everything. Two subjects, one degree, at home.
The 1980s
A masters in Canada
Milestone, and it changed her direction. From the mountains of Lesotho to Ontario.
A doctorate
Milestone, and it changed everything. A doctorate in chemistry, at thirty five.
A Fulbright to Notre Dame
Milestone, and it changed her direction. A Fulbright, and postdoctoral work in America.
The 1990s
Rhodes University
Milestone, and it changed everything. She came back to the region and started as a lecturer.
A laboratory of her own
Milestone, and it changed everything. Lecturer, professor, distinguished professor.
The 2000s
Cancer without the side effects
Milestone, and it changed everything. A treatment that does not wreck the patient.
Top three in the country
Milestone, and it changed everything. Third most published scientist in the country.
The 2010s
Nanodrugs
Milestone, and it changed her direction. Drugs that diagnose and treat in the same molecule.
A letter to her younger self
Milestone, and it changed everything. She wrote to the eighteen year old she used to be, and published it.
Her laboratory at Rhodes is still building the nanodrugs, aimed at cancer treatment that does not wreck the patient. What she set moving is contained in her own sentence to her younger self, which is that material poverty does not equate to intellectual poverty, written by somebody entitled to say it.
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Hers ran at half speed for years, because the sheep needed minding, and it still got where it was going. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about five minutes.
Tebello Nyokong: frequently asked questions
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Sources
- Tebello Nyokong, English Wikipedia biography, filed under living people.
- Her published open letter to her eighteen year old self.
- Her research record at Rhodes University in photodynamic therapy and nanotechnology.
- The National Research Foundation rating that secured her laboratory.