Paballo Chauke, a 31-year-old black queer man from Soshanguve's impoverished areas, overcame tremendous adversity in the pursuit of his dreams.
He comes from a poor family and was raised by his single mother, Elsie Chauke, who worked as a domestic worker.
Chauke has collaborated with David Beckham and other prominent figures as a spokesperson for the Zero Malaria Starts with Me - Draw the Line Against Malaria campaign.
His journey, however, was not without difficulties. After finishing matric with great results in 2008, he was forced to take a gap year due to a lack of funds to continue his education.
During this period in his life, Chauke says he felt defeated and depressed. He did, however, gain admission to UCT in 2010 to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental and geographical science.
“I had already failed before writing any tests or exams; my mind was defeated. UCT was such an exclusionary space. My mental, bodily and spiritual exclusion crystallised into academic exclusion,” he said.
He was academically excluded in January 2011 after taking and failing supplementary exams, which resulted in the cancellation of his financial aid and housing.
“I had no university, place to stay or money to go back to Soshanguve. I stayed with a couple of people and slept on their floors and ate their food.”
Regardless of the odds, Chauke graduated from UCT in 2013 with a triple major and went on to complete an Honours degree in 2014. He made history by being one of the first black people to receive ten class medals out of a possible 22 during his undergraduate studies.
Following his success at UCT, he went on to study for a Master’s degree in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management at the University of Oxford.
“All these achievements came about after I was academically excluded from UCT in my first year. I learned the importance of resilience, community, and having the audacity of hope,” he adds.
Chauke works as a training co-ordinator in the malaria space. He is also a writer and public speaker. In 2018, he was named among the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans.
The academic said his biggest achievement was remaining hopeful and kind after all the struggles, trauma and pain he has faced.
“I still believe in myself, and I remain hopeful that I will see goodness in the land of the living, and I will find ways to make the world a better place, that even if I change someone’s life, I would have done a lot.”
His mother, who died of Covid-19, remains an inspiration. She was not formally educated but taught herself English and Afrikaans in order to make ends meet for her children.
“Mama was a magician. No matter the challenges or obstacles, she never gave up and made due. I am certain of my success because her blood runs in my veins – I can never lose. I am so grateful to have been raised by her,” Chauke said.
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