Maud Chifamba

Maud Chifamba (born 19 November 1997) was the youngest university student in Africa. She was accepted to the University of Zimbabwe to study for an accounting degree at the age of 14.

Quotes

• "It really motivated me to work harder because there was no one to take care of me except myself in the future, that was ... a motivator for me to have something to do with my life."
  • "Orphaned girl starts university in Zimbabwe at 14", CNN (September 23, 2012)
• "Be clear about what you want and never be afraid to go after it."
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• At our school, grades had to share the same classroom. This saw us attend classes combined. When I was in Grade 3 second term, one of our teachers erroneously gave me an examination that was meant for Grade 4, since this was a composite class. Up to date, I do not believe that it was a mistake but rather, the teacher knew what they were doing
• When the third term came, I asked to write an examination meant for Grade 5 learners, although I was still in Grade 3. Again, I passed, performing better than everyone
• I threw a tantrum, promised never to return to school. My brother then went to speak to them and they reached common ground. I was allowed to proceed to Grade 6
• After Grade 7 there was no school for me to go to, the normal thing in our community was getting married. I did not like my mother`s marriage that is one of the things that motivated me to work hard
• I was only 10, so I wanted to continue with school. The time coincided with the height of the economic meltdown, no one was going to school because teachers were on strike
• I asked the guys that could afford to go to school (for) notebooks. I also asked those who had written their O-levels to give me their old books. I studied at home and managed to write five subjects, Maths, English, Commerce, Integrated Science and Religious Studies
• My first attempt, in 2008, I managed to pass two subjects, I had two Bs and three Ds
• It was a humbling experience, but I chinned up, studied hard and wrote again the next year, in 2009. I got the requisite five subjects
• Our family did not have money, so I was in and out of school but sometime later, one teacher noticed me, then he asked me about it and he organized an interview with a journalist working with The Herald for a story
• I was doing Maths, Accounting and Business Studies, and I attained 12 points
• The admissions office at UZ thought there was an error because I was too young to be eligible to apply for university
• At home, we attempted to start businesses to change our circumstances. They always looked good on paper, but they failed. This is why I decided to study accounting, to understand why businesses failed
• Although I was the youngest, school was easy for me at university because I did not have to catch up like I had done through primary and high school. Every semester had its workload which I managed with ease
• My three years of articles becoming a chartered accountant showed me so much. It was a combination of school and real-life work experience. I can feel like I have grown so much
• The growth that comes from doing is more tremendous at this point than anything I can get in a classroom
• If it is not Harvard, Stanford or Columbia, or anything in the Ivy League or the top ten universities in the world, for my Masters in Business Administration
  • The incredible tale of how – and why – Zimbabwe’s “smartest girl” became a Chartered Accountant,2022

Quotes about Maud Chifamba

• Aged nine, she took her final primary school examinations, where she obtained top marks for all of her subjects. Lacking financial support to undertake her high school education, Maud studied on her own and completed her Ordinary Level in just two years after skipping two forms.
  • "Orphaned girl starts university in Zimbabwe at 14", CNN (September 23, 2012)