YOUTH VOICES: Sphumelele Ndlovu
For today's Youth Voices feature, we spoke to 29-year-old Sphumelele Ndlovu who will be joining over 400 young scientists in Lindau, Germany next week.
Coming from a disadvantaged background, Ndlovu's mother - a single parent and the sole breadwinner of the family - sold chickens just to provide for both her sons.
He says growing up was challenging but he always knew he wanted to make more of his life and give his mother the life she deserved.
His mother had taught him and his brother that they must further their studies and not give up after matriculating.
Ndlovu says he always had a passion for Mathematics and Physics so he took time out to tutor his peers that did not understand the subjects. After school he enrolled at the University of Kwazulu-Natal and majored in Physics.
Ndlovu, who is currently completing his PhD in Physics, has joined a team of scientists for the Lunar Laser Ranging Project - a project using mirrors to measure the distance between the Earth and the Moon. This project is the first of its kind in Africa and the sixth in the world.
He currently works at Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory in Gauteng. He is set to fly to Germany next week.
More than thirty Laureates will gather and meet with the aspiring scientists in Lindau to share ideas in the field of physiology, medicine, physics and chemistry.
Ndlovu will leave Gauteng next week - the meeting will be held from June 20 to July 1.
Listen to Chanelle Lutchman's interview with Sphumelele Ndlovu below.
