Zambian 73-year-old earns master's degree

A 73 year-old Zambian woman has graduated with flying colours as a Master of Business Administration in leadership and wealth creation from the University of Lusaka.

Tangu Mhlanga Mazaba, a mother of five and grandmother of 10, was among hundreds of students who graduated on Thursday.

She told the BBC what made her go back to school:

    I have always been concerned that as a person who was there when Zambia got independence in 1964, we have not done much to own our own economy.

   That is why I took it upon myself to go back to school and achieve something that I have always felt strongly about. Zambia can only develop if Zambians are in charge of their wealth and economy.

On my part, I am already encouraging others by going around churches and talking to people to become self-sustaining and not always waiting for government’s help.”

Ms Mazaba, who works as a registrar at the Lusaka Apex Medical University, says she also felt challenged by the people she was dealing with in her field.

She said this was another reason that she enrolled for the programme that lasted slightly over a year.

“I am always dealing with professors and other highly educated people so I thought why can’t I also go back to school?” she says.

“It wasn’t easy; I mean during the day I needed to work and in the night do assignments.

“But I was surrounded by a lot of loving people and my employers later gave me leave to study.”