Her study leader for her master’s degree was Professor Paul Watts, and her research contributes to decreasing drug costs and shortages on the African continent, as currently Africa depends on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.
Continuous flow technology also has a positive impact on the environment by using small volumes of solvent, thereby limiting waste. In Clementine’s case, she synthesised lenalidomide, an anti-cancer drug used to treat multiple myeloma cancer.
Lenalidomide is extremely expensive and therefore they are investigating the possibility to synthesise it in higher yields and shorter reaction times.
Clementine and Micaela
Clementine, 29, who grew up in Moremela village in Mpumalanga, has a daughter Micaela, now seven years old.
Her dream job is to be a researcher at the CSIR; in fact, her PhD studies are being funded by CSIR IBS.
She completed her MSc, BSc Honours and her Advanced Diploma in Analytical Chemistry Cum Laude.
Her dream recipe for success is “to put God first, believe in yourself, be patient and kind to yourself and take each day as it comes, for each day has its own challenges too.
“Above all, one has to push yourself, know that you are capable and reflect on all the tests you have overcome in the past,” she says.
Clementine ‘s journey was not easy.
During her Diploma in Analytical Chemistry, she fell pregnant with her daughter Michaela during her in-service training; she could not complete her course work and had to re-register the following year.
Next, she enrolled for her advanced diploma, but did not have a scholarship. “I stayed in residence, wondering about the day I would get evicted to the streets, I would live on bread and eggs every day”, she said remembering how she prayed about taking the risk of registering with no funding.
NSFAS did not sponsor postgraduate diplomas, but she managed to complete her qualification as top achiever in the class.
After her graduation, she could not study further or find work, due to her outstanding fees. Two years later she registered for her third qualification with the help of one of her lecturers, who took a Fundi loan on her behalf to settle the debt.
“She helped me dream again, so that I could finally graduate and get a job to look after my mom, who was battling with stage three kidney cancer. Unfortunately, during the final examinations that year my mother passed away, while I was still on my way”.
After the funeral Clementine caught up with the exams and “by God’s grace” still managed to achieve Cum Laude for her BSc honours.
In 2023, she enrolled for her master’s and managed to obtain both an NRF and PGRS scholarship. It felt like a year of new beginnings and happiness. But in September that year, a drunk reckless driver hit her car, fortunately just after she, her two young siblings, niece and daughter had decided to not go and sit in the car. And she found support from literally the only family she had left.
“I had also found joy in helping students reach their full potential through tutoring and demonstrating chemistry practicals,” Clementine says.
“The lesson I have learned and still learning to this day, is that life will always have its challenges, even though some may seem to not make sense nor be fair, we persevere and never lose sight of the dream nor goal.
“I am one of these examples, currently doing my PhD with two scholarships, one of them being the CSIR scholarship of which has been the dream,” Clementine says.