Growing up in rural Zimbabwe without electricity or running water, Tererai Trent was married at age 11, had three children by age 18 - all the while yearning for an education that seemed to be a dream hopelessly out of reach.
With the help of Heifer International and other aid organizations, she persevered, moving to the United States and obtaining a bachelor's, master's, and a doctoral degree. With a $1.5 million donation from Oprah Winfrey, Trent was able to build a school in her native village, ensuring a quality education for the next generation of children.
Tererai Trent, Ph.D., one of the most internationally recognized voices for quality education and women’s empowerment - and distinguished as Oprah Winfrey’s “All-Time Favorite Guest" shares her story with the City Club. She is also authorof The Awakened Woman: Remembering & Reigniting our Sacred Dream, the 2018 NAACP Image Award for Instructional Literature.
Tererai Trent, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor in Global Health, Drexel University, School of Public Health
