Mami Tchwenko was born on 21 February 1941 in Soweto, South Africa to Josiah and Rosina Chitja; she was the last of three children. She attended obtained her Junior Certificate (First Class) from Orlando Swiss Mission (Nakene) School (South Transvaal Region) in 1959. Following the retirement of her father, the family moved back to the ancestral home in Maseru, Lesotho where Mama attended high school and graduated with honours.
She was admitted to the Volgograd State Medical Institute in the former USSR in 1962 from which she graduated as a Physician on 29 June 1968. In that same year, on 3 July 1968, she married the love of her life, Samuel Tchwenko, who was also a medical student at the institute. Mami then embarked on her specialization in Paediatrics which she completed on 30 June 1972.
Mummy and Daddy arrived in Cameroon in 1972 bringing with them their first son, Serge, who was born in Volgograd in 1969. She was immediately posted to Victoria General Hospital by Ministerial Order No. 5778/NS/MSAP/DAG/SPE of 23/12/72 where she assumed duty on 27 December 1972.
Mami became a citizen of Cameroon on 31 October 1974.
She worked at Victoria General Hospital until 1975 when she was transferred to Bamenda Provincial Hospital.
In 1977, Mami was transferred back to the South West and in 1978; she was nominated Chief of Service, Paediatrics at the Buea Divisional Hospital. By the end of 1978, she was transferred once again to Victoria, attached to the South West Provincial Hospital, Limbe and Bota Annex, as Medical Adviser.
For the next 18 years, Mami faithfully served the population of Limbe, Fako, South West and beyond in her capacity of Paediatrician at Bota Annex Hospital until her retirement on 1 March 1996.
A few months after retirement, she gave in to pressure from her patients and joined her husband in private practice in Cassava Farm. She then transferred the clinic to TAF Pharmacy Building in Gardens, where it still stands today.
Even when she could no longer attend to patients at the clinic due to health problems, Mami continued to receive her patients at home.
Her dedication to public service began at an early age. She was a member of the South African Red Cross Society up until 1958. In the over 40 years that she lived and worked in Cameroon, Mami was:
Founding Member of
- Pioneer Women’s Social Group
- Nkogni Social Group
- Pearl Lions Club
- Bangoua Meeting
And a member of:
- Balengou meeting (Nkeunkeu)
- Graffi Women’s Association
- Fako-based Doctors
- Neighbours’ meeting
Mami was also very active in her congregation at Presbyterian Church Bota Middle Farm not only as a member of the Christian Women Fellowship (CWF) but in several committees. She was also patroness of the Doila Mulangwedi Choir. In 2004, she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition in appreciation of her commitment and sacrifices to the congregation. Her declining health in recent years did not permit her to participate as actively as she would have liked but Mami kept up with all her contributions.
Dr. Mrs. Elizabeth Matsẽliso Tchwenko née Chitja is survived by four children, two grandchildren and countless relatives and friends. She will be sorely missed by all those who knew and loved her including the families of the many, many children she treated during 41 years of service as a Paediatrician.
Our gentle mother, our Abo, rest in peace sweetheart. We love you always and forever.