In a powerful launch coinciding with Women’s Month, the Director of Student Counselling, Dr Paulette Naidoo, hosted the inaugural session of ‘Women of Worth’, a new event series designed to address critical issues facing female students. The debut session took place on 18 August 2026, drawing a packed crowd to the Student Centre. Dr Naidoo led an intimate, self-reflective dialogue to help the young women evaluate their self-worth, interpersonal relationships, and personal boundaries.
Challenging the audience directly, Dr Naidoo posed a series of poignant questions to highlight how unaddressed emotional burdens impact overall well-being. “Do you value yourself? You shouldn’t be dictated to by someone else. What is your worth? What do you tolerate? Are you a sidepiece? Who is in your life? What does that do for my mental health? Remember, we are not judging each other. As sisters, we should honour each other every day. Do you bring down someone else to elevate yourself? Do you laugh at others when they fall? How do you respond when someone shows you their true colours? If you gave someone your all, what do you get back? Do we laugh when our sisters are in troubled relationships?”
As part of the dialogue, the students responded to Dr Naidoo’s Questions, some with very informative responses. One student pointed out that one of the major societal issues is ‘patriarchy’. Another one said that women give in to peer pressure and do things that they soon regret.
Dr Naidoo emphasised that many women carry these emotional strains in silence, directly harming their mental well-being. Reminding attendees that they are worth far more than their daily struggles, she urged students to take advantage of the support services available through Student Affairs.
To reinforce the message, attendees were pointed toward event t-shirts featuring key mental health slogans, including: “Mental health is just as important as physical health. Seek support. Break the stigma. You are not alone.”
The ‘Women of Worth’ series will continue throughout the semester, offering a safe, ongoing space for dialogue, sisterhood, and mental health awareness on campus.