SHE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND STAYED HOME FOR 8 YEARS DUE TO LACK OF SPONSORSHIP; TODAY, SHE’S A LOVED TV PERSONALITY
ZNBC‘s Patricia Ellis was born on 26th January 1976, in Luanshya from a British Dad named Brian Arthur Dwight Ellis and her Bemba mother Laine Mulenga, who died in 1988 in Luanshya. The hardworking Zambians comes from a family of 13, 7 boys and 6 girls.
As a child Patricia always dreamt of becoming a broadcaster. From as early as 6 years old, she would tell her Dad that one day she will sit on the ZNBC news desk and read the news. She was inspired by the Hardworking Zambians Maureen Nkandu.
Patricia completed her grade 12 at Hellen Kaunda in 2001. Unfortunately Her Parents divorced when she was very Young so she grew up with her father in luanshya.
Her childhood was a very happy one until her Dad died when she was 12 years old in 1988 when she had written her grade 7 exams. She recalls that she was devastated and this eventually caused her to fail her grade 9 exams.
Due to lack of sponsorship Patricia stopped school and was out of school for a total of eight years But because she was determined to be educated and become a broadcaster she started evening classes and re-wrote her grade nine and passed.
It was a tough time as she had to work to pay for school and sustain herself. Her first job was peeling cassava in a factory in Kitwe, she later worked as cashier in a shop and waitress in a restaurant and casino, all these jobs helped pay for her education and she studied for her Grade 12 certificate which she eventually attained in 2001.
The determined lady moved to Lusaka where she continued to do Odd jobs and started studying through correspondence with an institute in the UK (Institute of Commercial Management) for her Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies, again as she could not be in college full time because as she still had to work to pay for her school.
Eventually Patricia completed her Diploma and in her last semester she was recruited as a News casters at 5 FM radio after auditions. And that was the beginning of her broadcasting career.
The hardworking Zambians beauty worked for 5 FM for three and a half years as a reporter and news caster and on the 20th of November 2006 she made her life long dream that she had toiled for happen she joined ZNBC as a part time Announcer.
She worked as a part time Announcer for three and a half years and was finally employed on a full time basis on 1st May 2010 as a Producer to date.
The most challenging moment of her career was trying to get to prove that she was capable of casting the main news on ZNBC TV. As it was not easy to make it on the main news desk.
One day a news caster missed the news and Patricia took the opportunity and was able to present the main news, she has been casting since then.
SEE JUST BECAUSE YOU FAILED YOUR GRADE 12 OR 9 EXAM DOES NOT MEAN YOU WON’T MAKE IT, REWRITE YOUR EXAM AND BECOME THE NEXT INSPIRATION. THE GOAL IS NOT TO REMAIN BROKE!!!
