Former First Lady Monica Geingos says she will not use the title “Doctor” despite receiving an honorary doctorate.

Geingos made the remarks after being awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the University of Johannesburg on Monday, saying she intends to complete her own PhD before using the title.

Speaking during the ceremony, Geingos said the recognition carried personal meaning following the death of her husband, President Hage Geingob.

She said the honorary doctorate felt like confirmation that she had focused on work that mattered, something she said Geingob had encouraged her to do.

Geingos said she had promised her husband she would complete her own doctoral studies and would only call herself “Doctor” once she fulfilled that commitment.

She accepted the honour on behalf of young people involved in the BeFree movement and families who have lost children due to preventable conditions.

She also dedicated the recognition to Geingob, whose battle with cancer, she said, highlighted lessons about health, dignity, and the importance of strong care systems.

Reflecting on Geingob’s leadership journey, Geingos said he believed titles and positions were temporary. She told graduates that while a person can lose a title, they cannot lose their qualification.

Geingos said her time as First Lady gave her proximity to power, which she viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.

She said the question that guided her work was how to use access and visibility to create initiatives that would outlast any term of office and reach young people in need of support.

That approach led to the establishment of the One Economy Foundation and the BeFree Youth Campus in Katutura, a youth centre that provides psychological support, life-skills training, entrepreneurship programmes and sexual and reproductive health services.

Geingos said between 200 and 250 young people visit the centre daily to access counselling, health information, STEM programmes and other youth development services.