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No Health Challenge Too Great For Mabaso

From birth, life has thrown constant health challenges on 28-year-old Ntombizodwa Mabaso, yet each time, she has fought back and emerged triumphant.

On Monday, 7 December 2020, her resilience paid off as she was conferred with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Development during the third session of the Faculty of Arts graduation ceremonies.

Mabaso was born with a physical disability associated with a condition known as osteogenesis imperfect. Also known as brittle bones, the condition causes a shortage of calcium which results in the weakness of bones. Due to this, the Ladysmith-born graduate spent a bulk of her pre-teenage years undergoing treatment in hospital. This saw her starting primary school at the age of nine.

“This condition is a challenge as everything you do must be monitored in order to prevent muscle straining. Even slight movement can cause bones to break. Sometimes even sitting alone can cause body pains and trying to exercise can result in bone dislocation,” Mabaso said.

Despite the complications in her health, Mabaso was always determined to obtain a university qualification because she understood that with education comes great knowledge. “When educated, it becomes fruitless for anyone to take advantage of you. Knowledge is power. There are things that can be taken but no one can take away your education,” she said.

Her academic journey was not, however, devoid of pitfalls. When she began her studies in 2015 she first registered for the BSc Foundation programme but had to change her course due to difficulties with accessing lecture halls and laboratories in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture. She thereafter opted to study towards a qualification in the environmental planning and development discipline.

Her troubles did not end there. Accessing the restrooms also posed a challenge because of her height. Everyday practices such as utilising the toilets and sinks, which people living without disabilities may take for granted, were far too hard for her. In 2017 however, the university made some adjustments to the female toilets in order to accommodate Mabaso, much to her delight.

Just as her academic experience seemed to improve, the graduate suffered another blow when one of her three older sisters passed away in 2018 shortly after graduating. Normally, graduates are excited on the day of their graduation. For Mabaso, the day has been a bittersweet moment as, amid the elation, it has resurfaced the memory of her sister who was not fortunate enough to find employment.

She remains optimistic though that with her degree, a string of employment opportunities will follow her, seeing her able to provide for her family- the pillars of her strength.

– Naledi Hlefane

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