February 7, 2025
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Limpopo Disability Empowerment learners celebrate at the certification ceremony. Photo supplied.

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By Beverley Maphakane

Friday, November 5 2021 was certification ceremony day at Jack Botes Hall in Polokwane as Limpopo Disability Empowerment conferred 150 learners with disabilities with skills programme certificates.

This came after the learners had enrolled for and successfullycompleted a six-month Information and Communication Technology NQF Level 3 course which ran from March to August 2021.

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“The learners have various disabilities. Seventy have physical disabilities, 40 of them are blind and partially sighted and the other 40 are deaf,” said Paulina Malope, director of Limpopo Disability Empowerment, whose main mandate is to empower people with disabilities through skills programmes.

“We have partnered with ETDP Seta (Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority) for our skills programmes. Since the inception of the organisation in May 2018 we have had three groups of learners. The recent group has started in November 2021,” said Malope.

Makhudu Thema (51), acting Limpopo ETPD Seta provincial manager said that the education training authority is constituency driven in implementing skills programmes.
“To a greater extent we have made strides in allocating funding invarious programmes and in training people with disabilities. We partner with various institutions to ensure increased reach and impact. Partnering with Limpopo Disability Empowerment means we are able to fulfill our mandate in relation to skilling the sector,” said Thema.

The ceremony came two days into the Disability Awareness Month, which commenced on Wednesday, November 3 under the theme “Create and Realise an Inclusive Society Upholding Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. Thema added that they need to find a way to bridge the gap between the education level of people with disabilities and the entry requirements of various programmes in order to increase access and inclusiveness.

“A lot of people with disabilities do not have matric, which is an entry requirement in most cases and they therefore get disadvantaged. To ensure that they are given employment opportunities, we need to enforce the available laws, partner with employers and go on a drive to educate employers on the need to employ people with disabilities as a legislative requirement, but most importantly as a moral obligation to society,” he said.

One of the graduates, Ephret Kobe from Ga-Kobe village near Polokwane, said the skills programme helped her in gaining computer skills. “It was my first time doing Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Now I can use computer very well and I am able to receive and send emails.”

The 27-year-old has polio and uses a wheelchair. She said that she has never been employed before but she is happy to have completed the course.

“I have gained enough skills and feel empowered. I am going to use this qualification as a labour marketing tool, and I believe it is beneficial because most companies need computer skills,” she added.

Another graduate, Paul Kgosana (41) from Seshego, told ThisAbility that the skills programme has made a good impact in his life.

“I have used the qualification, and I am now an online radio presenter. I am also an admin clerk at a national college.”

Kgosana, who uses a wheelchair due to a spinal compression fracture, said though he acknowledges the impact of the skills programmes, “People with disabilities are being neglected in the workplace and age restriction is also a problem.”

Malope said after the completion of the programme learners are placed to work with non-profit organisations and communities for them to get a practical experience and be exposed to employment opportunities. “We also keep a database of them as members of the organisation for when opportunities arise, andwe encourage them to apply for other job opportunities.”

She added that there were no age restrictions in admitting the learners for the implemented skills programmes as the learners are previously disadvantaged and not given enough opportunities.

“We also work with organisations like Council for the Blind and DeafSA Limpopo,” Malope said.

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