Casual day Ambassador curates content for disability advocacy. Photo Credit: Scado Mkhondo
By Beverley Maphakane
A 27-year-old woman from Etwatwa eMaphupheni, in the Ekurhuleni township of Daveyton has been recognised by several media houses for her efforts to create a socially inclusive environment for children with disabilities.
Since 2012, Scado Mkhondo has been sharing content on her Facebook page about enabling and including children with disabilities in society.
This work resulted in Mkhondo being interviewed by SABC News, Morning Live, Channel Africa, TalkAbility, Umhlobo Wenene FM, and other media outlets.
She has also been involved in projects by the likes of OL Afrika Media Foundation and Thabo T Madilola Foundation.
A National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities casual day ambassador, Mkhondo told ThisAbility that she knew from the age of six that she wanted to advocate and raise awareness for children with disabilities. “I saw it from my own mother struggling and fighting for me and my rights when I was growing up. So this comes from my own lived experiences.”
Mkhondo has ataxic cerebral palsy, a developmental disorder that affects motor function. She assists parents of children with disabilities to make appointments with the Department of Education in order to register their children for school. “I know from witnessing my mother how frustrating life can be to those who do not have access to the services and opportunities they need and deserve,” she says.
To counter the mistreatment and lack of equal social and educational opportunities for children with disabilities in her community, she treats them with kindness. “I am always friendly. I adjust to their world and connect with the child within me by playing with and dancing for them. I also teach them however I can,” Mkhondo says.
Sesani Maseko, who has two children with albinism, describes Mkhondo as someone who is active and popularly known around the community, and who easily connects and plays with children. She says her own children have benefited from Mkhondo’s great social skills with children.
“She is much closer to the younger one who is 11 years old. The first time they met Scado gave her a book to read, and ever since they have been close friends. My child was very quiet, socially inactive and isolated before she met Scado. However, since they became friends and got connected to other peers, she has been active, social and playful,” Maseko (41) told ThisAbility.
Zodwa Mthembu (38) takes care of children with disabilities as her daily job. She told ThisAbility that she has known Mkhondo since 2012 when she was still at school. “Working together, we launched Overcoming Adversities, which is a support group for out-of-school intellectual disability youth.
“As a product of the project, she was able to tell her side of the story. She has also acquired a media certificate from Damelin College, despite being dyslexic and having no matric. She has been able to create awareness about disability and inclusion in projects,” says Mthembu, who describes Mkhondo as “someone who is eager to learn, a natural advocate and an aspiring actress”.
Reflecting on the 10 years since she embarked on this journey, Mkhondo says, “Lack of commitment from social workers in my area is appalling. There is one incident that involved gender-based violence with a young woman with intellectual disability, and no one wanted to get involved after countless times of calling them to assist. The society also does not challenge these kinds of issues involving people with disabilities.”
However, being a casual day ambassador since 2018 is a highlight. “I love that we are a team. We all want the same thing and share same vision.
“It has been 10 years. I am not where I want to be yet. I need to penetrate the media industry and raise more awareness. Working with human rights lawyers and [the Human Rights] Commission will be ideal. I want to create enough content around disability awareness for the TV, and work closely with production,” Mkhondo says.
