PEOPLE living with disabilities shouldn't be pitied or hidden; they should rather be accepted for who they are.
Precious Ngoakoana Mphago (27) from Bochum in Limpopo is a third-degree burn survivor who has never let her disability define her.
She is a motivational speaker, model, and philanthropist.
According to her mother, the fire occurred when she was three months old, and they suspect that a candle sparked the fire.
"As a result of the fire, I lost my left upper limp, which resulted in the amputation of my left hand," Ngoakoana said.
She said her scars are her strength, tenacity and endurance.
Ngoakoana is the founder of Rise and Shine Disability Empowerment, which empowers young people living with disabilities to embrace their diversity and accept their limitations.
It was a self-funded project in 2020; she registered it as an NGO in 2021.
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"The pain of seeing a disadvantaged girl living with a disability using a plastic as a nappy when visiting a special school for motivational talks tore my heart apart, and from there on, I knew my purpose was to serve the impaired community," she said.
She said she vowed not to let them lack confidence and drop out of school.
They arrange donation campaigns at schools, homes, and churches, distributing basic hygiene supplies such as sanitary pads, school uniforms, food, stationary, adult diapers, wheelchairs and crushes.
"Bullying and rejection had an impact on my mental health. I was scared and always traumatised. I lacked confidence, and I was lonely because no one wanted a friend with scars. I lacked knowledge about my disability and how other kids at school kept believing that I don't have a future because no one will hire a person living with a disability," she said.
Ngoakoana emphasised that the Department of Health needs to raise awareness in communities about disability so that people could understand that it's not a disease.
"Impaired people need to be loved, encouraged and uplifted too. The community must learn to be patient with them, assist them, and perceive no difference between the impaired and unimpaired," Ngoakoana said.
"If you want to achieve something, go ahead and attempt it. Where there's a will, there's a way. Never allow your disability to prevent you from attaining your goals. Be bold and confident in everything you do," she said.
Ngoakoana said she's ready to enter the next Miss South Africa beauty pageant.
