Durban — Living with a disability should not be a limitation, says Zinhle Khumalo, 32, who obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management with distinction this week.
Wheelchair-bound, Khumalo, from Nquthu in northern KwaZulu-Natal, graduated from UKZN on Tuesday.
She was previously awarded a Bachelor of Social Sciences summa cum laude, and is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
Khumalo, at the age of five, was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that resulted in the deterioration of her health and confined her to a wheelchair.
While she was happy to have graduated, she was unable to attend the ceremony in Durban because she could not afford it.
Khumalo said she chose to study Human Resource Management because she loved people. Obtaining her latest qualification wasn’t easy, she said, as finances were a challenge.
“Most of my challenges were as a result of a lack of funding because I do not come from a family that is able to afford most things.
“There was also the issue of possibly going to bed on an empty stomach, and how I would continue with the studies due to not having the means to do so, especially because I was not funded by NSFAS at this stage of my learning,” she said.
But Khumalo said the sacrifices she made had paid off.
“I was able to achieve these results by sacrificing my sleep and giving up social activities, among other things.
“There are plenty of changes that were required of me to get this, especially because I am disabled and this forced me to begin working early in order to meet all of my deadlines,” she said.
Raised by a single mother, along with two other siblings, Khumalo said she was determined to give herself and her family a better life.
Her advice to others living with disabilities was not to limit themselves.
“It always seems impossible until it is actually done. I would like to especially encourage people living with a disability to not give up because your condition does not have to be a barrier.
“Parents with children living with disabilities should also allow their children to pursue their studies,” she said.
Khumalo is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Psychology.
Sunday Tribune