Born without disability (3folded life)

Sometimes our lives get disrupted, and we encounter things that leave us permanently affected. The question is, “How do we deal with such experiences?” Oftentimes, we live as if life is over instead of accepting the new normal and finding solutions on how to navigate moving forward.
Today’s guest has a very unique story to tell about how he became disabled at the age of 16 years. It wasn’t an easy journey, but the good thing is that he’s able to tell the tale of how that came about. Not a lot of people are given the opportunity to do so. 
May his story inspire you to follow your dreams, no matter what obstacles you may face along the way.
Let’s go!!

Thizwilondi Thomas Malela, born in 1983, grew up in Venda and began his education at a local primary school called Dolidoli. He grew up as a normal child who enjoyed playing with his friends. It was not until he turned 16 in 1996 that he suddenly experienced discomfort in his eyes, and nobody knew what the problem was. Most of the people could not fathom what the problem was; some of the family members concluded that it was witchcraft, which Thomas did not want to accept. Then doctors diagnosed him with glaucoma, which eventually led to his blindness at the age of 16.

“Failure was not my motto,” Thomas said. All of a sudden, his life got interrupted, but he still kept the faith; failing was not an option. He eventually matriculated with the aim of going to the University of Johannesburg to study either political science or economics, but did not meet the requirements. However, he persisted and registered with the University of Venda, where he studied for a junior degree in International Relations for four full years. 
The journey towards obtaining his degree was not as smooth as it sounded. He had to rely on his peers to read for him, as the braille interpreter sometimes took a long time to be typed and make copies. At times, they will request that the disability group make copies for him to give to other students who also needed copies. It was still a long process. Even at that, he persevered until he earned his degree.

You can also check Breaking Barriers living with bilateral deafness.

Compromise and investing time in whatever you want to do yields results.

Thomas

With the hope to change his life for the better and become what he wants to be, he registered for his honors in International Relations in 2005. He passed all his modules, and his research is still outstanding. Research is one of his areas of specialization because of the work experience he gained from his various responsibilities. 
In 2009, he was fortunate to be recruited to be trained in a specialized area of diplomacy.
He served in Washington, DC, as a South African Junior Diplomat from 2013 to 2016. He was thereafter assigned to Belgium as a South African diplomat, where he remains to this day.
One of the difficulties he encountered in the workplace was that, in general, his coworkers treated him more like a disabled person than an employee
and sometimes it made him feel inferior and demoralized.

You can also check Scars turned into Stars.

“Being in diplomacy makes one understand the world and how it should be,” Thomas explained. He is a stakeholder and does partnership relations networking and intergovernmental negotiations with the intention to complete his honors and enroll in a master’s program. 

He also developed a passion for forensic investigative auditing, which he did for one year. The purpose was to understand the concept of fraudulent activities and how to prevent them. He also took two certificates in forensic accounting and forensic investigative auditing for six months. The purpose of these certificates was to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud. “I make use of these knowledges in my current job, as we daily check if we achieved our target in the company,” Thomas explained. His biggest strength lies in performance and compliance auditing. He indirectly gained a lot of knowledge and experience in performance, compliance auditing, and investigative auditing. 

you may also check A Proud Product of Deaf Parents.

Thomas would like to use his passion for research in the future by lecturing in international relations and diplomacy in order to transfer his knowledge and skills to the younger generation. He has vast knowledge and experience in the field. 

In life, things do not come easy, but hope, faith, and lessons from past failures give you the strength to keep moving. Being open to learning from different people, seniors, and colleagues has helped me to stay focused and up to par.

Thomas

In addition to his various accomplishments, Thomas has two albums for the #peaceisourproject, which promotes peace in Africa. 
It was his own initiative. The music’s name is MalelaDEARRTT.
The first single album released in December 2020 was titled “Ri khou Fhumudza Zwigidi,” featuring the legendary Venda Adziambei band. 
The second single album is Akulaleke, with a reggae version due in June 2021. 

“You need to be equipped and resourceful in order to fight for your dreams,” Thomas remarked in conclusion.

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The world is ready to receive Thizwilondi Thomas Malela. He is currently finishing publishing his motivational book, which will be accessible in all book deals. You can contact him to preorder here +27 76 765 3236.

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