Disability Connect

A WE CAN award for the DJ who certainly can

By Samantha Malebana for ThisAbility A house, deep house and Afro music DJ has been awarded a We Can Arts Festival award for his contribution to the entertainment industry beyond his disability. Siyanda Makanya (42), also known as DJ Kabila, from Mthatha, Eastern Cape won the award at the festival that was held in Durban late last year. Makanya told ThisAbility that winning this award fuelled him […]

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Become a partner and adopt a school for the Disability Connect Workplace Readiness Day for the Class of 2021

This workplace readiness programme helps prepare 1 000 learners living with disabilities for what they can expect after school. The 2nd annual Disability Connect Workplace Readiness Day will take place in April 2021. As the class of 2021 prepare to leave their schools and journey out into the world, this is your opportunity to assist

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The need to mainstream disabled workers in the formal economy

In the workplace, Thought Leadership / Disability Connect

People with disabilities continue to lack access to adequate health and basic education and are at risk of economic isolation with no prospect of securing employment. Five years on and with the unprecedented effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, this situation demands urgent attention.

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I Love Coffee – breaking down barriers between the hearing and the Deaf

Graduates, Learnerships & Workplace Readiness, Job Profile / Disability Connect

“I Love Coffee is a coffee shop that breaks down barriers between the hearing and the Deaf. It’s more than a space. It’s about mindset. It’s about changing a view of a disability that it isn’t in fact a disability, but more of an opportunity, uncovering the wonderful world of the Deaf culture.” These are

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The impact of Long Covid in the workplace

Current Affairs, In the workplace / Disability Connect

Flu symptoms, body aches, fatigue and an inability to smell were the first signs of Thandi’s Covid infection in May last year. Even without the positive test result, she knew she’d been hit hard by the virus. She describes the fatigue as “next level”, turning simple daily activities like showering, dressing and walking around her

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The beauty of braille

Disability / Disability Connect

Today, as we mark World Braille Day, we take a look at the surprising origins of this ingenious tactile reading system and its future. What is braille? Braille is a touch-based reading system that uses cells of six dots which are raised in combinations to represent alphabetical and numerical symbols. Scientific, mathematical and musical symbols

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Soweto company upskills the deaf community for inclusion in the economy

Graduates, Learnerships & Workplace Readiness, Work Readiness / Disability Connect

Deaf Empowerment Firm (DEF) is a social enterprise based in Orlando West, Soweto that aims to change mindsets, to educate and raise awareness about people with hearing impairments. The firm has been running for four years.

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Meet Kagune Dlamini – A master of coffee and sign language

Employee Profile, In the workplace / Disability Connect

Durban-based barista, Kgune Dlamini, is fluent in sign language, and for the second year in a row, has taken home the Barista of the Year award. “”The two go hand-in-hand, as his passion for communication skills sees him focusing not only on making a great cup of coffee, but also making his customer’s day that

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Entrepreneur Portia Mavhungu’s Invention Gives Wheelchair Users Greater Independence

The Business Place, Thought Leadership / Disability Connect

Independence and privacy are taken for granted by so many. Centurion-based entrepreneur Portia Mavhungu realised this when she found herself wheelchair-bound after an accident in 2011. No longer able to use the toilet on her own, her loss of independence led to depression. “I realised how tough it is for disabled persons,” she says. “I

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Why everyone wins when companies become more inclusive

In the workplace / Disability Connect

Low expectations, stigmas and discriminatory preconceived notions about capabilities have long limited opportunities for persons with disabilities. In recent years, however, there has been much dialogue and activism focused on changing this culture of fear and misrepresentation. Here’s why hiring people with disabilities is a win-win. An untapped gold mine of talent According to Statista,

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