21 Oct 2015

To be stuck in a wheel chair can be a miserable and gruesome challenge. The situation has over the years deprived the world of golden opportunities that the victims were capable of offering.

It is always sad to see people living with such disability watching helplessly and hopelessly as their dreams and aspirations go down the drains.

 However, some of them continue to fight hard to gather enough courage to pursue their dreams regardless of the limited opportunities they had due to their status.

A Ramotswa resident, Thapelo Matsietsa is one such individual,who without any doubt bears testimony to a common adage; disability is not inability. He is a second born child of  Radikgonyana Ngwato and  Mmapula Ngwato.

At the age of 24,  Matsietsa has achieved a lot for a person of his age and condition. 

It was at Baitlotli Junior Secondary School in Ramotswa where  Matsietsa started to adjust to the realities and accepted his fate. 

He developed a positive attitude towards life.

“I just told myself that even though chances given to people with disabilities are very limited in this world, I shouldn’t despair, but rather learn to digest in good faith everything that life throws on me,” he said in an interview. 

While still at Baitlotli he joined an association of South East Sports Association For the Disabled (SESAD) in Ramotswa.

He is both a basketball wheel chair player and 100 metres runner for this association.

In 2009 he represented SESAD in Botswana Paralympic Association Games and got a silver medal in 100 metres wheel chair race.

Matsietsa was admitted to Kagiso Senior School in 2010 and had to break from school because there were no facilities that could cater for his disability. 

“It was very painful when I had to stop schooling because I had much respect and love for education, so I could not imagine seeing myself failing to complete my Form V.

 But I remained positive and confident that I will get another opportunity to complete my school,” he said.

When Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School opened the doors for its first intake in 2011,  Matsietsa was one of those students who would be part of the school’s history in the future and completed his Form V in 2012. 

He then enrolled for a one year level one certificate in Information Technology at Vocational Creativity Institute in Mogoditshane for the year 2013 – 2014. 

Due to lack of resources, he did not continue with level two. 

Matsietsa who is now based in Mogoditshane, has established himself as a brand when it comes to community and social responsibilities.

Despite his condition, he has assumed many leadership roles in different organisations. He is a public relations officer (PRO) and marketing officer at Makufa Sporting Club, a woman football team that is playing in the Women Super League. Asked about his meeting with this club, he said, “football and I are two inseparable entities. 

I come from afar with football. I used to be a big supporter of Letlapeng while I was still in Ramotswa. When I moved to Mogoditshane I joined women football and worked with Mogoditshane Fighters women team which is in first division. 

Some of the executives and I left Mogoditshane Fighters in 2013 to form Makufa F.C.” 

Matsietsa is also a PRO at Makanyane Artisitic Excellency, an arts club based in Mogoditshane. 

“We do drama, traditional dance, poetry, comedy and many others,” he said. He further stated that the main objective of this club was to nurture and preserve talent. “Botswana is rich in artistic talent, so we exist to make sure that this talent is not wasted,” he added.

He is an eloquent speaker and that has also landed him another leadership role in politics. He is an additional member of Mogoditshane branch BDP Youth Wing. He also assumes another additional member role at the Young Voices Botswana, a foundation based in Mogoditshane for young people living with disabilities. 

Matsietsa condemns without reservations all the parents who have a tendency of hiding their children who have disabilities. 

“It is very disturbing to see some parents hiding their children from the outside world due to disability. I wish to condemn this kind of conduct with the strongest terms possible,” he said. 

He further indicated that his greatest moment of brilliance was when he got a gold medal at the be Mobile Marathon held in Francistown this year in 100 metres wheel chair race while representing his association of SESAD. 

“It was a beautiful moment for me and I could feel tears coming out,” he stated. In conclusion, Mr Matsietsa advised all the disabled individuals not to despair in life and hide behind their conditions. Ends