Bilateral profound deafness didn’t stop Dr Singo from achieving her goals
People who did not believe in her ability due to her disability, motivated Dr Lutendo Rhinah Singo to work harder
LIMPOPO – “I became deaf at the age of seven and I’ve been dependent on hearing aids for a number of years, given that my deafness was severe. As I grew older, my hearing deteriorated and I was then diagnosed with bilateral profound deafness, which made it difficult for me to use hearing aids,” said Singo.
“I was not happy that there were certain people who look down on those with disabilities so I told myself to work hard on my studies in order to prove them wrong. Having a disability doesn’t mean I am unable to reach certain goals.”
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Being a motivational speaker was never part of her dream, but Singo is feeding souls through her motivational books and says her journey began after she was approached by Carol Motale of the Vaal University of Technology to motivate women and girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Her book, ‘Disability Doesn’t Mean Inability’, was penned about her personal circumstances and reveals the difficulties that she experienced.
“My main message encourages people with disabilities to love and accept themselves, irrespective of their disabilities. It also seeks to educate people to embrace those living with disabilities and acknowledge that it is not a disease and therefore, cannot be used as an excuse for not achieving their goals. In general, this book tried to show that we cannot be defined according to our disabilities; rather, it encourages us to be what we want to be as long as our disabilities can enable us to realise our full potential,” she said.
Singo graduated from the University of Venda in 2004 with a Bachelor of Environmental Sciences in hydrology and water resources which led to her master’s degree and eventually, her PhD which she obtained in 2019. She also uses social media to encourage others, saying it is common for people to seek advice and encouragement from her various platforms.
Dr Singo can be contacted via WhatsApp at 083 756 6529 and Facebook: Singo Rhinah Tshivhase.
