Rosina Machete overcomes challenges of blindness

The fact that she is blind, did not hold talented singer Rosina Machete from St Francis Catholic Academy near Lebowa- kgomo back from her dream to perform in front of audiences.
Born in Musina, Rosina is 24-years-old and has a sister and a brother. She was raised without a father and her mother passed away when she was ten-years-old, leaving her to stay with her extended family in Soweto, Gauteng. She was born totally blind and in 2001 had an operation after which she could partially see colours.
She attended Sibonile Primary School in Gauteng where she led the school choir that went to perform in Germany in 2006. After finishing primary school she stayed at home for three years because the family had no money to pay for her further schooling.
During 2015 Rosina enrolled at St Francis Catholic Academy at St Benedicts’ Mission as a Grade 11 learner and started to take singing lessons from a music educator, Elmarie Swanepoel, who volunteered to coach her free of charge at her studio in Polokwane.
According to Swanepoel, Rosina’s favourite kind of music is opera, but to sing it properly and not destroy her voice, she needed a professional opera teacher.
In April this year she performed in Rustenburg at the South African Championships of Performing Arts and qualified to attend the international competition in Los Angeles next year. She won two gold, two silver and one bronze medal in the opera, gospel, jazz and open categories of the 19 to 24 age group in Rustenburg.
Swanepoel and her mentor at the academy, Ewa Skotarczyk are currently collecting funds to finance Rosina’s trip to America.
Rosina’s performance at the Regional Awards ceremony of the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) Limpopo was met with great acclaim and invited a standing ovation.
During the Christmas sermons last year, Rosina performed at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Polokwane and had churchgoers on their feet with her version of ‘Why do you wait’.
Rosina says that she was very shy initially but the more she performed before audiences, the more her confidence developed. “Music and singing made me a changed person,” Rosina believes.
After completing her secondary school studies, Rosina intends to become a social worker and also make time to be a music teacher if possible.
Rosina’s message to other disabled persons is to persevere in life and look past the limitations of disability. “Use your disabled status to encourage and help others,” she says.

Story and photo: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Rosina Machete does not allow disability to impact on her dream of becoming a singer.