the disabled show that they are as abled as the abled

From:#### To: (brian.joss@inl.co.za; arglet@inl.co.za; wkletters@inl.co.za) Sent: 17 September 2010 07:47:01 AM

To: The editor

I am a teenage boy, 17 years old, residing in Milnerton, Cape Town. Living in this place, has taught me good virtues -to respect everyone and to love them. Support is bestowed to all people, including those with disabilities.

Nationally, on the 3^rd of September, we celebrated people with disabilities. In our Milnerton Library, (as usually, every Friday, at 12:00) special needs children from Cheshire Homes came to read stories, at the Story Pit. This is where I had an encounter, with one of the boys there (a peer to me.) He smiled at me. This gesture attested that he was really blissful.

On this occasion, I was reminded that they too have been one of the world's greatest masterminds and geniuses. Today, we have Braille (not because of 'the normal' people) which was invented by a teenage boy, called Louis Braille. He was the brains behind this phenomenon and to add icing to the cake, he was blind. This communication master-piece was the greatest invention of the 18th century and for it to be discovered by a blind boy, was a bonus.

Here in our Cape Town City, we have our dearest lady, Natalie Du Toit. She has competed and won international contests, like Paralympics and Olympics. Although she was not born disabled, she had an accident which left her disabled. She showed us that everything that 'normal' people do, they can also do it and excel in it. To be quite frank, I know a lot of people, who are not disabled, but have never won even one single game.

From all these prodigious people, I acquired something that I will never forget. They did not take their predicaments as stumbling-blocks from achieving the things that they wanted, but rather, as challenges that they faced and conquered. I am proud of them and I salute them.

Yours faithfully

Lukhanyo Velelo

Milnerton

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