Success Story from Limpopo South Africa

Elsie Molelemane started out as a cleaner at the University of Limpopo in the northernmost province of South Africa. An intelligent young woman, with a desire to succeed in life, Elsie was assisted by the Rotary Club of Pietersburg 100 in Limpopo, and she received a scholarship to go and study at the Department of Blindness and Low vision at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. The Rotary Club of Kalamazoo provided her with support and assistance during her stay in the United States.

Elsie did her internship at Cleveland Sight Centre in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Her academic program started in 2006. Her major subject was Rehabilitation Teaching. A rehabilitation teacher is a practitioner whose primary goal is to provide instruction and guidance in adaptive and visually impaired individuals to confidently carry out their daily tasks, activities and responsibilities.

The courses studied, but not limited to, include Rehabilitation Teaching, in addition to computer Technology in rehabilitation, Medical and functional aspects of disability, method of Teaching Adaptive Communication and Research.

Elsie completed a 24-month program within 15 months, and she did her internship at Cleveland Sight Centre in Cleveland, Ohio. The Sight Centre offers various services to individuals who are living visually impaired and helping all age-groups from children to seniors.

Elsie was based in PAT (Personal Adjustment Training ), where they taught the clients Communication, Braille, Personal Management, Home Management, Craft, Recreation, Orientation and Mobility and also offered counseling. She also participated in the teaching of the abovementioned courses.

Elsie with Grant Daly, President of Rotary Club of Pietersburg 100, South Africa

What motivated Elsie to choose this career field is her desire to help people in South Africa who are visually impaired.

Elsie would like to acknowledge the following organizations and institutions for making her dream come true. She extends her gratitude to them.

1) The Rotary Club of Pietersburg 100, South Africa, for facilitating the process of the Scholarship and also for believing in her dream.

2) The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for the funding and also for extending her stay in the USA to complete her studies.

3) The Rotary Club of Kalamazoo, in Michigan, that stood by her side.

4) Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Fund, South Africa, for additional funding

5) Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Michigan.

6) Cleveland Sight Centre for providing her with free accommodation during her internship.

7) University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, South Africa for granting her study leave.