Kgatwane's spirit defies adversity
He has run around the world and has stacks of medals to his name. Meet Tshepo Kgatwane, whose appetite for athletics and competitiveness knows no bounds.
The 28-year old who is intellectually challenged is an athlete who few Batswana have hardly heard of yet he has represented the country in Special Olympics and has travelled to China, Greece and Los Angeles in America to name a few places.
The third born of four children, when Tshepo was born, he looked different from Dinah Kgatwane’s other children but not different enough to cause her undue concern. “Everyone loved Tshepo from the day he was born, because he was always smiling and laughing,” she recalls.
But when he turned four he still couldn’t walk. “He would drag himself around on his buttocks,” his mother says. “And he could only say four words …He also suffered from epilepsy”. His love for sports especially athletics and football became evident while a student at Legodimo Trust which offers vocational training and social support to teenagers with mental and physical disabilities.
Since then he has taken part in regional competitions, marathons and has always come out tops despite not having a coach. “I have basically learned how to compensate for my weaknesses and my learning differences, which has always been my goal,” he says. Currently enrolled under the Tirelo Sechaba programme, he teaches children with learning disabilities like him at Dihutso Primary School in Mogoditshane and tries to help them unearth their own talents or passions.
“I think that every child is beautiful and every child has a special gift inside of them. Regardless of what difficulties you face, or if you’re a little bit different. It was just a matter of finding that and tuning into it. I find it helps a great deal to surround children with things they love, be it music or art - whatever they’re drawn to and love.”
As difficult as the journey has been, Dinah says she came to the realisation that her son was uniquely gifted, and the only thing she has had to do, which she encourages other parents to do, is to support and encourage them to express themselves and to learn and thrive in accordance with their distinct individuality.
“What we love about Tshepo is that he does not let his disability affect him. He doesn’t just sit around and feel sorry for himself,” says the soft spoken woman. “My son loves running and gardening and by supporting him, it has enabled him to contribute economically to our family and that has gone a long way in building his confidence and dignity,” she adds.