Ready for life
On the surface, Kamogelo Mauela (17) appears to be just another teenage learner. Kamogelo is a learner at the Pathways Enrichment Centre at Mitchell House and responds to the question as to why he is a learner at the enrichment centre, he replies with confidence. "I am autistic."
POLOKWANE – On the surface, Kamogelo Mauela (17) appears to be just another teenage learner.
Kamogelo is a learner at the Pathways Enrichment Centre at Mitchell House and responds to the question as to why he is a learner at the enrichment centre, he replies with confidence.
“I am autistic.”
He says he does not know what kind of autism he has.
“When I was diagnosed my family did not know what autism was. I was never violent and always cool, calm and collected.”
He is a confident, humorous young man, whose first words on the arrival of Review at the enrichment centre are, “You must be the reporter. Welcome, I am JR Ewing, you know, the guy from Dallas”.
Kamogelo says he has been a learner at Pathways since 2010.
“This school is like no other. I came here to make sure I can fulfil my dreams.”
He says before he was a learner at the enrichment centre, he only had one dream, to go to school. “My mom wanted to put me in a boarding school. I did not know what a boarding school was and it was a shock. I tried to eat there, but I could not, so the teachers forced me to eat.
“Then my mom put me in Mitchell House. Here the people are decent and they treat me with respect, which is the only thing I want,” he says with a smile.
“The people here respect people with disabilities. They taught me that I am part of the Mitchell House family. They taught me to never give up; surrender nothing worthy,” he continues.
At school concerts at Pathways Enrichment Centre, Kamogelo was always the star, and did many solo performances. This year was Kamogelo’s last at Pathways Enrichment Centre, and Mitchell House. Next year he will be participating in the Maguma School Project in Seshego.
“I want to become an entertainer. I want to do stand-up comedy, sing and dance. Like Eddy Murphy and Chris Rock. At the Maguma School Project I will learn how to act, sing, dance and play all kinds of (musical) instruments,” he explains.
Kamogelo’s teacher, Jess Dale, says he is a well-mannered boy. “We will definitely miss him next year,” she says.
His parting words are: “This is the end, but there are always new beginnings”.
