Palmridge’s Refilwe in the top 10 for Miss Deaf South Africa
Refilwe Maphela is a mute and a deaf lady who believes in becoming Miss Deaf South Africa. Refilwe has been trying to bag the title since 2020 and she believes she is in the right path.
Palmridge’s Refilwe Maphela (32) is overwhelmed for being in the Ms Deaf South Africa (MDSA) 2022 top 10 finalists.
Refilwe has now entered the Ms Deaf South Africa modelling competition for the third time as a contestant. In her second attempt, she made it to the top five in 2021.
According to the aspiring model, she struggled to be the Ms Deaf South Africa 2020 finalist because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year she was proud to learn that she made it to the top five.
She believes that she managed to be part of the finalists because of the MDSA management as well as the other finalists for embracing her into the community.
“I enter Ms Deaf South Africa on a yearly basis because I believe in myself and I want to share my story with the world at large. I was born deaf, but this does not stop me from reaching for the stars and chasing even higher dreams,” Refilwe said.
Ms, Mr and Mrs Deaf South Africa (MDSA) is an independent deaf empowerment organisation founded in 1995 to represent challenged individuals in style.
Refilwe’s growing up story:
Her parents had dreams and good plans for her but when she was young, her life took a drastic turn as she was not like any other toddlers of her age.
According to Refilwe, she was very ill, and her parents had to seek professional medical help, that was then, she and the family learnt that she was mute and deaf.
Refilwe said that it was a painful and difficult time for the family, but everyone stood by and supported her mother because they all had accepted that God’s will should not be questioned.
Family on her father’s side, the Maphelas, bought her a cochlear implant to help her with soundtracks but she could not use them because every time she attempted to use them, she experienced a severe headache.
“The most difficult challenge we face as deaf is to communicate with individuals who don’t understand sign language. This makes it difficult to have smooth conversations, reach mutual understanding and build good relationships,” Refilwe explained.
She attended her lower grades school at the Katlehong School for the Deaf and furthered her high school at the St Vincent School for the Deaf in Rosebank.
Refilwe’s wishes:
Refilwe’s main wish is to change how individuals portray challenged individuals and help the world become a better place for everyone.
To her changing the world is not just a wish, however, a passion and a dreams he wishes to fulfill.
She believes that it is important for every South African to know sign language because it promotes good relationships between both parties, the abled and challenged people, hence, it can also assist in getting rid of the discrimination around challenged individuals.
Her last wish is to highlight to everyone the importance of having good relationships with each other as human beings because this will strengthen unity in the world.
“This will strengthen DeafSA to work toward the recognition of South African sign languase as the the 12th official language and emphasise the rights of deaf people in South Africa,” she concluded.
As a special edition to this awareness, there is an ongoing special vote towards the Ms Deaf SA Campaign from September 1 to 3.
To cast three votes for the price of one, SMS MDS19 to 47439 and support Refilwe in her race to becoming Palm Ridge’s representative in the 2022 pageant.
