{"id":5902,"date":"2021-12-06T08:39:38","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T06:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disabilityconnect.co.za\/?p=5902"},"modified":"2021-12-06T08:39:38","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T06:39:38","slug":"engen-helps-zininzi-get-behind-the-wheel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/06\/engen-helps-zininzi-get-behind-the-wheel\/","title":{"rendered":"Engen helps Zininzi get behind the wheel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Contracting\u00a0Tuberculous Meningitis as a 10-year-old\u00a0may have left Zininzi Mpurwana paralysed\u00a0but the go-getting East Londoner has refused to let her disability define who she is, choosing instead to use it to be more creative and content in her daily life. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living by the affirming philosophy that, \u201clife isn\u2019t about waiting for the storm to pass\u2026it\u2019s about learning to dance in the rain,\u201d\u00a0Zininzi says she does not stress about things that are beyond her control. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI used to be overly sensitive and emotional when people discriminated against me or excluded me, or when I overheard people\u2019s hurtful comments but, over the years, I have learnt that life is all about attitude and now rather than being defensive and emotional, I try and educate people,\u201d says the qualified community development worker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following retrenchment in 2016, Zininzi today relies on contract work to make ends meet, whilst also volunteering as a programme manager at the Disability Economic Empowerment Trust (DEET).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it was at DEET that she first heard about an\u00a0Engen\u00a0sponsored driver\u00a0training\u00a0programme for people with disabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI decided to apply when I heard all the positive feedback from others who had been on the programme.  Since my retrenchment, I have applied for numerous positions without any feedback. I know that having a driver\u2019s licence will at least get me onto the short list.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engen\u00a0and the DEET have worked together since 2019 on initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities through the equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction, and promotion of social inclusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adds Zininzi: \u201cThe driver\u2019s programme has been very empowering so far and the instructors are so patient. I can\u2019t believe that I can move a car forward with oncoming traffic and overtake cars without driving off the\u00a0road. I thought I was dreaming on the first day and kept pinching myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Engen\u00a0driver\u00a0training\u00a0programme for people with disabilities commenced in October 2021 and will roll out through to the first quarter of 2022 in the Free State, Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aim is to upskill 20 beneficiaries per province by helping remove barriers to participation and ultimately putting 100 new skilled drivers on the\u00a0road.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Khalid Latiff,\u00a0Engen\u2019s General Manager: Corporate Strategy and Communications, the programme guides people with disabilities through the full driver\u2019s licence application process.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis cover learner\u2019s license preparation and coaching, booking of learners and driver\u2019s licenses, a minimum of 20 hours driving practice with a qualified instructor as well as covering all fees and insurance costs,\u201d comments Latiff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engen\u2019s continued commitment to the DEET fulfils South\u00a0Africa\u2019s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was signed in 2007, as well as the White\u00a0Paper\u00a0on the Rights of Persons with Disability that was approved by Cabinet in 2015 as part of domesticating the convention. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe rationale behind our drive to support persons with disabilities is not only about upholding the Constitutional principles of non-discrimination on the basis of disability but also to put tangible measures in place to support developmental interventions, so that people living with disabilities can become inclusive, contributing members of society,\u201d adds Latiff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disability inclusion is one of\u00a0Engen\u2019s key social investment focus areas, giving the company the opportunity to contribute towards inclusive disability rights in South\u00a0Africa. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a caring and inclusive company with \u2018heart\u2019, this aligns with\u00a0Engen\u2019s commitment to the United Nations\u00a0Sustainable\u00a0Development Goals, which endeavour to ensure a better and more\u00a0sustainable\u00a0future for all,\u201d says Latiff.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expressing his gratitude to\u00a0Engen\u00a0for their renewed support, CEO of DEET,\u00a0Thabiso\u00a0Phetuka believes that\u00a0a driver\u2019s license opens a host of new career prospects for unemployed and retired people who still want to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur partnership with\u00a0Engen\u00a0provides hope to job seekers with disabilities and those who aspire to start their own businesses, who might previously have been unsuccessful in securing a position, as a result of not having a driver\u2019s license,\u201d says\u00a0Phetuka.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for\u00a0Engen, Latiff says South\u00a0Africa\u2019s number one fuel and convenience company is humbled to play a small part in empowering new motorists like Zininzi and opening new opportunities for her in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a company, we are inspired by and support government\u2019s efforts to create a better life for all, and sincerely hope that having driving skills will lead to a self-sufficient, and economically independent future for the people who complete the programme.\u201d  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Contracting\u00a0Tuberculous Meningitis as a 10-year-old\u00a0may have left Zininzi Mpurwana paralysed\u00a0but the go-getting East Londoner has refused to let her disability define who she is, choosing instead to use it to be more creative and content in her daily life. \u00a0 Living by the affirming philosophy that, \u201clife isn\u2019t about waiting for the storm to pass\u2026it\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disability-spotlight","category-focus"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5902\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}