Blind student beats odds to complete degree

Slindile Makhaye rose against all odds to complete her degree in social science.

Makhaye, 25, from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal lost her parents at a young age. She wanted to be a psychologist so as to help other kids in the same predicament.

However at the age of 21 Makhaye went blind. Last week she graduated in social science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

“I felt very honoured and humbled as I walked up the stage to get my degree. It has not been an easy road but by God’s grace I made it.”

Makhaye lost her father when she was 6 and her mother when she was 12. She was raised by her grandmother and aunts who made sure that all her needs were catered for.

Her sight problems started with blurred vision in her right eye in August 2014.

“I had no pains or headaches but I struggled with it until it went blank. I went to different doctors but they could not see what was wrong with me. I was taken to a Computer Tomography (CT) scan and I was diagnosed with a brain tumor,” she said.

She said it was a difficult journey for her as she was told the tumor was spreading and it affect her other eye.

“The doctors said I needed to go for an operation but my family was against it as they feared for my life. We did a research about brain tumor and I realised how important the surgery was for me as the tumor kept growing. I was admitted at Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospital in Durban where I spent about a month before the operation. My left eye was still fine as a result I did all my assignments from there,” she said.

Makhaye was operated on July 24 and she regained her conscious the same day, however she had lost sight in both her eyes.

“I was just at peace, I didn’t panic because I knew God was in control. The doctor was also very hurt as he thought the operation went well. I decided not to sue anyone but accept the situation,” Makhaye said.

She said days later reality started kicking in and that is when she was stressing about her psychology career. However she managed to pull through because of the love she received from her family and church members.

She was then introduced to the blind and deaf society to do computer studies.

“Being a disabled student in an institution of higher learning one faces a lot of challenges, but my focus was to complete my degree...”