MEET OUR CEO
​
Taello Tsita
I was born without any disabilities or physical impairments. However, at the age of 5, I acquired my disability as a result of contracting polio. My disability not only changed the course of my life but that of my family as well. We were plunged into confusion and bewilderment and had no idea of the challenges that lay ahead of us or the means to deal with them.
The challenges I faced from the tender age of 5 were not just physical, but also emotional, psychological and social. I had no way of knowing what the future held and my family were ill-equipped on how to support me or manage my newfound condition.
I could not enter primary school with my friends, I had to start mine at 8 years old, as we needed to adjust to my condition and adapt. As I grew up, I realised that this was not the start of my challenges. I was born and raised in a rural village. Access to medical and health facilities was a distance away and not easily accessible. My parents were not knowledgeable enough to understand the importance of vaccinations for children; neither did they have the means to access affordable healthcare once I fell ill.
Diagnosed with polio, my paralysis irreversible, I had to accept that I would be wheelchair-bound for the rest of my life. The challenges this brought on were huge, acceptance and adaptation even harder. There was no one to teach me how to use my wheelchair or manage my environment with it. There was no additional support from an emotional and mental wellbeing perspective.
I heard about learnership opportunities and decided to pursue this as entry into into adult hood. I was lucky to complete a few learnerships over the years, in the hope that each would lead to securing permanent employment. Each learnership, not only gave me much-desired educational opportunities but opened my eyes to the world of work: what it meant to take on responsibility, engage with others, working with processes, and learning systems. All these experiences provided me with a gateway to propel myself forward and start living the life I never thought possible in my childhood.
After being in the transformation space for many years it became evident that many of the skills and enterprise and supplier development programs were more about a tick-box approach than actual transformation. Because of this, I decided to start a company called Wheeling Towards Success. WTS focuses on enterprise and supplier development and accredited learnerships initiatives for people with disabilities.
​
I have faced many obstacles in my life due to my disability, but these challenges have provided me with the tools and experiences to help others. I have a passion for entrepreneurship, and I am determined to create an environment where everyone can have the chance to succeed. I am constantly looking for ways to improve the resources available to entrepreneurs, and I'm committed to creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for those with disabilities. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and be successful, regardless of their circumstances.