OFM Nights - Heartwarming stories bring hope

Says Lindiwe Mtwentula, OFM Marketing Manager: “Own It seeks to inspire listeners, who might be facing the same or similar problems, to overcome their fears and live life to the full. It’s also a vehicle to highlight the struggles of those with physical difficulties and create awareness of how different their lives are. But even though the content is thought-provoking, it’s by no means depressing! It’s about fighters – those who refuse to let circumstances dictate their fate. And therein lies a lesson for every single one of us.”

Seventeen episodes of the feature has aired so far. It’s presented by five incredible contributors, who had to overcome their own challenges in life.

Vicki Fourie is a former Miss Deaf South Africa and Miss Deaf International 1st Princess. She has 97% hearing loss, but learnt from an early age to speak like a hearing person and also excels in lip-reading. Currently, she is a motivational speaker.

Letlhgonolo Mafela, who was born without arms, recently graduated from the North-West University with a B.Com degree. He uses his feet and mouth to write, work on a computer and eat.

Vernon Barnard, who made it to the final round of M-Net’s The Voice SA competition, was born with glaucoma and is now totally blind after 16 eye operations to try and save his sight. He was signed with Universal Music after competing in The Voice.

Irene Fischer, former presenter on OFM, survived a horrific car crash that left her a hemiplegic with a slight speech impediment. She has since dedicated her life to creating awareness and understanding of brain injuries and brain damage.

Finally, Terry-Ann Adams grew up the only albino in her family, her school and community. Today she is a model, radio presenter, disability rights activist, motivational speaker and content producer.

Tune in to Own It on Thursdays at 19h35 on OFM Nights to hear more of these inspirational stories.