Fanele Nkonyane
Introduction: Fanele Nkonyane – A Woman of Many Hats
An Occupational Therapist (OT)
I am an Occupational Therapist in civil service. I am experienced in assessment, diagnosis, program development, and treatment of conditions interfering with a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living due to illness, injury, disability, emotional, and environmental problems. I am skilled in physical & mental health, vocational rehabilitation, medico-legal assessments and report writing, wellness programs, group therapy, paediatrics, school and community health. I make highly informed care recommendations based on review of the client’s health status, roles, values, home, and work/school environment. I hold a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Hons), a Masters of Occupational Therapy, and I am currently pursuing my PhD in Occupational Therapy from the University of KwaZulu- Natal.
A Health & Wellness Coach
I have a diploma in coaching psychology from EL-ROI London University. My health and wellness coaching focuses on practices that promote health and well-being. The wellbeing activities include mindfulness, movement & exercise, prayer & meditation, positive affirmations, journaling, reading, relaxation, breath-work, socializing and charity.
I am the founder of Your_Fitness_Buddy, a program that provides coaching, support, and custom-designed fitness for individuals that desire to develop the habit of exercising and challenging themselves to be physically fit.
I am invested in practices that expand a person’s perspective and quality of life. My future prospects include being a certified parent coach so I can help parents become secure in their parenting in order to raise emotionally healthy children.
A Mentor
I mentor newly qualified OT practitioners. This is my way of ‘paying it forward’. When I was newly qualified, my employer Médecins Sans Frontières, assigned me a mentor. Her name was Sandra, an OT in private practice. She helped identify skill gaps and provided guidance on improvement. She also helped me set goals and evaluate my progress. Her intervention helped me build confidence and competence in my practice.
At the commencement of my journey in civil service, Lungile Mathabela became my mentor. She provided guidance, support, and networking opportunities. Her continuous support and sharing of valuable insight have been a catalyst in my professional growth.
I enjoy my role as a mentor. I always look forward to the brainstorming sessions with my mentees. One of my duties is to be a sounding board for their ideas. I provide support and encouragement especially during challenging times. I transfer knowledge and skill so that they expand their area of expertise. I ensure that they have access to information and alert them of opportunities. I also see to it that they are connected to support networks.
A Neurodiversity Advocate
In my clinical practice, most of my paediatric clients are those diagnosed with conditions including autism, ADHD, learning disability, dyslexia and epilepsy. A non-medical term often used to describe these children is neurodivergent. This means that they learn, communicate, and socialize and experience the world differently when compared to typically developing children. Becoming a parent to an autistic child has fuelled my passion in advocating for dignity, acceptance and social inclusion of neurodivergent people.
In 2023, I published my research article in the journal of child and adolescent mental health titled ‘Challenges and Coping Strategies of Parents of Autistic Children in Eswatini’. Navigating support systems in the health and education system was highlighted. Collaborating with Autism Eswatini has helped me best advocate for identifying and utilising support services such as therapy, medication, and accommodations in education programs.
Being a facilitator in the parents of neurodivergent children support groups has given me a platform to encourage parents to advocate for their children’s needs in a variety of settings.
In my therapy sessions, I help children understand their diagnosis and their support needs so that they also learn to self- advocate and develop a sense of autonomy.
What or who motivated you to go into this line of work?
The Lord Orchestrated My Steps
I can best answer this question by mentioning one of my all-time favourite scriptures:
‘For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared for beforehand, that we should walk in them’. – Ephesians 2:10
I believe that I am called and chosen for this line of work. God is in every detail in my journey to becoming a dynamic OT. I now realize that my future career ambitions as a child were informed by God’s plan for my life. I wanted to be so many things concurrently and to others it seemed bizarre. I dreamed of becoming a preacher, a doctor, an actress, a musician, an animal psychologist, and a massage therapist. In matric, I wanted to be a physiotherapist. At some point, I considered being a lawyer. I was limitless in my thinking as a child. God also equipped me with unique gifts, talents, a strong personality, and potential to thrive in this field.
Occupational therapy is a union of art and science. An occupational therapy practitioner is limitless and wears many hats. The field is so diverse, one can explore his or her passion, find a niche and specialise in that area OR just continue as a general practitioner. I was just a child but my spirit knew that it was possible to live my dreams all at once. I am convinced that being in this field is aligned with my life purpose.
Starting Anew
I decided to do matric in South Africa. Two weeks into matric, I realised that I was not coping. I approached the school principal and requested to downgrade to grade 11. She was impressed by my courage and self-awareness. She contacted my parents and they agreed. I am grateful for my parents and the school’s effort to support me. Starting anew to build a strong foundation for my dreams was one of the best life altering decisions I made as a young woman. I performed well in Grade 11 and matric.
Taking a Gap Year
After matric, I decided to take a gap year to ponder on the career path I would take. I volunteered at RFM hospital where my mother worked as a pharmacy technician. I would help with pill counts and packaging of medication for patients. That is where I developed good work habits. I also shadowed a physiotherapist for months. That is where my passion for rehabilitation emerged. I also used the time to learn basic computer skills for a few weeks at Gwamile Voctim. I served diligently in my local church. I was involved in acts of service and community. Involvement in my local church matured me. I developed my passion to teach, nurture and mentor others from those experiences. I believe that the Holy Spirit also quickened mature believers to encourage the gifts and potential I possessed.
My Destiny Connector
I applied for a Bachelor of physiotherapy at UKZN through the Central Application Office but I never received any correspondence. When checking the status of my application online, it kept saying ‘pending’. A medical student named Nonhlanhla advised me to go there in person.
When we arrived at the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, we were also told it was full. They provided the Science Foundation Program which was a bridging course. Nonhlanhla advised me to go for it. She said ‘in university once you are in, you are in.’ I discovered over time that she was right. I will forever be grateful for Nonhlanhla. She introduced me to other Swazis and also oriented me to other UKZN campuses. She took care of me, showed me where to take taxis to different places in Durban.
Transitioning to University Life
I thought living in a university residence would be more like boarding school. I was wrong. University life is different. You need to be independent, responsible and adult. The Science Foundation Program was a breeze, I did well. I achieved an A in chemistry. Physiotherapy regretted my application. I was accepted into BSC majoring in chemistry. As time progressed, I felt stuck in a field I had no interest in. Going to the lab for practicals was a nightmare. My friends would get excited about chemical reactions and I would be extremely bored. I was miserable. My academic performance declined. I failed chemistry and maths during my second year. I decided that I wanted out.
I would frequent the TV room where health science students used to unwind. Physios and OT students wore uniform. I started doing my research and discovered that OT is where I needed to be.
What Got Me Sold on OT
I was impressed by how the department of occupational therapy conducted their entry interviews. It was the first interview of my life where I was offered a variety of beverages. They were hospitable. I was provided with the option to do the interview in my own language or mix English and Siswati. I realised that they never wanted anyone to be disadvantaged by a language barrier. Candidates were given preparation time. There were prompts on the questionnaire given. The panel was interested in my context, interests, values, ambition and life journey. I even discussed my heartbreak experience in that interview. I was given feedback on what they liked about me and areas of improvement. That was a preview of what occupational therapy was about and I loved it. I was inspired to be as accommodating of others in my journey.
I also enjoyed my classes. Sometimes we had lectures in the park or botanical gardens. There were lectures where we learnt how to use poetry, music and dance in therapy sessions. I have found this useful when working in adolescent mental health. We would have picnics as a class, go clubbing together, go to restaurants together and have fun. We were a diverse group comprising black, white and Indian students. We were from different cultures, religions and economic status. We respected and held each other in high regard. We were close and we still continue to celebrate and support each other post-varsity. I learnt from my classmates to embrace and celebrate differences.
Strategies that have helped me grow in my career?
- Investing in personal and professional development. I have a 3-year plan for my personal and professional development. I always write my vision down and create a vision board. It helps to visualize my goals. I also invest in continuous professional development. I attend seminars, conferences, workshops and increase my post-grad qualifications.
- I learn from others. I get excited when collaborating with other professionals. I am not afraid to reach out and ask for help. I also learn from my clients. I perceive my clients and families as resourceful people. They have a repertoire of skills developed over time that I can also use in my daily practice. Social media is also a powerful tool when learning about current practices and trends.
- I foster strong social connections and strengthen support networks locally and internationally.
- I replenish my cup by establishing healthy routines and practices that promote well-being and balance. I thrive for a work-life balance.
- I celebrate milestones and develop an attitude of gratitude for my achievements.
What has been your greatest challenge?
Imposter Syndrome
I often feel that I am not qualified enough to do the work that God has birthed in my heart. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with feelings that I do not belong in certain spaces. I realise that when I care deeply about a project, the more intense the negative feelings. Every time I elevate in my career, the imposter syndrome creeps in to plant seeds of doubt. Navigating a challenging work environment exacerbates the doubt and feelings of inadequacy. It has helped me to have a godly psychotherapist who is supportive and affirming. My therapist has helped me see the imposter syndrome as part of the growth process. It has also helped me to be part of the Women Working Together Initiative where I see the women that I admire and draw inspiration from them as I go through episodes of self-doubt and overcome.
My wish for young people in Eswatini?
- Is that they realize that achieving dreams in life has a spiritual assignment. We are born to fulfil a purpose. Oftentimes, our purpose involves serving others. Sometimes it takes a while to realize what God’s purpose is for our lives. Sometimes we need to go through character building seasons for our destiny to be gradually revealed to us. An intimate relationship with God is the ultimate source of all. He gives us the strength to overcome our limitations and background.
- It is important they surround themselves with good company that will affirm who God says they are. There will be many voices whispering on who you should be and shouldn’t be. It is important to discern what to take as inspiration and what to ignore. It is imperative that they constantly question if the company they keep is taking them to a place worth going to.
- The solutions Africa needs are in Africa. The solutions our country needs are in our hands. It is important that we have a heart for our people. We are knowledgeable, we have skills and we are competent to heal our land one step at a time. We have witnessed recently that no one is coming to save us, we are our own heroes and heroines.
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