While the University of the Western Cape prepares for its Autumn Graduation, Farina Wilkinson has penned a heartfelt letter to her daughter Carla who is graduating with a Master’s in Public Administration.

Farina said while her daughter was born deaf, she has never been hindered by the obstacles this presented. Her own love story with Carla’s dad is an endearing one, when in the 80s the couple had to navigate the apartheid Immorality Act and eloped to what was then Bophuthatswana to tie the knot. Farina was classified as Indian, and Vic classified as white by the apartheid state. They settled down in Cape Town and his passion for music was a feature of their marriage. When Carla was born, her dad soon had to accept that his little girl might never hear his melodies or his music. Despite her hearing impediment, today Carla plays the piano after her dad taught her. Sadly Vic has passed away, but Farina will be there on Graduation Day and this remarkable story of a family bound by love, music and academic excellence continues.

Carla and Farina Wilkinson at her graduation.

Farina Wilkinson writes:

I am filled with immense pride as a mother, eager to share the remarkable journey of my daughter, Carla Wilkinson. Born deaf with a profound hearing loss of 98%, specialists advised sending her away to a special school in Worcester for deaf learners. But I steadfastly refused. Instead, my late husband and I worked tirelessly with her at home until she was accepted at the Carel du Toit Centre in Parow –  a miraculous place where the deaf learn to speak from age three to eight.

Despite numerous challenges, my Carla persevered and moved to mainstream school. She attended Holy Cross Sisters Primary and Settlers High School. She then pursued her B.Admin degree at the University of the Western Cape, where she then went on to complete her honours and now she is graduating with a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA). She has been accepted to complete her PhD and I cannot even imagine putting my joy into words. 

Navigating the world as a deaf person presented immense difficulties. Carla's special hearing aid helped, but the embarrassment of pinning it on each teacher led her to stop using it. Despite setbacks, she mastered lip-reading, achieving remarkable progress from a deaf and mute child to a confident adult with 70% hearing capacity.

Now employed with the Western Cape government, Carla's journey from a loner to a people’s person is astounding. Despite personal tragedies, losing her only sister and husband to COVID-19 in 2021, she completed her Master's degree amid immense trauma. Her strength knows no bounds; she loves serving her community and serves as an inspiration to many.

Congratulations, my dear daughter. Your resilience fills me with hope, inspiring others never to surrender. Your story is a beacon of perseverance, urging everyone to seize the world with unwavering determination.

The Autumn Graduation at the University of the Western Cape is from Monday 15 April till Monday 22 April.