University of the Western Cape (UWC) alumna Yumnah Jones has refused to let barriers define her life, despite growing up with multiple disabilities in a society that demands resilience and self-advocacy, Instead, she has carved a path of self-discovery, endeavoured to stay strong despite the mainstream challenges, and pushed for her ambitions, which recently culminated in the publication of her debut novella, She Who Dreams.
“Being born with two disabilities has forced me to step out of my shell to navigate the world more effectively through communicating my needs, because I have learnt that society is not always aware of my challenges,” she said.
“Living with a disability is hard, especially when it comes to the availability of opportunities, as persons with disabilities require reasonable accommodation to assimilate to mainstream society. However, in most instances, such reasonable accommodation is not provided for to integrate successfully, but I have learnt to create my own opportunities, regardless of these challenges.”
Despite living with both a visual and hearing impairment while struggling with the socio-economic challenges of growing up in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, Jones managed to pursue her education, part-time, and completed both her second qualification, a BA degree in 2013 with majors in Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology, and her fourth qualification, a Master’s degree in Sociology in 2022, at UWC.
Writing She Who Dreams was a profoundly transformative experience for Jones, she said, who described it as “purpose writing”. The novella, which follows a young woman with a visual impairment on a journey of self-discovery, draws from her spiritual exploration.
“When I wrote it,” she said, “it felt like I was being guided. Holding the finished book in my hands was a surreal moment, knowing it stemmed from a vision and a conversation with a friend.”
Her passion for storytelling goes beyond entertainment.
“Storytelling cultivates a sense of humanity and awareness. It allows readers to experience life from another perspective, fostering empathy," she said.
Through her protagonist's encounter with characters in the spiritual realm, readers are invited to reflect on the themes of alignment, purpose and self-awareness.
“These characters remind us to embrace simplicity, to stay present and to acknowledge the centre of our existence. Without it, we stray from our God-given gifts and abilities, losing sight of our purpose,” she said.
"I hope readers walk away inspired to align to their higher selves and to make meaningful contributions to humanity.”
While she juggled a full-time job in financial administration at the Western Cape Government, her creative aspirations were still ongoing. She has been working on expanding Journeys of Her, a storytelling project highlighting socially impactful African women across the continent.
“I believe in the power of sharing stories that matter. I want people to see that their lives have significance and that they are equipped with unique gifts to serve humanity.”
Her future plans include writing children's books, more novellas, and eventually novels.
“God willing,” she says, “I will continue to use storytelling as a tool to empower and uplift others.”
For those faced with their own challenges, Jones has a powerful message to share: “You are who you tell yourself - every single day. Challenges may come and go, and they will always present themselves in different forms and shapes throughout your life. But do yourself one favour: never disappoint yourself.
“The world may, and will, disappoint you, but never disappoint yourself. You get to decide if you want to be in the driver’s seat of your own life or in the passenger’s seat of your own life, and to be the driver of your own path, you can only win with a positive mindset.”
“Being born with two disabilities has forced me to step out of my shell to navigate the world more effectively through communicating my needs, because I have learnt that society is not always aware of my challenges,” she said.
“Living with a disability is hard, especially when it comes to the availability of opportunities, as persons with disabilities require reasonable accommodation to assimilate to mainstream society. However, in most instances, such reasonable accommodation is not provided for to integrate successfully, but I have learnt to create my own opportunities, regardless of these challenges.”
Despite living with both a visual and hearing impairment while struggling with the socio-economic challenges of growing up in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, Jones managed to pursue her education, part-time, and completed both her second qualification, a BA degree in 2013 with majors in Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology, and her fourth qualification, a Master’s degree in Sociology in 2022, at UWC.
Writing She Who Dreams was a profoundly transformative experience for Jones, she said, who described it as “purpose writing”. The novella, which follows a young woman with a visual impairment on a journey of self-discovery, draws from her spiritual exploration.
“When I wrote it,” she said, “it felt like I was being guided. Holding the finished book in my hands was a surreal moment, knowing it stemmed from a vision and a conversation with a friend.”
Her passion for storytelling goes beyond entertainment.
“Storytelling cultivates a sense of humanity and awareness. It allows readers to experience life from another perspective, fostering empathy," she said.
Through her protagonist's encounter with characters in the spiritual realm, readers are invited to reflect on the themes of alignment, purpose and self-awareness.
“These characters remind us to embrace simplicity, to stay present and to acknowledge the centre of our existence. Without it, we stray from our God-given gifts and abilities, losing sight of our purpose,” she said.
"I hope readers walk away inspired to align to their higher selves and to make meaningful contributions to humanity.”
While she juggled a full-time job in financial administration at the Western Cape Government, her creative aspirations were still ongoing. She has been working on expanding Journeys of Her, a storytelling project highlighting socially impactful African women across the continent.
“I believe in the power of sharing stories that matter. I want people to see that their lives have significance and that they are equipped with unique gifts to serve humanity.”
Her future plans include writing children's books, more novellas, and eventually novels.
“God willing,” she says, “I will continue to use storytelling as a tool to empower and uplift others.”
For those faced with their own challenges, Jones has a powerful message to share: “You are who you tell yourself - every single day. Challenges may come and go, and they will always present themselves in different forms and shapes throughout your life. But do yourself one favour: never disappoint yourself.
“The world may, and will, disappoint you, but never disappoint yourself. You get to decide if you want to be in the driver’s seat of your own life or in the passenger’s seat of your own life, and to be the driver of your own path, you can only win with a positive mindset.”
