Changemaker Ontshiametse Morare is proving that difference can be a strength as she empowers people with disabilities and encourages youth to step up and shape a more inclusive future
Ontshiametse Morare has spent her entire life in Alberton, where she was raised in the suburb of Brackendowns. Her upbringing has shaped the compassionate and determined young woman she is today.
Ontshiametse is the proud founder of Abilities United organisation, an NPO that focuses on promoting disability inclusion, advancing social justice and uplifting communities through philanthropy and charitable initiatives. But her journey into advocacy began long before the organisation existed.
At the age of 12, Ontshiametse was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition that causes an abnormal curvature of the spine. In severe cases, the condition can be considered a disability. While her case was milder, it still required her to wear a corrective brace.
‘Going to school during that time was not easy. I’d face a lot of criticism and bullying and stares. I also did not know anyone else living with the condition so the experience left a deep impression on me,’ she recalls. ‘That whole experience gave me a deeper understanding and compassion for how people who appear differently from society’s norms are treated.’
From that moment of hardship came the seed of something powerful, the idea that would later become her organisation.
Turning pain into purpose
Abilities United was created to address the inequalities faced by people living with disabilities. Ontshiametse says research consistently shows that people with disabilities often experience greater financial hardship because of limited access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities.
For Ontshiametse, this reality highlights the urgent need for change.
‘The main problem I’m hoping to solve through this non-profit organisation is the inequalities faced by people with disabilities,’ she explains.
Through Abilities United, she is working to build a more inclusive society by ensuring underprivileged people with disabilities have access to opportunities and resources regardless of their physical limitations or appearance.
The organisation has already hosted five impactful charitable initiatives across Johannesburg and Pretoria, aimed at supporting and uplifting people with disabilities.
‘These initiatives ensure that people with disabilities feel seen, valued and included in our society,’ she says.
Using the pageant stage for change
In addition to running her non-profit organisation, Ontshiametse is also a finalist in Miss Gauteng 2025.
Rather than seeing pageantry and activism as separate pursuits, she views the competition as a powerful platform to amplify her mission.
‘The reason I entered the pageant was just to amplify the work I do for my non-profit organisation,’ she explains. The visibility that comes with the competition allows her to bring attention to disability inclusion and the work of Abilities United. ‘I want to gain visibility and traction for a cause that really matters deeply to my heart.’
Her pageant journey has also pushed her beyond her comfort zone.
‘The journey so far has been one of growth,’ she says. ‘I’ve learned so many things and it’s required me to step out of my comfort zone a lot, but it’s transformed me for the positive.’
Balancing pageant responsibilities and community work may seem demanding, but Ontshiametse approaches both with the same purpose.
‘I always try to make sure everything I do links to the core mission of Abilities United, that way it doesn’t feel like I’m doing two separate things.’
Wherever she appears as a finalist, she speaks about her advocacy and her work in disability inclusion.
Life beyond advocacy
When she is not preparing for pageant events or working on community initiatives, Ontshiametse enjoys quiet moments focused on personal growth. ‘My downtime a lot of the time looks like reading,’ she shares. She enjoys self-improvement books and is always searching for ways to better herself and positively impact those around her.
Her interests also reach far beyond books. Ontshiametse is also a part-time student pilot. ‘My downtime also looks like flying and studying,’ she says.
Her decision to pursue aviation is closely linked to her long-term vision.
‘The reason I chose aviation is because I believe it will give me the opportunity to explore different countries and learn more about different areas in the world.’
Through travel and global exposure, she hopes to expand the reach of her advocacy beyond South Africa. ‘I believe aviation will give me the global exposure to make sure my impact doesn’t just stay national but eventually reaches an international level.’
Challenges along the way
Like many non-profit organisations, Abilities United faces ongoing challenges, particularly when it comes to funding. Despite the difficulty, she remains determined. ‘I try my best by making sure I put the work in so eventually funders and sponsors will see that my work is worth investing in.’
However, among the many experiences she has had through her work, the most meaningful moments come from the people she helps. ‘The most rewarding moment is seeing the joy of people on the receiving end of my work,’ she says. Hearing directly from individuals whose lives have been touched by her initiatives reminds her why she started. ‘Having them come up to me and tell me how my work is impacting them and making them feel included and seen – that has been the most rewarding.’
Inspired by change makers
Ontshiametse draws inspiration from people who turn hardship into something meaningful. ‘Anyone who is able to turn hardship into purpose and something great inspires me,’ she says. One person she particularly admires is Judith Heumann, an American disability rights activist, known as the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement.
She admires Heumann’s ability to use her voice to influence political change and push for disability equality. ‘Just how she’s been able to use her voice to drive political change and disability equality is something I find very aspirational.’
As a young woman representing her hometown of Alberton and Johannesburg South on a provincial stage, Ontshiametse hopes her story will inspire others to take action.
‘I think my message to anyone younger than me is: be the change that you want to see,’ she says.
Too often, people wait for someone else to start the change they dream about. ‘Sometimes it has to start with you. You have to have the courage to take action.’
She believes passion matters far more than age or background. Her second message is about embracing individuality. ‘The very thing that makes you different is the very thing that makes you special.’ Rather than hiding their differences, she encourages young people to celebrate them. ‘Learn to embrace it, learn to love it, be confident about it and show people that being different is beautiful.’
Rethinking disability inclusion
If she could change one thing about society’s approach to disability, Ontshiametse says it would be how people perceive it. ‘I would want people to stop seeing disabilities as something pitiful or sad,’ she says.
People living with disabilities do not need pity, they need opportunity and inclusion.
She believes workplaces in particular must become more inclusive by hiring more people with disabilities and creating equal opportunities. ‘People should see them as a person and not just for their physical limitations.’
Looking ahead, Ontshiametse has big dreams for Abilities United and the impact it can have across communities. She hopes to expand the organisation’s reach through partnerships with like-minded organisations while launching skills development programmes that empower people with disabilities to become more independent.
Her vision also includes distributing mobility and assistive devices to individuals who cannot afford them, ensuring that more people have access to the support they need. Ultimately, her goal is to create a society where people with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and are not left behind.
For Ontshiametse, difference is not something to hide, but something to build upon, and through courage, compassion and purpose, she continues to prove that one determined young voice can inspire meaningful change.
