A Different Way of Seeing

Hosted by Lois Strachan

Business Society CultureInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

151

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Conversations on opportunities, challenges and lived experiences to foster understanding between disabled and non-disabled communities. Insights into the tools and techniques used by people with disabilities navigating the worlds of work, education, travel, sport, the arts and leisure. Because while we may be disabled we will never be disempowered.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

March 3, 202644 min

146 - Erica du Toit on Loop Systems and Assistive Technology for the Hearing Loss Community

In this episode, Lois Chats with Erica du Toit on the topic of loop systems and other assistive technology for those living with hearing loss Having worked in the advocacy space for 30 years, Erica has a broad knowledge of tools and techniques that can assist those with hearing impairments and the people around them. Reach out to Erica at the following links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-du-toit-13831370/ Western Cape APD Tel: 021 555-2881 Email: awareness@wcapd.org.za Website: https://wcapd.org.za/ National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) Email: erica@ncpd.org.za Website: www.ncpd.org.za Western Cape Network on Disability Email: info@wcdisability.org.za Website: www.wcdisability.org.za Image Description: A woman with short dark hair wearing a long-sleeved black top. Shehas a pendent around her neck with a circular pendent with a design on it. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

February 24, 202650 min

145 - Paws on the Path - Hiking the Pondo Trail with Angela Blackwell and Guide Dog Jaydee

Today I chat with Angela Blackwell, the first blind person to hike the Pondo Trail in South Africa with her guide dog, Jaydee. Angela discusses how Jaydee helped her regain her confidence and independence after her diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa resulted in significant loss of visual acuity. Hiking the Pondo Trail, a four day hike on the East coast of South Africa became a challenge that Angela set for herself as a way of raising awareness that blindness does not mean living small. She is also using the project as a fund-raiser for the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind. Follow Ange and Jaydees experience on the show and connect with them online: Instagram: @Angel on the Blindside. Please also support their fundraising at https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/paws-on-the-path Image Description: A woman sitting on a large piece of driftwood on a sandy riverbank beside a white dog. The woman has short brown hair and light skin, and she is wearing a light gray T-shirt and denim shorts, barefoot, resting her chin on her hand and facing to the right with a calm, thoughtful expression. The dog is sitting close to her left side, wearing a collar, and also facing to the right. A wide, calm river stretches behind them, with green, tree-covered hills on both sides and a pale sky with light clouds. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

February 10, 20269 min

144 - Finding New Guests for A Different Way of Seeing with Lois Strachan

In my first ever solo episode, and possibly my shortest, I’m inviting you to reach out if you, or someone you know would be a great guest for the show. In the episode, I talk about the types of stories I like to share, and tell you how to contact me if you, your organization, or someone you know might be a good person for me to interview. Reach out to me on my website loisstrachan.com Or drop a comment on Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube if that’s where you found this invitation. Together let’s continue sharing stories that matter Image Description: A smiling woman with short dark hair who is wearing a teal blue and silver top. Behind her are light wooden shelves containing objects such as glassware, books, DVDs and a small model of a ship. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

January 27, 202650 min

143 - Reframing Disability as a Competitive Advantage with Simalumba Nawa

In this episode, Lois speaks with Simalumba Nawa on the business case for increased inclusion in business. This wide-ranging conversation covers Sima’s story of becoming visually impaired, gaining blindness skills, how he began his work as an inclusion advocate, and some of the work he has done in this space. Sima also discusses his work with corporates in Africa demonstrating the value of increasing inclusion not only in employment, but in all facets of their business and offerings. Reach out to Sima Nawa: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simaragnar.nawa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simalumba-nawa-/ Dear Sighted People Blog: https://dearsightedpeople.wordpress.com/: Watch Sima’s TEDx speech: https://youtu.be/xwiGmrs8chE?si=2SOyQ3hG1k_fPN50 Image Description: A man with a goatee standing against a white background. He is wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and has a brown and white animal print over his shoulder. One hand rests on his hip and the other holds the handle of a white cane. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

January 13, 202657 min

142 - Job Talk: Karen Armour on Recruitment and Employment for Persons with Disabilities

In this episode, Lois speaks with recruitment agent Karen Armour on the topic of employment for persons with disabilities. During the conversation, they explore the role of a recruiter in advocating for job seekers with disabilities, the importance of a CV to showcase your skills, and thoughts on approaching interviews. This is an episode that is filled with practical details on how to set up your CV to sell your skills, ways to prepare for an interview and how to find a recruiter who will best represent the needs of a job seeker with a disability. Reach out to Karen Armour: e-mail: karen@isisekelo.co.za Mobile: +27 (0)74 153 0992 Website: www.isisekelo.co.za LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-armour-645ba221?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Image Description: A woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair who is smiling gently at the camera. She is wearing a royal blue coat over a dark blouse and gray pants, and her hands are resting on her knee. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

December 23, 202539 min

141 - Dr Erna van der Westhuizen on the Concept of Voice Economy to Benefit Marginalised Groups

In this episode, Lois speaks with Dr Erna van der Westhuizen about the concept of voice economy as a way for marginalized groups, including those with disabilities, to empower and advocate for themselves. Erna developed the concept of voice economy after leading an advocacy project to explore the out of pocket expenses experienced by parents of children with disabilities. When she initially struggled to get the information she needed for the project, she started a WhatsApp group to communicate with community leaders who began adding parents and other stakeholders to the group. Within a short time it had grown to more than 3000 participants sharing their lived experiences and knowledge to benefit others in the community. Erna defines voice economy as a system of expression and an exchange of individual and collective voices to generate shared value that drives social transformation and change Discover more about voice economy at Website: www.voiceeconomy.org Read Erna’s latest article at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12587122/ Image Description: A woman with short hair wearing a red academic gown.. She is dressed in a black and white patterned shirt and has on a pair of spectacles and a chunky Necklace of red and black. The image is taken outdoors with trees and mountains in the background. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

December 9, 202555 min

140 - Dr Julie Siemers on Patient Safety During Medical Interventions

In this episode, Lois speaks with Dr Julie Siemers, a specialist in patient safety. So often we hear of patients with disabilities who experience poor communication from medical professionals when undergoing treatments. While talking with Dr Julie, I learned that this form of medical gaslighting is not limited to our community, but may happen generally. Julie lists various factors that may result in patient harm, both from the side of the patient and the medical professionals. She also suggests ways in which patients can protect themselves from potentially dangerous medical situations. This is a valuable episode for anyone undergoing medical care to ensure their health and safety. Discover more about Dr Julie at Website: https://drjuliesiemers.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbWkt2P7SKI Get hold of her book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKRWPV8P Image Description: A woman with long, wavy brown hair smiles warmly at the camera. She is wearing a blue and white jacket over a tan blouse and gold hoop earrings. I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Website : loisstrachan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

November 25, 202551 min

139 - My Journey with Chronic Kidney Disease – From Dialysis to Hope

With November being disability awareness month in South Africa and 14 November being the annual day dedicated to recognising those living with diabetes, it seemed an appropriate time to publish this interview. In this special two-part episode, I unpack my journey with chronic kidney disease in conversation with Jeremy Opperman. In episode 138, we discuss my diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes when I was six years old and trace the impact of diabetes on my life, resulting in my blindness at the age of 21. We then turn to my subsequent discovery that I was experiencing chronic kidney disease and track the steps that led to my starting on dialysis in January 2025. In episode 139 we explore how I’ve adapted to dialysis as a blind woman, trying to offer insights into some of the medical realities. Finally, we discuss what the future holds as I start to discover more about a possible kidney transplant. *Note: this conversation was recorded a few months ago and much has changed since then. I now have a kidney donor and am working my way through the process of preparing for the transplant. Correction: , at one point I refer to the AV graft as an artificial vascular graft. The correct term is arteriovenous Graft, which connects an artery with a vein allowing access for the dialysis to take place. Image Description: A stylised graphic of a woman with a ponytail walking with a white cane, next to an icon of an eye with curved lines suggesting vision or awareness. Below the graphic is the text:A Different Way of Seeing with Lois Strachan I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Web: https://www.loisstrachan.com/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.

November 11, 202544 min

138 - My Journey with Chronic Kidney Disease – From Diabetes to Dialysis

October 28, 202540 min

137 - A Conversation with Coach Jack on Growing Blind Football in South Africa

In today’s episode, Lois chats with Mlimbisi Msibi (also known as Coach Jack) from Corinthians Africa, a youth empowerment organisation in Gauteng, South Africa. Amongst the programmes they offer youth, Corinthians Africa have started an active blind football team. For his work empowering both youth with and without disabilities, Mlimbisi Msibi was the recipient of a Young Mandela Award in 2025. During the conversation, Coach Jack shares the story of how Corinthians Africa came to be, and how the blind football initiative became part of their offerings. He also discusses his goal of growing the movement to allow greater numbers of blind youth to participate in blind football through the establishment of a blind soccer league in South Africa. Apologies for the minor technical difficulties experienced during this interview – sometimes that is just the way it goes! Learn more about Coach Jack and Corinthians Africa at: e-mail: Jack@corinthians.africa Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedIn and Facebook: Corinthians Africa. Coach Jack Personal: Tiktok: Coach Jack 48 LinkedIn: Mlungisi Jack Msibi Watch this short YouTube video about the story: https://youtu.be/59vFx9mr8kc?si=X63Eu_JEW3a2yb-S Image description: I’d love to hear from you – contact me at Web: https://www.loisstrachan.com/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lstrachan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker This episode edited by Craig Strachan using Hindenburg PRO – find out more on Hindenburg.com Credits and music by Charlie Dyasi.