Working on Fire (WOF) participant Mmeli Manyisa from Pienaar in Mpumalanga celebrated four years in the WOF programme recently and shared his journey with WOFire News.

“I joined WOF in 2012 after my dream of studying further was left stranded due to financial constraints,” says Manyisa, who is thirty years old.

Manyisa says that although he had only hoped to work for WOF for a short period, being a participant in the programme has provided him with “opportunities money cannot buy”. “I was once deployed to the Kruger National Park where I had an opportunity to learn about different animals and to experience the beauty of nature,” he says. “WOF has also contributed to my personal development because of the principles of discipline, health and fitness they instill in us.”

During his time at WOF, Manyisa was also trained as a chainsaw operator. He looks ahead to the future with confidence. “This year I am planning to save up enough money so I can do a driver’s licence,” he says.