You Don’t Have to Change Who You Are to Belong

Episode 37 of ParaPodcast.

When Busisiwe Nkabinde boarded a plane to the UAE, her one-year-old daughter stopped breastfeeding at the airport. She wouldn't see her again for nine months. This is the story of what it really costs to become a paramedic — and what it takes to change the system once you're in it. Busisiwe, an Emergency Care Practitioner, sits down with the ParaPodcast team to talk about leaving her child to build a better life, living hand-to-mouth, fighting a training system she calls "segregation built into the system," and rising to the highest qualification in her field — without ever changing who she is. Raw, funny, and deeply inspiring — this one's for every student, every mother, and every person who was told they didn't belong. ▶ CHAPTERS 0:00 — Cold open 0:49 — Meet Busisiwe Nkabinde 2:58 — Four years in the UAE: saving for a dream 5:59 — The hardest goodbye: leaving her baby 10:05 — Coming home to qualify 14:04 — The first Black female lecturer she ever saw 23:43 — The swimming test that didn't add up 25:39 — "The segregation was built into the system" 33:01 — Equality vs equity in paramedic training 38:36 — Mental health in emergency services 42:06 — Four countries, one profession 48:53 — Being a mother and a paramedic 54:11 — "The world doesn't owe you anything" 57:07 — Black excellence 62:53 — Her message to the next girl in the field 64:53 — Fitness, resilience & mental health 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Busisiwe Nkabinde is an Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) — the highest clinical level in pre-hospital emergency care — and a passionate advocate for equity and representation in EMS. 🎙 ABOUT PARAPODCAST ParaPodcast brings you honest conversations with the people behind emergency medicine. EMS · Inspiring Care spotlights the practitioners who are changing the profession — one story at a time. Hosted by Elias Thomas, Malusi Mtetwa & Thulani Sibanda. 💛 If Busisiwe's story moved you, leave a comment and share it with someone who needs to hear it. ⚠️ Content note: this episode includes discussion of a mass-casualty incident, loss, and mental health in emergency services. #ParaPodcast #EMS #Paramedic #EmergencyMedicine #InspiringCare #WomenInEMS #Paramedicine #SouthAfrica #Healthcare #Representation #Motherhood

For the full conversation, use the player above. The audio version is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and any podcast app via our public feed.