Jindela out to help community in journey of Mrs Africa pageant
EAST London beauty Yonela Jindela has made it to the top 16 of the Mrs Africa 2017 title.
The Mrs Africa pageant was launched in 2006 by Carolyn BaldwinBotha from Pageants SA and Janet Potgieter.
The aim of the pageant is to create a platform in which the unique qualities of African women can be showcased to the world.
The participating countries include Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Kenya, Swaziland and Mauritius. South Africa will host the grand finale later this year.
All finalists are required to raise funds for Dignity Dream, a non-profit organisation that distributes washable feminine sanitary wear to underprivileged girls and women.
Jindela said she would be heading to Johannesburg next week for the official announcement of the top 16 Mrs Africa finalist.
The finalists were first announced on the Mrs Africa Facebook page last Friday.
This is not the first time Jindela has done exceptionally well in a pageant.
Last year she was one of the semifinalists for Mrs South Africa.
“Last year was the first time I had entered a pageant and I didn’t know what was expected of me.
“I’ve learned so much from that journey, even though it did not end well for me,” she said.
She said she decided to enter Mrs Africa this year in order to get an opportunity to make a difference in her community.
“This pageant is not about me standing on the stage and looking beautiful, it goes beyond that. You must be a person who is about helping and bringing relief to disadvantaged communities,” she said.
Jindela said she has chosen two schools in Port St Johns that she would be working closely with throughout her journey on the Mrs Africa pageant.
This Father’s Day, Jindela said she would be hosting a special event for fathers at Frere Hospital.
“I am passionate about helping people and changing lives and I believe Mrs Africa will give me an opportunity to do that and more,” she said, adding that she would be hosting a fun run in August this year.
“The fun run will be for raising funds for the two schools that I’ve identified in Port St Johns. We will be helping the girls get the Dignity Dreams washable sanitary towels,” she said. —