Fourways resident shines at the Mrs Commonwealth SA pageant
FOURWAYS – After an exciting journey through this year's Mrs Commonwealth South Africa pageant, Fourways resident Luella Naidoo will continue to make a difference in the lives of other.
Luella Naidoo is already an amazing woman – mother of two, wife of nearly 19 years and business founder – but that did not stop her from facing the challenge of something new.
The Fourways resident and business owner has just finished her journey in the Mrs Commonwealth South Africa 2018 pageant, a contest for women aged between 25 and 57 years old which is less concerned with beauty and more concerned with giving back to the community.
After a challenging but fulfilling seven-month adventure, Naidoo was one of the top five finalists invited to take part in the finale hosted at Gold Reef City on 12 October, where she received three awards on the night and came third overall.
“I won the Business Person of the Year award, the charity award and the public vote,” explained Naidoo.
“The first one was awarded for strategic marketing during Mrs Commonwealth and for gaining sponsors. The second was because I raised R71 000 [during my time as a finalist] from three events which I organised. The public vote award I received because of my social media presence and because people voted for me.
“I decided to enter Mrs Commonwealth because I had seen what it stands for – it’s different from other pageants in that it’s not about how you look, but rather how big your heart is and how far your hands can spread. It’s a way of empowering others, which is also a way to empower yourself.”
Now that the pageant is over, you might think that Naidoo would be slowing down, but that is not the case. She is already working towards her next goal – creating a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which focuses on providing financial support and empowerment for those with disabilities.
“My recruitment company, Jezriel Craig Holdings, focuses on differently abled employees already. What I want to do with the Jezriel Craig Foundation is to provide funds for people who are not on medical aid to cover treatments such a physiotherapy and hydrotherapy because the costs are enormous.”
Naidoo hopes to have her NGO up and running by June next year.
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