Anli-Zet van der Walt is turning some of the most difficult chapters of her life into a drive to support vulnerable children and women affected by abuse.

Van der Walt currently helps the Lighthouse Baby Shelter and Children’s Home, where she delivers food, baby milk and other donations she receives from community members. She is also preparing to become involved with a feeding scheme in Alexandra, where food will be prepared and distributed to people in need.

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Previously, she was involved with the Parkie Project in Pretoria, which provides food and clothing to homeless people every Sunday. Her next initiative is a Bag of Hope project for children at Christmas, particularly those at Lighthouse.

“Most of the kids from Lighthouse come from domestic violence and abuse, and some were left on the streets as little babies,” she says.

Van der Walt says she hopes to grow her platform so she can become more involved with children who have experienced abuse. Her advocacy connects closely to her own childhood experiences of emotional abuse. “For much of my childhood, I became very good at putting up a facade that everything was perfect. From the outside, everything looked fine, but behind closed doors, my world was falling apart,” she says.

She says her experiences have influenced the message she wants to share with women experiencing abuse. “People who believe them. A voice that’s heard, and not a ‘why don’t you leave?’, but rather a ‘how can I help you leave safely?’.”

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Van der Walt also believes more safe houses are needed for victims who leave abusive situations, alongside a justice system that takes victims seriously.

Her personal journey includes living with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition she was diagnosed with eight years ago. She says she has lost 63kg over the course of her six-year fitness journey, which has included periods of weight loss and regain, including gaining about 30kg during each of her pregnancies.

Van der Walt says the experience taught her to focus on sustainable health rather than simply chasing a number on the scale. “At my leanest, I reached around 55kg for the stage, but I want to be very clear that this was a competition condition. It is not a sustainable everyday weight,” she says.

She now uses her social media platforms, including daily TikTok live sessions, to speak openly about Hashimoto’s and provide a space for people with invisible illnesses to share their experiences. “I wish people understood that just because you can’t see an illness, doesn’t mean someone isn’t struggling,” she says.

Her fitness journey also led her to compete as an International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) Bikini and Fit Model athlete, where she says bodybuilding taught her discipline, consistency and patience.

Van der Walt is now taking that message onto another platform, as a Mrs Universe South Africa top 5 finalist. She says the pageant is an opportunity to amplify the causes that matter to her rather than simply pursue a crown.

For Van der Walt, the ultimate message is one of resilience. “Your diagnosis is not your identity. Your past is not your destiny. What someone did to you does not determine your worth.”

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