Growing up in Kanana, Itumeleng Moshidi always dreamed of making a difference. Today, at just 18, she’s doing exactly that, bringing home the Mr and Miss Rovers Ambassador crown, and using the platform to give back to the same community that raised her.

The confident young model is making a name for herself as the current ambassador of the Mr and Miss Rovers pageant; a role she says is about more than glamour and crowns.

“I think my passion for community service and representing my culture made me stand out. I’ve been involved in various initiatives, like donating to homes, organising food drives, and running youth empowerment programmes.”

Read more: International Miss South Africa crowns queens in Midrand

The Midrand High School learner balances her studies with a growing modelling career, which she takes as seriously as her academics.

Preparing for the annual pageant, she said, was no small task. “I worked a lot on building my confidence, practising my walk and poses, and learning more about current issues in South Africa. I also met with past winners and ambassadors to get their advice on how to handle the role.”

Itumeleng’s journey into modelling began back in 2019, inspired by her older sister, who was also involved in pageantry. “I was scouted by one of the pageant founders in my community.

From there, I asked my sister to guide me through the modelling life. I loved how modelling let me express myself creatively and meet new people.”

Although she started young, Itumeleng only began taking modelling seriously in 2022. Since then, her growth has been remarkable. Her biggest role model is Zozibini Tunzi, South African beauty queen and Miss Universe 2019. “Zozibini showed us that true beauty comes from confidence and using your voice for good.”

As the Mr and Miss Rovers Ambassador, Itumeleng plans to use her platform to advocate for youth empowerment, education, and mental health awareness.

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“I want to talk about real issues affecting young people, like job creation and access to education. I also plan to host workshops on confidence and modelling basics for aspiring models in my community.”

Her message to the youth is heartfelt and grounded in her own experience. “Stay true to yourself, work hard, and use any platform you get to help others. Modelling is about more than looks; it’s about personality and heart.”

Looking to the future, Itumeleng envisions herself expanding her modelling career, exploring acting, and eventually founding a youth empowerment organisation.

“I want to inspire others the way I was inspired. I’m so grateful to my family, friends, schoolmates, and everyone in my township for always cheering me on.”

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