Resilient Jeanri shrugs off mental issues and tragedy to shine

Her journey was not an easy one…
However, Jeanri Boshoff, whose roots are firmly planted in Dundee, showed great perseverance to overcome personal struggles and tragedy to take top honours in the province’s annual Mrs Mpumalanga & MS pageant.
Jeanri says her February win in the coveted Provincial Mpumalanga MS Charity 2022 event ‘has left me honoured and humbled’.
She now aims to inspire others to overcome their mental health struggles and not be afraid to tell their stories.
Jeanri (29) matriculated at Dundee High and went on to study at North West University.
While being a sociable person on the outside, it was while at varsity that Jeanri began struggling with an eating disorder (bulimia nervosa) and a major depressive disorder. While she didn’t realise at first how serious it was, it soon took over her whole life and after four years of struggling, she decided to finally tell her parents by means of a letter…
And she sought help.
In 2016, Jeanri finally received the help she needed and has been recovering ever since.
While Jeanri may have found help for her struggles, she knew there were so many out there who still needed healing. And so started a new leg of her journey: to give back and help others suffering from a mental illness.
“I believe I had to go through what I did to be of help to someone else, by sharing my experience and raising more awareness about mental health.
“Also to show that you can recover and you are not alone. There is help and hope out there.”
Jeanri, out of her comfort zone, entered the Provincial Mpumalanga MS annual pageant.
“One of the biggest challenges I had to face during my Provincial Mpumalanga MS journey was losing my mom, Jeanette.
“Unfortunately, she passed away about a month before the big night.
“Everything in me wanted to give up, but I decided to keep going and show up for her.
“She may not have been physically in the crowd, but I could hear her cheering me on all the way from Heaven.
“Forever in my heart.
“Big thanks to my dad and my partner for all their support and being by my side.”
She adds that her journey through the pageant and being ultimately declared winner of the Provincial Mpumalanga Charity title was an incredible journey. “Without a doubt, it was one of the most challenging and scariest experiences in my life, but also one of the most fruitful and unforgettable moments of growth!
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would compete in a pageant.
“This platform is so much more than just another beauty pageant.
“This competition has nothing to do with beauty, but about empowering women and what difference you can make in your community.”
She is currently pursuing her true passions – makeup and advocating for mental health. Jeanri has also looked at fun and creative initiatives outside the realm of makeup and pageants.
The quietly confident Jeanri has also shown her versatility by teaching English in Thailand, reaching new heights as a flight attendant, and previously working as a product developer and proud Sorbet brand ambassador. She rounds off her hobbies by indulging in her love for crime investigation series, reality shows and documentaries, hiking, listening to music and keeping fit.
However, she says her main goal remains to create more mental health awareness and to place emphasis on mental health education.
“Knowledge is power and there is still a big necessity for more unashamed conversations to destigmatize mental health issues.
“So far, it’s been amazing to use this platform to share my journey as a survivor of an eating disorder, major depression and suicidal thoughts.
“I believe that, by speaking up and using my voice, I will inspire more people to tell their stories.
“The more we normalise and talk about mental health, the more change we can create and lives can ultimately be saved.
“I can’t wait to continue to make a difference, no matter how small.”
For more on Jeanri Boshoff, you can follow her on social media:
– Instagram: @jeanri_boshoff
– Facebook: @Provincial Mpumalanga MS Charity 2022 – Jeanri Boshoff, and
– @Jeanri Boshoff

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