North model overcame bullying and suicide attempts
After she survived bullying and three failed suicide attempts, 23-year-old Lethabo Khenou from Hammanskraal is an aspiring model and heads an anti-bullying campaign in local schools.
After enduring bullying in school and surviving three suicide attempts, 23-year-old Lethabo Khunou from Hammanskraal hopes to make a difference in local schools with her WithWithin anti-bullying campaign.
Khunou runs her campaign at primary schools in Hammanskraal, where she aims to instill confidence in the young learners.
The aspiring runway model was born in Limpopo but was raised in Stinkwater, Hammanskraal.
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She told Rekord that because of her natural dark skin and tall height, she was often bullied as a child.
“I did not have friends as they would always say I am too dark and tall to be their friend,” said Khunou.
Her primary schooling was the most challenging phase of her school years and she did a lot of things in order to fit in.
“I tried to bleach my skin using cooking oil in order to fit in. They said I should stay away from bright-coloured clothes because I was too dark and I actually did,” said Khunou.
All her efforts to be liked drove her to depression and she eventually tried to commit suicide three times.
“I would punch myself in the nose and I would say let me just bleed to death, but my mother would find me and help me,” said Khunou.
Khunou said fashion magazines helped her overcome and escape depression as she was inspired by the dark-skinned models who inspired her to embrace her looks.
“I would page through the magazines and the dark-skinned women who were like me gave me hope and inspiration,” said Khunou.
“It made me into who I am today, and I told myself that I will no longer let people’s negative opinion bring me down.”
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Currently, Khunou is a runway model and she has been featured in Soweto Fashion Week, Mpumalanga Fashion week, Mafikeng Fashion Week and Tembisa Fashion Week.
Khunou said she one day hoped to be one of the biggest supermodels in the world.
She saw the need to run her anti-bullying campaigns in primary schools as she believes that is where bullying begins.
“Bullying often begins at primary level and we should teach kids that it is not a good thing. Instead, if a child has anger issues, they can be taught that there are activities they can be part of to help calm them,” said Khunou.
She advised young people who experienced bullying to take a stand against it and report it to their seniors.
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