SANDF Captain needs funds to secure a spot in pageant competition

For this year’s Mother’s Day, Amore Tolo, a Mrs South Africa finalist held a champagne breakfast with the aim of motivating and uplifting women to ‘fill their own cups’ while raising funds to secure a spot in the competition.

Although the event exceeded the aspiring models’ expectations, it unfortunately did not help her raise the funds that she needs to progress in the competition.

Amore needs to have made a payment by the end of this month and at the moment she still has not been able to receive any sponsors. “I am hoping to get a sponsor to partner with that is willing to walk this journey with me,” she said.

The competition is aimed at female empowerment for married women in the country. In some cases those who participate are also mothers, entrepreneurs and overall home makers who are bold and want the best for their families and their community.

Born in a small town called Uitenhage, recently renamed Kariega, in the Eastern Cape, Amore says her love for modeling and fashion shows started in 1999 when she was just in grade 2. “I entered for the Miss Caritas pageant at my Pre-School but I was sadly not selected. My heart was broken, but I did not give up,” she recalls.

Although she was determined to give it a shot, at some stage, she took a break from modeling for two years before walking on the ramp again.

“It was difficult to start again. A part of me wanted to quit for good because I felt that I was not as beautiful as the other girls and kids at school used to make fun of my weight because I was extremely thin with a long neck, but deep down, a part of me kept on pushing me to follow my dream,’ she said.

She went on to take part in various local competitions and became part of the top 3, which helped in building her confidence after all the bullying she had to endure. Since then, the goal was for her to one day become Miss World. “

In 2010 I entered Miss Uitenhage and I was selected as the 1st runner up which was a big achievement for me,” she said. Life happened, and before it life had gone by, forcing Amore to forget about her modeling dream to focus on her responsibilities. Until a friend of hers challenged her to model again.

“ One day I received a call from a close friend who informed me that there is a Mrs South Africa competition and that I must sign up,” Amore explained.

“I laughed and told her she was crazy; because at the time I was out of shape and didn’t not feel good about myself,” she explained. Fast forward to January 2023 and Amore thought it might be worth it to give it a try. “I woke up and chose to fight back,” she said.

She started working out and leading a healthy lifestyle. Before she knew it she had entered for the competition and much to her surprise was selected as a semi-finalist. “ My goal is to create a sisterhood within the organisation for women to stand together as one unit and to support each other through life’s difficulties and challenges. Because I believe we can learn from each other’s successes and failures and empower each other,” she said.

“I believe entering this competition and being crowned the next Mrs South Africa will have a huge impact on the lives of women who don’t believe it is possible,” she added.

Being a mother of two boys, Amore added that through this platform she also aims to establish a foundation that focuses on the mental health of young boys. “ We need a platform that makes it comfortable for young men to express themselves without any judgment,” she said. For more details on the competition and how you can assist, contact Amore on 066 224 0206.