Young pageant queen aims to change lives

Driven by a passion for community work and the need to make it in the modelling industry, Ncebakazi Loraine Gwambi (21) aims to use her potential to reach greater heights.

The pageant fanatic from Diepkloof recently donated sanitary towels to Dumasizwe Primary School with a goal to change the lives of young learners and help them regain their confidence.

“As a young person who previously struggled with not having access to sanitary towels when I started my periods, I wanted to make sure that I change the narrative.

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There was a time when I was starting and I would run out of sanitary or didn’t have enough. In order to save them I would sometimes use a cloth as a pad and whenever I was wearing that cloth my confidence levels would just go down because I was scared that it might somehow drop or leak if I do a lot of movements.

“So this is where I get my motivation, I don’t want any young girl to feel like that while I have the opportunity to assist them,” Gwambi said.

The post-graduate student from the University of Johannesburg raised money for the donations from her tutoring gigs to proceed with this initiative and would not think twice to do it again.

“As long as it helps put a smile on the faces of these beautiful learners, I would do it any day. I also believe that it would be great if communities come together to assist in such initiatives.”

Gwambi’s journey in the modelling industry started in 2021, in a residence pageant at the North West University (NWU) at Vanderbijlpark campus where she won the second runner up of NWU VPC Moahi Village and placed at the top 15 at NWU Vanderbijlpark campus pageant.

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“Currently I am a semi-finalist at the Miss Glam South-Africa. I choose pageantry because from the first time I entered I realised that it will help me get a platform to do what I am passionate about which is working with people and giving back. Pageantry teaches me to be myself, confident, kind and smart.

“Through pageantry I learn about different things that happen on a daily basis because as a pageant queen I should know what is happening and have a good understanding on how lives can be affected by what is taking place.”

As part of her future plans when it comes to community work, she pleads with local sponsors and residents to help with funds and assist her to donate more sanitary towels and toiletries for local learners.

“Community work is very close to my heart because I am the testimony of it takes a village to raise a child. I know how it feels to have nothing and have a stranger provide for you.

“Most of my life I have had people who always came up for me and provided me with things I didn’t think I would have and their contributions contributed to the person I am today and I want to do that for others.”

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Gwambi calls on residents to assist her win the Miss Glam South-Africa by casting their votes on the pageant’s website.

“I have had the best support system. Not only do they motivate me but they are teaching me things I never thought were important. They are teaching me the importance of investing in myself and that everything I do starts with me.”