Caroline Bowers from Bellville is one of 30 hopefuls who has her eye on the crown in the country’s first Plus Ms RSA beauty pageant.
Bowers, who has spina bifida, is the only disabled contestant to compete in the pageant for plus size women in October.
Born with the condition, she was told she would live to the age of 16, but has since amassed a number of successes.
“I had to build on my self-confidence from an early age and I am now a successful businesswoman who is majority shareholder of a company called Mpumamanzi Group.”
Bowers was diagnosed with Lumbar 4 spina bifida, which means she has normal brain function but with severe paralysis in her lower body.
The pageant has two main requirements:you need to wear a size 16 or bigger dress and must be doing something positive in the community.
Plus Ms RSA director Zee Dyson said she started the pageant because most pageants focused on ‘the mainstream skinny look’, and that she hoped that other people living with disabilities would enter the competition in the future.
”I am disappointed that Caroline is the only disabled contestant who entered, but I am very proud of her decision to enter. She is doing very well by also being a pioneer for people living with spina bifida.”
Bowers attended Astra School in Montana for the physically disabled. At 14, she entered the Miss Astra competition where she was selected as the first princess. Three years later, she re-entered the competition and took the top prize.
Growing up wheelchair-bound, Bowers said people perceived her as being hopeless and unintelligent, which hurt.
She was forced to challenge herself and accept her situation, which in the long run worked out to her benefit.
“I want to become an ambassador for all disabled and able people, and especially the disenfranchised,” she said.
Bowers urged all people living with disabilities to follow their dreams and never give up, because “the key to their success and happiness lies within them”.
The final will be held in Klerksdorp onOctober 8.
Leletu Gxuluwe