There are people born in unfortunate circumstances, but as they grow, things start to change. Suddenly their dreams seem valid, and hope is restored after going through so much at a young age.
Nukeri Aluta Makhanani, an 18-year-old from Hamashau, a rural village in Limpopo, was crowned Miss Mashau.
The teen was raised by her grandmother after her mother passed away when she was only 19 months old.
And when she was seven years old, her father, who helped her grandmother in raising her, also passed away, leaving her in the care of her grandmother.
She says that growing up without her parents wasn’t easy, but her grandmother did what she could until she fell sick.
“When my mother died, she left me with my elder brother. My grandmother was assisted by the little that my father gave her. We were staying in the home with one rondavel house and a two-room of zink house,” says Makhanani.
She adds that she is grateful for all the love her grandmother gave her.
“Throughout primary school, I wore clothes given by my relatives. In high school, my grandmother was paying for my transport money without anyone's help. By the time I got to Grade 11, things weren't easy as my grandmother was very ill, and I was the one looking after her. She was the breadwinner and the only parent I had left. In March 2020, she lost her life.”
Being crowned Miss Mashau has given Makhanani hope that more doors will open for her.