King William’s Town model wants a special Valentine’s Day for others
King William’s Town model-cum administrator Sisipho Mayo is hoping to bring a splash of happiness and love to the less fortunate on Valentine’s Day.
The Coega Development Corporation project administrator, who now lives in Port Elizabeth, has been collecting donations from near and far ahead of the annual day of love.
“I will be distributing clothes, sanitary towels and stationery to those from less privileged backgrounds,” Mayo said.
“I chose Valentine’s Day because I want to make them feel loved and special on that day.
“So far I have collected four boxes of clothes, one box of sanitary towels, one of surgical masks and one box of pens.”
Mayo, 23, knows from personal experience how tough the Covid-19 period has been for South Africans and how important it is to keep going despite the odds.
This includes recently losing her mother who raised her alone in Tshatshu Village and who she said meant everything to her.
“My mother passed away on December 13, on the day of her 62nd birthday,” she said.
“It was hectic and she had many health problems, but with all the Covid around she was not allowed to go to hospital.”
December 13 was also the date Mayo should have gone to the finals of a national competition, the Miss Radiant South Africa pageant.
A keen model, Mayo had been building up to the title shot for years.
“I started modelling when I came to PE in June 2017,” she said.
Shortly afterwards she went on to scoop Miss Dower Campus first princess, then Miss Zinyoka first princess in July 2018 and Miss Cultural 2019 at the PE Opera House.
“In February 2020 I was introduced to a beauty pageant called Miss Radiant Beauty Pageant South Africa, which deals a lot with non-government organisations.
“Being in a pageant teaches you to be confident and to love yourself; you have to be confident and love yourself regardless of the way others see you.
“We must embrace our uniqueness.”
That acceptance of difference, she says, includes recognising her ongoing stutter.
“I was always mocked by my schoolmates when I had to do orals in class, but that did not stop me.
“Instead that encouraged me to become a better person,” she said.
“God created me to be a stutterer so if I don’t accept it myself then people will not have confidence in me.
“I have overcome stuttering because I am able to do public speaking and I have confidence in my public speaking, something that I thought I would never do.”
After finishing her matric at Hector Peterson High in Kings William’s Town, Mayo went on to complete a higher certificate in marketing before enrolling for a BCom in supply chain and operations management at Unisa. She is now an intern at the Coega Development Corporation.
Looking ahead to February 14, she has roped in friends to help her Valentine’s Day drive.
“The awesome ladies who have volunteered to help me are Tembisa Thethani, Sonwa Nabe, Phumla Mjojeli and Nosipho Fokwana.” she said.
“We will move around PE to give these clothes to people who sleep on the street.”
In addition, a local bakery has promised loaves of bread, while the founder of New Brighton NGO, Pella Bono, heard Mayo in a radio interview and made a donation, as did a Johannesburg schoolwear company.
HeraldLIVE