Cala beauty vies for chance to shine at Africa pageant
The main aim of Miss Africa is to highlight the spirit of ubuntu and ways to unite Africa
A 25-year-old Cala beauty is on the verge of representing SA at a continental pageant.
However, Felicity May has to beat two more hopefuls before claiming the solitary SA spot for the Miss Africa contest.
Miss Africa is an annual international beauty competition that aims to celebrate African beauty and culture.
Selected by a panel of judges, May, a software specialist graduate at East London’s Boston City College, balances her beauty and brain to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged young people.
On Saturday, May will be up against two other hopefuls for a chance to represent SA at the Miss Africa finale to be held at the Sky Rink Studios in Johannesburg next week.
“All contestants have the responsibility to be involved in community work before the main event. We will all compete and model on stage as well as highlight the work we have done for our communities.”
She is the founder of Rise Beyond Foundation, a charity organisation that seeks to motivate rural pupils and provide them with necessary items like school uniforms.
“The main aim of Miss Africa is to highlight the spirit of ubuntu and ways to unite Africa. My foundation strives to create a better future for all children regardless of their background.
“As an individual I believe we all want a chance at life. All you need to do is help one person without expecting anything in return,” she said.
May said the foundation has helped children across the province to better their lives.
“I have been doing charity outreach in Ngcobo, Cala and Gompo. In these communities I speak about the challenges young people face and how we can overcome them,” said the motivational young beauty.
May won the title of Miss Boston City College in 2015 and was a Miss Eastern Cape finalist in the 2018 leg of the pageant.
The organiser of the event, Neo Mashishi, said other international pageants drove him to create Miss Africa.
“I looked at pageants holistically like Miss World and Miss Universe, and found that Africa has nothing like that to be proud of.
“I thought ‘why not have our own pageant for Africa by African people?’
“We have called countries like Ghana, Algeria, Zambia, Botswana and more to participate and make sure that it is proudly African,” said Mashishi.
May, who was orphaned at the age of nine, says one’s upbringing does not have to become one’s circumstance.
“I was raised by my grandmother in rural Cala. Growing up was not easy. But I told myself I would make it and that where I was would not determine where I was going,” the young graduate said.
“My grandmother and siblings were so supportive.
“We knew that we were destined for greatness.”..
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