IMINATHI struggled with acne for months, and that took away her self-esteem.
Hiding away from people was the only thing Iminathi Dondolo could do because she was afraid she would be laughed at or stared at.
Her inspiring journey from battling depression to conquering a pageant serves as a testament to her determination and newfound self-confidence.
Iminathi entered Miss Teenager South Africa with the hope of changing her mindset, and she came out of the pageant with more than a changed mindset.
The 17-year-old Iminathi from Western Cape won Miss Teenager South Africa at the weekend, and she told Daily Sun that it was her first time entering a pageant.
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“Last year I struggled with acne, and I didn’t love my appearance. I was very depressed,” she said.
She said a turning point came when she made a conscious decision to redirect the negative energy towards personal growth.
“It was draining me, so I decided to make a conscious decision to change my life and transfer all that negative energy into building myself to be a better person,” she said.
Iminathi said joining the pageant was her way of challenge herself to grow.
“I indeed grew in two months of the pageant. I could already see the transformation. I'm very proud of myself. I worked so hard for this, and I don’t think it would have been possible without God,” she said.
Iminathi said being crowned Miss Teenager South Africa isn't just a title - it's a responsibility.
“It's a job and has the power to break or make young girls, so it needs to be in the right hands. For me it means being able to change the status quo and narratives that we have in South Africa,” she said.
Iminathi’s mother Vuyiseka Dondolo (48) said the competition had a positive impact on her daughter.
“We saw her becoming confident, loving herself so that’s why we supported her because we could see that now she is coming out of her shell,” she said.
