MISS SOUTH AFRICA 2022
Ndavi Nokeri
Ndavi Nokeri was crowned Miss South Africa 2022 on August 13, 2022, in Pretoria
She was also the winner of the People’s Choice vote.
Nokeri was born on 25 January 1999 and is from Gabaza in the Greater Tzaneen area of the Limpopo province in South Africa.
She attended Laerskool Tzaneen primary school and completed her high school studies at Hoerskool Ben Vorster. She has a BCom Investment Management degree from the University of Pretoria and was working for an asset management firm at the time of her crowning.
Ndavi is close to her large family – her biggest supporters are her mother and father Moses and Betty, her brothers Ntwanano and Nyiko and her sisters Fanisa, Cindy, Molcy and Vutchilo.
Both her parents are pastors but, by profession, her mother is a qualified teacher and her father, who never got the opportunity to finish his studies, ventured into entrepreneurship and built up his own furniture business which enabled him to support her and her siblings.
“I come from a really big family. Being the youngest child, I could draw so much from my siblings and the different strengths that they possess. I believe this greatly influenced the woman that I am today – a fearless woman of faith, compassion, strength, confidence and resilience.”
Ndavi is passionate about equal educational opportunities for all and will be devoting herself to this during her reign.
Before entering Miss South Africa she had already partnered with different organisations to work towards the lessening of educational inequality in South Africa by helping to increase computer literacy in underdeveloped schools and to fairly distribute the necessary resources learners need to be successful.
As Miss South Africa, she will continue this work with a campaign called #BridgeTheGap, in partnership with the Miss South Africa Organisation.
“South Africa currently has the highest inequality rates globally. Having been exposed to extreme poverty as a child and thereafter being granted the opportunity to attend advantaged schools, I witnessed the negative effects of the great and unfair divide in this country. My mission as Miss South Africa 2022 is to bridge that gap. It is fundamental that every young person is given the opportunity to cultivate their talents, intelligence and skills, regardless of their background. This will enable us to reduce inequality by tackling the root causes of unemployment in South Africa.”
She believes that pageants give women the platform to advocate for a cause they believe in: “Pageants highlight our femininity as a strength to be celebrated and not a weakness to be shamed. They prove that when you empower a woman you empower a nation.
“Beauty pageants put women in a position to change mindsets and educate. It is an accelerator of women empowerment. We have seen previous (beauty) queens become formidable business women, corporate leaders, authors, etc. They break the societal limits that are constantly placed on women and say that we are limitless and powerful beyond measure! Pageantry also gives women the platform to advocate for a cause they believe in.”
Ndavi lists her role models as former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, former Miss World Rolene Strauss and her mother, Betty Nokeri. She says Zozi was the first woman that she was exposed to, from a humble background, who gracefully walked the Miss South Africa journey and inspired women to take up space.
She says that as she grew up as a shy young girl, she never thought that she would be able to use her voice to impact other people’s lives but she learnt that you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to use your voice for good.
“It is not about how loud you are but rather the substance of your words and speaking with passion and conviction. This is what I have taken away from both Rolene and my mother.”
In her spare time, Ndavi enjoys being adventurous and describes herself as somewhat of an adrenaline junkie who never says no to a challenge. She also enjoys hosting games nights with her friends and family to “nourish her competitiveness” and when she has time to herself, she enjoys digging into a good book.
She is a big sports fan and played netball and represented her province nationally. She also used to take piano lessons and is currently continuing to teach herself. As little girl, she used to be a ballerina.
ED-UNITE BY NDAVI NOKERI
HER DUTY
Nokeri has always been passionate about equal educational opportunities and, at her crowning in August, pledged herself to helping ensure an equal playing field for all learners.
The Ed-Unite campaign will play the role of convenor, linking like-minded groups to act in concert as they redress the inequalities of the past. She will act as a conduit between big corporations, foundations and schools in need, ensuring that businesses with services to offer and finances to spend on Corporate Social Investment are partnered with each other.
Ed-Unite will have as its main partner the Adopt-a-School Foundation (AASF) and, by default, Nokeri will become an AASF ambassador. It has also partnered with the Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET).
ED-UNITE WILL AIM TO ASSIST WITH THE FOLLOWING CAMPAIGNS
Period Poverty: Forever New has pledged R600 000 to supply sanitary pads across all nine provinces through the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s database to help tackle the issue of period poverty as another barrier to education. The aim is to raise more funds and put them towards different school needs.
Bursaries/Financial Aid: Start an independent bursary fund to help at least five learners get a tertiary qualification in their field or industry of choice.
Resource Provision: Tech support by raising funds for laptops or desks in schools. Aim to improve connectivity with providing the needed infrastructure and resources.
Infrastructure: refurbish classrooms, bathrooms, playgrounds, etc.
Training: Fund training and workshops for teachers.
Sport: Supply gym equipment, assist in the refurbishment of sport fields/grounds, sports development training classes and funds for coaches.
Skills development: Short courses for those unable to obtain tertiary qualifications.
Agriculture: Planting gardens: teaching about food security through self-sufficiency
Health Education: Learning about nutrition, hygiene, etc.
Career guidance and advice: Where possible attend career guidance expos and assist in connecting industry professionals with learners in need of information on career options.
GET INVOLVED
Ed-Unite will have as its main partner the Adopt-a-School Foundation (AASF) and, by default, Nokeri will become an AASF ambassador. It has also partnered with the Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET). AASF will play a critical role, and with Whole School Development (WSD) as its prime objective.
GET INVOLVED
Should your company/brand wish to pledge a monetary donation or your expert services towards ED-UNITE please send an email to us.
MAIN PARTNERS/BENEFICIARIES
ASSOCIATE PARTNERS
NDAVI IN ACTION
