Tshiamo Setlhare has been selected as one of the Top 10 Finalists in Miss World South Africa.

The first time Tshiamo Setlare set foot on a pageant stage, she beat some experienced contestants for a spot in the top ten Miss World South Africa pageant.

The 26-year-old is completing her MSc (Master of Science) degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Western Cape (UWC). She admitted that while she’s always followed beauty pageants, this is the first time she’s taken the plunge to strut herself.

Setlhare juggles several tasks, including working at a semi-rural psychiatric hospital in Mahikeng in the North West, completing her MSc, and putting her best foot forward to hopefully be crowned Miss World South Africa. She is passionate about mental health education and has established the Green Ribbon Project to reach as many people as possible.

She said: “What I found, especially in lower socioeconomic areas, is that communities don't really know how to handle mental health issues due to the stigma associated with mental illness.”

She added that the Green Ribbon Project will seek to assist with awareness of mental health issues: “It will focus on ending the stigma with regards to mental illness, creating awareness of the various mental illnesses that exist and encouraging positive help-seeking behaviour.”

Tshiamo Setlhare has been selected as one of the Top 10 Finalists in Miss World South Africa and is a mental health advocate.

While she cannot physically be at the UWC campus, Setlhare said the high regard students expressed for the institution and the Occupational Therapy Department motivated her to choose UWC. Setlhare is keen to leave a deep footprint at UWC and on the Miss World South Africa stage, while helping young people.

She said it’s hard to overlook the all-encompassing impact that mental health issues have on society and the youth. “Mental Health is linked to so many other things. If we look at young people and the high unemployment rate, this ends up affecting their mental health. Various socio-economic difficulties affect our mental health, and this can’t be separated from other issues we may be facing as South Africans.”

The pageant winner will be announced on October 5 and will go on to represent South Africa at the Miss World beauty pageant.