I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE

Her own battle with anxiety has made Miss SA Shudufhadzo Musida determined to help others struggling with their mental health

- ROBYN LUCAS

EVER since being crowned Miss South Africa she’s been upfront about the struggles she’s faced over the years, from being bullied and body shamed to struggling with anxiety.

All have had an effect on Shudufhadzo Musida’s emotional wellbeing and resulted in her seeking professional help.

So when her Miss SA predecessor and former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi asked her which movement she’d start if she won the title, she didn’t think twice.

“I’d call it the mindful movement,” she replied. “Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among people between the ages of 15 and 29. So I believe that mobilising people to strive for mental health would fix so many social ills.”

Now, four months after being crowned Miss SA, the 24-year-old has been true to her word. Shudu recently launched the Mindful Mondays initiative – an online mental health movement in conjunction with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag). Its goal: to change the stigma around depression, trauma and anxiety.

Shudu would’ve preferred to do these weekly talks about mental health in front of a live audience, but because of the pandemic she decided to host them on Instagram every Monday at 7pm.

“The initiative is basically conversations with experts to educate communities about mental health and ultimately to try to destigmatise it,” she explains.

The Limpopo beauty says she proposed the initiative to Sadag last November and hasn’t looked back.