South Africa’s much-loved Shudufhadzo Musida, Miss South Africa 2020, consistently proves that she is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. Last week, she took the opportunity of a free morning to spend it on the road with SA Harvest, South Africa’s fastest-growing food rescue organisation whose mission is to end hunger in South Africa.
Shudufhadzo was given a whirlwind tour of SA Harvest’s daily operations - rescuing perfectly good food that would have gone to waste and delivering it to beneficiaries that feed hungry people on a daily basis, and creating long-lasting change through advocacy and other systemic initiatives.
She spent time in the Philippi farmlands visiting KT Grows Organics, one of the many farms that donate surplus produce to SA Harvest. The highlight of the morning for Shudufhadzo was a visit to Masijonge Place of Safety in Nyanga, one of more than 20 beneficiaries in Cape Town that receives weekly deliveries from SA Harvest. Last stop on Miss South Africa’s fast-and-furious tour was to the SA Harvest Cape Town warehouse, the base of its operation in that region.
Shudufhadzo shared her experience with her fans on Instagram and Twitter, saying, “Due to COVID-19, there has been a lot of food insecurity in many communities and organisations like Masijonge Children’s Home. It has become more important now than ever to extend a helping hand to those in need. Organisations like @saharvest are doing their bit to fight food insecurity around our country, but together we can do so much more. Thanks to @brandsouthafrica, @saharvest and @gemproject_I got to meet Mama Victoria who started Masijonge Children’s Home in Nyanga, Cape Town to feed children in need in her community. She cooks and feeds them with the help of donations from organisations such as @saharvest and sometimes from her own pocket.”
Shudufhadzo, who received her honours degree in International Relations from the University of Witwatersrand in December, has spoken frequently of her hope to one day use her qualifications to create positive change and have a positive impact by working with the United Nations.
As Shudufhadzo prepares to represent South Africa in the Miss World pageant in the latter part of 2021, she continues to garner the love and admiration of South Africans as the embodiment of beauty-with-a-purpose.
Ali Conn, Regional Manager of SA Harvest in the Western Cape, says, “It was an honour and a privilege to have Miss South Africa join us in highlighting the terrible effect of food waste (10 million tonnes a year goes to waste in South Africa) and in helping to encourage all South Africans to do what they can to end hunger in our country. To blossom as a nation, individuals and communities must have access to enough nutritious food and clean water. This is their basic human right as expressed in the constitution of South Africa. It is humbling to know that Shudu Musida is as passionate about making this a reality as we at SA Harvest.”
