Tumelo Lehloka is a woman of many talents. A certified chaplain, beauty queen, psychology graduate and holistic health advocate, she has built a life around service, personal growth and giving back to her community. Her pageantry journey has seen her earn titles including Miss Randfontein, Miss Johannesburg and Miss South African Youth Ambassador, among others.
“I started modelling as a way to give back to the community. I realised that the platforms given by pageantry can make philanthropy more achievable. Being a pageant queen is not only about walking on stage. We raise sponsorships, complete tasks, demonstrate entrepreneurship, do interviews and take part in community work,” she said Tumelo believes pageantry has also taught her to focus on becoming the best version of herself rather than concentrating only on physical beauty.
“Pageantry today is about holistic beauty, not only appearance. I focus on growing, learning and becoming a better version of myself.”
Her journey has included significant personal challenges. Tumelo has experienced Bell's palsy, which caused severe facial paralysis, memory loss and muscle problems that affected her ability to walk. Despite these setbacks, she refused to give up.
“Even though I faced adversity, I fought every day to change my life and become the version of myself I could be proud of,” she added.
Her experiences have strengthened her passion for mental and holistic health. She holds an Honours degree in Psychology and is pursuing a Master's Degree. She has also co-founded Helper Revelations, an NPC focused on matters involving the mind, body and soul. Looking ahead, Tumelo hopes to establish a foundation dedicated to philanthropy and community development.
She is also writing a book about her journey and the resilience she developed along the way. “I have fought to live my impossible, and I hope my story inspires you to start living your impossible,” she concluded
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