Melissa Chuma is a South African model, brand ambassador, and youth empowerment advocate known for her work in brand promotion and advocacy for self-love and girl child empowerment. Born in Mahikeng and currently based in Pretoria, Atteridgeville, Gauteng Province, Chuma has gained recognition for combining her modelling career with meaningful community development initiatives. She currently serves as PR and marketing personnel for Miss Capital City SA while pursuing a degree in Financial Management. Her signature mantra, “Girl child, it can be done. Girl child, rise and shine,” reflects her commitment to inspiring young women to embrace their potential and overcome societal barriers.
Early Life and Education
Melissa Chuma was raised in Signal Hill, Mahikeng, in South Africa’s North West Province. She faced early scepticism about her potential in modelling, with community members suggesting she wasn’t “beautiful enough” or “tall enough” to pursue this career path. These comments temporarily discouraged her from following her passion, though she later recalled, “I knew deep down that this was my calling.”
Her determination led her to reignite her modelling interests in Grade 8, marking a turning point in her personal and professional development. Chuma’s early professional experiences included working as a street vendor, receptionist, and preschool teacher, positions that helped develop her resilience, discipline, and people-centered approach to professional endeavours.
Chuma began her formal education at Bakang Selebo Primary School in Mafikeng, continued at Sebopiwa Molema Middle School, and completed her secondary education at Molelwane Secondary School. She is currently pursuing a higher education qualification in Financial Management, balancing her academic pursuits with her modelling and advocacy work.
Career
Modeling Beginnings and Pageantry
Chuma’s modelling career gained significant momentum through her participation in Miss Capital City South Africa, a national beauty pageant that selects representatives from South Africa’s capital cities and ambassadors from various provinces. She found this platform particularly valuable for teaching young women independence, ambition, and purpose rather than focusing solely on appearances.
Her pageantry achievements include:
– Miss Capital City SA Brand Ambassador (first-ever holder of this title)
– Miss Passionate Gauteng NW Ambassador
– Face of Achievement NW Ambassador
– Face of Caz League NW Ambassador
– Miss Callies 2024 finalist
– Participant in the Shining Star Awards 2024, wearing designs by Tshegofatso the Designer
PR and Marketing Work
Building on her pageantry experience, Chuma advanced to serve as PR and marketing personnel for Miss Capital City SA, where she plays a crucial role in promoting the brand, connecting with audiences, and inspiring young women to embrace their potential. In this position, she combines creativity with strategic thinking to elevate the organization’s profile while maintaining its empowerment-focused mission.
Creative Collaborations
Throughout her career, Chuma has partnered with various creative professionals and studios to produce innovative visual content. She has collaborated with Tee Light Studio, Thabiso Diphoko Photography, and currently works with Iton Visuals, Picturedis Photography, and M&M Designs. These partnerships have enabled her to develop diverse portfolios that blend fashion, storytelling, and brand promotion.
Philanthropy and Advocacy
Girls World Charity Foundation
In August 2022, Chuma established the Girls World Charity Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on addressing two critical issues affecting young women in her community: teenage pregnancy and menstrual equity. The foundation specifically works to support girls who miss school due to lack of access to sanitary products, recognizing that some resort to using toilet paper or cloth as substitutes.
Chuma described her motivation for starting the foundation: “Seeing many girls miss school because they do not have sanitary towels, and some of them use toilet paper or cloth as pads, really hurt me. From that moment, I knew I had to do something about it. Even if I cannot help all the girls in the country, knowing that I can make a few of them smile at night makes it all worth it.”
Community Empowerment Initiatives
Beyond her foundation work, Chuma offers free modelling classes to children in Matholesville, using these sessions as opportunities to instill confidence and encourage dream-chasing among youth. Her advocacy extends to public speaking engagements where she emphasizes self-acceptance and overcoming societal beauty standards, drawing from her personal experiences with doubt and criticism.
Her altruistic approach to community work is characterized by what she describes as “altruistic intentions,” explaining that her “primary motivation is often the well-being of those in need rather than my gain.” This philosophy aligns with her inspiration from Hugh Masekela’s song “Thuma Mina” (Send Me), which encourages individuals to step forward as agents of positive change in their communities.
Public Image
Personal Philosophy
Chuma operates according to a personal motto of “Empowering others, empowering myself,” reflecting her belief that uplifting those around her creates a ripple effect of positivity and inspiration. She describes herself as “a confident and visionary professional with expertise in modelling, public relations, and brand promotion” who excels in “storytelling, content creation, and event coordination, combining creativity with strategy to make an impact.”
Media Portrayal
Media coverage of Chuma typically highlights her transformative approach to pageantry, noting that she uses her sash “as a microphone to amplify development” rather than merely as a decorative accessory. Publications have described her journey as “a testament to personal growth and community empowerment, with a twist of glamour” and noted her position as “a rising voice in South Africa’s modelling, marketing, and empowerment landscape”.
Personal Life
While maintaining an active public profile, Chuma continues to prioritize her education in Financial Management, seeing it as complementary to her advocacy work by providing practical skills for sustainable community development. She has spoken about finding strength and encouragement from supportive online communities during periods when she lacked family support for her ambitions.
Contact Information
Melissa Chuma is open to professional collaborations and can be reached through the following channels:
– WhatsApp: 068 412 7933
– Email: melissamely833@gmail.com
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_lisa10
– TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@melissalisa79
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A3Z4kAe2f/
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