Ayanda Mathenjwa(24) a rising star from Hluhluwe is making her footprint in the modeling industry. From a very young age, she has always had a desire of making a name for herself in the modeling industry, In 2020 her dreams came to life when she won Miss Mzingazi 1st princess title and Miss Mzingazi Charity.

Modeling provides a platform for personal development, Ayanda is no stranger to that. Extra mural activities have always been part of her life since high school days. She engaged her self in sports and she enjoyed that journey, she was amongst the fastest 100 meters runners for Advent Hope Christian School.

Being involved with sports at a young age helped with boosting Ayanda’s self esteem and confidence, despite financial challanges of not having enough access to money to buy new heels for every pageant, new dresses, paying the make up artist, paying the registration fees and other related costs, she doesn’t let that slow her down in her down. Her charisma and solid character is attracting the right people that are rallying behind her name which is another reason why she keeps going, including the support that she appreciate so much which she get from her mother.

Ayanda is the current Miss ICORA FM, which comes with lot of responsibilities and expectations. She is positive that she will carry the ICORA FM flag with honor. She is working hard to meet the required monthly obligations. Being part of the ICORA FM is creating an enabling environment for her to socialize, explore new opportunities and more importantly to give back to the community.

One of the community projects that are close to her heart is the one that speaks to water security and access to water, this is mainly because she is residing in a community that struggles with access to water. She is going to use her influence and the platforms that she is given to advocate for communities that does not have access to water.

Besides modelling she is a Student teacher doing her Bachelor in Education through the University of South Africa. She is passionate about uplifting and helping the youth she teach to reach their fullest potential. She is also a qualified TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) international teacher.

Ayanda is also a business woman, she owns a landscaping company that services Hluhluwe. This was after she saw a gap in the market and as an entrepreneur she quickly organised herself and close the gap. There is a huge demand for grass cutters and lawnmowers at Hluhluwe. Ayanda is slowly but surely dominating that space. Her growth in her business is made possible by the support of her neighbors and community members who are making use of her services.