Written by: Admin_SheEvo
My name is Mathapelo Atoro and I am from a very small town named Gibing, near Wepener, in the Free State province. I was raised by my single mother, alongside my late grandparents. My mother worked as a domestic worker to provide for us. I have a younger brother who is 17 years old.
Our mother worked hard to raise us. Unfortunately, when my grandmother became ill, my mother had to leave her job to return home and care for her. This was a tough time, as it meant a loss of income. A few years later, my grandmother passed away. I was very close to her, and her passing devastated me. I was just a teenager then, and it was hard to navigate grief, schoolwork, and our new life.
Years went by, and I eventually finished school. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, and I couldn’t pursue further studies immediately. I found myself working as a volunteer, but I also enrolled in online courses. After completing a course in play-based learning for children, I secured a job as an assistant teacher. I worked in this role for several years before relocating.
Relocating was, for me, about seeking better opportunities and exploring life beyond my hometown and community. Over the years, I’ve seized every chance to empower myself with knowledge by signing up for various online courses and training programs. Today, I hold more than five certificates in different fields, ranging from a Diploma in Event Management, Health and Safety Basics, Fire Fighting, Gel Manicure and Nail Artistry, to Understanding Mental Health, among others. I am also passionate about pageantry, which led me to enter Miss Philanthropy Africa and become Miss Philanthropy South Africa 2020. It was a great experience, especially participating in Miss Unity South Africa 2025 with my fellow pageant sisters.
I believe that beauty is not just about a woman’s face or features, but about her heart, kindness, actions, how she carries herself, and how authentic she is. I believe that beauty extends far beyond physical attributes. I also believe in advocating for issues such as mental health, gender-based violence, and female health, as well as promoting community and youth development. I believe that young people are the future and the change that the world needs, and that through unity and collaborative efforts, we can achieve our full potential.
I want to share my story to encourage those who are feeling discouraged, excluded, unseen, or like they don’t belong, and those who feel like their background is a barrier to their dreams. I want to be a beacon of hope and kindness. I am just an ordinary young woman who is unapologetic about who she is, striving to be the best version of herself daily, and confident in the knowledge that she is fearfully and wonderfully made.
I hope that my story will serve as an inspiration to someone out there. Even if is just one person – that’ll be enough.
My social media handles
Instagram: Atoroprincess
Facebook: Princess Mathapelo Atoro
Contact number: 0848818377
Email: [email protected]
