Miss South Africa 2025 Qhawekazi Mazaleni is using her platform to tackle one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges: literacy and access to education.
As she prepares to officially launch her literacy-led Empower Youth Africa campaign, the qualified speech therapist has already begun engaging pupils and teachers on the importance of mother-tongue learning in the early years of schooling.
Earlier this month, Mazaleni visited Zenzeleni Primary School in Alexandra, where she read to pupils and spoke with teachers. They discussed how language shapes confidence, comprehension and long-term academic success.
The visit marked the first step in what she hopes will become a far-reaching literacy movement.
During the reading session, she shared her own children’s book, Amasele Amdaka, an isiXhosa story created to support early reading and language development.
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By using a story written in a familiar language, pupils were able to engage more freely and ask questions. As a result, they could enjoy reading without the fear often associated with learning in an unfamiliar tongue.
Mazaleni’s passion for literacy is personal and professional.
As a speech therapist, she has seen how early exposure to language affects not only reading ability but a child’s confidence and future learning outcomes.
Research consistently shows that children learn best when they begin reading in their home language, particularly during the foundation phase.
“Literacy is the foundation of opportunity,” Mazaleni said. “When children are taught to read in a language they understand, they are empowered to express themselves, to learn with confidence, and to succeed. This campaign is about meeting children where they are.”
Looking ahead, Mazaleni plans to translate Amasele Amdaka into more South African languages and expand her literacy programme. She hopes to reach different age groups and communities through these efforts.
Her goal is simple but powerful: to make reading accessible, relatable and enjoyable for every child.
The literacy initiative forms the heart of her Empower Youth Africa campaign. It reflects the Miss South Africa Organisation’s broader commitment to education as a driver of youth empowerment and social change.
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