Get It Bloemfontein, together with Kryolan Free State, have searched and they have found: We bring you 2022 Get It Cover Search winner, sponsored by Kryolan Free State – Mittah Ledimo.
“Winning Get It Cover Search 2022 allows me to be a beacon of hope and it is truly a dream come true for me. I see this as one of my biggest achievements yet.”
Born and bred in the City of Roses, Mittah hopes to inspire many, especially Plus Size kids, women, and men. She hopes to make a positive impact on the community by showing South Africa that Bloemfontein is a beautiful city filled with many golden opportunities for growth.
What she enjoys most about living in Bloem is that it’s a place she calls home. “Growing up, I visited my paternal and maternal grandparents here in Bloem. I have very fond childhood memories of Bloem because of the love and support I always experienced from my entire family, relatives, former teachers, friends, colleagues, and the community.”
She was the top learner in grade 8 at Brebner High School and in the top 10 throughout her high school career. She was elected as RCL Chairperson and Head Girl at Brebner.
Mittah was the third runner-up on SABC’s My Palmolive Jam Alley Girlfriend, winner of the ‘Express’ Poetry competition in which the two poems, ‘A mother’s love’ and ‘Bricks to build a mansion’ ranked in the top four. “I am a Golden Key International Honour Society Member with a B.Com Accounting Honours Degree from the UFS. I completed my articles with the Auditor-General (AG) and qualified as a Registered Government Auditor (RGA), affiliated with the South African Institute for Government Auditors (SAIGA). I was secretary of the Trainee Auditors’ Forum at the AG.”
She was also a 2021/22 Miss South Africa Plus World finalist. She is a radio personality who works in the accounting services unit at Free State Provincial Treasury.
This powerhouse is a firm believer that beauty comes in all sizes and hopes that when people see her on the cover they will know that it can happen to anyone. “I want to use this platform to empower and instil confidence in not only Plus Size women but all women of all shapes and sizes. I know that there are even slender women who have insecurities about their bodies. So ladies, let’s embrace our bodies, celebrate our bodies, and beat those insecurities. Dress up and show up! Know what suits you and rock it!”
Mittah has been invited as a speaker to a women’s event where she will give a motivational talk about women being unstoppable.
She desires to instil confidence in kids, especially chubby girls, to believe from an early age that they are beautiful, intelligent, and confident about themselves and their bodies. “I want them not to allow anybody to body shame them as this leads to having low self-esteem and ultimately a path of self-destruction, high absenteeism at school, or even suicide. If kids grow up with low self-esteem, in future they might not value themselves enough to set boundaries.”
Her mother played a very big role in ensuring that she always looked cute and loveable as a chubby little girl. “She always affirmed that I’m beautiful and I have always been her baby doll.”
In primary school, Mittah, experienced body shaming from two boys who called her ‘Fat tomato’ and ‘Big doughnut’ and this was the period of her life where she learned most of her coping mechanisms that helped her focus on her strengths.
“Being chubby was my signature especially because my body gave me stage presence. Being confident in my body made people love me.”
She entered the Miss South Africa Plus World pageant, started the ‘My Plus Size World’ YouTube Channel, and also being active on my Facebook Page, “The Big and The Beautiful”. “What I aim to achieve by all this is to most definitely empower chubby girls, women, and even boys and men to beat insecurities and wear confidence.”
Mittah encourages women to rock that jeans, that crop top, that swimwear, that high heel, that lipstick, and ooze with confidence. “Cheers to my journey from a chubby little girl to a beautiful Plus Size Woman. I am now celebrating who I am.”
Fact about Mittah: An ideal vacation is starting that trip with a long drive, with great company, to a beautiful destination at the beach, with fun activities and nice restaurants. “What’s ideal for me is anything and any place where I’m in the presence of anyone I feel happy with and can share laughter.”
Text: SAZLY MOSES Photography: GYPSEENIA LION
