A beauty-pageant contestant from Observatory has started a community-service project dealing with mental health
Dr Melissa Jones, 25, who grew up in Mitchell’s Plain and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from UCT last year, is among 54 quarter-finalists in the Miss World South Africa pageant. The winner will go on to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant in India later this year.
“I always felt there was a burning desire to do more. The Miss World competition gives the platform to not only focus on beauty but to do community service and connect with people,” she said.
Each contestant has to choose a community-service project as part of the pageant’s “beauty with a purpose” theme, and Dr Jones’s is called the Me & Mind project.
“It is based on mental health and education. I chose this project as there is a lot of stigma against mental health,” she said.
“There is no stigma around physical health when people are going for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol testing, though when people mention they are being tested for mental health, they get stigmatised and get called horrific words.”
She said that as part of her project she would be supporting Ubuntu House, a non-profit refuge for abandoned babies in Goodwood; the Wee Learn Centre, a needy preschool in Athlone; and a non-profit community clinic for psychiatric patients in Bellville.
This volunteer work will include supporting staff at the organisations, raising funds and collecting donations of nappies, baby creams, clothing, stationery and toys.
At the clinic, she plans to use her skills as a doctor to do blood-pressure and diabetes testing.
“I will do activities outside of the clinic like arts and crafts and talk with the patients,” she said.
When Dr Jones is not working or doing her community service, she enjoys running, playing the piano, singing, baking and looking at the latest beauty and fashion trends.
Semi-finalists in the Miss World South Africa pageant will be announced in Johannesburg next month.
To support Dr Jones with her Me & Mind project, follow her on Facebook and Instagram at @meandmindproject or email meandmindproject@gmail.com. To help her to progress in the pageant, SMS her code, MWSA170, to 40113.
