Luther Munyai (23) nearly lost her life when she was involved in a fatal car accident in 2016. After spending time in and out of hospital, she became paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair. Despite all the challenges and hardships, this beautiful young lady never gave up. One of her lifetime dreams finally became a reality when she was selected as Miss Vhembe Disability 2023 during the glamourous crowning event held at Khoroni Hotel on Saturday, 2 September.
Munyai was among 30 other contestants who hailed from the Musina, Thulamela, Collins Chabane, and Makhado local municipalities. The event was organised by the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM), Tshilande Foundation, and Rofhiwa Manwadu Foundation.
The lovely Munyai, who hails from Folovhodwe village within the Musina Municipality, walked away with a certificate, sash, crown, smart phone, ticket for the Miss Limpopo Heritage, and physiotherapy sessions for a full month.
To qualify as one of the top-30 finalists to represent their municipalities in the competition, the prospective candidates attended auditions at their respective municipalities throughout the month of July.
In an interview with Limpopo Mirror earlier this week, Munyai said being crowned Miss Vhembe Disability 2023 was only the beginning of greater things to come. "I had a dream of becoming a beauty queen even before I got involved in the car accident. Being confined to the wheelchair never stopped my dream, because I know what I need in life. I would like to encourage other people with disabilities not to give up in their lives because, with determination, hard work and courage they are able to realize their dreams."
A poet and actor, Munyai said she had now set her eyes on provincial, national, and international beauty pageants. "It does not matter where you come from. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and work hard to achieve your dreams," she said.