Janha, who received her BA communications degree during the recent Autumn Graduation Ceremony of the North-West University’s (NWU) campus in Vanderbijlpark, has just been announced as a regional semi-finalist in the coveted annual Miss Earth SA Competition.
“Living more sustainable isn’t a hippie thing. It’s a survival thing,” says Janha and adds that she wants to help create a world in which the environment doesn’t need protecting.
According to Janha, who is studying towards her honours degree in communication for social change at the NWU’s campus in Potchefstroom, she has always wanted to take part in the Miss Earth SA pageant. “This year I finally went for it. I was so nervous when it came to the interviewing round and I just told myself that if I was destined to proceed to the next round, it will happen. After a few stressful days, I finally got the email congratulating me as a regional semi-finalist.”
As a Miss Earth SA regional finalist, Janha has to come-up with various community and school-based projects to inform and educate the community about environmental issues such as waste management, recycling, and the importance of protecting the country’s natural resources. One of her projects, the Waste Stops With Me Campaign is focused on young children and the aim is to help to vest a culture of recycling and upcycling amongst children. “I entered the Miss Earth SA competition because our country needs more environmental champions. I want to be such a champion and by doing so set in motion a process of sustainable social change,” says Janha.
More about Janha and her journey
Janha completed her secondary schooling at Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijlpark and enrolled for a BA in communication science degree at the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark in 2014. As a member of the day-residence, Acacia, she made heads turn when she won the prestigious title of Miss NWU Vaal 2015/2016. During her reign as Miss NWU Vaal she busied herself with numerous charity projects, both directed at the campus community and the community at large. During an interview as Miss NWU Vaal she was once quoted as saying that life is about so much more than extravagant gowns and flawless makeup, it is about making a real difference and paying forward the values of community, unity and humility.
As an ambassador of the NWU – and more so the campus in Vanderbijlpark, she took part in the Miss SA Campus and Miss Gauteng pageants. When she was not busy with official obligations or charity work, she worked hard at completing her degree and was reworded with membership to the Golden Key International Honour Society for her good academic performance.
As a Miss Earth regional semi-finalist, Janha has to collect a certain amount of money for future projects. Anyone who would like to support her vision to protect our natural heritage and to teach the youth more about aspects such as better waste management, can contact her via email at janha.scholtz@gmail.com
More about the Miss Earth SA Competition
The Miss Earth South Africa is a leadership programme that aims to empower young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference in the plight to combat the destruction of South Africa’s natural heritage. The programme helps to create an awareness of sustainable development, the environment, wildlife and the conservation of the natural legacy in South Africa, and ultimately the preservation of Mother Earth.
According to Catherine Constantinides, the National Director of Miss Earth, the ultimate goal is to create sustainability, citizenship and stewardship through environmental work. “Now more than ever before we as South Africans are experiencing the effects of global warming, climate change and sustainability issues and therefor the competition aims to promote peace, respect and humility towards one another. By doing so we free ourselves to take on the responsibilities we face as human beings.”
Janha Scholtz, an NWU alumna and regional semi-finalist in the coveted annual Miss Earth SA Competition, received her BA communications degree earlier this year.
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY
