At just 23 years old, Mponoana Mmetsa is proving that where you come from does not determine how far you can go.
The Setupulane village resident is a third-year Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase) student at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and one of 40 finalists competing for the Miss Youth Limpopo 2026 title. Away from the pageant stage, she volunteers with Mercy Foundation, a youth initiative supporting matric learners with stationery and sanitary products.
Chasing a dream bigger than her village
Mmetsa entered the Miss Youth Limpopo competition in March 2026, inspired by its mission of “turning you into you.”
“Just because you come from a village like Setupulane doesn’t mean you have to dream small,” she said. “You can dream Paris, New York and beyond.”
The competition’s organiser, Basetsana Nong, confirmed that 40 finalists will compete for the crown when the pageant takes place on 15 August 2026 at the Mahwelereng Multipurpose Hall in Mokopane.
While preparing for the competition, Mmetsa has also had to balance the demands of her university studies.
“The biggest challenge has been managing my academic work while preparing for the pageant,” she said.
She credits her family, members of her community, supporters on social media and her sponsor, Blush’s Lashes in Mmotong, for helping her stay motivated.
Service beyond the spotlight
For Mmetsa, leadership is measured by service rather than titles.
One experience that left a lasting impression came during Youth Day, when she volunteered at Thabaleshoba Health Care Centre.
Instead of rushing through her tasks, she took time to clean and reorganise the facility’s notice boards.
“I had to decide whether to just finish quickly and leave or take my time and do it properly because people would be reading those boards,” she said. “I chose to do it with excellence. That day reminded me that leadership and service start with the small things.”
Supporting matric learners
Mmetsa volunteers with Mercy Foundation, an initiative founded by Mokgadi Seema in June 2025 to support learners in Limpopo.
Although the organisation is still in the process of registering as a non-profit company, it plans to distribute dignity packs containing stationery and sanitary products to learners at Lekhureng High School, Ngwanallele High School and Mmamolope High School before the final examinations in October.
The foundation has so far raised R500 towards its R3,000 fundraising target.
“We do not want any child to miss their final examinations because they lack basic stationery,” Mmetsa said.
She believes many learners also need encouragement and confidence to realise their potential.
“Learners need to be reminded that they are enough and that they can make it,” she said.
Restoring dignity
For Mmetsa, access to sanitary products is about far more than hygiene.
“When a girl doesn’t have access to sanitary products, it affects her attendance, her confidence and her ability to learn,” she said. “Dignity gives a girl the freedom to focus on her education instead of worrying about her basic needs.”
If crowned Miss Youth Limpopo 2026, she hopes to expand the foundation’s outreach across the province through donation drives, mentorship programmes and career guidance initiatives.
Backed by shared values
Onkgopotse Angela Senyatsi, owner of Blush’s Lashes, said sponsoring Mmetsa was an easy decision.
“She aligns with my brand values, which are beauty, confidence and authenticity, and that’s what Blush’s Lashes is about: girls feeling good,” Senyatsi said.
“During her pageant stage performance, her audience is our target market because she brings every value alive just by her presence, and we are happy to work with her.”
As preparations for the pageant continue, Mmetsa hopes her journey will encourage other young people, particularly those from rural communities, to pursue opportunities without allowing their circumstances to limit their ambitions.
