Twenty-two-year-old ZEE TV Miss India SA Finalist, Michaiah Naidoo, is a young woman who is steadfast in her love for humanity’s furry friends.
In a bid to make the world a warmer and safer space for the voiceless, the Mount Edgecombe resident donated a wide array of feeding bowls, fleece blankets, dog beds and litter trays as well as an impressive 100kgs of dog food and 40kgs of cat food to the Durban and Coast SPCA, recently.
She said: “My mission in life is to be a voice to voiceless. Animals deserve the right to be treated with dignity and to be loved unconditionally. The SPCA is dependent on public donations in order to sustain itself hence I felt the need in my heart to assist them with food and other goodies.”
Naidoo’s love for animals goes way back into childhood when, at the age of 10, she jumped out of a moving car to rescue a wandering puppy which was on the road. Twelve years later, that very same dog is thriving under the care of her uncle.
Naidoo, who is also a proud fur-mum of two kittens named Oreo and Charlie, said from that moment she knew what her mission was. “It’s always been a dream of mine to start a non-profit organisation for animals and run sterilisation clinics for people who can’t afford to spay or neuter their pets. Being a cat mum definitely influenced my decision to choose this campaign as I adopted both my pets from an NPO. I’m against animal cruelty and commend the SPCA for their outstanding work!” said Naidoo.
Describing herself as witty and strong with a healthy dose of Bollywood enthusiasm, it was her love for Indian culture that prompted the aspiring broadcaster to throw her hat in the ring for the crown.
Naidoo said: “Growing up I had an obsession with Bollywood and even had my own Shah Rukh Khan doll. I’d find any excuse to wear shararas and punjabis. My love for Indian culture led me to entering this pageant. Apart from this, I always admired Priya Dasa and Sorisha Naidoo, who were former Miss India SA pageant winners. They are role models to many young women. I wish to be the same. I want to use my platform as a finalist to motivate others to leave behind a legacy of kindness. Inspire others to give back to humanity. Pay it forward, and you will reap abundance.”
The media and communications student added that another one of her aspirations is to make a break in the Bollywood Industry. “The winner of Miss India SA 2022 will be integrated into a prime time Zee World production in India. This includes a fully paid trip and accommodation by ZEE Entertainment. If I’m crowned winner, I will leap to India in a heartbeat – no questions asked!” said Naidoo.
But its not just about the glitz and glam, Naidoo hopes that the platform would also help propel her efforts in the world of philanthropy, especially regarding stigmatised topics like mental health. “I myself suffered with ADD as a child (attention deficit disorder) so I can relate to those with the same condition. As the winner of Miss India SA, I would also like to work on developing and nurturing the youth as they are the future of our beloved country, South Africa! As a public figure it’s important to use one’s voice to speak about stigmatised topics such as mental health, specifically anxiety and depression and I have had many episodes dealing with anxiety and felt ashamed to speak about it. It’s time things change and we get comfortable speaking about the unspeakable to create awareness for those suffering silently,” said Naidoo.
