“Small town girl striving to inspire change”
Lisa Stoffela (26) is your typical small-town girl from Margate with one large exception – she was recently been named one of the Miss South Africa’s top 16 finalists.
She has a Financial Management degree behind her and is a small business owner. Despite these achievements, Lisa reveals that life has not been easy.
Lisa describes a time in her life where her mom lost her job and things changed very quickly for her and her family. She was no longer able to take part in many activities that other children her age took part in and her performance at school suffered. She reflects with a teary eye: ” I remember seeing my mom on her knees every night praying and crying out to the Lord in desperation – fearful that she was not going to be able to provide for her family and would not be able to put her daughters through school. For any child to see their mom in such a state is truly heart-breaking. I was devastated and decided that I would not want other children to experience that.”
It was in that dark period of her life that Lisa decided to strive for success no matter what her personal circumstances were in a hope to inspire change in her community and her loved ones. Her interest in entrepreneurship stemmed from wanting to assist her mom and other families struggling to make ends meet.
With the understanding that this suffering is prevalent in many South African households far beyond her immediate community, Lisa entered Miss South Africa to share her story and be a beacon of hope aiming to empower children who find themselves in helpless situations. She hopes to communicate that no matter your struggles, where you came from or where you are today, everyone with a clear vision, determined mindset and humble heart can change their lives and achieve their dreams.