Miss South Africa on mental health and depression

DW (English)

Natasha Joubert is one of the most beautiful women in the world, but it's her resilience through hard times with depression that make her a force to be reckoned with.

Transcript

00:00 Natasha Huber made it to the top.

00:02 And the winner of the Miss South Africa Pageant 2023 is...

00:10 Natasha!

00:16 But did you know that to get there, Miss SA 2023 had to overcome the deepest debt?

00:23 I fell into depression.

00:25 There was so many days that I didn't want to get out of bed.

00:28 Even though I had so much support from South Africa, I just didn't feel like enough.

00:31 I didn't feel worthy enough in myself.

00:33 Before we learn how Natasha Huber went from failure to normalising mental health,

00:40 let's find out what success actually means to this beauty queen.

00:43 Success to me is in the little things daily.

00:48 For my family, my friends, having quality time, being healthy, being able to move.

00:55 Truly living out purpose and passion, that's success.

00:58 On her way to becoming Miss South Africa 2023,

01:04 Natasha had to turn her weaknesses into her strengths.

01:07 What was her turning point?

01:10 I knew from the get-go, entering the second time,

01:14 it was going to have to have more substance in order to show who I really am.

01:21 I went in saying, I'm not seeing this as a competition,

01:24 but truly speaking on my life experiences, which I've done from the first time.

01:29 In 2020, I touched a lot on my father that passed away and losing our family home.

01:35 And I touched on those things, but I didn't really work through them.

01:40 Every single time that I would speak on any childhood trauma

01:43 or the loss of my father, I would cry.

01:45 Every single time.

01:46 In my interview, I would be so emotional that I would have to restart the entire time.

01:52 Her father passed away in 2013 when she was only 16 years old.

01:57 Looking back, Natasha has grown a fond appreciation for the difficult time.

02:03 How can that be?

02:04 I think this is why Miss South Africa is such a,

02:07 it's a very personal and special journey to me,

02:09 because I have worked through so many traumas in my life

02:13 that I wouldn't have if I did not enter.

02:15 I would have never gone to therapy.

02:17 I would have never known what real mental struggle felt like.

02:20 And not that I say everyone should,

02:22 but I think you have a different understanding of life

02:24 when you really do struggle mentally.

02:26 You appreciate things differently.

02:27 You see it differently.

02:28 You engage in conversations differently.

02:31 You respond differently.

02:32 You understand that sometimes the person's reaction is not on you.

02:35 It's who they are.

02:36 It's the way that they think.

02:37 But what you need to do and master is how you react to it.

02:43 Her learnings are clear, proving that beauty isn't just skin deep,

02:47 but a reflection of inner strength.

02:50 When you sign up for something like Miss South Africa,

02:54 like Miss Universe,

02:55 it's so important to know yourself,

02:59 because otherwise you will come back lost.

03:02 And I feel like in some sense that was me.

03:04 I thought I knew myself and I said,

03:06 "I'm strong enough to do this."

03:08 Like people think a second runner-up can't do it.

03:10 I'll show them.

03:11 And now knowing what I know,

03:13 it was developing into a woman that's completely different,

03:16 that can really speak on substance,

03:19 on failure,

03:20 and know what it feels like.

03:23 Natasha's relentless spirit and caring heart

03:27 have paved her way to the crown.

03:29 What has she learned at home to keep her path bright?

03:33 I think the thing that I'm most proud of

03:38 is the way that she deals with difficult situations.

03:42 I like sometimes think,

03:43 "Wow, you know, she really makes me proud

03:47 of the way how she deals with things in general."

03:50 I want Natasha to be herself like she is at the moment.

03:53 Because if you are your true self,

03:56 it doesn't matter if you're your true self now

03:58 or your true self in future,

03:59 you're still going to be that person

04:01 that's very humble towards anybody else.

04:03 And I see her becoming somebody that I would be proud of,

04:07 of somebody that I feel that will motivate people

04:11 and people have to look up to her.

04:14 And as soon as, you know, if that happens,

04:16 then I know I've done a great job as a mom.

04:18 Natasha, you bear her journey is far from over.

04:22 She wants to make a statement.

04:24 So that little girl that has been maybe looking at my journey

04:30 or currently me as Miss South Africa,

04:32 just knows that circumstances shouldn't be a defining factor.

04:37 You won't always be in the ideal situation

04:40 to make something work or have the means to do it.

04:43 But if you decide that this is something that I truly want,

04:46 once you put your mind to it, once you manifest it,

04:49 once you can envision it, it's yours.

04:51 And I think that's what's making this reign so significant.

04:55 It's people relating to failure and normalizing it.

04:58 From failure to normalizing mental health issues,

05:02 Natasha You Bear's journey is a testament to courage

05:06 and the transformative power of self-knowledge.

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