Modelling has always been Loide Ndemueda’s dream but never did the burn survivor imagine that her scars would encourage those who do not fit within today’s beauty standards.

Today, the 26-year-old model and youth activist who grew up in Bela-Bela, Polokwane, is using her story to debunk the societal perceptions of what a model should look like. 

“I grew up in a world in which a woman like me was never considered to be pretty or allowed to be a model. I wanted to demonstrate empowerment in a different form without me having to speak, hence I ventured into modelling. The industry lacks inclusiveness and practical diversity. In 2016, I decided to do modelling to change the trajectory of how beauty is perceived in the world and to enforce the importance of representation within the beauty and modelling world,” she tells Sowetan before sharing how she was burnt with gas at the age of 13.

“On July 13 2010, just after the Fifa World Cup, a man purposefully set me on fire using a gas cylinder and a fire extinguisher. This individual burnt a total of 17 school children and 10 died as a result, including my younger sister,” Ndemueda recalls.

“I was transferred to a hospital in Polokwane and was discharged five months later in December to spend Christmas with my family. I still had wounds and was going through dressing treatment. Recovering from third degree burns is a never-ending process because as the skin heals, it contracts, which leads to disfigurement of body parts.

“Through my recovery journey I experienced discrimination, isolation and rejection which did not make it easy for me to recover. Most of the time I was suicidal. I am not fully recovered physically because my scars are still itchy and I was supposed to do another reconstruction surgery of my hands, but I am happy with where I am right now,” she explains. 

Although she’s found some form of healing emotionally, Ndemueda says the biggest challenge throughout her journey was missing school for three years after the tragedy. She was on a wheelchair with disfigurement of hands and no school wanted the responsibility of a disabled person.

“I thought my dreams were forfeited. My biggest challenge was finding a school that was not discriminative of my scars or age and finding a strategic solution to being in school while still going to hospital for the many operations I had to do. However, I fought against all odds and matriculated and finally got my degree in public administration.”

Her advice to fellow burn survivors is not to allow their scars to define them. 

“Being a survivor is a blessing. We just need to take time, look at ourselves in the mirror and fall in love with our scars. You are beautiful, capable and intelligent. Don’t allow the negative people of this world to use your scars against you. Your scars do not define who you are, they just form part of who you are.”