Shudufhadzo Musida is living her dream in trying to inspire and empower women and children.

The 23-year-old Miss SA 2020 top 15 semi-finalist has a bachelor of social sciences in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Pretoria (UP) and currently pursuing a BA Honours in international relations at the University of Witwatersrand.

Musida told Sowetan that she entered Miss SA because "the vision that Miss SA has - the vision of empowerment and my goals of empowerment - they are in line with one another.

"So, entering and finding that out was a beautiful thing. It feels as if just by being in the competition, I am working towards my dreams regardless," she said.

"They [Miss SA] are very big on empowerment. They are very big on one facing their power and embracing themselves and their future. So, by just being a contestant, I am basically facing my future every single day in terms of the work that I do with the charity and my social cause of educational and economic empowerment. I find myself facing the future that I want every single day. It was a beautiful thing to realise that the pageant that I am in is in line with the goals that have long-term," she added.

To showcase her advocacy work of empowering women and children, Musida has donated food parcels, sanitary towels and blankets to Takalani Children's Home in Venda, Iris House Child Youth Care Centre in Giyani and Bohlale Multipurpose Drop in Centre in Mankweng, all in Limpopo.

"I stand for economic and educational empowerment. In the rural or disadvantaged areas, there are girls who do not go to school for like seven days because they are on their periods and cannot afford sanitary towels. Sometime they miss tests and exams," she said.

"Food and security is also important because a hungry child cannot concentrate the same way as a child who has food. The point in donating food parcels, sanitary towels and blankets is because I wanted to focus on the underlying issues that impede the educational empowerment and success of girls," she added.

Musida, from HaMasia village in Limpopo, said she wants to fulfil her dream of working for the United Nations (UN).

"I used to admire Kofi Annan [former secretary-general of the UN] a lot. When I got to university, I started reading more about it and I felt like there is a place in that organisation for me. I truly believe I am capable of becoming a UN secretary-general."

Musida's immediate goal is to clinch the Miss SA 2020 title and continue the work she has already started at a bigger scale.

"I believe that Miss South Africa provides us with the platform and an avenue to make sure we reach our dreams and more people at a larger scale. I am hoping that my social cause is catapulted into the global scale so that I grab the attention of more foundations or the UN itself," Musida said.

Voting for the top 10 ends on July 16 at 11pm.