Little Lethukukhanya Mjaji – fondly known as Little Miss Albany – is celebrating her fourth birthday.
Last year, the KwaZulu-Natal toddler went viral after her relative captured her joyfully frolicking in the mud. This, after purchasing the bread at her local spaza shop.
LITTLE MISS ALBANY TURNS FOUR!
In May 2023, KwaZulu-Natal student photographer Lungisa Mjaji was hailed for his heartwarming pics of his niece Lethukukanya. In it, the three-year-old – wearing a blue flower-print dress – was seen blissfully beaming at the camera after purchasing a loaf of Albany bread. The pics were for a project named ‘My Footprint,’ where his vision was to portray the “beauty of rural South Africa through a lens of joy and positivity”/
The pics quickly went viral, and the toddler soon became a trending topic. Lethukukhanya earned the nickname Miss Albany.
On Tuesday, 9 April, Lungisa shared a birthday wish to his niece.
He tweeted: “Happy 4th birthday to the precious Angel, Lethukukhanya Mjaji! Your name shines brightly, guiding you through life’s challenges with a smile. May you continue to grow in wisdom, love, and respect for others.
He added: “ Always remember to honor your elders and face the world with confidence.”
On TikTok, he posted a video montage of the happy-go-lucky child.
“You truly are a blessing from above”, he added.
@innovative_photog Happy 4th birthday to the precious Angel, Lethukukhanya Mjaji! Your name shines brightly, guiding you through life’s challenges with a smile. May you continue to grow in wisdom, love, and respect for others. Always remember to honor your elders and face the world with confidence. You are truly a blessing from above. 🎉🎂 #happybirthday #lethukukhanyamjaji #fyp #SAMA28 #onelove #unity ♬ Happy Birthday by Kea – X_kihanna_X
LOVE FROM THE PUBLIC AND BI PHAKATHI
Meanwhile, Lungisani recently revealed that Albany – via Tiger Brands – did not compensate the family for the viral image, of which he permitted them to post on their social media accounts.
He told Sunday World: “I couldn’t say no because I was in the process of negotiating for a compensation package for the child.
“They do not owe us anything because we have no agreement. But a token of appreciation, especially for the child, would have greatly helped”.
Instead, the family were given five loaves of bread, a blanket, and a gas stove by an entourage from Tiger Brands, who visited the little girl.
According to Lungani, another brand also fell short of their promise; Pioneer Foods’ Bokomo promised the family a year’s supply of products, which they have yet to deliver.
Following the disclosure, the public, under the guidance of philanthropist BI Phakathi, banded together to donate R15 000 to Miss Albany.
NEW PICTURES
Meanwhile, Lungani has shared new pictures of his niece Lethukukhanya Mjaji, or Miss Albany.
In them, the little girl is seen wearing her school uniform while beaming for the camera.
“God will fight our battle,” he captioned the heartwarming pics.
@innovative_photog ❤️God will fight our battle 🙏❤️.. #SAMA28 #nkabination #lethukukhanyamjaji #lungisanimjaji ♬ original sound – Siya Buso The preacher
