Mr South Africa semi-finalist, Devon Brough, is a man on a mission. In little more than a year, the 26 year-old has transformed himself from a shallow party prince to a man who lives an inspirational life of purpose and integrity. And he wants to show other young people, who may feel trapped in a meaningless lifestyle, that they can do the same.

Devon will be hosting a celebrity benefit dinner on Tuesday, 22 September at The Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa in Johannesburg, along with his fellow Mr South Africa finalists. The dinner will raise awareness and generate funding for Ons Huis - a charity based in Pretoria, which looks after mentally handicapped adults by providing them with a safe and secure living environment, whilst catering for their individual needs. The raising of funds is vital to the sustainability of this wonderful program.

The Celebrity Benefit Dinner will bring together ordinary South Africans who will share and enjoy a special evening with the Mr South Africa 2009 finalists and other well-known local celebrities. A guest speaker will complement the evening speaking on the topics of ‘Giving and Gratitude’, with a jazz band providing the evening’s musical entertainment.

Devon seemed destined for a rock-star lifestyle. The son of Ingi Herbst of multi-million selling South African all-girl band Clout, Devon spent his early childhood in studios and jam sessions around the world. As a teen and young adult, he gravitated to the Johannesburg club scene, and became a sought after club DJ. His life revolved around clubs and parties, and a year ago an outsider would swear that Devon had it all. “I was depressed. I looked in the mirror and realised that I was not happy with myself. I was living an unhealthy lifestyle, put on a lot of weight, and didn’t feel fulfilled,” says Devon. So, he dug deep and found the personal motivation to turn his life around.

“It was hard. I was looking around for inspiration and motivation, and I found that there weren’t that many positive role models that youth could aspire to. I realised that that one simple act could have a real impact on people. By inspiring others, I could find the inspiration I needed.”

As his life changed, so too did his personal values. He realised that in order to be fulfilled, one has to live a life of integrity; accountability; and gratitude. “For me, that’s the most exciting thing about being a Mr South Africa semi-finalist – it gives me a platform to spread that message, and those values of positivity.” Devon has been using social networking site, Facebook to spread inspirational message and infect people with positivity. Every day his messages are received with great adoration and apreciation of his 4 000 strong base of Facebook friends.

“Every morning I think of things I have gone through in my life, or situations I am currently dealing with. I post a message to inspire and motivate others to learn from mistakes I have made in the past and to stay positive no matter what the circumstance. It is so fulfilling to receive the numerous comments and messages in response to my posts. Often I get messages telling me how relevant my status was and how it has helped to lift someone spirits and keep them focussed on the end goal.”

Devon launched www.devonbrough.co.za on 11 September and is in the process of writing a book which parallels the journey of life to that of a road trip. As we need a map to navigate where we want to go, so in life we need goals, dreams and vision to steer our own journey. We might go through thunderstorms where we fear for our lives, but we keep moving and eventually the storm is a forgotten memory. Devon is using this analogy to make life-teaching more accessible and understandable for everyone.

Devon has also started an organisation geared towards helping young people change, not just their lives, but the world around them. He started Spread the Love, a volunteer organisation. “The idea for Spread the Love started last year, when I was involved in The Suitcase Project, an initiative to help orphans of xenophobic violence. I felt a real need to mobilise people, and I realised that, with the variety of social and mass online media platforms available, I could!”

Spread the Love will be working with the Johannesburg children’s charity Kids’ Haven, to provide a new reception centre for displaced and homeless children. Ultimately, Devon hopes that Spread the Love will become a hub of volunteerism, where young people can find a project that speaks to them.

In addition to his charity work, Devon has built a successful career as an expert on New Media and Digital content. As the head of that division at Curious Pictures, one of South Africa’s most successful television production companies, Devon has built a leading mobile media division. Prior to his work with New Media, he worked as an Editor and Producer, winning three South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTSa) and a merit award at the SAB Sports Journalist Awards in 2007.

Devon hopes to use his expertise to spread his message of hope and transformation to our future generations. “I’m working on creating daily one minute inspirational video clips for cell phone download, and I’m putting together a proposal for a talk show.” Devon’s journey has brought him to the realisation that in order to find happiness, you have to take care of yourself first, help those in need around you and find passion in everything you do.

For more information, and to book a table or seat for the charity dinner contact:
Devon Brough by callling 083 634 0630 or emailing [email protected].