2016-08-19Staff Report 2 Windhoek Six Namibian married beauties will be representing Namibia at the upcoming Mrs Africa 2016, a beauty pageant for married women in South Africa. Recently the Mrs Africa organisation announced their Top 40 Mrs Africa 2016 Continental finalists from across the African Continent and six Namibians made the list. The six are Alberta Swartbooi – Sechogele, Jeanette Tlhabanello, Lizelle Groenewald, Roleen Daleen Opperman, Olivia Shambekela Onesmus and Rachel Steinbeck. Mrs Africa was launched in South Africa in 2006 and has since its inception been groomed into a prestigious pageant catering for married African women. Mrs Africa is also perceived as a woman empowering programme and not just a beauty pageant in the traditional sense of the word. The pageant aims to create a platform by which the unique qualities of African women can be showcased to the world. Mrs Africa also advocates for and supports the development of women in Africa. The participating countries in this year’s Mrs Africa is Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Kenya, Swaziland, Mauritius and South Africa. The selected finalists will have the opportunity to compete for one of five Mrs Africa 2016 international titles, and as part of their prize package, and they will be flown to the international destinations to represent Africa. All the finalists are expected to focus on humanitarian work in their countries through the Mrs Africa Foundation. The focus includes restoring the dignity of young girls on the African Continent via Dignity Dreams who manufactures and distributes washable, feminine and re-usable sanitary wear to young ladies who cannot afford it monthly. Secondly a certain amount per Dignity Dreams Sanitary Pack will be distributed to The Nzuri Project where they operate on women in war-ridden Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who live with Endemic Goiter and Fistula Conditions. As part of the requirement from the finalists, the Namibian finalists started working on their own Mrs Africa Foundation Charity aiming on impacting or make a change and using the Mrs Africa platform to promote their own personal brands, which they were encouraged them to do from the onset. One of the contestants, Groenewald, who visited the NEPC offices offices, says she was not expecting the selection but happy that she is going to represent Namibia as she hopes to make a change. “We started working on our charities already and we can’t wait to go represent and make the best of it. Anyone who would like us to help them with their charity work can just get in touch with us because we are more than willing to support them,” says she. Groenewald adds that this opportunity means so much to the finalists, more importantly because it does not focus on age and size but more of what you can do or contribute as an individual. “We are all different ages and sizes and that’s what makes this interesting. There is more pageants then what is perceived. We are looking forward to going to SA and meeting other contestants,” Groenewald excites. “The Africa continental finalists this year not only are they beautiful, they are mothers, wives and businesswomen who have all made a huge success in their lives. They are but the few of many powerful African women who are the backbone of our African Continent,” says one of the Mrs Africa’s directors, Carolyn Baldwin Botha. Botha adds that they are proud to be associated with these ladies who are constantly reminding them why the women on the African continent are powerhouses in their own right. “We look for authentic women, women that have an ambition and determination to make any project they take on a success.” The grand finale is in late November. 2016-08-19Staff Report 2
