Four representatives will represent Namibia respectively on international stages. The Miss Namibia title holders have been selected to represent Namibia at the Miss Universe 2022, Miss World 2022, Miss Earth 2022 and Miss Teen International 2022 pageants.
The Miss Namibia Beauty Pageant Organization announced on Monday, 12 September 2022. Miss Namibia 2022 title holder Cassia Sharpley (21) will represent Namibia at Miss Universe 2022, Miss Namibia First Runner Up, Leone Van Jaarsveld (26) to Miss World 2022 and Miss Namibia Second Runner Up, Diana Andimba (23) to represent Namibia at the Miss Earth 2022 competition and Miss Teen Namibia, Zoe Karsten (17) to represent the country at Miss Teen International 2022.
The titles and honour to participate at these international pageants present each candidate personally, not only with a life-changing opportunity but also with national responsibilities and obligations. They will serve as beacons of hope and important role models by enduring examples of service for so many Namibians, especially young people. The four will be uniquely positioned to highlight deserving charitable causes and alleviate the suffering of many and, importantly will also bear the responsibility to serve our country as a goodwill ambassador on the international stages to create global awareness of our beautiful land and its people.
Miss Namibia National Pageant Director, Karuaihe-Upi, reiterates that participation in international pageants not only empowers young women but also promotes local tourism on global platforms.
“We get to show off Namibia on a global scale whilst our candidates calibrate on a higher level of consciousness proudly powered by the NBC giant and serving under the broadcasters NBC Cares banner to go hand in hand with the Beauty for Charity causes which each candidate will carry out.”
Miss Universe Namibia, Cassia Sharpley focuses her “Beauty for Charity” project on poverty alleviation, mainly her own project, the Honeycomb Haven Foundation project. The three sectors of poverty-focused on by the project are individual, absolute, and generational poverty and acts as a haven of hope and a catalyst of endless opportunities for troubled youth.
“It is not much about who we meet but about the impact, we leave behind with them. People are people through other people,” said Sharpley.
Miss World Namibia, Leone Van Jaarsveld is motivated by her dedication to her goals and informing the youth that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Van Jaarsveld promises to carry Namibia’s flag with pride and confidence as she uses this platform to bring visibility and recognition with regard to awareness to national non-profit organizations. Her “Beauty with a Purpose” project will focus on empowering founding supporters of such goodwill causes to keep up the excellent work and attract prospective sponsors’ attention and unification within her community.
Miss Earth Namibia, Diana Andimba with her love for Namibian Fauna focuses on the world’s most trafficked mammal, the pangolin. Trafficked more than rhinos and elephants, it plays an important role in the ecosystem. Andimba stated “My objective will be to support the conservation and protection of pangolins and their habitats across the African continent, raise awareness, locally and internationally, about the plight of the pangolin and their value within ecosystems and implement projects which promote reducing the trade and trafficking of pangolins.”
Miss Teen International Namibia, Zoe Karsten has been very passionate about promoting charity work attainable by teenagers, one of those being blood donation. Anyone over the age of 16 can donate their blood which is a daily matter of life and death in hospitals all over the world. By donating blood, the youth can make a selfless decision to help a stranger. As a young entrepreneur, she also feels it is important to not only work hard for customers but also give back to causes financially such as the Namibian Cancer Association.
