Miss Namibia… more than just cliché
This week, tjil sat down with the Miss Namibia 2018 second princess, Kabuba Namukokoba, who spoke about the importance of the pageant and what their role is in society.
Kabuba Namukokoba said her pageantry career started last year when she entered Miss Namibia 2017 but only made it to the semi-finals. She tried again this year because she believes the pageant is more than just ladies looking pretty and walking on the ramp.
“It does seem like it's all about glitz and glamour but that's just a show we put on. The work is done behind the scenes and the results are seen at the end. Miss Namibia is all about seeking a youth ambassador who can tackle issues affecting the youth in her year of reign. There's more to the fancy words and dresses that we use,” she said.
During their reign, the queen and princesses embark on charity-based campaigns that they run during their term and after, should they desire. Namukokoba, who is an engineering graduate from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, runs a mentorship programme for the students in her field.
The princess recently travelled to the northern parts of Namibia for the Oshakati Youth Expo where she was exposed to leaders, community members and the talent and skills that the youth have. The aim was to be the voice of the youth who can take their challenges to the relevant people, using her title. She hopes to travel to other parts of the country and do the same. This, according to her, is the power of the pageant and why it is relevant.
This year's queen and princesses will be working with the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) on a campaign that is a first for Namibia and both organisations.
The NDTC wants to build a diamond generation which means investing in the youth and Miss Namibia will be at the forefront of the campaign.
The second princess says their reign has been great thus far as there were opportunities for them to do work on the ground. The top three have been working with the City Police in the vicinity of Windhoek and Namukokoba says the partnership has been an eye-opener.
“From this I realised that our job is not just to motivate the youth but also to uplift them. Miss Namibia really matters because we play a part in ensuring that we the youth are ready for tomorrow because it's ours. We need to make sure that we are all fine and the little that we do goes a long way. Mental health is also one of the issues we tackle, sometimes someone just need to know that they are not alone,” she said.
Namukokoba will be representing Namibia at the upcoming Miss Africa pageant which will take place in South Africa on 24 November.
The pageant is about finding a queen who will advocate against xenophobia, poverty and other issues that affect the African continent. Miss Africa is partnering with the Nelson Mandela Foundation in celebration of the centenary of Mandela's birth. The 12 finalists will be on a historic Miss Africa 2019 calendar as part of the celebration. The princess said she is excited to take part as she is academically driven and the competition offers scholarships.
“The platform believes in the queen they crown too. They provide a scholarship for her to pursue her masters' degree and that is an amazing thing because I get to advocate and study,” she said.
Namukokoba will leave for Miss Africa on 14 November. Follow and support her on the Miss Namibia social media platforms.
June Shimuoshili
“It does seem like it's all about glitz and glamour but that's just a show we put on. The work is done behind the scenes and the results are seen at the end. Miss Namibia is all about seeking a youth ambassador who can tackle issues affecting the youth in her year of reign. There's more to the fancy words and dresses that we use,” she said.
During their reign, the queen and princesses embark on charity-based campaigns that they run during their term and after, should they desire. Namukokoba, who is an engineering graduate from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, runs a mentorship programme for the students in her field.
The princess recently travelled to the northern parts of Namibia for the Oshakati Youth Expo where she was exposed to leaders, community members and the talent and skills that the youth have. The aim was to be the voice of the youth who can take their challenges to the relevant people, using her title. She hopes to travel to other parts of the country and do the same. This, according to her, is the power of the pageant and why it is relevant.
This year's queen and princesses will be working with the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) on a campaign that is a first for Namibia and both organisations.
The NDTC wants to build a diamond generation which means investing in the youth and Miss Namibia will be at the forefront of the campaign.
The second princess says their reign has been great thus far as there were opportunities for them to do work on the ground. The top three have been working with the City Police in the vicinity of Windhoek and Namukokoba says the partnership has been an eye-opener.
“From this I realised that our job is not just to motivate the youth but also to uplift them. Miss Namibia really matters because we play a part in ensuring that we the youth are ready for tomorrow because it's ours. We need to make sure that we are all fine and the little that we do goes a long way. Mental health is also one of the issues we tackle, sometimes someone just need to know that they are not alone,” she said.
Namukokoba will be representing Namibia at the upcoming Miss Africa pageant which will take place in South Africa on 24 November.
The pageant is about finding a queen who will advocate against xenophobia, poverty and other issues that affect the African continent. Miss Africa is partnering with the Nelson Mandela Foundation in celebration of the centenary of Mandela's birth. The 12 finalists will be on a historic Miss Africa 2019 calendar as part of the celebration. The princess said she is excited to take part as she is academically driven and the competition offers scholarships.
“The platform believes in the queen they crown too. They provide a scholarship for her to pursue her masters' degree and that is an amazing thing because I get to advocate and study,” she said.
Namukokoba will leave for Miss Africa on 14 November. Follow and support her on the Miss Namibia social media platforms.
June Shimuoshili
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