FEATURES -
| 2013-08-09Changing the Face of Beauty Meet Miss Namibia 2013, Paulina Malulu
Rukee Kaakunga
BEAUTY … Paulina has striking features that make her an unconventional and refreshing beauty.
From the moment I set my eyes on images of Paulina Malulu, courtesy of her entry form for the Miss Namibia 2013 pageant, I knew she would go places. By the second time I saw her, during the preliminary judging process, which involved interviews with the top 30 candidates, I had my mind made up. Paulina Malulu definitely had what it took to be Miss Namibia.
She impressed my fellow judges and I with her quiet humility, the way she carried herself and her way of speaking so eloquently.
Paulina grew up in Windhoek with her parents and siblings. She was more of a tomboy as a child and only started to pay attention to her looks in Grade 9.
“Most of the children I grew up with were either too young or too old for me so I ended up playing more with boys,” she says.
Today, she makes a living helping others to look their best, as a beauty and skin care therapist.
All in all, Paulina is a very well rounded young woman who believes in helping others and her aim in life is to “live a life of purpose and passion everyday.”
Unlike other beauty queens, Paulina refused to wait for a big title in order to give back to the community. She has been involved in her own project since 2010. This community programme involves many other beauty queens, helping out at old age homes and also helping the needy, especially orphans and vulnerable children.
“I believe that you shouldn’t be defined by your title but the title should rather add to what you already possess and help you to do more,” she says. She started the programme specifically as a way for beauty queens to give back to the community.
“People are not really supportive of pageantry in Namibia so I just wanted to show what we can do on our own,” she adds.
Paulina aims to change the status quo by involving her two princesses in her charitable endeavours. The trio have already started to work on the Children of Tomorrow campaign where they visit their former schools and help all those children who don’t have access to basic needs. All the other finalists will also be involved in this campaign. “There is no way you can do all these things alone. Working together brings out the best results,” says Paulina.
Judging by her passion and determination to make a difference before and after winning the crown, Paulina is not your average beauty queen. Aside from being totally gorgeous, she is a reminder that humility, compassion and intelligence are equally important in defining one as the most beautiful woman in Namibia.
Her thoughts on the issues of the day
Abortion
I am not for abortion but at the same time you can never judge someone who chooses to do it as you can never know what it feels like to be in their shoes.
Alcohol abuse
It’s very sad that alcohol is more accessible than contraceptives and the youth, who make up the majority of the population, are most affected. A lot needs to be done to change this. Recreational activities are needed to distract the youth and get them involved in positive activities.
How she would feel if someone named their shebeen after her?
Wow! Shuuu … I’m sure we have some rights to our names don’t we? I wouldn’t accept that at all. At least a school or something else constructive should have my name, not a bar surely.
State of education and health in Namibia
We are doing well but a lot can still be done so, as much as it is the Government’s responsibility, we all have to lend a hand. I think people should also make sure that they have the passion when entering these professions.
Would you eat a stem cell burger made in a lab
That is very disturbing. I would not consider eating that at all. It’s already bad enough that we have Kangaroo meat in our beef and now this?
Paulina grew up in Windhoek with her parents and siblings. She was more of a tomboy as a child and only started to pay attention to her looks in Grade 9.
“Most of the children I grew up with were either too young or too old for me so I ended up playing more with boys,” she says.
Today, she makes a living helping others to look their best, as a beauty and skin care therapist.
All in all, Paulina is a very well rounded young woman who believes in helping others and her aim in life is to “live a life of purpose and passion everyday.”
Unlike other beauty queens, Paulina refused to wait for a big title in order to give back to the community. She has been involved in her own project since 2010. This community programme involves many other beauty queens, helping out at old age homes and also helping the needy, especially orphans and vulnerable children.
“I believe that you shouldn’t be defined by your title but the title should rather add to what you already possess and help you to do more,” she says. She started the programme specifically as a way for beauty queens to give back to the community.
“People are not really supportive of pageantry in Namibia so I just wanted to show what we can do on our own,” she adds.
Paulina aims to change the status quo by involving her two princesses in her charitable endeavours. The trio have already started to work on the Children of Tomorrow campaign where they visit their former schools and help all those children who don’t have access to basic needs. All the other finalists will also be involved in this campaign. “There is no way you can do all these things alone. Working together brings out the best results,” says Paulina.
Judging by her passion and determination to make a difference before and after winning the crown, Paulina is not your average beauty queen. Aside from being totally gorgeous, she is a reminder that humility, compassion and intelligence are equally important in defining one as the most beautiful woman in Namibia.
Her thoughts on the issues of the day
Abortion
I am not for abortion but at the same time you can never judge someone who chooses to do it as you can never know what it feels like to be in their shoes.
Alcohol abuse
It’s very sad that alcohol is more accessible than contraceptives and the youth, who make up the majority of the population, are most affected. A lot needs to be done to change this. Recreational activities are needed to distract the youth and get them involved in positive activities.
How she would feel if someone named their shebeen after her?
Wow! Shuuu … I’m sure we have some rights to our names don’t we? I wouldn’t accept that at all. At least a school or something else constructive should have my name, not a bar surely.
State of education and health in Namibia
We are doing well but a lot can still be done so, as much as it is the Government’s responsibility, we all have to lend a hand. I think people should also make sure that they have the passion when entering these professions.
Would you eat a stem cell burger made in a lab
That is very disturbing. I would not consider eating that at all. It’s already bad enough that we have Kangaroo meat in our beef and now this?
