• PINEHAS NAKAZIKO
As Namibian beauty queen Chanique 'Chani' Rabe is ready and gearing up to hand over the title of Miss Supranational in Poland next month, she looks back on her journey.
Chani, who is also a fashion designer and make-up artist, says she managed to travel to 10 countries worldwide during her reign, promoting Namibia's culture and heritage.
She also travels to national Miss Supranational competitions, is involved in various community projects, and represented the country at Expo Dubai 2020 alongside president Hage Geingob.
“It was a pleasure representing our country, and I hope I have put Namibia on the map. This would not only make our title-holders noticed, but increase our tourism and noticeability internationally,” she says.
Chani says some of her biggest and most memorable achievements during her reign were finding her true passion for teaching underprivileged young people sewing skills.
She also managed to open a sewing school, 'The Mending Project' at Hope Village in Windhoek, as well as the 'Sijwa Project' under the Junior Sewing School at African Monarch Lodges.
“The aim was to teach these children to be emotionally and intellectually independent through art and different talents,” Chani says.
She has also provided unemployed women with a craft they can harness, empowering them to unleash their potential.
“We opened sewing schools for women in the northern regions, and also taught them how to draft a CV to hunt for jobs.”
She says she wishes to promote core life skills that would allow young people to be the authors of their own future.
Chani says the women and children involved have passed their sewing skills on to teenagers in their villages.
“They now have skills they can use for the rest of their lives, applying for skilled jobs, or sparking up entrepreneurship,” she says.
BEING MISS SUPRANATIONAL
Chani was crowned Miss Supranational in Nowy Sacz, Poland, in August last year.
This made her the first African Miss Supranational title-holder.
With the title, Chani also became the second Namibian to hold one of the biggest international pageant titles, after Michelle McLean won Miss Universe in 1992.
“I am proud to be Namibian and to be the first African holder of this title. Namibia represents a hidden gem in the world, home to such diverse flora, fauna, history, and culture. It is a huge honour representing Namibia as an ambassador, promoting the country and the true authenticity of its people,” she says.
Miss Supranational is one of the top five international pageants.
Chani says the pageant turned 13 years old this year and is relatively new, but has definitely made some waves on the international pageant stage as one of the most popular televised pageants in the world.
It was also recently voted as the best pageant production.
The pageant's slogan reads 'Aspirational, Inspirational', which is also what the organisation looks for in a title-holder.
“I would say Miss Supranational is a little bit of both Miss World and Miss Universe. Similar to Miss World, this organisation is very focused on social projects through their 'From the Ground Up' initiative, but it also has the glitz and glam factor, similar to Miss Universe.”
Born in Windhoek, Chani, who has a bachelor's degree in fashion, started her modelling career when she was very young.
She won Miss Teen Namibia in 2014 and Miss Teen Continents in 2015.
“From there I have just been working towards Miss Supranational. I worked hard for many years, and never stopped my training,” she says.
BIGGER PLANS
After crowning her successor next month, Chani will be moving to Pretoria in South Africa to expand her fashion business, called 'Nami Nami', and plans to visit Namibia regularly to check up on her current projects.
“I am excited to live out my creativity through focusing on growing and extending my sewing schools, as well as my fashion brand. I believe in taking on every single opportunity that comes my way, and right now I have some exciting opportunities in South Africa.”
She that adds in South Africa she would have more resources for her fashion design and make-up business.
“I am also excited about a few possibilities there and am ready to take this next step in my life.”
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