Local models eye international pageants

Two local models have been selected to represent Namibia at the Miss Eco-Tourism World, an international pageant hosted annually in Durban, South Africa.One of the models is a 25-year-old psychology graduate and entrepreneur, Magdalena Haingura, from Grootfontein, who will take part in the main competition.She will be joined by a 16-year-old high school pupil and aspiring pilot, Innocentia Mukubi, from Windhoek, who will be the first Namibian to enter the teen category of the pageant.The pageant is set to take place from 9 to 17 October this year, with the grand corporations to be held on 15 and 16 October at the Msinsi Resort and Game Reserve in Durban.According to the organisers of the event, the beauty contest intends to bring together some of the world's most beautiful and intelligent women and create ambassadors for causes like socio-economic development and tourism.This year's theme is 'Preserving natural resources while promoting tourism, a greener planet'.Last year, Nigeria's Precious Zino was crowned the first winner of the contest, with Namibian model Rachel Tukuhupwele placed in the Top 12. She walked away with the accolades for the best speaker and best in sports.Haingura, a former Miss Republic of Namibia first runner-up, says this would be the biggest opportunity for her modelling career, and is ready to bring the crown home.Mukubi, the reigning Miss Queen of Summer 2021, says she would like to use the opportunity to continue her charity work in donating sanitary pads to young girls from less fortunate backgrounds and on a bigger platform.Both models will be represented by the Walk by Bobby Kaanjosa programme, a platform that is used to run different international pageant franchises to export Namibian modelling talents to the international stage.The aim is to obtain opportunities in the fashion, pageant, and modelling industry, locally and abroad.“We do not host pageants to select our different representatives due to a lack of support and sponsorship in the industry, but the programme selects and funds the models,” says Bobby Kaanjoosa, the founder of the programme.He adds that the models selected are mostly handpicked by the organisation based on their previous pageant resumés and experience.“When a big pageant approaches me to send a representative, they usually send a list of requirements. I then use my experience and knowledge of the models to offer them the opportunities,” says Kaanjoosa.

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