Outgoing Miss Namibia Johanna Swartbooi says her reign has been defined by service, authenticity and community impact, with plans already under way to continue her advocacy work after handing over her crown this weekend.
Speaking ahead of the Miss Namibia finale, Swartbooi reflected on a year that included representing Namibia at the 74th Miss Universe competition in Thailand, launching her ||Hapo Initiative and serving as the face of the Namibian Diamond Board, while acknowledging the financial and personal demands of balancing the role.
She said those are the achievements she regards as most significant.
“My year was driven by service, purpose and a desire to inspire every dreamer to pursue their dreams authentically. From the very beginning, my goal was simply to be present, to connect with people and to make every moment count, which was met with an abundance of love, kindness, laughter and extraordinary hospitality everywhere I travelled,” Swartbooi said.
The ||Hapo Initiative focused on engaging young people and communities while supporting creative entrepreneurs through skills development workshops and the painting of murals at public schools.
Swartbooi said she fulfilled her commitment to empower creative entrepreneurs through workshops and public art projects, although financial constraints limited the initiative’s reach.
“I was able to fulfil my commitments to empower creative entrepreneurs through skills development workshops and inspire them through painting power walls in public schools.
“While I wanted to paint more public school walls, I was only able to achieve one due to the heavy expenses and financial demands of undertaking such projects, though the project is scheduled to resume in the coming months,” she said.
She said maintaining community projects while meeting sponsor commitments and public appearances presented some of the biggest challenges of her tenure.
“Maintaining consistency, honouring sponsor responsibilities, continuing community projects and managing appearances proved to be a financially demanding undertaking. It required a lot of personal self-sacrifice, putting my own needs second, stretching my personal networks, and balancing my naturally introverted personality with a highly public role,” Swartbooi said.
She described her relationship with sponsors as positive but said administrative systems sometimes created difficulties.
“It was a growing and learning process with generally good communication; however, systems were not always in place – such as monthly stipends and fuel funding not arriving on time – requiring alternative plans to ensure my duties were not affected.
“Meanwhile, my relationships with sponsors were great, and I enjoyed and appreciated how they used me for advertisements, events and charity causes.”
Representing Namibia locally and internationally also brought personal growth, she added.
“I developed greater resilience, learned how to remain grounded through challenges and opportunities, became much more confident in navigating public spaces and public responsibilities, improved my makeup skills, and most importantly, learned to trust myself more and embrace the unknown outside of my comfort zone.”
Her reign was not without criticism. During Miss Universe, some Namibians questioned her appearance and whether she was the right representative for the country.
“Yes, particularly during my time at Miss Universe, where a partial group of Namibians questioned whether I was the right representative and scrutinised my natural hair and the African-inspired crown I wore. I saw these as differences in opinion and a lack of self-acceptance among some Africans, viewing my choices as an intentional way to represent Africa, Africans and Namibia on every platform I stepped on.”
Swartbooi said she believes her greatest contribution to the Miss Namibia brand has been promoting Namibian identity while remaining accessible to the public.
She said she hopes her reign “will be remembered” as one “driven by service, purpose and authenticity, where I remained accessible to everyday Namibians and proudly celebrated our cultural diversity and heritage.”
Among the moments she treasures most is visiting the Bakgalagadi community in the Omaheke region through the ||Hapo Initiative.
“The ||Hapo Initiative and launching the ||Hapo Wall, as well as visiting the Bakgalagadi community, where meeting a young girl who dreamed of becoming Miss Namibia powerfully reminded me why representation matters.”
Although she is stepping down, Swartbooi said her advocacy work will continue.
“Yes, I will continue striving to paint more double walls in public schools across Namibia.”
Her priority is expanding the initiative nationally, she said.
“My immediate focus is on rolling out the nationwide school mural tour starting in September, building toward the ambitious project goal of transforming learning environments in at least 10 Namibian schools by June 2027, powered by strategic partnerships.”
She also offered advice to her successor.
“Live up to your version of Miss Namibia, lead with authenticity because your uniqueness is your greatest strength, never be afraid to ask for help from the organisation, sponsors and former titleholders, and enjoy every moment because the year passes much faster than you think.”
Asked what message she wanted to leave with Namibians, Swartbooi thanked those who supported her throughout the year.
“To every Namibian I encountered, thank you for the smiles, hugs and warm handshakes that made even difficult days better. My dearest mother, thank you for your unconditional love and unwavering support. You are my greatest blessing and give me the confidence to tackle any challenge.
“To my family and friends, thank you for sharing me with the nation. I know I’ve missed many special moments in your lives, but your grace and your sacrifices from the fundraising to your prayers have been the heartbeat behind my reign. To my glam team, who walked the subtle heights and the quiet valleys with me, thank you for your unwavering dedication. You made the impossible feel achievable. To Sarel, you have been my anchor; you held my hand through every stage, and your belief in me is the reason I never faltered.”
