Meet the Top 16 Miss Namibia 2021 Finalists

Entertainment | 2021-03-31 by Rinelda Mouton

THE top 16 Miss Namibia finalists for this year were announced over the weekend at a preliminary event in Windhoek.

The pageant aims to celebrate beauty with a charitable cause.

The title-holder is expected to bring charity to the less privileged, promote deserving social causes, serve as an example of purposeful living to the young, and to bring honour and pride to our nation as a representative of goodwill.

The Namibian recently spoke to some of the finalists.

News presenter, journalist, make-up artist, model and actress Prisca Anyolo, better known as 'The Chocolate Barbie' on social media, says she entered the competition to represent her country on an international platform.

She says this platform would provide her with the opportunity to market herself and her skills to the people of Namibia and beyond. “I love the sisterhood this pageant brings,” Anyolo says.

She says if she wins she would work towards helping to reduce poverty in Namibia. “I would definitely invest in and establish my own food-security organisation to help alleviate extreme poverty in the country,” she says.

Shahida van Zyl (25) has an honours degree, with psychology and sociology as majors, and is currently pursuing her degree in human resource management.

She says she is passionate about youth development. “I have a passion for girl children to instil hope and confidence, and to be our future leaders. I also see this platform as an extension of my degree, through which I can impart knowledge and be an ambassador of change to the betterment of my country,” Van Zyl says.

She says if she scoops the crown she would like to actively work on her 'Beauty with a heart' project, which is directed at working with hospitalised children.

Aurelia Samuyenga (23) is a final-year student doing her BSc degree in business management at Kingston University in London. “I chose to study business, because I plan on creating and owning one of the biggest hotel chains in the world,” she says.

Samuyenga says if she is this year's winner, she would encourage women in leadership positions. “Being a woman leader is a very difficult thing to do . . . However, my support of women and girls as leaders does not mean I am diminishing boys and men. It simply means I would like to see more women cement their positions as leaders in our society..,” she says.

Annerie Maré (26) is a traveller and influencer. “I like new adventures and to explore life and culture,” she says. She says if she wins she would like to be actively involved in developments in the agriculture, tourism and entrepreneurship sectors “I would work hard for agriculture in various villages and small towns in Namibia.”

Stella da Costa (23) from Opuwo has a certificate in business management and is currently working as an administrator. She says she is part of the 'We Care' community project at the Opuwo Town Council, which donates food to the less fortunate, and she would like to expand it to the rest of the country.

“I want to urge young girls to . . . not just sit at home and throw their lives away because of our cultural beliefs ... We are capable of doing a lot,” Da Costa says.

Lizandri Erasmus (24) studied performing arts, including dance, music and acting.

She says she is passionate about the youth and raising awareness on mental health issues. “I like making people laugh and try to not take myself too seriously all the time ... I would like to use my charity, 'The Pencil Drive', to provide much-needed stationery to underprivileged children across the country,” Erasmus says.

The judges included principal judge Gerine Hoff, acting marketing manager of Pupkewitz Toyota Steve Venter, 2014 Miss Namibia Brumhilda Pachawo, general manager of Janeel Financial Services Innocentia de Klerk, and Degasias Kashibongo from Torga Optical.

The other finalists are Happy Auala, Helvi Amadhila, Chané-Ann Marshall, Ester Ashipala, Milumbe Katowa, Chantay Ndjawella, Chloe Brandt, Michelle Mukuve, Helvi Amadhila and Andeline Wieland.

https://www.namibian.com.na/100356/read/Meet-the-Top-16-Miss-Namibia-2021-Finalists