Mary hopes for pageant title

MUSGRAVE beauty, Mary Nguz, is hoping to go far in the Miss Congo/South Africa 2016 beauty pageant.

Mary (18) has lived in the country for seven years, and said throughout her life she has been interested in health and beauty, wanting to be a doctor when she is older, and also to pursue a modelling career.

“I finished matric last year and during my gap year I have been working in a beauty spa as a therapist and nail technician. I found out about the pageant as I was searching social media for pageants I could enter and I saw this one. My parents were friends with the 2013 winner’s parents, so I did my research and entered. I have always wanted to do charity work and I am passionate about motivating abandoned children, giving them hope,” she said.

She said it wasn’t easy growing up seeing children who didn’t have parents, and she felt motivated to show children they always have something to hold onto.

“There is hope, even if you have a bad background you can still succeed in life,” she said.

Mary said she grew up comfortably and lived in the Congo until she was in Grade 6. She said she knows a lot about the Congolese culture.

“I’m very family oriented and am the youngest of eight children. Three of my brothers and two sister are also here in South Africa, although my parents still live in the Congo,” she said.

Following a tough Skype audition, Mary got a ‘yes’ from all four judges which she said was an amazing moment. She was then given tasks to raise funds, do charity work, to be featured on a media platform and to get sponsors, all of which she was working on at the moment.

At the end of October, she will be judged on her progress.

The pageant is a cultural and educational event to showcase and celebrate true Congolese beauty and strives to bind and bond Africans in a unique way to depict culture and traditions to the world. Mary said the competition is being held to celebrate true Congolese beauty, inside and out, and she hopes to live up to this.

Mary has been working hard on getting sponsors and had done some charity work, as part of an organisation which distributes sanitary pads to schools.

“It’s very exciting. I’m a very confident person and I don’t let anything get me down. I’m enjoying the experience,” she said.

Mary is no stranger to beauty pageants, and said she took part in competitions at high school and in another beauty pageant outside of school.

“I have done quite a few photoshoots and am motivated by what I see, the person I become in these photos!” said Mary.

Outside of the pageant world, Mary said she enjoys being outdoors, she loves taking photos, reading and going to the movies. She is looking forward to starting her studies in nursing at either DUT or UKZN next year.

“I have wanted to do this from a little child. I used to force my parents to call me ‘doctor’ when I was younger! I am passionate about helping people,” she said.

The finals of the competition is at the Wits Theatre on 10 December.

Follow Mary’s progress on Facebook: Mary Nguz/Miss Congo SA 2016 Contestant.