Beauty and charity go hand in hand for Miss Commonwealth SA finalist
FOURWAYS - Chloe Roberts is a hard-working beauty queen.
As a finalist in the Miss Commonwealth SA Pageant 2014, she has launched her own charitable initiative, the Rands or Cans campaign which encourages individuals to make an affordable difference by contributing a can of food, a bag of old clothes or a few rands.
Roberts hopes that a little here and a little there will add up in a big way. “I want many members of the community to contribute something small instead of fewer members having to contribute a great deal,” she said.
“What’s a rand or a can of food to the working community? Or clearing out those cupboards and passing on items which you won’t ever use again? It’s affordable, it’s a small donation, yet it’s big enough to make an impact on the cold or hungry tummies out there.”
The Commonwealth Pageant is a beauty pageant with a difference. Miss, Mrs and Miss Teen Commonwealth finalists are required to become involved in charitable projects, with the goal of empowering women to create positive change in their communities.
The pageant seeks to create a community of ‘charity and culture ambassadors’ around the world, and for Roberts the experience of forming relationships with her fellow contestants and their mentors has been rewarding and humbling, she said.
Roberts’ first Rands or Cans drive took place at Buzz shopping centre on 13 July with great success. Her collection to date includes 15 bags of clothes and 17kg of maize meal.
All proceeds go to Ikageng Aids Ministry, a Soweto-based organisation that provides educational programmes and family support to the poor and vulnerable of the community. Ikageng is one of three charities supported by the pageant with the Pink Drive and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital also benefiting.
Roberts will hold a second drive at Lonehill shopping centre from 9am to 11.30am on 2 August, in the hopes of continuing to build on the success of this benevolent venture.
Details: @MissCWSAChloeR; www.sacommonwealthpageants.co.za; SMS Chloe to 42899 (SMS costs R3, 10 percent of each SMS goes to Ikageng)
