Miss Nkomazi pageant goes beyond limits to uplift youngsters
The pageant taught the participants about the importance of having values and entrepreneurial skills.
It was all glitz and glam at the crowning of Miss Nkomazi at the Boschfontein Community Hall on October 12.
This was a first of its kind as the preparations were focused on grooming the contestants to become the best ambassadors in their respective communities.
The contestants were given tasks aimed at teaching them about spirituality, culture, empathy and entrepreneurial skills. According to the founder of Nkomazi Pageantry, Nicole Sono, the contestants were taken on a journey of humanity. “This was not just about strutting the runway in high heels, smiling and waving. The contestants got to understand how it feels to walk in other people’s shoes. During the preparations, they were also tasked to work closely with local hawkers so they could learn entrepreneurial skills and empathy towards those who do this sort of work every day. There’s a lot of talk about how to become a better member of society – here we actually do the walking.”
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The contest also catered for people living with disabilities. “We aim to be as inclusive as possible. We have been working with a local school for people living with disability and we would have them join us for some tasks as well. Today there is a category for the deaf, and it warms my heart to see them participating in things that make them this happy,” she added.
Sono has sounded a call to other pageant organisers to join forces with her. “It is my dream that we can all work together so that we have one winner who will represent all of us. We have various pageants, but we all have the same motive, which is to have a model who will represent Nkomazi. I am making the call to anyone with similar ideas and understanding to join forces with us.”
The pageant was supported by the Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM). The NLM’s director for tourism and economic development, Jerry Khoza, also echoed Sono’s words for unity.
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“The team of Nkomazi Pageantry came to our office for support and we jumped on board, because arts and culture is our mandate. The young people participating here stand a chance to make it big in the arts industry. Who knows? Some of them could even end up on our TV screens one day. We support the call to have one pageant, because that would make it easier to source sponsorship and we will know when there are bigger platforms such as Miss Mpumalanga, our winner will be the one representing us,” he said.
