Dannhauser may be viewed as a small town, but it’s still a place of big dreams. 21-year-old Aarifa Hoosen is one of those with big dreams as she gets closer to competing in her first pageant.
The Dannhauser lass will be competing in the Miss India SA KZN Regionals and hopes to fly the flag high for her town and her religion.
“As the only Muslim girl competing in the pageant, I want to show other Muslim girls that you don’t have to go against your religion to be yourself and express yourself. You don’t have to dress in a manner out of your religion to be seen as beautiful. You don’t have to dance or sing to prove you have talent,” Aarifa said.
“We mustn’t forget that we are all beautiful individuals and should always put humanity before religion, she added.”
Though nervous about competing in her first pageant, Aarifa is also excited by the experience.
“I’m eager to make new friends and meet new people but I’m also excited about just being there and experiencing the atmosphere. Being in a crowd has always been my greatest fear and now I’m ready to conquer my fears and break out of my shell.”
Another thing Aarifa is looking forward too is the talent section but is keeping her cards close to her chest when it comes to what she plans on doing exactly. She did explain that she took a long look at reality and decided to be a voice for those who have none.
Aarifa also had sound advice for other youngsters from small towns who wanted to take on big dreams. “Go out there and challenge your myopic views. Never be afraid to showcase your beauty, knowledge, and skills to the world. Just because we come from small towns, does not mean we can’t shine any brighter than people from bigger cities.”
“Believe in yourself and everything will be okay. Just like a glow stick; never be afraid to shine after you break.”
