Kruger Park News Archive
A platform to empower and educate young women is the last thing you would expect from an event of this nature. The "Miss Earth South Africa in association with Consol" aims to educate and empower young South African women, so as to embrace the challenges South Africans are faced with environmentally and as citizens of the earth. This event is in its sixth year.
National director, Catherine Constantinides, ensures that this competition is different and unique in its approach and roll out. "Each young woman must leave with more than she arrived, knowledge that she can impart and share with those around her.
The participants are encouraged to look at lifestyle behavioural changes within their lives; this creates an impact on the environment. These are individuals with the ability to go out and empower people around them in order to bring about sustainable and tangible changes in their way of life," says Constantinides. "This initiative is not just a pageant, it's a programme."
These gorgeous women have an extensive schedule of activities over a three month period. Finalists get hands on involved in greening initiatives in both urban and rural areas, environmental and conservation workshops, shoots, gardening activities, awareness campaigns and school visits. The programme is also endorsed by several green agencies such as SANParks, Food and Tree's for Africa, My Acre of Africa, The Wilderness Foundation, Eco Access and Ekurhuleni Metro Parks to name a few. The Miss Earth South Africa in association with Consol has adopted several schools throughout the country. They have pledged to green these schools and educate the children in the course of the next 18 months.
Why beautiful women you may ask? This platform creates ambassadors and spokeswomen that people aspire to, people admire and children look up to. The 2008 national finalists are an exciting group of young diverse women, from students, to a water analyst, psychologists, school teachers, professional models, fear factor contenders, and a fuel supply co-ordinator. Over the next nine weeks these finalists will be busy with a back to back schedule of activities, including a four day trip up to the Kruger National Park with SANParks.
The official announcement of the 2008 "Miss Earth South Africa in association with Consol" will take place on the 21st of June at Emperors Palace, Centre Court in Johannesburg. The winner of the 2008 event will go on to represent South Africa at the International Miss Earth event in October in South East Asia. Over 120 international delegates from around the globe participated last year.
