The Road To Miss Namibia Meet the Top 12 Finalists

With only a little over a week left before this year’s Miss Namibia pageant takes place, the excitement to find out who will wear the crown is palpable.

Twelve beautiful, intelligent and well-rounded young women are vying for the crown, with each having their own group of loyal fans and supporters who are certain that they will take the title come Saturday, 7 July.

This 23-year-old is the true definition of beauty with brains. Wilri van Taak graduated with an NQF Level 7 qualification in interior architecture (cum laude). A Windhoek native, she is currently employed as an interior designer/architect. She’s a devout Christian who loves reading the Bible.

“I want to be Miss Namibia because I believe it provides a platform for the title holder to achieve her vision and mission for Namibia and to reach Namibians to find solutions that will enhance the quality for everyday life for them. My ambition makes me a strong candidate who will achieve the goals I set for myself.”

Twenty-three-year-old Shonag Itula is a student with big dreams who hails from Windhoek. She loves learning languages and is currently learning Mandarin. Describing herself as “very calm and relaxed”, this young woman chooses to listen to her inner voice whenever she’s faced with a difficult situation. She believes the ideal Miss Namibia should possess good people skills. “It is not about the title, it’s about what she can manifest genuinely from her heart. She should be humble, express love for people, be confident and willing to integrate, learn and relate to others.”

Hailing from Rundu, Tessia Mutwamezi was last year’s second runner-up for Miss Namibia. Describing herself as “confident, bubbly, ambitious and optimistic”, Mutwamezi is determined to take the crown this time around. In 2016, she started a project called Save a Girl Child that helps educate and empower young girls. “I recently did another project with the Cancer Association of Namibia where I aimed to encourage young girls diagnosed with cancer,” she says.

At a tender 21 years old, Selma Kamanya is headstrong and ready to prove her worth at the upcoming crowning event. She holds a diploma in economics and is currently a student. With this being her first pageant participation, Kamanya wants to demonstrate precisely what Miss Namibia should stand for. “Miss Namibia is a prestigious title to hold. It sounds glamorous, but entails the exact opposite. Miss Namibia should be a figure who serves, evokes change and inspires, as well as being proactive about the betterment of the well-being of the people in the country, especially the marginalised and oppressed.”

This 24-year-old beauty from Ongwediva is passionate about professional success, gender equality, health, connecting people and ideas and women being successful. Holding a certificate in secretarial and office administration, Rachel Hashiyana currently works as a principal officer. “I believe that a Miss Namibia should be true to herself, unapologetic to tell her story to the universe if it has an impact on younger girls, should have grace and a personality that would boost her confidence to make her a relatable role model,” she says.

A researcher and lab technician, 23-year-old Kabuba Namukokoba’s highest qualification is an honour’s degree in mining engineering. The Katima Mulilo native has also previously taken part in Miss Namibia, placing in the top 30 in 2017. Describing herself as someone whose best trait is her resilience, she says setbacks are what she uses to fuel her goals and try harder. On her career and the impact she wishes to make as a woman in mining, she says: “I want to be a catalyst of change to women in the mining industry, to empower them to be leaders and create awareness on issues affecting them in the workplace”.

This travel enthusiast who also works for a travel agency hails from Windhoek. At 22, Joanne

/Nanus dreams of furthering her studies in international relations and political development so that she could one day pursue a career as a diplomat. She’s passionate about women’s empowerment and says her greatest joy comes from helping others. “I believe that being a beauty queen is not about showing off your beauty. Being Miss Namibia is an honour and a privilege most girls would love to be blessed with.”

This micropigmintation therapist from Windhoek lists ‘The Notebook’ by Nicholas Sparks as her favourite book. A 23-year-old who loves braaing, Clarise van der Vyver says that being Miss Namibia has been a dream of hers since she was a child. “I was always so amazed by the beautiful dresses and crowns but as I grew up I realised that being Miss Namibia is not about the glitz and glam, it’s about being able to be part of a platform where you can empower and inspire younger women.”

Christiana Gure from Grootfontein has an advanced diploma in marketing and is currently a student at the International University Management. “Growing up, I struggled with my appearance and this caused me to have a low self-esteem but as I got older, I began to find the beauty within. This was made possible by the help of my family and community, not forgetting I had time to do some soul searching,” she says of her reasons for entering the pageant. She hopes that winning Miss Namibia will not only boost her self-confidence but encourage little girls to always follow their dreams.

Twenty-three-year-old model Anna Shiweda, who hails from the village of Ondobe in the Ohangwena region, is a student and customer care representative. What she’s most passionate about? “Self-betterment. I love to engage in things that help build my character and help me become who I am meant or want to be. It could be my health, social skills (or lack thereof), my financial situation, etc. Whatever it is, I always look for ways to improve myself.”

Twenty-two-year-old Anja Hough from Windhoek is a management assistant intern with a qualification in the same field. She describes herself as an optimist who chooses to see the best in people. For her, the ideal Miss Namibia should be compassionate and have a strong work ethic.

A dental technician assistant by profession, Alexis van der Merwe says that Miss Namibia should be intelligent, compassionate and aggressive in fighting to achieve all her personal goals as well as those which have been set out for her to achieve. The 20-year-old says that one person she’d love to meet one day is the President and the two things she’d talk to him about are conservation and child welfare.