Southern girl in Miss SA top 15

Southern girl Anarzade Omar (21) has made it into the top 15 for the Miss SA 2020 competition.

Currently living in Crown Gardens, she graduated at the University of Johannesburg in 2019 in BA strategic communication in marketing and she started working in marketing in Sandton this year.

She describes herself as optimistic, fun and ambitious and her guilty pleasure is finishing a tub of chocolate mousse from Woolworths.

Apart from that she can really get down to binge watch a good series and is a keen cook who loves to learn new recipes. She used her time during lockdown to learn how to make sushi because “the craving was just so real during Level 1”.

She is the youngest of three. “My eldest sister (28) is a qualified charted accountant, followed by my brother who is 22.

“My brother and I grew up as virtual twins because of the small age gap and my fondest childhood memories are with him.”

Her parents are originally from Mozambique, so they speak Portuguese at home.

“My mother is an accountant and also our personal master chef and my father, a retired engineer, is very wise and reserved. At first, he seems like a tough nut to crack but he is actually a real softie on the inside!”

Lockdown and lessons learnt

Speaking about handling lockdown and whether she learnt any lessons from it she said: “I am taking one day at a time and have stopped stressing about what is going to happen. I am keeping productive and busy so the idea of being on lockdown does not get to my head.

“I believe this time has taught me not only to be patient, but most importantly also that we need to be selfless and empathetic. We need to help wherever we can even if it is in the smallest gestures, like buying groceries for someone in need or checking up on friends and family on how they are keeping up.

“This unprecedented time has allowed us all to slow down. We are even helping out the planet. By not travelling we are reducing our ecological footprint.

“Ultimately, I think we have learnt to take things easy and practice activities that make us feel good like exercise or reading,” Anazarde said.

Any role models?

“Although it is such a cliché answer, my mother has instilled the most important values and beliefs in me.
“She has taught me to be bold and follow my dreams. So I can simply follow her footsteps towards becoming a strong and independent woman.

“Someone else who inspires me is Beyoncé. Her music has always played a big role in my life because it is what I play on a good or a bad day. Her story, perseverance and achievements are also something I admire and I hope to one day be as influential as her in my own way.”

Why do you want to be Miss SA?

“I want my voice to be heard so that I can create change and inspiration to every woman I come across. I believe that through my courage, compassion and responsibility, I can take on the role to work towards building a better place for our generation.

“Beauty pageants have become so much more than just about the outer beauty and physical appearance.
“They empower women and provide them with a powerful platform to make a difference, not just in their community or country but also across the world.

“Winners raise awareness around many issues and provide opportunities towards solving the issue. Furthermore, women empower one another and create a positive sisterhood of encouragement and positivity.”

One thing you would change if you could?

“I think far too many people in South Africa still do not have food security and access to quality education and not enough is being done for them, so I would focus on providing more resources and opportunities.”

While on the topic of SA one also needs to ask what it is she loves about our country.

“I love the unity we have when things get tough and I also love how we handle situations. We know when it is time to act serious and make a noise, demanding justice but we also know how to take things lightly and be humorous.

Any message to young girls and the women of SA?

c”You are beautiful, and you are capable and worth every single dream you have. The world is your oyster.
“Be strong and work hard, because hard work pays off.”

On that note, don’t forget to visit www.misssa.co.za and vote for Anarzade. Her voting number is one.
You can also follow her on Facebook: Anarzade Omar, Instagram: anarzadeomar and Twitter: anarzadeomar