A local pageant queen has hit the big time once again and has gone to the semi-final of Miss Earth South Africa.
Miss Earth South Africa is a leadership programme created to empower young women in South Africa, focusing on the environment and charity work.
Alicia McKenna, 21, from Toekomsrus has participated in a number of pageants since she began pageantry and modelling in 2013.
McKenna won Miss Toekomsrus in 2013, her very first year on the scene. Later in 2014 she went through to the top 10 of Miss South Africa Junior. Later that year, she entered Miss Gauteng and made it to the top 5.
McKenna has had to combat various financial difficulties that kick up against her participation in certain pageants.
With Miss Earth South Africa, she needs to raise R5 500 by the end of June in order to continue with the competition.
One of her tasks was to meet the mayor and tell him more about Miss Earth South Africa when he volunteered to help her raise the R5 500 she needed to continue with the competition.
Randfontein Executive Mayor, Mzi Khumalo, listened attentively and asked questions about how she would go forward and what she would need.
He said that he would involve all the ward councillors in Randfontein by sending a sheet in which they can pledge a certain amount of money toward her cause. When it was found that the funds gathered might fall short, Khumalo offered to pay the difference out of his own pocket.
With the backing of the mayor, McKenna seems to have more hope going forward in the competition as funding will no longer be the monkey on her back.
The next competition she will be participating in is the Miss Johannesburg pageant of which she is searching for donations in the form of transport. Should any party be willing to sponsor the young beauty queen, contact her on 074 077 1733.
