Miss Earth 2013 bows out gracefully
JOBURG - Before Miss Earth 2013, Ashanti Mbanga's reign comes to an end, she looked back on some of the impacts the Miss Earth programme has had on women and the environment.
Mbanga who hails from the Eastern Cape was crowned Miss Earth at the Montecasino ballroom last year.
She explained that she entered Miss Earth because she was a transport economics major, and after completing a module about the environmental effects of transport modes she was left with many questions about how she could make a sustainable difference within her sector.
Mbanga lists one of the highlights of her reign as the three weeks she spent in the Philippines representing South Africa at the Miss Earth International competition. She finished in the top 16 of the competition.
“I was touched by meeting many of the warm-hearted citizens of the Philippines who made us [the contestants] feel appreciated and at home despite having been hit by a tragic calamity,” she said. Mbanga added that every project she had worked on has had a positive effect on her, teaching her how to love, share, listen, teach, motivate, inspire and add hope to those who need it most.
“All the opportunities I have had to green and give are unique and each have tiny sparks of highlights within them,” she said.
Mbanga believed that some of the qualities a good Miss Earth needed to have was a love for all elements of the earth, a passion for environmental advocacy and working with people, and a teachable spirit.
“Miss Earth needs to be approachable and be a team player in order to work well with the rest of our Miss Earth family and sponsors,” she said.
Miss Earth is currently doing casting calls and workshops at Tsogo Sun venues around the country to search for finalists for the Miss Earth 2014 programme.
