Lenasia’s very own Nazia Wadee was crowned the winner of Miss Earth South Africa at a glamorous gala evening at the weekend.
The 21-year-old holds an undergraduate degree from Wits University in International Relations and Media Studies and is currently an Honours student. She will take on the #WasteStopswithMe campaign.
Wadee is followed by three runner ups who will work together with her in the year ahead as they continue to drive environmental education, awareness and community programmes.
These young women include Mpumelelo Maduna from Rockville, Soweto who is currently doing her BTech in Marketing Management; Pinky Mokwena from Atteridgeville,Tshwane who holds a BTech Degree in Environmental Sciences followed and Charlotte Joja who is completing her Honours in BA Psychology from the University of Johannesburg.
The Miss Earth South Africa Leadership Programme also celebrated a milestone. This year marks the organisations 15 years of activism and service in communities across South Africa.
Miss Earth Air: Nompumelelo Maduna, Miss Earth SA Winner 2018: Nazia Wadee, Second Runner Up - Miss Earth Water: Pinky Mokwena, Third Runner Up - Miss Earth Fire: Charlotte Joja. Picture Supplied
“Well done to Nazia Wadee on an achievement that represents many hours of hard work and commitment to environmental upliftment. Our congratulations also to the Miss Earth South Africa programme on 15 years of dedication towards building an environmentally responsible country.
Tsogo Sun is pleased to have journeyed with the Miss Earth South Africa programme as a partner for the past seven years,” said Candy Tothill, Tsogo Sun’s GM of Corporate Affairs.
Executive Director of Miss Earth South Africa, Catherine Constantinides, also an international climate activist and human rights defender said heroes didn’t live in storybooks but rather they live among people.
Margo Fargo is representing South Africa in the international Miss Earth taking place in the Philippines. She is dressed by Casper Bosman for her evening wear gown. Picture: Supplied
“We as the Miss Earth Leadership Programme have to ensure we empower and inspire these young women to be active citizens and be those heroes we need in society to allow us to change the problems we face on a social, community level and linking that to the environmental impact we are faced with as a society.”
Meanwhile, Margo Fargo has gone on to represent South Africa in the Miss Earth pageant taking place in the Philippines until November 3.