Update: 11:55AM REIGNING Miss Fiji Zaira Begg said the most important part of winning the first Miss Fiji crown as the Ba representative in 2015 was being able to empower young girls from rural communities.
“Our aim was simple: win the Miss Fiji crown despite insurmountable odds. Our objective was to give Fijian girls a powerful story: it doesn’t matter where you come from, only where you are going,” Miss Begg said on the weekend.
“We wanted girls from small towns and rural communities around the country to believe that hard work and perseverance can change your situation.”
The 22-year-old former professional dancer said she wanted to encourage this years contestants to gain as much knowledge as possible from the experience of participating in the pageant.
“I also want to inspire them to go out and do something after the pageant because there will be only one winner although they are already winners after they won the crown from their town.”
The Sorokoba lass said representing her home town was more memorable than her previous participation in the Miss World Fiji and Miss Hibiscus pageants.
“The fact that I was a contestant in my home town made me happy. I wanted to have a feel of how it was to be in your own town, amongst the people you grew up with.”
Miss Begg became the country?s first national representative after years of former Miss Hibiscus going on to the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant.
She placed 3rd runner up and won the Best Traditional Attire category at the pageant in the Cook Islands.
Graduating this week from the Fiji Police Academy, the soon to be constable said the Miss Fiji experience inspired her to continue to serve her country.
?I feel that there is more to do when we?re young so we should live our life to the fullest. I want them not only to be on that stage but to inspire people.?
Miss Begg said having a pageant goal which was about serving others made the experience worthwhile.
“It has been a tough year, not at all what everyone thought it may be. Through it all I have learned one thing that I want to share with all the Queens this weekend: choose a goal bigger than yourself, a passion that is for others – when you make it not about you, you can handle any of life’s challenges.”
The Telecom Miss Fiji Pageant continues on the Coral Coast this week. Miss Fiji 2016 go on to compete a week later at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant in Samoa.
