Beauty is about confidence, compassion and the drive to make positive impacts.
These aptly sums up what Sigatoka lass, Sunishma Singh, believes in. The ardent advocate for sustainable tourism and environmental resilience recently represented Fiji in the Face of Beauty International 2024 competition held in Taiwan from September 9 to 23.
She was crowned Miss Continental Oceania, a title awarded to her for embodying beauty, intelligence, and leadership.
“It was an absolute honour and one of the proudest moments of my life,” she shared with this newspaper.
“I have always been inspired by the idea of using my platform to promote sustainable practices and drive positive change, particularly in areas such as climate change and environmental resilience.
“The ability to showcase Fiji’s cultural heritage while advocating for causes I care deeply about have been my greatest motivation.”
The 28-year-old is currently employed as sustainability officer for Tourism Fiji. She is also an accredited member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
She holds a bachelor’s degree in geospatial information systems and geography, and a postgraduate diploma in climate change from the University of the South Pacific (USP).
Outside of her professional roles, she runs a successful business, Singhs Herbal Hair Oil, whose products are distributed in 65 supermarkets across the country.
To mentally prepare herself for the pegeant, she resorted to Bible reading and prayers.
“I remind myself daily that my purpose is to represent Fiji authentically and to advocate for the issues I am passionate about.
“Physically, I maintain a healthy routine by regular exercises and a balanced diet.
“The support of my family, and friends as well as my online community, has been instrumental in keeping me grounded.”
Ms Singh said she was most excited to share Fiji’s warmth, hospitality, and vibrant cultural diversity at the pageant.
The Cuvu, Sigatoka lass said through the pageant, she promoted eco-friendly tourism practices and highlighted the importance of sustainable development.
She also inspired others to embrace sustainability and cultural pride.
“Representing Fiji is both a great honour and a responsibility.
“As a sustainability advocate, I am eager to share how Fiji is leading the way in climate resilience and sustainable tourism, which ties in with my professional background.
“I am deeply passionate about environmental sustainability and empowering women.”
Committed to supporting educational initiatives that empower young women in rural areas, her journey as an entrepreneur and advocate, has helped to encourage others to do the same.
“With my background in sustainability and my passion for empowering women, I saw this pageant as an opportunity to raise awareness on a global scale about the importance of environmental stewardship.
“My journey as an entrepreneur and advocate has shown me that we all have the potential to lead change in our communities, and I hope to encourage others to use their unique strengths to do the same.
“This experience has been transformative, allowing me to grow both personally and professionally.
Moving forward, Ms Singh plans to continue advocating for climate action, while supporting local communities through entrepreneurial ventures.
