Ansua Hammerslaght
NAMIBIAN beauty pageant contestant Ansua Hammerslaght recently announced that she would participate in the Mrs Universe competition taking place in South Korea in December.
Mrs Universe is an annual international event that honours women, which was first hosted in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2007. The event is open to married, divorced and widowed women from all over the world, who are between 18 and 55 years of age, have a family and career, and are involved in a “significant cause”. The pageant is set for 1-3 December.
The 35-year-old Hammerslaght is the second of four siblings. She says she grew up in a poor background, and that has taught her to work hard. She says she strives to help those in need because she knows what it feels like not to have anything.
She devotes her life to charity, community work, inspirational speeches and advising young women, mothers and girls.
She is a mother of two and has no educational background, but that never stopped her from doing what she wanted and loved, she says.
Hammerslaght is thrilled by the opportunity to participate in the pageant, saying she was supposed to compete in 2016, but fell sick and could not attend.
“I entered the competition because we all have dreams and what we want to achieve in life. I hope by going after what I want, I will inspire others. That little hope the youth can get from me is an achievement to me. I might not change the world, but just having a positive impact on someone’s life and my life is a step in the right direction,” she says.
This year the pageant’s theme focuses on gender-based violence (GBV) and Hammerslaght wants to create awareness of how this affects Namibia to the world.
“The fact that it’s focused on GBV allows me to create awareness that this is happening in our country every day. I’m looking forward to changing, learning, developing and building international relations since all contestants have a common cause in their respective countries,” she says.
Hammerslaght says she enters pageants because she hopes to uplift and uphold her country’s name and promote its culture.
She is passionate about participating in beauty pageants because she wants other women to know that having a child is not the end of the world.
“I’m passionate about beauty pageants because I’m using the platform to inspire others. If through the inspiration I can contribute to a bit of change, I will do it,” she says.
She admits that preparations for pageants are always challenging for her and that the toughest is getting mentally and emotionally prepared.
“God has always been my mentor and I always go to him first with whatever I need and want. It’s always important for a contestant to prepare oneself for the outcome because everything is unpredictable,” she says.
Hammerslaght says if she brings home the crown, she wants to be a voice for the voiceless and to speak and fight for Namibian women. She says it is time women unite and regain their dignity, respect, and pride.
“Have we forgotten our humanity that we turn our backs on each other? In today’s world, it is hard out there. I’m speaking from experience. We tend to judge and criticise. I think it’s time we realise how we look at one another. We need to support and help one another. We need to help fix one another’s crowns,” she said.
Source: The Namibian
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