Commonwealth Hall of Fame
Feature the Queen – Miss Commonwealth International 2004
Alafair Celestine was the first Miss Commonwealth back in 2004 and has since gone from strength to strength! Born in Trinidad & Tobago, Alafair carved out a career in London for herself that exceeded her expectations. She is an ambassador for her country & the commonwealth international beauty pageant and continues to develop and give back to the community home and abroad. Alafair moved up the ladder in her media career and became a motivational speaker, journalist, presenter and triple title holder in the beauty pageant industry, with a flair and passion for life.
She is very active in the community in the UK and contributes greatly to fundraising for various charities, mentoring disadvantage girls/women and pageant title holders. Alafair has creatively developed TV programs for the Caribbean & African networks and hosted radio and television shows. Over the years, she has won numerous awards for her dedication,compassion and consistent work in the community and is a credit to her family and country. She has graciously accepted our invitation to be a VIP Guest Judge at our 2014 Grand Finale on Saturday 15th November at Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre London Heathrow so do come along and meet this famous lady as well as the most gorgeous set of contestants you could possibly expect to meet in one place! You will find details of the event at www.facebook.com/events/1552394381641416
Miss Teen Commonwealth 2013-14
Katrinah Phenyo was elected Miss Teen Commonwealth 2013-14 in November 2013 and has provided her report for the year: I believe it is my happy duty as Miss Teen Commonwealth International 2013-14 to help everyone I can in any way I can! I took part in Cancer Research’s RaceForLife2014 on the 20th of July and managed to raise a total of £50! For every £50 that is raised they can buy temperature monitoring equipment to help scientists ensure that their experiments work properly. I ran 5km in 31 minutes which is better than 10 minute miles which was my target for this race! I eventually plan to get down to 8 minute miles and win the race!
Although it’s not about winning, if I do win I will raise my profile and therefore raise more money! Visit http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org for more information on cancer and also on how you can donate. I helped promote charitable products for the Sexaxa Village online shop. Sexaxa Village (pronounced Sekaka with a clicky k) was founded over a hundred years ago by the Bayeyi Tribe near Maun, Botswana but is now inhabited by a mixture of tribes. Click here to see the photo-shoot- www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.740952525949509 and here – www.sexaxa-village.com to read more about Sexaxa and its people. I organized a charitable project to help the needy villagers of Sexaxa. I focused on the collection of second-hand clothes, shoes and bags as well as bric-a-brac. I did this by sending out leaflets informing people in my town about my plan.
I am still in the process of collecting donations to ship to Botswana which is 5316 miles away. I have been doing voluntary work in my local charity shop, Sue Ryder, for about 6 months now. My duties include serving on the till, promoting charitable events and sorting through donations. Sue Ryder provides incredible hospice and neurological care to people with life-changing illnesses. To find out more about what they do, please visit Sue Ryder at www.sueryder.org I joined my commonwealth sister, Hatty Berry (Miss Commonwealth Euro-Pacific 2013-14) in a summer photo-shoot by Janusz Miarka to promote ourselves both as beauty queens and models.
You can see some of our pictures here: www.facebook.com/katrinah.phenyo.model More photo-shoots: I helped to promote Safari Jewel and Ol’ Man T clothing line: www.facebook.com/katrinah.phenyo.model/photos/259096720952716 Summer shoot with HughBeaver: www.facebook.com/katrinah.phenyo.model/photos/267121100150278 Further appearances: Promoting the Touch Of Africa clothing at Africa Fashion Week London in Olympia, London: www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=435086833296285 Ethio Beauty featured me in their article at www.ethiobeauty.com/article/afwl-2014-day-1-streetstyle I was interviewed together with other Commonwealth Queens on the Pauline Long show on BEN TV on 6th August in London: www.facebook.com/MissCommonwealth/photos/908738625822311 I was honoured to be nominated for YOUNG MODEL OF THE YEAR and BEAUTY QUEEN OF THE YEAR in International Achievers Award for 2014. Please vote for me at: www.international-achievers-awards.co.uk/vote Please follow my Instagram at www.instagram.com/katrinahphenyo , my facebook profile on facebook at www.facebook.com/katrinah.phenyo and my page at www.facebook.com/katrinah.phenyo.model
Miss Commonwealth Euro-Pacific 2013-14
Hatty Berry represented England at Commonwealth International 2013 and won the Miss Euro-Pacific title. She took part in the photo-shoot to promote products in the Sexaxa Village online shop – see www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.740952525949509 – and also the photo-shoot by Janusz Miarka in Southsea & West Wittering for the Commonwealth Queens. She is helping Queen Katrinah Phenyo – Beauty Queen & Model with the collection of clothes for the people of Sexaxa Village.
Please follow her on her fan page: HATTY BERRY Miss Commonwealth EuroAtlantic
Miss Commonwealth Africa 2013-14
Malkia Kassu represented Tanzania at Commonwealth International 2013 and won the Miss Africa title. She hosted a fundraising event for Female Genital Mutilation in Tanzania at The Russet . She was one of the judges at Face of Kenya UK 2014 in East London – see www.faceofkenyauk.org She is an ambassador for Malaika Kids UK, a charity that cares for orphans in Tanzania – see www.malaika-kids.org
Malkia was introduced to His Excellency Peter Kallaghe, Tanzania High Commissioner for London – see www.tanzaniahighcommission.co.uk She was one of the queens interviewed on the Pauline Long Show live on Ben TV on 6th August in London. Malkia has a blog at www.malkia2013.blogspot.co.uk
Miss Commonwealth International 2013-14
A report from Lenie Maggy Pieterse representing the commonwealth pageants South Africa.
Lenie has been very busy and we can’t do better than publishing her report as she wrote it: Here is a list of what I have done for charities since November 2014: – Christmas clothing and gifts drive for Ikageng Itereleng Aids Ministry. – MC at Face of Lephalale Mall Beauty contest. – Handed out Christmas packets in Allan Ridge (gifts for children and food for families in need). – Attended the ground breaking of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg. – VIP Judge for King, Queen and Baby of Iceland 2014.
The following projects were done in conjunction with the Miss Earth South Africa empowerment programme: – Easter Drive in Blomefontein. – Planted a Vegetable Garden at Amari School for the disabled in my community. – Happy Valley Cleanup in Bloemfontein. – Stationary Drive for less fortunate scholars.
– Clothing Drive for ‘Sonskyn Projek’ who looks after 41 families in need (3 deliveries already made still getting donations in). – Clothing drive for Welriedal children’s safe home. – Kid for a Meal Project – I was part of a group of students, who each took an underprivileged child to lunch. – Tree Planting Project, at Amari School for the disabled. – Non Perishable food drive – collected tin foods for Welriedal Children’s safe house. – SPCA – collected food for the animals as well as money for them to implement in looking after the animals. – House of Hope Visit – House of Hope is a home that looks after babies that have been given up for adoption. During the visit it came across strongly that they are in dire need of donations and given more time I will make this one of my projects . – House of Joy, House of Love Visit – when the children from the House of Hope projects gets too old to stay at the home, they get transferred to one of these houses – girls go to House of Peace and boys to House of Love. I would also like to assist them in the future. – Workshop at Riebeeckstad High School – I was approached by Mrs Marks earlier in the year to be involved in their school beauty pageant. The workshop consisted of basic grooming, preparations for interviews, preparations for the final event, poise & posture and dress sense. – Highveld Youth Festival – the day was attended by 100 children from three children’s homes from the area, ranging from 2–18 years old – we spent the day playing with them and gave them breakfast, lunch and sweet packets. – Energy Efficiency Project – taught young children about renewable energy sources. – Miss Bosveld – I organised Miss Bosveld and spoke to the Finalists of Miss Bosveld about wild life conservancy and green living, as well as to be a judge and joint MC at the crowning ball.