When H'Hen Niê was crowned Miss Universe Vietnam 2017, little did anyone know that she would set many records for her country and also her small community? She became the first ever woman from her small ethnic group named Rade to compete in such a prestigious competition and also the first ever Vietnamese woman to become one of the Top 5 finalists in the finale of Miss Universe 2018.
26-year-old H'Hen Niê was born in Ð?k L?k, Vietnam, where women are encouraged to start a family very early. H’Hen bravely fought the norms of her community and decided to study and make a different fate for herself. She decided to pursue her studies at her own expense and after finishing her schooling, she studied for at year at Nha Trang National Ethnic Community College.
Not satisfied with her course, H'Hen Niê arrived at Ho Chi Minh City where she completed her Business Finance program at the College of Foreign Economic Relations. To support herself through the years and to pay for college, she did a number of odd jobs, like working as a domestic maid, interning at a bank, tutoring and leaflet delivering. It was while H'Hen Niê was working at the bank that people started encouraging her to go into modelling.
The 173 cm tall beauty was noticed by a Vietnamese designer shortly after her graduation and went on to compete in the 6th season of Vietnam's Next Top Model and her hardworking resulted to her becoming one of the finalists in the show. She was placed 9th in the finale of show. Her stint in reality TV opened up many opportunities for her and H'Hen Niê even managed to pay off her family debt.
Next stop for the Vietnamese model was Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 and it is safe to say that she stood out from all the other contestants as she did not and still does not follow the conventional standards of beauty. H'Hen Niê was different as she had cropped hair and tanned skin, which is a direct contrast to today’s Vietnamese beauty standards. Her strong and dedicated nature along with her hardworking came into fruition as she took home the crown becoming the first ever woman from her community to have won the title.
The warm-hearted should that she is, H'Hen Niê donated all of her prize money into the education of the children of her community. Her sole aim to help unfortunate and disadvantaged children around the world. She seldom dedicates her time to the elderly as well as those suffering from HIV/AIDS. In 2018, H'Hen Niê became the global ambassador for Room to Read, which is an organization that collects funds for the education of girls.
H'Hen Niê represented Vietnam in Miss Universe 2018 on 17th December 2018 and the beauty and brains that she is, earned a position in the Top 5 during the finale, becoming the first ever Vietnamese delegate to have managed to reach so far into the coveted pageant. H'Hen Niê’s representation is an example for woman around the world. She did not have the conventional face or hair, but she did have the courage and drive to represent herself on the stage as a strong and independent individual and that is a lesson to go by.