Miss World 2019 stunning finalists of Group 3 of the Head to Head Challenge looked confident and steady as they answered the question given to them with utmost grace and confidence. The session was held on 26th November 2019 in London itself where the six divas of the first group namely Laos, Iceland, South Sudan, Venezuela, Nicaragua and British Virgin Islands gave some stellar answers to the questions given to them. It showed their best prudency and the level of confidence the divas are carrying.
This year, presented by reigning Miss World Vanessa Ponce de Leon and 2016 Miss World Stephanie Del Valle, the Head to Head Challenge provided an exclusive and in-depth look at every single Miss World national representative. Their introduction videos of all the six divas were played first and then the reigning beauty Vanessa and Stephanie decided to chat with the girls in order to get to know them well as well as their ‘Beauty With A Purpose’ projects.
Nelamith Xaypannha Soumounthong (May Nelamith) Miss World Laos 2019
Nelamith is 23 years old and is currently studying Faculty of Nature and Science at Laos- American College. The model has three sisters and wants to set an example for them. She explains that she knows how hard it is for children of rural areas to get an opportunity like this. She wants to be a volunteer as she loves to help especially children. As a representative of Laos, Nelamith would like to show the world beautiful side of Laos along with gentle people. After winning the crown of Miss World Laos 2019, Nelamith found a way to connect with the culture as well as have clarity to help children. She also feels that the world will know more about Laos. Her favorite sport is Snooker and she feels that people in general have assumed snooker to be a negative sport but if we take sport as a sport, one can be famous. She urges to take the sport in positive way just like any other sport. She wants to help the children of Laos and has been doing volunteer work for a while now to make their lives easy and comfortable. She believes "It's easier to be a strong child than to me a broken mend/man".
Kolfinna Mist Austfjörð (Misty Austfjörð) Miss World Iceland 2019
Kolfinna Mist is 23 years old, singer and a songwriter who aspires to be a country music recording artist. She started writing her own songs 13 years ago because Kolfinna feels that’s she is an emotional person and she needed something to vent out her emotions. She loves to read in her free time and her favorite genre is fantasy. According to the diva, reading plays a very important part in her life as in her advocacy ‘now not later’ which helps family going through cancer to take a much-needed time out and emerge oneself in a book for a while. Explaining about her song writing process, Kolfinna explained that she writes down bits and pieces of the lyrics that she gets all throughout the day and by the end she sits down with her guitar and try to put some music and melody into those lyrics. Talking about her project, she explained that since cancer patient’s family members must wait for a long time in the waiting room which is frustrating. So, to help them escape the waiting, she started collecting books and putting them in cart in the hospital’s waiting area.
Mariah Nyayeina Joseph Maget Miss World South Sudan 2019
Mariah is 22-year-old student of International relations and diplomacy. She aspires to became a diplomat and help fewer unfortunate people around her. The diva was asked by Vanessa about whom she admires the most and whom she looks up to. The diva answered the question diligently and while speaking she got overwhelmed as she talked about her first mother who unfortunately died when the Mariah was six years of age and her father happened to be a soldier. When her father had to go to the battles, the three of the children i.e. Mariah and her siblings were left back home. Mariah was the eldest one and she felt alone as there was no one to comfort or console the children. But then, Mariah met with her foster mother who took them in and looked after them with passion. She gave them all they needed, provided all of them with education and the school they took on choice. The mother sacrificed for their happiness and also, she has been a strong woman in the society but unfortunately, she had to leave her job but then also she provided them with everything. And this is the only reason, the diva wants to give a room to the people and children who are less opportune. The diva learnt a lot from her mother, the values and morals she embedded in her. She could never forget anything that has been taught by her foster mother. The diva wants to help people get clean water and this is a part of her Beauty with a Purpose project.
Maryuris Isabella Rodríguez Guzmán Miss World Venezuela 2019
The diva is 25 years of age and was born in Caracas in a venezuelan family. She is an Industrial Security student at Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Antonio José de Sucre in Caracas. The beauty talked about how she was born and raised, and in fact still lives in Petare, which is known to be as the one of the biggest slums in the World. Many people think that the dreams and opportunities are lost there. She has always been taught human values such as hard work, honesty, and solidarity. She was trained to be a leader helping others to improve their quality of life. The diva’s only goal is to bring a message of love and hope to the most vulnerable populations, and in particular to girls, to whom she’s inviting to join a community where their motto is, “I DREAM, I CAN”. She feels that she is an agent of change who wants to be an example and a role model for the future generation.
María Teresa Cortéz Mendieta Miss World Nicaragua 2019
The diva talks about her country as she says that it is a beautiful place which is known as the land of lakes and volcanoes. It’s not just a country but a home for the diva. She believes that music is something that allows us to express ourselves. She enjoys paying flute and saxophone because besides feeling relaxed, it also connects her to other people. Her advocacy involved her need to share all of herself to empower others. She started to concentrate efforts to help those that needs a voice and a friendly hand. ‘Mission La Mascota USA’ introduced the diva with children who were suffering from cancer and with them their families too. The diva says she is happy to help, for them, for Nicaragua, and for the World as well.
Rikkiya Brathwaite Miss World British Virgin Islands 2019
“What is it that made you want to study performing arts?” was the question asked by 2016 Miss World Stephanie Del Valle to Rikkiya. The diva answered diligently and said that being inspired by her mother and her uncle, working so hard in this career ignited an interest in her as well. The diva then decided to go into that and her mother supported her the best. She learnt piano, dancing etc., did many theatres and also many activities in musical club. The diva then talked about her ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ project and said that as she had to leave every time, she wanted to do something related to performing arts, there was no good opportunity present in the British Virgin Island. The diva wants to create a scholarship fund where I will raise 50,000 dollars a year to send one student a year who wants to pursue this as a viable career. She named the project as ‘Julia Morley fund’ as she was grateful to the president of Miss World Julia Morley and wanted to name the project after her only. She wants to do it for the children who have the talent but due to their lack of finance can’t get to the platform to pursue their dreams and enhance their abilities.
Whom did you like the most? Share with us your thoughts and tell us about your favorite contestant.