The Erongo Marine Enterprises (EME) has pledged an amount of N. dollars 75 000 for a portrait of Miss Namibia Chelsi Shikongo, which will go towards her funds as she travels to Miss Universe.
The portrait, which was painted by Lynette van Niekerk, was up for auction during a fundraising dinner held for Miss Namibia Universe 2021 at Swakopmund on Saturday evening.
In a message delivered on her behalf, EME Managing Director, Dr Martha Uumati, said she felt it would be a missed opportunity if Chelsi misses the Miss Universe pageant due to a shortage of funds.
“We, therefore, hope that this injection from EME will push Miss Namibia closer to her target funds to enable her to travel and represent Namibia,” Uumati said.
Miss Universe 2021 will be the 70th Miss Universe pageant which will be held in December 2021 in Eilat, Israel.
The Swakopmund Municipality, during the event, has also handed over N. dollars 10 000 towards Shikongo’s journey to Miss Universe.
Co-founder of Food Namibia Manfred Likoro under the Good Food project Namibia, which Shikongo is part of, has pledged to assist her to set up a 3×5 garden at any crèche of her own choice in order to promote food security.
“Miss Namibia is really passionate about food security and one of the things she really wants to drive is the issue of the importance of having a nutritious meal as well as being sustainable as far as food security is concerned,” Likoro noted.
Shikongo expressed that the overflowing love and support from the Erongo Region and entire Namibia at large gives her the determination to win at the upcoming beauty pageant.
“It is that support that has led me to be scouted by one of the biggest modelling agencies in South Africa and eventually becoming Miss Namibia Universe 2021.
I am filled with so much love, joy and gratitude and I will carry that all the way to that stage in December,” Shikongo said.
The event was attended by among others Swakopmund Mayor, Louisa Kavita, Olympic athletes Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma and their coach Henk Botha, as well as Former Miss Namibia and Miss Universe Michelle Mclean-Bailey’s parents.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
