Student fled Kyiv for island and makes Miss Africa GB final
A STUDENT based in Ukraine who found herself suddenly heading to Guernsey when war broke out has been selected to represent the island at the finals of Miss Africa GB, and is asking islanders to vote for her.
When the Russian invasion was confirmed, third-year medical student Nadine Azari was given just 24 hours to leave the country.
‘The British government got in touch and said “there’s one plane – you need to get on it”. There was a mad scramble for tickets and thankfully I managed to get one’.
While Miss Azari had been studying in Kyiv, her mother had moved to Guernsey from London after she was offered a job at the hospital.
A few days after Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border, she found herself in Guernsey for the first time since she was 10.
‘It was weird to be here. Kyiv is such a massive city, it was a big change, but the shocking thing was the conflict was suddenly all over the news. We hadn’t really been told a lot as we were leaving. I was really worried about friends who were still there and keeping track on whether they had got out.’
Miss Azari had lived in Guernsey previously as a child, and was impressed with how it had changed. ‘It’s lovely to see the increasing diversity, it’s been very welcoming.’
She had only brought a small suitcase with her, assuming she would be back in Kyiv quite soon.
‘I have an apartment there and left everything behind, clothes, books, stuff from my childhood.’
She has kept in touch with friends who remained and has been shocked by some of the images she has received.
‘My friends who remained have sent me photos of them sheltering in bunkers. I couldn’t believe it was my building, it was scary and surreal.’
Miss Azari, who wants to be an orthopaedic surgeon, has had to continue her studies online, but is due to return to university in September, this time in Poland. While in the island she has been working part-time as a support worker with Adult Disability Services at Le Grand Courtil.
With her studies curtailed, Miss Azari found herself with time on her hands, and so decided to enter the Miss Africa GB pageant.
‘I saw it on Instagram, and after some research I realised it was aligned with the charity work I wanted to do.’
The Miss Africa GB pageant gives young African girls born or living in the United Kingdom a platform to showcase their beauty, but also their culture, talent and creativity. The winner becomes a goodwill ambassador, charged with designing and implementing a charity program.
After an audition in London, Miss Azari was selected to represent Guernsey and the Channel Islands. As part of the process, entrants are asked to raise money for a UK charity, in Miss Azari’s case the Whitechapel Mission, which supports the homeless in London.
If she wins, Miss Azari wants to raise money for an orphanage in Zimbabwe, the Mompone Foundation, where she has previously volunteered.
The final ceremony is in London on 4 November at Royal Regency Hall in London.
n You can vote for Miss Azari at https://www.missafricagb.com/vote/votinggallery2022 and donate at https://gofund.me/5c852225. She currently sits fourth in the voting.
