Nadine in top five of Miss Africa GB
A GUERNSEY-BASED student finished in the top five of the Miss Africa GB pageant at the weekend.
Nadine Azari was one of 20 women who reached the final at London’s Royal Regency Hall from more 1,000 applicants.
The Zimbabwean polled some 130,000 votes which said he had been amazing.
‘I was a nervous wreck as it was the first time that I’d been on stage in front of so many people, but I was happy to be representing my culture,’ she said.
Watched by some 500 diners, contestants took part in rounds dressed in their cultural costume, swimwear, and evening dress. There was also a round of traditional dance which featured the whole group.
She said the people of Guernsey had been so supportive.
‘I had messages on Instagram, Facebook, and from people in the street,’ she said. ‘It was amazing and a reflection on just how nice Guernsey people are. Whenever members of my family come to the island they always comment on that.’
Miss Azari also finished third top charity fundraiser after collecting about £750.
‘I liked the idea of the pageant because it had a charity aspect. I want to start my own charity to support young girls in Zimbabwe with access to education, school fees, uniforms, and their mental health.’
On this occasion Miss Azari was raising money for the Whitechapel Mission, which supports the homeless in London.
A third-year medical student, she was studying in the Ukraine before she was given 24 hours to leave the country because of the war. She came to Guernsey as her mother had moved here from London after she was offered a job at the hospital.
Miss Azari, who first came to the island at the age of 10, wants to be an orthopaedic surgeon.
She 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.
