A passion for runways

With seven years of modelling experience, Jessica Mundie Uiras is confident she is the right person to represent Namibia at Miss Charm 2020, slated for 3 to 18 March in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The pageant's official website describes the event as a global-scale beauty pageant, which aims to search for the most exceptional representatives in the world to appreciate women's beauty as well as accelerate culture, education and tourism. “The judging criteria for the pageant will involve your beauty, physique, intellect as well as your ability to captivate the audience with your appeal,” reads the website. Even though she is exited to represent Namibia on this platform, Uiras shared she is stuck between a rock and hard place because she has to provide for her own return flight ticket to Vietnam. She also told tjil that the wardrobe requirements for the pageant are not within her budget. “Despite these drawbacks, I am excited. An international pageant is an eye-opener. It's like completing a degree in pageantry within two to three weeks. “One learns a lot and you gain skills and the experience I believe is amazing,” said Uiras. She looks forward to the pageant as she believes it might change her life and steer her into a different direction. During her stay in Vietnam, she hopes to learn from the diversity of the contestants taking part in this prestigious pageant. Uiras believes the aim of international pageants is to create a long lasting bond between countries all around the world and for models to be able to share their culture and heritage with one other. “I look forward to making an unforgettable statement for my country and to map Vietnam with the colours of Namibia,” she said. Uiras sees this as an opportunity to create a platform for the next Namibian representative to attend the pageant. She said she is aware of scams in the pageant world but urged fellow models to do thorough research before entering for a specific pageant. “Beauty pageants are not just based on glitz and glamour. You are the ambassador of Namibia in the host country of the pageant. Through you, they will get to know your country and that's one way how people from that country can one day want to visit Namibia,” she said. The stunner has taken part in nine local, three continental and three international pageants, and has walked away with the Miss Capital City of Namibia 2016, World Miss University of Namibia 2016 and Miss Heritage Namibia 2019 titles.Her five-year forecast for her life includes completing her bachelor's degree in media and communications at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. “I also see myself as a representative at one of the most prestigious international pageants such as Miss Universe and Miss Earth. I wish to continue with my contributions as the founder of the Simply Jess charity foundation and become a role model using pageantry as the medium. MICHAEL KAYUNDE

A passion for runways

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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A passion for runways

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-16

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