The 2022 Miss Malawi pageant otganisers, Alpha Arts, have unveiled the competition’s final 12 contestants.

Two were picked through a public vote and another qualified for the final round after coming out tops during an academic exercise centred on early childhood development, which is also the theme for this year’s event.

Hilda Macheso made it through a public vote  while Natasha Tembo excelled in the training workshop.

Macheso: I feel like a winner already

The 10 unveiled on Tuesday are Hlzeipe Chikhwaza, Grace Mazinga, Roberta Kanjero, Stacey Ngulube, Lucy Kampango, Vanessa Makungwa, Umiwangu Mlanjira, Jessica Mponda, Immaculate Gulula and Susan Moyo.

The event’s lead organiser Tina Kendricks said the 12 are set for a boot camp at Kambiri Beach Resort by Serendib in Salima from 27 November till December 3, the date of the event.

She said they have tried to make the selection process an all-encompassing to meet the right criterion.

“Their selection was mainly based on looks, but we are making considerations beyond beauty. We have interacted with them at different levels and we have an idea what informs their personalities. We are also looking at their intellectual capacity,” said Kendricks.

The 12 were drawn from a group of 30 and two more will be dropped by the end of the boot camp exercise to come up with the final list of 10. 

However, Kendricks has bemoaned lack of corporate sponsorship, a development she has partly attributed to the four-year break that the pageant took since it was last held.

She said: “We have knocked on countless doors asking for support but none has been forthcoming to partner us. I believe many are playing a wait-and-see game since we are new entrants in running the pageant. Our performance this year will determine how we proceed in the subsequent years.”

In a separate interview, one of the contestants, Macheso, said the conversations she has sparked makes her feel like a winner already.

Said the 24-year-old: “It has been a fulfilling experience thus far. My participation was meant to set a particular agenda which I feel has been achieved. Even if I don’t make it, I will walk out as a winner. The fact that it was the public which voted for me even makes me happier.”

The final event is slated for Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on December 3.

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