Foundation applauds Sylva for peace, uplifting N’Delta women

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Tracy McWary Foundation has commended Chief Timipre Sylva for deepening peace and empowering Niger Delta women through sponsorship of the Miss Amnesty Nigeria 2023 Beauty Pageant.

The foundation noted that Sylva, former Governor of Bayelsa State, who crisscrossed the Niger Delta to broker the amnesty deal between the ex-militants and the Federal Government, has remained committed to peacebuilding.

The foundation noted that the Miss Amnesty Nigeria Pageant incorporates skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and empowerment for female Niger Delta youths.

Tracy McWary, founder and Chief Executive of Tracy McWary Foundation, organisers of the annual beauty pageant, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that 12 participants were empowered in the just concluded 2023 Miss Amnesty Nigeria Pageant.

“In Miss Amnesty Nigeria 2023 Grand finale event held on Sept. 30, there were 12 participants who underwent entrepreneurship capacity building for one week, during the one-week intensive training they were taken on different skills acquisition.

“The skills include hairdressing, head ties tying, fashion design, catering, make-up, disinfectant and bleach production.

“The grand finale also featured young performing artists like Faze, Aproko, Barrack Pikin, and Senibo amongst other entertainers.

“The contestants’ first task was to showcase their skills in presentation dressed in the attire representing their skills in Arts, graphic design, catering, organic soap, and baking amongst others.

“Their second appearance was on all white taking on different topics like Female Exploitation, Gender Equality, Challenges of Women in Politics, Gender Roles, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Discrimination, Gender Mainstreaming, and Domestic Violence,” the foundation stated.

According to the statement, the top five winners were Miss Vivian Kanusb, Constance Christopher (Miss Amnesty Entrepreneur), Divine Onyekachi (Miss Amnesty Top Model) Marvin Lucky (Miss Amnesty Diaspora) and Emily Agundu (Miss Amnesty Peace).

The foundation added that other contestants went home with two gas cookers with ovens, two electric ovens, laptops, a hair washer and dryer, make-up box with makeup Items.

Other empowerment items included industrial sewing machines and a N100,000 cash gift while the Winner went home with N1 million.

The foundation noted that the 2023 pageant with the theme: Equal Participation and Leadership has led to a strategic partnership between it and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) aimed at uplifting young people of the Niger Delta through the pageant.