Their smiles and gratitude as they stepped on the stage with Natasha Sutherland, actress (at present in MNet's The Wild), author, mother and founder of the Big Heart Foundation, had the audience applauding and smiling (and also wiping away the tears) when she spoke about the plight of battered women and how she was totally blown away by their strength, tenacity and will to break free from their circumstances.
Bertha du Plessis and Cornelle Carstens interviewed the four finalists in the safe house make-over category, which runs in conjunction with the beauty pageant.
Before the show Natasha told the Mossel Bay Advertiser that she needs to be part of this project to keep her humble. "When you talk to women who have never had the luxury of visiting a hair salon or to have coffee and cake at a coffee shop with her friends, then you know you have very little to moan about" she said. "When one finds your purpose in life - it is only then that the magic starts" she said.
According to Natasha she and the other two judges decided that the women were all so awesome that they could not choose just a single winner. "We decided to put them into categories and all four were given cash and product prizes."
The ladies walked away with the following distinctions: Ella Mahlulo (from Lukhanyiso in Knysna) was named as most dynamic; Marchelle Cubi (Phambili George) as most inspirational; Millizene Roman (CEF Mossel Bay) as most persevering and Falencia Goba (Malibongwe in Oudtshoorn) as best make-over.
"When the women leave the shelters it is crucial that they find work because financial empowerment is key not to get sucked back into the abusive cycle. We need bursaries and mentorship to achieve this," Natasha said before she announced that she had a score to settle from the previous year's pageant.
Jackie Markgraaff, runner up last year and an ex-resident of the CEF safe house in Mossel Bay, expressed the desire to attend a course on nail sculpturing so that she could help to make other women feel beautiful. Natasha managed to secure two bursaries for a nail technician course sponsored by Placecol and Dream Nails. The one was awarded to Jackie and the other one went to Marchelle from George.
The beauty section was won by Zonke Frans (23) from Knysna. Her two princesses were Chanieel du Plessis (21) from Hartenbos and Tracy-Ann Buckley (23) from Mossel Bay.
The fashion category was won by Jeanine Barnard from George.
"A feel good project that speaks right to your heart" that is how the celebrities and the public experienced the event.
This annual project aims to raise awareness and funds for the four above mentioned safe houses for battered women and children in the Southern Cape.
The project started off eight years ago when Tryana Potgieter, promotion coordinator of the Garden Route Casino organised the first beauty pageant under the auspices of the Casino. This project grew to include the charity arm and the beautiful finalists became the draw card to entice the public to buy tickets to attend the gala evening. They are known as the "face" of the project and the safe houses are the "heart". The public that support the project is the "body" and together with the sponsors they supply the funds that go to better the circumstances of the victims of this "silent crime".
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Zonke Frans was crowned as Miss Garden Route and Klein Karoo. This part time student will now be the 'Face of Tourism' in the Southern Cape and act as tourism ambassador for the Western Cape. Chanieel du Plessis (21) from Hartenbos was crowned as the first princess and Tracey-Anne Buckley (23) from Mossel Bay, second princess. Tracey-Anne was chosen by the other finalists as Miss Personality and Miss Charity.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: DENISE LLOYD
