“AT THE AGE OF 16, I WAS RAPED,” – SHARES FAITH BWALYA DURING MISS WORLD HEAD-TO-HEAD 

Yesterday, American/Caribbeans and African 72nd edition of Miss World contestants shared their “Beauty With A Purpose” presentations in the head-to-head competition.

Zambia’s representative Faith Bwalya took the stand and eloquently shared her story – a tough story that almost brought her to tears, but later composed herself.

She told a story of how she almost got married and how she was raped at the age of 16 years old. Further narrating how this shaped her pursuit to advocate for the marginalized. Below is her full presentation as it can not be said any better than in her own words.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It is with deep pleasure and honour that I stand before you. Today, I am the flag bearer of 20 million hearts of the bold and the brave, and after seven years, Zambia stands on the Miss World stage.

Beauty in its highest form will never be defined by face or body only. Beauty is the power to impact the world by speaking for the voiceless, the courage to stand for the weak and the compassion, the compassion to make lifelong change. And this impact does not stand any more powerful than in the era of education.

So today my beauty with a purpose is advocating for the children, youths and the differently abled from marginalised communities because I believe this is a power each and everyone should attain and that is why I stand for that.

I come from a beautiful home, loving, but both my parents did not have one thing, an education. And I’ll tell you one thing, coming from Africa and being the first child I knew it was my responsibility to fend for the people I loved.

But in this moment, I was young, my innocence was stripped away from me because I had to fend and stand for the people who needed me to. So I stood there vulnerable in a world that would strip me of my innocence. At the age of 16, I was almost a victim of early marriage.

At the age of 16, I was raped and this is a silence I kept with me for so many years because I didn’t have the power to speak. Had I had the knowledge and understanding that it was okay to speak up, I would have. And after eight years, I share my story today for one reason only.

I stand as a mirror of reflection to the children who are broken, who believe that dreams are too corrupt, that they can not dream or can not achieve one sole purpose.

I am the reflection of that broken still stands. My Beauty with a Purpose advocates for these children by providing them with a skill, educating them about agriculture, impacting them with things as vital as good health.

As a medical personnel who graduated in the field of medical licensure, I understand the need for these children to be able to fend for themselves when it comes to their health. So we have had campaigns that aware them, that teach them on the awareness of good health. We’ve had campaigns that help them with the agriculture knowledge coming from an African sector.

We understand the importance of agriculture, and this is what they need to know. These necessities are things that they need to move with each and every day of their lives because education and skill is one thing no one can ever strip away from you.

We have hosted campaigns, and these campaigns have impacted over 1,000 vulnerable children, orphans, vulnerable, and differently abled youths.

This impact is slowly changing the world. I’ve heard so many people say you can never change the world. I believe it’s because you’re chasing after perfection.

But one thing we need to change is the narrative, and that’s it because changing the world is one step at a time. My advocacy when it comes to education is I believe in one key. Education gives understanding.

Understanding gives knowledge and knowledge gives power, and that power is the one tool that each and every child should have as a birthright. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Faith Bwalya. Thank you.”

This is part of the fast-track challenges at the Miss World Festival, as the head-to-head continues today. The winners of this segment will automatically progress to the Top 10 of their respective regions.

This will then culminate in the crowning of the new titleholder at the grand finale, which will be held at the HITEX Convention Center on May 31st, in Telangana, India.