A 19-YEAR-OLD model has changed the fate of Dominica after becoming the Caribbean island’s first Miss World entrant in 35 years.
Lelassa Armour-Shillingford, who won Miss Dominica back in February, will head to Indonesia for the popular global competition on September 28.
Armour-Shillingford, an agricultural economics student, said: “I’m looking forward to the competition and I hope to bring something unique to the pageant. I hope my presence in the competition will let people know more about the island of Dominica and its beauty.”
She hopes that once she completes her Bachelor and Master degrees – and has gained some international work experience in her field of study – to return to Dominica to further develop the agricultural industry of the island.
The teenager also hopes to further develop her branchild, Dominican Realistic Education Arts Movement (DREAM) Foundation, an organisation to raise funds towards holistic education training, through edutainment events.
A record 131 contestants from different countries have arrived in Bali to take part in month-long events of Miss World 2013 pageant; the finale will be held in Jakarta on 28 September.
The pageant is taking place amid protests from Indonesia’s Muslim hardliners, who have called it an offence to Islam.