Beauty with a Purpose

As a Ghanaian, I am indeed excited that Miss Ghana won something at the just ended Miss World event. I just find it curious (I probably shouldn't) that two Miss Ghanas have won the very same event held prior to the Miss World finals. First, Lamisi Mbillah in 2006 and now Stephanie Karikari for 2011.

Since 2005 all winners of the Beauty with a Purpose segment have been propelled to the semi final stage of Miss World with Miss Korea in 2005 making it to the finals and Miss Trinidad and Tobago actually ending up as 2nd runner up in 2008. The rest sadly ended their dreams of becoming Miss World at the semi final stage.

This segment, which was introduced in 2001 has as at its 10th year (2011) had 4 African countries win it with Ghana (big ups Gh) taking it twice. The other countries with the exception of Albania are either in South America or Asia and then Jamaica  and Trinidad & Tobago (where are Jamaica and Trinidad anyways? Caribbean isn't exactly a continent).

I can't say I'm surprised cos the whole idea I guess of Beauty with a Purpose is to reward the contestant with the most relevant and important charity project in her nation. Let's see how Miss America or Miss UK tops the poor kids sleeping on the streets in Sodom and Gomorah in Ghana or Guinea Worm infestation in the upper regions of Ghana. I really do wonder what project Miss USA submitted for the Beauty with a Purpose segment.

Sadly this year, Miss Ghana did not make it to the semi finals. Her co-winner, Miss Indonesia however did and as usual her dream ended at the semi final stage. Is it that these beauty queens just aren't good enough to make it past the semi final stage or do they just put their all into the Beauty with a Purpose segment forgetting that there are other segments to the Pageant which all score them some marks. Isn't Miss World supposed to be all about Beauty with a Purpose?

I just think it's funny that Beauty with a Purpose, which is supposed to be the "heart of Miss World" doesn't seem to get the winners far. Well, maybe the organisers do take it into consideration that if it was all about Beauty with a Purpose, then countries like Ghana would have won Miss World so many times while countries like the US would never win. But really, all these Miss World winners just end up visiting poor countries during their reign doing charity work. Beauty with a Purpose does score higher marks than the other segments but the winners just can't seem to get past the semis.

I would like to see subsequent Miss Ghanas strive to win something else in the Miss World competition. Step out of your comfort zone future Miss Ghanas or at least, win the Beauty with a Purpose but perform good on the other stuff. Move from semi finals (that's if you even make it) to finals and hopefully, bring the crown home.

Congrats Stephanie Karikari!