Vinaina Tabua Marawa, a resident of Nasole HART, expressed her excitement after being named Miss Nasinu at the 2024 Vodafone and Gavya Nasinu Festival held on Saturday. She used her platform to highlight the issue of homes and communities impacted by domestic violence.
Marawa was among seven contestants competing in the festival, which had not taken place in four years. She emphasized the need for greater attention to domestic violence, given the high number of women and children affected in local communities.
“Winning the Miss Nasinu title is a significant step towards achieving my goal of becoming an agent for change,” she said, acknowledging the stiff competition and thanking her mother for her unwavering support throughout the event.
The festival aimed to unite the Nasinu community and foster a spirit of breaking down barriers. Marawa has prior experience in pageantry, having participated in the Miss Hibiscus Festival’s teen category at the age of 16. She views involvement in events like the Nasinu Festival as a crucial opportunity to advocate with dignity and respect.
“The week-long festival focused on advocacy and driving change at a national level, and I am keen to leverage my voice for this important cause,” she stated. Marawa believes that real change starts at home, reflecting on her experiences as the eldest of eight siblings raised by a single mother, which has instilled in her a sense of significant responsibility.
She acknowledged the challenges of balancing household duties with academic commitments but credited her mother’s steadfast support for making her journey worthwhile.