Vinaina Tabua Marawa, a resident of Nasole HART, expressed her excitement after being crowned Miss Nasinu during the 2024 Vodafone and Gavya Nasinu Festival held on Saturday.
In her advocacy, Ms. Marawa addressed the pressing issue of domestic violence affecting homes and communities, emphasizing the importance of tackling this concern given the significant number of women and children impacted by it.
Among seven contestants, Ms. Marawa noted that the last Nasinu Festival took place four years ago. She described her crowning as a pivotal moment in her goals, stating, “Being crowned Miss Nasinu Crown was a stepping stone in achieving a target of mine; that is to be an agent for change.” She acknowledged the competition was fierce and expressed gratitude towards her mother for her unwavering support throughout the event.
The festival, according to Ms. Marawa, united the Nasinu community, fostering hopes of breaking barriers. At 16, she also took part in the Miss Hibiscus Festival’s teen category. She views participation in such events as an opportunity to serve with dignity and respect.
“The one-week festival focused on advocacy and fostering change at the national level; I am eager to use my voice for this cause,” she remarked. Ms. Marawa believes that real change starts at home and shared her experiences growing up as the eldest of eight siblings raised by a single mother. She reflected on the challenges of managing household responsibilities alongside her studies, noting her mother’s support made her journey fulfilling.