Pwani Oil Products Limited (Pwani Oil), through its Beauty Soap, Afrisense Bathing Bar, has announced its sponsorship of the 2024 Miss Earth Kenya, which comes after a boot camp starting July 16 to July 19, 2024.
The boot camp will bring together 18 contestants identified by a panel of judges following a call for participation in February 2024 that saw interest from 3,000 ladies across the country. The winner will be crowned at a runway event on July 20, 2024, at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
Pwani Oil, through its Afrisense Beauty Bathing Bar Soap, is supporting the pageant by providing the winning cash prize, ambassadorship for the Afrisense brand, and a three-month internship for select Miss Earth Kenya 2024 participants, which allows them the foundation to start their career journey. This is in addition to opportunities for the Winner Miss Earth Kenya 2024, to participate in Pwani Oil’s sustainability initiatives.
Afrisense, one of Pwani Oil’s latest beauty bathing soap brands, appropriately aligns with the Miss Earth Kenya pageant profile due to its formulation composed of natural ingredients like Kalahari Melon Seed Oil and Mafura Butter, which are uniquely designed to bring out the essence of beauty for African skin. The Company’s sustainability initiatives are geared to ensure that nature is conserved to ensure these ingredients continue to thrive.
“We have been keenly following the Miss Earth activities and what it stands for in Kenya, and we have seen the impact of the pageant in advancing the message of environmental conservation, especially among the youth. Against this background, we knew that we had to come in and support the mission of this important competition as it completely aligns with our sustainability and community transformation objectives,” said Pwani Oil’s Commercial Director, Rajul Malde.
Miss Earth Kenya is the national edition of the International Miss Earth event, which champions environmental and cultural sustainability awareness, particularly amongst the youth. This year’s Miss Earth Kenya theme is ‘Water is Life and it looks to explore opportunities for the conservation of water, a critical resource that is constantly under threat of contamination, mismanagement, and depletion. The annual national contest begins with a boot camp that convenes selected finalists for engagement with sustainability professionals, mentors, and judges. The boot camp provides an opportunity for contestants to learn from sustainability champions, to enhance their capacity to strengthen their standing as sustainability leaders.
From the boot camp, the most promising participant, in terms of sustainability leadership potential, will be selected to champion various projects within the country, and to represent Kenya in the global finals, against over 80 other contestants from around the world for a chance to succeed the title holder, Drita Ziri of Albania. The judging panel will be reviewing the contestants’ knowledge and engagement within the environmental and cultural sustainability space; ability to raise and mobilize funds for their causes and ability to mobilize communities to action, amongst other capabilities.
The three runners-up in the Kenya contest will be crowned Miss Air, Miss Water, and Miss Fire, respectively, each gaining a chance to pursue leadership in the promotion of the respective elements under their title. The four winners will receive mentorship from a variety of Miss Earth Kenya mentors, in addition to guidance and support in fundraising and advocacy, as well as introduction to partners they can work with to gain experience and/or traction. Afterwards, the winners will be reviewed for their impact defined by the number of successful fundraisers, community mobilization events, community drives, advocacy campaigns, and partnerships they are involved in.
Beverly Jalango, the Miss Earth Kenya franchise holder, recognized the role of sponsorship in the competition, noting that it serves to provide immense opportunities, including a chance to market the country on the global stage.
“The international nature of the Miss Earth contest invokes the need for partnership to both support the selection of Kenya’s representative and their sustained participation during the world finals, a great platform for marketing our country. I am pleased that organizations like Pwani Oil have come on board as partners, as we prepare for the global competition,” she said.
Pwani Oil’s company-wide business strategy aligns with the agenda of the Miss Earth contest by prioritizing environmental sustainability through initiatives that promote water conservation and energy management. In addition to optimizing its processes for water conservation, the company installed a water treatment facility at its liquid detergent plant, enabling water recycling and conservation. This plant is supported by rainwater catchers that are fitted with water purifiers to help replenish its fresh water supply.
Additionally, to manage its energy consumption, the company has installed solar and thermal power plants across its facilities generating a total of 2.9 megawatts of power; key initiatives demonstrating commitment to drive sustainability.
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