Marielle Wilkie, Miss Barbados

By: Walter Greene

When the curtains rise on August 18, in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China, a
record number of 14 beauties from the Caribbean and 21 from Africa will
carry their country's flags proudly as they represent their nations and
compete for the Olympics of pageantry `Miss World 2012'. The delegates
for the coveted crown will being arriving in China next week for three
weeks of `Fast Track' preliminary competions, extensive photo shoots
and rigorous rehearsals that will lead up to the grand finale' and the
crowning of a new `Miss World.' Some 120 delegates will grow through a
life changing experience, but only one will emerge as the winner and
receive thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, instant fame, the
honor and bragging rights of being the Most Beautiful woman in the
World.

CARIBBEAN DELEGATES
Representing the Caribbean nations in this year's competition are:
Athaliah Samuel (Trinidad & Tobago) Arti Cameron (Guyana) Daronique
Young (Bahamas: see story below) Lucianelle Verhoeks (Aruba) Marielle
Wilkie (Barbados) Ana Grisel Maciel (Bonaire) Stephanie Rose Chang
(Curacao) Brigette Ramassamy (Guadeloupe) Deanna Rolins (Jamaica)
Stefanie Grace Gentle (Suriname) Janelle Marcos Chapario Colon (Puerto
Rico) Markysa Kaisan O'Loughlin (St Kitts) Taiesha Lashley (US Virgin
Islands) and Sally Apointe (Dominican Republic)

AFRICAN DELEGATES
From Africa comes: Edmitza Nicosia dos Santos (Angola) Bongani Dlakama
(Zimbabwe) Sherlyn Ferneau (Seychelles) Vanessa Williams (Sierra Leone)
Phiona Bizzu (Uganda) Lisa Jensen (Tanzania) Ramona Moodley (South
Africa) Atong Demach (South Sudan) Marie-Noelle Ada Meyo (Gabon) Tirzah
Ellen Evora (Cape Verde) Tapiwa Anna-Maria Preston (Botswana)
Christelle Mbeni (Democratic Republic of Congo) Helen Valerie Deouka
(Cote' d' Ivoire) Melkam Michael Endale (Ethiopia) Jennifer Ribeiro
Allende (Equatorial Guinea) Shaminn Nabel (Kenya) Nomazondo Mphakisoane
(Lesoto) Leda Knowlden (Liberia) Susan Mtegha (Malawi) Sara Mouatamid
(Morocco) Damiete Charles-Granville (Nigeria)

BEAUTY WITH A PURPOSE
The `Miss World' Organization under the chairmanship of Mrs Julia
Morley, with the theme of `Beauty With A Purpose' - Helping Children
Worldwide, has raised over 400,000 million pounds in over 100 countries
for children's charities. The winner of `Miss World' spends a year
traveling all over the world as an ambassador, bringing awareness to
children in need. Some of the recent beneficiaries from `Miss World'
and their charitable affiliations, include: The Nelson Mandela
Foundation in Africa; Clef Palate Teams in South America, Sri Lanka and
Russia, abandoned and neglected children in Vietnam and actor Jackie
Chan and the Chinese Red Cross for bringing financial aid to those most
seriously affected by the Asian Tsunami.

FUNDRAISING FOR CHILDREN CHARITIES
The reigning `Miss World' Ivian Sarcos from Venezuela along with Mrs
Morley were recently in London, at the at the PROPS Award that raised
300,000 pounds for Variety: the Children's Charity, which is dedicated
to promoting and protecting the health and well being of children
around the world. In their 21 year history, the PROPS Awards have
generated over 7 million pounds for the charity, providing support for
disabled children and young people throughout the UK. The recent PROPS
Awards Ceremony in London paired for 86 wheelchairs that will help
disabled children all affiliated with Variety.

CAPTIONS
Bongami Dlakama `Miss Zimbabwe'
Arti Cameron `Miss Guyana'
Deanna Rolins `Miss Jamaica'
Brigitte Ramassamy `Miss Guadeloupe'
Marielle Wilkie `Miss Barbados'
Marie-Noelle Ada Meyo `Miss Gabon'