Miss Universe 2020 has been scheduled to take place on bthe 16th of May 2021 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, the United States where the reigning queen, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa will be crowning hebr successor at the end of the event.
Mario Lopez and Olivia Culpo will be the host for the pageant. So far, 74 contestants have been confirmed. Several national pageants were delayed or cancelled indefinitely due to the pandemic, resulting in many past runners-up from previous national pageants being appointed for the 2020 edition, or casting processes being held in their place.
Nigeria, Angola, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania, are among the countries that will not compete due to the effect of the pandemic.
Now, let’s meet the African beauty queens who will be competing in the Miss Universe 2020 pageant.
Natasha Joubert
- Country : South Africa
- Age : 23
About : Natasha Joubert is from Pretoria in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Boston City Campus in 2020 and worked as a public relations officer for a law firm. In 2016, Natasha started her own business, Natalie Jefferys, a fashion company specializing in couture. She runs Natalie Jefferys with the help of her mother and an all-female staff. Natasha is deeply inspired by her family and credits her late father for her ambition to succeed.
As a social activist, she is a Play Your Part Ambassador for Brand South Africa. This organization encourages all South African’s to contribute to a better future for all. This year, she says she is championing South Africa’s young democracy, which is facing challenging times: “I pledge to play my part to contribute to a positive future and champion leadership and entrepreneurship.”
What to know :
- Natasha did karate as a child.
- She was the only girl in her class.
- Natasha collects fabrics and interesting textiles; they are always lying around her workshop in case she gets inspired to create a colourful ensemble.
- The name of her business, “Natalia Jeffreys,” stems from a character inspired by her in a book written by her best friend in high school.
According to polls on social media, Natasha Joubert is a hot favourite to take the Miss Universe title.
Chelsea Tayui
- Country : Ghana
- Age : 25
About : Chelsea Tayui graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Communications and Media. She works part-time as the Communications Director for The KJM Foundation- a non-profit organization that seeks to create a world where every individual has access to basic human needs.
She started as a volunteer with KJM to bring clean water to impoverished villages in her country. Chelsea cares passionately about autism. She is working on eliminating the stigma of Autism in Ghana and she is a strong proponent for Early Intervention. She is raising awareness and advocacy for policy change in the Ghana education system, such that these children can be accommodated in the school systems.
What To Know :
- Chelsea has travelled to 22 countries.
- Chelsea is still learning how to whistle.
- Chelsea had a near-death experience when she was 16-years-old.
Vandana Jeetah
- Country : Mauritius
- Age : 29
About : Vandana is passionate about the law; she recently earned her Masters Degree and is currently working as an in-house barrister. She is actively involved in the community with the Lions Club. She describes herself as being grounded, ambitious and a free spirit, she is also a founder member and a former President of the Leo Club, Flacq.
During her mandate, her focus and advocacy revolved around the environment with projects such as coral farming, which is crucial for the restoration of the Mauritian coral reefs. Vandana loves running with her mother who is also her inspirational figure. Her other hobbies include mountain hiking, swimming in Mauritius’s turquoise lagoons and travelling. At only 28 years old, Vandana has already visited 33 countries and she believes that travelling is the best way to enhance personal growth.
What To Know :
- She speaks 4 languages and has travelled to 33 countries.
- She ran in 3 semi-marathons and won over 100 medals in athletics in school.
- She is the founder of a youth-led NGO in Mauritius.
Angele Kossinda
- Country : Cameron
- Age : 28
About : Kossinda Angele is passionate about acting, travelling, scriptwriting, and youth education. She has a masters degree in finance from Pigier Cameroun and provides free math lessons to underprivileged children in her city, Douala. In Kossinda’s spare time, she produces and acts in a TV comedy series available on Youtube.
Kossinda is an advocate for the education of the young and disadvantaged girls in Cameroon. In her tribe, girls are subjected to forced marriages as early as 12-years-old. Kossinda believes offering a free education will create a new generation of empowered and confident young girls with better opportunities for a future without arranged marriages.
She is amongst the very few women from her region active in her community and serves as an inspiration to the girls of Cameroon to become strong, independent women.
What To Know :
- Kossinda has travelled to 10 countries : Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, UAE, Philippines, Japan, Poland, South Africa, and Chad.
- She has a passion for finance and mathematics.
- Kossinda is a comedian on a TV series
