Beauty queen promotes girls

THERE are many girls leaving school for the village because they have been “brainwashed” that all they need in life is back there, a beauty queen says.
Miss Manus Anna Hosea said that was her observation during her six-week humanitarian mission to her province recently. 
“They (girls) are told there is land to make garden, sago, fish and all they need back in the village,” the Miss PNG entrant said.
Hosea said it was sad to learn that girls were still being duped by the tale that “you have everything in the village”.
“This mentality and destructive tale should be done away with and replaced with tales of encouragement and empowerment,” she said.
Like a practice in the past where girls played second fiddle when parents had to decide on who got to complete formal education if funds were not easy to come by.
From interviews with locals and community leaders during her visit home, she said situation had led to girls to getting married at a very young age, having little knowledge of family planning and laboured longer hours to maintain their households. 
Hosea said there was a need to educate parents and young girls about value of women in society and the importance of completing formal education.
“Girls need to know their value and role in the society so that they make right choices,” Hosea said.
“Like girls, boys are pulled out of school for the same reasons.”
She met with women’s groups, youths, community leaders, and was involved in the Go Green clean-up in Lorengau.
Although Hosea has got the endorsement of the Manus provincial government to run as Miss Manus, she is yet to secure a sponsor.
Those willing to support her can make deposits to BSP account name: Miss Manus RC 2011; Account number 1004607725 or call 3403335 or email [email protected].