Leoshina’s journey from beauty contests to studying geopolitics

By HANNAH NERO
FOR beauty queen Leoshina Kariha, the words of Dame Meg Taylor during a women leadership talk that “everything will be alright, learn to trust yourself young people, you’ve got your mind, spirit and faith, you’ve got to dig deep on that” still resonate with her.
The 2017 to 2018 Miss Pacific Islands PNG queen was born on Feb 9, 2000, the eldest and only girl in a family of four. Her brothers are William, Henry Jnr and Zebadiah.
Their father Henry Kariha is from Bougainville and mother Rosemary is from Central.
She remembers going as a child to the craft market at Ela Beach with grandmother Mercy Solien and cousins.
“Bubu Mercedes baked the most delicious pastries that sold like hotcakes. Bubu would wake up early to make them and we would bring the ironing board and a tablecloth to use as her stand to sell her pastries.”
It was 18 years later that her life took a dramatic turn when she was crowned Miss Madang while in her first year at the Divine Word University in Madang.
She was sponsored by Sir Peter Barter to be Miss Madang Resort in the Miss PNG contest. She won and travelled to Tonga where she was crowned Miss Pacific Islands that year.
“During my one-year reign as Miss PNG and Miss Pacific Islands, I was also the Tourism and Cultural Ambassador for the South Pacific Tourism Organization and the National Youth Advocate for UNICEF PNG.”
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, she studied online for two years as a United States South Pacific (USSP) programme scholar, before she travelled to the US.
“Studying in the US broadened my perspective. I saw that education was not a narrow route and that the world offered many possibilities. I applied to several places but after being rejected, the right pathways always open up. It removed my fear of failing because I know that each time I step into the unknown, I will come out knowing what I am capable of and how I can improve.”
She is happy to have inspired many young people to follow what she does.
“Through my achievements and making it into politics, a traditionally male-dominated field in PNG, I have been able to inspire other young women and men to be bold in stepping into these spaces too. I receive messages from students and their parents who wanted to build their future through education.”
Coming from a not-too-wealthy background, Leoshina feels good to see young women and men dream big “because they see themselves in me”.
When she returns home, she wants to help organisations and small-medium businesses seek outside funding.

“ Studying in the US broadened my perspective. I saw that education was not a narrow route and that the world offered many possibilities. I applied to several places but after rejection, the right pathways always opened up. It removed my fear of failing because I know that each time I step into the unknown, I will come out knowing what I am capable of and how I can improve.”

“By building my networks globally, I hope to bridge the gap where there is lack of resources and financial support nationally, for organisations doing excellent work at the grassroots level.”
Her major research at the University of Hawaii is based on geopolitics in the Pacific.
“When I return, I look forward to continuing on-ground research on the increasing tension and instability among Pacific Island states due to geopolitical competition. The future of the Pacific peoples relies on their unity.
“I will continue to work with researchers and professionals in the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific to find ways to strengthen regional ties and manage the geopolitical landscape for the best interests of the Pacific people.”
Leoshina believes in hard work and of course, being faithful to and reliant on God.
“When I face struggles of my own, I place everything in God’s hands. I remember a time when I lived alone with my father at Gordon in POM.
“I had to start a dumpling business to pay for our power and water bills.
“I did this during online studies when the network and black-outs in POM were frequent. It was a tough time, but I knew what was important and that the struggle would not last forever.
“Having a relationship with God has always helped me through the most difficult times because remaining rooted in Him helps me to have faith in the waiting period. The God we serve sees our efforts and will reward us in due time and measure.”