A day after the announcement of Nikita Chandak winning the Group 3 Head to Head Challenge, comes another good news for Nepal in the 2017 Miss World pageant.
Miss World Nepal Nikita Chandak’s Beauty With A Purpose (BWAP) project ‘Let’s Be Period Positive’ has been announced as one of the 20 semi-finalists.
Earlier this year, Nepal passed a law criminalizing the practice of banishing women to huts during their periods – the ancient tradition of Chhaupadi -. Though the practice was banned by the supreme court in 2005, it remained prevalent in remote west – leading to the deaths of at least two teenage girls this year; a 19-year-old in Dailesh and a 15-year-old in Achham. The former died from a snake bite as she was sleeping in a shed, while latter suffocated in a poorly ventilated hut.
For her BWAP project, Chandak visited one of such villages where the practice still remains prevalent to know more about the situation there. After returning to Kathmandu, she organized a charity event to raise funds; met the people in authorities to discuss how the practice can further be eliminated; and went to the village again — this time to educate the people there about menstruation and sanitation; and to distribute some materials.
Chandak is committed to continue what she started as her BWAP project even after the pageant is over this year.
BWAP is one of the five Fast Track Challenges – along with Top Model, Multimedia, Talent and Sports – and winning it results in a direct placement in the Top 40. With the Head to Head Challenge win, Nepal already is in the Top 40, but winning the BWAP challenge still is very important as it’s the soul of the pageant as this is what Miss World advocates, “Beauty With A Purpose.”
Australia, British Virgin Island, Brazil, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, New Zeland, Philippines, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe are the other 19 semi-finalists of the challenge.
A total of 118 participants are vying for the coveted crown this year. The coronation night of the 67th edition of Miss World will be held on Saturday, November 18 at the Sanya City Arena in China. Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico will crown her successor in the event.
