GEORGE NEWS - Some women are just born diva-licious, and that is what the Miss Full Figure competition at the Conville Civic Centre is putting on show this coming weekend. But don't get it wrong, these women might be big, but they have even bigger hearts.
Pageant director Carly Adams says this beauty pageant is held for a good cause: to raise funds for families with children who suffer from cancer.
"Not all of our families in the poorer areas can afford to travel to Cape Town to be at the hospital with their child. Most do not have families in the city and during times of hardship at least they should not have to worry about finances. So the money we raise will be kept in a trust."
She says families in need of financial support are identified through social media and word of mouth.
Adams says this is the second the competition is held, and it is only growing bigger and bigger. The competition, however, has a weight limit, says Adams. She explains that there is curvy and then there is full figured.
"Curvy is your 36 or 38 sizes. But any size from 40, now that is full figured. And we give these women, these divas, a platform to show their curves."
She says they have contestants from George, Knysna, Oudtshoorn and Great Brak River who come together because of this pageant and become good friends.
"That is the beauty of a competition like this. Women from all over who never knew each other can come together for a good cause and have fun while doing it."
From left are Simthandile Mamase, Brumilda Julie, Karin Tomela, Isha Ryneveld, Sharifa Andrews, Donne Oria and Lilian Pietersen.
The competition's three winners, the queen and her two princesses from each region, will compete against all the other winners and some new contestants. But according to Adams this year's show has a twist.
"But people must show up and support the cause to see what is in store."
Some of the contestants told George Herald why they are taking part in the pageant. Isha Ryneveld, a first-time contestant from Oudtshoorn, says she used to take part in modelling shows.
"But as soon as I got a bit bigger and thicker, people started giving unwanted comments. When I heard of this competition I sent my application to show those naysayers that I can still do it."
For Miriam Jumatt and Lerato Ramahlaha, there was no choice. They were the second and the first princess respectively in the George competition last year.
Jumatt says she has lost so many family members to cancer and it breaks her heart that especially children must suffer like this. "I would not have it any other way to be here again. The first time I also did it to be part of this cause and help make a change, even in a small way.
Ramahlaha, a paediatric nurse, says she works with children every day, and cannot bear to see them go through so much pain. "The tiny humans should not go through all that pain alone, so I did not think twice to be part of a competition that raises funds for families with children who suffer from cancer."
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