Miss Malawi First Princess Ireen Navicha has announced plans to expand her efforts to support girls who have dropped out of school, particularly those affected by teenage pregnancy.
Navicha said she will continue her **Beauty With a Purpose project, When a Mother is a Child, which focuses on encouraging young mothers and other girls to return to education.
She made the announcement after returning to Lilongwe from Vietnam, where she represented Malawi at the Miss World competition. Her project was recognised during the pageant and earned a place among Africa’s Top 6 in the Beauty With a Purpose category.
According to Navicha, her motivation goes beyond her pageant title. She said she is passionate about helping young girls understand that difficult circumstances should not prevent them from pursuing their dreams.
As part of her plans, she intends to construct a girls’ hostel in Lilongwe to provide accommodation for girls who want to resume their education.
Although Navicha reached the Top 40 at the Miss World competition, she did not advance to the Top 20. She was welcomed home by supporters, including staff and students of Maranatha Academy, where she completed her secondary education.
During the welcome ceremony, Maranatha Academy also awarded Navicha aMaster’s degree scholarship to Sharda University in India*, with the scholarship package valued at more than K20 million.
The school’s director, Ernest Kaonga, said the institution decided to support Navicha because of the pride she brought to the school and Malawi through her international pageant participation.
Navicha’s continued focus on education reflects her broader work through initiatives aimed at creating more opportunities for girls and young women.
