(Seychelles News Agency) - Hailing from the eastern Mahe district of Anse Aux Pins, Nancy Esparon joined the Miss Seychelles beauty pageant with the sole purpose of realising her personal project, which is to work with young people.

Esparon, 18, is getting work experience in the tourism industry while still attending the Seychelles Tourism Academy. She wants to go for a career in management.

SNA met up with contestant number 12 to learn more about her reasons for participating in the competition. 

SNA: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

NE: I am an only child. I grew up at Plaisance and when my parents got divorced I moved in with my mother at Anse Aux Pins. I consider myself simple and at the same time outgoing and always ready to help. I am also a kind person and very close to my mother. She is the first person I talk to about everything.

SNA: What are your qualifications and what are you doing career wise?

NE: I attended school at Plaisance and Anse Aux Pins. For my post-secondary education, I chose the Seychelles Tourism Academy, where I am studying front office. I have completed my first year and hope to graduate next year. In the future, I want to return to the academy to do a course in management.

Currently, I am on attachment at the MCB (Mauritius Commercial Bank). I have also been on attachment at Eden Island and the Ephelia Resort. I am making the most of these attachments, through which I get to learn a lot about the tourism industry.

SNA: What pushed you or encouraged you to join the pageant?

NE: I joined the beauty pageant for one thing only is because this is a platform where can realise my project which has to do with young people.

(Michel Desnousse) Photo License: CC-BY

SNA: Apart from work what are your interests, hobbies?

NE: I love sports -- I used to play tennis and swim. I have won medals in swimming competitions. I also took dancing classes at the school of dance and I represented Seychelles in a competition in Singapore. I love singing which makes my spare time full of so many things to do.

SNA: What will be your project for this pageant?

NE: My project is about helping young people because I have realised once children reach secondary level their behaviours change and sadly many times, not for the better. They do not know how to use their opportunities especially education that they get free of charge.

So I want to mentor them through my project and encourage them to seize and make good use of the opportunities they get. I want to be a role model and show them that life is not easy. I grew up with only one parent, which had its challenges. But in life, you have to make use of what you get and strive to become better.

(Miss Seychelles - National Pageant, Facebook) Photo License: CC-BY

SNA: What will you advise young women who are scared or not confident in joining pageants?

NE: Young women should not listen or give importance to what people say. Sometimes people are there only to criticise and stop you from doing things you want to do. Most people do not know what you are inside and only focus on your physical appearance. They judge you by what they see. Young women should put aside what people say and learn to follow their hearts and with the right support, they should be fine.

SNA: What are your expectations after this experience?

NE: Even if I am not crowned, I am already a winner. By joining I am getting the chance to learn so much about pageants, life skills, about Seychelles and its culture. It is an experience of a lifetime. We (contestants) are all winners in our own way in this pageant.

SNA: If crowned what changes/difference will you want to make or bring to the society?

NE: I will definitely continue with my project as I would want to make a difference in the life of the young people of Seychelles. If I can make a change positive change for one young person, I will be very happy.