Sharon Obara was crowned Miss World Kenya 2021 last month after beating 15 other contestants to take over the crown from Ms Maria Wavinya.
Ms Obara will now represent Kenya at the Miss World finals in December in Puerto Rico where she will battle it out with other 141 contestants to stand a chance of walking away with Sh10 million.
For winning Miss World Kenya 2021, Obare took home Sh250,000 prize money.
Sharon Obara speaks about her love for modelling and answers some quickfire questions thereafter.
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“I am in my final year of study pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Kenyatta University. I come from a family that has been super supportive throughout my modelling journey.
Modelling has always fascinated me. I used to watch pageants being aired on TV as a little girl and I really wished to do the same someday – to stand among the best of the best and represent my country in one of the most prestigious pageants.
I walked my very first runway back in 2018. It was Mr and Miss Kajiado. From there, I tried a number such as Mr and Miss Birmingham Kenya, Mr and Miss Kenyatta University, and Mr and Miss Kenyatta University Students’ Association. I grew a lot and before I knew it, I ventured into commercial modelling. I started booking gigs, Samantha’s Bridal being among them.
Locally, Cecilia Mwangi has influenced my journey as a model. She is among Kenya’s unforgettable beauty queens. She used her reputable platform as Miss World Kenya to champion a cause that was close to her heart in service to humanity. She was disciplined, dedicated, determined and the true definition of beauty and brains.
Internationally, I look up to Naomi Campbell. She has been a phenomenal mentor and despite her many achievements has remained grounded, disciplined, and dedicated to her calling. She has also engaged in a lot of charity work.
Thank you for the congratulations on winning Miss World Kenya! Since the announcement was made, my team and I have been strategising on the way forward as I get oriented into my new reality. I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.
Memorable experience
The journey to the competition was not always smooth. However, I put in a lot of work, took the instructions of my coaching team, and stayed grounded. I also made friends with my fellow contestants at the boot camp from whom I also learnt a lot. They made the entire experience memorable and very interesting.
The one lesson that stuck with me through the rigorous competition was to never give up. There were moments I had to pick myself up because it was not easy. I am glad I didn’t.
The preparation process for the competition was quite rigorous. We had boot camp where we had people coming in to teach us different things such as etiquette, public speaking, cat walking and fitness. I, however, had to carve out some me-time out of the busy training schedule to practise further. I also had to prepare myself mentally and psychologically because the process required a lot of balance and I had to be ready for any outcome.
My family and friends have been very supportive. They really held me down, encouraged me and reminded me of my worth whenever I seemed to have forgotten it. I also received overwhelming support from netizens and I could not be more grateful.
Every single contestant was worthy and deserving of the crown. We all brought out our A-game, making the competition very stiff. I am glad I found favour in the eyes of the people and the judges. Clearly, my hard work did not go unnoticed.
The next step after the crowning is preparing for the international competitions scheduled for November 19 to December 17 in Puerto Rico. The Mr. & Miss World Kenya franchise, Ashley’s Coiffure & Spa, in association with partners on board will be helping me prepare adequately for it. However, I still need the public support for the multimedia part of the competition. The overall winner is selected on the basis of the votes they manage to gather from their respective countries. Be on the lookout on my socials as I will be sharing the voting process step by step!
I have a soft spot for children born and living with neurological and cognitive disorders such as epilepsy, seizures, Down’s syndrome and autism. They are special and need round-the-clock attention. Having worked hand-in-hand with them, I have seen first-hand the devastating psychological effects on their families, parents and even caregivers caused by stigmatization. As Miss World Kenya, it’s my utmost desire to deepen and broaden awareness on these disorders and to push for their acceptance by the general public.
I have a lot on my bucket list but in the near future, I intend to thoroughly prepare for the finals, execute my beauty with a purpose project and to impact many lives in any way I can.
QuickFire
If you could change your name, what would it be?
I wouldn’t change it for anything. I feel like it is such a statement.
What was your favourite subject in school?
Biology.
What’s your hidden talent?
Goofing around.
If you had to eat one thing for every meal going forward, what would you eat?
Chapati.
If someone were to play you in a movie, who would you want it to be?
Whoopi Goldberg.
