A grand celebratory send-off was held at the Piarco International Airport on Friday for Miss World Trinidad & Tobago representative Aché Abrahams.
Abrahams is among finalists from 120 countries across the globe competing to be crowned Miss World at the final pageant to be held in Mumbai, India, on March 9.
The three major aspects of the pageant are Beauty with a Purpose, Talent, and Fitness. This year they are required to do sports, and they will play cricket.
Abrahams won the title as our national representative on November 6, 2022. Many felt her flawless response to the question from the judges gave her the final nudge to win the local pageant. She was asked, “If you were the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, how would you address the rising crime rate?”
Her response: “Well unfortunately this has been an issue that we still need to fix, but I think that being in any position of power we need to be aware of what’s happening on the ground, and a lot of times crime stems from the socio-economic difficulties. And that is what we need to be mindful of. Because it is easy to judge the actions, but how about we focus on the root of the issue ...”
The thunderous response by the crowd of over 1,000 patrons literally stopped her from continuing with her answer. That answer remains even more relevant today than some 16 months ago.
Over the past week, Abrahams has been doing many interviews and farewell speeches, giving insights on the past year of her reign and what lies ahead. The Miss World Franchise Team locally have extracted some of her responses.
Q: What did winning the Miss World Trinidad and Tobago crown mean to you and why is being crowned Miss World so important to you?
A: When I entered this pageant, I thought I could be that person, that voice, that can change the world. But when I look back, I see so many changes within myself. Yes, I have impacted so many. In the classroom meeting hundreds of kids at a time through my work as a mental health ambassador to KIND (Kids In Need of Direction). In my community, I led the creation of a homework centre into a safe space for kids who are facing so many unique and traumatic experiences. And throughout our beloved T&T, where so many worked and have seen the work my franchise team and I have been doing. But if it had not been for Miss World and the opportunity it gave me for my own development, I would not have been able to achieve the levels of success that I have been able to.
My aim now is to continue that effort at the global level, doing bigger and better things–for myself but, more importantly, for those who are in need of help. If I am crowned Miss World, I would just have that opportunity to do so much more.
What is something that very few people know about Miss World and that famous blue crown?
That most iconic Miss World blue crown was made by jewellers on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. And I only learnt about this some months ago. That crown remains a legacy since being gifted by the Queen and remains a symbol of fundraising. Miss World is widely known for its “Beauty with a Purpose”–a medium for many young women, like myself, to create impactful charitable projects to help the most vulnerable in society.
Your Miss World Beauty With a Purpose Project is named the ‘Invisible Scars’ Project. Why did you choose that as your platform to support your cause?
Growing up I have had my own challenges. Not understanding the state of my own mental health. Experiences that may have impacted me in ways I did not understand or was not able to treat with at the time. During my earlier years, I was quite an introvert. Keeping to myself quite a lot was how I dealt with my issues. I turned to music. I would be in the gym. And I created my own coping mechanisms. So, when I had to choose a project, I thought why not focus on mental health? I had heard the term Invisible Scars somewhere before, and it just felt appropriate for my cause.
Thus far, I have been to some 50 schools across the country, each time speaking to over 100 kids. And the experience of sharing my own story, and having kids also tell their own, was truly meaningful. I created the Be Mindful podcast as an online safe space. These 12 episodes with diverse speakers–from doctors to moms and the youth–have had over 150,000 views in just a matter of a few months. I also designed, with my mom, a mental health booklet “Let’s Talk About Feelings” using my avatar to teach kids about emotions. Through the Miss World franchise, we have distributed over 1,000 books and another 2,000 booklets courtesy of our sponsors. I also understood how physical activity was effective in improving one’s mental health, I partnered with BAFA Sports in several activities including a two-lap walk/run around the Queen’s Park Savannah–the first lap for you, and the next for someone close to you impacted by mental health. But one of my biggest achievements has been in my home community of La Seiva. My granddad Bartholomew Selvon led the opening of this community centre many years ago, but over time it became dysfunctional. I took part of my Miss World winnings and invested it back into restarting the now La Seiva Homework Centre–not only as a place to study and educational support but also as a safe space for kids impacted by serious issues, depression, abuse and bullying. There is so much more I can add as this remains near and dear to me.
Outside of Beauty With A Purpose, what’s the life of a reigning Miss World representative like?
Tough, but awesome! I cannot say it has been easy. There were many times that I questioned myself, but I am not one to give up easily. For the past year, it has been three days in the gym with my personal trainer Rana Ibrahim, and another few times a week learning about stage presence and modelling with Richard Young–literally the best of the best. In between those were the speech coaching with Adrian Raymond–gosh those were some tough sessions, but it has all made me into what I am today. And not forgetting the many, many photo shoots, video productions and vocals as part of the talent aspect, which I leaned on my friends to assist, none more so than Rajiv–one of my official photographers-turned-musicologist!
What should we expect over the next few weeks leading up to the final night of competition?
Well, hopefully, no pressure at all! Maybe? I know it’s going to be tough but having received the advice of so many former national pageant representatives, the aim now is to enjoy it and be the best that I can be. I have excelled in the talent aspect and will be doing a song which says I’m ready to face it all, but also that together we will all win! Hint hint!
My bags are packed with an exceptional wardrobe. Six suitcases filled with local designer gowns from the likes of Claudia Pegus, Zad and Eastman, and others, and one suitcase alone filled by Kooti’s. My final gown is a ‘CLD’–designed by my franchise holder Charu Lochan Dass. Exceptional, and … blue! I cannot wait to get on stage with it. All I am allowed by Val to say is that my costume is a piece from Lost Tribe! And I will be portraying to the sounds of soca! So yes, it is going to be an amazing three weeks till the final.
We have also launched ‘Aché’s Army’ a social media influencer group which includes my friends, family and well-wishers, who I will be communicating with almost daily while I am in Incredible India!
You have been on top of almost all global leader boards. Do you feel any pressure from that?
I think that has inspired me greatly. It has been great for people all over the world to place that belief in me. But each and every delegate in the Miss World Pageant is already a queen, and each one of us deserves the crown. We have all worked hard to get to this point, and we are all going to do our best. I can assure everyone in T&T that I will make you proud, and leave a legacy for other young girls to fill my shoes in the future, as I have done for those in the past.
WE magazine wishes Abrahams the best of luck as she aims to capture the top spot in the pageant.
For more information and to follow Aché, see her global Miss World webpage–https://www.missworld.com/contestant/ache-abrahams/life/profile
Charu Lochan Dass, National Pageant Director & Franchise Holder,
charulochandass@gmail.com
Miss World T&T Management Committee:Charu Lochan Dass, Richard Young, Jemima Pierre, Rana Ibrahim, Jason Calderon and Navin Boodhai.