Tracy McWary Foundation has commended Chief Timipre Sylva for deepening peace and empowering Niger Delta women through sponsorship of Miss Amnesty Nigeria 2023 Beauty Pageant.

The foundation noted that Sylva, former Governor of Bayelsa who crisscrossed the Niger Delta to broker the Amnesty deal between the ex-militants and Federal Government, has remained committed to peacebuilding.

The foundation noted that the Miss Amnesty Nigeria Pageant incorporates skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and empowerment for female Niger Delta youths.

Tracy McWary, founder and Chief Executive of Tracy McWary Foundation organisers of the annual beauty pageant in a statement on Wednesday noted that 12 participants were empowered in the just concluded 2023 Miss Amnesty Nigeria Pageant.

“In Miss Amnesty Nigeria 2023 Grandfinale event held on Sept. 30, there were 12 participants who underwent entrepreneurship capacity building for one week, during their one week intensive training they were taken on different skills acquisition.

“The skills include hairdressing, head ties tying, fashion design, catering, make-up, disinfectant and bleach production.

“The grand finale also featured young performing Artistes like Faze, Aproko, Barrack Pikin, Senibo amongst other entertainers.

“The contestants first task was to showcase was their skills in presentation dressed in the attire representing their skills in Arts, graphic design, catering, organic soap, baking amongst others.

“Their second appearance was on all white taking on different topics like Female Exploitation, Gender Equality, Challenges of Women in Politics, Gender Roles, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Discrimination, Gender Mainstreaming, andDomestic Violence,” the foundation stated.

According to the statement,
top five winners were Miss Vivian Kanusb ,Constance Christopher (Miss Amnesty Entrepreneur), Divine Onyekachi (Miss Amnesty Top Model) Marvin Lucky (Miss Amnesty Diaspora) and Emily Agundu (Miss Amnesty Peace)

According to the foundation, other contestants went home with two gas cookers with ovens
, two electric ovens, laptops, hair washer and dryer, make up box with make up
Items.

Other empowerment items included industrial sewing machines and a N100,000 cash gift while the Winner went home with N1 million.

The foundation noted that the 2023 pageant with the theme: Equal
participation and Leadership has led to a strategic partnahip between it and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) aimed at uplifting young people of the Niger Delta through the pageant.