Trinidad and Tobago’s representative to the Miss World pageant Tya Jane Ramey launched her Beauty with a Purpose project at the St Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church in La Romaine yesterday.
The beauty queen’s interest to assist Venezuelan migrants who entered our shores peeked during the six-week preparation to delegate a queen prior to her winning the title last month.
Ramsey unveiled the banner, Project Esprananza—building bridges, not walls— and vouched to maintain alliances with the La Romaine Migrant Support Group (LARMS) to better lives.
The LARMS is a voluntary group for young Venezuelans who entered T&T with their parents that fled their homeland and were victims of a collapsed political and socio-economic system.
Ramey said her project was right on stream with the ideals of the group that were aligned with her intent to bridge the gap and bring about inclusion to T&T nationals.
“My beauty with a purpose project is synonymous to the goals and activities of the organisation, that is, children maintain their inalienable right to an education in the nurturing environment, where a sense of normality and love can conquer the trauma of displacement.
“My project offers a Trinbagonian flavour where through the use of universal languages, such as music, theatre, dance and art, can break down walls and build bridges of hope for our next generation,” Ramey said.
Unveiling the banner, which shows two hands extended in a handshake, (Venezuela to T&T) Ramey said the project was two-fold; to bring awareness and sensitisation and the other with the strengthening and expansion of this model.
Ramey said: “We cannot continue to build walls of hate to people who have been emotionally and socially bruised in taking a risk to leave their homes, and journey for days in search for hope…human behaviour, in order to influence people’s behaviours, they must first change how they think and feel about the matter. I will carry out educational seminars to schools, community-based, and non-governmental organisations.”
Co-director of LARMS Angie Ramnarine acknowledged the benefits of Ramey’s project but admitted she was s bit sceptical at first.
Ramnarine said when Brian Gopaul—part franchise holder to Miss World—approached her with the idea, she thought the novelty of the idea seemed cosmetic.
Ramnarine said: “When Brian asked me to on behalf of Tya Jane I thought, was this just of cosmetic value or a long-term partnership? But today it is a red-letter day for Tya Jane to choose this as her special project to present to the rest of the world.”
Ramey will compete in the Miss World pageant in Thailand on December 7.