"There was a collision on the field resulting in his horse stumbling and then falling on top of him. Nicholas sustained a brain stem injury and while he can hear and understand everything and his brain is fully functional, communication is difficult"

"Life has changed enormously over the past 11 years. There are times when we get depressed. We have to just come to terms with it"

"I am a gatherer. If I like someone, I invite them to my home"

"It was incredibly stressful, because I was always terrified that I would forget what I wanted to say"

"I remember sewing nighties for them when they were small and later washing and drying the army uniforms when the boys came home for the weekend. I still see myself hanging those uniforms over heaters to dry"

"What really brought me down to earth, was when I lost my first child"

"One of my fondest memories was in Austria. I was called out to the balcony of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. The full moon shone over the trees in the vast garden and a white carriage appeared. Ballerinas stepped out of the carriage and performed a magnificent ballet in the garden"

"I was a miserable newly wed and often pondered about where I should be travelling to, wondering what I was doing on a farm. I decided to burn my diaries of my time as Miss World, because I did not want to live in the past anymore"

"Life is a choice"

"I am the University of the Free State’s first successful test tube baby. One of the greatest gifts anyone can receive is the gift of a healthy life. With my passion for giving, people and health, I will be able to contribute to one of the most important things any country desires: health for all"

"The fact [is] that we as humans don’t realise how much potential we have to do good, give and make things right. How amazing would it be if we all realised our potential"

"We struggled through our obstacles, stood up after difficult times and gave hope to so many countries where equality is a struggle. This shows us that we are capable of great things and we are resilient"

"They just tore all the unnecessary details away from life. They got to the core of building a heart-to-heart connection and being there for one another. They ground me in who I am"

"They brought me back to enjoying every moment, seeing its beauty and embracing everything as an adventure"

"It’s about becoming the queen of your life, instead of trying to be the queen for everyone else and fit into their boxes."

"I believe that very often, we turn to people to crown us with a title – ‘you’re good enough’ or ‘you’re pretty enough’ – and we always wait for someone else to put that crown on our heads"

"I did my master’s in philosophy and studied leadership coaching to develop a model for women who struggle with their self-confidence. I use this model in a lot of the keynote talks, workshops and seminars I do, and in the business talks I give with my husband"

"True beauty lies in how you affect other people"

"It was all about what you look like, whereas pageants and Miss South Africa was more holistic. It’s about using your unique skills and talents to really make a difference"

"The biggest lesson I learnt from being raised in a small town is that you might not have all the opportunities there, but when you do get one, you should grab it with both hands"

"We tried to not overthink the goodbyes, but rather saw them as an opportunity for the heart to grow fonder again"

"We had to learn how to live in the present, and decided to embrace every season and moment"

"We chose each other and chose to trust one another, to be gentle, and to put in the hard work"

"In life, you get a lot of platforms to do good, to reach for your dreams and have a positive influence on other people’s lives as well. Whether it’s through education, being a doctor, or others have the platform of being good at sports. That way, I’ve received the platform of Miss World and I’m going to use it to do good"

"It’s part of who I am, part of what I want to be. I want to be able to practice and I also want to start a business that focuses on women’s health…I like the holistic approach to women’s health and my health because I believe that your mind and body are interlinked and connected so if you look after you mind you automatically look after your body, also vice versa"

"I actually do my own hair and make-up which comes in handy because I don’t always have someone. I have someone who helps with styling, Werner Wessels, and he’s been helping me [from] before I became Miss South Africa. My style is kind of the way you tell a story without people being able to speak to you. My style icon is Princess Kate Middleton"

"If you look at beauty, it fades. What we are working on is a legacy that will last beyond our lives. If you really look at what Miss World has achieved in raising millions of dollars for charities, you’ll see that we’re making a big difference in people’s lives."

"It was a childhood dream that came true and as big an honor as it is, it is still a responsibility…But it’s also not the destination; it’s the beginning of a new journey"

"The thing I will always remember from this experience is the different cultures I got to experience. We ate Thai food every night in [Maeya Nonthawan Thongleng] Miss Thailand’s room. The US is very popular for their sweets, so Miss USA [Elizabeth Safrit] brought a lot of sweets for us to try… Miss Australia [Courtney Thorpe] was probably my best friend – people actually said that we look alike. It’s so funny because she’s amazing at doing make-up and I was good at doing hair so we helped each other for the final"

"I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. Maybe because of the fact that I was a test-tube baby, maybe because of the fact that my parents were very passionate about health"

"Everything happens twice, the first time in your mind and then in reality."

"It is small. We are not writing enough and those who do write are not getting the necessary support. I would like to see more books written in indigenous languages. We have local linguists lecturing and researching at local universities and schools but majority are not writing books. In my head, that does not make sense. However, we are also not reading enough. The culture of reading still remains an issue. We have learners in high school who cannot read or follow basic grammar rules of writing. If they cannot read now, who will write later"

"I plan to be the best me. I believe that there’s nothing more unique and beautiful then being yourself 100% and representing one’s country to the best of you ability"

"Ensure that your pictures are classy and elegant with a touch of sexy and mystery. Also invest in a make-up artist on the day you decide to have your photo shoot, your face must capture the attention of the judges at first glance"

"If you do decide to enter, start preparing for the pageant even before you have been chosen as a finalist. Work out, eat right and set your mind for victory by imagining yourself wearing the crown"

"Most people enter because they want to become popular and gain a little fortune, but more often than not it is the girls who are truly humble and kind with good intentions at heart that make it. For some reason, the real you eventually shows on the surface"

"As a politician, I could be an asset to the cause of women and their rights, something that is very close to my heart"

"I am incredibly nervous and excited at the same time. I have never travelled in my life. I have never been outside the country and now I am flying to Las Vegas"

"Its a pleasure and honour to be associated with this bank, the money in the bank account will help me prepare for the Miss World pageant which will be held in Las Vegas, USA in December this year"

"For the traditional costume we are thinking of going with either Himba or Kavango traditional wear"

"My main aim is to try and portray what Namibia is to me, its diversity and heritage as well as the kindness of its people and its hospitality"

"I am excited. I have already started preparing for the pageant, besides giving up some of my favourite foods, I am exercising and reading more, trying to get both my body and mind ready for the pageant"

"We want the girls to be as natural as possible"

"The pageant is very African-centred. The reality out there is that as Africans, we define our beauty according to what the rest of the world tells us is beautiful and with this pageant, we want to rectify that"

"The beauty pageant industry is an industry like any other, with the capacity to contribute to the nation building of any country. Namibia should be no different"

"I feel the need to give back as I had so many sponsors and prizes after becoming Miss Namibia and would like someone else to get pampered like I often do. I want them to have the same opportunities I had and most importantly, I want to share the importance of grooming as a confidence boost"

"Competing in the Miss Universe 2013 Pageant in Moscow, Russia was a great opportunity and i did my best to represent Ghana"

"It takes days to years to put something together. It requires constantly and proactively having to enquire from those more knowledgeable, reading, studying and doing extensive field and desktop research"

"Language carries culture and culture carries values. An Oshikwanyama speaking child can only express themselves like a Kwanyama if they can speak the language. When they get hurt, they say…memeeii. An English speaking child will say, ouch"