"I am an example of a woman who was destined to be just a beauty, queen, but through Sam Nujoma’s guidance I was able to contribute to the upliftment of underserved communities and education for children throughout Namibia since 1992."

"Beauty entails much more than physical appearance. Having beauty is having a purpose. In every beauty pageant, the judges and the public are seeking what purpose or difference you are making in your society."

"We kept our wedding low key because we wanted to enjoy our day peacefully."

"The youth will love agriculture because it goes hand in hand with beauty."

"It all starts with you believing in yourself. I also add that they should stay in school to complete their studies and after that they can pursue their dreams."

"I believe when you educate a girl, you are educating the entire community."

"They often asked but I told them that I had not come this far to serve and give up here. I love this country. I monitor youths every day. You walk into restaurants or somewhere else, you would see the young lady at the counter not smiling. When you ask her why she’s not smiling. It was then you would observe that the youths of today hardly smile. Even when you pay them a compliment, they are aggressive in their replies because we rarely talk to them.That is everyday mentoring.Thank God nobody has money anymore, nobody can sell or buy votes as it used to happen in the past, I also want to encourage more women to come out"

"You have to wake every morning believing God that yesterday was an experience and was for a purpose, for a lesson and something to be learnt. That is why it is new every morning. However, I am not saying that when something happens you say it doesn’t matter. What I am saying is that when something happens, instead of wallowing in the mistake, you look at the good side of it. You take the good side of the coin and move on from there.I can’t change the past! I have things that I have done in the past that I said to myself, ‘Oh dear! That was a bad decision or that wasn’t too smart.’ But then, I can’t change it. Some things are too late to change. So at such times, I tell myself, look for another opportunity, move on!"

"Let's change the narrative, change mindsets and challenge the stereotypical ideas of what beauty is ... May we change lives together and create a new narrative for women across our beautiful continent."

"I love being African and l love African women, celebrating all that we are and encompass, so I’m inviting women across the entire continent, married, divorced or widowed, to fetch their lives and enter Mrs Universe Africa."

"We are looking for sustainable growth and success. Greatness is about overcoming challenges"

"We want ambitious players at the club. We provide the platform for them to do that and it’s up to them perform on that platform."

"This is a season of transformation for us and we are taking the work that needs to be done very seriously. I love the passion for the club, but people need to be kind in the way they engage because supporters can be quite nasty at times especially on social media where people can say whatever they want and remain nameless."

"To my son – don’t let anyone take you for granted. Always hold your head up high. Never stop believing in yourself."

"I was a very shy child, but whenever I had to participate in a pageant, I was forced outside of my comfort zone, which I feel is one of the biggest life lessons I learned from my mother. We only grow when we are outside of what is familiar and easy."

"There is no shame in being direct, being firm and fighting for what you believe, and it actually doesn’t matter if other people feel uncomfortable with your talents and your prowess."

"She’s strong and stands tall but also gentle, loving and compassionate."

"The modern woman is whoever and whatever she wants to be, because she is fiercely independent but also open with her vulnerabilities."

"We still respect the customs instilled by our parents. We still respect tradition, but we have to know when to say no, and push back"

"This doesn’t mean that women have to be disrespectful to their male counterparts, in fact, I have found that most men want to be helpful and they themselves are trying to manoeuvre and find their place in a changing world."

"I think it starts with telling them they don’t have to change the way they look to be acceptable or beautiful. Young girls don’t have to have straight hair in order to look “professional”."

"I think patriarchy is an issue all over the world, not just in Africa. Men have been running the world for so long that modern women have no choice but to take back their power."

"Just go forth and aim for the skies. I may not carry you in my arms anymore, but I will always carry you in my heart."

"You have given me so many reasons to be proud of the man you have become, but the proudest moment for me is telling others [that] you are my son. Love always, Mom."

"To the Tribe [family] that came to see him off, they say it takes a village to raise a child. Thank you very much. AmaNtungwa [clan name] ayabonga [say thank you]."

"When I was a small child, I looked up to my mother who taught at a school in Soweto, where we lived. I have always wanted to be the one standing in front of the class with a black board and some chalk in my hand and this is why my first degree was in education."

"The universe had other ideas for me though, and I now believe that my classroom is wherever I am called to speak, write, and add my voice. There are many ways to Impart knowledge, and my passion is to keep learning, so I can teach."

"To be a woman is to be soft and strong all at once, and there is beauty in this duality. We are strong enough to birth children, and nurturing enough to raise them, but we are also fierce enough to be leaders, businesswomen and captains of industry."

"I think mentorship is a key component of sharing knowledge and helping young women to reach their goals. There is really no reason why we should not be sharing our lessons to empower the younger generations"

"Until this power dynamic is changed, women will continue to fall victim to violence. Our job as leaders is to push back against the oppression of women in all spheres, and to speak loudly about abuse. GBV will not go away if it continues to be cloaked in secrecy and shame."

"Regarding representation, I think we have to use our power as consumers. Do your research and support the brands which are serious about representing you and people who look like you."

"GBV is a huge issue on our continent and in a world where patriarchal power structures still dominate. Male leadership is still seen as the norm, and men hold the majority of power. Patriarchy is a social and political system that treats men as superior to women – where women cannot protect their bodies, meet their basic needs, participate fully in society."