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Miss World Guyana launches Domestic Violence platform
By Sean Devers
If there was an award for one of the most industrious Guyanese pageant queens, Reigning Miss World Guyana and former Miss Guyana Universe 2012 Ruqayyah Boyer would most likely win it.
The beauty queen has been Championing a new project which focuses on domestic violence and bullying at schools. The Guyanese who was born in Suriname recently launched a tour of schools to talk about the issue.
Miss Guyana World Ruqayyah Boyer celebrates with students from Brickdam Secondary School.
As part of her awareness program; Boyer has began visiting secondary schools across the country starting with those in the Capital, Georgetown. Her aim is to seek out most of these institutions to educate the students about the two very pressing issues that are affecting the lives of many Guyanese teenagers.
The Miss World Top 33 Beach Beauty and Talent segment Semi-Finalist was last August awarded by the city council of New York for her campaign against Domestic Violence and bullying.
Throughout her reign the Guyana beauty ambassador worked on numerous activities and ventures promoting her platform topics, not just in Guyana but the wider Caribbean and the United States of America.
Boyer has now taken on the task of inspiring young students across the country and highlighting within their schools the issues of Domestic Violence and Bullying.
It was only last Christmas that the pageant queen was caught conducting a Christmas Toy Drive. More recently, Boyer has been appearing in several music videos in addition to hosting the nation’s newest reality runway show “Guyana’s Newest Top Model” radio programme every Saturday.
The Beauty Ambassador stated that the schools tour was an activity on her ‘to do list’ since she was crowned Miss Guyana Universe in 2012. However, she was unable to conduct The Flight of Phoenix March against domestic violence due to her being overseas honouring her pageant commitments.
“Winning the Miss World Crown provided me with a second chance and I have every intention of taking full advantage of the opportunity,” Boyer explained.
She noted that the country has seen a rise in the number of domestic violence cases during the past year. “I believe that one way we as a nation can help combat the issue, is by targeting the students in schools since bullying is a serious issue and a precursor to Domestic Violence.” Through her sessions and the continued efforts of others she is confident change can be achieved.
“I recall before heading off to the Miss World pageant in Indonesia, I was touring Trinidad and Tobago with the CADVA organization carrying out workshops on the same issue. However, I would read the news online in Guyana and would notice that within a week there were several reported cases of domestic violence plastered in the news every day and it tore my heart apart to see the cruel acts of abuse our own people were imposing upon each other,” Boyer said.
“So I made a vow to myself that when I returned to Guyana win or lose, I was going to do something that I believed could contribute seriously to changing the mindset of the younger generation as it relates to the plague of violence lagging in our country,” the multitalented young woman, who also sings, added.
The Georgetown leg of the school tour commenced on March 12 and concluded on March 20. More than 30 Secondary schools were visited. The Tour continues in April in Linden and later, in the ancient County of Berbice.
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