If we want to talk about this topic it is first necessary to mention what Miss Universe is all about. It’s a leading global beauty competition that empowers and celebrates women and shares their stories. And yes, the participants apply with a genuine desire to make a real change in the world. Therefore, one of the key aspects of this pageant is charity work and advocating for what is important. So, let’s see which queens have made the biggest impact in this area.
Wendy Fitzwilliam
Wendy is a 1998 Miss Universe from Trinidad and Tobago. Even during her reign, she was a United Nations ambassador for her efforts in HIV/AIDS education and awareness. She later continued her work in this area and founded The Hibiscus Foundation (THF) to increase AIDS awareness and support children’s homes in Trinidad and Tobago.
Moreover, Wendy participated in the Trinidad Guardian’s Guardian in Education: Making a Difference project. These were motivational school tours that aimed to promote the country’s diversity. Besides that, she was appointed the Red Cross Ambassador of Youth for the Caribbean. As a true philanthropist, she touched so many lives during and after her reign and continues to do so today.
Mpule Kwelagobe
Right after Wendy Fitzwilliam, another queen delighted us with her charity work. She was the first from Botswana ever to win a Miss Universe competition. Coming from a country greatly affected by AIDS, Mpule dedicated a lot of her work to the prevention of this virus. She was a UN Goodwill ambassador and even proposed a bill to set up a World Bank AIDS prevention trust fund.
Later, she launched her foundation and toured her country to promote education and behavioral changes among the youth. This tour provoked reactions from the people in her country and global leaders, which, of course, helped the cause.
She received several awards for her charitable work and continues to help others through her organization. If you weren’t amazed till now, you should also know that Kwelagobe sits on the board of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. She’s an amazing woman who helped and inspired a lot of people.
Michelle McLean
When this lady won the 1992 Miss Universe she was only 19 and embarked on a fascinating journey. She was the first from her country, Namibia, to win this competition.
After her reign, she was working all over the world as a master of ceremonies. On top of that, she was a TV host and had her own show. Michelle figured out a way to use all of this publicity to help others and campaign for charities. She founded a children’s trust to help with the education and care of underprivileged children in Namibia. Managing to raise a lot of money for this cause, she also funded the building of a primary school that now gathers about 1000 students. This is the definition of leaving your mark on the world, right?
She even got recognition from the Miss Universe Organization for her philanthropy work. In 1998 she was presented with The Life Time Achievement Award. This lady is a true inspiration for us all.
Gabriela Isler
Gabriela was the 7th Miss Universe from Venezuela, a country that “produced” 7 winners. During her reign, she helped many causes such as HIV prevention, research, and education, as well as the fight against bullying.
After her time as a Miss Universe in 2013, she devoted herself to women empowerment and counseling. She launched the Universe of Blessings Fund to fight adolescent pregnancies and maternal mortality, some of the biggest problems for young girls in Venezuela. Another issue she is deeply concerned about is human trafficking. As an ambassador for the Scalabrini International Migration Network, Gabriela uses her influence to fight this issue.
Gabriela once said she wanted to be an agent of change, inspiration, guidance, and empowerment. We really feel she succeeded.
Pia Wurtzbach
Pia is a 2015 Miss Universe from the Philippines. Her charity work involves many causes, and one of them is bullying. Having been a victim herself, she delivered several speeches against it.
Moreover, she used her voice to help the victims of an earthquake in Ecuador and build 6,000 houses for the people affected. They named her an honorary volunteer of the Guayas Red Cross to thank her for all the help she provided. In 2017 she continued her work in Miss Universe Organization as an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate.
Pia also supports LGBT rights in the Philippines and advocates for gender equality. For all of her efforts, she was named a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific.
Catriona Gray
We might as well call her the Queen of philanthropy. Catriona is the 2018 Miss Universe from the Philippines. She started her charity efforts even before entering the world of pageantry by supporting the organization called Young Focus Philippines in 2016 and working in some of the poorest areas of her country.
After her time as Miss Universe, she became the ambassador of the Philippine Red Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic. Catriona is most passionate about defending women’s rights and indigenous culture. From the early days, her drive was to give back to the community.
To sum up
There are many problems in the world we live in but, luckily, you can find a lot of light in the darkness. Our queens are successfully spreading the light in their countries and the entire planet.
In this article, we had to choose some queens who made an impact, but remember that all of them are involved in charity work. Some even dedicate their whole lives to advocating for others. It is about helping people and inspiring others to do the same.