A beauty pageant’s campaign against violence is what caught the attention of law student and eventual winner Kimberly Gundani.
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Crowned Miss Grand Australia 2018 in June, Ms Gundani said the competition had offered an opportunity to make a difference on a bigger platform.
“I was working in the child protection field and I realised that there was a lot that wasn’t being done to address domestic violence,” she said.
As part of the pageant’s ‘Stop the War and Violence’ campaign, raising funds for UN Women Australia, Ms Gundani hosted yoga against domestic violence sessions.
The program encouraged women to practise self-love and feel comfortable opening up on a taboo subject.
Ms Gundani will now represent Australia at the Miss Grand International contest in Myanmar this month and is the first African descendant to do so.
When she returns, her own campaign will not end. The aspiring barrister is working towards offering talks on family violence and its impacts on youth in schools around the region.
“I think it’s important that we focus on the young people and how we talk about domestic violence at that age, so it’s a prevention rather than a cure that we’re looking for later on in life,” she said.
Ms Gundani also hopes she can be a source of inspiration when it comes to young people chasing their dreams.
“In Victoria we have quite a few negative stereotypes associated with being an African descendant or a young black woman or young black man,” she said.
“It’s important that we have people that are out there doing good so we can combat those negative stereotypes.
“Perception is everything. When you can perceive you can do anything, then all the doors open. That’s what I hope to impart on at least one person.”
Ballarat African Association president Isaac Moses reiterated the importance of celebrating positive role models in the community and described Ms Gundani as a great ambassador for the association.
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