Miss Earth SA semi-finalists help "green up" Cape Town

The Miss Earth South Africa is a leadership programme that aims to empower young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference in our fight to combat the destruction of our natural heritage. The programme helps to create an awareness of sustainable development, our environment, wildlife and the conservation of our natural legacy in South Africa, and, ultimately, the preservation of Mother Earth.

On their return from Cape Town, Reliance Compost, together with the national semi-finalists, travelled to Joburg for a tour of Sappi's Enstrata Paper Mill, aimed to educate these young women on the importance of responsible practices and sustainable farming methods in the paper manufacturing industry.

Additionally, a number of greening and community upliftment projects in the spirit of making every day a Mandela Day prior to International Mandela Day on 18 July was completed. The Miss Earth South Africa, together with Consol, Tsogo Sun, Reliance Compost, Fourways Farmers Market, Garnier and Imperial Toyota, took hands in greening Solwazi Primary School in Orange Farm, where 95 indigenous trees were planted to honour the father of the nation, Tata Madiba.

Community upliftment projects and education campaigns

In order to qualify for selection as a national semi-finalist, each participant was required to complete a number of community upliftment projects and education campaigns. A panel of judges reviewed each participant's submissions, project impacts, blog posts and social media activations in order to determine which ladies would progress to the next round of the programme.

This dynamic group of young women includes, among others, Agricultural Economics and Environmental Management majors, an artist, a local radio personality, psychology graduates, and an environmental prosecutor and a masters student in alternative energies for the South African transport system.

On their return to their respective home towns, each national semi-finalist will have six weeks to finalise her preparation for the Miss Earth South Africa 2013 Gala Event, which takes place on Saturday, 17 August at Tsogo Sun's Montecasino Ballroom.