Kenyan beauty queen hits runway for a cause

A UK-based Kenyan model will represent the country in the annual Miss India Worldwide taking place in Dubai on June 20.

Ms Komal Halai, a second year human resource management student at the De Montfort University, will be flying Kenya’s flag at the event at a time when the country is seeking to diversify its sources of tourists.

The country has been experiencing challenges with its traditional sources of tourists like UK and US.

“Believe it or not, I chose to represent Kenya (over UK) because I felt like this would be the best time to show people what Kenyans are made of,” says Ms Komal, 21.

“I am constantly promoting Kenya wherever I go because I want others to experience her beauty.”Last month, tour companies evacuated several Western tourists from Kenya after the US, UK, France and Australia stepped their travel advisories citing impending terror attacks.

But Ms Komal thinks the developments are unfair on Kenyans.

“I can understand a country’s concern for its citizens but this might be pushing it a little bit far. I am so disappointed with how quick everything happened,” she said in an e-mail interview.

“Thousands of jobs were lost in the hospitality industry. If anything, that directly affects the country’s economy and even security. More people out of jobs is more criminals born.”

On May 12, Ms Komal was selected to represent Kenya in the 23rd annual Miss India Worldwide after a series of interviews. She had a chance to represent the UK but chose Kenya.

The final outcome will be based on the judges’ decisions, meaning Kenyans will not have a chance to vote.

However, there are sub-titles that Kenyans could help with like the Facebook Queen. To vote for Ms Komal for such categories, all you have to do is like her official page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HalaiKomal. The model has been visiting the country at least once every year for the last five years.

She plans to relocate back home but at a date that is yet to be confirmed.

Locally, she has adopted a baby elephant named Kamok at David Sheldrick’s Wildlife Trust.

“Kamok is a real beauty. I fell in love the minute I saw her. I decided to adopt an elephant when I was involved in the “1 every 15 campaign” in the UK to create awareness about elephant extinction,” she says.

“They are such beautiful creatures and are very much the pride of Kenya.” Ms Komal was born and brought up in Kenya and showed passion for dancing at a tender age and had her feet moving to the beats by the age of six.

Without any formal training, Ms Komal taught herself bollywood and hip-hop dancing after moving to the UK.

Her journey with modelling started at the age of 13 where she was a child model for Coke in Kenya.

Ms Komal had to bid her motherland goodbye in August 2009 to pursue further studies in UK.

Ms Komal was scouted by modelling agency, Models1, who offered her a contract. She was given a taste of what the life entails in the London Fashion Week backstage where she was taken aback with the experience.
She recalls that the models being referenced by numbers and says the room being filled with anorexia. “It was hangers everywhere, not humans,” she says.

It was at this point that Ms Komal decided that she was not cut for the industry, as she was a size 12 compared to the size zeros taking part in the London fete.

She abandoned her dreams and concentrated on building her professional career.

She later worked for companies like Harrods and Apple, and managed to grow and enhance her personality.

Ms Komal took part in the Miss India UK 2014 beauty pageant in January and bagged the runner up title.

She then flew to Barcelona in March where she competed against contestants from 15 countries. She scooped the Miss Best Personality title.

Ms Komal, who describes herself as an average curvy girl, hopes to break the stereotype that only size zero girls can strut the runway.

She hopes to inspire other girls to join the industry and be comfortable with their bodies.