By Our Reporter
Six Miss Norway competitors meant to grace a week long campaign in the country to end fistula have been left disappointed after their handler allegedly bailed and left them stranded at the Gardermoen Airport Oslo, Norway on Sunday September 30.
The Beauty Queens are Sussane Naess Guttorm (Miss Universe Norway 2018), Madelen Michelsen (Miss World Norway 2018), Imen Habes (Miss Norway2018), Helene Abildsnes (1st runners up Miss Norway 2018), Camila Elinor Devik- Miss International Norway 2016) and Ina Kollset(runner up at the Miss Norway 2018).
The seven-day campaign seeks to implore and explore interactive sessions and debates amongst the high schools and universities in Uganda on the topic reproductive health and Fistula.
The beauty queens blame Monica Akech, the initiator and project manager ‘for switching off her phone on the day of travel.
“With shock, devastation and disbelief we experienced that air-flight tickets from the key organiser and initiator Monica Akech was (sic) false. Six top contestants and winner of Miss Norway was told by the airfare company, that the airfare company didn’t list any of the women in Miss Norway as travelers to Uganda,” they claim.
“We are helpless to solve the situation. It’s a breach of contract from Akechs side. But even more sorry, we are not able to keep our part of the event at the Norwegian Embassy.”
Local organisers, however, blame the Norwegian Embassy of advising the beauty queens not to travel.
“The beauty queens are not coming because their embassy told them our Uganda is not stable as of now. Their parents were afraid of the situationbut we all know it is not as bad as it seems,” a source within Women at Work International told Watchdog.
Miss Uganda Quin Abenakyo is tasked with championing water and sanitation while Ms Michelsen and Ms Næss Guttorm were to focus on Fistula awareness campaigns at the Miss World and Miss Universe finals in November and December.
The programme, which includes a Fistula awareness charity walk and a visit to Jinja hospital to meet with both Fistula survivors and patients on Wednesday is largely unchanged. The Norwegian beauty queens have been replaced by others from Kenya.
The campaign is supported by the Ministry of Health Uganda, United Nations Association of Uganda, Tourism Board Uganda, Women At Work International, and the Uganda Health Communication Alliance.
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