The finalists of the Miss Namibia 2024 competition are currently on a 'top 10' tour in the Zambezi and Kavango regions.

Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, the chief executive of the Miss Namibia Organisation, says the tour is a first of its kind in the Miss Namibia pageant.

The tour started on 14 May and will end on Friday.

Karuaihe-Upi says it serves as a platform to educate, inform and entertain the finalists, as well as Namibians about Namibia.

"The tour is exciting, yet educational. Namibia is a huge country with a small population, and it is not easy to get to know one another's traditions, cultures and tourism attractions first-hand.

"This tour is unusual, because it's the first time the Miss Namibia top 10 finalists are visiting the Kavango and Zambezi regions," she says.

Karuaihe-Upi says thus far the contestants have visited the Mbunza cultural living museum in Kavango East to learn more about how the Mbunza people lived before the area was colonised.

"It was educational as most have never heard of the Mbunza people or visited the Kavango. They saw first-hand how traditional knives are made, how women used to fish, and how they used medicinal plants.

"The finalists went on a boat trip on the mighty Zambezi River to do photo shoots and filming for the coronation evening, as well as for international pageants," she says.

Karuaihe-Upi says the finalists are also handing over some items to children while on tour.

"The pageant's main sponsor, Debmarine Namibia, accompanied the top 10 finalists to Impalila Island, where they handed over bags with goodies for the pupils at Impalila Combined School.

"They were able to assess first-hand the needs of the pupils. The ladies visited the Zambezi regional office and was warmly welcomed by governor Lawrence Sampofu.

"They also visited the Kavango and Zambezi regions' NBC offices," Karuaihe-Upi says.