The Finalists : Siyatha Facia Miss World Sri Lanka 2015
Model Shop, directed by Sangeetha Weeraratne and her team has been producing and hosting the Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World contest for over 3 years.
In 2015, from over 300 applicants, 17 finalists were selected where upon time and performance has reduced down to 13 today. Judged on their training, discipline and ability to carry themselves in this competition, the 13 Finalist have been through 5 days of training for the last 6 weeks. With hours spent on gym and walking in heels along with social and etiquette training – the finalists have been prepared for anything and everything.
So who should Miss Sri Lanka be?
“Someone who understands what she stands for. She’s an ambassador for our country so she must be able to intelligently converse with people, know what she’s doing and represent our country” says Sangeetha.
With just a week left for the Grand Finale, we caught up with the finalists to find out a little bit about them.
Name : Sanju Kaweesha
Age : 20
Occupation : Model / Dancer
Role Model : Naomi Campbell
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Well for me it’s not that challenging. I was involved in Sirasa Dancing Star so it’s not that hard.
What’s your charity project focused on? : My project is about proper disposal of garbage. Improper disposal causes so many illnesses like dengue. I went to the beachside with some children around the area and taught them about disposing waste material in a proper manner.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I would focus on the children, especially the poor. I would educate them about proper hygiene etc.
Name : Arundathi Jayarathne
Age : 24
Occupation : Undergraduate / Intern at HSBC
Role Model : My grandmother
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : The hardest part is all this multitasking! With university, exams, assessments and my internship – I’m literally doing a night shift.
What’s your charity project focused on? : Mine is all about helping children born in prison to get integrated into the society seamlessly. Those kids are born in the prison and live there for a long period of time and they have very little contact with the outside world so I want to help facilitate their entry to the society to be as effortless as possible.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : Getting the title means that I’m an ambassador. With that I can speak for the unheard and I really want to focus on children and health issues.
Name : Nimesha Ekanayake
Age : 23
Occupation : Model
Role Model : Priyanka Chopra and my sister
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Dances of Sri Lanka – a mini pageant contest we had – was really challenging because I’m not a dancer.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I collaborate with a church to do workshops on good habits. So we give them food and do games with them and incorporate exercises to help them practice good manners.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I’m someone who can’t stand child abuse so with the title I would like to work towards the betterment of little children.
Name : Chamika Tennakoon
Age : 23
Occupation : Model
Role Model : Priyanka Chopra
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Initially, it was walking in heels.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to explain to people about the importance of fitness, exercise and nutrition. People just say they don’t have time and they eat all sorts of food and don’t do any exercises.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I would like to help the poor and the animals. I’m against the caging of birds and fish and I would really like to educate the children of poor families.
Name : Senuri Dissanayake
Age : 18
Occupation : Student at ACBT
Role Model : Fallon
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : I haven’t really done a traditional dance before so Dances of Sri Lanka was pretty tough.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I go to street children and ask them what was the one thing they wanted but they can’t get and if it’s something I can give, I give it to them. I’ve given some children bicycles, a wheelchair and shoes etc.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I would like to help the disable people and break down beauty stereotypes.
Name : Shamali Dilshani Newman
Age : 25
Occupation : Hotel Receptionist
Role Model : Deepika Padukone
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Even though I’ve taken part in other pageants, this is a much larger pageant so in that sense it’s challenging.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to give supplies to the poor and perhaps go to a rural temple with lack of facilities and help them out.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : With the title, I can help the poor in a very large scale.
Name : Shanika Chamini
Age : 24
Occupation : Model
Role Model : Myself!
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Everything.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to save street dogs and give them shelter and protection.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I love animals so I would focus on dogs and I would also like to help children of poor families.
Name : Shalini Attanayake
Age : 19
Occupation : Bar Medical Student
Role Model : My mom
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : We have to prepare for a lot of things in such a short period of time and that means we are all very tensed up so that’s the most challenging part.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to lend a helping hand to Down syndrome children. My plan is to integrate ordinary children with children with Down syndrome until there is no difference in the way we see and treat them.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I want to help people with Down Syndrome, children with cancer, animals and the underprivileged.
Name : Rashmi Senadeera
Age : 25
Occupation : Undergraduate of Colombo University in Economics
Role Model : No one.
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : We have so many things to do and they are all so different so everything is a challenge.
What’s your charity project focused on? : My focus is on the psychological aspect of school and university rags on people. I want to educate students and teach them what happens when they rag people and take the time to put them on the correct path.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I want to draw out the isolated children in our society and show them the countless opportunities they have.
Name : Ayesha Fernando
Age : 25
Occupation : Stewardess
Role Model : Jennifer Lopez
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Finding time to do everything. Most days I just have 2 hours of sleep.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to raise awareness about autism and help children with autism and their parents to realise their full skills, potential and function.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I want to be the face of change in a positive way. I want to inspire children and show them that if I can do it, they can do it as well.
Name : Thilini Amarasuriya
Age : 20
Occupation : Model
Role Model : Deepika Padukone
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : Everything. But I like facing challenges.
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to help the mentally unstable people. A lot of people are disgusted with them and ignores them so I want to lift up their spirits and show them that people care about them.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I want to help cancer patients and help those who can’t get access to proper education.
Name : Jayathi De Silva
Age : 25
Occupation : Scientist
Role Model : Marie Curie and Steve Jobs
What’s the most challenging part of the Miss Sri Lanka contest? : As a model you have a specific way to walk so learning that was challenging!
What’s your charity project focused on? : I want to raise the palliative care in paediatric cancer patients through art and music therapy.
If you win the Miss Sri Lanka contest, what would you do with the title? : I want to start a DNA database in Sri Lanka.
For photographs of the Siyatha Facia Miss World Sri Lanka 2015 Mini Pageants, click here.
By Panchali Illankoon
Photographs by Nisal Baduge
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