Mere Wainiqolo chose to participate in the Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North to advocate on the importance of mental health.

The weeklong festival began last Saturday at Subrail Park in Labasa featuring Ms Wainiqola proudly sponsored by Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) among ten queen contestants and four king contestants.

Over the years, the battle for the Miss Charity crown has been between FSC and Northern Civil Service.

However, for Miss Wainiqolo, who hails from Nakobo Village, Cakaudrove Province, and shares maternal links to Makadru in Lau, it is not about winning the crown.

“Mental health is a serious health issue that needs to be brought to light,” the 22-year-old lass said.

She said mental health among women was on the rise and almost one in five women experience a common mental disorder such as anxiety or depression as compared to one in eight men.

“Women have been affected mentally by abuse, poverty and recently by COVID-19 pandemic,” the second eldest of four siblings said.

“Hence, I want to use this platform to advocate the importance of our well-being, especially women, because a healthy mind leads to a healthy north.”

She is a final year Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science student at College of Medicine Nursing and Health Science in the Fiji National University.

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