Hally Qaqa, the sixth of eleven children, is the newly crowned TFL Miss Fiji. The 23-year old Fijian woman received the honour on October 28th at Suva's Thurston Gardens.
Hally is using the spotlight of the pageant to promote the message: "Strengthening family morals and values." She also hopes to raise awareness of environmental issues.
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Ms Qaqa says her parents have always encouraged her and her siblings in whatever endeavours they have chosen to pursue.
A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ms Qaqa served a full-time mission for the Church in San Jose, California where she says she learned to serve others as she volunteered her time in community service, as well as sharing her beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, and the importance of families.
In reflecting on her mission, she said, "Besides strengthening my faith in God, it centred me and helped me gain a love for everyone around me which is a motivation to serve. My mission also helped me realize the importance of families."
In giving advice to other young women, Hally says, "Take each experience, good or bad and let it be your teacher. Always be humble and teachable—those characteristics will take you far in life and will allow you to live with no regrets. Love who you are—be your own kind of beautiful and do not let society define what you should become."
She adds, "Be happy and don't forget to smile because optimism leads to success."
Education is important to the current Miss Fiji and she is currently studying Human Physiology and Anatomy with the University of California through distance learning. She hopes to become a skilled physiotherapist for a national sports team and continue in her service to the community.
Marriage and family are also on her future radar.
Ms Qaqa, who is currently busy preparing for the Pacific Islands pageant that will take place in Nadi, Fiji, says there is much to be done before the big event in the first week of December.
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