Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka Natalee Fernando

Defining beauty with a purpose.

- Tina Edward Gunawardhana

Driven by the need to win the prize money to pursue her Bachelors degree in Law from the University of London, Natalee Fernando, the recently crowned Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka is devoting her year to fundraise for Haevana, a home for abused trafficked and homeless women and their children. Moved by their plight. Natalee is totally devoted to highlighting their woes and aims to use her voice to speak for the voiceless, a true embodiment of a beauty with a purpose.

Q & A

Why did you decide to enter the MISL pageant?

Initially I considered it because the prize money would sort out my education in one go but that was just a thought that floated in my mind. I applied literally 15 minutes before the deadline and I prayed as I knew it was something I just had to do. So I just went for it.

What were the challenges you faced during the pageant?

I think being under a microscope constantly was a bit tough for a very happy go lucky person like me but it definitely did me a lot of good. What I found the most challenging was being true to who I am and what I believe in. To be in the competition but not conform. Sometimes I felt like I would get deflected from what I was trying to achieve and get sucked in. So remaining true to what I was trying to accomplish through everything was challenging.

What motivated you during the competition?