Where girls are together, beauty is naturally an area of interest. Loreto Rumbek is no exception, and the experience of the annual Miss Loreto competition has already helped some girls to win prizes at national competitions. This can be a university scholarship or a bigger sum of money. What girl or family doesn’t need that here?

However, the annual Loreto Fashion Show is more than that. First and foremost, it is a joint effort. The girls must apply and are only admitted if they have enough supporters. Usually, a whole class supports a girl from their midst and equips her with everything she needs for the various rounds of the competition. Business clothes are borrowed; the creative members of the team design the costumes for the Miss Creativity round; everyone helps the candidate to change and apply make-up between the competition rounds; and, of course, cheers her on loudly as soon as she steps onto the catwalk. Of course, a candidate’s victory is also a success for the whole team and is celebrated accordingly.

But there are so many more facets to this competition. The Miss Culture round encourages the girls to engage creatively with their own culture; present it to others, and thus visualise and appreciate the rich cultural diversity of South Sudan and Africa.

The Miss Creativity round focuses on sustainability and recycling. The challenge is to make a garment from waste, in which the girls should also look good. It is fascinating to see what is used. A full dress could be made up of peanut shells, empty toothpaste tubes, the package of teabags, soap or chocolate. The elegance of the creations can often easily pass for evening dress.

The various rounds, such as business, casual or evening wear, help the girls to familiarise themselves with appropriate clothing styles. In the interview part, the candidates can demonstrate their knowledge of their country and give their opinions on various socio-political issues.

And then, of course, there is the supporting programme. Dances are performed, there are critical and thoughtful voices, such as poems about feminism, and in between there are always funny and humorous announcements to keep the audience entertained.

At the end of the day, one thing is clear: It’s great fun for everyone, which also boosts the girls’ self-confidence. It is a wonderful joint effort that showcases the creativity, commitment and generosity of our school community. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved! And, we can proudly say: Girls, you looked fantastic and are simply great!