Miss Earth Justine McEleney
Miss Earth Justine McEleney
Miss Earth hopeful Justine McEleney went above and beyond the call of beauty to help build typhoon defences in the Philippines.
The Derry model left the islands just before Typhoon Ruby hit recently, but she helped plant thousands of trees which will protect the next generation.
Generous Justine also met with children orphaned by natural disasters and says it’s made her more determined to keep up the green campaign.
Entrants to Miss Earth must prove their environmentally friendly credentials in order to take part in the pageant, and they were expected to get their hands dirty
before the final in Metro Manila.
On the main island of Luzon the 86 entrants took part in river clean ups and toured a revamped landfill site where 300 people died in 2001 when the heaps of rubbish collapsed on their homes.
“It made me so thankful for what we have here,” says Justine.
“It really opened my eyes, especially visiting an orphanage where children had been rescued from the sex trade. These little girls were the same age as my nieces. I couldn’t imagine them being in that situation.”
The 20-year-old says she had to fight back tears when she met children who had lost their families to weather disasters.
“One little girl liked the necklace I was wearing, and she started crying. I was fighting the tears but the team were telling me ‘don’t cry’, because it would upset the children, who’d think something was wrong.
“We were there to make them happy but it was the opposite – they made us happy.”
Justine’s fondest memory was of planting mangrove trees which will reinforce the coastline.
The Philippines sit in the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire which makes the islands vulnerable to typhoons, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
Last November Typhoon Yolanda claimed 6,300 lives, one of the deadliest storms to ever hit the region.
“We were on a boat for 22 hours to one of the islands where we got to plant mangroves. They are really small but they’re fast-growing and in five or ten years’ time they will be protecting families and homes along the coast.
“They will help the longevity of people’s lives and it good to be able to do something that really makes a difference.
“We also got to hear some real people’s stories. One woman had left Tacloban with her family before Typhoon Yolanda hit, but her son stayed and he was killed. She was pregnant when she went back to bury him and went into labour, but the hospitals had been destroyed so she gave birth in a tent by candlelight. She regarded that as some joy from the disaster,” says Justine.
Aside from the environmental work the Miss Earth entrants were feted as celebrities from the moment they touched down.
“Everywhere we went there festivals organised for us and people with notepads asking for our autographs. I was thinking I’m not as cool as you think I am.”
And Justine, who begins her nursing degree in March, says the trip has given her the urge to explore the world.
“I will definitely be back there. It was a once in a lifetime trip and there is no way you could have seen what we did on a normal holiday.
“The glamorous, modelling side was great and we got to showcase designers from the Philippines, but it’s great to think that what will did will help future generations,” says the model.
Justine was backed by Derry’s Noir by Matthew Ferry and Elle Aesthetics Treatment Clinic.
To take part in Miss Earth go to www.missearthgirls.co.uk/register/php.
roisin.gorman@sundayworld.com