{{pp-sock|small=yes}} {{Infobox organization |name = Miss Earth Rwanda |image = |image_border = |image_size = |caption = |map = |map_size = |map_caption = |formation = 2015 |type = [[Beauty pageant]] |headquarters = [[Kigali]] |location = [[Rwanda]] |membership = [[Miss Earth]] |language = [[Kinyarwanda]], [[French language|French]], [[English language|English]] |leader_title = National Directors |leader_name = Robert Mugabe<ref name=merwandands>{{cite web|title=Miss Earth Rwanda is back with a new team|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=808681189216608|access-date=5 March 2015|website=[[Facebook]]|publisher=Miss Earth Rwanda|date=5 March 2015}}</ref><br><small>(SaYes Consult Ltd.)</small><br>Saida Bahati<ref name=merwandands /><br><small>(Chichi Media Group)</small><br>Christian Dominique<ref name=merwandands /><br><small>(One Shot Photography and Design)</small><br>Georgette Mutoni<ref name=merwandands /> |num_staff = |budget = |website = http://www.missearthrwanda.org }} The '''Miss Earth Rwanda''' is an annual beauty pageant in [[Rwanda]] and has been held since 2015. It is responsible for sending Rwanda's representative to the [[Miss Earth]] pageant which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting [[environmental awareness]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Afghanistan: Anti-Pageant Judges|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E3DC1430F933A05753C1A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=miss%20earth%20vida%20samadzai&st=cse|work=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=30 October 2003|access-date=3 January 2009}}<br>- {{cite news|title=Miss Earth 2004 beauty pageant|url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/25/content_385531.htm|work=China Daily|agency=Reuters|date=25 October 2004|access-date=23 October 2007}}<br>- {{cite news|last=Enriquez|first=Amee|title=Philippines: How to make a beauty queen|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25550425|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=2 February 2014}}</ref>
Rwanda sent its first Miss Rwanda national winner, Cynthia Akazuba, to Miss Earth in 2008<ref>{{cite news|title=Miss Kigali, Cynthia Akazuba représente le Rwanda au Miss Earth |url=http://www.kigali-show.com/news.php?story=miss_earth&category=other |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228150937/http://www.kigali-show.com/news.php?story=miss_earth&category=other |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2008 |website=Kigali Show|location=Rwanda |date=19 October 2008 |access-date=28 November 2008|language=fr }}</ref> a month after Rwanda became the first country in history to elect a national legislature in which a majority of members were women in September 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rwanda: In a World First, Women in the Majority in Rwanda Legislature |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyYDRUBoyMv4qslVEi1H43kUVtEA |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=18 September 2008 |access-date=21 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029004538/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyYDRUBoyMv4qslVEi1H43kUVtEA |archive-date=October 29, 2011 }}</ref> Cynthia Akazuba competed in [[Miss Earth 2008]]. The franchise was in hands of a different national director during that time.
==About== According to its official website, the Miss Earth Rwanda beauty pageant is dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and preservation. The advocacy parallels the cause of the Miss Earth pageant, which is one of the three largest pageants in the world in terms of individual national level participation in the world finals. The Miss Earth pageant also empowers women to make a difference in terms of being the best at promoting awareness and the preservation of our environment.
Rwanda, as it is one of the most densely populated countries, needs to protect its environment to enhance sustainability. Since environmental protection is a very important issue for the country, Miss Earth Rwanda is an effective vehicle in the creation of positive awareness through beauty and glamour, using the young women of Rwanda.
Saida Bahati, the managing director of Chichi Media Group said, "We are looking for a girl to be an ambassador for the nature and culture of Rwanda. This is a good platform for the girls to get exposure and experience."<ref name=merwandanews1>{{cite news|last=Kalimba|first=Stephen|title=Miss Earth Rwanda 2015 auditions start next month|url=http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2015-02-25/186317/|access-date=25 February 2015|newspaper=[[The New Times (Rwanda)|The New Times]]|date=25 February 2015|archive-date=21 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321053420/http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2015-02-25/186317/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ministry of Environment Rwanda Unveils Miss Earth Rwanda 2015 Beauty Pageant|url=http://www.eachamps.com/article/234/Ministry-of-Environment-Rwanda-Unveils-Miss-Earth-Rwanda-2015-Beauty-Pageant.html|access-date=22 February 2015|newspaper=EA Champs|date=22 February 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142143/http://www.eachamps.com/article/234/Ministry-of-Environment-Rwanda-Unveils-Miss-Earth-Rwanda-2015-Beauty-Pageant.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The pageant is presented as a reality TV show in a series of episodes that culminate in the final event.<ref name=merwandanews2>{{cite news|title=Miss Earth Rwanda Pageant Format|url=http://www.missearthrwanda.org/#thepageant|access-date=17 March 2015|website=Miss Earth Rwanda|date=17 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130507/http://www.missearthrwanda.org/#thepageant|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Selection process== ===Eligibility=== Contestants must be aged between 18 and 25. They must be around 55 kg, high school graduates, not pregnant and have never given birth.<ref name=merwandanews1 />
===Auditions=== Scouting teams visit the 30 districts of Rwanda in search of the participants in the pageant. Potential candidates meet a team of judges for auditions in their respective provinces. The auditions are edited and produced as part of the reality TV show.<ref name=merwandanews2 />
===Boot-camp=== After the auditions, only 30 girls will be selected to go to the boot camp for eight weeks, where they will be trained on cultural values, public speaking and the environment. There will be weekly eliminations where the public will vote by [[SMS]] and [[online]], which will leave 15 girls to compete at the finale in the later part.<ref name=merwandanews1 />
===Finals=== The contestants compete in the categories of Miss Earth, Miss Fire, Miss Water and Miss Air. The winner receives a new car, cash prizes of US$1,000 and participates in all Miss Earth activities.<ref name=merwandanews1 />
The winner also represents Rwanda at the Miss Earth pageant.
==Titleholders== This list includes all the representatives of Rwanda including the representatives sent by the previous license holders.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center" !width="80" style="background-color:#787878;color:#FFFFFF;"|Year !width="250" style="background-color:#787878;color:#FFFFFF;"|{{nowrap|Miss Earth Rwanda}} !width="150" style="background-color:#787878;color:#FFFFFF;"|Placement |- | [[Miss Earth 2008|2008]] | Cynthia Akazuba | Unplaced |- | colspan=4 {{n/a|Did not compete between 2009—2014}} |- | [[Miss Earth 2015|2015]] | Erica Urwibutso<ref>{{cite news|title=Kwangirika kw'ibidukikije niko kwangirika kwacu. |url=http://environews.rw/2015/10/06/kwangirika-kwibidukikije-niko-kwangirika-niko-kwangirka-kwacu/ |access-date=26 September 2015 |newspaper=Environmental News|language=rw |year=2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020124/http://environews.rw/2015/10/06/kwangirika-kwibidukikije-niko-kwangirika-niko-kwangirka-kwacu/ |archive-date=17 November 2015 }}<br>- {{cite news|last=Nizeyimana |first=Seleman |title=Urwibutso Erica Emmanuella niwe wegukanye ikamba rya Miss Earth Rwanda mu birori byitabiriwe n'abantu mbarwa|url=http://inyarwanda.com/articles/show/EntertainmentNews/urwibutso-erica-emmanuella-niwe-wegukanye-ikamba-rya-miss-ea-65866.html|date= 26 September 2015|access-date=26 September 2015|newspaper=Inya Rwanda|language=rw}}<br>- {{cite web|title=Miss Earth Rwanda 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0R8OX5HzZ8|website=Youtube|date=28 September 2015|access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref> | {{nowrap|''Did Not Compete''}} |- | colspan=5 {{n/a|Did not compete in 2016}} |- | [[Miss Earth 2017|2017]] | Uwase Hirma Honorine | Unplaced |- | [[Miss Earth 2018|2018]] | Anastasie Umutoniwase | Unplaced |- | [[Miss Earth 2019|2019]] | Paulette Ndekwe | Unplaced |- | colspan=5 {{n/a|Did not compete in 2020}} |- | [[Miss Earth 2021|2021]] | Josine Ngirinshuti | Unplaced |- | colspan=5 {{n/a|Did not compete in 2022}} |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.missearth.tv/ Miss Earth official website]
{{Miss Earth countries and territories}}
[[Category:Miss Earth by country|Rwanda]] [[Category:Recurring events established in 2015]] [[Category:2015 establishments in Rwanda]]