Margret Nareso’s wish was simple: To contribute to the country through her daughter.
This was about a week ago when her daughter, 23-year-old Kellyanne Limbiye, was sponsored by Pacific Assurance Group to enter the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) PNG.
Nareso, an accountant with Puma Energy, is a single mother of three children, one of which is Limbiye, the newly-crowned Miss PNG 2016.
Her influence in daughter Limbiye’s life is very obvious, given the firmly grounded ideas of feminism Limbiye aims to advocate.
“I am a strong feminist because I was taught by my mother that women can affect change just as much as a man through her hard work and perseverance,” Limbiye said, when first joining the pageant.
Leading to the pageant week, Nareso described it as an emotional time for her.
“It is a bit emotional for me because part of me is moving out but in a way, this is me giving to the country,” Nareso told Loop PNG.
In the span of one week, Nareso had to make decisions to accommodate her daughter’s need, all the while believing in her.
“I just want her to be a good ambassador, representing the church and values encouraged within and spread to communities using this platform.
“I’ve always challenged them to be better than me, to raise the bar higher. This is a worthy cause and an opportunity to move things with a larger group behind us.”
Limbiye, Miss PNG 2016, was crowned Miss Pacific Islands PNG 2016 last night and will go on to represent PNG in the regional pageant in Samoa, in December.
She has her family, particularly her mother, to thank.
“My family is without a doubt my biggest driving factor in everything I do. They are my support system and my strength.
“We have always lived by our family motto ‘together we stand, divided we fall.”
(Kellyanne Limbiye, right, giving her supportive mother Margaret Nareso a hug during the announcement of her entry into the pageant. Photo: Tabitha Pangkatana – Lilly Magazine)