The Miss Pacific Islands PNG (MPIP) pageant committee has introduced a new award called the Ruby Anne Laufa Award.
This award is in honour of the late Ruby Laufa, a former Miss Papua New Guinea queen who passed away on February 11, 2017.
Late Laufa was to go back to complete her studies at the Legal Training Institute when she passed away.
Thus, the Ruby Anne Laufa Award will be presented annually to a young woman who wants to pursue her Legal Training Institute studies so that she can be admitted to the bar as a lawyer.
Laufa was Miss South Pacific PNG for 2012 to 2013.
She was the third runner-up at the regional pageant and was winner in:
- Best Sarong
- Best Topic Presentation Speech
- Miss National Tourism Award
Laufa was also voted by the Miss South Pacific pageant committee as their pick for all-rounder and punctuality. What a remarkable achievement!
“Ruby was special to us. She was the embodiment of our creed, passion, strength and beauty,” said Emma Waiwai – MPIP PNG deputy chairperson.
MPIP PNG continues to empower young women in PNG.
It raises funds for a scholarship fund which assists young women to complete or continue their education in tertiary institutions throughout the country every year.
In six years, since 2011, the MPIP PNG has raised over K600,000 and has assisted in educating 193 young women in colleges and tertiary institutions around the country.
(The Late Ruby Laufa’s talent performance in Pago Pago, American Samoa, in Dec 2012. Picture: Miss PNG Pacific Islands)