Dimitra Markou - Miss Earth Zimbabwe 2012 Profile

Dimitra Markou

Miss Earth Zimbabwe 2012

BIO:
Age: 18
Height: 5'7.5"
Weight: 114lbs.
Vital Stats: 33"-26"-35"
Hometown: Bulawayo

INTERVIEW:

What environmental project will you create to promote the protection of Mother Earth and why?
1. A cleaner environment begins with reducing, reusing, and recycling. Our recycling depots are no longer operational and intend to revive these depots by obtaining sponsors as Miss Earth Zimbabwe.
2. Zimbabwe has lost 20% more of its forest cover between 1990 – 2005. I will participate in a tree planting campaign: A tree for every child.

What makes you proud of your country and what can you promote about it?
Zimbabwe has several tourist attractions. One being the eastern highlands which are a series of mountainous areas near the border of the Mozambique. The highest peak inZimbabwe, Mount Nyangani at 2593 meters is located here as well as the Brumba Mountains and the Nyanga National park. Zimbabwe is unique in Africa in that there are large numbers of ancient ruined cities built with a unique style on dry stone. One of the most famous is the great Zimbabwe ruins situated in masungo. Other ruins include the Khami Ruins, Dhlo-Dhlo and Naletale. However none of these ruins have received as much publicity as that of "Great Zimbabwe". The Matobo Hill is an area of granite Kopjes and Wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometers south of Bulawayo. Southern Zimbabwe. The hills were formed over 2000 million years ago with granite being forced to the surface, this has eroded to produce smooth whaleback Dwalas and broken Kopjes, strewn with boulders and interspersed with thickets of vegetation Mzilikazi. Founder of the Naebele nation gave the area its name. The Matobo Hills is also a popular tourist attraction as Cecil Ochn Rhodes and most of the members of the Shangani patrol are buried in these hills. By volume, "Lake Kariba" is the largest man made lake and reserve in the world. It is located on the Zambezi River, about half way between the rivers source and mouth, and about 1,300 kilometers upstream from the Indian Ocean, there are a number of fish species, Nile crocodiles, Hippopotamuses, game fish, Tiger fish, fish Eagles, and other whales as well as elephants all around the "Lake Kariba" which falls within Zimbabwe has been designated a recreational park within the Zimbabwe parks and wildlife estate.

Describe your childhood/growing years:
My parents divorced when I was two years old and I look back and realize that life is not always constant but we have the diary to change the journey and make it our own. I grew up with my mother and father and migrated to Cyprus at the age of 8. I have a very strong bond with my mother. I look up to her and consider her as my role model. She taught me to be fearless, and to love and not to cry. From an early age she installed in me the belief that we all must serve a purpose in life. One of my favorite quotation: "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived, it is what difference we make to the lives of others that determine the significance of the life we lead" – Nelson Nandela

What lessons did you learn from your childhood/growing years?
The greatest lesson my mother taught me was to have self respect, to respect the people around me regardless of their situation, culture or beliefs and to respect the environment and animals around me. You cannot expect to be treated with respect if you show none to others. You cannot show respect if there is none within you. It was from an early age that I learned to respect the environment around me. I believe that it doesn't matter who you are or where you are from, you still have the power to make a difference, an impact.

What is your most memorable moment?
I have a spontaneous and adventurous spirit and my goal in life is to celebrate and live each day to the fullest. My life is filled with many memorable moments, some deeply sad like remembering the poem I wrote and read at my grandmother's funeral and my parent's divorce when I was age two. My happy moments are being announced a prefect at my high school and being chosen to represent the Natabeland provincial teens team. My most memorable moment is being crowned as Miss Earth Zimbabwe 2012. All these has molded me into the person I am today. And I am looking forward to a life full of memorable moments that I will create with my Miss Earth title.

What is your environmental advocacy and why did you choose it?
As Zimbabweons we are survivors and have a history of revitalizing and recycling used items. A project I have been working on for several years now is self sustainability. I have introduced the usage of solar concerns made from recycled materials. We used block tapes reverse sides of crisp packets, and recycled cards. I have introduced them to born urban and rural areas. Other projects of mine consist of reviving waste depots, planting a tree for every child, and I pledged with Wildlife organizations in my quest to eradicate poaching of wildlife.

What tip can you share to promote sustainable energy for all?
Change begins from ground level if households can implement changes in their everyday activities and the following will create a great positive change in the environment: 1. Separating and recycling rubbish, 2. Solar energy usage 3. Use of rechargeable batteries 4. Energy saving light bulbs 5. Switching off appliances at the wall when not in use 6. Conserving water 7. Using eco – friendly cleaning agents.

Other information that you would like to share with the Miss Earth Management:
My mother instilled in me from a young age that I must live a life of purpose. When the opportunity for me to participate in the Miss Earth pageant came it was a fulfillment of that outlook on life. I chose to be part of the Miss Earth pageant as one of the women who is proud of her inner and outer beauty. With Miss Earth I am able to be a positive role model to the people inside and outside of my community. To win Miss Earth would give me the privilege to save Mother Earth.

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* See also Miss Earth 2012 Special Coverage