Most of us have events in life that shape us and our passions, or role models who show us a better way. All these things have happened to me.
Born 8 weeks premature I grew up with the common early learning difficulties experienced by many very premature babies. I was slow to read and write and struggled with maths. In year 6 my teacher called my parents in for a meeting as my Naplan results in reading and writing were well below the national average. She suggested mum take me shopping to choose a beautiful diary and encourage me to write in it every day. That didn’t work. In fact nothing encouraged me to write until mum suggested I write out the designs for the fairy houses I had been making for the previous 2 years. Mum thought if I couldn’t write a story I could at least write a list. That list and the other list of instructions that followed over the next year became a book. At 13 years of age I was the published author (Boolarong Press) of the children’s craft book How To Make Fairy Houses, the only children’s craft book in the world that taught children how to make a range fairy houses.
The book led to a business, Enchanted Fairy Houses, and through the little magical fairy houses created in my business, I came to see that in my own small way I could make a difference. View ABC TV Story here: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4122695.htm
3 years later, this led me down the path of using my business as a social enterprise to fund different projects that would change lives. From using my fairy houses to fund raise to help animals, to helping individuals, to helping entire villages, my fairy houses have taken me many places and given me some of the most amazing experiences in life. In 2015 I partnered with Bali teenager Tyas Latra and together we started a project to build a library in Tyas’s village Bungaya
The Bungaya library was finished in 2017 and our gift of literacy to 1 village is now providing vital services to 20 villages.
Raising funds in support of Variety – the Children’s Charity
Inspired by the community spirit and incredible fund raising skills of Rotaract Sunshine Coast, as a Xmas school holiday activity I entered Miss World Australia with a goal of raising money for Variety – the Children’s Charity. Variety – the Children’s Charity give children who are sick, disadvantaged or who have special needs, life changing help when they need it most. If you would like to share this experience with me and also make a difference I would welcome your donation to Variety – the Children’s Charity through my site. A tax deductible receipt will be immediately emailed to you.
5 year old Alex is a twin (shown with twin brother Jimmy) who because of complications at birth was born with severe cerebral palsy. Alex communicates with a computer that runs on eye gaze technology, one of the many ways he is supported by Variety – the Children’s Charity.
At the Qld Finals for Miss World Australia on 22 June 2018 I was selected to go through to the Miss World Australia National Finals on 31 August. Held at Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast, this red carpet event will introduce young women like myself who have a passion for creating better communities. As part of Miss World Australia’s Beauty With a Purpose program we work tirelessly to connect with business and to grow our fund raising skills so we can help Variety – the Children’s Charity assist more children like Alex.
Miss World Australia
The Miss World Australia National Final has now been held and I am very proud to say I was selected as 1 of the Top 10 Finalists. Each year, the winner is chosen from the Top 10. I am even prouder to say that I raised over $21,000 for Variety Qld, the children's charity. If you would like to support the work Variety does, the support my fund raising button links straight through to Variety's website.
Miss World Australia Qld Finals - Samara Welbourne, 5th from right in the light green dress
Miss World Australian Top 10 - Samara Welbourne, 3rd from right, winner Taylor Cannon in light blue dress