Twenty five year old Rafieya Aasieya Husain was crowned Miss Universe-Guyana 2017 at the end of the first ever National Pageant to be held in the home of the Miss Universe Pageant. The former Miss World 2014 top eleven finishers and Queen of the Caribbean also romped of with the Most Elegant, Best Interview and Popularity side awards during the event held at York College Performing Arts Center in Queens, New York. Rafieya has been on the top of every pageant aficionados list who are monitoring this year’s aspirants for the 66th Annual Miss Universe Pageant to be held on November 26, 2017.
Rafaela is a third year student studying marketing in New York and the founder of RIVAH, Rafieya’s International Vision and Hope, a non-profit organization who’s goal is to educate the younger generation on the initial signs of domestic violence. The RIVAH organization has built an outreach center in Region 2 of Guyana and in the process of constructing a safe house for victims. RIVAH also has a campaign titled “Shatter the Silence” and visit schools around the world to educate students on the initial signs of dating abuse.
Rafieya has has won several pageant titles over the years. In 2010, she competed in the teen division for National America Miss (NAM) and placed 4 runner up in the entire pageant. She walked away with winner of the Top Model Search, the Casual Wear division, Most Promising Model and Best Academic Achievement and received a modeling scholarship and cash prize. Rafieya also placed 1st runner up in the Spokes Model and Photogenic categories. That same year she won Ms. India/DC pageant was crowned Top Model for the Nation at the NAM competitions in California and placed in the top 10 finalist. In December 2010, she competed in the Miss India USA pageant and placed 1st runner-up and walked away with the best smile award.
In 2011, Rafieya was crowned Miss VA Teen for NAM. She was crowned Miss World Guyana in 2014, and placed 7th among 121 countries when she represented Guyana on the Miss World stage in London. She was 1 of 5 winners of the Beauty with a Purpose segment of the pageant and was also named Miss World Caribbean 2014.
