The National Bank of Samoa (N.B.S.) has donated SAT$10,000 to the 2023 Digicel Miss Samoa Pageant to support women's empowerment and gender equality.

The N.B.S. said in a statement that they are showing their support to Onomea Productions with the Miss Samoa Pageant 2023 to celebrate their role as Tamaita’i Samoa in a Samoan society in the spirit of "We are Samoa".

“We celebrate their role as a symbol of hope, inspiration and pride in their tautua (service) for Samoa," reads the bank's statement. "As a local bank, we recognise our corporate social responsibility to cultivate positive recognition of Tamaita’i Samoa in promoting, protecting and preserving our Samoan cultural heritage through the Miss Samoa Pageant Platform.

“We wish all the Miss Samoa Pageant contestants an enjoyable journey through their experience with the Miss Samoa Pageant 2023.” 

Local company Onomea Production has been contracted by the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) to organise and run the Miss Samoa Pageant. There are 10 contestants in this year's pageant and they will be up on stage for a public performance on Wednesday night.

The crowning will take place on Saturday night and the winner will be contracted to the S.T.A. and will have the duty of being part of Samoa's marketing strategy to promote tourism and the Samoan way of life.

Onomea Productions was selected to deliver a pageant that is uniquely shaped to highlight Samoa's cultural heritage and the cultural attributes of young Tama’ita’i Samoa.

The firm also welcomed the participation of the Anofale Mentorship Program with its main goal of educating young girls about their Samoan cultural heritage.