We chat to Lisa Smart-Campos, Mrs Tourism 2018. Smart-Campos is not just a pretty face, but she is an inspiration to all women.
Tabloid Newspapers (TN): Who is Lisa Smart-Campos? Lisa Smart-Campos (LSC): I am a mother, wife and founder of the NPO, People Investing In Needs Of Communities (PINC).
TN: Tell us more about PINC.
LSC: PINC is close to my heart. Was this one of the driving forces behind my success in this prestigious pageant?
Most definitely! My hubby and I co-founded the non-profit organisation in 2010 and we have never looked back. We’ve implemented programs in our communities within South Africa including feeding programmes on a weekly basis and dignity projects where we distribute brand new underwear and toiletries to all women and children who are in need of these products.
We adopted a créche in Waterloo and look after nearly 75 children and their families every week. Winning this title as Mrs World affords me the opportunity to use this platform to engage with local and international investors into our classroom building projects (started in June last year ) and into our dignity projects which need funders. My husband Dario and I have self-funded the NPO for all these years with no assistance from government and little assistance from anywhere else.
TN: Tell us a little bit about your crown?
LSC: I was crowned Mrs Tourism Globe South Africa on 29 September 2018 and was told I would be representing South Africa in the International Mrs Tourism. There are five titles to be won and this took place on 28 November in the Philippines. I had to raise the funds for the flights and for the entry within four short weeks. It was tough as I still had to be a wife, mother and tend to my responsibilities as CEO of the non-profit organisation I run PINC, as well as my businesses the ModelSA and SA Events. I managed to still tend to my meetings, business schedules and get to all the school and sporting activities my kids do, while making sure I was attentive to my husband’s busy schedule too. Entry paid and flights booked – it felt surreal! I was actually going to the Philippines to compete on an international level to represent our beautiful South African tourism.
TN: How was the road to Mrs Tourism?
LSC: It wasn’t all fun and games, we only had two to three hours sleep each night. Making it really tough on our feet as we wore heels every day while rehearsing for the various shows we had to perform as part of our scores leading up to the coronation event. We had to complete a talent round whereby I painted an elephant in three minutes and that painting was requested by Manual Resort in Dipolog, (one of the resorts who hosted us) to be framed and hung on their lobby wall. We also had to prepare a three minute speech in front of three judges, the production crew and all the other candidates. There were 16 of us. We had questions and answer pre-judging the evening before the grand event. Everything we had participated in from the moment we arrived, including our decorum, tasks, time keeping, speeches, dress code, hair, makeup, nails and mostly attitude to each day, was recorded!
TN: What was it like spending 18 days in the Philippines? What was expected of all the contestants?
LSC: From the moment I set foot on Philippines soil, I was treated like royalty! Camera’s, media, fellow passengers wondering about all the fuss. Meeting and greeting other candidates from the various countries. Meeting the mayor’s of the picturesque cities in Dapitan and Dipolog. Planting a tree for South Africa a very personal, proud moment as this tree will grow amongst the tropical terrain, in a foreign country with my fellow contestants, in honour of our countries.
We stayed at luxurious resorts in the South of the Philippines. Sipped on coconuts, ate fresh fruit from the trees, photo-shoots and filming every day, all day. We got to jetski, zipline, ride horses, ride quad bikes, eat incredible cuisine – everything from American to traditional Filipino meals. Site seeing, museum visits, and exchanging gifts with each candidate that represented our countries. Visiting the smallest man on earth and blessing children with sweets and hosting a feeding programme in both cities where we had the opportunity to spend a few hours feeding the kiddies and learning about the lifestyles of the many people in the Philippines. The Filipino’s are amongst the happiest and most hospitable people I have ever encountered in my life!
TN: What did you miss the most back at home?
LSC: I most certainly missed my beautiful family as this was the longest I had been away from them, ever! I prepared a goal, set it, lived up to it each day and pursued every challenge with conviction, love and passion that I was there for a greater reason. Something close to my heart and I was going for the world title!
TN: Mrs Tourism World – what does this title mean for you?
LSC: Goal achieved! I knew there and then that dreams do come true, faith gets you through all challenges and this was a big win.
