Not winning the crown at a beauty pageant is not the end of the world. Natacha Sarthou is a prime example of that. In the spring of 2014, she placed as a second runner-up in the Mrs. Haiti International pageant. But the pageant organizers saw enough potential in Sarthou, and the very next day had her compete for the national title. A few months later, Sarthou competed with 64 women from all over the globe, Jacksonville, Florida and her head became the first to carry the Mrs. West Indies International crown.

A mother, and a wife (she and her husband have been married for a decade), Sarthou is active on the philanthropy circuit. She helps build houses in Haiti for families in need. She holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from Florida International University.

Kreyolicious: When you were in high school, were you pretty popular?

Not at all! I was very quiet, into my studies, and had one or two close friends. It was never my desire or pursuit to become popular. My older sister was the popular one, and after she graduated the same high school, some of her friends who had not yet graduated, accepted me into their circle, so that gave me a little boost. Yet, still I was a quiet person and not a party one.

Kreyolicious: What do you think was the secret to popularity?

I have found that there were different types of groups. And each group was popular to themselves. I guess I was too quiet to really know who was popular in my high school, but I would guess the football players and the cheerleaders. The secret I guess was to be a cheerleader or a football player.

Kreyolicious: What are some of the things you’ve been up to since winning?

I have been doing exactly what I had been doing since 2009, when my platform was birthed—and [that was] raising awareness and funds to build homes for the most vulnerable throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. I am so grateful to all my supporters and donors who have contributed towards building our first house for an impoverished family in Haiti. We are still actively working towards building more homes. There are 1.6 billion people in the world who live in inadequate shelter. By that we mean, settlements which include houses made of mud and sticks, dilapidated huts, and tin shacks where there is no access to clean water and the lack of sanitation. Research indicates that every 17 seconds a child 5 years old and under dies due to these unsanitary living conditions. Through my platform work, we are relocating families from the slums to a new sanitary living environment, providing them with a permanent, concrete home with sanitation, while reducing infant mortality, breaking the cycles of sickness, death and poverty, raising the education level, increasing productivity and boosting the economy.

Kreyolicious: If you were to choose between having beauty or confidence, which would you go for? And you could only choose one!

Definitely it is confidence. I have always believed that there are no ugly people. I seriously and honestly mean that. God created us all, and every good and perfect gift comes from Him. Therefore, He makes all ‘good’. And, ugly is not a good thing. Having said that, I do believe that everyone is uniquely beautiful! I see beauty in every face. So, if we can all grasp the concept that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, we do not need to compare ourselves with others. Comparing [oneself] to other people is detrimental to one’s confidence. You will always be your worst critic. Changing your paradigm of thinking, and working on becoming the best you, you can become, is the best and most positive path you can take. You will grow into a more beautiful, stronger and confident you. I am more of a behind-the-scene type of person, I don’t seek to be in the spotlight, but oh, how I have grown into a more confident “me” because I [left] my comfort zone to achieve greater things. My platform brought me to the pageant system. I participated solely to have greater influence in raising awareness to serve the poorest of the poor. In 1990, when I won Miami Orange Bowl Princess, my supervisor at work signed a paper promising to sponsor me $500 to participate in the Miss America Pageant. I never did. And now I found myself in pageantry, enjoyed it, learned a lot, and only because I am on a mission. So confidence is a great attribute that we must all develop and work on all the time if we want to achieve greater things. Now, confidence is not arrogance. When a person is confident, she is comfortable with herself, she finds no need to bring others down. Humility is a great sign of confidence. Pride is not.

Kreyolicious: What measures do you take to stay in shape?

Eating healthful and working out.

Kreyolicious: Is Haiti a place that you visit often?

We do not travel much except within the States. However, I am hoping this December to join Food for the Poor on their mission’s trip to Haiti, to meet the family we built the house for.

Kreyolicious: Young girls and women struggle to love themselves and their bodies. What tips have you learned from your own experience that can help them get on that road to self-love and confidence?

As I mentioned, the best advice is, “Do not compare yourself to others. Work at becoming a better and improved you. Compete with yourself.” Each time you accomplish a task or a personal goal and you get out of your comfort zone, you will be more confident. And lastly, but most importantly, you have got to know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Yes you are beautiful. But true beauty is what is in your heart. Therefore, work on developing a good character. That is the essence of a person. Character, who you are, determines your legacy, not your looks.

Kreyolicious: Being Mrs. West Indies International is just the beginning. I was reading that you’re involved with a number of organizations. What else is next for you?

Humbly, I honestly do not know. Five years ago, I could not have told you that I would be in pageantry and as Mrs. West Indies International 2014,[be] promoting this cause which began very [humbly] between family and friends. One step at a time, I am strategically working to be a voice for a people who often are forgotten by the rest of the world. My heart’s desire is to raise a large amount of capital to build more homes, but I also know if I can raise greater awareness and inform and inspire others on the reality of this global slum housing crisis where people who are breathing yet have no life, then together we can impact their world. Through adequate housing we can change lives, one house at a time for one family at a time.

[Photos: Vlad the Tech ; final photo provided by subject]

To support Mrs. West Indies International in her charitable endeavors with Food for the Poor, CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to read about other Kreyolicious beauty queens.

Meet Miss West Indies International Esther Lande! A student at Florida Atlantic University, Esther hopes to become a medical doctor. There’s no reason to believe that she won’t achieve a goal. To begin, she’s very service-driven. She loves to volunteer to assist others, and has been volunteering since she was nine years old. Even now, she says she’s convinced that she can improve our society through volunteerism. In fact, she’s an ambassador for the volunteering organization Dosomething.Org. As she prepares to compete at the Miss International pageant in Jacksonville late this summer, she took the time to give me some us a glimpse into her life as a pageant princess.

Kreyolicious: What made you enter the Miss West Indies International pageant?
The International system is based on platform. It encourages young women to fight for something in our community. I entered it because I believe in my platform and being Miss West Indies International helps me to reach more people.

Kreyolicious: When do you feel the prettiest?
I feel pretty every second in my life. I am grateful that God grants me life every day and with God by my side I feel beautiful each second. But I must say I feel prettiest when I am volunteering in my community. Giving back to my community shows my true inside beauty.

Kreyolicious: What would you say to someone who wants to enter a pageant, but has the jitters about it?
It is not only about gorgeous gown and glam; it takes hard work to be a pageant queen. If you truly want to enter in the pageantry world, you must be willing to be dedicated to your cause. There are things that you will need to give up to succeed into your new journey. Don’t forget have fun in the process, stay confidant and give it your all. I advise anyone to enter a pageant that forces you to fight for a cause.

Kreyolicious: What are the most inspiring and character-building books you’ve ever read, and would you mind sharing the titles with us?
I would say Oprah by Katherine Krohn because this book describes the struggles of her life and how she overcomes it. That really inspires me that even in my darkest day I still can overcome anything I undertake. I also love Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You’re Going Through by Iyanla Vanzant. This book helped me to go on with my life even after I had gone through a lot and to be at peace with all that had happened.

Kreyolicious: Who’s the most inspiring person in your life?
The most inspiring person of my life is Toussaint Louverture because he has led us to our revolution. He was truly a courageous and intelligent man. I learned from him that it doesn’t matter if people think you can make it, if you believe it in it and are bold enough to take the first step then you will mostly likely succeed.

Kreyolicious: Have you been to Haiti?
Yes! I was born in Haiti and raised there until I moved to Chicago, Illinois. I recently went back in Haiti. I organized a toy distribution for the kids of Bizoton 51, Carrefour where I grew up back in December last year.

Kreyolicious: What advice do you have for those out there who are having a hard time being happy for others when they experience some form of success?
We should be happy when others succeed. It takes hard work and dedication to succeed. Be happy for whoever succeeds because it shows they have been working hard toward their goals. Your time will soon come if you stay focused on your goals. Don’t give up. We all have our own time to shine.

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