Manuela recently graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Lasalle College of the Arts. The 24-year-old is a welding expert and creates art out of metal.

The daughter of a Caucasian father and a Eurasian mother said art is her passion, and she loves experimenting with materials such as resin and metal.

Manuela stands at 166 centimeters tall. One of the judges said, “she is petite, but her personality shone on stage – her smile, her confidence and the way she walks. You don’t expect a petite girl to walk in such a beautiful evening gown with such grace and confidence. That was the reason we picked her instead of one of the taller girls”.

Manuela took home $10,000 in cash as well as prizes worth $45,000, including treatment and services from local spa Beaute Hub and a smile makeover from Orchard Scotts Dental.

If she had to describe herself in three words, Manuela would choose kind, courageous and generous. She also truly believes that “beauty stems from within.”

Manuela says the one thing that makes her most happy is the ability to play a role, no matter how big or small, in someone else’s happiness.

While Manuela emphasises that there is no one woman that she is inspired by, she draws inspiration from every woman that she meets because they all have unique attributes and qualities.

The message she would like to take onto the world stage is that hard work, determination, perseverance and courage can help people achieve their dreams.

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