Hayat Ahmed
Encyclopedia
Hayat Ahmed Mohammed is the 2003
Miss World
contender from Ethiopia
. Her name in Arabic means "life." Hayat Ahmed was Ethiopia's first representative to any Miss World pageant. At the time of the competition, she was a third-year student at the Unity University College pursuing a course in Information Management
Systems.
In the 2003 Miss World pageant with 100 contestants, Hayat made the semi-finals and the title "Continental Queen of Beauty - Africa." The pageant took place in China
and was seen by 1 billion people.
Hayat currently focuses her time on promoting condoms and bringing HIV/AIDS awareness to other parts of the country. This has sparked outrage and claims of hypocrisy as she is a Muslim woman promoting Safe Sex
in Ethiopia, a very culturally conservative country, by using very western-style seductive advertisements for condoms on billboards.
By 2010, Bellissima was well established, and still distributing free coffee-flavored condoms with the sponsorship of Marie Stopes International
. The condoms are also available for sale under the name "Sensation" and are the least expensive condoms in the Ethiopian marketplace. However, resistance to Hayat's work continues both from Muslim authorities and from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Miss World 2003
Miss World 2003, the 53rd Miss World pageant was held at Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on 6 December 2003. The pageant was presented by Phil Keoghan, Amanda Byram and Angela Chow. The contestants also visited Beijing, the national capital of People's Republic of China,...
Miss World
Miss World
The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951...
contender from Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Her name in Arabic means "life." Hayat Ahmed was Ethiopia's first representative to any Miss World pageant. At the time of the competition, she was a third-year student at the Unity University College pursuing a course in Information Management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
Systems.
In the 2003 Miss World pageant with 100 contestants, Hayat made the semi-finals and the title "Continental Queen of Beauty - Africa." The pageant took place in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and was seen by 1 billion people.
Hayat currently focuses her time on promoting condoms and bringing HIV/AIDS awareness to other parts of the country. This has sparked outrage and claims of hypocrisy as she is a Muslim woman promoting Safe Sex
Safe sex
Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions...
in Ethiopia, a very culturally conservative country, by using very western-style seductive advertisements for condoms on billboards.
Recent activities
Hayat now runs Bellissima, a controversial condom café in Addis Ababa where all patrons are given condoms with the receipt. "Some Ethiopian people get shocked when they bring the bill with a condom, some saying we are promoting immorality," a waiter stated in 2008.By 2010, Bellissima was well established, and still distributing free coffee-flavored condoms with the sponsorship of Marie Stopes International
Marie Stopes International
Marie Stopes International is an International Non-Governmental Organisation working on Sexual and Reproductive Health with headquarters in London, UK. It is named after Marie Stopes, a Scottish author, campaigner for eugenics, women's rights, and a pioneer in the field of family planning...
. The condoms are also available for sale under the name "Sensation" and are the least expensive condoms in the Ethiopian marketplace. However, resistance to Hayat's work continues both from Muslim authorities and from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.