People

Sikh-Aussie Ravneet Kaur: Simply Equal

by KAREN POH

A Heidelberg (Victoria, Australia) resident has beaten hundreds of hopefuls from Victoria to be selected to compete in the Mrs. Australia national finals in July.

Ravneet Kaur, 30, said she was "over the moon" when she found out she had received the nod.

Ravneet, who runs her own charity, Simply Equal, to support disadvantaged young Sikh and Indian women in India and Australia, said she joined because of the competition's charity focus.

As part of the Mrs. Australia pageant, participants raise money for Women in Need, a charity organisation dedicated to the personal empowerment of women and assisting in the recovery of women who have been the victims of domestic abuse.

"Growing up in an Sikh/ Indian culture in Australia and having to balance values from both cultures created a lot of hardship, and those experiences made me think of helping other women," Ravneet Kaur said. "It's important for women to have that support network, and I'd like to reach out to the women in the Heidelberg community."

The winner will go on to compete in the Mrs. Globe pageant in Greece.

Ravneet is preparing to hold her third fundraising event for Women in Need through a pub trivia night in Richmond, and she is seeking sponsorships, donations and helping hands to make it a success.

April 22, 2010

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