Amina Kamara was the first winner of the title Mission West Africa in 2008, where she represented Sierra Leone at the inaugural Mission West Africa pageant in London.
Background
Amina Kamara was born in London, England in 1987 to Sierra Leonean parents, Abass Alieu Kamara and Kadi Kamara She grew up in North West London and attended school at Harlesden Primary School before moving on to Queens Park Community School in 1997.
Education
She attended QPCS up to year 9 and then her parents decided to move to East London. Amina then attended a school in Chingford called Rush Croft School and finished her GCSEs there.
Career
She socialised well with her peers and took pride in the people of her neighbourhood, and still today she regularly visits. Separated from her West African origins, her one great wish was to travel around the world and experience different cultures and meet all sorts of people, including being a strong part of the growth of her home country Sierra Leone. She then attended the University of Kent to study a Bachelor Honours in Tourism Management, where she learnt the importance of Tourism planning and development and managing tourism in countries.
Amina’s time at Kent was tough due to social differences amongst her peers.
At this stage, feeling distant from her peers, Amina had to drop her tom boy lifestyle and began wearing dresses and make up. Although Amina’s dream towards touring the world was coming closer and closer, she still faced much difficulties with her social life.
Fear for his life made it difficult for Amina to keep focused at Uni, but he returned to London reassuring Amina not to worry about his conditions as everything would be ok. When he returned to America, Amina was soon to find out from her mum that he had died from an aggressive brain tumour.
lieutenant took Amina roughly 3–4 months before she could get back to her studies motivated by his strong words and influences.
Sooner in life, Amina then also picked up an interest in modelling and engaged in various modelling activities before coming across an invite by Nana Tamakloe to participate in the first ever Mission West Africa beauty pageant.