Dear readers,

The thought of a beauty pageant is sometimes frowned upon, or downright cursed, by some people whose beliefs- whether religious, cultural or personal - are not compatible with the event.

Rwanda, partly known as a land of beauty, is ironically not yet fully comfortable with events that consist of young girls competing for a beauty crown. This year, Ines Mugeni of Musanze District, Northern Province, who had qualified on probation, shocked organisers when she withdrew from the competition, a move that was rumoured to be enforced by her parents who were not up for the idea.

With this in mind, and considering that Rwanda is flooded with young beautiful girls, why is the turn up for these pageants low? Is Rwanda really ready for beauty pageants? For more on this story, turn to pages 16 and 17.

This week, a new mother seeks the doctor’s advice, concerning mysterious bumps and a rash on her baby’s body. Turn to our health page for this and more on nutrition.

Rachel Garuka