Six-year-old model needs your help to represent Kenya in international modelling contests

Meet the six-year-old Aileen Akinyi, a class one pupil at Hawi Group of Schools in Seme who has won several modelling titles at her tender age.

Under her tiny belt, Aileen holds the Tinny Miss Kisumu County 2017, first runners up at the Mini – Miss World Kenya, 2018 and Tinny Princess Kenya, 2017.

Sharon Otieno, Aileen’s mother says her talent was discovered in 2017 during their wedding where Aileen was a flower girl.

“She left guests in stitches with her catwalk. Many were impressed. She keeps asking me if she will be travelling but I lack answers,” she told the Standard.

Last year Aileen flew alongside Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala, and other dignitaries to Nairobi and back where she was selected to welcome the CS to Kisumu international Airport during the launch of the flight.

In November 2017, Aileen also qualified for Little Miss World contest in Greece but could not travel due to lack of money.

She has qualified to represent the country at the Miss Tinny competition to be held in Spain in September and a month later in Japan but her parents are fearful that their little daughters dreams of becoming a model will go down the drain a second time due to lack of funds. They approximate the cost of travel and accommodation to Spain at Sh 600,000 and to Japan at Sh 400,000.

“It would be disappointing for our daughter to fail to represent Kenya again because of her financial constraints. She keeps asking me if she will be travelling but I lack answers,” says Stella.

Her parents are calling on well-wishers to help their daughter achieve her dreams.