Mariatu Kargbo as reported by BBC Africa

Mariatu Kargbo is a young African woman who defied a life of poverty in Sierra Leone, to become a beauty queen and a successful pop star in China. People there have given her the nickname Luminous Black Pearl Maria. In 2009, Kargbo became the only contestant in the Miss World’s history to win two awards in the same section – Miss World Talent and Miss World Dress Designer.