Eighteen-year-old Sierra Leonean Alimatu Dumbuya is using her journey as a finalist in the Miss Teenager Netherlands 2026 competition to promote a message that goes far beyond beauty and the crown.
Alimatu is among the finalists competing for the Miss Teenager Netherlands 2026 title, a national teen pageant in the Netherlands that brings together young women from different backgrounds.
For Alimatu, however, the competition is not simply about appearing on stage. She sees it as an opportunity to use her growing platform to speak about issues that affect young people and communities, particularly racism, discrimination, equality and inclusion.
Her advocacy is centred on the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of their background. She also wants young people to become confident enough to speak up when they experience discrimination or witness someone else being treated unfairly.
Outside the pageant, Alimatu is the founder of Beyond Labels Community, an initiative through which she raises awareness about racism, discrimination, equality and inclusion. Through the platform, she hopes to encourage open conversations, challenge stereotypes and contribute to a society where people are accepted for who they are.
But Alimatu’s story is not limited to pageantry and advocacy.
Before starting her current journey, she studied hairdressing at a vocational college and successfully completed her diploma. She is now preparing for another career path, with plans to study to become a flight attendant.
For Alimatu, the career reflects her love for travel and learning about the wider world. She hopes to work as a flight attendant, travel to different countries and experience new cultures while building a career for herself.
Alongside her studies, advocacy and pageant journey, tennis is also an important part of Alimatu’s life. She is a tennis player and says the sport has become a significant part of who she is, adding another dimension to the interests and ambitions she continues to pursue as a young woman.
Her Sierra Leonean heritage remains central to her story.
Although she is competing in the Netherlands, Alimatu says she is deeply proud of her Sierra Leonean roots and wants her journey to serve as an example to other young Sierra Leoneans, particularly those growing up outside the country.
She hopes to inspire them to embrace who they are, remain proud of where they come from, use their voices and pursue their dreams regardless of the challenges they may face.
«“My roots are my strength, my voice is my power, and my purpose is to inspire others to stand proudly in who they are.”
— Alimatu Dumbuya»
As a finalist for Miss Teenager Netherlands 2026, Alimatu sees the opportunity as much more than a competition for a crown. For her, it is a platform to represent her values, celebrate her Sierra Leonean heritage and demonstrate that young people can use their voices to make a positive difference in society.
Her different interests — from hairdressing and aviation to tennis, community advocacy and pageantry — also show a young woman exploring different opportunities while remaining committed to a larger purpose.
For Alimatu, winning would be an important achievement, but the message behind her participation goes beyond the final result.
Whether or not her journey ends with the crown, she wants people to remember a message of confidence, equality and pride in one’s identity.
Through Beyond Labels Community and her Miss Teenager Netherlands journey, Alimatu Dumbuya hopes to continue challenging discrimination while encouraging other young people to believe that their background should never prevent them from pursuing their ambitions.
Social Media:
Instagram: @alimatudumbuyax
TikTok: @alimatu.adx
