Pilbara Girl sparkles despite lack of funding

Karratha's Chanti McHenry has been crowned the Pilbara Girl winner for 2014 at the Pilbara and Kimberly Girl Finals in Broome.

The Goolarri Amphitheatre in Broome was chockers with supporters who enjoyed the special evening two weeks ago, when Kimberly Girl was won by Nicola Torres.

Tiani Dunn was named the first runner-up for Pilbara Girl and Shanelle Beasley second runner-up, ahead of proud finalists Bethany Flann, Khe-San McNamara and Sarah Sampi.

Rahne Rogers won the Ambassadors Award, Natalie Graham took out Facilitators Choice and Eugenia George was named Most Photogenic.

While there was no government funding this year, the organisers of both pulled out all the stops to deliver the program.

Ms McHenry said the whole Pilbara Girl program had changed her mind and the way she wanted to live.

"I think it's a really good program, because it changed my perspective on what I want to do in my life," she said.

"I set more goals, the goals I can achieve that are good for me."

Seeing what the program had done for other young women in the community, Ms McHenry decided she would apply to take part in this year's program.

She was accepted and took part in many workshops and started to bond with girls - some she was familiar with but many who she had never met before.

Making it through the Roebourne heat of Pilbara Girl, Ms McHenry and the five other finalists drove up to Broome for more workshops with new skills learnt such as how to project their voices as well as the finals themselves.

Ms McHenry said prior to the program things hadn't been so great but now she felt awesome.

She said as more people in the community saw their family members or friends shake off bad lifestyles they too could make changes in their own life.

Filled with confidence Ms McHenry is hoping to start her own make-up business.

Ms McHenry thanked organisers Goolarri Media Enterprises, her family and the O'Donoghue and Green families for their support in her journey.