Nathalie D. Zambakari was crowned Miss South Sudan 2008/2009 in July of 2008 in Atlanta, GA. She was born to Arketa Zambakari and John Declercq on August 28, 1987, in a little town called Yambio in Southern Sudan. Now at 21 years of age, she is getting ready to receive her Bachelor’s Degree from Grand Canyon University on May 2, 2009. At a glance, it is difficult to imagine what she has been through over the course of her life.

At age three her family had to flee Sudan due to the war. As refugees, they did not have much at their disposal. Those crucial years were very hard. Her mother had to give birth to her younger sister in a refugee camp. There was no school for her to attend, so she and her brother would help their mother work for the locals in order to get fresh fruits and vegetables. To make matters worse, Nathalie had no contact with her father or her extended family.  In June of 1995, at age eight, Nathalie flew to Rwanda where she was reunited with her father, who was working to help the underserved as a doctor.

To make a long story short, Nathalie moved across many African countries and then to Europe. Sadly, her parents separated after 23 years of marriage. Left with nothing, her mother applied with a non-profit organization to bring Nathalie and her siblings to the United States. She arrived in Phoenix Arizona in June of 2001, with no money, no friends, and no knowledge of the English language.

In spite of all she has been through, Nathalie is a typical 21 year old woman. She enjoys sports, partying with friends and living life to the fullest. She also enjoys volunteering and giving back to the community. Dedicated to empowering women, Nathalie works to instill the same confidence in others that her mother instilled in her.

In her famous words XOXO