In a ceremony held at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, on May 24th, Kelcia Nelson was officially crowned Miss World Guyana 2026. 

Kelcia Marie Nelson, 27, who represented Region 10, Upper Demerara-Berbice, was born in Linden, a town on the Demerara River in northeast Guyana. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communications, Leadership and Culture from the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada and is the founder of Master Minds, a mentorship platform through which she has worked with young people for nearly a decade.

Her Beauty With a Purpose project, Her First Lesson: The Prevention Blueprint, focuses on economic literacy, trafficking prevention, and digital safety for girls aged 13 to 19. The initiative is built around the themes of Worth, Voice, and Value, and includes a six-session curriculum, a mobile game, and a book authored by Kelcia, scheduled for release in June 2026.

The project aims to help young women avoid vulnerabilities linked to trafficking, digital exploitation, and economic dependency through education and mentorship. Prototype programmes will launch in Georgetown and Guyana’s hinterland communities, with Kelcia personally leading the project’s Shield Ceremony for participants.

Kelcia succeeds Zalika Samuels, a Head-to-Head Challenge semifinalist at the 72nd Miss World Festival, whose literacy-focused Beauty With a Purpose initiative supported children with disabilities through a solar-powered mobile library.

Also announced during the event was Jenica Walcott as the 2026 National Heiress. Walcott, who holds a Master of Arts in Creative and Innovative Education from Georgia State University, focuses her Beauty With a Purpose work on autism advocacy and creative dance education for children on the autism spectrum.

Guyana debuted in Miss World in 1966, with Umblita Van Sluytman. In 1967, Shakira Baksh nearly captured the Miss World crown, finishing as 2nd runner-up. In 2014, Rafieya Asieya Husain also brought pride to her home country after being declared a co-winner of Beauty With a Purposed and being named Miss World Caribbean.

Kelcia, the 30th woman crowned Miss World Guyana, is now preparing to represent Guyana at the 75th Anniversary Edition of Miss World, to be held in Vietnam, from August 9 to September 5.