From Ambition to Impact

27-8-2026

Miss Universe Curaçao 2026: The Story of Shurmeen Martis

For Shurmeen Martis, 2026 has been a year of personal growth, ambition and community involvement. The 33-year-old Curaçaoan, who works as a Communications Manager at a financial institution, competed in Miss Universe Curaçao 2026. While she did not advance to the final, her Youth Development Project was selected as one of the competition’s Top 3 Projects. This gave an issue close to her heart an important platform: the development, guidance and empowerment of young people in Curaçao.

Alongside her professional career, Shurmeen has a personal connection to Hòfi Sint Joris. She first visited the development in 2023. A year later, on March 18, 2024, she signed the agreement for her own lot. The fact that the date happened to be exactly the same as the date of her first visit to Hòfi Sint Joris was purely coincidental, but made the moment even more meaningful. It was her first real estate investment, which she made entirely independently.

A New Chapter on a Familiar Stage

Pageants are not new territory for Shurmeen. Her first experience with a pageant dates back to when she was just five years old. However, while studying in the United States, she did not have the opportunity to participate in a local pageant. By entering Miss Universe Curaçao 2026, she returned to a world she had been familiar with from an early age, this time from a very different perspective.

She had two main reasons for participating. First, she wanted to fulfill a dream she had carried since childhood. At the same time, she saw the competition as an opportunity to bring her experience and passion for youth development to a wider audience.

During her time in the United States as an Enrollment Counselor, Shurmeen discovered how much fulfillment she found in mentoring and supporting young people. Her experience in the Caribbean banking sector, where she has held several leadership positions, further strengthened that interest. The pageant gave her an opportunity to bring both sides together while challenging herself in a new way.

An Intensive Journey

Preparation for Miss Universe Curaçao 2026 lasted approximately two and a half months. The program involved far more than the final show. Contestants took part in interviews, runway training, photo shoots, choreography, styling assignments and television appearances. There were also full days in which multiple activities, including choreography sessions and commercial production, were scheduled back to back.

A key part of the preparation was an international training program in Colombia. In Bogotá, Shurmeen quickly experienced the intensity and discipline required in pageantry. Training, preparing for a photo shoot, changing her hair color and following an adjusted nutrition plan all required discipline and careful planning.

For Shurmeen, balancing the pageant with a full-time career was one of the biggest challenges. Work, training, sponsorship commitments, communication with supporters and personal time all had to be managed within the same demanding period. Looking back, she sees this as one of the most valuable personal lessons of the experience: learning to set priorities, stay focused and still make room for rest and recovery.

More Than a Title

Although Shurmeen did not ultimately win a title, her Youth Development Project was selected among the competition’s Top 3 Projects. Called Potential to Purpose, the initiative focuses on young people considering studying abroad.

Shurmeen understands the challenges of such a transition from personal experience. Studying abroad involves more than practical decisions. It can also bring uncertainty, homesickness and a need for guidance. Not every young person has someone in their family or immediate circle with firsthand experience of studying outside Curaçao.

Through Potential to Purpose, Shurmeen aims to help young people better prepare for this transition and show them that they do not have to pursue their ambitions alone. In her view, guidance, knowledge and access to the right network can make a meaningful difference.

Personal Growth

The pageant gave Shurmeen more than a platform for her project. It also provided new insights into herself. She considers investing in her own development and personal growth one of the most important outcomes of the experience. By deliberately stepping outside her comfort zone, she says she discovered a more confident version of herself.

One moment in particular has stayed with her. Just before the final, after an intense day that had started early in the morning, she briefly stepped away backstage to be alone. In that quiet moment, she took time to pray, reflect and feel grateful for the journey she had taken. For her, that moment was just as meaningful as eventually stepping onto the stage.

The support of those around her also played an important role. Her mother, who has encouraged her to pursue her dreams from an early age, even traveled with her to Colombia. Family members from the Netherlands were also there to support her throughout the journey.

A Story That Continues

For Shurmeen, the story does not end with the Miss Universe Curaçao 2026 final. She wants to continue developing Potential to Purpose and is looking for organizations that share her vision. She also plans to further explore content creation, storytelling and collaborations with local brands.

Above all, her experience in the pageant has reinforced her belief that personal ambition and social impact can go hand in hand. For Shurmeen, growth is not simply about winning a title. It is about being willing to take on new challenges, continue learning and bring others along in the process.

That is also the message she wants to share with young people: you do not need to know exactly what the next step will look like before taking it. Sometimes, the most important thing is simply to give yourself the opportunity to take that first step.