The Sunday News
Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
FINGERS Modelling Academy last weekend launched the Miss Africa Zimbabwe pageant at a star studded event, which also coupled as a sashing ceremony for the models, where musician cum businesswoman Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi was named Miss Africa Zim brand ambassador.
Twenty one Miss Africa Zimbabwe hopefuls from across the country attended the ceremony held in Bulawayo.
Initially incepted in Botswana, Fingers Modelling Academy and Miss Africa Zimbabwe director, Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda said the idea of introducing the pageant was to honour African models and also to have a pageant that identified with Africans.
“The idea is to honour and have our own pageant. It’s time for African models to shine,” she said.
She said Botswana was the sole proprietor of the event and had given licenses to other African countries.
“We are doing this for Zimbabwe and Botswana wants us to host the second edition of the Miss Africa pageant in 2018,” said Mpofu-Sibanda.
She added that the pageant was open to ladies aged between 17 and 26.
“The pageant is also open to ladies that have children but are not engaged or married. We are not limiting the pageant to anyone. We are not in any way competing with any pageant and we feel that we are increasing the chances for aspiring models to participate in pageantry. The prospects are wider now and this pageant is complementing the industry,” she said.
She also noted that most corporates and indigenous businesses they approached for partnerships procrastinated over the concept and preferred to watch from the sidelines.
“People procrastinated about this but we are here. We are not a fly-by night organisation and we will make this project grow. It wasn’t easy to put together, given the circumstances but we made it and we are making it happen.
With no political or tribal connotations involved we are proud to launch our very own Matabeleland baby,” she said.
She said the inaugural ceremony would be held on 29 April at a Bulawayo hotel.
