adminretold this weekend when more than 20 finalists for the Miss Universities beauty pageant take to the ramp tomorrow night for the coveted title.
The prestigious event would be held at Ochi City, along Domboshawa Road, in what has since been billed to be the main event in this weekend’s entertainment diary in Harare.
The battle for supremacy will see the most beautiful and brainy of them all, walk away with prizes running into thousands of dollars and a scholarship package.
As has become the norm at the pageantry, now in its second year, there would be lots of action at the ramp and tons of fun.
Apart from the modelling extravaganza, superstar Oliver Mtukudzi, urban groover Stunner and rhumba musician, Energy Mutodi aka Tatu Muluba are expected to serenade both fans and contestants, who will no doubt have every reason to celebrate after the beautiful belle has been crowned.
“We expect nothing short of fireworks from the girls, who have made adequate preparations from grooming right up to the current affairs issues,” said event organiser Prominence Makaza.
When they go on the ramp tomorrow night, the finalists will no doubt be exuberant following a highly inspirational boot camp they had for a good eight days at Ochi Safaris. During the camp, the girls did not only tone their weight, but they also had an opportunity to partake in different activities meant to orient them in various spheres of life.
These included game drives, long walks on the farm as well as attending highly inspiration motivation workshops that were moderated by prominent business people in the country, who gave them an insight into Zimbabwe’s social, economic and political issues.
Some of the speakers included Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere, business mogul Philip Chiyangwa, Li Sung and Munyaradzi Kereke, who is the founder of the
Green Card Medical Aid Societies.
The speakers gave the contestants an overview of wide-ranging issues that included the issue of empowerment, indigenisation, diplomacy and etiquette.
If anything, the boot camp for the contestants was more than what they had anticipated.
“The whole programme was quite beneficial. I learnt a lot from the speakers on the business opportunities available,” said Sheena, one of the contestants.
Commissioner Oliver Chibage, the brains behind Miss Universities said the beauty pageant was an initiative meant to empower girls at universities in different spheres of life.
“This is a national project, purposefully focusing on the girl child and removing perceived marginalisation of women. We are concentrating on students who are at higher education institutions because this is where we feel our future leadership will come from.
“At the end of the day, what we are doing is aimed at grooming an accomplished leader,” said Chibage.
Commissioner Chibage said his upbringing inspired him to initiate any project that bolsters and empower the girl child, hence his decision to get involved in the beauty pageant.
“Personally, having been raised by a mother who was widowed at an early age, I have the desire to ensure that the capability and ability of women are fully exploited,” he said.
“Our theme, which emphasises beauty and brains seeks to underline that the proper fusion of these two attributes can make complete, wholesome and an accomplished individual.”
Chibage paid tribute to several organisations that chipped in towards the success of the whole project.
These included Red Star Zimbabwe, FBC Bank, Green Card Medical Aid Society, Guardian Security, JC Le Roux, Ochi Safaris, Tyneserve Distributors and Mutodi, among others.
Online Reporter
Sidumisile Mabena