Vusumuzi Dube
Sipepisiwe Moyo, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
THIS year’s Miss Universe Zimbabwe pageant is demonstrating that the catwalk can serve as a platform not only for glamour, but also for advocacy and intellectual empowerment. Among the top nine finalists set to grace the stage at the Harare Hippodrome this Saturday is 29-year-old model Charmaine Emmanuel from Bulawayo.
A bio-medicine graduate and healthcare professional working in a pathology laboratory, Charmaine embodies the pageant’s theme of beauty with purpose. Alongside her scientific career, she freelances as a fashion and beauty model — a fusion of intellect and elegance that has become a hallmark of this year’s competition.
In a post shared on the Miss Universe Zimbabwe Instagram page, Charmaine highlighted how her passion for education stems from personal experience.
“Dreams are seeds of change, and nothing ever changes without a dream. Growing up in Zimbabwe, I witnessed both the transformative power of education and the pain caused by inequality,” she wrote.
Raised by her mother, a lifelong educator, in a township community, Charmaine shared how she witnessed first-hand the resilience of teachers.
“I was fortunate to be raised by a dedicated and passionate educator — my mother — who, to this day, continues to inspire me. She worked tirelessly to ensure that I received the best quality education. However, just beyond the walls of our home in the township, I witnessed the harsh realities faced by my mother and other educators.
“At a nearby school, they were often forced to improvise with limited resources, teach in overcrowded classrooms, and even conduct lessons in corridors or under trees while waiting for a classroom to become available,” she said.
Charmaine said she is using the Miss Universe Zimbabwe platform to advocate for policy enforcement, diaspora reintegration, and sustainable investment in the local education sector.
She applauded initiatives such as Education 5.0 and diaspora engagement programmes at the University of Zimbabwe, urging more Zimbabweans abroad to return home, innovate, and help rebuild the nation.
“These platforms are calling on us, the Zimbabwean diaspora, to come back, take space, innovate, and reform our nation,” she said.
The other finalists include Onesimo Nkomo, Samkele Dhlamini, Chiedza Mhosva, Brenda Kadewe, Rumbidzai Muzopa, Annie Grace Mutambu, Talic Magaiza, and Lyshanda Moyo — a diverse group of women representing various professional fields such as town planning, healthcare, entrepreneurship, fashion, and purchasing management.
Organisers of the pageant have described this year’s finalists as not only talented and beautiful, but also educated and socially aware — a shift that is redefining what it means to be a beauty queen in Zimbabwe.
A pre-show to select the top five finalists will be held tonight in Harare, with the final coronation of Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2025 set for Saturday.
Online Reporter