adminAuxilia Katongomara Saturday Leisure Correspondent
GROWING up in the dusty streets of Makokoba, Loreta Sibanda’s dream was to one day walk the ramp and win a crown that would change her life forever. After all she had seen it on television, when city girls, Oslie Muringai-Matsikenyeri and Lorraine Maphala, among others had been crowned Miss Zimbabwe.
So when the chance presented itself, despite disapproval from her family, especially her mother who had seen an executive secretary in her only daughter, Loreta quickly took the offer to enter one of the several pageants that have sprouted in the city.
The boot camp was in itself a daunting experience, from lack of proper attire, poor feeding regime to outright and explicit outpouring of sexual advances from older men.
But, for someone who had set herself a dream at age 11, she soldiered on and won the crown.
Little did she know that she was to wait a good six months to get her prizes and today she waits wondering if ever they will ever come.
This is one of many sad tales models in Zimbabwe have to tell.
Like Loreta, many models were inspired by the glitz and glamour of yesteryear models. The wish to be signed by some of the biggest clothing labels in the world, or probably be on the cover of one of the glamorous magazines of the world motivated them.
Despite the glut of pageants, there is always a sad story for models that are often exploited by organisers and fail to stand up for themselves and lodge complaints.
While some are genuine they are all painted by the same brush due to the influx of bogus people purporting to be modelling instructors and agents.
Pageants have also been used for awareness on a number of important issues with good examples being Miss Environment, Miss Heritage and Miss Earth.
It is good though to conscientise society about important issues through pageants, but are the models benefiting from it?
Is there a future for them after all the glitz and glamour?
Who regulates and issues licences in the industry? The fly-by night organisers who host pageants and disappear have dampened the spirit of many aspiring models and even sponsors.
A clear sign of the demise of the modelling sector is the nightmarish experiences by reigning Miss Zimbabwe, Bongani Dhlakama, who had to fork out money from her pocket to fund her trip to the Miss World.
There is a long list of winners who have waited in vain to get their prizes from organisers.
Since it appears that there is no regulatory body that deals with modelling, models have simply fallen prey to these unscrupulous organisers.
There are numerous directionless pageants that have cropped up and failed to run for more than two editions.
Some pageant organisers ask for registration fee, boot camp fee, among other requirements, even though sponsors would have funded the event.
Despite paying the registration and boot camp fees, the girls often go through a nightmarish experience, as they are sometimes made to prepare their own meals and scarce food is availed to them.
Saturday Leisure talked to some players in the industry to hear their views on the goings-on in their sector.
Former model and Miss Zimbabwe chairperson, Mary Mubaiwa-Chiwenga said she was not aware of any licensing body in the country.
“There was once a board, but I am not sure if it’s still functional, but I have not heard of any in recent years,” said Mubaiwa- Chiwenga.
Veteran modelling instructor Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda also professed ignorance and was quick to admit that indeed the profession was slowly going to the dogs.
“It’s important to have a modelling industry in the country and we are already working on something with other licence holders. The profession has been negatively affected by selfish people who are short-changing the models, but we are trying to curb that by creating a strong association,” said Mpofu-Sibanda who has been in the industry for over two decades.
She also blamed the models for falling prey to dubious agencies.
“It’s up to the models to wake up and smell the coffee and see that these are bogus agencies. They make themselves vulnerable by associating with unprofessional agencies who leave them crying at the end of the day,” she said.
She said back in the day there was the Modelling Industry Association of Zimbabwe, (MIAZ).
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) director Elvas Mari acknowledged that there was no regulatory body or association for the modelling industry.
“Right now I am not aware of any body that regulates the industry but there have been several attempts to create an association but they have all been in vain. We are not empowered to force artistes to form associations but there are several people who have approached us mooting an association for the modelling industry,” said Mari.
He said only a few modelling agencies registered as promoters.
Mari said it was their wish to see the industry creating a legal framework which protects the young girls from exploitation.
“We are equally concerned about this industry because there are a number of briefcase business people who take pageants as a money-making business exploiting innocent girls in the process and get away with it and this affects the future of children,” said Mari.
The lack of vision and direction in the industry could be the reason why some sponsors are shunning some of the big pageants in the country.
Mpofu-Sibanda said the success of the industry is only possible if there is a clean-up.
The cheating and alleged abuse of girls in the modelling industry has led to some parents denying their children the privilege to walk on the ramp.
Online Reporter