Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts, Entertainment Hub
After a 10-year hiatus, Zimbabwe returned to the Miss Grand International stage as Chelsea Mandizha was crowned Zimbabwe’s queen.
The Miss Grand International 13th edition will be held at the MGI Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 18.
Mandizha, a Global Ambassador for the International Disability Organisation, advocates for individuals with disabilities in rural villages and underserved communities.
As a true global citizen, she speaks seven languages, bridging cultures and communities with every word.
In a statement, Mandizha said this mission aligns with the United Nations SDG 10: reduced inequalities, ensuring voices too often silenced are finally heard.
“Alongside this, my work with UN Women champions gender equality and women’s empowerment on a global scale.
“As a businesswoman, recording artiste, model and global ambassador, I’ve learned to embody the 4 B’s — Beauty, Body, Brains and Business — not as titles to chase, but as truths to live.
“My grandmother always said, ‘Chitsva chiri murutsoka’.
“We have waited for this moment. For years, our flag has been absent from the Miss Grand International stage but today, we rise again.
“I carry this crown not for myself, but for all of us. For the little girl who dreams, for the young woman who dares, and for every Zimbabwean who has waited to be seen.
“My promise to you is simple: I will represent our nation with pride, grace and fire. I will show the world not only our beauty but also our resilience, our culture and our voice.
“Together, we will remind the world that Zimbabwe does not stand in the shadows but we shine. Where the world once saw,” she said.
Mandizha studied Psychology, Fashion Retail and Marketing.
Beyond her advocacy, she is also the founder of Chihera Pride, a luxury hair brand and Exclusive Picnics UK, a be-spoke luxury picnic and events company.
She is also an athlete, model and a recording artiste under the stage name Rose Chihera.
Earlier last week Ntombi Gumede and her daughter, Tumi Jiane, were both appointed as national directors for Miss Grand Zimbabwe, marking a new era for the country’s pageantry scene. There has not been any title holders from 2023 to 2024 for Miss Grand Zimbabwe.
Miss Grand Zimbabwe is a local female national beauty pageant founded in 2013 by former Miss Zimbabwe Samantha Tshuma.
The contest’s winners represent the country at the Miss Grand International pageant.
After two consecutive years of scandal, the partnership with Miss Grand International was terminated the following year and the licence was later purchased by Culvin Mavunga in 2016 but no representative was sent that year.
Zimbabwe only participated in the Miss Grand International pageant in 2013 and 2014 one of them, Samantha Tshuma Miss Grand Zimbabwe 2013, was named in the final 20.
Christine Juliane Opiaza of the Philippines will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Online Reporter