Gift Moyo, [email protected]
FOLLOWING her crowning as the first Mrs Universe Zimbabwe, Atipa Busuman is preparing to represent the country at the 49th Mrs Universe World Final in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on October 18.
Busuman was crowned on August 15 at the inaugural Mrs Universe Zimbabwe pageant, organised under national director Sibonelo Khupe. The 31-year-old fashion designer, entrepreneur, model and creative now hopes to use the global platform to promote Zimbabwe while championing the empowerment of young women.
Her journey in pageantry began at 17, when she became the face of Miss Zimbabwe Environment and was named Miss Personality in 2012. She later pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design at FEDISA in Cape Town, South Africa, while building an international career that has taken her to platforms including New York Fashion Week, Miami Swim Week, Kenya Fashion Week and
Nairobi Fashion Week.
“I entered pageantry at 17, becoming the face of Miss Zimbabwe Environment and being awarded Miss Personality in 2012. My path then evolved from pageantry into fashion, taking me across African and international creative spaces,” she said.
Raised in a supportive, entrepreneurial family, Busuman said her passion for fashion began with childhood fashion shows in her mother’s closet and styling relatives.
“I grew up in a very big, loving and supportive extended family that encouraged my creativity and allowed me to be different. From hosting little fashion shows in my mother’s closet to styling my family, fashion was always part of my world,” she said.
As Zimbabwe’s first Mrs Universe queen, Busuman said she intends to carry the country’s flag with pride while using her platform to promote the arts, culture and creative industries.
“It is an incredible honour and one that I carry with immense humility. I believe my life experiences, the challenges, resilience, lessons and opportunities have prepared me for this moment,” she said.
Her main advocacy, Threads of Strength, focuses on empowering girls and women through education, practical skills and economic opportunities. The initiative, which began through creative outreach activities for children, is now expanding to sewing, design and entrepreneurship training for young women and mothers in underserved communities.
“I believe addressing the root causes of gender-based violence requires more than awareness; it requires creating opportunities and choices,” Busuman said.
She also hopes to promote women’s health, particularly awareness of conditions such as fibroids and endometriosis, while using her reign to showcase Zimbabwe’s tourism and creative sectors.
“I want the world to see a self-reliant, empowered Zimbabwean and African woman who knows her worth, has made use of the opportunities presented to her and possesses skills she can pass on to the next generation,” she said.
Busuman also wants to present Zimbabwe as a destination for tourism, investment and creative collaboration.
“I want the world to experience Zimbabwe for itself – a country rich in culture, beauty, wildlife, opportunity and potential. Above all, I want to champion the message that Zimbabwe is open for business – open to tourism, investment, creativity and meaningful collaboration.”
Outside pageantry, Busuman is involved in fashion, creative design, entrepreneurship and her family’s interests in petroleum trading, farming and real estate. She describes herself as passionate about family, community and empowering women.
With her departure for Sri Lanka approaching, preparations have focused on refining her runway presentation, stage presence, advocacy and wardrobe. Her national costume and outfits, she said,
will celebrate Zimbabwean heritage and African creativity.
“I don’t think anyone ever feels 100 percent ready for an opportunity of this magnitude, but I can confidently say that I am progressing every day,” she said.
“The support of my Mrs Universe Zimbabwe management team, together with the encouragement of my family and supporters, has been invaluable. They say it takes a village, and I am blessed to have such a committed village around me.”
As she heads to the global stage, Busuman said her ultimate goal is to leave a legacy of empowerment.
“I want to be part of a movement that empowers our youth, strengthens our creative economy and promotes social justice, while helping young women build lives rooted in purpose, dignity and economic independence.”
