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Miss Deaf Zimbabwe Kudakwashe Mapeture

Mercy Bofu Arts Correspondent
Reigning Miss Deaf Zimbabwe Kuda-kwashe Mapeture, who represented Zimbabwe at the Miss and Mr Deaf World Pageant that took place in the Czech Republic capital, Prague on July 13, managed to raise the Zimbabwean flag high. The Norton-based model did not win the coveted title, but managed to make it to the top 10 finalists. Mapeture (21) was born with a speech and hearing impairment.

The annual event saw 41 contestants drawn from across the world and six African countries represented by hearing-impaired beauty queens.
Mapeture said even though she didn’t make it in the top five she was elated and still regards herself as a winner.

“Having many countries there, I couldn’t believe it when I was selected in the top 10 finals and with this pageant it’s not all about being a winner, but it’s also a journey towards achieving one’s dreams and aspirations,” said Mapeture.

Mapeture also said she has now learnt to take her condition as a “blessing from God” and urged other speech and hearing impaired people to be proud of themselves and not to look down upon themselves.

“It doesn’t matter that you are deaf or dumb, come out and showcase your talent as deaf youth, come let’s unite together and support each other in this pageant,” said Mapeture. The model was accompanied by Madeline Yohane, the organiser for the Miss and Mr Deaf Zimbabwe.

Yohane, who described the event as well organised, said she was impressed as Matepure managed to get into the finals and lifted the Zimbabwean flag high.

Yohane said she invests her time and passion with deaf people because of her love for deaf people.
“When the community thinks about beauty they choose to associate it with able-bodied individuals who have what it takes to stand in the crowd, but everyone has a unique form of beauty regardless of their physical capabilities,” said Yohane.

In the same event, Yohane was registered and given a certificate for being the organiser for the Miss and Mr Deaf World in Zimbabwe from 2013 to 2020 signed by Mr Josef Uhlir, who is the organiser and president of the Miss and Mr Deaf World and Miss and Mr Deaf Europe.  This means she can now officially send annually elected Miss and Mr Deaf World to the annual event.

Yohane said she was humbled by such an honour and said for the first time they were going to organise Mr Deaf which will be held at the same time with Miss Deaf Zimbabwe sometime this year.

The theme for the pageant is “Fearfully and wonderfully made” taken from the Psalm 139 vs 14.