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Faith Mbuse

Leroy Dzenga Features Writer
When Faith Mbuse (31) registered with the Zimbabwe Open University, she saw it as an opportunity to rekindle the pursuit of her life-long dream of modelling.

The third year Human Resources student entered the Miss ZOU national contest as a way of revisiting her adolescent and early adulthood passion.

As if fate was repaying her persistence, she was crowned the Miss ZOU National at a colourful ceremony held in Bulawayo late last year.

The Herald caught up with the reigning queen for an interview, where she opened up on the stereotypes in the modelling industry, adult education and an array of issues.

Born and raised in Glen Norah, the 31-year-old model said she had a humble but comfortable upbringing.

“I attended Zuvarabuda Primary for my primary school education. I then went to Mount Pleasant High to do my Ordinary Levels, then I progressed to National Education College to do my Advanced Level,” she said.

It was at the National Education College that she had her first real crack at modelling.

“In 2004, when I was doing my A-Level at NEC, I took part in the Miss NEC competition and I became second princess,” she said.

This motivated her and gave her a reason to take her passion a step higher.

“I then joined Tendai Westerhoff’s Glamour Modelling Agency. That is where I got to understand what the world of professional modelling is like,” Mbuse said.

Joining the agency opened up opportunities for her.

“We used to do a lot of fashion shows at the time I was at Glamour Agency. I remember taking part in the Zimbabwe Culture Week. It was a memorable experience and one of the best moments of my career. Everything was a notch higher than we were used to and it was amazing,” said Mbuse.

Her academic progress meant that she could not make time for modelling and had to shelve her modelling for quite a while.

She relocated to the resort town of Victoria Falls to fulfil work commitments.

The loud calling saw her returning to the fray in 2009, when she participated at the Miss Victoria Falls contest although she was no longer eligible to win.

“When I entered the Miss Vic Falls competition I was already 24. The cut off age was 23 so I was over-age. I knew this as I entered but I was not vying for the crown. It was the feeling of walking down the ramp,” she said with a smile.

Speaking on her current reign, Mbuse says she is working on ideas that will prop up hers and ZOU’s image.

“Since I won the crown in August 2016, the reign has been good. I know that a lot is expected, people are anticipating the changes I am going to bring to ZOU and its students,” she said.

She added: “I intend to carry out clean up campaigns in all the 10 ZOU regions in the country. I feel our premises need to remain well-kept to fit the stature of the institution.”

Her time far from the capital has opened her eyes to realities being faced by women in communities.

“I have already started working on a project called Help Me Pad a Girl. The main focus is on the girl child in rural areas. We are mobilising resources for girls to have sanitary wear because the other alternatives they are using are not suitable,” she said.

Mbuse intends to use her influence as Miss ZOU National to bring benefactors and corporates on board.

“True, we will need sponsors at some point who will assist us to make the project bigger. We are also working on bringing students on board and the institution. I am sure we will make positive changes,” she said.

Her vision may be large but she is willing to start small for the sake of feasibility.

“I can start from Matabeleland North where I am based. I have been in communities where some grown up women have never used a sanitary pad and those are the areas we are starting with,” said Mbuse.

She said she was finalising a programme where she will be moving around schools in the country offering career guidance to students, a move she feels will prop up her college`s profile.

“A lot of high school pupils do not know that you can go to university and work at the same time. Some think that spending years focusing on one thing is the best way about it.

Soon we are going to raise awareness on the availability of other learning options,” she added.

When she is far from organising things at her university, Mbuse works with the Zimbabwe National Parks as a customer care and public relations consultant in their Matabeleland North region.

She says she can juggle the demanding roles easily.

“I have six to eight days off in a month and this is where I take care of my duties as Miss ZOU national. Sometimes I conduct the business electronically. I am glad that the world has progressed and one does not necessarily have to travel all the time to get something done,” said Mbuse, describing how she handles juggles her roles.

Her academic edge has also remained intact besides the hectic state of her life as a working professional, a student and Miss ZOU national.

“The last semester which was my third year first semester, I passed all the four modules that I sat for. I have not had any challenges academically,” she said.

Mbuse has met a fair share of challenges in her modelling career, some stemming from the respect that is afforded to beauty queens.

“The fact that I work and learn in Matabeleland North has made it difficult for me to get support from the other nine ZOU regions. They were used to having winners from places like Harare and Bulawayo,” she said.

She also believes there should be something to show for holding such a coveted title from one of the leading learning institutions in the country.

“Up to now, I have not yet received any prize since I was crowned as Miss ZOU. I expected that the institution would extend a gesture of honour. That would make it feel like it`s not just a title. This comes with responsibilities,” said Mbuse.

Time and again models are accused of getting undue favours through their beauty which confuses judges, especially those of the opposite sex.

Mbuse said that is not a true reflection of the modelling industry, describing it as unfortunate stereotyping.

“I believe that a model is just like any other person. It takes hard work for one to reach greater heights and I believe the case is the same in every industry,” she said.

She added: “In this day and age, it is not only about beauty but beauty and brains. It takes more than physical body appeal to make it in the modelling industry. One needs to be mentally sound as well.”

Mbuse has plans beyond her reign. She intends to open a modelling agency to groom raw modelling talent from an early age in the near future. An understandable plan for someone who has been on and off the runway since the age of 17.

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