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Participants at the Miss Mabvuku-Tafara beauty pageant

Cyril Mushambi
There is a lot of beauty that comes from other townships however poor. But there was an ugly face of Mabvuku-Tafara. One would think it was the Biblical place which they said would be Babylon; a haunt of every foul spirit.

But that was the image the organisers of the Miss Mabvuku-Tafara pageant wanted to challenge when they held their event under the theme ‘Tozviitawo’— we can also do it on December 22. Armed to the teeth with tenacity, they wanted to prove that they too could have good things coming out of their home and show that it is anything but a hell-hole. And they did not disappoint!

Organised by Pembera events, the show managed to change the face of the twin suburbs. The pageant was a campaign against the image which is mostly drawn for Mabvuku-Tafara youths, who are mostly portrayed as hooligans and as drug abusers and also the girls there as sex enthusiasts and think of nothing else but selling their bodies.

“Tozviitawo” theme was chosen by the Pembera events leader Kudakwashe Manyore, to mean that youths in Mabvuku-Tafara can also do well as other youths around the country and have potential to do great in their community, and country wide. We wanted to show the rest of the nation that good can also come out of our suburb and we have a beautiful face to our society and not what the myths perpetuate,” he said.

A competition of 15 beautiful Mabvuku-Tafara saw Rhoda Dapi being crowned the Queen also known as Miss Mabvuku-Tafara and she believes with this crowning she can change the Mabvuku-Tafara community. Said Queen Rhoda after the crowing; “I want to start projects that will help to uplift the talent in my community and also I wish to help the less privileged kids in my community by starting an organisation that will cater for their school fees needs so that we have a well-educated community”.

The second princess from the competition, Tinotenda Adelaide Chiutsi, also believes she can influence the society to yield best. “I will run drug awareness campaigns and also provide educative programmes in the community to help the majority in understanding what is meant by prioritising the girl child and being the salt of the society and the community with the help of my fellow royals Rhoda and Samantha (the first princess)” said Tinotenda.

The three winners believe the opportunity they got to win the modelling show gives them the opportunity to do great for the society. Pembera events believes this can be an annual event and can also do a lot to open opportunities for the Mabvuku-Tafara youths so that they find something to occupy themselves with than to spend their precious time on drugs and sex but do productive things. The event was graced by artistes and entertainers Ba Shupi, Elliot and TNG (Team Nyama Gang; who sang the modelling show anthem) among others.