With the first prize of a car, US$1 000 and a trip to the USA, the Miss Teen Zimbabwe pageant is the richest ramp beauty contest for teenagers that has ever been held in the country. The Harare finals for the event take place tomorrow (21 May) at the 7 Arts Theatre in Harare.
The Zimbo Jam visited one of the training sessions for the pageant this week and met the 17 excited finalists. Tensions are building up as the group of young ladies count down the days to Miss Teen Harare and prepare to take it to the ramp.
The 17 girls who were chosen at the casting of Miss Teen Harare on the 24th of April at the Monomotapa Crowne Plaza Hotel will on Friday strut their stuff and stand a chance to be in the running for the Miss Teen Zimbabwe title.
Left:
Sandra Chawabvunza
Miss Teen Zimbabwe is being brought to Zimbabwe for the very first time courtesy of City Angels and will include girls from all over the country.
According to one of the patrons, Sandra Chawabvunza, the national winner stands to win USD$1 000, a Nissan March and will also represent Zimbabwe, in an all expenses paid trip, at the Miss Teen World in Texas, USA from August 9-14 2010.
The Harare finalists are currently being mentored and groomed by former top model and business woman, Kiri Davies who is also the choreographer for both Miss Teen Harare and Miss Teen Zimbabwe. Kiri did well as a photography model and was the cover girl for a number of magazines. She also did TV commercials and is currently a model coach. She has kept her interest in the beauty industry and currently runs a beauty parlour, gym and modelling agency, Unique Model Agency.
She has given the Miss Teen Harare finalists a crash course on confidence building.
Right:
Kiri Davies.
“I am doing choreography for both Miss Teen Harare and Miss Teen Zimbabwe and will also mentor the winner during her reign” she said. She will also be one of the judges at Miss Teen Harare.
Among the finalists is MNET Face of Africa 2010 finalist Rosanna Hall. This sets the bar really high for the other contestants.
Miss Teen Gokwe, Jane Muchenje, has already been crowned and towns and cities that are left are, Harare (21 May) and Chitungwiza (22 May), Mutare and Nyanga. Gweru is yet to be confirmed.
The Miss Teen World pageant was first held in 1958. Last year it was won by Tayla Robinson of South Africa. Miss Teen Honduras Melba Doblado and Miss Teen Canada Siera Bearchell were first and second princesses respectively.
The Zimbabwe finals for this year will be held on June 26. The top three girls from each town will meet in Harare a week before the finals and spend that time in camp, where they will receive further training and grooming.
