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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent

Young Bulawayo entrepreneurs Natasha Dlamini, Nothabo Ncube and Victoria Maphosa made the Zimbabwean colours glow through well-polished presentations on the ramp at the recently held Miss Career Africa that was held in Kigali, Rwanda.

Miss Career Africa is an organisation which has a 30-year-plan of empowering young motivated women to become entrepreneurs and professionals by supporting their projects which are supposed to benefit communities.

The pageant which does not focus on one’s beauty gives an opportunity to young up-and-coming female entrepreneurs to table their ideas for funding.

At the pageant, Dlamini was named Miss Career Africa 2020 where she outshone competition from 20 contestants drawn from around the continent. Ncube was crowned Miss Career Southern Africa 2020.

Other winners as per region were Eze Ifunanya Nneamaka of Nigeria (Miss Career-West Africa 2020), Mabula Manganze Grace of DRC (Miss Career-Central Africa 2020), Seraphone Akoth Okeyo of Kenya (Miss Career-East Africa 2020), Oluwadamilola Akintewe of Nigeria (Miss Speaker 2020), Iranyuze Atosha Genevieve of Rwanda (Miss Art and Talent 2020), Irankunda Gisele Mignone of Rwanda (Miss Career-Agriculture 2020), Izere Delica of Burundi (Miss STEM 2020), Ineza Nice Cailie of Burundi (Miss Career-Conservation 2020) and Maloka Prudence Mohlago of South Africa who was named Miss Career- Hospitality 2020.

Commenting on her win, Ncube, a 21-year-old who recently completed her Veterinary Nursing studies at the University of Zimbabwe said she was elated. She said her aim was to achieve her goals through her presentation of the fish farming project.

“I’m here to leave a mark that’ll inspire young women who have so much potential, but are afraid to come out of that shell. I believe that each and every single individual is the CEO of their life hence they have the power to determine what dream to achieve. My win is evidence of such,” said Ncube.

Dlamini who is an actress, voice over artist and UNHCR advocate said her win was driven by the need to stand up for the previously marginalised groups with her project dubbed “Silencing the Gun” being focusing on refugees.

“I first fell in love with telling stories when I received my first curtain call in Kenya. Since then, I’ve appeared in the likes of Diamond City (SABC 1) and Queen Sono (Netflix). Most importantly, I advocate for change and this has seen me shift the narrative around what it means to be a young woman of colour in a big world. My focus has always been to lift the lid of invincibility and to stand for the most vulnerable and marginalised,” said Dlamini. – @mthabisi_mthire.