Following a successful run of Miss Curvy, Zim Gossip modeling agency is set to host top models from all over Africa in the inaugural Diamond Queen of Africa pageant.
REPORT BY ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
The pageant which will run in August at Rainbow Tours Hotel will host countries such as South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, Senegal and Malawi among others.
Event organiser Mercy Mushaninga said the event will run with the proceeds going to charity.
“As Zim Gossip we are proud to make this a charity event. I do not think there is a point of being beautiful without making good use of it, so we plan to plough back into our African community,” she said.
The event will run annually to be hosted by the wining country of the previous year’s pageant.
Models are to be selected from size 12, going back to Zim Gossip’s traditional curvy pageants.
“Our models will be curvy women from across the continent. We are trying to promote and appreciate beauty going away from the typical slim models the world is used to,” she said.
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Models will fly in from their countries to be hosted by their embassies in some parts of the competition.
Part of their camp will include a cooking competition for traditional meals which will be overseen by the current Miss Carnival, Dananai Chipunza.
“We will have them cook traditional meals which will be judged by someone familiar with African cuisine,” she said.
Meanwhile to ensure the contestants are healthy they will go through a fitness programme, which will include drinking a jumpstart healthy juice.
“Despite popular belief that curvaceous women are not healthy, if their fat is natural they are just as healthy as slim people.
“So while our models are in camp we will make sure they go through our one week fitness programme, that will not necessarily shed off their weight but cut off the artificial fat,” said Sharon Andrew who is in charge of fitness.
Mushaninga said the Diamond Queen of Africa pageant is not a substitute for Zim Gossip’s traditional Miss Curvey.
“We will still hold Miss Curvy and the winner will represent Zimbabwe in the Diamond Queen of Africa. The pageant will be held annually to be hosted by the winning country,” she said.
Current holder of the Miss Curvy pageant will represent the country at Miss Diamond Queen of Africa.
Mushaninga said a number of countries have already started confirming their participation at the inaugural continental showdown.
Delta Beverages through their Redds brand are the major sponsors of the event, while the agency is still calling on the corporate world for partnership.
