Models are increasingly at risk of exploitation with little protection against being underpaid and sexual harassment. Recently-crowned Miss Gweru Michelle Tugwetu says models were bypassing traditional modelling agencies for fake ones that provide little protection against exploitation.
By Staff Reporter
Tugwetu (20) beat nine other models to win the coveted Miss Gweru crown at a glittering event that was held at Cathedral Hall in Gweru last week on Saturday.
The event was made possible by Image Modelling Agency, which has been running the pageant for the past nine years.
“I would like to encourage future models to register with reputable modelling agencies that do not exploit them,” she told The Standard Style.
“It’s not being a model, one has to be principled, brave, intelligent, assertive and patient. On that note I would like to thank Mavis Koslek for grooming me into the lady that I am today. She is a selfless lady who believes in women empowerment through hard work.”
The model, who is a hairdresser by profession, said she was happy that her parents were supporting her dream.
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“I am so grateful that I have supportive parents. They are encouraging me to keep aiming high in my modelling career. I am happy that I successfully enrolled for a Psychology degree with a local university and I am happy for that,” she said.
Tugwetu said she will lead the fight against child marriages and campaign for girl child education.
“I have already joined hands with organisations that are campaigning for girld child education and ending child marriages. I would like to help Takudzwa [a model who is deaf and dumb] in her quest to empower disabled young women,” she said.
She said she was eyeing the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe crown.
