Amanda Mlevu, Sunday News Reporter
REIGNING Miss Teen Ecotourism Zimbabwe, Amanda Peresu Moyo believes her mission is to do everything that impacts the country’s environment and tourism positively to improve its marketability as a destination of choice. She also takes pride in various community initiatives that improve the environment by extension the lives of the ordinary people.
Amanda is not only a model. She is a business woman and fashion icon too who is pursuing her education aggressively.
Sunday Life (SL) managed to get an interview with Amanda Moyo (AM) and below are excerpts from the interview.
SN: Can you briefly tell us about yourself.
AM: My name is Amanda Peresu Moyo. I am 20 years old. I was born and bred in Bulawayo where I did my O-levels at St Columba’s High School after which I proceeded to Species College for my A-levels. I am a prospective student at Nust in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. I am a girl in STEM and a child of God who enjoys the arts industry as well. I’m a member of the Eagle Life Assembly and serve in the praise and worship team. I’m all about making a difference while making use of my gifts. I enjoy travelling, dancing, singing, poetry and public speaking. I am a part-time boutique salesperson and brand ambassador of Nella Exclusive Fashion. I am the first child and currently the only girl in my family so I’ve always grown up as a role model.
SN: What are your achievements in the modelling industry so far?
AM: Most people know me as Miss Teen Ecotourism Zimbabwe 2022 that was hosted in Harare, Zimbabwe Miss Teen Ecotourism World 2022/23. I also won Best in Talent and Best Personality hosted in Durban, South Africa.
SN: You have invested in education; how did you end up in modelling?
AM: I’ve always been interested in modelling. I entered my first pageant while I was doing Grade Six at Baines Junior and won the Queen title. In 2021 I took grooming lessons and entered the Miss Teen Ecotourism Zimbabwe pageant and won. I then stood as a finalist for the world pageant representing Zimbabwe in Durban, South Africa. I also won the world crown along with other titles. I love and enjoy helping out in the community, solving problems, public speaking, singing, poetry and lot more and pageantry is a great platform for me to do all of this.
SN: During your reign what have you done in conserving the environment as Miss Teen Ecotourism 2022?
AM: When I started my journey as Miss Ecotourism Zimbabwe 2022, I launched my advocacy nature conservation towards nurturing tourism at a kindergarten school in Bulawayo. So, people might ask why a kindergarten school? If we want to secure the future of our planet, we have to target the young ones because they are the future. They need to understand the importance of taking care of the environment. One thing I love about kids is that they are not afraid to say anything, so if you teach them that throwing out a paper through a window is wrong, they are not afraid to pass on the message and even correct adults when they see them doing something they have learnt.
SN: What is your vision and goal as a role model and an influencer to the youth?
AM: My vision and goal is to promote environmental conservation but I do target other issues that are not related to that. I do solve other problems within the community like there are children living in the streets and I work together with Scripture Union to feed them. After reports where a child died because of the cold, I ran a winter campaign and got a huge donation from a boutique in Bulawayo — Ella Exclusive Fashion that I took and gifted the children.
What touches my heart is that the kids living in the streets are picking up litter such as plastic bottles to sell but at the end of the day they will be cleaning our environment. As Miss Ecotourism World am also running a programme in schools where I am raising awareness on conservation of the environment and inspiring our youth to conserve the environment.