Sithembiso Mutukura (centre)
Kudzai Mpangi, Sunday Life Reporter
A few weeks back, Sithembiso Mutukura was an ordinary girl living her life away from the limelight. But that changed after the 22-year-old was crowned as the first Miss Albinism at the inaugural “Beauty beyond the skin” pageant held in Harare.
The leggy and beautiful model managed to shrug off stiff competition from 12 contestants at the glamorous event and walked away with $85 and a food hamper.
Mutukura shared her sentiment on her recent achievement not only as a person with albinism but as a model trying to bring a change to the society.
“I feel so honoured and excited at the same time, especially considering that we were the very first group of models with albinism in this humble initiative and through this initiative I’m hoping to change the perspective of how people view us,” Mutukura said.
The newly crowned Miss Albinism said the journey has not been easy given the fact that she’s pursuing her degree in Social work at the University of Zimbabwe and being a model but she has managed to do both well.
“I admit that the journey has not been easy because both roles I have to show seriousness and focus. I had to strike a balance, to allocate sufficient time for study and time for modelling and I’m glad that at the end of the day I managed to do both the things I love,” she said. Mutukura said now that she was crowned Miss Albinism she intends to harness the strength of togetherness by engaging the UZ community and back at home.
“I intend to engage the UZ community and the Marondera community which is where I come from to hold albinism awareness campaigns and possibly radio and TV talk shows on this subject. I am certain that we will reach the whole of Zimbabwe with time as you know big things always start small,” she said.
“I also intend to launch a magazine that will focus largely on displaying, illuminating and retelling the real life stories of people with the condition,” she added.
The Zimbabwe Miss Albinism Pageant director, Brenda Mudzimu said she was happy about the outcome of the event as they have been preparing for it for a long time and to her it’s not just an event but a passion.
“I feel so good, I’m just out of words that was my passion to hold the event so that it can be a way of speaking out as people with albinism and the participants really feel honoured for such an opportunity. I’m just there to teach my young sisters how to stand for themselves,” She said.
Mudzimu said she hopes to take Miss Albinism international since albinism is everywhere and people with albinism face the same challenges worldwide and it’s a way of fighting for people living with the condition.
“The successful event has shown we can do what other people can do, we can even go to work like any other human being. For me to have the Miss Albinism in mind, it’s a way of expressing that we can make it even on an international level,” Mudzimu said.
“My life was so bitter starting from the society surrounded me, employment so I’m sure people are learning through this event,” she added.
Miss Albinism is the second contest in Africa to be held after Kenya and the first to be done in Zimbabwe so as to raise awareness to people with albinism and fighting for their rights.