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(NYASATIMES) MCA student crowned Malawi News Model 2011

MCA student crowned Malawi News Model 2011
By Nyasa Times
Published: April 9, 2011

Gladys Kumbatira is the new Malawi News Model of the Year. She was announced winner after beating thirteen other girls at a highly contested event at Mount Soche Hotel in the commercial city Blantyre on Friday night.

The 19-year-old Ndirande-based Gladys, who is in Theo Thomson’s music video ‘Kutentha’ and Maskal’s ‘Wa CV’, is a Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA) student; she is doing her diploma in PAEC.

A panel of three judges, headed by MultiChoice Malawi’s Chimwemwe Nyirenda settled for Lorato Angelina Chalimba, 20, and Dorothy Kamoto, 19, as First and Second Princess, respectively.

The girls paraded in executive, traditional and evening wear before the judges Nyirenda, Stella Hara and Rachael Mijiga, as well as the cheerful audience in the colorful Njamba room, outclassing each other’s style to claim the crown from the outgoing model of the year 2009, Tina Kendricks.

As winner, among other prizes, Gladys walked away with a total of K150,000 coming from Malawi Savings Bank and PACT College, who also gave her a one-year college scholarship in any course of her choice.

Lorato, the First Princess, who was also selected by fellow contestants as Miss Personality, carted home K70,000 and K10,000 from PACT. And as Second Princess, Dorothy received K50,000 from PACT.

The newly crowned Malawi News Model of the Year 2010 will also get K150,000 from the event organizers, Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL), which will be channeled to charity.

“This is not her personal money. We should all get it clear here that the winner will use this money for any of her charity work,” announced Radio 2 FM’s Ephraim Nyirenda, who co-hosted the ceremony alongside Capital FM’s Tamanda Mbendera.

In an interview with Nyasa Times soon after winning the crown, the tall-slender model said: “Though I can’t believe it [that I have won], I feel so good and honoured. It was a stiff competition and it wasn’t easy for me.”

Gladys said she would use her title and the funds from BNL to work with people with “special cases”, singling out the eastern lakeshore district of Mangochi, saying there are a lot of girls that don’t go to school due to poverty and teenage pregnancies.

“They need role models for motivation and this title will take me there as a role model. I want to reach out to my fellow young girls,” she said.

And concurring with the young model, guest of honour Martha Kwataine, Executive Director of Malawi Healthy Equity Network (MHEN), who spoke earlier on, said there was need to support initiatives that empower young girls such as the modeling competition by BNL.

“My appeal to the private sector is that we should all come together and support such initiatives. There are a lot of young girls in the villages that need to be empowered and exposed,” said Kwataine.

Saying “we need young girls in activism”, Kwataine observed modeling was “not just beauty, there is more you can do in the communities. We need young women that can stand for the truth without fear.”

She advised the contesting models and others, as she looked at the reigning Miss Malawi Faith Chibale, who also graced the function “not be associated with gossip and loose behavior.”

“Respect the needs and rights of others,” she said while on the other hand pointing out that “to become a great woman, young girls must be prepared to face challenges.”

BNL, publishers of the Daily Times, Weekend Times, Malawi News and the Sunday Times newspapers introduced the modeling competition in 2006 as one way of giving Malawian girls the opportunity to launch their modeling careers.

This year, the event was sponsored by PACT, Malawi Savings Bank, Mapeto DWHS, Unilever and Gold Card Executive Lodge, among others.—(Repoting by Kimpho Loka, Nyasa Times)

Labels: MISS ELECTIONS

posted by MrK @ 3:46 PM