Vhembe's young girls use beauty to uplift community

Thirteen young women made the final of the Miss Unity Limpopo 2021 beauty pageant and, after extensive assessment by the judges, Kamogelo Mphelo (18) was crowned queen and Zwavhudi Maudu (14) was crowned Miss Unity Limpopo Teen.

The pageant was held at the Khunda Village Lodge and organised by Barcelona Modelling Agency two weeks ago.

Kamogelo, a resident of Matoks along the N1, said that she had not expected to win the crown. “It is thanks to Barcelona Modelling Agency, who trained me thoroughly, that I was able to perform so well,” she said.

Kamogelo is flanked by first princess Fulufhelo Muravha (18) from Elim and second princess Tendani Munyai (17) from Itsani.

Zwavhudi, who hails from Dopeni village, started modelling two years ago when she was in Grade 6. She had previously won some beauty contests at primary school level as she represented her school. “I am excited about winning this prize,” she said. “I spent the next day crying tears of joy. I was pitched against highly talented young and upcoming models, and yet I happened to make it!”

Zwavhudi’s first and second princesses were Praise Netshituni from Elim and Zodwa Manasoe Morati from Sekhukhune District.

Barcelona Modelling Agency’s Godfrey Ndou said that the agency catered for young people in Limpopo and Johannesburg. “Our company wants to uplift the youth through a variety of activities and events, including modelling coaching and hosting modelling pageants,” Ndou said.

Date:23 October 2021

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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