NO dream is too big to achieve as long as one sets their mind to it. It appears that one girl, Yollanda Elizabeth Chimbarami, who dared to venture into the modelling industry at the age of 15, has accomplished just that. Years later, her modelling career is thriving having been recently crowned Miss Supranational Zimbabwe succeeding Sakhile Dube, now Miss Universe Zimbabwe. The model has starred in movies and became a shoe designer with her own brand.
NewsDay Weekender Life & Style spoke to Chimbarami who shared her journey through modelling, acting and shoe designing.
Modelling journey
I started modelling in 2014 when I was 15, with my first pageant being Miss Harare Junior. I was fortunate enough to win the crown later that year. I then competed in Miss Zimbabwe, where I made it to the finals and walked on stage at the age of 16. I am grateful for the experience and exposure.
In 2022, I participated in Miss Supranational Zimbabwe and was the runner-up. The same year, I was selected to represent Zimbabwe at the Miss Intercontinental pegeant in Egypt where I made it into the top 20 out of 80 countries. I am really excited that I was recently crowned Miss Supranational Zimbabwe and I will be representing my country in Poland. I am excited to see what Supra has in store for us. Besides that, I am also signed to Swish Model Management, based in Canada.
Acting career
Since high school, I have always loved to participate in the drama club, but I often did not know where to audition. Moving to Canada was a significant step forward for me because it opened up many opportunities. I got to audition for different roles, join various agencies and working with several celebrities.
My breakthrough came when I voiced two characters in the cartoon animation Supa Strikas. This was an amazing experience because I grew up watching the cartoon with my brothers; so being a part of it was a big deal for me.
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I have featured in several movies, some of which are available on Amazon Prime and many others that are broadcast on Canadian TV channels like Windfall, Finally Caught, Stump the Guesser, The Rabbit Hunter and The Day My Job Tried to Kill Me, among others.
Shoe designing
When I was in high school, one of my projects involved designing shoes because I have always had a passion for design. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to bring my sketches to life and started designing shoes under my own brand YC Yollanda. The concept behind the brand is Touchable Pieces, which allows one pair of shoes to be transformed into five different styles, making travel more convenient by reducing the need for extra luggage. I have not yet launched the brand, but I am hoping to do so by the end of the year.
Philanthropy and advocacy
I co-founded Help a Child Save a Nation, a non-profit organisation that provides tuition funding to children every semester with a commitment to empower and uplift others. My advocacy centres around sustainable development goal number four which promotes quality education, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Accolades
I have received accolades in modeling including World Championship of Performing Arts’ Best Swimsuit Model of the Year (2017) and local honours such as Zimbabwe’s Teen Model of the Year the same year, Teen Commercial Model of the Year (2018).
In 2022, I represented Zimbabwe in Egypt at Miss Intercontinental, where I made it to the top 20 out of 80 countries. I am the reigning Miss Supranational Zimbabwe 2024.
Way forward
Now that I am Miss Supranational Zimbabwe, I am preparing to represent the country in Poland. This has kept me busy with preparations for the competition. I am actively pursuing my advocacy promoting quality education. This involves numerous school visits and engaging with young people of various ages. So you can expect to see a lot of activities centred around education in the coming weeks.
