VETERAN model and former Miss Zimbabwe, Sipho Mazibuko has announced casting for this year’s Miss Rural Tourism and Mr Rural Tourism Zimbabwe pageants.

Mazibuko, who emerged from rural Matabeleland, has decided to retrace her footsteps back from where in all started by helping rural aspiring models to catwalk their way to the grand ramp.

Through the Miss Rural Tourism and Mr Rural Tourism Zimbabwe 2023 pageants Mental Voices Trust hopes to ensure models advocate for mental health in rural areas among other things.

The pageants were rebranded from Miss Rural Zimbabwe and Mr Rural Zimbabwe to Miss Rural Tourism Zimbabwe and Mr Rural Tourism Zimbabwe after the organisers of the pageants partnered the Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality ministry.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Mazibuko said the casting for 2023 pageants is open to girls and boys from the country’s 10 provinces.

“We are searching for models from 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. This is a deep search from village level, ward level, district level, provincial level and national levels.”

Mazibuko grew up dividing her childhood life between the urban and rural area and is overwhelmed by the urge to see other young rural girls and boys with potential realise their dreams through the Miss Rural and Mr Rural pageants.

“I was inspired to start this pageant because I grew up in rural areas. When I became exposed to modelling I told myself that one day when I grow up I will do something for my counterparts in rural areas.

“Rural girls and boys don’t get the same opportunity to life as those children who grow up in the urban areas. They are left out in almost everything because they can’t speak English and wear makeup,” she said.

Mazibuko further explained: “For this pageant to be any use to them I have to provide everything that they need. I was once Miss Bulawayo and Miss Zimbabwe and I understand the hustle of trying to find materials for the pageant which usually leaves others seeking for sugar daddies.

“The models we are looking for should be strictly from rural areas and not a growth point because those are semi urban areas. We want someone who goes kumunda (fields), knows the Zimbabwean culture and the like. We had a problem in the last pageant because our licence holder did not do due diligence and we ended up crowing someone who was Kariba town.”

To ensure that the pageant meets the set standards, Mazibuko said they were working with the Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Tourism ministry, as well as the Ministry of Health.

“I approached the deputy Minister of Health and, fortunately, he agreed to work with the Mental Voices Trust to take the message to rural communities,” she added.

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