Byo hosts Makaya

MISS Zimbabwe Cathrine Makaya is in Bulawayo where she will spend time doing charity work, connecting with the business community and meeting schoolchildren.

MISS Zimbabwe Cathrine Makaya is in Bulawayo where she will spend time doing charity work, connecting with the business community and meeting schoolchildren. NONHLANHLA SIBANDA OWN CORRESPONDENT

The 19-year–old beauty arrived in the city on Sunday and the following day she was at Deloitte House in the city centre where she met businesspeople and journalists.

Makaya was crowned after an emotional rerun of the national beauty pageant on August 5 following the withdrawal of the original winner of the Miss Zimbabwe pageant Thabiso Phiri for unknown reasons.

On Monday, she introduced herself to her Bulawayo fans and spoke passionately about her reign.

“I am smart and I am here to make your brand equally as smart,” she said.

“I am a brand that’s worth investing in. My legacy is specific, measurable, accurate, reliable and time bound. My legacy does not sleep because success does not and my brand will not die until failure does.”

The beauty queen spoke about the Cathrine Makaya Foundation established after she was crowned and supported by the Nyamutombwa and Mugabe law firm.

“The Cathrine Makaya Foundation was started this year out of my love and passion for sport and advocacy work. I have been doing charity work since my term as junior mayor of Marondera in 2012,” she said.

“After being awarded a scholarship to study law at the University of Johannesburg, I decided to fulfil some of my dreams under a trust of influential leaders that I have appointed.

“These are Barry Manandi, Bernadette Makaya, Tafadzwa Mugabe, Leroy Sibanda, Samuel Kajese and Yvonne Chiwara.”

Makaya yesterday visited Hamilton High School where she gave a motivational talk and conducted leadership training.

Today she will visit Precious Life Foundation in Worringham. The foundation started in 2007 in response to the increase in cases of baby dumping in and around Bulawayo.

The model will donate clothes and has designed a mentorship programme for the young mothers.

“I want to support them as fellow women and stand with them,” she said.

The model will round up her trip on Wednesday night. She will be the guest speaker at the Cillas Conference Centre at an event organised by the Rotaract Club of Bulawayo.

Makaya, who plays basketball and volleyball, is also a art expressionist.

She said she had a strict programme each week that includes charity work, dance lessons, beauty therapy and meetings with people that have been on global stages.

Makaya is preparing for the Miss World pageant at the ExCel Centre in London, United Kingdom, on December 14.