PAULINE Marere (pictured) is one of the best, if not the best pageant model in the land.She will once again put on her heels to represent Zimbabwe in the annual Miss Culture international beauty pageant, which will be held in Sandton, South Africa.

Miss Culture international is a beauty pageant, which celebrates cultures from across the globe as well as diversity. It is a platform where women raise awareness about issues affecting them in relation to culture. They collectively come up with solutions on issues such as child marriages.

Marere is an award winning and international model,who has modelled both locally and represented Zimbabwe in various international pageants. She is an electrical engineer by profession,an entrepreneur, a modelling coach and a humanitarian. She believes that she was born to serve hence her involvement in various humanitarian projects.

She is the national director of Miss Heritage Zimbabwe, Miss Zimbabwe Grand and Miss Pan African Queen Zimbabwe. Marere strongly believes that we all have toplay a role in society we should therefore be responsible citizens.

The international titles she holds include Miss Pan African Queen, a title she scooped in Nigeria, Miss Africa continent from South Africa, Miss Heritage Global (Africa) from Ghana and World Miss Universities Zimbabwe.

“I decided to take part in this pageant because it gives me a platform to educate people especially children who are as young as grade 1 about the importance of preserving our culture and heritage through my project called Educated to Educate” she says.

“I also believe l will use my voice to advocate for issues that are affecting women all in the name of culture.

“As it stands a significant percentage of women suffer from low self-esteem and mostly it is because of their body shapes or types, another issue being oppressive laws toward women, hence l would love to advocate for such issues.”

Lastly,Marere says this pageant gives her a chance to market the Zimbabwean culture to the rest of the world from the country’s various unique tribes to traditional meals, traditional ceremonies for example Zunderamambo, Mabira and Mukwerere, which is a rain ceremony performed by chiefs to ask for rain from the ancestors and it happens to be her favourite ceremony of them all

No doubt everything in life haschallenges and so does the modelling industry — even a seasoned professional like Marere is not immune to such.

According to her, the modelling industry lacks support from both the corporate world and individuals.She said sourcing for funding a pageant is always a challenge

“I also consider myself blessed to have a family that's very supportive towards my modelling career and they always make sure l’m prepared for every pageant,” the model says.

With the pageant a few months away, Marere is preparing for it.

She said the most fun of the preparations is designing the national costume, which will carry a certain message.

Currently, Marere is working on her project Educated to Educate. It is a project she has been doing since 2018 in various primary schools.

But because of the Covid-19 pandemic, she is now doing it virtually, together with her other projects, which include grooming and etiquette lessons for models in remote areas.

As for her hopes for the future, she is about to retire from the pageantry and wants to establish a modelling school.

“There's nothing that gives me so much joy than seeing fellow models crossing borders to represent Zimbabwe and coming back home with the crown and knowledge to start businesses and foundations that empower other women as well,” she says.

And as for the advice she leaves for models who want to follow in her footsteps, she says: “Every dream is valid and if you work towards it you will surely achieve it. Learn to believe in yourself and avoid negative energy from people.

Always remember that you are capable of becoming anything so do you and remember to put yourself first”.