First time model scoops the Miss Mayfair title

SHOULDERS back and her head held high, she walks into the Herald offices on a Monday afternoon. She’s spent about 7 hours at school but still looks fresh as though its in the morning.

A polite smile and the dazzling dress in which she took home the crown she now wears proudly on her head. It’s this years Miss Mayfair, Amanda Nsibande.

This 17 year-old, who had never modelled before, said that she took part in this year’s Miss Mayfair to break out of her shell.

“ I have always wanted to model but never felt confident enough but a lot of my friends and family members believed in me and encouraged me to enter,” she said with a smile.

Amanda said that although she originally fell in love with modelling when she was in Grade four, she just couldn’t bring herself to entering competitions due to her, then, very low self-esteem.

“When I walked onto that stage, I just put aside the idea of winning and wanted to reach out to young women like me out there who may have looked down upon themselves at some stage. I wanted to give them courage to go after their dreams. You are enough, do not let anyone tell you otherwise,” she said.

Amanda said that she also wanted to encourage young women to be comfortable in their own skin.

“There are so many talks about skin bleaching and debates about whether dark skin is better than light skin and so forth. I wanted to convey the message that we are all beautiful in our different shades,” she said.

She said that her most memorable part of the competition was seeing the proud look on her mother’s face when she was announced Miss Mayfair 2017.

Currently in Grade 10, Amanda is still trying to decide what she would like to do when she finishes school.

She has her heart set on the business industry and although she isn’t quite sure what type of business she would like to go into, she says that she would like to start something that will help create job opportunities for the people around her.