Gweru-based philanthropist Smelly Dube has pledged to pay part of the winner of this year’s Miss Gweru beauty contest Guguluthu Moyo’s university fees.
Dube, who is the River Valley Group chief executive officer, made the pledge at a breakfast meeting with the Miss Gweru Beauty Pageant contestants she hosted at a Midlands restaurant over the weekend.
Speaking at the event, Dube said the girl child needed to be empowered to realise her dreams and not fall prey to any form of exploitation due to vulnerability.
Dube, a former model herself who also used to run a modelling agency in Harare, had time to chat with the models where she urged them to take education seriously as they pursued their modelling careers.
“I will pay the university's first semester fees for the Miss Gweru winner,” Dube said.
She said she will continue supporting the beauty pageant in various forms to allow the girls to realise their dreams.
"You have the potential to grow in the modelling industry and I pledge to continue supporting you,” Dube said.
“As girls you are faced with a lot of challenges, but you should keep looking ahead and not fall for temptations along the way.”
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The entrepreneur implored the models to take their modelling careers seriously and pledged to continue supporting them.
Founder of Gweru-based Image Modelling Agency Mavis Koslek said the models should take advantage of the support from Dube and River Valley Group to accomplish more.
"It is through the support of companies and people such as Dr Dube that modelling remains relevant and can grow,” Koslek said.
“I want to encourage you to take advantage of this support to empower yourselves and achieve greater things in life.”
The breakfast meeting saw several models from the Image Modelling Agency get gifts from Dube.
Dube has become popular due to her philanthropic work across the country.
She is supporting several vulnerable elderly people with monthly grocery hampers as well as paying school fees for thousands of disadvantaged children from the Midlands.
She also buys the pupils school uniforms from time to time.
