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Beauty queen gives back to community

Life & Style
FORMER Miss Universities Zimbabwe and Miss World Universities Continental Queen (Africa) Valerie Gugulethu Chingonzo on Sunday visited Wings of Grace Trust, where she donated foodstuffs, sanitary wear and clothes.

FORMER Miss Universities Zimbabwe and Miss World Universities Continental Queen (Africa) Valerie Gugulethu Chingonzo on Sunday visited Wings of Grace Trust, where she donated foodstuffs, sanitary wear and clothes.

BY CALVIN MAHACHI

Valerie Gugulethu

It was “Christmas-come-early” for the children, as the beauty queen spent the day with children looked after by the trust, teaching them about personal grooming, hygiene, self-esteem and love.

Chingonzo said the donations came after the realisation that it was easy to forget people in need.

“There have been a lot of shortages of basic things in the shops and (currency) rates are going up that sometimes you get caught up with your own issues, forgetting that there are people out there suffering more than you,” she said.

“So I took a step back and, instead of complaining, I tried to extend my hand and took out money to buy something for someone out there.”

Chingonzo said ever since she became the Zimbabwe Universities queen, she had developed a culture of giving back to the community.

“Miss Universities Zimbabwe was all about beauty with brains, and it made me develop a culture of giving back to the community. So, after I formed Valbeauty Image Consultancy, I wanted to do something as Valbeauty, and I’m confident that I will continue to touch lives in different communities,” she said.

Wings of Grace Trust founder Winnet Gwanzura said she was overwhelmed by the gesture.

“I want to thank Valerie for her helping hand,” she said.

The trust’s secretary, Silvia Nyakuengana, also applauded the beauty queen for her help.

“As Wings of Grace, we just want to thank Valerie for her wonderful heart. She keeps remembering that there are other people out there who need a helping hand,” she said.

Chingonzo has done several projects over the past years, and she won the Best Entrepreneur Model award at the Zimbabwe Models Awards in 2017.