A 20-year-old Beit Bridge model, Vanessa Dambanyika Mbedzi, is the pride of her community, after she was crowned Miss Zimbabwe-USA 2012 during a recent pageant held in New York. She is a business student at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States.

The humble and soft-spoken beauty queen outclassed seven other contestants. Alinane Chitseko was crowned first princess and the second princess is Thandekile-Melissa Rhoades, who also won the Miss Photogenic-title.

“I feel so proud of myself for achieving one of my goals, and I'm motivated to do greater things. Zimbabwe is one of the more popular countries in Africa, which is blessed with immense natural beauty. It is a country that raised me and I am proud to represent my town and the country as Miss Zimbabwe USA 2012," she said.

She added that her dream was to make a positive change in children's lives. "I will take advantage of this title by giving back to the less fortunate, assist with education for children in Zimbabwe, children with HIV/AIDS and those suffering from poverty. I believe that every child deserves to be educated in order to have a better future,” she said.

Vanessa is currently working with the Munhu Organisation, a local NGO that helps orphans with HIV/AIDS around Zimbabwe. “I feel that being a part of that would be a great experience for me to help make a difference in my generation. During the year of my reign, I want to work with as many organisations as I can to make a difference, not only to children but also the youth in Zimbabwe. I will raise the Zimbabwean flag higher because I am proud to represent this beautiful nation.”

She has also just donated several blankets and beds to Khayalethemba Orphanage in Beit Bridge. Vanessa also intends to fund the construction of another home for orphaned children in Beit Bridge.

She says she was inspired by her mother, Mrs Mavis Mbedzi, a Beit Bridge-based businesswoman. “My mum is my role model. In fact, she is a woman of modesty, morals and honesty. She is generous withher time, puts others before herself, is hardworking and has great faith in me. She taught me to be stronger and to set my goals higher and I am where I am because of her."

She mentioned that it had always been her dream to become a model, but at this stage she is still focusing on getting her degree in business management. "After I have obtained my degree, I will possibly do modelling on a full-time basis,” she added.

Vanessa enjoys cooking, spending time with her family and friends, listening to music and socialising. She attended Portland Primary School in Colleen Bawn outside Beit Bridge and Victoria High in Masvingo. Born on 17 September 1991 in Beit Bridge, Vanessa is the first-born in a family of four children, comprising three girls and a boy.