SHE has cut a niche on the global catwalk platform. She is making it big far away from home where her fairy journey started.  But she has not forgotten the ladders that she used to climb to fame. Based in Canada, Happy Jacqueline Umurerwa wants to build the same ladder for other Rwandan girls back home to follow in her footsteps of modeling. 

The catwalk queen has established a modeling agency back home in Kigali to groom raw talent in modeling.

Umurerwa’s modeling agency under the name Show Time Models is a new lease of life for Rwanda’s fashion industry. The agency  is located at Buddies Rwanda office in Kimironko.

"My objective is to expose and push Rwandan girls and fashion industry to the international level using my contacts,” Umurerwa reveals. 

The 25-year-old model has worked with South Sudanese British model Alek Wek, and Yasmin Abshir Warsame, a Canadian model and activist of Somali origin, among other international models. She has also graced the covers of many fashion magazines including ELLE and True Love Magazine.

"I want to be a role model to my fellow Rwandan women who are less fortunate and to help young girls achieve their dream of modeling,” Umurerwa explains. 

Show Time Models will operate in partnership with Davis Ngenza’s Show Time Events.