To succeed in life, one must start somewhere. This is a saying that rings a bell in Franco Kabano’s head, one of Rwanda’s most popular male models.

 Born in Tanzania to a Rwandan father and a Tanzanian mother, Kabano’s journey to become a model was conceived at Nyamata High School where he was a student.

"I was passionate about becoming a model one day, but I didn’t have enough confidence to take it on as a career. I felt that there were other requirements I didn’t possess despite being tall and good looking, but my fellow students encouraged me,” says the 28-year old model.

After high school in 2005, Kabano went back to Tanzania where worked with different small agencies as a runway model and it was after he felt that he had gained enough experience that he packed his bag and headed back to Rwanda in 2007 where he was signed by big fashion houses like Kigali Fashion Week.

He has worked with many of the country’s leading fashion labels including Rwanda Fashion Festival, as a costume designer in 2010, Rwanda Cultural Fashion, as a model and in 2013 he was voted as the Fashion King of the Week during the Kigali Up style fashion week.

Though he had passion for fashion from a young age, Kabano believes his mixed cultural background and humble beginning have also contributed in preparing him for the challenges in the modeling industry.

"My mother being a Tanzanian and my father a Rwandan, working as fashion model in both countries has been fulfilling, it has helped me to have a taste of the glamorous world of fashion in each country,” he says

He says that being a male fashion model is not an easy task and requires hard work adding that culturally, most people frown at the profession.

"Finding your way through the modeling industry as a man is a bit easier than it is for women, but when you are in there, you have to pass through various stages, like doing makeup and putting on skin tight outfit which most people associate with being gay,” he says.

Kabano admits that the modeling industry has grown as compared to the past years when they would work and be rewarded with transport fare only. He says that though models are now earning a living from their trade, there are still some challenges that are hindering the industry. 

"There are numerous agents outside there, and not all adhere to honesty or pay on time and this is very discouraging to us who are already working or those who aspire to join the industry,” he noted.

Despite the challenges in the field, Kabano is optimistic that the budding modeling industry will help create job opportunities for the youth.