Preparations are on for the first ever Miss and Mr Elegance beauty pageant in Kigali. 

The casting session for aspiring contestants was held at Kaizen Club in Kabeza, between 2pm - 5pm yesterday.

Slated for January next year, the pageant is the brainchild of Belgium-based Rwandan model, Claudette Uwamahoro.

According to Uwamahoro, ten girls and ten boys will be chosen from the casting for the finale.

She explained that the Miss and Mr Elegance Rwanda contest is here to promote the culture, beauty and elegance of both women and men in Rwanda.

"It’s also a way to make known the designers and models who are not yet established, because you never know who will be at the event scouting for talent,” she added.

Uwamahoro also hopes that the event will be a step forward in changing people’s perceptions about modeling in Rwanda:

"In Rwanda people don’t value modeling that much. They think that it’s all about strolling on the catwalk but modeling entails many things.

In modeling you are taught how to be smart, communication skills, and the importance of eye contact while talking to someone. We will teach models how to catwalk, express themselves, and talk to someone without fear.”

Uwamahoro currently lives in Belgium where she is studying Economic Science, besides nurturing a modeling career.

She has featured on many catwalks and participated in a number of modeling contests in Belgium like the Miss Africa Belgium pageant last year, where she was among the ten finalists.

Early this year she participated in the Super Top Model Belgium competition, and in June, she participated in the Miss Fashion where she emerged second runner up.

"Since then I resolved to organize this competition back home in Rwanda,” she said.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw