I won Miss USIU for my country – Yvette

The very first time you set your eyes on her, even before she opens her mouth, you will not have any qualms on her winning the beauty pageant in a foreign university; her exquisite beauty and charming smile vindicates the people on the panel that chose her. Yvette Shumbusho is this year’s Miss United States International University, (USIU, Kenya) and last week, she exclusively spoke to The New Times Joseph Oindo.Below are the excerpts.Congratulations and welcome back to Rwanda. Can you tell us about yourself?Thank you! I was born in 1993 in Nairobi, Kenya. We returned home in 1995, when I was only two years old. In 2001, we moved to South Africa while in 2004, my younger brother and I moved to Ethiopia. The following year, we traveled back to Kenya with my brother and joined Green State School in Nakuru, where our elder brother later joined us. Again we came back to Rwanda in 2008 where I did the last three years of my secondary school at Green Hills Academy, graduating in 2011. In 2012, I again went back to Kenya and joined USIU, Kenya, in September last year. I was crowned Miss USIU in November this year.You seem to be a globe trotter, moving a lot in different countries, why?It’s because of the nature of my father’s work. My father, Vianney Shumbusho, has been a diplomat in different countries, and he also worked with African Union in Ethiopia.And seeing that these countries have different school systems, has this been an impediment to your studies?No. In Kenya, for example, the school’s system I attended was not different from others I attended in other countries, including Green Hills Academy in Rwanda.You only joined USIU last year, and you were crowned Miss USIU this year. How did you feel wining it within only your first year of university?Actually, I am not in first year, and that may sound interesting. I got an exemption and moved straight to second year because of the nature of the course called IB that I did before joining university.How did you feel when you bagged that coveted crown following a seemingly stiff competition, with you being a foreigner? It not only made me feel great as a person. I also felt overwhelmed because I was representing my country. It was not about me but my beautiful country of Rwanda. I won it for Rwanda.Were you the only Rwandan who participated in the competition?Actually we were two Rwandans. My colleague, Sonia Iraguha, also did our country proud by emerging second runner-up.What are the responsibilities of Miss USIU?Miss USIU is expected to take part in different social and environmental events. Miss USIU contest is a charity event whose slogan is Beauty With a Purpose. Each year, the university selects a group of children to help and all the money raised during the pageant, from sponsors, of course, go to a charity event.This year, the luck fell on Kamiti Primary School in Nairobi where as, Miss USIU, I took part in ensuring the school gets better studying environment, improved classrooms and purchasing books and other stationary.Does being Miss USIU come with any kind of pressure?Yeah. First you have to look smart at all times because the spotlight is on you by the virtue of your title. Secondly, you must be at the best behaviour and you must maintain your looks.On the other hand, it doesn’t interfere with my studies since this is a different thing altogether. Beauty is ephemeral while education is forever.Are you intending to take part in other future beauty contests when opportunity arises?No. I want to concentrate on my studies. But I will also be required to take part in Miss University in Kenya and when my university requires me to do so, I will oblige. But that will be the last.Rwandan universities are also now having beauty pageants. What can you advise the winners?They should exploit their titles not only to help their communities but also their country. They should adopt our model where the title is used as a charity event.What would you like to do in the future?I love singing and dancing. But my greatest passion is acting. I want to be an actress. I started acting when I was still young, culminating in me making a cast in the 18th Genocide memorial play by Ishyo Arts Centre, where I played the role of a survivor. You have lived in different countries. From this experience, what advise can you give to your fellow Rwandans?They should co-exist in peace and learn to move on, owing to our traumatic experience of some 20 years ago.

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I won Miss USIU for my country – Yvette