A boyish beauty queen

PAUL NTAMBARA brings you the story of Sandra Uwimbabazi, Miss NUR 2008 She loved playing football during her primary school days and by her own admission, she felt more masculine than feminine. “I liked everything to do with boys. It was not until I joined secondary school that I discovered my femininity.” This is the story of Sandra Uwimbabazi, reigning National University of Rwanda Miss Campus. Born in 1987 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sandra is an only child, a fact that made her envious of big families. “Growing up as the only child was a big challenge to me. I had step brothers and sisters but this was not enough consolation,” says Sandra. At the early age of three, tragedy struck. Sandra was to be deprived the person most dear to her- her mother, who was followed later by her father. “My mother passed on when I was three. It could only get worse, my father never returned from the battle field during the liberation war in 1990-1994. “I did not hear from him since the time he left home for war so I presume he died at the battle front,” says Sandra as tears form in her eyes. In 1994, Sandra came to Rwanda and joined La Colombiere Primary School then to Groupe Scolaire de Mont Kigali (APACE). She joined the National University of Rwanda in 2007 where she is currently pursuing a law degree. And how did she get into modelling? Sandra says that she got an opportunity to do modelling during the Miss Campus 2007 contest. “I was on stage for the first time and I liked the experience,” says Sandra smiling. “The 2008 contest was to be special for me because I was vying for the honours too,” she adds. Was it easy for her on stage? Sandra says that the experience was draining. “There was a lot of preparation, and one could not predict the reaction of the students who can get rowdy sometimes.” “At one moment when I was doing the catwalk, one of my shoes snapped so I couldn’t complete my rounds. I was scared as a rabbit, I thought it was the end of the road for me,” she adds. The 21 old beauty queen takes Tyra Banks as her idol, swimming is her hobby and is no stranger to the dance floor. And how does it feel to be Miss Campus? Brandishing an Frw320,000 Nokia phone donated by MTN, Sandra says that the attention she gets is sometimes unbearable. “I get recognised wherever I pass. I don’t know what to make of it but sometimes it feels like I have no privacy. Prying eyes everywhere,” she says. And where did she put the Fw100,000 airtime donated by MTN? “I gave all of it out to my classmates through Me2U service. The whole class was waiting to have a share of the prize,” says Sandra with a smile that reveals a dimple on the left cheek. Sandra is not bothered by the fact that she is replacing Carine Utamuliza, the 2007 Miss Campus, who established herself at the local and international scene during her reign. “I will do it my own way. I will take an opportunity that knocks and hopefully many such opportunities will come my way,” says. Sandra plans to initiate outreach programmes to the needy people in the community, “I am a member of the Open Heart Team – a team of university students who reach out to needy people especially street children and the sick in hospitals.” Sandra admits that the problem of unwanted pregnancies remains a thorn on the flesh at the 44 year old university. “Despite measures taken like sensitisation and provision of free condoms which are accessible in halls of residences, cases of unwanted pregnancies still crop up. It is a challenge that the whole university community has to face,” she says. Sandra has her eyes set on the forthcoming inter university beauty contest in October; “Hopefully I will participate.” And the question all you boys have been waiting for - has she got a boyfriend? “I don’t have and not about to get one soon, I am not ready,” Sandra says. Ends