Rising with Grace: Yollanda Chimbarami Secures Zimbabwe’s Highest-Ever Miss International Placement
By Rosemary Chiedza Mukucha, is a reporter & opinion columnist at My Afrika Magazine passionate about reshaping African narratives through factual storytelling. She also won the 2025 Global Peter Drucker Essay Challenge.
At just 26, Yollanda Chimbarami has given Zimbabwe one of its most inspiring moments on the global stage. In Tokyo, where the Miss International pageant unfolded before a worldwide audience, she rose with quiet confidence and luminous grace ultimately earning the first runner-up title, the highest placement Zimbabwe has ever achieved. Her poise, warmth and authenticity stood out in a competition historically dominated by countries like the Philippines and Venezuela, making her achievement even more remarkable.
Yollanda’s journey didn’t begin under the bright lights. She started modelling in 2014, winning Miss Harare Junior and steadily building her presence in Zimbabwe’s modelling circles. Over the years she collected titles, represented her country abroad, and even reached the Top 20 at Miss Intercontinental 2022. In every space she walked into, she cultivated a reputation as the model who lifts others as she climbs mentoring young girls, offering guidance, and nurturing confidence in fellow aspirants.
When she arrived in Japan, she carried not only a polished portfolio but a deep sense of purpose. Her answers during the competition resonated across the hall: thoughtful, heartfelt, and proudly rooted in her African identity. Judges and viewers felt the sincerity behind her words a reminder that pageantry, when done right, can be a platform for real stories and real impact. At a time when other pageant organizations face criticism, Miss International’s fairness allowed her talent and message to shine through.
Beyond the runway, Yollanda is a committed advocate for education. Her charitable foundation, registered in both Zimbabwe and Canada, helps disadvantaged children access schooling. This mission traces back to her late father, whom she honoured on the Miss International stage. Though he couldn’t further his own education, he worked tirelessly to ensure his siblings and children could. Yollanda often says that he taught her the power of paving the way for others a lesson she now lives out through her foundation and public influence.
Her rise is not simply a personal victory, it’s a moment of pride for Zimbabwe and a beacon of hope for African representation. Yollanda’s story, stitched together by resilience, compassion and undeniable talent, shows what happens when a woman embraces her identity and uses her voice to open doors for many more after her.
Yollanda’s journey didn’t begin under the bright lights. She started modelling in 2014, winning Miss Harare Junior and steadily building her presence in Zimbabwe’s modelling circles. Over the years she collected titles, represented her country abroad, and even reached the Top 20 at Miss Intercontinental 2022. In every space she walked into, she cultivated a reputation as the model who lifts others as she climbs mentoring young girls, offering guidance, and nurturing confidence in fellow aspirants.
When she arrived in Japan, she carried not only a polished portfolio but a deep sense of purpose. Her answers during the competition resonated across the hall: thoughtful, heartfelt, and proudly rooted in her African identity. Judges and viewers felt the sincerity behind her words a reminder that pageantry, when done right, can be a platform for real stories and real impact. At a time when other pageant organizations face criticism, Miss International’s fairness allowed her talent and message to shine through.
Beyond the runway, Yollanda is a committed advocate for education. Her charitable foundation, registered in both Zimbabwe and Canada, helps disadvantaged children access schooling. This mission traces back to her late father, whom she honoured on the Miss International stage. Though he couldn’t further his own education, he worked tirelessly to ensure his siblings and children could. Yollanda often says that he taught her the power of paving the way for others a lesson she now lives out through her foundation and public influence.
Her rise is not simply a personal victory, it’s a moment of pride for Zimbabwe and a beacon of hope for African representation. Yollanda’s story, stitched together by resilience, compassion and undeniable talent, shows what happens when a woman embraces her identity and uses her voice to open doors for many more after her.
