02/06/2026
Is a girl from the Copperbelt worth K10,000 in the modeling industry?
Let me tell you what happened the night someone thought I was.
(Long read, but worth it)
I remember the day like it was yesterday a Sunday evening with a cool breeze that swept through my bare back bandage dress all the way to the hairs on my ni***es 🏃🏾♀️💀. In short, Kwali talala.
After our training session in readiness for the grand finale pageant, I heard a voice echo as loud as an important announcement at OR Tambo airport. There was a ticket activation and the coordinator asked those of us the models who would like to tag along to sell tickets, as most events would do to draw more people in. Mind you this was 6 to 7 PM. After we were asked if we had curfew, I immediately said “NO” because I knew the only places open at that time were places with music, so I decided to tag along. I recall being packed in the back seatbofna Hilux and taken to our first location there were people of all kinds imwe, and my confidence just disappeared 🏃🏾♀️ leaving me like a Lusaka baby daddy before he saw the head of his child. Anyways, as the night progressed we were given instructions to sell the tickets, and so it began talking to every man and woman at the restaurant/bar we were at. I even remember talking to a man who was interested, but another contestant gave him her ticket instead of me giving him mine, and it left me furious. I low-key still hold that grudge against her, but I have healed.
After we finished and were waiting to move to the next location, we were asked what beverages we were having. I asked for coffee first because the ZAMBIAN cold in May? Kwati ni June. After that I had one drink 💀 just one, to boost my confidence, because you cannot overdo it ku bantu and also we had been warned by the coordinator.
We spent close to an hour at this place, and as it was clocking that hour, we were told to walk not just walk, but model for everyone on the mini stage that had been set up for us. The second coordinator said, *”Show them what they will come and watch ku pageant,” and as obedient children, we did just that.
I did notice the second coordinator walking a little funny in her heels and I thought it was the beverages and it probably was but this lady had us walking in circles for about 10 minutes until we were tired, then finally told us to sit. Five minutes into sitting, I was called, not even noticing that one of my friends had been called before me.
As I approached the second coordinator, she was seated next to an older man short, chubby, bald with tiny hairs trying to escape from him dripped in a navy blue suit with a red pocket square. The second coordinator asked me if I was comfortable sleeping at a hotel because she was planning to take us out clubbing the entire night just to have fun. Of course I said yes, because it’s Lusaka who wouldn’t want to go out and have fun on someone else’s budget, ai?
But then came the real chilling question.
”This man likes you. He will pay for your room and all your bills and he will also give you K10,000 but you have to sleep with him to get the money.”
Ine shocked. Kwati chi loto mayo.
My face shifted immediately from a smile to a disgust you could spot a mile away kwati nanunsha amafi 🤢.
I responded with a respectful, ”No, I can’t and I won’t sleep with him.”
She asked why, and I told her, ”I don’t need to have an excuse to refuse to sleep with anyone. My choice is No.”
With a face of shock she said, ”I thought you were from the Copperbelt don’t you know this is what your friends are doing to make money in Lusaka? Kanshi you are not a true Kopala person.”
She said those words with disappointment in her voice and warned me not to tell my other friends.
I made my way back to my seat.
Yoh. I sat there feeling defeated, feeling used, feeling confused. Is this what modeling is about? This was so different from my first pageant. I threw it to the back of my mind, but it sat heavy.
The rest of the night didn’t go well. I remember being taken to East Park Mall, the bald-headed man screaming as he drove us. Then I remember the first coordinator asking us how much our Yangos cost and saying she had only been sent a small amount for our transport.
After that I asked her if I could just wait for someone to pick me up “I lied”. I just wanted to go home and cry.
From that day I lost all respect for them, because as the pageant progressed, both of their attitudes toward me changed and I could feel every bit of it.
I didn’t win or make top 5 which wasn’t Surprising.
Moral of the story: When they tell you to go somewhere, refuse. When they ask you to do something you are not comfortable with, refuse. When they try to make you feel small, stand up and show them you are worth more than money or gold. DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN and remember to DRINK WATER, AND MIND YOUR BUSINESS 💦
Also please smile sometimes in the modeling industry 😂😂 you scare us too much with the serious faces, iye.
So as I attended Miss Mental Health Zambia and so how every model showcased their projects it gave me the strength to share this message.. ❤️
