Brunette Makanyiso Begins Her Miss World 2026 Journey in Vietnam With a Powerful Mission to Empower Young People
Miss World Zimbabwe 2026 Brunette Makanyiso has begun her journey towards the Miss World crown in Vietnam, carrying with her a purpose that extends far beyond the pageant stage. As contestants from around the world gather in Ha Long Bay for the 75th Anniversary Edition of Miss World, Brunette has already attracted attention through her commitment to youth empowerment and poverty alleviation. Her participation in the international competition comes after she took part in the Teen Rescue Mission in Zimbabwe, where she used her platform to highlight the importance of education, vocational training and mentorship. Her work reflects the central message of Beauty With a Purpose, one of the defining elements of the Miss World competition. As she settles into the competition in Vietnam, Brunette is representing Zimbabwe while carrying the stories, hopes and challenges of young people from her home country.
The Miss World 2026 Festival has opened in the spectacular setting of Ha Long Bay, bringing together beauty queens from different countries for a programme filled with cultural experiences, official activities, filming, interviews and opportunities to form friendships. Brunette is among the contestants beginning this demanding international journey, where each participant has the opportunity to showcase not only her personality and beauty but also the causes she represents. The contestants are staying at the InterContinental Halong Bay Resort, which provides the base for the opening days of the festival. Surrounded by one of Vietnam’s most celebrated destinations, the contestants are experiencing Vietnamese culture and hospitality while preparing for the stages of the competition ahead. For Brunette, the experience represents an important opportunity to introduce her advocacy to an international audience and demonstrate why youth empowerment remains central to her Miss World journey.
Before travelling to Vietnam, Brunette made a strong statement about the type of work she wants to champion during her reign as Miss World Zimbabwe. She joined the Teen Rescue Mission to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, focusing attention on the need to protect young people from drug and substance abuse. During the visit, she toured skills-development programmes where young people receive practical training in poultry farming, sewing, baking, welding and life skills. These programmes demonstrate how vocational education can provide young people with useful skills that can support employment, entrepreneurship and greater independence. Brunette’s involvement allowed her to connect directly with young people while reinforcing her belief that access to skills and mentorship can help create better opportunities.
One of the moments that particularly inspired Brunette was seeing young women learning welding at the centre. She viewed their participation in a traditionally male-dominated practical field as an important example of women breaking barriers and expanding their career possibilities. Her response highlighted the importance of exposing young women to a wider range of educational and vocational opportunities instead of limiting them to traditional career paths. By celebrating the young women’s progress, Brunette also drew attention to the value of giving young people practical skills that can help them build sustainable futures. Her message is especially relevant to her Beauty With a Purpose advocacy because poverty alleviation requires more than short-term assistance, it also requires creating pathways that allow people to develop skills and improve their economic prospects.
Brunette’s Beauty With a Purpose project focuses on poverty alleviation and connects closely with her work among vulnerable young people. She has emphasised that education, vocational training and mentorship can play an important role in addressing some of the underlying challenges associated with drug and substance abuse. When young people have access to practical skills and meaningful opportunities, they can develop alternatives that support independence and long-term stability. Her approach places empowerment at the centre of her advocacy rather than focusing only on the immediate effects of poverty. Through her Miss World platform, Brunette has the opportunity to bring greater attention to the need for programmes that equip young people with knowledge, skills and confidence.
Her community work has also included practical support for girls and children facing difficult circumstances. Brunette and her partners distributed sanitary products to girls as part of their efforts to support vulnerable communities. Access to menstrual hygiene products remains an important issue because girls who lack essential sanitary supplies can face challenges at school and in their daily lives. The initiative allowed Brunette to address an immediate need while continuing to promote dignity and support for young women. She also helped distribute winter blankets to underprivileged children, providing assistance during Zimbabwe’s colder season. These efforts show how her Beauty With a Purpose advocacy combines awareness with direct community support.
Brunette’s work before the Miss World competition also provides a clear picture of the values she is taking with her to Vietnam. Rather than treating the pageant as an isolated competition, she has used her platform to engage with issues affecting young people in Zimbabwe. Her involvement in the Teen Rescue Mission gave her the opportunity to listen, learn and interact with young people participating in skills-development programmes. It also allowed her to show how pageant representatives can use their visibility to support initiatives that have a practical impact on communities. As she competes alongside contestants from across the globe, these experiences form an important part of the story she is bringing to the Miss World stage.
The opening days in Ha Long Bay are giving Brunette an opportunity to experience a new culture while meeting the contestants who will share the Miss World journey with her. The smiles, conversations and friendships developing among the contestants are an important part of the 75th anniversary celebration. However, the competition also gives each woman the opportunity to communicate what she stands for and why her cause matters. For Brunette, her advocacy provides a strong foundation because it is connected to direct community involvement and a clear focus on young people’s futures. Her experiences in Zimbabwe can help her present an authentic story as she takes part in interviews, filming and other official Miss World activities.
The international exposure that comes with Miss World could also give Brunette an opportunity to draw attention to the challenges faced by young people in Zimbabwe. Her message about vocational training is particularly important because practical skills can provide young people with additional routes towards employment and entrepreneurship. Her advocacy also recognises that poverty and limited opportunities can contribute to wider social challenges, making youth development an important part of prevention and long-term community support. By speaking about these issues on an international platform, Brunette can connect local experiences with a global conversation about empowering young people. Her participation therefore represents both a personal achievement and an opportunity to promote issues that affect communities beyond the pageant itself.
As the 75th Anniversary Edition of Miss World continues in Vietnam, Brunette Makanyiso has already established a meaningful foundation for her campaign. Her journey is built around more than the pursuit of a crown, with youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, vocational training and community support forming important parts of her purpose. From encouraging young women learning welding to distributing sanitary products and winter blankets, she has demonstrated a willingness to engage with practical community needs. Her work reflects the Beauty With a Purpose message and gives her an opportunity to represent Zimbabwe through advocacy as well as competition. With the Miss World journey now underway in Ha Long Bay, Brunette will continue carrying her message to an international audience while striving to make her country proud and compete for the global crown.
