Brunette Makanaka Makanyiso Officially Sashed at Miss World 2026 as She Represents Zimbabwe in Vietnam
Zimbabwean beauty queen Brunette Makanaka Makanyiso has officially been sashed as Zimbabwe’s representative at the 73rd Miss World 2026 sashing ceremony in Vietnam. The 26-year-old pharmacist is proudly carrying the Zimbabwean flag at the 75th Anniversary edition of the Miss World Festival, where she has already attracted attention through her elegant appearances and confident representation of her country. Her participation gives Zimbabwe another opportunity to showcase its beauty, culture, fashion and national identity on one of the world’s most recognised international pageant platforms. Makanyiso’s journey is also about more than competition, as her background in pharmacy and community development brings a strong humanitarian dimension to her campaign. As she continues her journey in Vietnam, expectations are growing around the impact she can make both on and off the pageant stage.
Makanyiso was crowned Miss World Zimbabwe 2026 during the national final held at the Harare Hippodrome on June 6. Her victory secured her place as Zimbabwe’s representative at an international competition that attracts contestants from more than 100 countries. According to the Miss World organisation, Makanyiso is a graduate of Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University in Russia, adding an academic and professional dimension to her pageant profile. Her career as a pharmacist complements her involvement in community initiatives and gives her a platform to speak about issues affecting young people and vulnerable communities. Her selection reflects a broader understanding of pageantry in which contestants are increasingly expected to demonstrate purpose, leadership and social responsibility alongside beauty and presentation.
Makanyiso’s participation in the Miss World Festival is particularly significant because of her commitment to community development and youth empowerment. Her work has included engagement with the Teen Rescue Mission in Chitungwiza, where she supported programmes focused on empowering young people and encouraging skills development. She has also been involved in efforts to raise awareness about drug and substance abuse, an issue that affects communities and young people across Zimbabwe. These experiences have helped shape the humanitarian message she brings to the Miss World stage. Her advocacy closely aligns with the competition’s Beauty With a Purpose philosophy, which places social impact and community service at the centre of the Miss World experience.
The Beauty With a Purpose platform gives Makanyiso an opportunity to demonstrate that her ambitions extend beyond winning a crown. Her involvement with young people allows her to connect her personal experiences and professional background with issues that require greater public awareness and community action. Youth empowerment, skills development and substance abuse awareness are areas where sustained engagement can make a meaningful difference. By bringing these issues into an international pageant environment, Makanyiso can help draw attention to challenges facing young Zimbabweans while also highlighting the work being done within local communities. Her humanitarian focus therefore provides an important foundation for her participation in Miss World 2026.
Since arriving in Vietnam, Makanyiso has taken part in activities surrounding the Miss World Festival and has embraced the opportunity to represent Zimbabwe internationally. Her appearances have allowed her to showcase the country’s identity while interacting with contestants and pageant officials from around the world. The opening ceremony was among the early highlights of her international journey, with Makanyiso proudly representing Zimbabwe on the global stage. Such events form an important part of the Miss World experience because they allow contestants to introduce their countries to international audiences. For Makanyiso, each appearance provides another opportunity to demonstrate confidence, elegance and pride in her Zimbabwean heritage.
The official sashing ceremony has added another important moment to Makanyiso’s journey in Vietnam. Being formally sashed as Zimbabwe’s representative symbolises the responsibility she carries throughout the competition. The sash identifies her with her country and serves as a visible reminder that her participation represents more than her individual aspirations. Every appearance gives her an opportunity to communicate something about Zimbabwe through her fashion choices, conduct, cultural presentation and interactions with other contestants. As she progresses through the festival, maintaining a strong sense of national identity will remain an important part of her campaign.
The Miss World Festival is being hosted in Vietnam as contestants prepare for the grand finale scheduled for September 5 in Nha Trang. More than 100 contestants are competing for the coveted Miss World crown, creating a highly competitive international field. Contestants will have opportunities to demonstrate their abilities across different areas, including public engagement, advocacy, presentation and cultural representation. For Makanyiso, competing against such a diverse group of women provides an opportunity to introduce Zimbabwe to audiences who may have limited knowledge of the country. Her presence also allows her to share aspects of Zimbabwean culture and identity within an international setting.
Zimbabwe has a long history in the Miss World competition, and Makanyiso now becomes the country’s 30th representative. Her participation places her within a legacy of Zimbabwean women who have represented the nation at the global pageant over several decades. The country’s strongest Miss World result came in 1994, when Angeline Musasiwa finished as third runner-up. That achievement remains an important part of Zimbabwe’s pageant history and provides a benchmark for future representatives. Makanyiso now has the opportunity to create her own chapter in that history while seeking to achieve a strong result for Zimbabwe.
The significance of Makanyiso’s participation extends beyond the possibility of winning the Miss World crown. International pageants provide contestants with platforms to promote causes, build professional networks and develop relationships with people from different cultures. For Zimbabwe, having a representative on such a prominent stage creates an opportunity to showcase the country’s people and culture to a global audience. Makanyiso’s professional background as a pharmacist also gives her a distinctive profile within the competition. Combined with her youth empowerment work, her journey presents an image of a Zimbabwean woman whose identity encompasses professional achievement, community involvement and national pride.
Her humanitarian work could also become an important part of how audiences connect with her during the competition. The challenges faced by young people, including drug and substance abuse, require awareness, education and community support. Makanyiso’s involvement with the Teen Rescue Mission demonstrates her willingness to engage with these issues rather than simply discussing them from a distance. Her focus on skills development also speaks to the importance of giving young people practical opportunities that can support their future prospects. By carrying these experiences to the Miss World Festival, she has the opportunity to show how beauty with purpose can connect international pageantry with real community work.
Makanyiso’s journey also reflects the changing expectations placed on modern beauty queens. Contestants are increasingly expected to have clear causes, professional ambitions and an understanding of their communities. A successful representative must be able to communicate confidently while remaining authentic to the people and values she represents. Makanyiso’s combination of pharmaceutical training, community engagement and youth advocacy gives her several areas from which to build a compelling international profile. Her participation in Vietnam therefore represents both a pageant challenge and an opportunity to amplify causes that matter to her and the communities she has served.
As Zimbabwe’s 30th Miss World representative, Brunette Makanaka Makanyiso now has the opportunity to build on the country’s previous achievements while establishing her own legacy. The journey ahead will place her alongside more than 100 contestants competing for one of the most recognised crowns in international pageantry. Her official sashing in Vietnam marks an important step in that journey and gives Zimbabweans another reason to follow her progress. With her background in pharmacy, commitment to youth empowerment and involvement in community development, Makanyiso brings a strong sense of purpose to the competition. As the Miss World Festival moves towards its September 5 grand finale in Nha Trang, she will be hoping to make history for Zimbabwe while proudly carrying the country’s flag, culture and aspirations onto the global stage.
