Roseanna Honours Her Promise
Influencer, content creator, entrepreneur and newly crowned Miss Universe Zimbabwe, Roseanna Hall, this week honoured a promise she made to a group of students at Herentals Budiriro. Her connection with the school began on 22 May when she attended and spoke at an educational workshop focused on digital skills and artificial intelligence. During that visit, she encouraged learners to pursue their dreams relentlessly, value education, and never allow setbacks to define their future. Most importantly, she promised them she would return. On Tuesday, 17 June, she did exactly that.
Roseanna returned to Herentals Budiriro following her victory at Miss Universe Zimbabwe, where she was welcomed by a packed school assembly filled with excited students and teachers eager to celebrate the woman who had inspired them only weeks before. While her first appearance had taken place in a workshop setting, the second visit was a celebration primarily supported by Lumo Skincare. The atmosphere was vibrant and festive, with music, dance performances, modelling showcases and a school community united in celebrating both her achievement and the importance of education and embracing technology as a pathway to greater opportunities in life.
The initial workshop highlighted NerdX’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into exam preparation and learning. The AI-powered educational platform, developed by the Herentals Group of Schools, is designed to help students prepare for both ZIMSEC and Cambridge O-Level and A-Level examinations while exposing them to the growing opportunities that technology and digital innovation can create. Roseanna’s participation came at the invitation of former Miss Supranational Zimbabwe 2025, Paulene Deborah Marere, who has been involved in encouraging young people to embrace education and emerging technologies.
For the students, however, the highlight of the day was not only the festivities or the technology. It was Roseanna’s story. Standing before the learners, she shared a journey that was far from straightforward. Born to a father who served as a soldier and a mother who worked as a personal assistant, Roseanna did not grow up surrounded by wealth or privilege. Like many young Zimbabweans, she grew up with big dreams and a determination to create opportunities for herself. As a teenager attending a convent school, she made the bold decision to leave school and pursue an opportunity through M-Net Face of Africa, the first major modelling competition she entered. It was a risk. And it did not pay off. She did not win. For many people, such a disappointment would have marked the end of the dream. Instead, it became one of the most important lessons of her life.
Rather than allowing failure to define her, Roseanna returned to complete her education. She later moved to South Africa, where she earned a degree in Psychology while continuing to pursue opportunities in the fashion and media industries. Her persistence eventually opened doors that once seemed impossible. She went on to sign with ICE Models and build a successful career as an international model, influencer and content creator, working with globally recognised brands including L’Oréal, Netflix, Giorgio Armani and many others. Throughout her presentation, Roseanna reminded students that success rarely follows a straight line. Setbacks happen. Dreams change. Plans fail. But those moments do not have to determine the outcome of a person’s life. Instead, she encouraged the learners to view challenges as opportunities to learn, adapt and try again.
The message resonated deeply because it reflected the very purpose of the workshop itself. Students were being introduced to new technologies designed to improve their educational outcomes and prepare them for a future increasingly shaped by digital innovation and artificial intelligence. The emphasis on digital skills and education also aligns with many of the values Roseanna promotes through Beyond Survival Sisterhood, an initiative focused on helping women and young people move beyond survival by embracing education, personal growth and economic empowerment. Through access to knowledge, technology and practical skills, the initiative seeks to equip people with tools that can help transform their futures.
Perhaps the most touching moment came before the competition itself. Inspired by Roseanna’s first visit, the students created a heartfelt video wishing her success and encouraging her as she prepared for the Miss Universe Zimbabwe finals. Their message of support reflected the connection she had built with the young learners in a remarkably short period of time and served as a source of encouragement as she pursued the crown.
When she returned after her victory, she was greeted with cheers, excitement and pride from students who had followed her journey, believed in her and supported her along the way. For many of them, the win felt like a shared achievement — a moment they celebrated as their own because they had played a small but meaningful part in encouraging her to succeed.
The visit also brought tangible support to the school community. Members of the Miss Universe Zimbabwe organisation, including representatives from the Miss Universe board and members of the media, joined the celebration, while Lumo Skincare donated hygiene and skincare products worth thousands, providing gifts and care packages to students. Yet the greatest gift of the day may have been something less visible. For a few hours, students from Budiriro were able to see someone who had faced disappointment, returned to education, embraced new opportunities and built a successful international career through perseverance and self-belief. More importantly, they saw someone who kept her word. In a world where promises are often forgotten, Roseanna Hall came back. And for the students of Herentals Budiriro, that is a lesson they are unlikely to forget.
