A career in modeling is not a bed of roses.

It all started with Naomi Campbell, the British supermodel. “Every time I saw her on TV as a teenager, I wanted to be like her. It looked so good to be able to walk with such grace in front of people without freaking out.”

Brigitte Kaneza. (photo Timothy Kisambira)

“I have enjoyed this work very much,” Kaneza says. “I think it’s like singing or dancing – it comes naturally to me, I don’t have to go out of my way to perfect my modeling.”

She admits, though, that she has to watch what she eats, and goes to the gym to keep in shape.

But the petite and soft-spoken model with a radiant smile certainly does not match the stereotype of the dumb beauty. She is a second-year student in finance at Kigali Institute of Management, and works with Party Master Agency, an event-management company.

Kaneza is an unusual model in other ways too: she is modest, demands that people respect her and sets herself high standards. “As long as people treat me with respect and I behave professionally, then the rest follows,” she explains.

She accepts, too, that there will always be people who are opposed to the modeling business. “There will always be criticizers, but what matters to me is that I excel at what I’m doing.”

And there is indeed no lack criticism – modeling is not that common in Rwanda, and some people think it is a waste of time to try having a career in such a field. That is mainly due to the fact that they do not know what it is about. It doesn’t bother Kaneza, though – she has her family’s support, she says, and as long as those who care about her most encourage her to achieve her dream, she can only be patient with those who can’t understand her work at the moment, and hope that someday they will learn.

Lots of confidence

Besides, an increasing number of people now know the industry and appreciate those Rwandans who try to make a living out of it. Nevertheless, the road is still long.

“It’s a pity modeling in Rwanda is still lagging behind compared to countries like Kenya and Uganda,” she says. “I have met models from there and, compared to ours, they are very professional.”

According to her, if promoters would support modeling events in the country, Rwanda has the capacity to reach the same level. However, she thinks there is little investment in the industry, which is why people don’t venture into modeling.

“We are even more discouraged because we are made to work for almost nothing,” Kaneza explains. “The few times when there is a fashion show here, they promise lots of money but at the end of the day they pay less.”

That is not to say that she hasn’t benefitted from her career – her stints in local and international modeling competitions, including Nokia Face of Africa, have given her lots of confidence. “Before I started modeling, I was very shy, but I have now become much more confident, not only in modeling but in many other areas of life. I can now stand up and give a speech without blushing, and I’ve gained self-respect because I understand what I’m good at and will do something even when somebody says it won’t work”.

That confidence clearly shows – Kaneza is an active person both physically and mentally, who can find a solution to any problem. This has made her very popular among her friends.

“I’m always ready to help, be it work or advice,” she says. “It’s hard for me to say no when someone seeks my help, and I end up forgetting many of my commitments; but it’s better to forget than refuse.”

Kaneza also has the stamina required to combine a full-time job, attending lectures in the evening and weekend modeling – despite her slender frame, she is full of energy. “I never sit at home doing nothing,” she says.

Yet in the end, her main passion will always be modeling, and she sees a bright future in it for herself. “I believe my future is in modeling – it’s what I enjoy most,” Kaneza says. “But given the lack of professionalism here, I plan to go to the USA after my studies and persue a career in modeling.”

If she succeeds, it will bring her one step closer to her childhood hero, Naomi Campbell.

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