My Life as a Model!

Understanding the Modelling Business in Zambia, Women and Modelling Work, Modelling and salaries in Zambia and more on Mywage Zambia

By Meluse Kapatamoyo

At age 16 Mulenga Mubanga took part in Africa’s biggest modeling talent search, the Face of Africa (FAO) competition and came back to Zambia a star. She appeared in many international and local magazines and on billboards. Now aged 22 and working in the hotel industry, she recalls the joys of modeling – and also speaks on how demanding it can be for a young woman.

MyWage: How did you get into modeling? 

Mulenga: I was 16 when I entered the Face of Africa (FAO) competition, and was the youngest contestant at the time. I was among the last three contestants and proud of how far I had gotten. It was a wonderful experience. 

MyWage: As a model, what challenges did you encounter with the public or perhaps managers? 

Mulenga: The public will demand so much from you. They make you feel as though you are not human and that you have to do things differently. I drew the line as to what my public persona needed to be. When in public, I was there for a particular reason and that reason is what I stuck to. 

As for managers, they sell you to potential clients and so comes the feeling that they "own" you. But communication works. With whatever issue that may arise, it’s best to communicate with the party involved. Be straight and open about it. I think that one can achieve unbelievable results when communication I s well received.

MyWage: What would you say about the misconceptions that exist in Zambia as regards modeling?

Mulenga: I would say the lack of education on the topic brings about many misconceptions. I came to learn about the work, and eventually respected modeling as my job, and not a hobby to win me favours or anything of that sort. On that note, I conducted myself in a very professional way.

MyWage: What are the common labour complaints that affect the modeling industry?

Mulenga:  I honestly won’t say I know the labour laws well, but I feel because the industry is one that is not fully recognised or understood, there is the potential for a lot of exploitation. Modeling is like any other profession and the majority of the models are women, I think they should be protected at their jobs by strict labour laws enforced by the government.

MyWage: If one has a grievance with one’s employer, are you able to file complaints without running the risk of being fired or replaced by other models?

Mulenga: There are many unofficial complaints that arise within the industry, but if am to be 100 percent honest I would say there are actually no official complaints made. If there are any, it should be about 15 percent of the models that actually voice out those complaints. That said, every person has the right to stand up for what they feel is right. 

However, this could either work in your favour or against. Clients and agents will either respect you more, or they will shun you, as no one wants to be running to court all the time to solve differences. So I would say, weigh the options, and if you are able to take it to court, let it be something worth the court’s time, and a case that can leave a precedent to help other models in future.

MyWage: Can someone solely depend on modeling for survival in Zambia? 

Mulenga: I will start by saying that it is absolutely not possible in Zambia. At least speaking from the current situation, it can’t pay your expenses in a month.

However, in other countries where the industry has been established well, it is possible given that you work hard. Initially it is rather expensive, as you have to build your portfolio and so on, but once you get into it, it can slowly pay off. 

MyWage: How often would you receive your wages e.g monthly, weekly? 

Mulenga: That was what I found to be most interesting. Your pay cheque comes way after the job. It could be from at least three months after the job, but it could take longer at times.

MyWage: What are the average earnings of a model?

Mulenga: It varies. There are different modeling jobs: campaigns/photographic, runway, commercials and so on. Jobs such as magazine spreads/editorials don’t pay much money wise, but they can pay you back in that they actually get work for you. Campaigns can be well paying, especially if it is one that is massive, throughout the country or even region. The same goes for commercials. Runway is seasonal, but can be good at the time. They say what matters is really the work of the model and how well their booker/agency markets them. So build a good relationship with your agency or booker.

MyWage: How supportive was your family and friends towards your modeling career?

Mulenga: My family was 100 percent supportive and objective, so were my friends. I was able to run to them in crisis moments. 

MyWage: Did your work ever affect your personal relationship with people of the opposite sex? If so, how did you handle it?

Mulenga: In some cases it can. I think it’s because people tend to judge models in general. So I like to clarify that I am an individual, and that makes me different from the next person. I did not let modeling define me, it was just my profession.

MyWage: Did your public life ever impact negatively on your partner or family, and how did you cope with that?

Mulenga: Sadly, the public persona is also sometimes a part of my personal life and that can possibly create problems. But honesty and communication can be two useful tools to avoid such circumstances. This brings me back to the question of family. If you have them, then you go through lots of things with them.

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