Moi University recently held its annual Mr and Miss Culture pageant that saw Beryl Njoki became the face of Darling Kenya.
The beautiful young student strutted her way to earning a brand endorsement with Darling Kenya even though she did not win the Miss Culture 2018 title. The Sauce got a chance to talk to Beryl about her modeling career that is about to take off, her goals and the one thing she wishes to change in Kenya.
CC: What 3 words best describe you?
BN: Ambitious, bubbly and free-spirited.
CC: What pushed you to try out the Miss Culture Moi University Pageant?
BN: For the longest time I have always thought of modeling though it was always just a fleeting idea at the back of my mind. It always came up when I met someone who would ask, “Are you a model? You look like one.” So it became something I wanted to try and Mr and Miss Culture could not have presented a better opportunity. When I heard about the pageant, I instantly said to myself, “It’s now or never. If I let this chance pass by without me trying this modeling thing, I might never do it.” So I asked a friend to train me, which she gladly did. Mind you I was a rookie in this, but that didn’t stop me from trying. Everyone has their first time and that was mine and I’m glad all went well. It was my first time to actually be on the runway and in the presence of a large audience.
CC: What came to your mind when you were called out as the winner?
BN: Wow. At first, I was shocked when my tag was called out. I had to look at it to confirm that it was actually me. My mind was racing. I was simply wowed, overwhelmed. The walk to the front felt like the longest walk ever. It was a moment I cannot quite put into words but it surely will be a memorable one for as long as I live.
CC: You have the title of Face of Darling Kenya 2018, what does that mean to you?
BN: Being the face of Darling means quite a lot. First, it will lay a strong foundation for my modeling career. It will also be the perfect opportunity for me to brand myself as a commercial model which is something important in this field. It will also open opportunities for me to work with other companies. Also, just to be honest, winning the title- Face of Darling– has helped me realize that I can be anything I want to be, I just need to believe I can and I’ll surely be it.
CC: What are some of the perks of partnering with Darling as a brand?
BN: The benefits are a one year contract with Darling as their brand ambassador and I’ll also be the face on their billboard for the same period of time.
CC: If you could snap your fingers and fix one problem, what would it be?
BN: Quality education has been something that’s of concern to me, especially in the country. I strongly believe that Africa has the ability to have research facilities so great that Yale and Harvard graduates will seek us and not the other way round. We can also be a forefront of scientific prowess and even successful in the field of knowledge creation but this can only begin with improving our education sector. Quality education is an inevitable cause and that we should all strive to achieve it in every way possible. I am an ardent believer in the fact that quality education is primordial to major progress in the new age and that we can start by mending the loopholes now. So, yes, education is something I’d want to change in my country in the snap of a finger.
CC: What are your future career goals?
BN: I would want to work with great fashion stylists such as Annabel Onyango and designers such as Pam Oloo. The Kenyan industry is slowly rising to be among the best in Africa and I would want to be part of it. I would also like to work with international brands such as Coca-Cola and Nivea. I am also thinking of trying the Miss Tourism Pageant next year. I am also a budding designer and I hope that in future I’ll own my own clothing line and work with amazing designers.
CC: Who is your biggest influence?
BN: My mother. She is the strongest woman I know and I see it every single day in how she handles her challenges and solves day to day problems. She carries the whole world on her shoulders yet makes it look like a pair of wings. She makes broken look beautiful and pain looks invisible. She is everything I want to be when I grow up. If I even get to become half of what she is, I’ll be glad.
CC: What’s your life mantra?
BN: Just keep on swimming, swimming, and swimming.
