Daniel Nyassy
19 August 2007
Nairobi — British supermodel Ms Naomi Campbell plans to invest in several business and charity ventures in Kenya.
Speaking to local journalists in Malindi, where she is on a one-month holiday, Ms Campbell said she and her boyfriend, Italian billionaire Flavio Biatore, would start an international modelling college for Kenyan girls, and were planning on starting a school and a tourist resort in Malindi.
Ms Campbell is expected to fly to Nairobi to scout for talent among modelling agencies.
The supermodel is staying at the posh Lion in The Sun Hotel, owned by Mr Biatore, in the up-market Casuarina area. Mr Biatore is not in Malindi.
Ms Campbell spoke to local journalists for the first time since she began visiting the country 10 years ago.
Grandfather
She sat close to a portrait of Mr Biatore and Nelson Mandela, whom she fondly referred to as "my grandfather".
She expressed great admiration for the African statesman whom she said she would meet after leaving Kenya.
"I am going to be with Mr Mandela when I leave here. He is unveiling a statue in London on the 29th and then we'll go to Monaco for a fundraising dinner with him and Prince Albert for the Nelson Mandela Foundation and then after that I will be going to New York for the fashion week," she said.
Saying that Malindi has the resources to attract foreign investors, she announced that she and her boyfriend would put up a tourist resort for billionaires in the town.
"We would like to bring many more people here and we need encouragement from the Government," she said.
But she raised concern over the poor state of the infrastructure and recommended that the Malindi airport be expanded to allow bigger planes from Europe to land there.
"The Government has to come in and assist us do this. Things must really improve. The road from Mombasa has to be carpeted because it's terrible. Fortunately, my friends come by air," she said.
She added: "Malindi for me is Africa. I always come here because this is where Africa is. The people of Malindi are amazing. They have wonderful smiles, really genuine smiles from down their hearts.
"I think they are very generous, very kind people. That's why I love coming here; it's a sanctuary for me. We would always come here. Flavio and I would like to share everything with the people of Malindi."
Plans to invest
She hinted that Mr Biatore had plans to invest in the Mayungu area.
She expressed dismay at a recent incident in which a couple from Italy who had come to shoot a film in Malindi was arrested.
She said: "Instead of people going to Morocco, they should come to Kenya and Flavio and I have very great ideas about investment in Kenya. This is like our home. We want to help the local people get skills and employment."
Ms Campbell called on the Government to ensure that everyone felt safe to encourage investment.
"All people - foreign and local - must feel safe for investment to go on and for people to enjoy the beauty that Kenya has to offer."
Build a school
"You are ruining Malindi, a place which could provide so much opportunity for Kenyans, by neglecting the roads and the town. I want to build a school for children but I can't do it until the upgrade happens. The upgrade is as important as the safety of the people," she said.
She noted that Malindi was in a better shape 10 years ago when she started visiting the country.
"That time, Mr Gideon Mung'aro was the Mayor of Malindi and the town was absolutely spotless. The roads were pothole free, no garbage, all was very beautiful. I am sorry I can't say the same about the town today," she said.
The supermodel said she wants to help Kenyans exploit their potential.
"Every time I have been here, I give my time. I never give donations, I never speak about what I give because I find that vulgar. I just want to help," she said.
Ms Campbell was born in London in 1970. She started modelling when she was 15.
She said her mother was so opposed to the idea that "I had to do it behind her back".
She attained great success on the catwalk despite the hassles involved.
Her demanding job has made her a globetrotter. "I am not sure whether it tires me that much because I take a holiday every year, especially in August when the modelling industry virtually closes down," she said.
Raw deal
She noted that black models have always got a raw deal from the industry players.
"I even get a raw deal from my own country. For example, I hardly come on the front pages of London's Vogue magazine. Only white models, some of whom are not as prominent as I am, are put on front pages," she said.
But she said she would fight to ensure equity between black and white models in terms of opportunities.
"I don't want to quit modelling until I find that black models get equal prominence and recognition by the world media and information instruments," she added.
She pointed out that modelling has many challenges that one has to overcome to be successful.
A lot of work
"What the people see is just the end product. There is usually a lot of work, a lot of organisation, a lot of shooting and lots of things before the end product is shown to the consumer," she said.
She has overcome many hurdles to put her company of beauty products, Design House of Naomi Campbell, which she created in 1999, at the top.
"When I started it, it was like a test because it wasn't something that I wanted to do as I had to have the commitment of travelling throughout the world and I found that scary," she said.
"But Flavio spoke to me and told me: 'Try this because you have a good opportunity'. I am happy that I did because it turned out to be a really great learning experience for me," she said.
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