Harare — Determination and effort coupled with talent and a mind of your own can take you far up your chosen ladder. A good dollop of stubbornness will also be needed.

And for Miss Tourism Zimbabwe Samantha Ntombizodwa Tshuma they have taken her to the top.

Yes she has the wit, beauty, height and shape to be a top model. The underlying talent is there. She loves art and has a feeling for it, in fact that will be her career. But she had to make immense efforts and be very determined; perhaps stubborn might be a better word.

Success does not come free.

Because for 10 good years, she silently worked to build her modelling career, despite fierce resistance from her father who did not want her to "walk half naked in front of the whole world."

"For 10 years my father kept telling me to abandon modelling and focus on a career that would keep me in the office.

"He would tell me that he wanted me to have a profession, not to be seen strutting on the ramp, something which he said would bring shame to the family" recalls Samantha.

Samantha remembers how she would sneak out of the house for modelling sessions, or just to go and indulge herself in art, something she has often cherished.

"I told myself that I just wanted to be an art person, and not some bookworm that my father was trying to turn me into.

"I also considered options of being either a dancer or an actress, but naturally my heart went to modelling," she enthused.

Not everyone was pleased by her decision, and his father went ballistic when he heard that she was to take part in the Miss Tourism Bulawayo modelling competition last year.

On several occasions her mentor and modelling agent, famous actress Sarah Mpofu, had to plead with her father to allow her to pursue modelling as a career.

Realising the potential that Samantha had, Sarah was determined to have her take part in the contest.

"When I met the father, he made it clear that he was not happy with her choice and said it in no uncertain terms that he wanted the best out of her.

"He said he would only give his blessing if she takes up a serious profession," recalls Sarah.

The competition night for Miss Tourism Bulawayo became the turning point in Samantha's life, and harbinger of good things to come.

"Although I badly wanted to clinch the title, I also feared my father's reaction, in the event that I won."

When she was crowned that night, she shed tears. It was both an expression of joy and fear, fear of what awaited her back home.

Instead of berating her on her newly-found fame, Mr Tshuma, congratulated his daughter for having made him proud.

She had justified her choice through her efforts and success.

One has sympathy for Mr Tshuma. While in most professions there is a easy gradient of earnings from the most junior to the top levels, in the entertainment, modelling and professional sports careers only those at the top can earn a decent living.

The rest are left by the wayside.

So that night was a turning point in Samantha's life.

Realising that she had gained acceptance from him, if only through her stubbornness and success, she silently vowed to make her father the happiest man in her road to stardom.

Looking back, Samantha says by clinching the highly coveted crown, she has made her father proud.

Although he did not attend the grand finale, he closely followed the proceedings on television at his Malindela residence in Bulawayo.

Just before Samantha left Bulawayo for Harare, Mr Tshuma sponsored her shopping trip to South Africa and even arranged transport for several well wishers who wanted to attend the finals at the Rainbow Towers.

When Samantha was announced the winner, a prominent businessman in the City of Kings, Mr Tshuma immediately called his daughter to congratulate her.

"Matshu, usiphakamisile, siyakubongela lokhu (You have made us proud, we thank you).

"This time I shed tears of joy. My dream had come true. It was a double victory. I had made my father happy, and had won the competition," she said

Samantha feels that her determination to pursue her passion has even made her a stronger person.

Coming from a supportive family of 12 and two wonderful mothers, she says she now wants to concentrate on modelling and developing her passion in arts.

"Now I can fully develop my career, because I know my family is fully behind me.

"I will also want to focus on nurturing my talent in dancing, music and painting, while grooming myself in preparation for Miss World," she said.

Samantha's quiet and down to earth nature was quite evident throughout the interview.

However, when she laughs, she really laughs hard, its infectious, you can't ignore it.

"Although I am a shy person I love being around people, and, yeah, I am happy being around them, but of course modelling is at the core of my heart."

But who is Samantha Tshuma?

Born on January 2 1990 at Mpilo Hospital, Samantha grew up in the low-density suburb of Paddornhurst in Bulawayo before shifting to Malindela, where she currently lives with her big family.

She did her primary education at Coghlan, Moray and Commando Primary schools before proceeding to Eveline High School for O-Level.

Instead of going on to A-Level, Samantha opted for enrolling at the Bulawayo Art Gallery where she is studying art.

"I love drawing and painting and that is why I am doing art at Bulawayo Art Gallery."

But she does not put all her eggs in one basket. She is studying for a diploma in marketing with BES College in Bulawayo while learning computers from a personal tutor. She assists in the family business and is a co-marketing executive at Bellevue Service Station in Bulawayo.

So although modelling and art are her vocations, she has taken her father's concerns to heart and if things do not go quite as well as she would like, she will still make her way in the world.

One wonders how she manages such a tight schedule.

"If you are after something you have to make sure you get it. I have to manage pressure.

"I go to school in the morning and during weekends," she said.

Samantha, who started modelling at the age of 10, has won 14 awards in 10 years, the biggest being Miss Tourism Zimbabwe.

And oh yes, in her little spare time she enjoys horse riding.