5 Things to Know About Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi

Ladies with exceptional beauties coming from 90 countries competed in the recent Ms. Universe 2019 in the hope to take home the crown. All of them competed for the $5 million Mikimoto crown, but only one prevailed. In the end, Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was hailed the victor.

The world's biggest beauty pageant was hosted by Steve Harvey at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the panel was composed of seven female judges. This year's Miss Universe is Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi with her who finished as runners-up were Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Mexico.

Here are the fast five facts that you need to know about Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019:

1. She is engaged in fight against gender-based violence

In her bio, it was stipulated that "Zozibini Tunzi is a passionate activist and engaged in the fight against gender-based violence. She has devoted her social media campaign to change the narrative around gender stereotypes."

Zozibini Tunzi asked South African men to write love letters to women to help form part of her National costume in the Miss Universe pageant. She also launched her support in UN's #HeforShe Campaign. The Miss Universe winner hoped to shift the perception about gender-based violence.

2. Zozibini Tunizi was raised in the village of Sidwaweni

She was born in Tsolo, Eastern Cape and was raised in the village of Sidwaweni together with her three sisters. She settled down in the Garden suburbs after moving to Cape Town.

She said that her role models in her life are her parents. In a separate statement, she said: "My mother taught me the importance of being kind and humble and always helpful to those around me and my father taught me the importance of education, hard work, and discipline."

She also shared that every time she is not working or training for the pageant, she enjoys watching her favorite TV Show.

3. An advocate for natural beauty

In one of the TV shows, she was asked about the burden she is carrying as the icon of African natural beauty and a lot of people are looking to her as an inspiration. She answered "It's not too heavy because it's just who I am naturally. It just comes naturally; I don't feel like I have to pretend or be that person that they think I am, and so it's quite wonderful that people look at it that way and feel that they're comfortable with who they are."

4. Earned a degree in public relations management

She attended at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology after she moved to Cape Town. Before she joined Miss Africa, she was completing her graduate degree in Public Relations in the said University and graduated in 2018.

In one of her TV interviews after she won Miss South Africa, she said one of her challenges in the upcoming pageant then (Miss Universe 2019) is social media. She quoted "I'm not very big on social media. So for the first time, I had to open myself up to people. That meant that I was open for judgment, to cyber-bullying... for me, that was the toughest part about it."

5. She started her pageant career in 2017

She started her beauty pageant career in 2017 after she was accepted as part of the Top 26 in Miss South Africa 2017. Two months after her reign as Miss South Africa she said "Finally, I think I can say it has sunk in. A month ago, not so much- you're just introduced to this new world overnight. Your life changes like that."

She also said that there were few changes she experienced after she was crowned as Miss South Africa. She needs to move from one city to the other to pursue her advocacies, walk outside, and have South African people recognize her as the reigning Miss South Africa.