Theresa Phiri is a 20 year old born and raised in Zambia and completed her secondary school at Roma girls in 2019 she is the only child of her parents. Theresa Phiri told Zed360 “Being born in a middle class family it was actually pretty difficult joining the modelling industry cause my parents don’t agree with it and they say models exposed their body’s too much and I actually disagree with them and I want to do what I want and make myself happy”.
The fashion and commercial model said she first learnt about and tried modeling at school in a school pageant that they school had. Theresa Phiri recalls that most of the girls who took part in the school pageant had slim bodies so when she tried talking to one of them because she wanted to participate as well then however she laughed and discouraged because she was fat and short however this rejection only motivated as she adds “I wanted to prove the wrong so I did try to do some shoots with some photographers and they loved me. Modeling isn’t all about the shape, it’s about you being dedicated, passionate, patient, having knowledge about it, being confident and also showing off your melanin.” The Lusaka based model says that she is strong, courageous, and knows how to handle rejection and how to handle criticism from people.
The 20year old model believes that models should be positive role models in the society and when asked if she is are a good role model she stated that “Yes I am because I’m going to represent other people who are not confident about themselves and let them know that body shape doesn’t really matter they just need to be confident about themselves and they need to have that high esteem”.
For those that are aspiring to become models Theresa Phiri encourages them not to really pay much attention to what other people say whether or not you’re doing great you’re making it bigger in life or your just struggling, people will still talk they will still taunt you. She added that “People are so negative and would say anything just to bring you down so sweethearts just live life to the fullest, be happy and remember we live everyday but die once. So make yourselves your first priority in life.
Theresa Phiri says that she just wants to make it big in the modeling industry, to be famous and be known she wants to show the people that made fun of her that she can also be who she want or what she want to be is up to her and not what they want her (me) to be.
When asked about the obstacles she faces as a model in Zambia Theresa Phiri says the obstacles that she faces are being bullied and favoritism.
