Miss International Kenya 2022 Cindy Isendi on why she is leaving pageantry

The reigning Miss International Kenya 2022 has revealed that she will no longer take part in pageantry competitions opting to venture into mentorship of upcoming models.

Speaking to the Nation, Cindy Isendi, who is also an accountant, will take part in her last pageantry in December where she will represent Kenya and Africa at the 60th edition of the Miss International Beauty Pageant 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.

She divulged that while she will still be a model, she will no longer actively pursue beauty pageantry after the Tokyo competition but instead offer consultancy services within the industry.

“I have a soft spot for modelling, so I won’t be leaving it soon, but this will be my last Miss International to attend. However, I will still venture into mentoring young kids,” said Ms Isendi.

The 25-year-old started her journey into modelling back in 2015, when she modelled for fashion designers before switching to beauty pageantry.

“I started modelling in 2015, and I started with high fashion modelling which is basically showcasing clothes and started pageantry in 2016, with a pageant called Miss Earth,” she said.

Since then, she has done several pageants and in 2019 she joined and won the Kenyan crown of Beauty of Africa International Pageant and soon after the African title.

“I did a couple of pageants in between, and in 2019 I did Beauty of Africa International Pageant and won the Kenyan crown. I went to Nigeria to represent Kenya in the African finals and also won the African crown, and now I‘m Miss International Kenya 2022,” said Ms Isendi.

Untapped potential

Having substantial experience in the Kenyan modelling scene, Ms Isendi believes the Kenyan modelling industry has a lot to offer as many young girls in the country have a lot of untapped potential.

“I think Kenya has a lot to offer in pageantry and modelling, but we don’t have many opportunities to do so widely. So I feel grateful to have the chance to represent Kenya.”

As is a common notion that beauty pageants are all about societal beauty standards, Ms Isendi promulgates it is hardly the case when it comes to beauty contests. With pageantry, she says, one needs to have beauty and brains as what is highly considered is one’s ability to communicate with the masses and promote growth within a particular region.

“Pageantry is a forum for ladies to make the world a better place because every pageant has its own personal cause. Right now, it does not have any physical standards as it was before, as before, they were very keen on height and body size,” she said.

“Right now, what is looked at the most is authenticity and having the voice to talk to people and convince them that you have the ability to change the community around you.”

Ms Isendi, currently working as an accountant for a Non-Profit Organization, has a project where she teaches Mathematics to primary school children at an informal settlement.

“I’m doing a pet project for education working with a school called Glad Kids education, which supports informal education for kids who cannot afford school fees,” she said.