BRIGITTE SAYA "I'M YOUNG AND DRIVEN": CELEBRATING BEAUTY,MAKEUP AND SELF-WORTH
At only 22, Brigitte Alfred has achieved so much in life that some people just dream of such triumphs. Her first breakthrough was being crowned Miss Tanzania back in 2012. In her journey to discover her self-worth, one of the things that she found as her calling is to start her own Foundation. She is currently the President and Founder of a local NGO called Brigitte Alfred Foundation (BAF), which caters for people with albinism in Tanzania. Apart from being one of Tanzania’s sweetheart and passionate about her foundation’s work, she is also studying a degree in economics hoping to graduate in November 2017. When she is not working or studying, she prefers catching up and hanging out with friends. She also enjoys good reads a lot. Her other way of spending her free time is to do online researches on ways she can improve herself, and her organization. To sum it up, she likes doing things that build her personally and help her community as well.
What does your typical day look like?
During the school calendar, a typical day will involve waking up and go to class, catch up with assignments and the day is over. We both know School is study and work and study, and the routine is the same. But when I’m on holiday, my time is made up of working for BAF. I wake up, go to the office and work on the usual routines, then come home and prepare for the next big project or look at my work plan for future projects.
What are the challenges you have faced to get to where you are right now?
I always tell people it’s very challenging to be a woman because you have to work beyond the 100% to prove yourself more than men would. So my biggest challenge has been proving myself capable and being reliable in my commitments. As a 22 year old, I have to work harder to prove to people that although I am young, I am driven, and I can take my work more seriously. And then of course after you get past that, there are other normal challenges that each one of us, especially young women go through when they are trying to achieve something. E.g. harassment, bureaucracy, people looking down on you, etc.
What can you say is your biggest accomplishment in life so far?
For me personally it would not be material things; but it would be the realization at a young age of what my purpose in life is. People take a very long time to know what they want to do with their lives, but I am grateful and I think it’s the biggest achievement for me. Then there are the other obvious achievements like being crowned Miss Tanzania, starting my own organization to cater for the underprivileged and creating project that impact peoples lives.
What does beauty mean to you?
I have been asked about this a lot of times and I always have the same answer; beauty is not just skin deep, it is not just about a beautiful face, a beautiful body, and good complexion. You have to have a beautiful heart too. A person with a bad heart, has no good intentions with people, automatically even you when you meet them, you get to have negative vibes from them. Even if they are so beautiful, that attitude will diminish their beauty. Beauty starts from the heart then it radiates. People are gravitated to positive people, they stand out from the crowd because of their positive vibes.
What do you think about make up and the controversy behind it?
I think make up like any other thing in life is about choice. If you want to put red lipstick to enhance your natural beauty then go ahead. It’s all about you and what you are comfortable with. You don’t need to apply makeup to impress men or other people. And someone who prefers not to apply any makeup at all and to them that’s the definition of being naturally beautiful, then that is how they feel, let them be, they are entitled to it. Even if a person wants to put layers of make up on their face everyday and that makes them feel nice about themselves that’s all up to them. I love make up but I prefer the simple light makeup because I am a very simple person, my normal make up routine will be powder, getting my eyebrows done and mascara. On a night out, I try to be presentable and try to apply a bit of heavy makeup on my eyes, so basically it depends on the occasion.
Is there a link between those in the beauty industry and those who did not attain higher education qualification?
I think the general assumption will be that because we do not take cosmetology as a serious art, but it brings employment, it makes people feel good and about themselves, it helps others cover their skin flaws with make up and look beautiful. Unfortunately it’s on the inferior side of our careers, academics, work or professional. To me it’s a field like any other field.
If you where given a chance to use LuvTouch Manjano products, which ones would you use and why?
I had not used LuvTouch Manjano products before until today, when the makeup artist applied it on my face. I love the entire finished look and the velvety feel of the powder on my skin. I even snap chatted it on my social media page and said the finishing is like the expensive international high-end brands and its great because it is something that is a Tanzanian Brand. I did not expect that at all. I am glad that I got to try it out, and would really love to use the powder again. I will surely recommend it to my friends.
What advice do you have for girls and young women?
I would advise young girls and anyone watching my video that they should check deep inside and find out what it is that their purpose is, what is it that God has created them to do, because that kind of self-finding leads you, it keeps you on a straight path, you know what you are working for. So you don’t waste time dig racing from things that are not important. At a young age it is important to establish the direction of your life. It’s not easy, it may take a long time but when you eventually do; it is easy to focus your life in that direction.
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