Zena Bland is determined to inspire young people through her work

VIBRANT, down to earth and self-motivated, Zena Bland has an infectious and loving spirit, which touches everyone she comes in contact with, in a real meaningful way. She was born in the United Kingdom to Guyanese parents. Her family moved back to Guyana from the United Kingdom when she was three years old. They lived at Melanie, East Coast Demerara, Guyana.

At the tender age of 10, her father, who was a headmaster and athlete, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and her family returned to the United Kingdom, in order for her father to receive medical treatment. Later, they once again relocated to Guyana where she attended President’s College. While there, Zena was highly involved in athletics and dance; she represented both her school and Guyana at the regional athletics competition in Barbados.

At 14 years of age, during school examinations, Zena’s father sadly succumbed to his illness. Though emotionally devastated, showing the kind of determination and resoluteness that has defined her character, Zena successfully took all of her examinations.
Now, what Zena has achieved is beyond exceptional for a young woman who endured deep emotional loss. She is a proud graduate of La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School in London, having obtained nine GCSEs. Coupled with her academic achievements, she was recognised as a ‘Gifted Student’ and received numerous certificates of distinctions and merits. She was also La Retraite’s first student to have represented their borough at the London School Games. Continuing her education at La Retraite Roman Catholic Sixth Form, she graduated with three A-LEVEL subjects. Having demonstrated her leadership skills through academic, extra-curricular, volunteer activities, Zena was also made a Youth Leader at Vinspired, a youth organisation attached to the institution.

Zena then studied Journalism and Creative Writing at Middlesex University, London. She said every day she aspires to be a better version of herself and to be the woman that her late father would be proud of and a positive role model to young people.

Using pageantry as her platform to make her contributions to young people, Zena competed in her first UK pageant, Miss Guyana UK 2012. She was adjudged Miss Guyana UK 2012, First Runner-Up. This new beauty queen took the opportunity to return to Guyana, for the first time since 2006, to raise awareness about Prostate Cancer.

In 2014, Zena copped the Miss Guyana UK 2015 title. As Miss Guyana UK 2015, through motivational speeches, she raised awareness on the importance of education; volunteered in fundraising and opened the Ruimveldt’s Children’s Aid Centre in Georgetown, Guyana. She went on to compete in the Miss Universe Guyana 2016 pageant and won the Third Runner Up place. She then received the International Achiever Award ‘Young Role Model of the Year’ shortly thereafter on July 8th 2017.

Zena is now the Ambassador of Carib Kids International; a Guyanese based charity that supports parentless children, financially, nutritionally and educationally. She has been volunteering at Carib Kid’s International for the past year.

Due to Zena’s commitment and input to that charity, she received the appointment, Miss Guyana United Nations 2018.

She will be representing our beautiful land of Guyana on July 28, 2018, in Jamaica.
This gifted queen’s passion involves imparting knowledge that will be beneficial to a person’s future, welfare and state of mind. She stated that it makes her feel as though her purpose on earth is being fulfilled.

Her message to young people is “believe in yourself, your journey and your mission. Think and act positively, for what you give out into the universe, will return to you.”