Oct 30, 2009 (Daily Champion/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Beginning from tomorrow, Mnet's Face of Africa competition returns to television screens once more to tell a story of hope and opportunity, as the journey from Africa's busy streets to Africa's glamourous catwalks continues.

Designed to run for 17 weeks, Face of Africa will cross countries, uncover fresh new faces, and chart their rise to the top. Along the way, audiences will discover how Nigeria's gorgeous duo of Blessing Bassey and Marvis Chinelo Offor were discovered at this year's auditions and how far they've progressed in the competition.

Speaking, Africa Director, M-Net, Mrs Biola Alabi said, "Over time, this initiative has shown that it is about so much more than just fashion and beauty. There is a bigger picture there to see, something more than shoes, and cameras and clothing. It's about young women with so much courage that they will leave their homes to find new experiences, so much determination that they will venture into the unknown to discover themselves, so much passion to chase their dreams."

"There is something so magical about this, so special to see, that M-Net wants to share it with audiences across Africa. Because these are Africa's own and they are taking their chance to shine. We want to laugh with them, cry with them, celebrate with them and now our audiences can do this, every step of the way," she said.

According to Mrs. Alabi, the winner receives a cash prize of $50,000 and a modeling contract with O Model Africa. Auditions for the new season began earlier this year in 14 countries - Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

"Entry was open online to entrants from across sub-Saharan Africa who wished to participate, thus gaining entries from as far afield as Sudan and Cameroon. The next step was the casting sessions where a special team of model scouts evaluated entries and selected contestants to continue in the series.

"Emotional, dramatic and entertaining, these castings were filmed and DStv audiences will now be able to see behind-the-scenes of the search and live the experience. At the end of the audition phase, 24 models from 16 countries were selected to participate in Model BootCamp, in Mombasa in Kenya. This idyllic tropical paradise with its breathtaking shoreline will serve as backdrop for another selection round amidst modeling workshops, fashion photo-shoots and television filming," she said

Meanwhile as the search for a new Face of Africa gets underway, last year's winner Kate Menson is living her dream job. The 24-year-old has been starring in M-Net's advertising campaign for the new season of Face of Africa and in addition, she recently completed a stay at the Big Brother house.

Other credits include appearances at Mozambique Fashion Week, New Delhi Fashion Week, Cape Town Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, as well as appearing on the pages of Elle, Glamour and Cosmopolitan.

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