Tanzanian model Jihan Mohin Dimack has made history after becoming the first African woman to win the Miss Grand International title, ending a 13-year wait for the continent at one of the world’s major international beauty pageants.
The 30-year-old claimed the crown during the Miss Grand International 2026 grand finale in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, October 10, succeeding the Philippines’ Emma Mary Tiglao, who won the 2025 edition.
Dimack emerged victorious from a field of 80 contestants representing countries and territories around the world, with Ecuador’s Shyare Andrade finishing as first runner-up.
Her victory marked a milestone for Tanzania, which had never won the competition since its establishment in 2013.
She also became the pageant’s 14th titleholder, bringing the international crown to Africa for the first time.
The achievement puts Tanzania on the global pageant map and gives African contestants a historic breakthrough in a competition whose previous winners came from other regions.
Dimack secured the title after impressing judges during the final question-and-answer segment, where the remaining five contestants had to explain the qualities an empowered woman should possess.
The question challenged finalists to demonstrate their values and ability to communicate a message beyond the traditional elements of a beauty competition.
Dimack placed kindness at the centre of her response, identifying her mother as her example of an empowered woman.
“I believe the quality she should possess is a kind heart, and to me, the perfect example is my mother,” she said.
She explained that her mother’s willingness to help others had shaped her understanding of leadership and service.
“She’s a woman that is kind to others. She’s a woman that places others before herself. She’s a woman that is always ready to serve,” Dimack added.
The Tanzanian model argued that kindness could help women influence others and create meaningful change.
“To me, I believe that is a quality that allows you to lead with kindness. That is a quality that allows you to change the world,” she said.
She concluded her answer by thanking her mother for inspiring her to embody those values.
“And I just want to say tonight, thank you, Mom, for inspiring me to be that woman. Thank you.”
Her response distinguished her from the other finalists, who also discussed qualities such as determination, courage and the ability to create opportunities for others.
The final question-and-answer segment played a crucial role in the competition as contestants made their last case for the crown before the judges announced the winner.
Dimack’s victory followed years of experience in modelling and competitive pageantry.
Born into a Tanzanian-Lebanese family, she has lived in Tanzania, Lebanon and Mozambique and has also worked in China, where she built experience in modelling, sales and live commerce.
She began modelling at 17 and developed an interest in pageantry while growing up. She first competed in Miss Tanzania, although she did not win the national title.
The experience helped her understand the demands of pageantry and strengthened her determination to pursue opportunities on international stages.
In 2016, Dimack won Miss Universe Tanzania, earning the opportunity to represent her country at the Miss Universe competition.
That experience gave her international exposure and prepared her for another attempt at representing Tanzania in a major global beauty competition.
Ten years later, she returned to international pageantry as Miss Grand Tanzania 2026, eventually securing a title that had eluded the continent since the competition began.
Beyond the main crown, Dimack also won the competition’s Popular Vote award, adding another achievement to her successful campaign.
The final results placed Ecuador’s Shyare Andrade as first runner-up, followed by the Netherlands’ Beau Megan Goos, Guatemala’s Ximena Carrillo and Vietnam’s Emoura Pham.
The competition also recognised contestants from several other countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Mexico, Thailand, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, among the fifth runners-up.
Dimack’s win ended the Philippines’ attempt to secure a third consecutive title following the victories of Christine Juliane Opiaza in 2024 and Tiglao in 2025.
It also gave Tanzania a rare opportunity to lead the international conversation around the competition and its representation of women from different backgrounds.
Founded in 2013, Miss Grand International has crowned winners from countries including Puerto Rico, Cuba, Australia, Indonesia, Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, the United States, Vietnam, Brazil and the Philippines.
Peru and the Philippines have each won the title twice, while Tanzania now joins the list of winning countries with its first crown.
