STRIKING at first glance, it’s impossible to ignore the magnetism of Ajok Madel.
Gracing the catwalk for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, Sydney, and appearing in campaigns for Camilla, the 20-year-old Rockingham model is known for her radiant smile, glowing skin and statuesque legs (her most talked about asset).
Born in a Kenyan refugee camp, where her mother fled after the death of her father in the South Sudanese conflicts, Madel moved to Australia aged nine.
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READ NOWAs she grew up, friends and workmates – even strangers – urged her to try modelling.
Never believing she had what it took, she eventually sent photos to Vivien’s agency in 2016 and work promptly landed in her lap.
How has your family history and upbringing shaped you?
I have watched my mother experience the hardships in the refugee camp, which opened my eyes at a very young age.
I can’t confirm that my past has made me who I am today but I do think that my past is connected to my favourite non-physical features. Also being third-world born and first-world raised definitely makes me view things differently.