The model known at Talent Management for supporting environmental issues has now turned her hand to supporting her country’s most underprivileged areas through the launch of a new modelling competition.

Following in the footsteps of fellow veteran model Tyra Banks, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen was recently spotted in her native country launching Top CUFA (Central Única das Favelas, or Central Union of Slums); a competition that focuses on searching for model talent in the country’s slums.

The contest, which says it aims “to boost slum dwellers’ self-esteem”, will whittle down model applicants to one finalist from each of the country’s 27 states, before crowning one girl the Top CUFA.

According to Fashionista’s reports, Bündchen said at the launch: “I feel privileged to be the sponsor of this project.” After which she revealed that she’d been rejected by an incredible 42 London modelling agents before she was finally signed. Sounds like she could have done with a modelling competition at the start of her career too!

So, just what do you get if you win the Top CUFA modelling competition? Some shampoo and a crown. No, seriously. Aside from the standard year-long modelling contract, the winner will receive the crown that Bündchen won at her first Carnival and a year’s worth of Pantene hair products.

We know that Bündchen is spokesmodel for Pantene in Brazil, but really? We know this is the slums and not New York, but shampoo doesn’t sound so great when pit up against America’s Next Top Model, in which 2012’s cycle sees the models compete for a career-launching prize package that includes a fashion feature in Nylon Magazine, $100,000 cash and campaigns with Nine West and Smashbox Cosmetics, in addition to a modelling contract and being named the face of “America’s Next Top Model” perfume Dream Come True.

Still, this isn’t about the prizes, it’s about boosting self-esteem, apparently.