Outgoing Miss Botswana returns from Swaziland

The time for Marope to transfer the crown to the new queen is slowly approaching, but the 2009 queen is still diligently making her mark as Miss Botswana. Marope left for Swaziland last Wednesday at the invitation of Miss Swaziland 2009/10, Nombilo Mncina.

The programme for the two beauty queens was packed, as they visited a number of areas, including a cultural village. The highlight of the visit was a fund-raising event for Charity, where the two queens managed to raise a total of R72 000 in one night. Marope says of the total, she raised R10 000 from a Swaziland National Team t-shirt bearing Sihlangu Semnikati (King's Shield). Mncina orgainsed the charity dinner to raise funds for Hope House, a hospice run by the Roman Catholic Church in Manzini. Opened in 2000, House of Hope cares for the terminally ill, including those dying of HIV/AIDS related illnesses. Hope House also provides medical and psychological support.