It's simply been wonderful,says Miss Earth

MAUREEN ODUBENG
Staff Writer | Thursday May 28, 2009 00:00

 

This year's Miss Earth final will be held on August 22 at Maitisong, Maruapula School, Gaborone.

Speaking in an interview with Showbiz, Ngwako stated that her reign as Miss Earth has enlightened and broadened her knowledge of environmental issues, something she might have taken for granted had it not been for the title. Ngwako confessed that before entering Miss Earth Botswana she had never participated in any pageant, but through her sister's persuasion, she decided to give it a try. Ngwako said that once she registered and established what the pageant was all about, she got more intrigued. The Miss Earth pageant winners give meaning and relevance by promoting worthwhile environmental causes and getting actively involved in caring for and the preservation of Mother Earth, as the title suggests. Ngwako said as the queen she has learnt much about environmental issues affecting both Botswana and the rest if the globe. In her second year in a broadcasting related course, Ngwako said had she entered the pageant while she was still in secondary school, she would have probably studied something related to environmental conservation at university. Since her reign Ngwako has been involved in a number of environmental activities, including litter picking with the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC). She has also participated in the Mission Green Earth Stand Up Take Action (MGESUTA) campaign at the invitation of the British Council, during which she participated in an environmental workshop and tree planting.

MGESUTA is an initiative by Art of Living Foundation supported by the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Campaign and UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Ngwako also did some tree planting in Serowe, her home village, and partnered with the local cycling club where she told attendees that cycling (instead of driving) can go a long way towards curbing global warming. She was also invited to World Tourism Day commemoration in Nata last year, which was yet another worthwhile experience for her.

In most of the events she attended she had to give a speech on environmental issues.

As a word of advice to aspiring beauty queens, Ngwako says they should always remember that being a beauty queen is not just about holding a title, and looking all that beautiful.

'You have got to be a beauty queen with a purpose, and make an impact on people's lives,' she says.

She however noted beauty queens in Botswana are still not given due recognition, explaining that when she went to represent Botswana in the Miss Earth International Pageant in Manila in the Philippines, she noticed that 'their beauty queens are highly regarded'.

She noted that there are many things that can be achieved through beauty queens. For instance, Ngwako said, they can serve as role models because they are better placed to transmit certain message, especially to the youth.

She concluded by saying that the community should support pageants because beauty queens can help improve people's lives too. Apart from her role as a beauty queen, Ngwako is a co-presenter of My Star Show, which airs on Botswana Television (Btv).