Inaugural Miss Mahalapye billed for December
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday December 1, 2015 18:00
The beauty pageant is to see 14 contestants battling it out for the ultimate crown in front of three non-nonsense judges at the luxurious Mahalapyes Cresta on December 26.
“Most youth in Mahalapye think that fun and entertainment can be achieved through alcohol and drug abuse. This pageant aims to change that,” the youthful pageant director, Gaonyafale Phuti, told Showbiz yesterday matter-of-factly. The 23 year old University of Botswana (UB) student said she came up with the idea last year after the festive holidays.
Apparently, Phuti has seen it all in her home vilage, but she has zeroed in on the crime and other societal vices which the village is notorious for. “It is a concern for everyone in Mahalapye. Miss Mahalapye beauty pageant will not only unearth talent but it will keep the youth away from the bad stuff,” she said.
Phuti further revelaed that proceed from the event will be aimed towards helping the disabled people and others in the underprivileged category. “This year it is time to give back to the community so people from Mahalapye and the surrounding areas should grace this event and make it a success,” she said.
Phuti said they dispensed with the auditions in September where they attracted a bevy of young ladies aged betwen 16 and 25 years.
“This is an age range of people who are still discovering themselves so they become vulnerable,” she observed.
Phuti said it wil not be a matter of just watchching watching the beauties strutting their stuff as thewhole spectacle will be treated as an edutainment for the indulgence of audience.
“I want the youth from surrounding areas like Shoshong, Radisele, Monwapitse and Kalamare to come so that they can learn that there are other ways of having fun without alcohol being involved,” she said.
Phuti said the winner of the pageant will, among other things, get a weekend long accommodation from the main sponsor, Cresta.
But then she reassured Showbiz that with or without sponsorship, the event will go ahead as planned.