Miss Mahalapye celebrates inaugural success
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday January 13, 2016 14:29
The pageant creator Gaonyafale Phuti told Showbiz the pageant went well and Batswana came in large numbers to support her.
“The elders and the youth loved the pageant and I was even shocked myself,” she said. “I never expected that amount of support.”
She was also glad to announce some of the money would be used to help orphans at Mothers’ Union in Mahalapye. She also said she met the children recently and obtained information about their needs.
Phuti told Showbiz the pageant aimed to curb alcohol abuse and other forms of indiscipline by Mahalapye youth.
“Most of the people who went to Miss Mahalapye pageant had no other distraction throughout the festive season,” she said.
Phuti conceived the pageant idea in 2014 to unearth talent and keep the youth away from the crime and drug abuse.
“It is amazing how Mahalapye youth were hungry for entertainment and now they want me to continue with the pageant again in the future,” she said.
She said the 10 contestants who participated in the pageant were focused on the task at hand. After the pageant, organisers took all the contestants for a three-day session.
“We wanted to show them fun can be achieved without alcohol,” she added. “We even discussed issues that affect women like prostitution and domestic abuse.”
The 23-year-old student at University of Botswana said they also managed to embrace Setswana culture with their parades, with contestants clad in attire from various parts of Botswana.Phuti promised entertainment lovers an improved and bigger show this year.