He also said that though they would have wanted to cast their net wider and host auditions in other parts of the country, they would only be held in Gaborone as experience has taught them that such a move was costly."We have done that before, going to places like Maun where only two girls turned up, Francistown only four came and Ghanzi where only one person came after we had spent close to P10, 000," Sekgwa said.He noted that without good sponsorship Miss Universe Botswana was struggling but that they were aiming to make it a respectable beauty pageant. "One of the reasons we have not come up with a date for the finals is that we are still courting sponsors.
The challenge of shortage of funds is there but we could not sit and fold our arms it is not an excuse to say I do not have money," he said.After Mpule Kwelagobe under Lock-Mogwe won the Miss Universe competition in 1999 it took six years before the local organisers could identify a contestant to represent Botswana at the coveted competition. Winning the pageant opened doors for Kwelagobe as she went on to become an instant international celebrity. Sekgwa said that the winner of this year's competition would get an opportunity to study in New York and a chance to join Ford Models also in the United States of America (US)."We have undertaken to grow this competition and give more girls international exposure and opportunities despite all these challenges," Sekgwa told Showbiz.He also expressed optimism that another beauty queen would follow in Kwelagobe's footsteps. "Our objectives are very clear, when we took over we made it clear that we are more about giving these girls opportunities and I am proud to say two of the past winners have found good jobs in Cape Town," he said.
