Carrying the Miss Mahalapye sash on her shoulder and the crown on her head, the confident young girl was quick to introduce herself as an intelligent 15-year-old from Mahalapye who wants to make instant change in her society. Having made history as the youngest queen to have ever worn the village’s coveted crown, Baipoledi described her crowning moment of December 30, 2017 when she beat other contestants.
Baipoledi, the third Miss Mahalapye since the pageant’s inception in 2015 said she was anxious and nervous when her name was announced. “It was a tough competition, but I am excited because I will now play a bigger role of changing people’s mindsets and how they view Mahalapye (as a) village,” she said. She said she intends to change the image of her home village when she begins her work as the reigning queen. “I want to live up to the expectations. I would like to teach the youth the importance of education and self-acceptance,” she said. She added that as a young person tasked with the role of bringing about change, she would encourage the youth to seek a better future and never let situations hinder their progress.
