15 May 2016

Miss Botswana queens have the ability to positively change lives of the younger generation.

In an interactive meeting with 21 former beauty queens in Gaborone on Thursday, the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng, said since the beauty queens were seen as the face of the country, they should be actively used in youth behavioural campaigns.

Minister Olopeng said it was encouraging to learn that some former Miss Botswana winners had already embarked on projects aimed at motivating the youth and sensitising them on issues of self-empowerment.

Though former beauty queens had more or less been struggling on their own, thus Olopeng said his ministry was prepared to work with them and assist them in whatever endeavours they undertook, noting that even if their reign had come to an end,they would continue to be regarded as Botswana’s ambassadors.  

Meanwhile, the minister said his ministry and Botswana Council of Women (BCW) had entered into a two-year period where the ministry would assist the organisation in raising and maintaining Miss Botswana standards. 

He regretted that some promoters took Miss Botswana pageants for a ride something, which he said downgraded its standards.

Minister Olopeng explained that after the two -year partnership, which will be mainly to build and set standards, independent promoters would then be free to come on board to run the pageant, but would be expected to follow laid down procedures and expectations.

In the meantime, former Miss Botswana queens who included Lucy Hitchfield and Dineo Ratsatsi said they were  happy for having been invited for such a positive initiative. 

They also said they would like to play a part in the 50th anniversary of independence of which the minister gave them a green light and said should join hands with BCW on that endeavour. END