13 Sep 2016

Teko Iponeng (21) from Khwee won the Boteti  Miss Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) pageant in Orapa on Saturday (September 10).
Iponeng  beat  other nine contestants and won a double bed and bedding, while the first princess position was scooped by 20-year-old Ofitlhetswe Kororo from Xere who won a single bed and bedding while 24 year old  Lemphitile Nonyane also from Xere got a second princess position and won a single bed. The  consolation prizes were size four three legged pot, three piece comforter and foam mattress.
The contestants were from four Boteti Sub district RADP villages of Khwee,Xere,Kedia and Mmea. The queen, first and second princess will represent Boteti Sub-district at the District RADP Beauty Pageant scheduled for 29 October 2016 in Serowe.  Speaking during the pageant, the Boteti Sub-district assistant council secretary Ndidza Molatole said the RADP pageant is a government initiative intended to unearth natural beauty  as per the theme of the day.
 Molatole said the aim of the beauty pageant is to improve and empower remote area communities through social inclusion. Another purpose of the programme is to develop and promote sustainable livelihoods for communities and individuals residing in the remote areas and to reduce dependence on government and achieve full integration to make them compete reasonably with their counterparts in the rest of the country.
The senior manager, support services at Debswana, Thatayaone Sithole said with such programmes the government promotes and encourages the direction of participation of remote area communities on issues of recreation, arts and culture.
 Sithole said the pageant is appropriate at this time when the nation is facing the challenge of non-participation of remote area communities in national development events due to their remoteness.
He urged contestants to utilise the platform they had been accorded through coaching to exhibit their talents.
He also said he believed the purpose of this is to ensure commitment and dedication to the success of their beauty, urging them to fully utilise the knowledge they acquired and encouraged them to be innovative and proactive in their approach to this programme in an endeavor to eradicate poverty. ENDS