23 Feb 2020

Lame Jerry (18), of Maitengwe in the North East District, has been appointed

Miss Teen Africa Botswana director, which is a preparatory phase for the Miss Teen Africa.

She was appointed following her application, which was approved.

In an interview recently, Jerry said the requirements for the post was for a mature person to host the event.

“Looking at my age and my body structure, I did not qualify but I decided to take a challenge and forward my application,” she said.

The appointment means she will serve as a focal point and chief organiser of the event, with the expectation that a process will be developed at national level that will ensure transparency and accountability in selecting participants that will represent each country at the main event.

Jerry said one of her objectives was to create an enabling environment for young girls and women.

Through the national pageant, she said she would do things in a transparent manner and build girls’ capacity to compete nationally, regionally and internationally.

She noted that she was the youngest of all the directors of the 56 African countries, which will be taking part in the pageant, as all the others were in their late 20’s and 30’s.

She however said as much as she was excited to be the director of a national event at such a tender age, she was faced with challenges of acquiring sponsorship.

“My family is my only sponsor as of now.

They have already helped me pay P8 000  for the venue and other costs, she said.

She said it was difficult to take the pageant off the ground.

“I was deeply hurt and disappointed when only three girls came to audition for the  pageant, after all the time I took preparing, but then I learnt that that there is a ladder of success that I have to climb and all the disappointments and rejections are part and parcel of it all,” she said.

She explained that after the disappointment, she did not lose heart but went on and advertised the event on social media and managed to get more girls and selected the best 15, who will battle it out for the crown on April 29.

She said she had really never been much into beauty pageants, but only decided to give it a try when she was doing Form Four at Ledumang Senior Secondary School in 2018.

She explained that her mother had been her inspiration in being a go-getter and getting things adding ‘my mother, Annah, always supports my little efforts and appreciated them. Even when I failed, she always assured me that better days are coming’.

She added that the indulgence of a parent in their children’s dreams and passion goes a long in the success of such dreams and aspirations.

She appealed to stakeholders in the beauty pageant industry to assist her build Miss Teen Africa Botswana brand.

She explained that being young does not mean that one cannot soar high and aim for bigger things.

“It all comes from within, looking down upon oneself with fear and disappointing people usually breeds failure.

Positive thoughts attract positive results,” she said.

Miss Teen Africa Botswana is the first of its kind in the country and was born on November 7, 2019 following Jerry’s appointment.

The main event will be held in Nigeria, at a date to be set, after individual countries have crowned their queens. ENDS