18 Oct 2022

As a stakeholder among Maun community, the newly opened Botswana Savings Bank (BSB) has injected P20 000 in support of the Miss RADP pageant held over the weekend at Botswana Open University.

The event, organised by Maun Administrative Authority (MAA) saw 24 young women and men from settlements of Phuduhudu, Somelo, Khwai and Mababe battling it out to book a spot at the nationals.

Speaking during the event, BSB manager, Rachel Tlouetsile said the donation would motivate winners to venture into small businesses to service their accounts, adding that they had also extended the same gesture to Okavango District.

Part of the money will be used for opening account fees while P1 500 will be for transactional account with BSB for the queen and the king while the remaining balance will be for monetary prices.

She appreciated that the council had groomed over 179 young women and men from Remote Area Communities since the inception of Miss RADP pageant. 

The number includes all those who had participated at settlement and sub-district level.

Tlouetsile acknowledged that one of the objectives of the pageant was to instill the spirit of entrepreneurship, hence the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development committed funds to the crowned queen and king for establishment of a project of their choice.

She encouraged contestants who would be crowned at the national level to see themselves as entrepreneurs and utilise their time and commitment in their projects.

So far, she said the sub-district was not doing well in all the four economic empowerment projects that had been initiated and expected to go a long way in enhancing the quality of their lives.

“These projects are intended to nurture and groom you as beneficiaries to be well rounded and responsible citizens who can stand on their own,” she added.

Tloutsile also acknowledged that the council had made a mark in the first Mr RADP fashion show of 2018 and crowned 1^st prince at the national level and 2^nd prince in 2019, adding that the initiative was a move to bring forth young men into the empowerment reel.

MAA, she said, did well in the 2013 pageant, which was a remarkable experience for the council to be crowned position one on the first ever national pageant of the Miss RADP. 

In 2015, MAA took position two while in 2016 it was crowned third and claimed back the crown in 2017.

She appreciated the council efforts, noting that it took the initiative seriously as it committed a budget of P200 000 to run the settlement pageants.  She appealed to the business community to adopt the pageantry, adding that through partnership, the gains could be great.

MAA chairperson, Vepaune Moreti thanked BSB for the sponsorship, noting that the initiative aimed to encourage youths to showcase talent and their beauty as well as to level ground for them for self-realisation.

Senior assistant council secretary, Iris Sitayelo said the idea behind the initiative was to create a pool of talented youths  from remote areas to be empowered towards becoming ambassadors of their areas.

She expressed hope that the winners would do their best to bring results from the nationals scheduled for November 26 in Gaborone.

Meanwhile, Mercy Khutsafalo of Somelo was crowned the queen while Gorata Masalela of Phuduhudu claimed 1^st princess and Shirley Nyama of Khwai took the 2^nd princess position. 

Under the male category, Mompoloki Rothano of Mababe was crowned the king while Lebang Xhakhwe of Somelo and Tshegofatso Amos of Khwai emerged 1^st and 2^nd prince respectively. BOPA