08 Feb 2023

Mrs Botswana Boipelo Rusike has won the Mrs Universe Famous Award at the recent Mrs Universe contest that was held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The award is given to the most interactive, friendliest and the kindest contestant.

This year’s recipient was selected by judges, not through the votes as has been the norm. 

Rusike is the first Mrs Botswana to win the award and be in the top 25.

Speaking during the welcome session in Gaborone on February 7 Rusike said she said she won the award as “we have botho and lorato”.

She said being called amongst the top 25 out of 120 contestants and given the award was amazing.

She also that her national costume was outstanding, unique as it portrayed Botswana’s big five animals.  Rusike said the costume, designed by Montle Rantatane from MET Designs, was inspired by Botswana tourism.

She said she really liked her costume and felt very confident in it, alongside other ladies wearing glamourous costumes.

“I also liked the fact that the designer shifted from the commonly used leiteisi and letlalo la kgomo,” she said.

Rusike, who is a nurse under  the Ministry of Health’s child health division says she was very passionate about her family, healthy marriages and women empowerment, which was the reason she joined the pageant.

She said that she saw the pageant as a way for women to forge sisterhood, fight gender based violence and promote healthy marriages.

She, however decried lack of financial support for the pageant and urged more stakeholders to come on board. Ends