Bame Legase scooped the Miss Independence Kgatleng queen title while 20-year-old Andrew Motlhaping from Bokaa was named the male ambassador. In an interview with Arts&Culture, Motlhaping said he is a second-year student at the University of Botswana and was excited about his success. He explained that he was inspired to join the pageant for personal growth saying it also gave him a chance to celebrate and promote his cultural heritage. “I intend to use my project ‘Mind Matters’ to raise awareness about the importance of mental health particularly among young people. Through workshops, school events and community events I plan to educate people on recognising the signs of mental health issues and where to seek help. Determination, practice and self-care are the tools I used in preparation for the grand finale. This included practicing public speaking, stage presence and rehearsing responses for interview questions,” he said.
Speaking of his journey to the pageantry, he said it was made possible through the unwavering support of several people, his family who provided emotional and financial support. He said the experience he gained from Miss Independence Kgatleng equipped him with the skills and mindset needed in international pageantry saying he was ready to embrace them internationally For her part, Legase who was born and raised in Mochudi, said she was raised by a strong woman whom she looked up to. She added that her passion for pageantry inspired her to join the Miss Independence Kgatleng competition because their requirements were very inclusive. She also said the urge she had in herself to ignite potential in the lives of the youth, in a world where society imposes templates for success dictating what individuals needed at each stage of life motivated her to partake in that beauty pageant. It was not the first time Legase participated in the Miss Independence Kgatleng pageant. She previously took part in a couple of beauty pageants such as Miss Education Developer 2015 where she scooped the first princess title, Miss Kgamanyane Junior Secondary School 2015 (second princess), Miss Youth Kgatleng 2016 (first princess), Miss Molefi Senior Secondary 2018 (top five) and Miss festive Season first Princess.
“I am going to use my reign to make a meaningful impact and shape a brighter future for our community to uplift and empower the youth. The project that I will be implementing during my reign is called Newang, which was influenced by the mindset campaign that was set in place by our now President Mokgwetsi Masisi and my life testimonies. My project aims to help people change their mindset and grant themselves a chance to redirect their lives without any pressure from societal norms. To fully challenge them to engage in activities that will uncover the hidden gem within them and embrace that journey despite the inevitable hiccups and allow themselves to reach their full potential,” she said. Furthermore, she explained that her preparations for the grand finale did not start this year but started five years back. Even though she was crowned this year, she said it allowed her to be emotionally, physically and financially prepared well in time and avoid having hiccups. She added that she was fully prepared for the international pageantry. She confidently said she believed in her beauty with a purpose project saying she was ready and knowledgeable about her culture with the help of The Botswana Society, which enabled her to sell her culture to the world.
