Originally founded to allow African diaspora in the western world to embrace their African heritage, the Miss Teen Africa beauty pageant has since evolved to empower both the Diaspora and native young African girls. The pageant consists of all 56 African countries competing in a number of talent and beauty with a purpose showcases leading up to the crowning of a sole Miss Teen Africa to represent the often-overlooked beauty of young Africans.
Mochudi-born Lefika Tladi became the first ever Miss Teen Africa Botswana last year.
However, due to a lack of participation from other African countries, Tladi was unable to follow up her performance into the main Miss Teen Africa pageant, which was to be hosted in Nigeria last year. Miss Teen Africa Botswana chapter founder, Lame Jerry, confirmed that the slow rate of crowning individual Miss Teen Africas in their respective countries has placed a hold on the main international competition. "Tladi did not manage to go and compete because we only had two competitors, which was Namibia and Zambia. The other countries have not yet crowned their queens so the Miss Teen Africa Main event said they will set up a date after the other countries have produced their queens," Jerry said.
This means that until every other participating African country can crown their Miss Teen Africa, the local 2021 Miss Teen Africa Botswana will not be able to compete internationally. This subsequently means that whoever shall be crowned Miss Teen Africa Botswana for 2022 will be unable to compete in the main international competition until the 2021 queens can compete. This undermining of the competition has had its effects on the organisation and preparation of this event locally as Jerry detailed in that finding local sponsors for newer or lesser known beauty pageants is often a struggle. "The biggest challenge I faced in conducting this pageant is not getting sponsors.
My pageant has been rejected so many times and when I started this, the sponsors would tell me that I need to have two years experience or more, that's when they can sponsor the pageant. Being a pageant director is one of the most biggest challenges that people are not aware of and never talk about," she said. Jerry said sponsors in Botswana do not usually sponsor beauty pageants.
She stated that it is very rare to see that unlike in other countries. She explained that most of the time, she uses her own money to pay for organising the event. Despite the complications both locally and internationally, Jerry insists she is undeterred from putting Botswana's beauty on the map. "It's just a lot but it all comes with determination and perseverance," she said.
Following the principle of empowering young women in Botswana, the organisers said the second annual Miss Teen Africa Botswana will be digging deep into African culture and heritage to allow young girls to embrace their history in the present. The top 10 contestants have been selected to compete in an elegant display of this year's theme, which is 'Beauty in African Heritage'. The crowning of Miss Teen Africa Botswana queen will be held on the June 25, establishing the second ever Miss Teen Africa Botswana and offering yet another young lady a chance to internationally demonstrate traditional beauty of a young Motswana girl.
