Mrs African World unveils top finalists
Mrs African World beauty pageant revealed their top 12 finalists at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone on Friday night. The black tie event was dubbed ‘The Great Reveal’. The event was hosted by the co-founders and directors of the pageantry, Jennifer Setapenyane and Thato Monei who registered the name Mrs African World. The finalists include Tshiamo Semetsa, Keemenao July, Olebogeng Mphalo, Keokopile Motanz, Gosego Mfati, Daphney Muzila, Tshadi Otsile, Gosaitse Maboga, Tshepo Morapedi, Rakgadi Mokaba, Tshepo Majama and Evelyn Monakwane.
According to the event co-founders, the year 2020 was the birth of the great vision of the Mrs African World Pageant. The brand aims to groom a generation of strong and fierce as well as family-oriented women. According to Setapenyane, the pageantry will redefine an image of a woman as one who is intelligent, ambitious, bold and fearless dynamites who came together to brainstorm on an idea that could foster social change in the lives of women development and empowerment, cultural diversity and charity. She added that it was a platform that was strongly focused on and committed to being an agent of social change for her community and the world at large as people in their communities.
“The organisation received its license from Mrs World (USA) to run Mrs World Botswana under Mrs African World Pageant. It is an entity that is open to all nationalities that are legally residents of Botswana. Every year, we will be sending our queens to represent our country at Las Vegas, California, USA,” she said.
Setapenyane further explained that the purpose behind the title was to inspire and motivate others, to promote cultural diversity and charity, to become a spokesperson on issues women face every day, to be the woman contestants always wanted to be and through their journey they empower, to be an ambassador to empower and inspire other women, to contribute actively towards social upliftment and husband involvement. For her part, Monei said contestants will be expected to open social media accounts where they would add their new titles Mrs African World 2022. They are also encouraged to take advantage of media and utilise it to sell their projects.
“You wil be required to contact your local newspaper and radio station to schedule a possible and become an influencer of note! Interview and get a media placement. We will assist in this regard with press releases. Please ensure that your name and surname and Top Finalist are in the heading. Share your journey with friends and family and build your brand. As a pageant we have a strong focus on brand development, and we would like for you to see yourself as a business and a brand. Profile to a new audience and fan base.
Use this opportunity to grow your personal brand to work with the media and it affords you the opportunity to grow your social media fan base,” she said.
Furthermore, she explained that during their journey as a Mrs African World Finalist, they must complete certain tasks. Those obligations and tasks would contribute towards contestants pageant journey score. The Pageant Journey Score contributes 50% to their total score. Monei added that requirements expected of aspiring queens included raising P2, 500 in cash sponsorships, over a two months period to support their journey. She said they will issue a sponsorship World Pageant bank account. She added that in return, their sponsors will receive excellent exposure during the competition.
“We encourage you to approach small businesses who will benefit from the proposal to help you in your quest for sponsors. These funds are paid directly to Mrs African exposure. Your cash sponsorships will cover workshops, seminars and photo shoots by industry experts during the pageant journey. It will also cover workshop speakers, coaches and experts on image, make-up, business, marketing, pageantry and gifts and services from sponsors.
Finalists are also expected to sell five Fashion Show tickets and 10 Grand-Finale tickets. All should be sold by September 24, 2022. Tickets would be sold at the following prices: Grand Finale: VIP P700 including meals, Fashion Show Standard P350, double P600.
Fashion Show tickets must be sold by the July 23, 2022 and tickets cost P300 standard. The pageantry calender is as follows; press conference will be on May 27, 2022; Make-up Tutorial workshop on June 18, 2022 and the dress code will be formal wear; public speaking workshop on June 25, 2022; Women Empowerment Workshop on May 28, 2022 where there will also be a rehearsal, rehearsal A Re Tshamekeng with husbands picnic on July 16, 2022 at La Eagle Gardens, Rasesa. There will also be a fitness exercise where the pageantry will be providing training clothes.
There will also be a boot camp and later a grand finale at Cresta Lodge on October 1, 2022. Contestants who fail to meet the stipulated requirements my face elimination from the pageantry.