Catching ÔÇÖem young
Source : Kutlwano
Author : Ludo Chube
Location : Gaborone
Event : Junior Miss Botswana beauty pageant
They say the first cut is the deepest and this could not have been true for 12-year-old Kamillah Mohamed who on her first attempt at Junior Miss Botswana pageant for girls between the ages of seven and 13 snatched the crown.
The leggy Al Nur Primary School Standard Seven pupil in Gaborone says she is now talk of the school. Although the crown earned her instant acclaim, Kamillah insists that she will not allow fame to go to her head. For her, the goal was to win and raise money for charity.
After tasting her first glory, she says this is only the beginning because; “I want to enter as many pageants as I can in future and push myself harder while at it,” she shares.
For her fundraising project she had to wake up early for practice at the Zumba routine at the gym. “I had to wake up at 7am on Saturdays and that’s a big deal for me because on Saturdays I normally wake up at noon,” reveals Kamillah.
But then doesn’t a queen need her beauty sleep? As a build up to the pageant, they practised for three hours on Saturdays for close to seven months. It was much of a challenge as they had to put in more time and effort during rehearsals.
Kamillah admits that though it looks effortless on stage, it is hard work backstage coupled with those photo-shoots besides interviews and what with all those mood swings for which teenagers are notorious.
The teenager defines beauty as accepting oneself for who you are. Kamillah’s confidence both on stage and during the question and answer session was what secured her the crown. She owned the stage and eliminated competition right from the outset.
Second Princess,
Bone Kepu, 12, Itumeleng Primary School
Standard Six Bone Kepu is not a new comer to beauty pageants. She tried her hand at Miss Teen Africa Botswana some two years ago but had to drop out because of the steep financial requirements.
Bone is a regular in school modelling contests and she always comes out in the top three spots. “I love beauty pageants because they make me feel accepted and I use them to reach out to my peers and to encourage them to stay away from drugs; to work hard and to keep good friends if they want to be successful in life,” quips Bone confidently.
For her, the toughest thing about being in the pageant is the amount of dedication it requires. “My family had to be extra patient with me as they had to drop me and pick me up for all the rehearsals, so I needed a lot of their support.”
Bone aspires to be an accountant like her elder sister whom she looks up to. But she still wants to pursue modelling and beauty on part time basis. Surprisingly, being in the top three this time around was unexpected to the interestingly confident young girl. “I was sure that these contestants would upstage me, I just didn’t think I stood a chance. But my sister encouraged me to hold my head high and to be confident before the final three were announced,” she says.
She reveals that ever since her first attempt at beauty pageants from as early as her pre-school days, she has never failed to make it to the top three. On her remarkable confidence, she says she learnt from other contestants at the Miss Teen Africa Botswana competition that confidence can take one any place they want. “This is how I became the confident young lady I am today.”
It was confidence that paved way for her to make it to the top six and ultimately the top three.
First Princess
Katlego Noke, 13, BenThema Primary School (Gaborone)
Thirteen-year-old Katlego Noke, from BenThema Primary School, came out just one position shy of winning the crown. Though she comes across as one shy to express herself, on stage she exudes such incredible confidence.
Modelling with heels was her biggest challenge because she is used to doing it in pumps. But her elder sister, who is also involved in beauty pageants, put her through paces on how to work the heels on stage.
Of all the three, Katlego comes off as the shy one. Though she says very little and laughs reserveldy while during the interview she oozes a wealth of knowledge and she is the kind of girl you would want to take a minute to listen to when she finally speaks.
Seeing people modelling on television moves something in her, and she says: “When I look at people modelling, my heart really wants to do the same. It inspires me to want to follow suit,” she says.
Kaone Kario and Emma Wareus remain her biggest inspiration. Like Bone, she is not a new comer to modelling and beauty pageants. “I started modelling when I was four years old doing fashion shows and when I was 10 I joined Miss Maun and won and that was a pleasant surprise,” she says.
This is her third beauty pageant. Coming in second place inspires her to know that she is that much closer to becoming the ultimate queen. She was not surprised, however, that she made the top three.
“I knew that I would make it because I had the confidence necessary to get me there. So I knew I really had to be in the top three,” she opines confidently. She wants to aim for the gold and has her eyes set on the Miss World pageant.
Katlego also wants to work with abandoned children to teach them that they are wanted and matter a lot. She wants to equip them with skills to live by. She also feels there is a lot to be explored through modelling because even people with disability can give it a try. Beauty to her is about self-respect and confidence and is more than just skin deep.
According to the organiser of the event, Queen Kolobe, the intention is to link up with other countries that have a similar pageant and organise an international event. “Considering that this was our very first attempt we did very well, even though we experienced hiccups with sponsors here and there,” she says in an interview with Kutlwano. She reckons that such pageants need a lot of dedication from the girls and their families.
“For seven months now we have been meeting with the girls every week for practice with regards to their walk, choreography and posture.”
The winner walked away with beauty products worth P600, a professional modelling portfolio, media coverage from some of the media sponsors and a design dress from Madame Queen clothing line.
As a way of grooming the girls early on to pursue beauty with a purpose, they all had to raise money for ChildLine Botswana. This was the first ever Junior Miss Botswana pageant and Kolobe promises to make it an annual event reaching all the four corners of Botswana in its next installment. ENDS
Teaser:
Botswana held its first ever Junior Miss Botswana pageant for girls between the ages of seven and 13 this year. Organised by Madam Queen Modeling Agency, the exercise seeks to be a nationwide search for young role models who can be an inspiration to their peers. Twelve-year old Kamillah Mohamed became the inaugural winner, flanked by her princesses Katlego Noke (13) and Bone Kepu (12).
