Pageantry: A peep behind the scenes

Pageantry: A peep behind the scenes

• ‘People see the glam, but behind closed doors we battle with a lot’

AMANDA DAVID

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

For decades, pageantry has always been a glamorous industry that appreciates beauty and fashion, an industry that upholds certain standards and lifestyles. To an ordinary person, pageantry is all glitz and glamour, to industry stakeholders, the struggles outweigh the perks. Botswana’s pageant industry is budding both locally and on international stages, a commendable milestone for the nation, this growth however also comes with issues of mental health, exploitation, and financial struggles amongst others.

According to Patricia Nkwane, a dedicated life coach, an award-winning transformational speaker and author who worked with this year’s Miss Universe Botswana contestants tasked to offer onsite counseling, host workshops and offer public speaking training to the contestants, notes that the glitz and glamour of pageantry often mask harsh realities for pageant girls. As someone who worked closely with pageant girls, Nkwane witnessed firsthand the struggles the young women endure in pursuit of the crown.