It has become very common, if not the norm, for negative reports on Botswana students abroad to be printed in the local media. This often clouds the positive achievements of many students living abroad. A trip to Limkokwing University in Malaysia proved that all is not in vain when it comes to the youth and the freedom that comes with being far away from home.

About two months ago, a group of 20 Batswana students at the Limkokwing University in Malaysia came together and formed the Botswana Student Society (BSS), whose main aim is to raise funds for charitable work through a variety of events.

An invited trio from Botswana, courtesy of Limkokwing University, had the privilege of experiencing the society’s first ever event, Mr and Ms Limkokwing Botswana Independence, followed by Botswana’s 42nd years of Independence celebrations. At the pageant, 11 young women and 12 young men battled it out in the first ever pageant of its calibre at the school’s Hall of Fame on the evening of 25 September.

For an event that was organised in a month and a half solely by students, one can confidently say the traditionally decorated stage work and coordinated activities of the evening would put the national Miss Botswana event to shame. Contestants hit the stage in their creatively-styled casuals, evening and beach wear – sponsored by local clothing stores—while various dance groups and musical artists such as M.I.C. showed hundreds of international students what Botswana talent carries.

Winners of beauty pagent

“The idea was to hold a laid-back activity that students would not only enjoy, but also give the 800 Batswana students in this university a sense of ownership,” shared Frank Tumelo, a 2007 graduate and currently a marketing executive at the university.

Mr Limkokwing Botswana Independence was scooped by a foundation student of business information technology, Nlisana Anderson, while the female title went to Sadie Mosiakgabo, a third- year mass communication student whose prizes included being appointed student ambassadors.

“I’ve always wanted to be a student ambassador! I plan to put more emphasis on the inter-relations between Batswana and the hundred- plus nationalities of the student body,” shared an ecstatic Anderson. The male runners-up were Nathan L. Kgabi and Tsane Majela, while the females were Tebogo Kemoabe and Ratang Chibua.

The following day, 26 September from 10am to 2pm, the university’s plaza was converted into a red-carpet walkway as representatives from 11 diplomatic missions, ushered in by the student ambassadors and the student body, graced Botswana’s 42 years of Independence celebrations organised by the BSS. Heads of missions and representatives from Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Arab, Guinea, Libya, Namibia, Ghana, Swaziland, Kenya and South Africa, took time off their hectic schedules to attend the celebration.

Dance and drama

To the trio’s embarrassment and the disappointment of Batswana students, no one from the Botswana mission turned up. As one of the organisers, Tumelo, confirmed “It’s a bit of a disappointment that we have no one from the Botswana Foreign Mission, even though we had invited them too. Nonetheless, we managed to achieve our aim, which was not only to celebrate our independence far away from home but to share what makes a Motswana with the world. Unless one is rooted, it is easy to get consumed and lost in this environment, thus the importance to hold events that are about identity.

“To this, I would like to thank the university for helping make these two events possible through funding and supportive input.”

Lesego Poomore, a first-year student, was happy with the success her team had produced and emphasised their plan in organise these events annually. A lot more Batswana students participated through poetry, dance, drama, fashion show, singing, speeches and indulged the guests in traditional food tasting and viewing of displays that represented Botswana.

Michael Okara from Kenya had this to say about the day’s celebration: “It was a great idea for the Batswana students to have this event. Very rarely do all of them mix with other nationalities. Seeing them on stage showed that they’ve got something to offer and enlighten the rest of us about their culture.”