TZANEEN: Makoma sets out to inspire the local youth
"I have always had a passion for pageants. Growing up I entered a lot of them, but I decided to stop at some point so I could focus on school..."
MAKOMA Ralepelle (19) from Sharpville, Tickyline says that her passion for education is what drives her to aspire for bringing change to the youth in and around her community.
Ralepelle was a semi-finalist for the Miss Teenager South Africa Pageant.
“I have always had a passion for pageants. Growing up I entered a lot of them, but I decided to stop at some point so I could focus on school,” stated Ralepelle.
She said that she came across the ‘Miss Teenager South Africa’ poster in January and decided to go for it.
“I am currently studying towards a BSc in Life Sciences at the University of Limpopo and having seen that most of the things about this pageant take place in Polokwane, I felt I would be able to juggle school and the pageant,” she continued to tell HERALD.
She also stated that being in the semi-finals and as part of the requirements to making it to the finals, all the contestants were required to design and follow through with a community based campaign to raise awareness and help the communities they are from.
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She dedicated two weeks to her campaign wherein she spent a week helping grade 11 and 12 learners from her community with subjects such as mathematics and physical sciences.
She also assisted the learners by taking them through the process of applying for university. She divided her second week into two sessions wherein in the first session, she visited creches and pre-schools in her community, donating stationery to the kids in order to help them when they go to grade one next year.
She spent the rest of her second week doing story reading sessions at the Tzaneen Library as a way to engage with kids and try to show them the importance of getting educated.
“I believe that through education, anything is possible. This requires building a solid foundation where we start teaching and encouraging kids from a very young age,” said Ralepelle.
The contestants of the pageant presented their campaigns on Saturday and this saw the unfortunate results of Ralepelle not making it through to the finals.
She told HERALD that she looks forward to doing more even after her time and participation in the Miss Teenager South Africa Pageant.
