Mrs Polokwane finalist, Leshego Maila, helps to find balance
As part of her duties as a finalist, Leshego chose the Itumeleng OVC Drop-in Centre, based in Mankweng, as the charity she would support during the pageant.
POLOKWANE – Most students that sign up to study law know it will be a few years of extremely hard work, long study hours, few breaks and a lot of dedication ahead of them.
At the same time, any woman who has children will know that juggling a career, marriage and a family life will have little time left for me-time.
Now combine all of the above and include running for a title such as Mrs Polokwane 2019, and you will find the friendly, warm and welcoming Leshego Maila takes it all in stride.
You might also want to read: Here are your finalists for Mrs Polokwane 2019
Leshego is married to Kaleke Given and they have two children, a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. She is a second-year law student and is currently writing exams.
“I decided to enter the Mrs Polokwane 2019 pageant as I wanted to get out of my comfort zone as well as make a difference in my community. I have always loved to serve the community and my strong drive and passion to help the needy without expecting anything in return motivates me to always do my best. I realised the Mrs Polokwane pageant will give me a platform and opportunity to give back to the community. I have always loved fashion, beauty and pageants but I never pursued that to the fullest of my ability and entering the Mrs Polokwane pageant gives me the chance to do just that.”
Kaleke is very supportive of his wife’s plans and ready to face the challenge with her as he knew it had always been her dream so when she finally decided to do it, he was positive and excited for her.
Apart from being a wife, mother and student, Leshego is a Regional Organiser, dealing with labour relations, representing workers during their labour related matters as well as handling wage negotiations and disputes.
As part of her duties as a finalist, Leshego Maila chose the Itumeleng OVC Drop-in Centre, based in Mankweng, as the charity she would support during the pageant.
“I chose this charity because they take care of orphans, vulnerable individuals and children from six to 18 years from the rural areas of GaMakhanye. They provide two meals a day and they also assist the youth with life skills as well as their schoolwork. The elderly residents and children participate in physical activities such as gardening and traditional dance to encourage a healthy lifestyle. At the moment they are struggling with sponsorships and my aim is get their name out there so that potential sponsors can assist them.”
To raise money, she organised a Family Wellness Day on 27 April at Toktokkie Animal Farm and Playground in Dalmada.
“I needed an event which would accommodate the whole family and this was just perfect. The wellness day kicked off with a 5 km fun run, a one-hour yoga session, an aerobics marathon and later we finished with a health talk conducted by some of the best local health practitioners, while the children played on the playground. We have managed to conscientise the community on the reduction of lifestyle diseases and also advise them on the positive impacts of living a healthy lifestyle.”
“I thank my sponsors for the Family Wellness Day: Toktokkie Animal Farm and Playground, Aquelle Water, Top Class Fitness, BodyLife Gym, Milyfstyle Yoga, Olga Nchabeleng (dietician), Generation Chauke (physiotherapist), Dr Himal Anand (dentist), Dr Vhutshilo Netshituni (oncologist), ReRite Models, Cisca van den Heever (Herbalife Independent Distributor), Forever Living, Zephora Savannah, Goseame Open Market, NJ Fresh Produce, Foundation for Professional Development, Limpopo Dairy, Dr Lefao Matji, Kgothatso Catering Co., Molebogeng Kgothi, Ndlovu Construction, Madala Daycare, Dr Laban Eric Makgatlela and Mosana Optometrists.”
Leshego aims to learn how to use her networking opportunities to assist the community.
“I want to polish my public speaking skills as this is what I will be doing on the Mrs Polokwane journey. I want to create meaningful partnerships and lasting friendships with the other finalists so we can empower other women around us. So far, I have learned that it is never too late to pursue your dreams. My motto is “the biggest failure you can have in life is making the mistake of never trying at all” by Emil Motycka. The fact that within our community there is still a high need for people to be charitable towards those in need motivates us to create awareness about the many ways people can engage with and help non-profit organisations in need.”
She adds teamwork is crucial when serving the community and says she had to learn to work under pressure while organising a charity event with no budget. Learning to accept negative feedback has helped her develop her confidence and she adds she looks forward to the rest of the year.
