Thlabanello to compete in Mrs Globe in China

Entertainment | 2017-09-07Page no: 20 by Netumbo Nekomba

FOR THE COMMUNITY ... Jeanette Thlabanello has been selected to compete in Mrs Globe in China, but it's her KeMotswana Festival that's taking the spotlight this weekend.
MANY remember Jeanette Thlabanello as a beauty queen who took part in Miss Namibia 2006, later emerging as one of the top 10.
But since then, Thlabanello has competed in a number of pageants including Mrs Globe Namibia and Mrs Africa Namibia, and has recently been selected to represent the country in Mrs Globe in Shenzen, China in December.

In order to raise funds for this milestone, Thlabanello, along with her husband, is organising the KeMotswana Festival at Gobabis. Held under the theme 'a re ketikeng mokete wa setso sas rona' or 'Let's Celebrate Our Culture', Thlabanello said this was an initiative to say thanks to her community.

“We came up with this event and a majority of the profits are going to be used to buy Dignity Dream pads for children. A small portion of the funds will also be used to cover my trip to China.”

The event is scheduled to take place on 8 and 9 September at the Legare Stadium at Gobabis. Featuring live Tswana cultural performances as well as a family day, a lot of fun is in store for locals in the area.

South African artist McKenzie, hitmaker of the song 'Monate Potleng', will also perform as well as Botswana's Bo Rralekgotla.

“I would really like people to come and support and be a part of this event. I want to remind them that 'I am your daughter'. I have to plough back into the community,” Thlabanello said.

One of the schools that have benefitted from the pad drive part of the project is Okondjatu Combined School.

The mother of two, who has a history in beauty pageants, grew up in the “dusty streets of Katutura”, particularly in Donkerhoek. “I was tomboyish and hung out with boys. That was me, growing up. But my first pageant was in high school at Miss Jan Jonker and that's where it all started.”

Originally, Thlabanello wanted to be a doctor, but at 16, she realised that needles and blood weren't as fun as she had thought. And that sparked her journey into accounting. “I pursued accounting and then I got married.”

And then Thlabanello won the Mrs Globe Namibia beauty pageant. “A friend enrolled me in a pageant for married woman and I didn't even know about it. I was so paranoid, I had all the excuses not to enter. But then I went for it. It's quite different – they believe women are backbones.”

The road to the competition may have been challenging, especially when it came to sponsors, but being 'bold and brave' pushed her forward. “I won, despite not getting support.”

And being someone who is passionate about motivating and encouraging others, Thlabanello believes in using her history of being a victim of abuse for years as a child to help others. “I'm passionate about children because I am a product of gender-based violence. I have to thank God because I am a woman who praises the Lord and that's where I got the confidence to move on.”

Thlabanello is grateful to use her status to empower others. “I've come a long way since then. When I was in beauty pageants, people couldn't believe it. It was rare for women in my community to participate in pageants. But with this event, I want to bring people together to celebrate our heritage on a national level.”

The KeMotswana festival will also feature live DJs including Dielodrums, Keamodeep, DJ Bee, DJ Spuzza, Rajiv, DJ Mac, Tlhabiz, DJ Explode, Romio, Earl Johnson, RMK Soul, FattyBoomTainment and DJ Molequils. Tickets are available at Computicket.

https://www.namibian.com.na/58866/read/Thlabanello-to-compete-in-Mrs-Globe-in-China