Palesa Molefe

"Growing up I never quite fit into any click, I still dont. When I tried making friends in school it always felt like the group of girls I would try to befriend had made a pact or just didn't feel like I made the cut. That is what pageantry used to look like from the outside to me. Like a click of girls that didn't welcome anyone they felt didn't belong into their space. Which is why I want to take this moment to thank every single person who played a role, big and small to the contribution of pushing for inclusion of different representations of beauty in the pageant world."

"There are so many different types of flowers, we all grow in numerous different ways and bloom separate from the next. I believe it would be an injustice to hide such beauty from the rest of the world and the next budding flower. And now that I am a part of the world of pageantry, I find myself humbled at the thought of a little girl who looks at me and feels like a fire light up inside her."

"I understand that being Miss Botswana is having a crown but I am part of a bigger organisation. I want to be that person or lady who gets honoured enough to get the crown and be supported by every one of you."

"Make beautiful things, even if no one notices."

"We can't always control how life unfolds but we can find our super power in what we can control."

"My reaction, my growth, my discipline, my love, my life is my responsibility."

"Strength doesn't always look like a hardened heart. Strength can be soft, strength can be calm, strength can be compassion and can definitely be vulnerability."

"But I stand here and say dream young child. Dream about life's infinite possibilities. Dream about walking into places you have never set foot, conversing with amazing people you never knew before and daring to give life your best shot."

"Representation is so important for those who never believed that social standards can be vanquished. For the little ones who need to grow up believing that they can take up space and make a difference in the world because they see a reflection of themselves everywhere."

"Not only are the baskets of Botswana crucial in traditional rural life and can be traced through Botswana's history, the commercialization of this craft has resulted in a supplementary income for rural families, making the woven basket more valuable than ever."

"Walk through the hallways of life with the curiosity of a child and the courage of a thousand warriors."

"The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people. We are so different but I think in some ways we are similar too."

"Our costumes reflect a part of our heritage and culture that we are so proud of."