Ponatshego Sekao, a 19-year-old full-time model who is also the creator and director of the Mr and Miss Magogoe pageant and the Wings of Hope community projects, hails from the village of Magogoe in Mahikeng.
Sekao began the roads of pageants when she was a mere 14 years old teenager.
"I began competing for Miss High Schools Ambassador in 2019, without having previously competed in a pageant. I lost, but I never gave up. I went on to compete for the same pageant again, and with all my faith and trust, I was crowned the 2nd Princess of Miss High Schools Ambassador in 2020," she said.
Sekao said she got into pageantry to embrace her body, boost her confidence and self-esteem. She learned more about the modelling industry and came out of her comfort zone, and learned more about herself.
Sekao is the founder and co-ordinator of Mr and Miss Magogoe pageant. She started to uplift young people and help black children to set their life goals and help them realise their identity and purpose in life.
"One of the aims of this pageant is to remind young people of where they come from and help them navigate where they are going. The objective for this pageant is to empower the youth by building aspiring models to give back to the community," she said.
She has also founded a programme called 'Wings of Hope' community projects. "I started this programme because I come from a place where the fridge is empty, but the love is plenty.
"I grew up in a poor environment where I went to sleep without a meal. I then came up with the idea of helping people who cannot provide for themselves. As a young black woman, I should use my strength and power to build a better life path for my brothers and sisters," she continued.
Apart from being crowned the second princess for Miss High Schools Ambassador 2020, she also became Best Model in 2020, the face of Ngaka Modiri Molema in 2021, first runner for Miss Teen Universe of North West in 2021, second princess for Miss Golden North West in 2022, and currently she is a finalist of the Miss Humanitarian South Africa 2023.
"What makes me different from others is that I never give up, and I am what God said I am. I do not live according to people's expectations. The message I am giving to the world is that you can do anything you set your mind to regardless of your unfavourable circumstances," she said.
Sekao said the most significant obstacle she had in her career, was a lack of confidence. However, with her passion for modelling and consistency, she overcame it.
She said she was inspired by witnessing the young, ambitious black women like Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019), who constantly strived to be the most outstanding and demand recognition. She said Zozibini motivated her to seek to be the best version of herself, never to lose sight of who she is, and to carry on regardless of her origins.
Sekao said being an official finalist of Miss Humanitarian South Africa 2023, is her most outstanding achievement and a great honour, coming from local pageants and now competing in national pageants.
"Many people think that modelling is solely about physical attractiveness. In my opinion, a model should be attractive and possess useful abilities or traits. You should guide, uplift and empower many upcoming pageant generations while building a solid reputation for yourself. Confidence, a positive outlook, passion, service to the community and diligence are the main principles I apply to my work," she said.
She concluded that the modelling industry is such a zone one uses to free themselves from many things in life. Therefore, she advises young people who aspire to be in the pageant industry to live up to their truth.
