Twenty-five-year-old Daisy Molomo was born with a learning disability.
The condition, however, did not stop her from scooping the Ms South East Disability Support Group title.
The beauty pageant was organized for the disabled and was staged on Saturday at Taung Community Junior Secondary School in Ramotswa.
A trainee in Horticulture at Motse Wa Badiri Camphill in Otse, Molomo has a learning disability, sometimes called a learning difficulty or disorder.
This disorder can make it problematic for a person to learn as quickly or in the same way as someone who is not affected by the disability.
People with such disability have trouble performing specific types of skills or completing tasks if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.
Molomo resides with her sister in Mochudi after her mother passed away in 2008.
“Disability does not mean inability. Here I am today, and I have managed to win the Ms South East Disability Support Group title after a tough battle with eight other beauties. I’m so grateful for the win and would like to thank all those who gave me the support,” said a jubilant Molomo.
Taung Disability Support Group, TDSG, is a non-profit organisation aimed at supporting people with disabilities in Taung and the greater Ramotswa village.
The group tries to involve disabled youth in the community to take ownership of the needs of people with disabilities who have limited access to most services, limited advocacy and limited economic support. The beauty pageant was organized in order to raise funds to complete the registration process and account opening for the organization.
First princess was Galeo Moeletsi, who works at Ipelegeng in Taung Village and 3rd Princess was Lone Tumiso, a student at Thutoboswa, an educational facility open to all children with learning disabilities and special needs.
Motse Wa Badiri Camphill Administrator, Tshegang Phalaagae, commented that Molomo has lifted their village.
“Such event should come as a challenge to the Government regarding disabled persons. This shows that having a disability does not mean being unable to perform everyday tasks that a non-disabled person can perform without challenges,” said Phalaagae. “I was present at the pageant and truly impressed by Daisy’s confident performance.”
Member of Parliament for Kgatleng West, Gilbert Mangole, said that ill-treatment of the disabled starts at home with the care takers because they are short-tempered with them.
“You will find that when they are given food, the plate is being thrown at the disabled person and if they don’t grab hold of it they end up being slapped, which is not fair at all looking at the fact that sometimes they can’t assist themselves.
“Disabled persons, not in Ramotswa Village only but world-wide, are being discriminated against and face abuse such as sexual, physical, emotional and psychological. As a support group we appreciate your efforts, but we will also do all we can to help in decreasing the consequences of being a disabled,” said Mangole.