Mohalenyane Phakela
VICTORY Restaurant Hall in Moshoeshoe will on Saturday host the Miss Lesotho Sunday Express 2017 pageant in which 26 contestants will vie for the prestigious crown.
In addition to representing Lesotho at the 67th edition of the Miss World 2017 pageant, the winner of the Miss Lesotho Sunday Express 2017 title will also be awarded a six-month industrial training opportunity at Africa Media Holdings (AMH).
AMH are the publishers of the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express, who are also sponsoring the pageant.
According to Sunday Express Special Projects Coordinator, Motsilisi Khasake, the industrial training is meant to sharpen the winner’s professional and practical skills.
“The internship programme will enable the title holder to sharpen her skills or simply learn from scratch how a business operates while also adding experience to her resume,” she said.
“Every job or vacancy in the country requires a certain amount of experience which is quite unfair for people who have just graduated. As a result, many graduates end up spending many years after varsity without employment.”
Khasake said the winner would have the option of working in one of AMH’s various departments.
“We have about four departments within the company which include editorial, marketing, production and accounts,” she said.
“So the winner will choose any of those departments based on what she is studying at school or basically the field she is interested in. She will spend a minimum of six months with us.”
The internship, Khasake said, was also meant to equip the winner with skills to compete at the Miss World 2017 pageant
“We have realised that previous title holders failed to last the distance at the international level because they did not have the requisite qualities or training. So the internship programme and other personality-building activities she will engage in during her reign will help her in that regard,” she said.
“We need a beautiful lady who is creative, intelligent and with a lot of confidence while also being open to learning new things that will build her career.
“The title holder is still expected to abide by pageantry rules such as not getting pregnant or married during her reign. We also expect her to conduct herself in a manner that will not tarnish AMH’s image.”
Tourism Minister Likeleli Tampana is among the dignitaries expected to grace the event with a number of local acts such as Sir Schaba, Mobstar the Champ and Twin & Mitchell billed to perform.
