Recognition, not rhetoric is shaping women’s sport careers in Botswana
GAZETTE REPORTER
The real measure of the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards, organisers say, is not the attention the ceremony attracts on the night, but what follows for those recognised.
“The biggest affirmation of the significance of the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards is not just the talkability about the event, but seeing nominees and winners excel more, post recognition on the big night,” said Kesego Kebelaele-Okie, a co-organiser of the awards.
The fourth edition of the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards will be held on March 27, 2026, in Gaborone. The ceremony will honour performances and contributions made between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
Organised by Inside BW Women Sports, the awards have become one of the few consistent platforms celebrating women’s sport in a landscape often shaped by intermittent funding and limited long-term recognition.
Early Returns
Recent outcomes among past winners illustrate the organisers’ argument that recognition can translate into opportunity.
“The reigning Young Promising Athlete, Buhle Majama recently got a scholarship to study in the USA, and has expressed deep gratitude on the award bestowed on her in the third edition as one of the contributing factors in her profile,” Kebelaele-Okie said.
She also pointed to Maru Chokwe, the 2025 CEO’s Special Award winner. “Maru Chokwe… has just started her studies at a professional golf academy in South Africa, and has equally emphasized the value of the award she received, in her journey towards being a professional golf player,” she said.
Both athletes are teenagers, she added, and their progress is seen as a signal to other young girls that sport can offer viable pathways.
Money Matters
Since its inception, the awards have recognised more than 51 women, with close to P500,000 awarded in prize money. Kebelaele-Okie said the financial component is especially significant under current economic conditions.
“It is crucial especially during these times of tough economic challenges as national level,” she said. “Some of our winners have confirmed using their prize money towards starting or growing their businesses, others have invested it back into their training programs.”
She described sport as “a financially demanding exercise” and said it was encouraging to see prize money contribute to more sustainable livelihoods.
Building Capacity
Beyond cash awards, the organisers have introduced additional support structures. “Last year we introduced a capacity building workshop for all winners,” Kebelaele-Okie said, noting that corporate partners led sessions on financial literacy, personal branding, national brand ambassadorship and investment funding.
“We will have this every year going forward, as a sustainability component of the awards,” she said.
Looking Ahead
The long-term ambition, Kebelaele-Okie said, is increased representation of women in international competitions.
“The biggest vision is to see our winners, and other women in sport play a more visible and impactful role,” she said, citing events such as the Olympics and World Championships.
She said engagements have begun with stakeholders including the Botswana National Olympic Committee, as well as potential sponsors, to explore funding for extended training programmes for women and girls.
“We are hopeful that collectively, we will achieve this vision,” she said.