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The Spotlight Series, Gaborone (2024)

23/08/2022

Lone Motsomi - Making the dream work

The Spotlight Series introduces a beacon of success making strides in the arts and performing industry in the United States of America (US).

Meet Lone Thabang Motsomi, an elite dancer and choreographer with over eleven years of experience in the creative arts. Born and bred in Bokaa, Botswana, the 28-year-old currently resides in the US, where she is pursuing further training in performing movie stunts and mixed martial arts.

Motsomi recently went into history books when she featured alongside Hollywood’s greatest actor Viola Davis in the upcoming movie, “The Woman King”. An experience she describes as exhilarating, “I still get chills to this day.”

Taking a leap of faith, Motsomi recounts how she undertook thorough training before auditioning for the role of an Agoji Warrior, “they wanted someone with basic martial arts skills, physically strong and agile. I went for training for a month before sending my portfolio and video, which they liked, and I was shortlisted and eventually got the role.”

Highlighting her whole career, she points out that The Woman King is her second major production in the US. Her first feature was on Broadway production as a lead character. She further emphasized that as a performer, everything you do is a highlight of your career. “Coming from a small country with limited resources in the arts and now being in New York shows my highlights are in between rehearsals, training, and my next big project.”

Motsomi started dancing at a very tender age for her family. In 2013, she joined Mophato dance theatre to hone her craft – become a versatile and adaptive performer. This fellowship nurtured her dancing skills and allowed her to turn professional.

She went on to perform at a private function in South Africa for an industry magnate. In her early days, Motsomi frequently performed at national and international events rubbing shoulders with icons such as Freshly Ground and Somizi Mhlongo.

After completing her degree in Interior Design in 2016, Motsomi took a deliberate decision to attain certification in performing arts in South Africa. A decision she believes was the best thing to do for her career. In 2020, she was given a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s Degree in Dance Production in China, which she paused due to a lockdown.

Motsomi continues to attend workshops in performing arts to refine her artistry. “I believe that is what has been preparing and opened doors for me. Generally, being so hungry to grow and learn. My best skill is having an absorbing mind and being open to learning.” She describes her experience as the next stepping stone for a young Motswana who wants to walk in her steps.

This change-maker believes that if she can inspire and spark hope and possibilities, she has done enough. In the next stages of her career, Motsomi aspires to perform, produce, and direct productions, “I am building systems to get me there through everyday activities and projects I work on. I see a writer coming in all this too.”

And her parting words were, “to a young Motswana out there in the arts industry. Your resilience will take you places. You never know who is watching you; keep the dream alive by getting yourself skilled and putting yourself out there. Most importantly, commit with intention, don’t just say my passion is my hobby. No one will take you seriously. It starts with how you see yourself first before anyone/the world can see you.”

30/07/2022

Keletso Botsalano: Math genius, Software Engineer, and Entrepreneur

In today’s edition, we introduce you to Keletso Botsalano, an outlier and software engineer based in Gaborone, Botswana.

Botsalano is an exceptionalist and a peak achiever. He graduated his BSc at the University of Botswana with a near-perfect GPA of 4.9. He then transferred to the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom (UK) to study Electronics Engineering.

After graduation, Botsalano went on to attain a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. In Botswana, this brainiac worked for several companies, including BURS and BotswanaPost, before settling in his current role.

Botsalano currently works as a Tech Lead in the Digital Unit at Letshego Group. He leads the development process for mobile/web applications for the payments stream (i.e., EFTs, VAS, mobile wallet) for the 11 markets that the company operates in. He also co-owns a company called Wise Inventions which helps build technological solutions for local companies.

Botsalano has always been a Mathematics genius and backtracks on one of his proudest moments in Senior Secondary School at Molefi when he and his team obtained the first position in the National Maths and Science Quiz. Another proud moment he hints was de-mystifying Additional Mathematics as a difficult subject and getting an A (the highest grade possible in those days) in BGCSE.

Asked why he chose this specific path, Botsalano says this came naturally to him at a young age, “I was able to solve complex mathematical and logical problems. Over and above that, once I started learning to write code, it fit like a glove. As they say, the rest is history.”

The enthusiastic Botsalano explains that in the early days of his career, he was learning as much as he could, and it took a lot of late nights, debugging code and staring at the laptop screen. “This kind of never-say-die attitude really helped going forward, as it is exactly what is needed to excel in this field.”

Botsalano’s journey is as impressive as it sounds and advises that the right aptitude level is critical in successfully transitioning to software development. Furthermore, he explains that even individuals who have not studied STEM subjects can successfully venture into Software development only if they possess the right attitude.

With Botswana evolving technologically in what is deemed the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), the mathematics geek’s wish is to apply his experience and skills to assist the government in building more resilient and secure systems and avoid the dreaded three words “system e down”. “This greatly impacts efficiency in services, staff productivity as well as economically.”

His plans include pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and growing his company. Botsalano’s advice to anyone who aspires to venture into Software engineering is that it is hard, but it’s not rocket science. “It may seem challenging and daring at first, but with practice and hands-on experience, a lot will start to make sense. You’ll make mistakes along the way, but you’ll learn from them; just don’t give up. You’ll get there eventually.”

25/07/2022

Tlamelo Makati: A certified drone pilot and robotic enthusiast

In today’s episode of The Spotlight Series, we unearth another luminary in computer science and artificial intelligence.

Meet Tlamelo Makati - a mechatronics engineer, certified drone pilot, and robotics enthusiast. Makati is a Ph.D. candidate in computer science at Technological University Dublin in Ireland. Interestingly, she explains that the idea to venture into STEM was a silly teenage dream to one day build herself a robotic boyfriend. Moreover, her goal was to break the stereotype that men are more likely to venture into STEM careers than females, “I was told mechatronics was hard and had a lot of Math in it. I wanted to prove to myself and everyone around me that I could take on any challenge.”

Makati is a Botswana University of Science and Technology (BIUST) alumni with an undergraduate degree in mechatronics engineering. While at BIUST, she volunteered as a junior researcher in her supervisor’s SMaRT lab for three years, gaining an invaluable experience in artificial intelligence (AI). This exposure inspired her to search for more opportunities in AI.

In 2018, she interned at Stanford School of Engineering for ten weeks working on AI-based projects. After graduating from BIUST in 2019, she did another stint at the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) in Malawi, leading to certification in drone piloting. Makati secured another internship at the United Nations Environmental Programme, where she researched the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and disaster management.

All these experiences were not in vain, as they helped her get a scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science. Her research is on ‘Machine Learning and Accessible Web Navigation for People with Virtual Impairment”. Makati is also a partner and research lead at Anton Tech, an agricultural start-up in Botswana that uses 4IR technologies to help farmers control pests and treat crop diseases.

This brainiac aspires to be a professor someday with her own lab to further her research in artificial intelligence. She also dreams of collaborating with big corporates such as Tesla, SpaceX, and Microsoft. Outside school, Makati volunteers with Women in Machine Learning and Data Science, Gaborone Chapter, GDG Gaborone, and Women Techmakers, Gaborone.

While grateful for how far she has come, Makati confesses that if it were not for her self-sabotage antics, she could have been far in life. She expounds on a missed opportunity that could have seen her study engineering at Stanford and learn from the best brains in AI.

22/07/2022

Tumisang Ramarea: A Polymath and Gaming Engineer

In this edition of The Spotlight Series, we shine a light on a US-based Motswana engineer who works to improve our gaming experience.

Meet Tumisang Ramarea, an Associate Product Operations Manager at Krikey, a US-based Augmented Reality and Web3 gaming company. In this role, he helps cross-functional teams collaborate to build augmented reality and Web 3.0 entertainment experiences.

Ramarea’s path to becoming was anything but easy, but as he says himself, it was all worth it. After missing the Botswana Government Top Achievers Scholarship criteria by a point, Ramarea wasted no time and looked for opportunities elsewhere.

He secured an international scholarship to pursue the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma at the United World College in Costa Rica. After a stellar performance on his IB Diploma, Ramarea received another scholarship to further his studies in the land of the free.

Ramarea obtained a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Management Science and Engineering from the prestigious Stanford University in the US. At Stanford, he served the student community in different capacities, including as a head teaching assistant, resident assistant, and senior student operator. These experiences honed his public speaking, leadership, and organizational skills.

As an engineer, he has a specific interest in Decision and Risk Analysis. “I am a curious person, and I love creative problem-solving. I choose to specialize in decision and risk analysis because uncertainty terrifies and excites me. I look forward to a lifetime of helping people and organizations make quality decisions,” he said.

Before landing a job in San Francisco, the “Ga-Maila” native has had many internships, volunteer, and research experiences. These adventures were partly inspired by his desire to make the world a just place. He spent two summer breaks in Sri Lanka with the world-renowned Non-profit Sarvodaya, learning ways to scale community self-reliant economies.

In exchange for the experience he was offered, he used his engineering expertise to help them build a database. Ramarea points out that his most meaningful research experience was studying the emergence of technology in entrepreneurship in Kenya, “it was inspiring to witness what new technologies can emerge from the continent.”

In his spare time, he imparts his knowledge and skills through pro bono consulting and advisory to Botswana youth-owned businesses. “One such business being Organic naturals founded by the phenomenal Didintle Moreki.”

As of any regrets or missed opportunities, this paragon of grit chuckles as he reminisces at the thought that maybe he could have had more fun and got down a bit, “but in all seriousness, I wouldn’t change a thing. I have lived my best life thus far-for better or for worse.”

18/07/2022

Daring Abroad: Dr. Omaru Maruatona, A Motswana Cyber-AI specialist based in Australia

Trained as a software engineer, today’s change-maker is one of the early adopters of artificial intelligence (AI) and a thought leader in application of AI in everyday life.

Meet Dr. Omaru Maruatona, a cybersecurity expert and machine learning scientist based in Australia. Dr. Maruatona holds a Ph.D. in applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is the CEO of Aiculus, a cybersecurity consultancy firm.

Dr. Maruatona obtained a degree in Software Engineering with first-class honors from La Trobe University in Australia, where he was also a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. After graduation, he returned home and had a short stint at Debswana Mining Company as a graduate systems engineer. Filling unfulfilled in this new position, Omaru retraced his footsteps to Aussie, where he joined a bank-owned AI research unit. This institute published extensively on the internet banking security and fraud detection and helped the bank develop AI capabilities.

Dr. Maruatona's work at the bank inspired him to further his studies in artificial intelligence. His stellar results in software engineering earned him direct admission into the Ph.D. program at the Federation University Australia. In 2013, equipped with a Ph.D. in AI, Dr. Maruatona sought new opportunities. He worked for a global financial services company as a security engineer for two years before joining PwC Australia, one of the big four consultancy firms, as a cybersecurity architect.

In 2017, he left his cushy job and founded Aiculus - a cybersecurity boutique firm that helps businesses protect their data and systems. In addition to selling its technological products, Aiculus also provides consultancy services in cybersecurity, AI, and FinTech and has a satellite office in Singapore. Dr. Maruatona has no immediate intentions to relocate to Botswana but pointed out that he continues to work with notable Botswana companies and is billed to open a satellite office in the country before the end of the year.

Dr. Maruatona mentors aspiring machine learning scientists and data science enthusiasts in his spare time.

15/07/2022

Khumoekae Richard: A politician turned HIV Scientist

This Friday, we wrap up the week by unearthing a luminary in the field of health sciences.

Meet Dr. Khumoekae Richard, a biomedical scientist, virologist, and a researcher with a burning desire to one day find the cure for HIV disease. Richard recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. He is a Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) Diamond Jubilee scholarship recipient and former Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) scholar.

Dr. Richard has always been a top achiever. He attributes his research prowess to his earlier educational training at the University of Botswana but also points out that it was in Canada where he was transformed and molded into a full-fledged biomedical researcher. In his days at the University of Botswana, Dr. Richard was active in student and partisan politics and has authored two books in social sciences.

Currently based in the US, Dr. Richard is a post-doctoral fellow at the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology in Philadelphia, where he gets to further his research in HIV virology. He says, “I will genetically engineer and modify immune cells (T cells) and try them on biological systems such as a humanized mouse, alongside the latency-reversing agents and evaluate their efficacy. In our field, these cells (CD8+ T cells and NK cells) can be genetically modified to stimulate HIV-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) responses, simply, some enhancement that can help fight HIV.”

In his spare time, Dr. Richard takes advantage of the facilities and equipment at Wistar to investigate the therapeutic potential of traditional medicines used in HIV/AIDS management by the Bakalanga people in Tutume Sub-district in Central Botswana. This work stems from a community-based project he carried out during his Ph.D. to document anti-HIV medicinal plants in the Bakalanga region.

At a policy level, his Ph.D. project will help advance the World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Strategy (2014–2023), which aims to assist countries in harnessing the potential contribution of traditional medicine (TM) to health, wellness, and people-centered health care. “This strategy also seeks to achieve traditional medicine regulation to promote its safe and effective use with an overall goal of integrating TM products, practitioners, and practice into health care systems wherever appropriate.”

From humble beginnings and now a budding scientist, Dr. Richard still holds to heart the teachings of ubuntu and perseverance he learned from a tender age. He lives by this quote, “No matter how brilliant (intelligent) you are or can be, your individual brilliance cannot surpass or outstrip the brilliance of a collective.”

His goal is to join the academia or any research-oriented institution when he returns to Botswana and contribute to the knowledge generation enterprise. “I aspire to be an academic and well-rounded instructor. I also want to contribute to the discovery of more biomedical knowledge and find an HIV cure, which has been elusive for years. I also want to influence policy change, to redefine and reshape our education, so that it truly becomes the backbone of the economy in a practical sense.”

11/07/2022

Jacky: Budding Water Scientist and Nature Lover

We are back, and it is yet another exciting week for us at The Spotlight Series. Today we introduce you to a gritty young woman who is a budding water scientist and nature lover.

Meet Goabaone Jaqueline Ramatlapeng, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis, USA. Jacky is a Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellow and an American Association of University Women Fellow.

Ramatlapeng is also the Founder of Effective & Efficient Writers, a writing support group and professional development platform for African university students and young professionals. Additionally, she is the brains behind the book “Silencing the inner saboteurs, Journey to Self-discovery” readily available on Amazon.

“Magic lies in challenging what seems impossible” by Carol Moseley-Braun is one of her favorite quotes. Because of this quote, she has never limited herself, “I challenge the impossible.”

Ramatlapeng has always set herself apart through her remarkable academic excellence. After completing her form 5 at Moeding College, she was admitted at the Botswana University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in 2013 to pursue her BSc degree in Geology. Upon completion, she pursued her Master’s in Earth Sciences at the University of Delaware (UD), USA, and eventually transferred to Ph.D. in Earth Sciences in 2020.

In 2021, she transferred from the University of Delaware to the University of California, Davis, USA, where she is currently continuing her Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences. “In my Ph.D. thus far, I have been awarded the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship and the American Association of University Women Fellowship supporting my Ph.D. studies with a total of over 1 million Pula.”

Her career choice was very intentional, as she traces back to her childhood memories, “I chose this Hydrogeochemistry specialty to tackle water quality and quantity issues, especially in arid regions. Botswana is a semi-arid country with water scarcity issues. I remember growing up in Kopong; we would go for several days without pipe-borne water, and when we did get it, the water would be salty. This experience initiated my desire to pursue studies related to water resources to be resourceful to my village and country. I want to use science to inform my country on water management decision-making and devise strategies to augment water supplies.”

Her desire to solve water quality issues is evidenced by a research project at Kopong Junior School, where she investigated water purification using Moringa Oleifera seeds. The project was awarded the best Ecology Research at the Botswana National Math and Science fair in 2010.

Ramatlapeng enlightens that her Ph.D. research focuses on investigating the hydrogeochemistry of rivers in arid watersheds where water scarcity is a major challenge. Specifically, she examines spatial and temporal controls of water chemistry in the Okavango River flowing through the Okavango Delta in semi-arid Botswana.

“The Okavango Delta is a treasure to the tourism sector in Botswana and the largest freshwater wetland ecosystem of international importance in Southern Africa. The Delta is also a source of water and food to riparian communities. Thus, studying controls of the Delta’s water chemistry is crucial, “she said.

With the findings from her Ph.D. research, she aims to provide insights that will be instructive for water quality assessments and inform water management decisions by the governments of Botswana. “I also plan to utilize my teaching and mentoring experience in my academic position once I am back in Botswana.”

04/07/2022

Grit Trumps Talent

In today’s edition of The Spotlight Series we are happy to feature Lefika Bathobakae, a medical doctor and a public health specialist who is also a budding writer. Dr. Bathobakae is an internal medicine resident in the US and hopes to return home (Botswana) at the end of his specialist training.

Bathobakae is no stranger to academic success; he graduated top of his class at Moeding College in 2012 and qualified for the highly-coveted Botswana Government Top Achievers Scholarship program. While at Moeding college, he won the national Biology Olympiad in 2012 and was also a part of a team that won the senior quiz contest at the National Maths and Science Fair.

After qualifying for Botswana Top Achievers Scholarship, Bathobakae went to Westwood to do an IB Diploma (an equivalence of A level) and got an external placement in 2015.

He furthered his studies at St. George’s University in Grenada, where he did two years of pre-med, followed by five years of a dual MD/MPH (Master of Public Health and Doctor of Medicine) degree program. He graduated with his MPH with a near-perfect GPA and MD with honors.

“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare,” by Angela Duckworth, Phd (from her book “Grit”) is his favourite quote.

He describes his professional experience as nothing short of bliss and success, “I love sciences, and studying medicine felt natural to me. Equipped with an incredible sense of humour, I enjoy all my patient encounters. I am also gritty and disciplined, and these attributes helped me succeed in medicine.”

When asked why he chose a career in Medicine, Bathobakae traces back to his secondary school days when he was ill and had to frequent hospitals in search of help. “I was given a bunch of medications but without improvement. Some doctors even suggested that it was all in my head and that I was overwhelmed with school work. That experience and my interest in the sciences inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. You could say I was chasing a diagnosis.”

Dr. Bathobakae is interested in digestive diseases and nutrition and hopes to pursue additional training in this field. He claims this is a much-needed specialist service in the country. Interestingly, he also hopes to acquire an MBA in the future.