Lesedi Seemane, a 13-year-old learner from Dendron Primary School from Senwabarwana won the 2023 African Spelling Bee Champion in Uganda this past weekend
She was welcomed back home on Monday from Uganda. She secure Position 1 under Junior category during 2023 African Spelling Bee (ASB) that took place in Uganda , Kampala.
Ten spelling bee organisations from Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe founded the African Spelling Bee in 2016. The inaugural African Spelling Bee was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, that same year, and 27 national champions from each of the participating nations competed.
Seemane attributes her competition win to practicing regularly and studying difficult words.
“I wake up at 5 am before heading to school. I take the dictionary to practice some words. When I arrive at school, my teachers also assist me in practicing words.”
Seemane says she started taking part in spelling bee competitions in grade 4 and hopes to continue with it in high school.
She says her experience of competing on a world stage for this title is unmatched, further adding that it took a lot of months of hard work and preparation.
A welcoming ceremony was held for Seemane at the Limpopo Education Head of Department’s office in Polokwane where she was received by the HOD, Onica Dederen.
All the ASB23 Champions
Seniors
- Praises Esere Minabowa (Nigeria)
- David Busha (Ethiopia)
- Tashinga Chereni (Zimbabwe)
Juniore
1.Lesedi Seemane (RSA)
2. Agaba Austin Jordan (Uganda)
3. Claudia Jean Madhombiro (Zimbabwe)