The Botswana Skate Federation (BSF) has scored a major breakthrough for the country’s skateboarding scene, with Mosako Chalashika and Theo Setsetse selected for the prestigious World Skate Development Scholarship Programme, a three-year course designed to provide international training camps, mentorship, and competition exposure.
For Chalashika, the scholarship marks another milestone in a journey that began humbly in 2009, when he first picked up a skateboard at Maru A pula while still in school. “At the time, it wasn’t a serious thing just a hobby I picked up from my friend Khotso Keebine,” he recalls. That hobby would take him beyond Botswana’s borders to South Africa, widely regarded as Africa’s skateboarding capital, where he spent eight years immersed in the sport.
His time in Kimberley coincided with the launch of the Maloof Money Cup, a world championship event, where he both competed for Botswana in the African division and experienced the industry’s competitive side firsthand. But Chalashika’s passion for skateboarding went beyond performing tricks. He pursued photography in Cape Town, blending his skills behind the lens with his love for the sport. This led to collaborations with major brands like Vans, Red Bull, and Monster Energy, and a recurring segment in Session Skateboarding Magazine called Mosako Missions.
“That was the turning point for me,” he said. “It allowed me to polish my skills and understand how to keep consistency — not only in photography but also in skateboarding itself.”
Now serving as coach for Botswana’s Olympic skateboarding team, Chalashika will use the World Skate scholarship to pursue an Olympic coaching certification. Meanwhile, his teammate Setsetse whom he describes as “probably the best in the country right now” — will undertake the athletic training programme, aimed at improving competitive readiness and potentially earning qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
“His trick selection is very good. He can do difficult tricks effortlessly, and he’s not just talented he works hard and is committed,” Chalashika said of Setsetse.
Beyond their personal goals, both skaters hope the programme will elevate Botswana’s skateboarding profile on the global stage.
“In Botswana, skateboarding is still developing. Many people think it’s just playing around with a wooden board and wheels. They don’t realise it can take you places, allow you to travel the world, and be a real career,” Chalashika said.
The duo’s participation in the scholarship could mark a turning point for the sport locally bringing professionalism, recognition, and international connections to a scene still carving out its place in Botswana’s sporting landscape.
