- Obama family given personal welcome as dancers chant 'Obama Ye-Le-Le'
- Mrs Obama helped paint a mural
- She paid a courtesy call on President Ian Khama
- MKILETEWA HAPA NA FLORA LYIMO DESIGNER*
Michelle Obama was given an especially personal welcome by 25 children when she landed in Botswana today.
The excited group, clad in traditional clothing, greeted the First Lady as she arrived on the second leg of a week-long goodwill visit to Africa after flying in from Cape Town, South Africa.
The youngsters, aged between six and 18, wore costumes of animal hide with shells around their ankles, as they clapped and danced, singing 'Obama Ye-Le-Le'.
Warm welcome: Michelle Obama with daughters Sasha, far right, and Malia, right, were greeted by traditional dancers as they arrive in Gaborone, Botswana"
That's a new way to say hello: The First Lady looks delighted at the performance, which began when she arrived in Botswana" SI MCHEZOOOO....CAN YOU MADAMMMM!! YES I CAN "
Side-splitting: The dancers put on a special performance and chanted 'Obama Ye-Le-Le'POLE POLE HAPA NINAWATOTO WANGU .LOL..
Another 50 children waved U.S. and Botswana flags to welcome Mrs Obama, who looked delighted while she clapped along to the performers.
Her first stop upon arrival was at the clinic in the capital of Gaborone that is sponsored by Baylor University. The clinic serves 4,000 children and their families.
The First Lady helped paint a mural at the Botswana-Baylor Adolescent Center of Excellence, a new facility under construction.
Mrs Obama's daughters Malia and Sasha, her mother Marian Robinson, and her niece and nephew joined in the painting.
She painted a sun on a scene of children playing against a backdrop of homes and blue sky with members of the 'Teen Club.' The center is affiliated with Baylor University's Pediatric AIDS initiative.
Smiles all round: Everyone looked thrilled to meet the First Lady, who has been promoting good health in southern Africa"
Giving out hugs: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama was greeted by excited children when she arrived and made their day by chatting to them"
The mother-of-two was hesitant to leave as she had not had time to blend the paint on her portion of the mural.
The Teen Clubs are a support program for HIV infected children and teens affected by the virus. Some of them have lost their parents to the disease.
The first lady then spoke at a women's leadership luncheon, where she called Botswana 'a thriving democracy' with a fast-growing economy that embodies 'a vision of Africa on the move.'
She also paid a courtesy call on President Ian Khama and tonight the Obama family will have dinner at a nature park that is home to giraffes, elephants, zebras, baboons and other animals.
The first lady's mission began last Monday in South Africa and is her first overseas visit without President Obama. She is due to return Monday to the White House.
At a forum at the University of Cape Town yesterday, a young student asked Mrs. Obama: 'Do you still feel pressure being the first African American first lady?'
Time out: An attentive Mrs Obama made sure she spoke to school children who had come to see her"
At first Obama didn't catch the question. 'Do I feel --' she prompted back.
'The pressure,' the student responded.
'Pressure, oh, the pressure. I thought you said the 'pleasure',' Obama said, to laughter.
'I don't know if I feel pressure. But I feel deep, deep responsibility. So I guess in a sense there is pressure, because I don't want to let people down.'
The attentive, youthful audience did not appear the least bit let down.
'I didn't necessarily run for office. I was actually trying to talk my husband out of running for office,' she continued, again to laughter.
But now that we're here, I want to be good because this is a big job, and it's a big, bright light. And you don't want to waste it.'
Mrs Obama is promoting health and wellness on her visit, with a special emphasis on AIDS prevention.
Important guest: Mrs Obama met traditional dancers, schoolchildren ann Botswana's President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama during her visit"
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