Dear Africa,
Happy New Year to anyone that might read this.
I sit here imagining how this year is going to build up and I am excited for you. Despite the many great challenges you face. There are also enormous opportunities for growth. And the great news is, there are MANY people who look forward to bringing you change.
In the year 2017, we shall work to bring them together. I wish you the very best mama. You shall rise.
Love,
Dear Africa Project
…something to share about the potential and opportunities in Africa…
When I was a little kid, I remember that the best of everything was in America or in Europe. The tallest buildings, the largest companies and the most extravagant display of wealth were all European or American based. As such, the voices of these Nations were like the voices of big brother and when they said jump, we simply asked how high. When they insisted that certain Nations undertake Structural Adjustment Programs in order to continue receiving aid, the countries implemented the programs (which destroyed many of their economies) without asking questions. It was everyone’s dream to visit Europe and America and people would line up as early as 4am to get visa interview dates which would be two months away just to be able to visit these wonderlands.
Now fast forward and something seems to have changed drastically. A wind seems to have blown across the world. The tallest building in the world is in Dubai. The tallest hotel is in Dubai. The world’s biggest investors are now emerging from China. The world’s largest sovereign wealth funds are in places like Singapore, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and places that just a few years ago we hardly heard of and in a dramatic twist of fate, when you look at what is happening across Europe today with the unemployment and crumbling economies they are reminiscent of a lot of Africa in the eighties.
While this is going on, another phenomenon is happening at the same time. There is a scramble for Africa. Suddenly, Africa has become the place where everyone wants to be. The foreign media does all it can to paint pictures of gloom and destruction. When they do not find stories that fit into their mindsets of poverty, hunger, wars and fighting they hardly know what to write but in spite of this, it has not stopped the Nations and global conglomerates all wanting a piece of the African cake.
Things that were unthinkable just a few years ago are now happening on across the continent. A Luxury car brand like Porsche opened a major centre in Lagos the commercial capital of a country that is reputed by separate reports in the Punch Newspaper of Nigeria and FORBES to have the largest private jet market in Africa with wealthy people spending $6.5 billion on the toys in the last 5 years (rivaling only China in the world today). Kenya has witnessed the entry of numerous global brands over the last few years and recently super brands like Pepsi have also come in. All these signify that the Africa that we now live in, is a different Africa from what used to be. The Africa of before was a struggling, intimidated Africa that did not know its left from its right but the Africa of today is emerging into a global giant and a player with a voice of its own.
Yes, there is corruption and yes there is insecurity and yes we know that we have issues but we are facing up to our issues and dealing with them in our own way and it seems to be working. The greatest and most recent sign that indeed we are coming of age was the Kenyan election of 2013. The international media had predicted a literally implosion of Kenya. Not only did we not see that but we saw the unthinkable. We saw supporters of different political parties hugging and embracing and dancing together. Even the so called advanced democracies have not advanced to that level yet.
The world knew about long distance running for years and then Kenya stepped into the arena, redefined it and dominated it. The world knew about mobile phones as instruments of communication for years and then Kenya stepped in redefined it and turned it into a mobile bank for all. The world has known about elections for years. If we get it right politically this time around we may be on our way to birthing a democratic process that will become the benchmark for other nations. As a Nation, we have what it takes and this is the time.
Whatever you do, do not separate yourself from this peculiar grace that abides on the African continent today. It is our time. The curtain has now been drawn. It’s time to fly. Innovators, inventors, Entrepreneurs, thinkers… it’s time to roll up our sleeves and build. The foundation stone has been laid to build one of the world’s great economies in the history of the World. Don’t be a spectator. Be an active participant. Whatever you do, do something. You are important and your contribution is important.
ITS A NEW DAY!
By Juddy Wanjiru
It is not often that Kellz would think of writing about a plane. It is not a very intriguing subject matter, to be honest. The metal and mostly horrible customer service in most flights is never the most memorable of experiences. Some of us just fly out of sheer obligation to the aviation regulations; if it were up to me, I would pay to sprout wings, check my luggage into the clouds, carry my own meal and fly to my destination… heh hee ee… It was all a dream.
BUT Rwandair…
I had never flown with this airline until recently as I headed for a business engagement in Uganda. It was such a blessing (All things work out for good I tell ya)…that other flights had discontinued routes to Uganda; if not, I am almost sure that my client would have plopped me on a different airline.
To get to UG from TZ, I had to fly through Kigali and the same had to happen as I was flying back to TZ. The flight to UG was…drum roll, please…. ON TIME. Not a
minute late. From the check in counter to boarding, the team was on point. To be honest, I kinda missed this flight even I had already checked in and was in the waiting lounge (if you wanna call it that) chatting away with an old colleague and new acquaintance about the horrible strategies followed by some telecoms in EA (which shall remain unnamed). In the heat of the conversation, I didn’t hear them call my name. The clock ticke
d away and everyone boarded but me. But the Rwandair team would not allow it. A passenger miss a flight? NO WAY! Off they came in search for me; passing table by table, chair by chair calling out my name. They found me. Quickly I was rushed to the plane. Honestly, I was expecting bad looks from the crew. They all smiled as they welcomed me on board. As if they were ACTUALLY excited that I had arrived and was flying with them. Lovely, I thought.
Then, touchdown Kigali after a rather pleasant flight. Do you know that they ACTUALLY serve food on board? Like, not those bad airplane snacks that you daunt but only eat cause you are hungry or feeling greedy. I had a hot samosa and some other meaty snacks as I sipped on INYANGE juices made in Rwanda.
Wait! Where was I? Oh yeah! So we landed. I am not sure what I was expecting but the airport was nice and pleasant. They EVEN had a charging station. Like LITERALLY! Glee moment for my empty techno phone battery.
The airport waiting area was a bit crowded and could really do with some organization in those chair arrangement but was not unpleasant none the less. The remaining flight to UG was good too. I thought the pilots landed the planes with beautiful precision and grace.
Now the pilot on the trip BACK to TZ was on another level. First, I must comment on the plane. Wow! What a bird. Beautiful seating in both business and economy class. The economy seats were actually really comfy…unlike…..shall remain unnamed lest they ban me as a passenger (this is Africa)
The pilot gracefully drove that big bird W451 to the runway. He majestically placed her in position. Felt like we were cruising already. Then he posed. There the bird beamed in the sunlight, wings spread out and on the ready. Out of my window, the Rwandair logo majestically shone in the sun. Wings spread and ready to tear through the clouds. Here we sat and wait
ed. Then we were off, the pilot marvelously taxed that baby off as I held my breath with excitement as his skill…Ready, set, fly…and we were off. Up and away, she rose. Wings in the air, nose tearing through discouragement, naysayers, corruption, doubt and years injured by genocide. Up she tore into the clouds with a hope and zeal for the future. As that baby swam into the sky, all I could see was Africa’s Kingly past meet a majestic future. What a mom
ent!
My heart exploded in my chest as hope burst into wild celebration from the éclairs of my heart. I felt every cell in my being rejoice for my brothers and sisters in beautiful Rwanda. I celebrate you! Set the way! Fly us into greatness. As you tax off, so do we! We are one. One people, one big nation, Inzozi Africa.
I FLEW THE DREAM OF AFRICA. Try it on your next trip. Fly Rwandair. Let me know what you think.
Until next time, Inzozi Africa.
I have been so busy that I have hardly had a moment to right in here. sob sob…
I shall be back soon. In the mean time, I do pray that everyone is having an awesome christmas. 2016, is going to be something else. So much great stuff coming your way. I am very excited 🙂
Merry Christmas 🙂
Kellz
Forwarding as received
Hello Leaders,
Do you know a young person affected by HIV / AIDS?
Do they have the skills, knowledge and passion to inspire other young people to take action?
Then we want to hear from you!
Youth Stop AIDS is looking for a young, passionate speaker from the Global South to join us on our annual Youth Stop AIDS Speaker Tour in the UK.
Over three weeks our speakers will tour 15-20 UK universities, helping bring to life the issues behind the HIV/AIDS pandemic by telling their personal story to students, young people and decision-makers, and inspiring them to take action. We believe there is nothing more powerful than hearing the true-life stories of people affected by these diseases, and the failings of this system, to motivate people to take action and change this reality.
This is a voluntary role, but costs – including travel to and from the UK, visas, accommodation and food – will be covered by Restless Development; more detailed information is available in the International Speaker Role Description below.
For more information, open the below link: http://youthstopaids.org/speaker-tour-2016/
A friend of mine shared this with me and I would like to pass it on. I would like to make is clear that I did NOT write this and I’m only copy pasting something that was sent TO me. Thanks Mustafa;) … Enjoy:)
Have you ever seen ants marching in search of food? They just follow one another in an almost endless game that seems to drone on and on. Does your life feel like an ant’s life – as if you’re going from day to day, doing the same thing, the same way, and nothing ever changes?
If so, then there’s a very good probability you’re not living consciously.
Conscious living is being aware of your life and the things you’re doing. It’s about taking the time to stop and smell the roses so you can see where you fit into the whole picture. Living consciously is a vital component in enjoying the fleeting moments we have on Earth.
It’s important to take note of what’s going on around us and be aware of what we’re doing. Living consciously brings us an understanding of what we’re capable of doing and paves the way for us to get where we want to go.
Benefits of Conscious Living
Perhaps you’re wondering, “What’s in it for me?” Conscious living brings with it many benefits, which you may already be seeking in your life.
Here are just a few of these benefits:
1. Relieve stress. Conscious living can be a great stress reliever. Not only does it make life more enjoyable when you alleviate your stress, but it also makes you healthier. Stress affects every process in our bodies and can cause serious disease if it builds up within us.
2. Expand your horizons. As you become more aware of your surroundings, you’ll find that you can better understand the world and your place in it.
3. Live in the moment. Throughout the day, you’ll be more focused on your work because you’re consciously acting on a specific task in the moment.
4. Enjoy more passion in your relationships. While living consciously, your relationships will become more meaningful because you’ll be appreciative of them as well as the other person. You’ll be more in tune with your partner and aware of every want and need.
5. Know your importance. Your job will become more fulfilling because you’re more conscious of your role in the grand scheme of things. You no longer just answer a phone or hand someone a photocopy, but you are consciously making a difference.
6. Bring color into your world. Your surroundings will become more vibrant because you’ll notice things like the subtle differences between the shades of the trees and the direction of the soft breeze.
7. Being conscious of life makes life more fun. When you’re living consciously, bad days are few and far between.
Action Steps to Living Consciously
Luckily, transforming your humdrum life into one filled with vibrant joy is easier than you may think! You can make some simple adjustments to your everyday routines to live consciously and more fully enjoy your life.
Here are some action steps you can take to bring conscious living to your life:
1. Stop. Take some time to stop throughout the day and look around. Be aware of where you are and what’s around you. Become conscious of your surroundings and notice how you fit into them.
2. Breathe. Take deep breaths and be in the moment. Don’t
think about what you’ve done or what you still have to do, just take a minute or two to just breathe!
3. Learn. Take a few minutes each day to try something new. Pick up a book you’ve wanted to read or learn a new skill. By doing this, you’re starting to become conscious of your life and the things you can do with it.
There are many things you can do to live life to its fullest. Living consciously is one of the easiest changes to make on a day-to-day basis. Take a few of these ideas, integrate them into your routine, and begin enjoying the benefits of living consciously!
“Leadership” is a term that has inappropriately been thrown around as of recent years with the
misconception that those in positions of power are the ones that are Leaders. This is false. Should that have been the case, then Africa would have been a super power already. There would be neither war nor this amount of corruption plaguing our world.
As we prepare to vote and put the next government in power, please let us consider the real attributes of a leader. In lay man:
Side bar: When I was younger, I always believed that one had to have flesh bulging out of their suits to be a public servant. And theeeen I grew up and it was a shocker.
As we in Tanzania prepare to cast our votes, we must make sure to be critical in our selection. The question I ask myself is “Am I choosing a leader or a politician with impeccable public speaking skills?”
What other things do you think we should look for in our leader?
On Feb. 29, 1940, Hattie McDaniel took a long, solitary walk from a segregated table in the back of the Coconut Grove Hotel to accept her Oscar award for the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Mammy in ‘Gone With the Wind’. She was the first Black actor in history to receive the prestigious award. The fact that she was allowed in the hotel in a capacity other than as a Black woman in service was a triumph and a feat that required no small effort, as Coconut Grove, like every establishment that catered to white clientele around the country had a strict ‘No Blacks Allowed’ policy. Although these establishments had no qualms with Black performers coming in to entertain their white guests, they were required to enter in through back entrances of said establishments, never permitted to stay on the premises as guests, and certainly were not…
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This week I got to travel to South Africa for a work project. Not that you are asking, but it very well.
On arrival, the inquisitive little me started prodding and poking about the current state of affairs here. From the recent xenophobia attacks to the government’s popularity among its people. I found out some very interesting things (I can’t share everything but I will summarize my observations).
xenophobia” campaign, there are actually many others who would excuse it. For instance, one person I spoke with explained with huge disappointed how it is so easy for foreigners to simply strode into SA unquestioned and take over homes that were built to support struggling South Africans. He explained to me how the attacks were not the first and how people have been
found that amusing. Who decides that the president needs a pay raise? Who decides that what he made initially was not enough? Wait! Who decides what enough is? It seems to me that our “Leaders” want nothing more than to get into power so as to abuse their countries. I apologize but I cannot count a handful of leaders in Africa today. Just wealth hungry ignorant men and women who want the Hollywood lifestyle on the backs of other Africans. People who have become worse than those that their ancestorsTo the future: So where do we go from here? I see the Africa that we currently have and my heart aches for her. It’s as though once the goals for independence where obtained, people had nowhere to go from there. It’s as though, there was never an after-thought to “what we shall do AFTER we become independent. From conversations I have had with people, all those who were passionate about making a difference here have been murdered. The same thing happens in other countries. How silly is that!!!
It is enough! I am not going to vent anymore. Instead I am going to send out a plea to 
anyone who reads this, to share it. Africa has a huge population of youth who can propel it to greatness. We can take over from where true developmental mindsets left off. We can build our nations and be remembered for it. We can be the paradigm shift that Africa needs. We don’t have to all become presidents to be the difference. Let us start in our immediate circles of influences. Discussion topics: How can we/I make Africa better?
The past few days have featured continuous rain showers in many parts of my country, Tanzania and other parts of East Africa. The continuous rains have caused serious damage including loss of lives, properties and livelihoods causing mental, emotional and physical trauma to many. The damage was primarily caused by the outrageous floods that swept through cities and villages alike. The rising water levels were unexpected to say the least. Many people were informed that it was going to rain but no one was ready for the amount of rain that came down.
In the wake of such loss and grief, one thing is always prevalent; someone MUST be blamed. What caused the
floods? For sure, this was not the first time such rains pour down on Dar es salaam. Why were necessary precautions not taken after it happened the last time (2011; lives, properties, livelihoods, infrastructures –> Gone)? Were the drainage systems that were put in place working? Given that this was nowhere close to a small fraction of a Tsunami, we would have to rule that they were not very effective. So then who is in charge of making sure they work?
And the people echo in response, “THE GOVERNMENT”! So lets see what the government has to say. How will they defend themselves this time. “Drains were put in place but people destroy them with unstructured garbage disposal”.
To be honest, Dar is pretty notorious for its waste disposal problem. Nylon bags full of waste litter all drainage systems put in place. So then back to the people. What do they have to say about these accusations? “The government does not provide us with the right and proper disposal options. When they do provide options, they are always too expensive and reeking with corruption. They take our money and do not clean up”. Okay, that makes sense I thought. So back to the government. “We do our best. People do not want to take responsibility of their waste. Sometimes the disposal trucks break down. Who will fix them? People should be proactive”.
I cannot help but LOL at the above exchange of blame between the people and their government. Sadly, those that
are dead are not LOL-ing (If I could say that). Those that have no homes to live in are not LOL-ing. The children that have lost their parents or the parents that have lost their children are not LOL-ing. Those with no more sources of income are definitely not LOL-ing.
It is extremely saddening when a nation only realizes that it is necessary to fix a problem once it becomes a full blown catastrophe. Such things happen when people regardless of whether they are in government or not do not take full responsibility of their surroundings and wait for someone else to come around and do so.
To the government: You must realize that even though you are part of a government, you are still a part of the
people. You are still a citizen and thus must do your duty to the people that put you in a position of power. It does not matter that you are dealing with “ignorant people”. This cannot be an excuse every single time disaster strikes. Take it upon yourself to educate them and make sure they stay educated. Don’t you see that short term fixes that make you look good on press do not work. Arrogance causes deaths. What goes around does come around? What if you were not in a position of power and you were one of the people affected by the flood? Empathize and act. ALWAYS! That is what you were trusted to do
To the people: GROW UP! Every time disaster strikes, you are so quick to blame the government, so quick to
push the blame from yourself to someone else. It feels good to sleep blameless, doesn’t it? Listen, denial does not help anyone. Waste disposal IS an issue. Find creative solutions. It is sad that both the wealthy and not so wealthy engage in unorthodox waste disposal. You will find someone with a beautiful house dumping waste in the middle of the road, or opening up sewage chambers in the middle of the roads. Are you going to tell me that these people cannot afford to dispose of their waste properly. Let’s all be honest with ourselves, blame becomes a crutch we use to make us sleep better.
However, such an Africa is only going to lead us to self-destruction. The people blame the governments and the governments that are made BY THE people blame the people. So we get caught in a whirlpool of blame that does not fix anything? Is this the kind of Africa we want? Is this what we have become? A people with NO option that to complain.
I refuse that reality. As an African youth, I am putting my feet down and imploring all youth out there to refuse to be subjected to a reality weeded by complaints and blame. Should we develop forward minded mindsets that look into the future and fix problems before they become disasters then such drip drip drops will never be a problem. I look forward to a day when a Tanzanians can enjoy the cool weather rather than complain about it.
Because education should be a right, not a privilege.
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