Series: Young, Gifted and African – Shiro Mugo

This week, our Young, Gifted and African Series story is on Shiro Mugo. A 23 year old fire cracker from Embu, Kenya!

If you are not familiar with my Young, Gifted and African Series, check out my first post and introduction HERE!

Shiro and I met in 2010 -in High School- and have been friends ever since.

She has always been artistic and very expressive, -having directed a High School play before she even turned 18.

Talking to Shiro about what she loves about 254, she told me loves how innovative and creative Kenyans are. There’s also warmth in Kenya which she says she can’t put in words -not just warmth as in the weather (which is amazing btw), but it’s something to do with the people. She says she would best describe it as radiant.

“I also love our sense of humor, -even during the most trying moments. Kenya is also quite scenic; -literally everywhere you go feels like it’s been painted; -our country is art!”

Hearing her talk about Kenya like this, made me miss living there all over again.

I asked Shiro to describe herself in just three words, and the answer I got was “I don’t know whether that’s possible. I’ll have to say indecisive, soulful, adventurous and goofy. That’s 4, damn it! I guess “breaker of rules”?”  Yea, that’s Shiro, such a rebel LOL.

About 5 months ago, Shiro created a YouTube channel, -I asked her to tell me more about that. “I have always been passionate about creative and performing arts, be it poetry, books, music, film or fine art. I love seeing how people use their craft to entertain, educate or even just as a means of therapy. I feel like my life wouldn’t really have meaning if I wasn’t a part of the creative world. It’s what keeps me going. It’s what makes me who I am. With my YouTube channel that’s what I aim to showcase.”

She went on to say that for as long as she can remember, she’s always had this passion… to be creative, producing and appreciating various forms of art. She told me that her dad always brags about how she could read when she was about 2 years old, and so he knew that her life would have something to do with the literary world. While on the other hand, her mum could always tell that Shiro was going to be an entertainer of some sort. This is because she would always be up for entertaining guests by singing and rapping along to all sorts of songs and always acting or putting up some sort of performance. “I was also very chatty and inquisitive. I had my first acting role in kindergarten and I think from there I knew I wanted to be a part of this world.”

What drove her to pursue this? “God, Passion and Desire. I say God because I believe he’s the reason that I exist and he put my wants, needs and desires in my heart and so it’s my duty on earth to achieve these things and I can only do it through God, hard work and determination.” Shiro mentioned that she doesn’t think that anyone can really commit to pursuing something unless they are passionate about it. Also, having support from the right people has definitely given her that extra drive.

Shiro expressed that her family and best friends are her biggest supporters. “I genuinely don’t know who, what and where I would be without them. They are the realest ryyyddaass.”

Don’t know who a “rider” is? Or as Shiro put it “ryyyddaaa” – someone who motivates you, supports you, and essentially sticks with you through thick and thin.

When asked about who she looks up to, she said that would have to be her mother! “She is everything I want to be. She’s not only beautiful inside and outside but she has such a pure soul. She is such a hard worker, a dedicated mother and the best support system. I also really look up to Oprah Winfrey and Mo Abudu because I want to build global empires just like them and influence and inspire. They are such bosses. #BlackGirlMagic”

Shiro’s answer to my next question proves why she and I are meant to be friends! I asked, who she would love to meet dead or alive, and why. She said – “Rihanna, because she is the baddest to ever do it, and I love people who are unapologetically themselves.”
PAUSE. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Rihanna, her boldness, her diverse talent, her aura, her passion to give back and as Shiro herself put it she is unapologetically herself.

Shiro would also love to meet Tupac. She explained that this is because, (I decided to directly quote her on this, so ya’ll can see how much she loves him) “I truly believe he is the love of my life and we would have made beautiful poetry and babies together.”

HA! If only eh?

Showing her love for poetry, and plays, she also says that she would love to meet Shakespeare, “have you read his work? He is lit!” and Maya Angelou “because she was one woke sista!”

 

Back to Shiro -and her Youtube channel, her journey so far- I also wanted to know what obstacles she has faced. She said lack of support. “The lack of support from people who you know have links to bigger possibilities as well as people you thought would support you. It really dampens my drive but I constantly have to remind myself that I can do it on my own, just stay committed and put in that extra work.  People not taking what I do seriously. There’s still this unfortunate stigmatization about creative people. People think it’s just a hobby that you’ll soon get bored of.”

I can totally relate to this. At an event recently, I was asked what I did and I explained that I was previously in a marketing role, but I now blog, and I am enjoying showcasing Sierra Leone and all she has to offer. The look I got said it all. Later on that day, I met another fellow creative soul, and -we got to talking about the event and how it went. I told him about the response I had received when I mentioned that I blog and he wasn’t at all surprised, because he has faced the same while doing his photography- and creating designs.

There is still the belief, particularly in Africa, that if you opt to go down the creative route (fashion design, singing, photography, make up, blogging and even producing content under a YouTube channel) that it’s a hobby -and it’s not serious work. Most of these start out without monetary gain, and it’s hard for people to grasp the concept that you love what you do, and that comes before making money.

Moving on, we also got the chance to talk about the most memorable thing to happen to Shiro on her YouTube journey so far. She told me that meeting strangers who know her through her channel would be one major thing. “It’s really crazy because sometimes I don’t think people outside of my family know my channel exists. It’s so inspiring and encouraging to hear people say such positive things. Social media has so much power. Also, other “creatives” wanting to collaborate (just like this), it’s so heart-warming and makes me want to go even harder.”

Her most embarrassing moment? “Yo. There’s toooo many. I’m one of those people that things that don’t normally happen to other people happen to. (I hope that makes sense) The moment that stands out as the most embarrassing would have to be my cousins wedding. I was one of the flower girls and we had to walk over a bridge and it had just been polished. The way my face hit the ground, yeah? Probably the most-talked-about wedding moment to date.”
Ha! Trust Shiro to steal the moment from the bride, in a way only she can do.

Where does she see her brand in the next 3-5 years? Well, Shiro wants her brand to be one that is “on everybody and their mama’s lips.” In addition, she is also starting to take photography and poetry more seriously. She believes that this will lead her to where she ultimately needs to be.
“I want to be well known for all the right reasons. I want to be a reference point for young black girls. I want my work to touch people’s lives. By the grace of God, I want to be a global empire. I want my brand to be a source of income and something that makes me happy to wake up each morning.”

She also plans to further her studies by obtaining a Masters in either Media and Public Relations or Film and TV production. She believes that there’s still so much that she has to learn, noting further that -as an English Literature and Film Studies graduate, she thinks that furthering her education will make her a cut above the rest. She wants a clear and in-depth understanding of her field; plus, she said she also likes challenging herself and is well aware that getting a Masters degree is going to take a lot of hard work and determination. However, she wants to be a professional and taken seriously.

Her parting words saw her give advice to someone starting off in a similar field –“DO NOT let anybody tell you, you can’t. If I listened to all the nay-sayers then I wouldn’t be where I am today. Surround yourself with the right energy and vibes, people who genuinely want to see you win. There’s so much power in vibes. Don’t limit yourself and always practice your craft. Always remember nothing good comes easy. Stay grounded and believe in yourself. Do not seek validation from social media and ignore the haters at all times… it will just dampen your light and you deserve to glow!”

Check out Shiro’s YouTube Channel here! She talks about –music (yes that includes Rihanna’s new releases, d’uh), relationships and friendships, hot topics, and so much more (lots of laughs guaranteed)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFd3N85ANgwIYAC_8vv70Vw/videos

Follow her on her other social media pages too!

https://www.instagram.com/oh_oh_shiro/

https://twitter.com/Oh_Oh_Shiro

 

 

 

Toxic Friendships – Let. It. Go.

Do you have that one friend who never has anything positive to tell you? You want to start a business – they are against you doing it. You want to change your hairstyle – “that wouldn’t suit you!”

You’re always the one who calls and reaches out to them? They are always criticizing you and/or other people with a self-righteous attitude. They can never be wrong, and even when they are, they never apologise.

Are they really your friend though?

Do they support you? There is a difference between telling you some home truths and flat out being a hater. Do they want you to choose?  Like it’s either them or no one.

I had one “friend” – everything was always a competition. I didn’t see it at the time but thank the Lord, I SAW THE LIGHT! If they fell out with someone (which happened regularly) a major sign to look out for btw, I was expected to stop talking to them as well. When something embarrassing happened to me (which happened a lot, I think I might actually be accident prone) they would yell it out to the world, so everyone would know about it. Loved to gossip. One thing to take note of – if they gossip to you, they will most definitely gossip about you. When I found out, it hurt, but I realised that I wasn’t crazy for having doubts, and I finally cut off all ties.

If you are around someone who is always saying they can’t stand drama, and drama always “finds” them? That’s because they ARE the drama. You don’t need that kind of dead energy.

You need to realise that your time, your friendship, your love, your energy is precious. Share those qualities with people who actually value you. It’s tough to cut people off, but when they’re draining you it’s worth it.

And if after reading this, you feel as though you may exhibit some of these behaviours, it’s never too late to do better, and be better.

Series: Young, Gifted and African – Lauretta Mtike

Having had my blog up and running and creating content for a little while now, I am constantly thinking of ideas for content and various ways in which I can shine a light on my Sierra Leone, but also Africans doing big things in Africa.

For Summer 2017, I will be starting a series – “Young, Gifted and African” featuring very talented individuals, some of whom I am fortunate to call my friends. They are all incredibly talented and are doing remarkable things in various fields such as music, fashion and fashion design, blogging, Youtube, and photography just to name a few. They are building a brand and producing some killer content!

Let’s get straight into our first feature!

Lauretta Mtike is 24 years old and born in Malawi, now currently living in the DRC. She also lived in Kenya for just the same amount of time as I did, if not longer! We met in High School, and have been friends ever since. She is a bubble of energy and her super fun loving personality makes it hard not to love her.

Lauretta has always had a passion for fashion and in 2015 she created Vivietta Designs.

Despite no longer living in Malawi, I asked Lauretta what she loves most about her country.  She said that the scenery in Malawi is unbelievably beautiful and the people are so kind and warm hearted. When asked to describe herself in three words, she said that she is Fun, Adventurous and Vivacious, and I can honestly attest to that!

Talking about her passion, she says “My passion is making clothes… the art of designing and sewing the designs. From as young as I can remember I have always had this passion.” I asked her what drove her to pursue this passion, and turn it into a reality. Lauretta explained that her friends and community inspired her to pursue it -“my friends would always ask me to make them clothes and pretty soon I had other people contact me and ask me to make them clothes as well and before I knew it, I was living out my passion.”

She expressed that her biggest supporter is her uncle. She further explained that she doesn’t really think he fully understands what it is that she does, but he’s always pushing her to achieve more and is the one that has made most of her showcases possible.

In general, Lauretta says she looks up to her mum, and career wise she looks up to Silvia Awori. She went on to say that if she could meet anyone dead or alive, it would be Silvia Awori. “Growing up, she’s the only person I ever looked up to… she has been my role model for pretty much more than half my life – meeting her would be life changing for me.”

Talking about obstacles she has faced during her journey, she says the biggest one would be the non-acceptance and stereotyping of fashion and fashion designers in her country. “Most people do not believe in fashion design as work or take it seriously.  Some even view it as a taboo of some sort and those who do it as uncultured and ill-mannered, which is really sad.”
On the other hand, the most memorable thing to happen to Lauretta she recalls was during her first fashion show. Someone went up to her and told her that they loved her collection and had actually been following her on social media. Lauretta says that at the time, she was “super shocked” because she had only just started and thought only her close friends and family knew about it. “It was a humbling experience” she says.

Talking more about Vivietta designs, Lauretta said that she created the name by combining her name. “My middle name is Vivien, hence the Vivi and then I took the Etta from Lauretta.”

When you are an entrepreneur with a business, it’s important to create goals for your business. So I asked Lauretta where she sees her brand in the next 3-5 years. In the next 3-5 years, she wants to see Vivietta designs in magazines, on models, and taking part in international fashion shows. She said “I see my clothes being available to everyone worldwide through shipping and having 2 or 3 retail shops in different countries.”

In terms of her education and how she plans to combine the two, she says she plans to finish her ACCA course (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and then start her MBA. Combining the two is not going to be difficult, she asserts. She started designing while she was in University and managed just fine –“I created a healthy routine that entertained both designing and my education.”

To lighten things up a bit, I asked Lauretta to confess! To share her most embarrassing moment. “My most embarrassing moment happened recently actually.  There was a fashion show I was to attend and when we got there and set up and everything … no one showed up! That was super embarrassing and frustrating most especially for the organizers but as fashion designers we also felt the sting.” These types of things are bound to happen, but you have to dust yourself off and keep going. I am confident that at the rate Lauretta is progressing, the only way is up from here on out.

Concluding, when I asked Lauretta what advice she would give to someone who is just starting out in a similar field, she had this to say, “My advice would be KEEP PUSHING even when you make mistakes or encounter massive obstacles, just keep on moving and maintain your sense of style and personality – uniqueness is the only way to get ahead in fashion.”

Lauretta will be showcasing some of her designs at the Urban Music Party, that will be hosted in Blantyre and Lilongwe in the coming weeks. If you’re in Malawi, head on down and support ya girl!

 

Follow Lauretta on her personal social media page!

@empress_etta

Do you like the designs showcased in this article? Want to place an order or have a query? Send an email to vivietta_des@gmail.com OR mtikel@gmail.com

Want to have a look at more of her designs? Follow Vivietta Designs!

@vivietta_designs

 

 

 

 

sheVestor Africa -MeetnGreetSierraLeone- What Went Down

 

The sheVestor Africa Meet and Greet Sierra Leone took place on Friday, June 30^th 2017, and was held at the Africell American Corner Bathurst Street in Freetown.

If you have read my previous post, then you will know that the two guest speakers were Christine Sesay  – Founder, Africa’s Moneypreneur and Co-founder, Freetown Business School, and Ariana Oluwole – Founder, Narnia Daycare.

When I was approached to help coordinate this event, I wasn’t familiar with what sheVestor Africa is or what they do. Before I accepted, I did my research to learn more as I believe that when working with other people, agencies, organisations and so on, it is of the upmost importance to share similar goals and beliefs.

sheVestor Africa is a community that empowers young African women with financial knowledge to become financial literates and hone their financial skills in order to be financially empowered. Their mission is to Inspire, Connect, Educate and Equip the community and spur them on to actively hone their financial skills and participate in Africa’s growth story.

What’s better than a young, African woman who is not only financially literate but also financially independent?

The MeetnGreetSierraLeone was a brilliant networking event that gave Sierra Leonean women an opportunity to socialise with other like-minded individuals. We all got the chance to talk about our career goals, hear about other people’s journey and yes, even make some new friends in the process.

I met young women who were either studying in University, in full time employment, another fellow blogger, and a few entrepreneurs. Despite those differences, we all had one thing in common – an interest in building knowledge on finances and financial independence. We all spoke about our experiences, and during the event, we also had the opportunity to define who we thought a financially independent woman was.

There are 5 major points that I took with me from the MeetnGreet:

1. No man is an island.
   Why struggle to do it all yourself, when you can collaborate?
   Christine Sesay spoke about her dream to open a Business School in Sierra Leone. She had the idea, but needed a network to see her dream become a reality. A collaboration with two other individuals, who shared her passion, came together, all bringing different talents and skills to the table. This led to the creation and development of the Freetown Business School.
2. Mentors.
   It is important to reach out to people who share your passion and relate to your passion, your career, your future career goals.
   Mrs. Ariana Oluwole explained that if for example, you would like to go into event planning, you cannot approach a musician to be your mentor. There is no correlation. Approach a professional in your field, who is 4-5 steps above the level that you are currently in, and you will flourish.
3. Re-invent your brand.
   You have to continue to bring originality in all that you do. Furthermore, you need to be re-inventing your brand and constantly staying ahead of the competition, without compromising or reducing your value and who you are.
   You may have a friend who is also an entrepreneur, and you may both have specialty in a similar field. In reality, the both of you are likely to appeal to and cater to two very different target audiences. Work together, bounce ideas off each other, and grow together. *Feel free to read point 1 again*
4. Be consistent.
   Put simply, your dreams won’t work out, if you don’t work for it.
   Stay focused, work hard. Create reasonable time frames, and following them will not be a struggle.
5. Create GOALS.
   Set goals for yourself – short, medium and long term. You must be specific, but also idealistic.

I will work hard to incorporate the lessons I learnt from the Meet and Greet, and I will flourish.

Watch this space!

All pictures courtesy of Larry Tucker – Ronnie’s Photography. Check out his official page here https://www.facebook.com/ronsPHGY/

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sheVestor Africa will be hosting various other Meet and Greets in several other African countries. Follow them to see when they’ll be in your city!

Join the community via http://shevestorafrica.org/join-our-community/

Get social with them ! Follow them via :

https://www.facebook.com/sheVestorAfrica/

https://www.instagram.com/shevestor_africa/

https://www.instagram.com/shevestor_africa/

Summer Body Loading- Fitness at Lumley Beach

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can most certainly help control your weight but more importantly, can strengthen your bones and muscles as well as improve your mental health and mood.

Recently, there appears to be a number of gyms opening up in the Capital- Freetown. But you know, exercise or even fitness does not have to cost an arm and a foot.

Also if you’re like me, you may also be all too self-aware and self-conscious that people in the gym are watching you and secretly judging you for not knowing how to use certain equipment.

Sierra Leoneans seem to be taking on this initiative #TeamFitness #TeamAbsForDays

This is evident to see particularly on Lumley Beach over the weekend. People jogging, walking, playing a game of sports be it football or rugby from as early as 7am on a Saturday morning. Women, Men, and Children of all ages can be seen from Papaya Restaurant all the way down to Atlantic on Lumley beach road.

Again, if you’re like me, distractions are a great way to get through physical activity. Like jogging! Going along the Lumley beach road route, one can take in the scenery of the waves crashing along the shore, and on the other side admire the newly constructed hotels and restaurants along the beach. Before you know it, you’re actually starting to enjoy it, and no longer focusing on your heavy panting.

On one of the days that I went down to the beach, I spoke to a lady named Sarah- she told me that she goes to the beach because of the convenience of the location as it is very close to where she works. She enjoys watching the groups of friends that get together at the beach and play soccer and is encouraged by seeing other people exercise. She runs for an hour or so for 10km every Saturday. By 9am she is done and spends another hour focusing on her core fitness by doing anything from sit ups to push ups.

Another fellow jogger says she has dedicated time to come to the beach every Saturday and jog. Although she is only in the country on holiday, the beach is very close to her accommodation, and she is keen to take full advantage of that. She expressed that the beach is beautiful and it inspires her to run more. She feels that exercise is important and makes her feel healthy.

So, if you happen to find yourself with some free time this weekend, why not proudly rock your favourite football team’s jersey, and head on over to Lumley beach for a quick jog as you loudly play “Eye of the Tiger “ on your smartphone? You are guaranteed to feel refreshed, re-energised, and ready to take on another week at work.

Photographs are courtesy of #RonniesPhotography be sure to check out more of his work HERE 

Tell him I sent ya!

PS- Enjoying the content so far? Want to be the first to read a new post? Click the ‘follow’ button on the right hand side of my page!

When Life Gives You Lemons…

Every so often we find ourselves in situations beyond our control.  Be it out of a job, financial instability, or even having a relationship abruptly end. Having a job but not feeling fulfilled in your role, having difficulties in University – struggling to keep your grades up, having to re-do a year… it could even be struggling to find somewhere to live.

In those instances, it can be all too easy to want to throw the towel in and give up.

These things happen.

You may start to wonder what your purpose is when facing these situations, why did it have to happen to you. Life was finally going the way you wanted it to, and now this has happened.

I remember when I was in England, just graduated and looking for a place to live. My contract was due to end in June and I had to find a place for the summer – preferably longer.  I was also looking for a job at the same time (some of you know how hard that is for international students, with all the restrictions that have been put in place.) Wahala na people country.  I was on my own, no close family or relatives nearby. No matter how hard I looked, and tried, I couldn’t secure a new place to live either because; the prices were way out of my budget, or everything was already taken. I was running out of time, and fast. It was hard and I wanted to give in, give up but where would I go?

Having moved on from that situation, my brother and I were talking recently and he sent me a piece he had written a couple of years ago (yes, it seems as though writing runs in the family). It was a raw piece, covering difficulties we all face at one point or another in our lives. However, he also highlighted how blessed we are and how often we tend to take “little” things like food, clothing, and shelter for granted.

 

Here is a small list of my top 6 things to do when facing a difficult situation, and just about ready to throw in the towel.

• Focus on your blessings. Like I said before, it can become very easy to feel defeated and want to give up. However, you have to appreciate the positives.
  You’re alive! That’s important isn’t it? You also have a place to live (if you’re still living with your parents probably rent free too!) food to eat and clothes. These also feature on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
• Write about the good things that happen to you regularly. Reading them over can lift your spirits when you’re feeling down.
• Speak to a friend or family member that you trust. Opening up to someone else, can have a massive influence on your mental health. You don’t need to keep it all bottled in and are guaranteed to feel lighter after sharing your feelings with someone else. Also, two heads are better than one. They may be able to think of a solution you may not have thought of yourself.
• Do what makes you happy. This can be anything from going for a run, to watching your favourite movie, wearing your favourite top or even eating your favourite food.
• PRAY. You know God got you. You better shine like the child of God you are.
• Talk to yourself. Not like that. I know you’re not a lunatic. What I do mean is giving yourself pep talks. You are you. There is only one YOU. You are capable of doing anything you put your mind to. This is only a minor setback.

Your present situation is not your final destination. It is only a pit stop. Sometimes, you’ll feel like crying, go ahead and do it. You will feel better when you’re not holding it all in. But, you have to dust yourself off and keep going.

Sierra Leone – Way Back When …

 

We all tend to know the basics about Sierra Leone. How it was named by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra – how he went on to name it Serra da Leoa or “Serra Leoa” (Portuguese for Lioness Mountains). Also the fact that it was once referred to as the Athens of West Africa.

But, I also hear stories about Sierra Leone, once upon a time. Once upon a time where there were buses that shuttled to and from villages like Sussex, Hamilton, Baw Baw, to Freetown and back. There were schedules, and these schedules were followed.

I have also heard about a time when Lumley was a residential area. School kids could even use short cuts (mostly on undeveloped land) and walk straight to the beach.

I wanted to see if I could find some pictures of old Sierra Leone, and I found some from the 60s.

Enjoy these throw back pics.

Disclaimer – Pictures are not my own.

 

sheVestor Africa – Meet and Greet – Sierra Leone

 

Young African Women, more specifically those of us in West Africa, seldom have the opportunity to acquire financial literacy skills especially not from women who are thriving in the field of business. These women who are flourishing and surpassing all expectations either by owning their own business, or teaching skills about starting and nurturing a business, learning all the tricks of the trade and so on.

Young Sierra Leonean Women are becoming more empowered and it is thrilling to see women my age, and even older, not only following but actively chasing their dreams and excelling. Young women are drifting away from ‘traditional’ roles and jobs and are becoming entrepreneurs! Wanting to be more independent and being their own boss, some even start a businesses while studying various degrees.

This has to be recognized, and their efforts commended, because they are truly going after what they want.

Education for the female child is of such great importance, and this doesn’t have to stop once you leave University. Financial empowerment is a great form of independence and can be prominently beneficial to those of us who either want to start a business, or have started a business and need some support and guidance, or even if you want to learn and pick up new skills.

Meet and Greets, networking events, and workshops are great opportunities to socialise with, and learn a lot from like-minded individuals and experienced professionals from various fields and backgrounds.

What are you doing on Friday June 30^th? Why not start with sheVestor Africa!

 

sheVestor Africa is a community that empowers young African women with financial knowledge to become financial literates and hone their financial skills in order to be financially empowered. Their  mission is to Inspire, Connect, Educate and Equip the community and spur them on to actively hone their financial skills and participate in Africa’s growth story.

 

sheVestor Africa presents #MeetnGreetSierraLeone, a one day  introduction, learning and networking event for young African women who are keen on becoming financially independent and building  a stable financial life.

 

The event will introduce the #sheVestorAfrica  community to Sierra Leonens and create awareness on the importance of financial education in building financially stable young African women.  This must-attend event is free  and will have an expert-led session, a session with entrepreneurs who will share their financial journey among interesting fun activities.

 

Speakers for #MeetnGreetSierraLeone are :

 

•  Christine Sesay  – Founder, Africa’s Moneypreneur and Co-founder, Freetown Business school.

 

• Ariana Oluwole – Founder, Narnia Daycare.

 

Date :   30th Jun, 2017

 

Venue :  Africell American Corner, Bathurst street, Freetown.

 

Book a seat now via  : https://goo.gl/forms/zRwZ44U57rlDsPtB2

 

 

Join the community via http://shevestorafrica.org/join-our-community/

Get social with them ! Follow them via  https://www.facebook.com/sheVestorAfrica/, https://www.instagram.com/shevestor_africa/, https://www.instagram.com/shevestor_africa/

 

 

I Love My Africa

I am African.

I have never felt shame in saying that.

However, I have come across some African millennials who were either born, or are currently living in the diaspora, and they do not always feel the same.

I tend to hear stories about struggles of growing up in the West, from being called ‘African booty scratcher’ first of all what the heck does that even mean?!

Growing up wasn’t always easy for some of us because of the negative connotations, and the narrow mindedness from the First World.

Being in England for a few years, even at the age of 18 where you would anticipate that people would be a wee bit more educated I would still get asked about malls – if we had any, and if we did, were there any lions that would come in???

FAM!

Anyway… I have lived in Africa for most of my life and I am proud of that. I have gotten the opportunity to experience various cultures, languages and meet some really great people. I find it particularly interesting that yes, we are all Africans, however we speak different languages, eat different food and so on. However, even in those differences, there are a whole lot of similarities. Take for example, a local Kenyan delicacy like Ugali could be compared to Fufu in Sierra Leone, and even Banku in Ghana although, Ugali is a much heavier version.

We all make and wear various versions of Africana from Batik in Mali, to Kitenge in Kenya, Okulapa in Sierra Leone even!

Speaking of Africana, when I was younger growing up in East Africa, I could not stand to wear print or Africana material.

It sounds so bad, but when I was between the ages of 10-16 I legit associated Africana with old women. I always preferred to rock my jeans and top wherever I went, whatever the occasion.
I thought Africana was for old people, and rightfully so could not tell the difference between batik, print, okulapa… None of them! And that did not bother me at all.

Things have changed since then, and I don’t know if it’s an age thing, but my peers and I have definitely switched up. I’ve got a tailor who  I send different designs and pictures to when I want a new outfit. I’m always on Instagram looking for inspirations for fresh new designs to wear.

I also see creativity with Africana material being used as head wraps – which isn’t new, but what we are seeing now is fashion from our African culture with a modern twist.

Nowadays, everywhere you look, you see African inspired themes. From the Dashiki design making it into mainstream fashion, to African music playing in clubs in Bristol. It’s pretty cool to see Africa being embraced, especially in the West. Not only that, but Africans appreciating Africa as a whole as well. Kenyans jamming to Nigerian music, Ugandans living in and loving Sierra Leone. Even with weddings – Nigerians, Ghanaians, Sierra Leoneans…when we get married now, there tends to be two ceremonies, one white, and one traditional, with the traditional one incorporating our customs and culture. I think that that’s pretty darn cool.

Ultimately, we have to be proud of our heritage, and our culture. It’s what makes us who we are.

No matter where I may live, Sierra Leone is my home and that will never change.

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You Know You’re In Sierra Leone When…

So it’s Thursday, one more sleep before Friday, then THE WEEKEND!

I wanted to post something light and not too serious today.

Have a read, and if you have your own points to add, feel free to do so in the comment section below!

Enjoy!

• Wifi is pronounced as “weefee”
• Sam is not only a boy’s name, but also a way of referring to someone. Example – Ay Sam you bin watch da game yesterday?
• Your name gets shortened whether you like it or not. Vanessa becomes “Van”. Sorry guys but I would appreciate it if you could call me by my actual name as I am not a mode of transportation. Thanks.
• Wherever you go be it to the salon or an office, you get welcomed with “Anytin?”
• “False life” is a phrase you hear all too often.
• Again back to names! If you’re female you’re probably going to be referred to as “baby” or even “sissy oh” on more than one occasion.
• You will definitely come across dem aunties at parties who start to pack away food into large foil trays to take home, even before everyone else has had a chance to serve.
• “Tree” is what comes after the number two.
• The H in Hamilton village tends to be silent.
• Ordering a drink? Beer perhaps? The choice tends to be between going for “Normal Time” or “More Time”
• Col res for breakfast is a lifestyle.

I love my Sierra Leone, no place like home!

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Photo Courtesy of Larry Tucker #RonniesPhotography