February Issue 2015 by Afroelle Magazine

Celebrating Women of African Heritage

AFROELLE February Issue 2015

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AfroElle Magazine is a monthly digital publication celebrating and empowering women of African heritage in Africa and the Diaspora.

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FOUNDER & EDITOR Patricia Miswa

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Contributors

ASHLEY MAKUE

TATENDA K.

CORAZON A.

FATMA E.

Writer

SOUTH AFRICA

ZIMBABWE

KENYA

BOTSWANA

ashleymakue.com

i4indie.blogspot.com

@cory_mi

@elkindiy

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ELCOME to our second issue of the year! This issue is chock full of inspirational stories and interviews. In this issue, learn about 21 year old Wanja Kibuki, founder of Vitabu Vyetu, an organization that aims to reduce illiteracy in marginalized communities in Kenya. (pg 18). Get inspired by African yogini, human rights activist and owner of Kampala's first and only women's gym, FitCliqueAfrica, Mildred Apenyo, who’s made it her life’s mission to look for ways to positively influence the safety and wellness of African women. (pg 22) Find out what inspired the new upcoming film Queen of Glory as told by writer, actress and director of the film, Nana Mensah.(pg 36) Read tips on how to be a successful Sami Khan Photography entrepreneur from the founder of Leading Women Africa (LWA), Madelein Mkunu, who is passionate about facilitating the leadership and economic advancement of female entrepreneurs in Africa. (pg 42) And read our exclusive interview with the reigning champion of Kenya’s Royco Fuata Flava cooking contest, Amanda Gicharu- Kemoli as she shares about her love affair with cooking. (pg 28) Plus, photography inspiration from Ugandan photographer, Darlyne Komukama, interviews with bloggers and Nigerian songbird, Aramide , and so much more! Hope this issue leaves you inspired! Until next time, I leave you with the words of Steve Maraboli, "When I accept myself, I'm freed from the burden of needing you to accept me."

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CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 14 In Her Good Books with Rowena 17 ARAMIDEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Groove 18 Conversation with Wanja Kibuki 22 In Her Space: Mildred Apenyo 26 My Body is a Dictatorship Not a Democracy 28 Cooking up a Storm with Amanda Gicharu 36 Nana Mensah is the Queen of Glory 42 Madelein Mkunu on Leading women on an entrepreneurial journey

COVER STORY Nana Mensah known for her role as Sade in An African City web series, talks about her upcoming film, Queen of Glory.

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Quotes of the Month “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!” ― Maya Angelou “Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.” ― Maya Angelou ““What I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'Well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all."~ Maya Angelou “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it. ― Maya Angelou “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” ― Maya Angelou “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”― Maya Angelou “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” ― Maya Angelou *******************

In Her Good Books Rowena is a Malawi-born, UK- and Malawiraised, Canada-based MA student working in the education sector in Vancouver. - @RowenaMonde lesreveriesderowena.wordpress.com

would say I have very eclectic taste in books. I read most genres but I tend to gravitate towards African, African-American, French, and Russian literature, poetry, essays, social sciences, and biographies. Recently I’ve become more interested in magical realism and feminist narratives.

The first book I remember falling in love with was actually a graphic novel, Asterix and the Great Crossing. My teenage aunt took me to get a library card at age 5 and this is the first book she chose to borrow for me. Looking back I suspect she borrowed it more for herself than for me but I have her to thank for my love of geography, history and languages, because Asterix books often included those themes. Living so far away from home and being surrounded by solely British culture, it was important for me to see that the world was bigger than the small town I lived in, diverse, and I belonged in it. I’m currently reading “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard, a collection of essays about nature. It contains some of the most beautiful, poetic

nature writing I’ve ever come across, it truly is a love letter to nature. Asking a bookworm to name her favourite author is a difficult question. I have several favourite authors but if I could pick two from my long list, a male and a female, I’d pick Anais Nin and James Baldwin. I adore Anais Nin, firstly because of the wide range in literature she has written, from her essays, to her diaries and novellas, she doesn’t limit herself. She has encouraged me, through her words, to embrace my sensitivity and to live fully, that includes creating nurturing relationships. Like me, she is a great advocate of the arts, so a lot of what she has to say really resonates with me. And James Baldwin; I can only dream about being as eloquent as he was. He lived in trying times, under American segregation, in a very disheartening environment but he used his pain and experiences to create such an important body of literature, one that is still as valid today as it was in the 1960s. He has done a lot to be admired for and I am definitely one of his admirers. This year I plan on reading more female authors. Every year I try to read books by authors previously unknown to me, I also like to re-read some old favourites and this year that list will consist of Jane Eyre (Bronte), and No Longer at Ease (Achebe). New books I plan on reading are Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison), Daniel Deronda (George Eliot), and Meridian (Alice

Walker). In recent times, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah” has greatly impacted my life. It was so powerful for me to read the experience of a black African woman in the Diaspora. It drove home the point that we all need to see our stories being told, black women in Africa, black women in the Diaspora, everywhere. For me, literature focused on the diasporic experience is greatly in need, especially for those of us who are isolated from large black communities as I am. While reading Americanah, I not only saw that many of my experiences in the west are quite universal among black women, it also gave me the strength and courage to be bolder about my experiences and write more authentically and honestly about my experiences as a black woman. Atonement by Ian McEwen is a book that a lot around me loved. I was convinced I would love it too and I even bought myself a copy. Unfortunately I found it very underwhelming and gave it away. It just wasn’t for me.

I read a few books at a time, and have been known to read six books at once. The books are usually of different genres, for example a couple of fiction, poetry, essays and so on, so I pick up the book depending on what I feel like reading. I would definitely choose to go on a date with Junot Diaz. I met him a couple of years ago at a book reading at the Vancouver Writer’s Festival and it was such an inspiring evening for me. He was so charming and witty, and very interesting. As an immigrant and a person of colour who is bilingual and can code-switch, as well as being a selfconfessed nerd, I think we would have a lot to talk about. []

ARAMIDE’s Groove Multitalented singer Aramide, is a Nigerian Afro-Soul/Jazz artiste, songwriter and guitarist.

started my musical journey at a young age in Jos Plateau State where I had spent most of my life. I grew up listening to my dad's collection of soul and jazz music as well as afro beats too. “I wrote songs for the fun of it and particularly to express an emotion be it excitement , sadness or whatever Moving down to Lagos to pursue my musical career was a huge step for me. I started performing at lots of open mic platforms and got exposure . After putting out my music online and radio and scouting for recording labels , I got signed to Trybe records. My music is a combination of African sound and language with soul music. So if you love India Arie or Corinne Bailey Rae or soul music in general you'd love my music. My current sound is inspired by music I grew up listening to and music I picked up along the way. Its a lot of story telling a lot of emotional driven melodies. My music is influenced mainly by root soul and core jazz, Yoruba highlife music, lots of strings and some old school and modern R&B here and there .So its a little bit of this of this and that. I've learnt a great deal from different artists in and outside Nigeria.

The challenges most artists face is acceptability in their respective genres of music. Getting the music to everyone to listen and finances can be a big deal too. And most especially growing as an artist. I currently have some songs out there, ‘Its Over’, ‘I Don't Mind’ and also a cover of Davido's ‘Ekuro’ and Eldee's Today Today. I've also had the opportunity to perform on different stages both within and outside Nigeria. Its always a great feeling to share my talent with people and I'm still hopeful for greater things. I've learnt patience and growth on this journey. One will not become a star over night. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance too and most importantly to always put God 1st in all I do. 2015 is going to be an amazing year I believe. I'm releasing my album before the end of the year. And I'm excited about what comes after.” []

On February 4th, 2015, Aramide released her first set of music since joining Baseline Music titled Iwo Nikan and Odun Tuntun, the gracious AfroSoul Diva whose previous single “Felling This Feeling” captivated the both generations of the young and old and showcased her as a serious artiste to look out for.

Bow ties are a girl’s best friend too. DOWNLOAD IWO NIKAN: bit.ly/iwonikan ODUN TUNTUN: bit.ly/oduntuntun

Shop online hannamaricreates.etsy.com

Wanja

KIBUKI

On being the change , one book, one child at a time In the Summer/fall of 2013, 21 year old Wanja Kibuki travelled to Ethiopia through AIESEC to volunteer. It was during her stay teaching English, Math and Art in one of the villages that the idea of her organization, Vitabu Vyeti was born. “It was already a challenge for the children who speak and study in Amharic to understand English but at the same time they could barely understand in their own language” says Wanja.

us that was a punishment” she says “but this led to the library being one of my favorite places, thus in turn I would like to ensure each child gets that opportunity as it builds them in terms of creativity and language.”

As a senior at the United States International University-Africa studying International Relations- Diplomacy and a minor in Journalism, Wanja is also involved with a group of ladies know as Young Leaders, Wanja’s passion for reading a branch of Kenya National Girl stems from her background Guides, as their Projects where she states she was lucky Coordinator. She shares with to attend a school that had a AfroElle about her initiative library. She remembers her Vitabu Vyetu. English teacher forcing them to read a book each week. “To

TAKE US THROUGH WHAT VITABU VYETU IS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE SINCE YOU STARTED. Vitabu Vyetu is a non-governmental organization in the process of upgrading from a community-based organization and was founded in March of 2014. The organization symbolizes the sense of ownership of ones education and books, which are the main tools needed for one to build their future. Our efforts are towards reaching out to the various marginalized schools in counties all over Kenya through the starting of libraries and giving priority to African story books as well as facilitating the education tools writing books and stationery to enhance the reduction of illiteracy. The response has been overwhelmingly great. With the help of our small network of friends, family and social media followers we have been able to not only meet our donation targets but also surpass them and we know that as we grow and approach our one year mark, we will do more and garner more support from

more people who are now being informed about the need to furnish education facilitation

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE OTHER PRESSING ISSUES TO DEAL WITH THAN PROMOTING A READING CULTURE IN KENYA, AFRICA AND BEYOND? WHY DO YOU THINK ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE A READING CULTURE? Reading is a need that deserves attention as much as any other issue. If we do not thrive in knowledge empowerment then slowly by slowly, we dim the hope for future prosperity. Yes we may eat and drink, but that will only cater to the physical growth but intellectual growth is key too. It is only through a reading culture that we can actual monitor our other dimensions in life. Books make us better and are what at the end of the day set us apart. Besides, we need to read content that will foster positive growth. >>>

LAST MONTH KENYA PARTICIPATED IN TTHE READ ALOUD CAMPAIGN TO HELP ENCOURAGE A READING CULTURE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT READING IS COOL, AND YOU RECENTLY STARTED THE #SOIL2BOOKS CAMPAIGN IN TURKANA CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE TWO INITIATIVES?

Now #Soil2Books Campaign is, to date, the most amazing experience in my life and the fact that we accomplished it is still so surreal. I mean, who knew that even at our young age we could create a campaign of such magnitude and pull it off! It was inspired by a special feature on one of the News Networks where kids were literally writing on soil for lack of books and stationery and even classrooms As much as I knew I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t build them an entire school, which I must accomplish really soon, I had to do the little I could so when I pitched the idea to the rest of the team, they were all for it and we pulled off a 1 Month Online Book drive that helped us get the books and stationery. Our well-wishers and donors were our champions and we managed to deliver the books in person, which made it worthwhile. The donations were distributed to 2 schools and we hope that in the future we will rally books to cater to a whole county.

So far we have managed to conduct 2 ,major book drives, opened a community library, If we do not thrive conducted an education awareness campaign and facilitated a school with in knowledge library cards so that the pupils can empowerment access more facilities to expand their then slowly by reading culture from the Neighborhood National Library. slowly, we dim the

The Storymoja Read Aloud entails children from different schools reading from the same text at the same time in a bid to excite hope for future children in reading activities HOW CAN OUR READERS GET with the target of breaking prosperity. INVOLVED WITH VITABU VYETU? the world record by 2015 in reading aloud. The world record is If anyone would like to volunteer with us, they currently at 223,363 participants in 909 can email us at volunteer@vitabuvyetu.co.ke or if they venues across the United States while the are an organization and would want to foster a National Record stands at 142,279 participants in partnership, email us on partner@vitabuvyetu.co.ke 360 schools across 6 counties. So we partnered and through this, we can have a talk about their with Storymoja through Start a Library that involvement. We are ready to work with anyone who coordinates this and myself together with my Cobares the same vision as us and cannot wait to meet founders, Chebet Chelimo and Shirley Otube, more people who would want to ensure a Reading were selected as Reading Ambassadors and so we culture is well cultivated not only in Kenya but the decided to coordinate the campaign with our world as whole. We are looking to expand organization so as to spread the reach and get internationally for sure. - AE [] closer to attaining the World Record.

HER In her TED talk delivered at TEDx Kampala, writer, African yogini and human rights activist, MILDRED APENYO talked about ‘Women and Spaces’ and her right to own space with no fear and favor. She talks about street molesters, and how as a woman in any part of the world , you will have ‘people invading your space, your consciousness, your emotions using lecherous words and actions.’ And towards the end of her talk, she asserts that , ‘without complete ownership of our spaces, we aren’t living lives worth living. Our bodies have to be dictatorships. They cannot be democracies where everybody has a say.’ Passionate about safety and wellness of women, in 2014 Mildred quit her advertising job and started FITCLIQUEAFRICA formerly known as Fitclique256, a social enterprise that opens exclusively women’s gyms, creates personal safety curricula and promotes wellness through the distribution of herbs and herbal products. She speaks to us about her love for her work and her experience as a fitpreneur.

BY CORAZON ACHIENG & PATRICIA MISWA

“As long as I am breathing, I’ll be looking for ways to positively influence the safety and wellness of African women.”

Dress by Papa Shabani

“

Men at the gym were always harassing me, making me feel unwelcome in the weights section. The trainers were aloof.. the guys would stare, make advances, tell me over and over that I wouldn't be sexy anymore if I continued lifting. I was just tired of that wahala.

”

What was the AHA moment that led you to start FitcliqueAfrica?

What motivated your decision to make your gym a women’s only gym?

There were a couple. First, I found it disturbing that I couldn't find a space where I felt safe and free enough to learn about the sports I had become interested in like strength training and kickboxing. Men at the gym were always harassing me, making me feel unwelcome in the weights section. The trainers were aloof, amused in fact. The guys would stare, make advances, tell me over and over that I wouldn't be sexy anymore if I continued lifting. I was just tired of that wahala. Nobody goes to the gym to make friends. We go there to work out, relax, boost our energy levels and meet our fitness goals.

To begin with, the messages women receive about fitness and their bodies are horrible. It is mostly about weight loss. There is a lot of shaming involved. I needed to see wellness brought into fitness spaces. Secondly, women need spaces that they can call their own. We need safe, fun and fabulous spaces where we can focus on self development and self love. Mixed gyms have too many distractions. Nobody wants to be stared at like they are about to lay an egg as they do squats. My personal turning point was when a guy tried to throw a dumbbell at my head because I refused to be bullied away from a machine I was still using. I declared that I would

never enter a gym again unless it was my own.

What challenges have you encountered so far as the CEO of a women’s gym? None. Unless I am calling the level of attention a challenge. Running the gym has made me grow, make mistakes in public because we are building a new kind of brand while standing in the spotlight. Otherwise, my challenges have all been around growing into my role as the CEO of a company that's not out there just for profit, but for the betterment of our society. It's a rough thing to declare that you want to create change because you are making yourself a bit more vulnerable to frustration. Change happens very slowly.

Which fitness programs are available at FitcliqueAfrica? We offer strength training, kickboxing, dance, Afrikan Yoga and personal safety classes.

During your TED talk, you stated that our bodies are dictatorships, not democracies where everybody has a say. How is FitcliqueAfrica re-enforcing this perception among men? We are focusing on reinforcing this perception among women first. Once every woman has built self love and self adoration into her very DNA, she can feel empowered to command respect from the men she interacts with.

You were among 500 young African leaders who underwent leadership

training at the Mandela Washington for Young African Leaders. What was your experience like? How did being a YALI fellow change how you run FitcliqueAfrica? The experience of being a Mandela Washington Fellow took me through every emotion on the planet. It was intense, marvelous and scary, it was everything! The work load was so heavy that I am still processing it. The people I met, oh wow! It was the first time I felt truly African as opposed to simply Ugandan. I became mature in many ways and this has helped me in the running of FitcliqueAfrica. I became less afraid, more confident, less willing to work with unsavory characters. I also became more of a workaholic.

What are your future plans for FitcliqueAfrica? By the time I am 35, I want to have our personal safety curricula for women in every university in Sub Saharan Africa. We have 10 years to go. We can do this! I also want the gym spaces to spread around Kampala, East Africa and Africa at large. This is my life’s work, the love of my life. As long as I am breathing, I will be looking for ways to positively influence the safety and wellness of African women. []

Check out more of Mildred’s work @ apenyo.com

Q+A UGANDAN PHOTOGRAPHER DARLYNE KOMUKAMA USES HER CAMERA NOT ONLY AS HER TOOL OF TRADE BUT A TOOL TO STIRR A REVOLUTION. THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY, SHE CHALLENGES LONG HELD NOTIONS ABOUT THE INADEQUACIES AND INSECURITIES THAT CHARACTERIZE FEMININITY. HER TAKE AWAY FROM MILDRED APENYO’S TED TALK ’WOMEN AND SPACES’ RESULTED IN A BOLD PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT APTLY TITLED, MY BODY IS A DICTATORSHIP NOT A DEMOCRACY TO DOCUMENTING WOMEN ASSERTING OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR OWN BODIES.

By Corazon Achieng’

How long have you been a photographer? I started taking photographs seriously when I turned 30. Something about turning 30 freed me to do this thing that I've always been interested in. I had always been too afraid or too caught up in my insecurities to actually pursue it. When I turned 30, I said I’ll do it. The worst that can happen is I can suck at it and then I can just continue enjoying my Instagram feed without the nagging feeling that I could be filling my own page with beautiful images . Can you tell us about the essence of your project, 'My Body is a democracy not a dictatorship project.’ My friends and I have been having so many conversations about femininity

and what it means to be a woman in Kampala especially in regards to fear and feelings of inadequacy. Our conversation revolved around our fears in public spaces where we are surrounded by a not so forgiving public. Mildred Apenyo, my friend who runs Kampala's first and only women's gym, FitCliqueAfrica is very passionate about the subject of space. She gave a wonderful TEDx talk where she stated this powerful truth: My body is a dictatorship not a democracy. It really stuck with me. It succinctly and perfectly captured all the things I've been feeling about being a woman in Kampala. I immediately knew that this would be the perfect first project for me. How has the public received this project? It's still quite young. All I am getting are pats on the back. I put out an open call for people who want to participate and I've gotten some responses. I imagine if I

manage to host an exhibition, as is my plan before the end of the year, then I might hear some negative comments because some of the photos might be risquĂŠ. Is the invitation to participate in the project still open? How can women get involved in the project? It's totally open. The project doesn't have an end date. I will photograph women as long as there are women to be photographed. Just send an email to darlkom@gmail.com with subject 'Body Dictatorship' and we will have a conversation. Where can we find your work? My photo blog is darlkomphotography.tumblr.com and the project site is bodydictatorship.tumblr.com and my Instagram is darlkom. []

Up a Storm As the reigning champion of Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royco Fuata Flava cooking contest, marketer turned chef and nutritionist, AMANDA GICHARU- KEMOLI tells us in this exclusive interview about her love affair with cooking. INTERVIEW By Patricia Miswa + Fatma El-kindiy PHOTOS by Role Model Photography & Unilever / Louis Nderi Photography

Looking at her professional background, you’ll notice that Amanda has always been a high achiever. At just 25, Amanda was hired to lead Google’s consumer marketing efforts in Kenya, making her the youngest marketing manager among the multinational technology companies set up locally.

cooking show, she strives to inspire people to enjoy cooking delicious and nutritious food.

At Google, Amanda was responsible for driving awareness and increased usage of Google’s products and she was also the creative force behind the popular Google Doodles, heading this programme across Africa.

Let’s start from the beginning, one of the things you mention in the final episode of Royco Fuata Flava is that you’ve had a passion for cooking for so long, where did your passion come from and when did you realize that cooking was something you truly enjoyed?

She joined Google from the United Nations Development Programme where she focused on integrated communications efforts across their various projects and prior to that, at the UN World Food Programme in Italy, she was part of the core team behind WFP's social media edu-tainment video game Food Force. Amanda is a two-time recipient of the Young Communicator of the Year award bestowed by the Public Relations Society of Kenya. She earned her Masters degree from the Leeds Business School, Leeds Metropolitan University. Amanda is currently the cofounder of Amanda’s Kitchen, an online based restaurant, delivering high quality, handcrafted confectionary, smoothies and meals. Additionally, through her food blog and upcoming YouTube

What sets her apart is that she gives the traditional recipes she grew up with a completely modern and healthy twist, while infusing them with global flavours.

My grandmother went on to win multiple awards for her baking and entertained many high-ranking dignitaries including President Moi. My affinity for food is definitely in my blood. I love cooking because it allows me to show my love, share my passion and create something out of nothing! Its my way of adding flavour to my life and being salt to this world. From deciding to compete in Royco Fuata Flava, to your best and worst experiences on the show, can you share with us your Fuata Flava journey?’ I saw a Royco Fuata Flava ad for the

I love cooking because it allows me to show my love, share my passion and create something out of nothing. Its my way of adding flavor to my life and being salt to this world.

I found my passion for cooking at a very young age. At 4, I remember putting a stool next to the stove so stand on and watch the action in the kitchen. Even then I started making some simple baked treats and grew into more complex recipes as I got older.

My mother can tell you how I would beg her for ingredients for my experiments, sometimes using my small allowance to buy them myself. While she doesn’t enjoy cooking, her mother was a very established chef having attended culinary school in the UK.

auditions and knew I couldn’t make it to the Nairobi or Mombasa rounds as I was to sing in church on both days. However, there was still the Kisumu round, the final audition. I saw this competition as a chance to test my cooking chops and get some crucial exposure, so I was determined to attend. All buses and flights to Kisumu were fully booked that weekend, but with the support of my husband I found my way to the audition. >>

Photo credit: 'Unilever / Louis Nderi Photography

Uniliver/ Louis Nderi Photography

Many people thought I was crazy to resign, but one thing I've learned is that your 20s is the time to take and embrace risks. With no family to feed and no dependents counting on you, your 20s are without a doubt the years to take a leap and pursue your dreams. I was so ecstatic to find out that I had been selected as one of the 32 contestants and was excited to meet my competitors. They were a very eclectic mix of people, from a policewoman to a zoologist – some were professional chefs, which was very intimidating. When all the contestants were briefed that presentation was important, I was worried about my lack of professional plating experience. But when Chef Ben emphasized that creativity and flavour were the most crucial factors, I did my best to focus on my strength in making tasty dishes. Throughout the entire competition, there was a lot of pressure and tension, both on and off camera. There were highs – the moment I won, and lows – the exit of some cherished contestants. Though we all doubted ourselves at some point, when it all came down to it, our dishes spoke for themselves.

The most important lesson I learned, in the words of Walt Disney: All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

Having left your corporate job to pursue your culinary passions, what was that moment that ultimately led to this decision and as an entrepreneur, what lessons did you learn from making that move? I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to work at the largest NGO in the world – the United Nations and arguably the biggest tech company – Google. Through my experience, I have had the best of both worlds NGO and corporate, which has been an amazing journey.

My last stint at employment was extremely entrepreneurial and it taught me about how far I could stretch myself. With all the travel and long hours, I made a lot of sacrifices, often relinquishing time I would have given to my cooking. Over time, I felt I needed something more challenging where I could combine my business acumen with my passion for cooking. Once the thought popped into my head, it kept growing until I couldn’t ignore it any more. Many people thought I was crazy to resign, but one thing I've learned is that your 20s is the time to take and embrace risks. With no family to feed and no dependents counting on you, your 20s are without a doubt the years to take a leap and pursue your dreams. >>>

In your final challenge, you were asked to pick three main ingredients to create your ultimate national dish, well, if you were stranded on a desert island and we told you to bring only 3 ingredients, which ones would you carry with you and why? The first one is garlic. Unfortunately, not every food that is good for us is equally as delicious. Garlic, however, is a superstar ingredient that gives us a nutritional punch and adds wonderful taste to many recipes. The second is black pepper. A pinch of this spice brightens any dish with a little kick. I always feel free to use it liberally. Last, but definitely not least is salt. This is an obvious choice everything needs a bit of salt, even desserts.

No matter what task you're faced with - large or small - always seek excellence.

As someone who took a step of faith to pursue their dreams, what advice or words of wisdom can you share with someone who is yet to make that step?

I believe that no matter what you're doing, you should always try your best. How you do anything is how you do everything. No matter what task you're faced with large or small - always seek excellence.

You mention that you are a home cook, with zero training but you were able to compete against a professional chef with 8+ years of experience, what do you attribute your win to?

If there is one thing that holds people back from growing as an individual and becoming the best version of themselves, fear is definitely at the top of the list. The first thing you need to do to tackle your fear and develop the courage you need to succeed is rewiring your brain. Develop mantras and affirmations that build you up and increase your self-confidence. Read uplifting books to help interrupt the negative inner dialogue that goes on in your mind. Next, you should come up with a plan. Put down extremely clear goals with deadlines to ensure you are making progress towards your dream. Lastly, get out of your comfort zone by trying something new everyday. Work on becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable. When you form the habit of doing something daily that scares you, your boldness grows little by little.

Who in the food world do you most admire? Internationally, I am a huge fan of Jamie Oliver. I really respect and support what he is doing with the ‘Jamie’s Food Revolution’ campaign advocating for healthy nutrition for all, especially children. Closer to home, I’m inspired by South African TV personality, Siba Mtongana. She isn’t a professional chef, but has harnessed her passion for food to catapult herself to global acclaim with her own Food Network cooking show. Siba is a great representative for African women and us ‘home cooks’. >>

First, I must attribute my win to God. He gave me my natural cooking ability and creativity, without which I could not have won. Resilience, willingness to stay the course, emotional and physical stamina as well as positive energy were also instrumental in my success. I believe that no matter what you're doing, you should always try your best. How you do anything is how you do everything. Photo Credit: 'Role Model Photography'

What have you been up to since your win and what plans do you have cooking in Amanda’s Kitchen for 2015? There is quite a bit simmering in Amanda’s Kitchen. I recently launched a desserts line that includes frosted cookies, trifles and crumbles. Amanda’s Kitchen food blog is up and running, so you can checkout my recipes, cooking tips and random thoughts any time. I’m also working on a YouTube cooking show and some strategic “top secret” partnerships within the culinary industry – stay tuned to see how they unfold.

What was your favorite dish that you prepared on show and can you share with our readers one of your recipes that they can try at home? My favorite dish was the Spice Rubbed Duck Breast and Chick Pea Fritters with Warm Sundried Tomato-Spinach Salad. I enjoyed the experience, as I had always wanted to cook duck, and doing so under intense pressure pushed me to learn on my feet and create something unexpected. I like more savory dishes, but when I do indulge my sweet tooth, I make banana bread. This recipe uses my overripe bananas and is so easy even the least experienced baker can pull it off. >>

Photo Credit: 'Role Model Photography'

Banana Bread INGREDIENTS     

4 overripe bananas, mashed 2 cups whole wheat flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup chocolate chips or nuts (optional) Brown sugar and cinnamon for topping

METHOD Preheat the oven to 180C/Mark 5. In a bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder and (if using) chocolate chips or nuts. Stir thoroughly (if you’re using chocolate chips or nuts, toss them in the flour first so they won’t sink in the bread!). In a separate bowl, mash up the bananas till runny. Add the butter and sugar to the mashed bananas and mix well. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and mix well. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan. Smooth and level the batter in the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake at 180C for approximately 30 minutes or until a bread knife comes out clean when slid into the middle.

www.amandas-kitchen.com | facebook.com/AmandasKitchenTV

Nana

MENSAH

QUEEN INTERVIEW BY ASHLEY MAKUE

ueen of Glory is a dark comedy about a Ghanaian American Sarah Obeng, A PHD candidate at Columbia who drops out of her research programme to follow her married, former-professor boyfriend to the Bronx, Ohio, where she runs her newly inherited Christian bookstore. The film which is due for release in the Summer of 2015 follows Sarah, played by Nana Mensah, as she falls and settles into herself through loss, new relationships and reconnection with her previously estranged father. Her lesson-filled journey is a series of profoundly funny and funnier experiences. We sat down with Nana , also known for her role as ‘Sade’ in An African City web series, to talk about the inspiration behind the film. HOW DID THE IDEA FOR QUEEN OF GLORY COME ABOUT? Queen of Glory came because it felt necessary to have a dark humour story for and about black women. A script like Queen of Glory would be made for Zooey Deschanel or Anne Hathaway, and so I thought, why not tell the story and show that black women can lead a film and not have it be about her getting beaten, or chased, being economically depressed- her conflict is all internal- and that was the idea. The plot and everything else fell around the idea of making a normal film about black women being normal and leading normal lives with normal issues.

WHAT IS THE FILM’S MOST SIGNIFICANT MESSAGE? We are all, no matter the colour of our skin or the countries that our parents are from- we’re

just trying to make our way, trying to figure it out. I think that that is integral. A lot of the times black women in film are either allowed to know everything or to be clueless. We’re either so sage, like the black woman with long grey dreadlocks in the Matrix- we’re either the oracle with all the answers, all mystical or magical, or we’re Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball- we really don’t know anything, we’re not good parents, or good lovers. I think the middle ground needs to be expressed, that is why with Sarah I set it up that she be brilliant; graduated from High School at sixteen and got into Harvard, she’s an academic, a PHD candidate. She’s very smart in that part of life, not so much in social interactions and interpersonal actions- there, she is very dumb. She’s getting ready to leave her PHD research to follow her married professor to Ohio. She doesn’t have it totally together; in the one end she’s great, not so much on the other end, and playing those elements off on each other is really funny to watch.

“ A lot of the times black women in film are either allowed to know everything or to be clueless. We’re either so sage, like the black woman with long grey dreadlocks in the Matrix- we’re either the oracle with all the answers, all mystical or magical, or we’re Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball- we really don’t know anything, we’re not good parents, or good lovers. I think the middle ground needs to be expressed.

”

Photographer: Jojo Abot for Gold Coast Art House Instagram: @JojoAbot @GCArtHouse

WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY, CAN YOU GIVE US ANY MORE INSIGHTS INTO THE FILM? Yeah, so Sarah is leaving her PHD programme to go to Ohio. When her mother dies of an aneurysm, she becomes the sole proprietor of a Christian bookstore- from being the crem de la crem of academia to owning a Christian bookstore. The patrons of the bookstore are not the kind of people she is used to interacting with. There is a clash with the ex-convict who works at the store- he was very close with her mother and so there are issues of territory above them being two ships sailing in the night. Her father comes back from Ghana- because a lot of times Ghanaians don’t get divorced, they just put a lot of space, like a continent or an ocean between them and their spouses, so her mother and father never actually divorced. Her father’s return causes culture conflict. She is Ghanaian and there are traditional Ghanaian rights to be performed at the funeral- she has to get in touch with that and it is not easy because she has had a very American existence. She discovers a lot about herself and about her roots in the process.

HOW LONG DID THE WHOLE PROJECT TAKE TO COMPLETE? We’re still in the tale-end of post-production. If we finish in the next month or two, it will be two and a half years. And that is the process really, you’ve seen it at the award shows when someone announces that a film has taken fifteen years. I think we’ve done pretty well, actually.

WHICH CHARACTER DID YOU FIND THE EASIEST TO WRITE? I would say the character of Anya- she plays the Russian next-door neighbour. She’s very funny and very brassy, and I think this was because I, myself as an actor get cast a lot in supporting roles and I get to be a zany supporting characterI have kind of internalised the way that the zany

supporting character speaks and so writing one such character came very easy to me. She is crazy, she has a bunch of kids, she never knows which way is up. She loves her family deeply and you’ll know she loves them even though she might not like them. Anya Migdal, who played the role, is actually Russian-American in real life, and you know Russian characters are always playing a mobster’s girlfriend or a cleaning woman, so she too felt invigorated by a plot and a part that was just about a mom trying to work her life out- not trying to save the world or screw anyone over, just trying to raise her kids with her husband and get by.

WERE YOU ALWAYS MEANT TO PLAY THE CHARACTER OF SARAH OBENG? No. It went in and out of being the plan. As soon as I caught wind of Lupita Nyong’o I was like, “Oh my God, please, that would be amazing!” but unfortunately we weren’t ready to film, and by the time we were, she was already a big star. She actually went to Yale School of Drama with a few of my friends and they thought she’d be great in the role because she’s really funny. We tried to get the script to her but she was not available and so we ended up shooting it with me. I am a big believer in the developmental process and so I had MaameYaa Boafo who plays NanaYaa in An African City, I had her read the part of Sarah in a developmental reading so that I could sit and take notes and hear how the audience responded, what language sounded good, what sounded fake because sometimes you miss it when you’re reading it yourself as the writer, so I recognised

that she did me a huge favour because we found Sarah’s voice. >>>

SARAH IS FOLLOWING A MARRIED MAN TO OHIO, HOW DOES THAT WORK? Well, without giving too much away, they have been dating for years and I guess like the married man in all movies, he has been promising to leave his wife for her. Her interpretation is that he was her professor at Columbia but he wasn’t tenured, so now he’s got a tenured track position in Ohio and she’s thinking that it is their time, their opportunity to be together. She’s looking for a house for them to rent in Columbus. She’s ready because now is her time, after three years of being together, she’s looking at Ohio as the fresh startnever mind that Ohio is one of the more boring states. It’s her clean slate. That is the joke of it, the undercurrent is that she really just wants a family. She’s estranged from her father, the film opens with her mother having recently passed and she really just wants family.

WHAT WAS THE WORKING CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE CAST AND THE REST OF THE CREW? The working chemistry between the cast and crew was great. As a first time director, it was wonderful to have a small, supportive, knowledgeable crew who felt comfortable problem solving with me . It had a Knights of the Round Table feel for sure, we were all in it and equally invested. There were a lot of laughs and many friendships that I hope t carry with me in the future. I would love to collaborate with that group again.

WHAT ARE THE RELEASE DATES FOR THE US PREMIER OF THE FILM? I do not have the final dates just yet, probably later in the year. There will be screenings and such and people will have the opportunity to engage with the film before getting to see it in theatres.

WILL INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES HAVE ACCESS TO THE FILM? Yes. We will be looking at web-based platforms to share the film. We will share specific information as soon as it is available- everyone will surely get to see the film. []

Keep updated on the film through facebook.com/QueenOfGloryMovie

Madelein MKUNU Leading women on an entrepreneurial journey By TATENDA KANENGONI By launching Leading Women Africa (LWA) in 2009, Madelein Mkunu answered her calling to pursue a path that she is passionate about- facilitating the leadership and economic advancement of female entrepreneurs in Africa. Through LWA, Madelein has played a vital role in ensuring that female entrepreneurs operate their businesses in environments that facilitate and support their development, and this starts with policies, a field she is privileged enough to contribute to through her LWA platform. Madelein has presented at the China-Africa Cooperation at China-Africa Think Tanks Forum II, and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development Stakeholders workshop. In this interview Madelein discusses with AfroElle how LWA came about, her achievements, lessons and financial advice.

Please share with us a bit about your background I was born and raised in Democratic Republic of Congo. Growing up, I lived in a very strong political environment when my brother was very close to the former Dictator, Mobutu. He was the Communications Minister in early 1990s. I soon realised that I was not interested in living in a political environment, so I chose to

settle somewhere else, and I chose South Africa. In 1994 I relocated to South Africa as a 24 year-old young woman. It might sound crazy, but I wanted to build my own identity and discover my own potential. Life in the political systems at that time was not appealing to me. Now I am a loving wife and adorable mother to 2 boys. Above all, I am a child of the Most High God, making Jesus my Lord and Saviour. Professionally, after 13 years in the financial administration field with various South African companies, including Sun International SA, Shell Global and Western Province Cricket Club, I decided to quit my job as an Accountant to become an entrepreneur. Soon, I embarked on establishing Leading Women of Africa, a PanAfrican Women forum that has become an icon and symbol of hope for women of Africa. In nutshell, I call myself a converted entrepreneur and thought-leader.

The bulk of your work focuses on gender and women empowerment, where does your passion in these fields stem from? Honestly, I am not sure I know how to describe the source of my passion. I am

amazed that despite the challenges of building a new vision from scratch, the disappointments, and many times the mistakes that I make; I still wake up in the morning and find the energy to continue the race. That must be some supernatural power holding me so I do not get discouraged. I am passionate about Africa and the role that women can play in its development. I truly believe in the potential of women and that this continent needs more women to step up, rub off of the negative heritage of apartheid and colonialism, to make a significant contribution in Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development. And they are already doing it, the number of women in politics, in business and social activities. Thus in small percentage, prove that women are waking up to take their rightful place in the society. And I hope more women will follow suit.

What was the motivation behind

starting Leading Women of Africa (LWA)? I grew up in an environment where I saw my mum and other women struggle to reach any form of equality. As a girl I kept thinking that when I grow up, I would like to help women. The idea never ceased to play in my mind; it developed as I did in years. It further developed into a vision and grew bigger and bigger until I could not contain it any longer. I think for me I want to recognise and to showcase the hidden power of women of this continent. I believe that LWA will play an important role in the transformation of the status of women in Africa but also will bring women of Africa together in the aim to share experience and best practices from around the Continent.

Please tell us about the programmes you run through LWA. >>>

LWA is committed to Economic Empowerment innovation and inspiration in order to unlock of women and the Development of Africa. We womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full potential and development. bring innovative approaches in our LWA Champions are men who have programmes which are grouped in 3 championed womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment cause in categories: their Country, Region or Company. The first LWA Champions Awards will take place in The 1st category is on Trade and Investment Johannesburg in August 2015. Follow us for related programmes: In this category, we have more information. 2 programmes: Women Investors Programme (WIP) and Women and Infrastructure The 3rd category is on Research and Advocacy. Development in Africa (WIDA). WIP aims to As we know, to formulate sound policy, data increase the number of women who are are needed. This is one of the areas Africa is involved in investment on the continent while still lagging behind. In partnership with WIDA programme is to ensure that women researches and research institutions, LWA emerge as successful leaders in industries and plans to support research, survey and case sectors where they were previously studies on various gender issues in the underrepresented. With the support of a continent. This category is still a work in Financial Service Provider Company in South progress, but we will reach our objective in a Africa, they will assist LWA to set up an near future. Investment Fund where women will be invited to become investors in the ***** With a background in fund and the fund with be financial put on stock market. So, Not everyone is called to ladies, watch the space administration, what be an entrepreneur in and do not miss out on advice would you give the same way that not an excellent women on managing investment their finances better, everyone is called to be opportunity. particularly on a 2nd

a doctor or teacher. Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey.

The category is on International Trade and Investment. Here we run our signature programme: Women Doing Business in Africa which are series of business seminars and trade missions, organised in different African countries, which bring together women entrepreneurs and business leaders that have Africa as part of their growth strategy, in order to access trade and investment opportunities on the continent. This year, we plan to be in Zambia, Mozambique, Senegal and London. We also have a very innovative programme that was launch last year: LWA Champions. This initiative aims to identify outstanding African male leaders who promotes women economic empowerment and have demonstrated leadership to advance women agenda through

tight budget?

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS. This is for me the biggest advice I ever received that I could give to everyone. We live in a highly materialistic world and everything appeals to us. Debts, credit cards keep us captives and one cannot be financially free under the shackles of debts. I am talking from experience.

What have been your career highlights to date? As an entrepreneur, I sincerely believe that my highlight is to be able to establish a platform that will continue to contribute in the process of development of Africa and empowerment of women. >>>

While I thought that I was on my way to build an empire for myself, I was redirected to establish LWA, out of lots of sacrifices and today, I will never regret the sweat and the efforts. LWA will continue to be a hidden engine of women economic empowerment on the continent. I am a visionary and innovator. LWA is only one of my innovations. I believe I will continue to innovate more in the future, but for now this is it!

If life had an undo button, what would you change about your past? I wish, there was such opportunity! (smiles). From where I stand today, I would not change anything, beside I would start at it much earlier instead of wAndering the whole world before discovering my calling. But I do not regret the journey that took me to my destiny. It was worth it.

What are you working on at the moment? Once one starts the innovation journey, it never stops. After establishment of LWA, I recently innovated two more ventures that are already taking Africa by storm: 1) Influential Leadership Programme, a leadership programme designed to shape a new generation of African leaders. 2) President’s Journal, a leadership and development publication that will offer former African presidents a platform to share their experiences. Well, this year, I am working on an entrepreneurship book and possibly a TV show. But I cannot predict when I will be ready with these 2 projects. It might take another year before there are public. []

Madelein’s Tips on Business and Successful Entrepreneurship Let me start by saying that I believe that entrepreneurship is a calling, not everyone is called to be an entrepreneur in the same way that not everyone is called to be a doctor or teacher. Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey, you are called to make decisions every day and some of these decisions have high risk. I am not sure where I received this one, but it is one simple phrase that resonates well and never leaves my brain is “A vision never dies”. I love it! That would be my piece of advice to any business person, because if he/she have a vision, he/she creates and determines a path which if they take with persistence, perseverance and faith within themselves, they are bound to succeed beyond all trials and tribulations. A few years ago, I came up with a non-exhaustive list of tips acquired from my own entrepreneurial journey:

When you know, beyond any shadow of doubt that you are called to be an entrepreneur: DON’T GIVE UP – I think you have heard this so many times.

Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey, so connect with likeminded entrepreneurs and seek support when needed to do so.

2 3

Don’t pretend to be the expert of everything – outsource some services when you need to do so.

Sometimes, it is good to partner with someone or a group for a worthwhile project. Somebody told me, rather 1% of something than 100% of nothing.

4 5

For those interested in Africa: Identify a trustworthy local partner and share interest – win-win partnership.

Manage your expectations and those of your partners to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding which disrupt progress.

Remain ethical – I cannot stress more about this. Don’t shoot yourself on the foot, or tomorrow you will not be able to walk.

Have you heard of “Let your YES be YES and your NO be NO? I have learnt the hard way to say NO when I don’t feel comfortable to say YES.

Leave legacy. pic source peacexpeace.org

AfroElle Library Peruse our past issues for more great stories and interviews

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