Imagine that
Fashion Face Blame it on the NET
SWEET SUCCESS
9 Ways to NEVER send an email 1
rib CRACKy
empathy
bEAUTY
pERSONALITY The Awards Club Awaits to Crown the Crème De La Crème
We’re Watching The AWARDS CLUB of ALU seeks to identify and award prowess in the fields of; Funniest ALU Student, Most Social and Caring Student, Best Dressed Student and… wait for it… Mr and Ms ALU.
Do you think you have what it takes?
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DRAMA TO FOR ...and so the journey begins
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onjour Madame, onjour Monsieur, onjour Mademoiselle!
Ten months down and two to go! Boy! Am I looking forward to the coming few months! There is so much energy in the air and so much love everywhere. After meeting the next-big-things in the next-big-continent, I overdosed on my optimism shots. I’ll take the magazine now-shaken, not stirred!
Banza Magazine officially welcomes you to this auspicious journey of greatness. We promise to entice you, excite you and educate you with our first edition and subsequent productions too. A lot is in store for you this Summer. Our Business Segment will introduce you to a whole new level of investments and the bourse. Ready yourself for some tips galore in the Fashion Segment plus our models of the month! Our featured stories are just mmh! Take a nostalgic glance through the journey of making Banza’s first edition. Get to know all about the African Leadership Network. And because the festive season is just a sniff away, reward yourself to some tips on how to improve your language.
We are the next generation of leaders! In the palm of our two hands lies the thread required to weave the continent-thus the outcome of it. This is YEAR ZERO. The future is unseen but bright. Our destinies begin, our land is once more ready and willing to support those daring and brave enough to make it into the place it was meant to be. The culinary artisans and electronic engineers are being bred, lawyers and business empires are being built. This is the revolution resulting in a new creation. This is Africa. So get knitting. Imagine that!
Eric Maingi Editor-in-Chief @motemaingi
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“It was pressure, it was demand. It was love, laughter and lots of labour. And now, it’s a success. Three cheers to the industrious folk that put the first edition of the Banza Magazine together.”
Mary Mangeni Eric Maingi
Elsa Yeboah-Boateng
Joseph Rutakangwa
Kabo Madigele
Joseph Rutakangwa Kabo Madigele Linda Admassu
Meklit Baye
Elsa Yeboah-Boateng
Eric Maingi Mary Mangeni
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P
Triumph over Culture young mans journey of life. Through thick & Thin
C
F
Corporate Feature, the African Conglomerate
Fashion Face The trendy pants, tops, sunglasses and much more
B
Business. How and Why you should Invest
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Is the internet the new monopoly of relationships? Can
P
Pose Perfect!
C
One for the Clubs
this month. And in Stocks, for that matter.
we blame it for our misfortunes or fortunes?
Lessons no how to take the best optics.
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“We are all colour blind because we loose ourselves in the thoughts that, the other side looks greener.” Andre 3000
Featured Stories
MOLLEL NEEMA Despite the prejudice of gender and tribe, herein lies a diamond in the rough classic.
NSNGUMUREMYI PATRICK A story of success through Thick and Thin from the Real Struggles of Rwanda. 7
"You know Bill Gates? That's where I will be in 50 years.� Patrick Nsngumuremyi
SWEET SUCCESS Patrick Nsngumuremyi By Joseph Rutakangwa
A
story about how a young man overcame poverty, neglect, and ignorance to become who he is today struck a chord with people around the Rulindo district in Rwanda. As with anyone who overcomes the greatest of odds to wangle enrapturing success, stories such as these offer hope. Within them lies a truth or magic or secret elixir, if you will, that could open up the Aladdin's cave in our own lives. "The big secret in life," said media mogul Oprah Winfrey, "is there is no secret. Whatever your goal. You can get there if you're willing to work."
While this certainly may be the secret to Patrick Nsngumuremyi's success to understand his astounding trajectory, you need to hear the full story. Most young adults who go to college to get a job. But when the African Leadership University freshman arrived on campus last month, he was here for one purpose; to start his own company. "Rwandans are not born to be poor," says 23-year-old Patrick who has already racked up an impressive resume that includes a mushroom business and a concert tour in Kigali. 8
Patrick started doing business at the age of 10 in order to support his family. "It was the desire to live a better life that kept me focused and moving," said Patrick, "most people I started with were left behind and they still live the same life we all had back then." Growing up in Rulindo district, Cyungo sector, he did not have economic advantages like other kids. He was partly raised by his mother, and partly by his aunt who later fell short financially due to a malady. In third grade, he decided to drop out of school so he could start providing for the family. He was 8 years old. He took music lessons from a friend and began making a living by playing the Iningiri in streets- a musical instrument. After a series of splendid performances, a kind man offered to take care of him. "At first, living with this man's family was great, but as time passed, life got worse. He would get drunk and beat us like objects. I knew this life wasn't for me," said Patrick. Three months later, he was back home to the same routine. He moved to Kigali with friends two years later. Playing the Iningiri in Kigali earned him enough money to support his family back in the village. In 2004, he joined a traditional dance group for street children. He was a lead singer in the group. The group gained fame and performed at government ceremonies. But it was the Children's Day of 2004 marked a turning point in Patrick's life. On this day, Paul Kagame was the guest of honour in the glorious event held at State House. He showcased a stellar lifetime performance. Immediately after, the president invited him for lunch.
Are you in school?" asked the president. And after explaining his predicaments, the president replied, "You have great talent and with an education you will do extraordinary things," explained the president. He was then offered a government full scholarship and returned to school the following year.
I am at ALU because I want to change my life, the life of my family, and the community It wasn't easy for Patrick to start over again considering he was older, but his desire for a better life kept him focused. Along the way, he made great achievements including ranking 2nd in Rwanda for ordinary level national examinations. A moment after receiving a call from ALU, he sat down and reflected on all the misery he went through. "It's over!" he exclaimed. It was ,and still is, a baffling twist in Patrick's life to be at ALU; he sometimes thinks it could all well be a dream. "I scratched myself on the plane, I still do." "I am at ALU because I want to change my life, the life of my family, and the community," said Patrick. "I want to start a centre that will help children and youth living in poor conditions. It would provide education and develop talent. Exposing one's talent is the best gift you can give to anyone. If my talent hadn't been exposed, I wouldn't have been here." "I believe challenges are the ones that make life interesting, but overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." 9
“I am going to be the Managing Director of a company that Educates Maasai Girls in Tanzania� Neema Mollel
BEAUTY FOR
ASHES
NEEMA MOLLEL
Desire , determination, and dedication may sound more like another combination of steps to success, but for Neema Mollel, these are stories worth telling. She calls Engaruka village in Monduli her home.
As a Maasai girl, her father did not have plans to take her to school. It was pre-ordained that she would get married when she turned 14. Luckily, with time, her mother thought otherwise. She took the responsibility of taking Neema to primary school, but that was the only support she could afford give. All that was left to do after receiving a primary education was marriage. Maasai parents do not take their daughters to secondary school because they barely complete school without pregnancy. And if they do, they fail in the national examinations.
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So, there was a logical reason to opt for marriage than education. At this point, it did not matter if a mother trusted her daughter or not. Neema's mother was a single parent. The economic situation was not favourable either, so Neema was in a quagmire of missing a golden chance to get an education. “I approached many people for help day-in-day-out without success," she recalls. Though the light in her life seemed to fade, she made a conscious effort to lift her hopes high. Marriage at that age was never an option. One day the village counsellor informed Neema's mother about Emusoi Centre whose primary role is to help young Maasai women get an education, preventing early marriages. Plans were made and she was back to school. In 2008, she joined Kibosho Girls secondary school, went on to advanced-level secondary school and eventually joined the University of Dar-es-Salaam last year. Despite her achievements, the community choose to believe that she prevented pregnancy by using drugs because no girl got to University without getting a baby. "They kept asking me which drugs I use to prevent pregnancy; you cannot change their minds.” Contrary to that, her mother was affirmative that her daughter was a hardworking lass and that it was possible for girls to study and work without getting pregnant as long as they resolved to do so. And that's all that matters. Neema is among the only four girls, out of thousands, from Engaruka who have gone to university. She credits her success to Emusoi centre which has been sponsoring her for seven years now.
She is passionate about helping other Maasai girls whose education freedom is limited. "Go to leaders in local government, they can help you get an education. They can connect you with organizations.
A good communicator is a good leader. If you can't communicate well, you can't guide the people.
Who are the Maasai? The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people inhabiting southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress
One of the skills she hopes to take from ALU is communication. Though it might be out of her comfort zone, she is ready to get wet. “A good communicator is a good leader. If you can't communicate well, you can't guide the people.” 11
10 pros of
being
BILINGUAL 1. Brain growth The fact that language centres in the brain actually grow is one of the major benefits of learning a second language. The better you learn, the more those vital areas of the brain grow.
2. Stave off dementia Bilingualism delays Alzheimer’s disease in susceptible people by as much as five years. Seems incredible, but the studies are continuing to support this result. To put this in context: the effect on dementia of learning another language is much greater than anything achievable with the latest drugs.
3. Hear language better Being bilingual can lead to improved listening skills since the brain has to work harder to distinguish different types of sounds in two or more lan-
4. Become more language sensitive Infants in bilingual households can distinguish languages they’ve never even heard before. Just being exposed to the different sounds in, for example, Spanish and Catalan, helps them tell the difference between English and French is another of the benefits of learning a second language.
8. Double the activation Cognitive boosts, like improved attention and better multitasking, may arise because bilingual people have both languages activated at the same time, and must continually monitor which one is appropriate. All that switching back and forth confers the benefits of learning a second language.
6. Better multi-tasking Bilingual people can switch from one task to another more quickly. They show more cognitive flexibility and find it easier to adapt to unexpected circumstances .
7. Increased attention Bilinguals have stronger control over their attention and are better able to limit distractions
a
8. Boost your memory
Babies brought up in a bilingual environment have stronger working memories than those brought up with only one language. This means they are better at mental calculation, reading and many other vital skills.
9. New ways of seeing Learning a new language can literally change the way you see the world. Learning Japanese, for example, which has basic terms for light and dark blue, may help you perceive the colour in different ways .
10. Improve your first language Since learning a second language draws your attention to the abstract rules and structure of language, it can
By Joseph Rutakangwa 12
AFRICAN LEADERSHIPGROUP It is a loose community of organisations that pursue a common goal of delivering change in Africa by developing and linking a new generation of principled and innovative leaders. It was founded by Fred Swankier, a social entrepreneur with an ingrained passion for Africa. The South African based entity, founded in 2004, strives to transform Africa by nurturing a strong network of leaders who will collaborate to solve Africa’s problems, attain extraordinary social impact and catalyse growth. It does so by admitting young Africans who have leadership potential, sow in them a seed via practical learning and exposure them to opportunities and resources that permit growth, learning and impact. The institution has to-date, a network of over 600 young leaders from over 40 countries with multiple successes. Its graduates have gained admission in US universities such as Harvard and Stanford
A new tertiary education institution that has initiated a revolution for education in the world. It aims to develop future leaders across its network of 25 campuses in 50 years. The first campus has just been opened in Mauritius. ALU delivers a new learning model which allows the students to take the lead in their learning process. With the real life skill training which they receive, they are granted an annual opportunity to apply to world-class companies for their annual internships.
A leadership advisory firm that offers Africa centred solutions. It is positioned to cultivate and offer insights, expertise and networks to assist clients as they broaden their scope in the continent and reach their targets. Services offered include: Leadership Consulting., Executive searches and appointments-conducting searches for senior level managers as well as non-executive board members, Market Advisory-providing insight on risks and opportunities in African markets. It also helps in creating pivotal relations to permit entry and supports the execution of expansion strategies.
A community of the next leading new generational Africans. It establishes and reinforces relations between them to stimulate investments, business and partnership. The network has over 1500 members from. It comprises of ALN Ventures: recognition of best business persons who showcase innovation and excellence, African Business Fellowship- linking African Businesses with USA professionals and Africa Business Awards for Entrepreneurship- identifying entrepreneurs with potential and connecting them with the rich network to spur 13 growth. By Kabo Madigele
LINDA ONYANGO Denim Ripped Half coat Striped White Top Black Pipe Pants Lime Green Old School Wedges
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That casual look! Hail to the Denim Fans because this month you will stand out for that rendezvous. Clad in Pipe Pants, Adorned with a Striped Top and accessorised with a matching Bracelets and a wow-pendant,, you will definitely steal the show this month. Oh, and get to the venue in colourful Wedges.Old-School of course!
with MARYMANG’ENI
A F
CE 15
Yonas Tilahun
The meeting Point
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The Waiting Point Female Circular Sunglasses Silver African Bracelet Multiple Silver Chains Red Lipstick Male Leather Watch Oval Sunglasses Checked Folded Shirt
Rugged Denim Jeans
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The Chill Point Female Bandana Thin-Black Rimmed Glasses Loop Earrings Silver Ring & Bracelet Crop Print Top Male Coloured Print T-Shirt Oval Sunglasses Leather Watch 18
Thinking Out Loud
Female
Male
Ripped Jeans
Skinny Khaki Pants
3-Inch Laced Heels
19 Sketcher Shoes
Hawi Tiyo
How to take that
Perfect Photo
Take One. No!
CUT
2
1
Aaah!
Viola!
4
Sit and Think about the Killer Pose
Reflect about Take Two
3
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Connect w ith Like-Minded Peers Design and Develop you r Ideas Share an d Build on Y ou r Exper ience The Power is Ultimately in your hands
The
Club
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Elsa Yeboah-Boateng
B
reaking up is never easy, and while 20 years ago there may well have been little or no post break-up contact between exes, 21st century technology – from social media to Whatsapp – means there are many new ways to open old wounds. With so many communications channels with which to get hold of people, and with so much of our lives visible online through such tools as Facebook, it’s easy to keep an eye on our exes once we’ve parted. A recent study found that “Facebook stalking” an ex -partner was found to hinder recovery after the end of the relationship through prolonging the emotional distress felt. Those who were more traumatised by the break-up were more likely to indulge in Facebook stalking. It’s hard to imagine that these people would all have been prepared to stalk their ex-partners so readily in real life. What is the Internet doing to our relationships with other people that lead us to behave so differently on- and offline? The two key attributes the Internet offers that allow people to act so differently online are anonymity and physical distance. These attributes contribute to the disinhibition effect. The Internet essentially removes the constraints we usually feel when talking face-to-face, with the resulting effects on our behaviour, leading to online bullying, trolling, stalking and flaming. The regularity with which these behaviours appear in the media might lead us to think that the disinhibition effect has only negative effects, but there can be positive effects too.
“The Internet essentially removes the constraints we usually feel when talking face-to -face, with the resulting effects on our behaviour, leading to online bullying, trolling, stalking and flaming.” 22
Building closer relationship with people is built upon sharing things about ourselves, such as our likes, dislikes, worries and concerns. Some people find this quite challenging face-to-face, so the physical distance provided by communicating through the Internet is invaluable. For example, socially anxious adolescents find it easier to disclose personal information to their friends when online, the Internet acting as a place where relational skills can be practised. Regardless, it cannot be ignored that the Internet has become more mobile over the last decade. Around 66% of U.K. adults own a smartphone, allowing Internet access around the clock. There have been concerns around the effects this may have on a generation that is permanently switched-on and plugged-in. One possible effect is the phenomenon known as the fear of missing out, or FOMO.
The mobile Internet may lead to a generation so attached to platforms such as social media that they feel they can never “switch off�. It’s crucial that we constantly question not only what, good or bad, online platforms provide us, but also what they may take away from our lives.
People who experience FOMO feel as though they are missing out on rewarding experiences that they perceive their friends are having. FOMO has been found to be related to greater social media engagement which is not surprising given that Facebook use, for example, has been found to be driven by feelings of disconnection. talk to strangers who have experienced or are experiencing similar circumstances can have a cathartic effect. Clearly the Internet is changing the ways in which we interact with each other. Unfortunately there will always be those who use this to cause harm to others, just as others value it as a space to enhance relationships. 23
IVESTMENT INSIGHT
Kabo Madigele
I
“The more risk appetite you have, the better.�
t is seemingly an illusion. However, the truth is that it is very much closer to reality than you may think. You can own a business without even having to stress about the routine of going to work every day and making the hardest of decisions.
What are stocks? Stocks are among the most innovative inventions of wealth creation. Therefore, attaining financial autonomy begins with a concrete comprehension of stocks and their trading. Stocks or securities or equities are basically a share in the ownership...
of a company. They denote a claim on the company’s assets and profits. Once they are bought, a stock certificate is issued as proof of ownership, but in this digital era, they are kept electronically by brokerage firms.
How and where are they traded? Stocks are bought and sold in exchanges. Buyers are sellers meet here and agree on a price. Most of them are physical settings where deals are carried out on the trading floor. Traders can be seen wildly yelling and signalling to each other.
On the other hand, the virtual exchange has a network of computers which allow for electronic-based trading. These markets exist to smoothen the exchange of securities, thus alleviating the risk of investing (financial loss). There are two main types of markets; a primary market where new stocks are created in the nature of an IPO, that is for private companies which are to be listed and made public and a secondary market, where investors trade previously issued securities without involving the companies which initially issued them (Stock Market.) 24
Why are stocks issued? Companies issue stock primarily to raise capital. There are basically two main ways of raising capital; borrowing (debt financing) or selling the company by issuing stock (equity financing). The latter is more advantageous because there is no need to repay the money together with interest. For private companies, their first stock-issue is referred to as the initial public offering (IPO).
How does one get to buy stocks? Know why you are investing Look for a company to invest in
Open an account with a stock broker Monitor your portfolio
What are the risks?
What causes price changes? Stock price changes are influenced entirely by forces.. This is simply supply and demand. So why bother with the stocks? One factor is the positive and negative news about a company which certainly breed a particular perception about it. For instance, if the company has been involved in illegal deals, the price of its stock will definitely fall as people lose confidence on its future. On a positive note, stocks can soar high when an acquisition or merger is announced.
Securities/Equities Stock Certificate Brokerage Firm Primary Market IPO Secondary Market Debt Financing Forces Dividends Buyback Liability
What are the benefits? The stock owner has one vote per share to elect the board of directors at annual general meetings (AGM’s). In addition to that, you receive a share of profits in the form of dividends which are paid quarterly or once a year.
As an investor your portfolio gets to grow when the value of the stock appreciates. At this instant, you can make a profit when you sell your holdings. Profits can also be realised from stock buybacks i.e. when the company decides to buy shares from its owners, usually at a price higher than the market price.
The aforementioned returns, however, come at a cost. First of all the listed companies are not obliged to pay dividends. The management may decide not to do so in order to invest profits in capitalising expansion projects. Second, the pricing of stock is not always on the rise . As an investor, you can lose a great deal of your investment when prices tumble. One other way of losing is when a company files for bankruptcy and is liquidated (wound up,) you would also lose your money. However, you are to a certain extent protected from this as liability is limited to your shareholding. This means that you lose only what you have invested and not your personal assets.
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9 Annoying Email Mistakes That Even Smart People Make Elsa Yeboah-Boateng
IMPROPER USE OF "REPLY ALL," CC, OR BAD SUBJECT LINES.
BCC.
You should probably put as much thought
We've all committed this kind of error, so it isn't
into your subject line as you do into the
surprising that it's among top executives' pet
email itself. That's because people get so
peeves. Before you send a message, look care-
much email these days that they skip
fully at the recipient list to make sure you aren't
reading some of their messages. If your
sending your message to people who shouldn't
subject line doesn't tell the reader right up
see it. You should also avoid copying people
front why your message is important, it
who don't need to see it, since you'll just be add-
may get skipped as well..
ing to the general email clutter. At the same time, make sure everyone who does need the
RUN-ON SENTENCES. Surprisingly, this came up as a frequent
information is included. And double-check that you aren't just replying to one person if you mean to reply to the group, or vice versa.
complaint. By run-on sentence, I mean a sentence that goes on and on so long,
FAILING TO ADD VALUE TO THE
and with so many additional clauses, that
CONVERSATION.
a reader might forget halfway through what the original point was, kind of like
this sentence right here. Don't do it. Use a period once in a while.
"There's lots of chaff in emails," Lamb notes. So don't add to the problem. If you just want to thank someone, or you agree with something they said, consider whether you need to send an email at all, and if so, whether you need to send it to everyone on the thread or just to that one person.
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MARKING
MESSAGES
AS
URGENT
THAT
AREN'T. Some people get in the habit of marking everything
SENDING TOO MUCH EMAIL.
as Urgent or Needs Response ASAP. Or they too
If you've fallen into this pattern of think-
often take advantage of an urgent designation within
ing, snap out of it. No one ever won a
their email software. Do this too often and your recipi-
promotion, or a prize, or a place in his-
ents will start ignoring your "urgent" messages. That
tory for sending lots and lots of email.
could be a problem if you have something to send
There are more effective ways you
that truly does require an immediate response.
could be directing your energy.
But really, if something is urgent, you should probably pick up the phone and call, or send a text, rather than email. Which is why you should never, or almost never, send messages marked Urgent.
AN ANNOYING TONE. Nobody sets out to be offensive in their business emails. But the very nature of email can get you in trouble. An offhand or humorous comment that would come across as such in a face-to-face or phone conversation may not be taken as you intended if you include it in an email. The smart approach is to err on the side of being too courteous
.
and too friendly. Avoid any form of sarcasm. And use humor sparingly
t
if at all since it can so easily be misconstrued.
to
u
AN IMPROPER OR BRUSQUE GREET-
just
ING--OR NO GREETING AT ALL. An email should begin with a greeting, Lamb contends. But what about those situations where you're sending a message to a stranger? Sometimes I worry that using the person's first name may seem too informal, and using "Mr." or "Ms." and a last name may seem too formal. "The best greeting in that situation is the middle ground: 'Dear David Smith,
USING EMAIL TO COMMUNICATE WHEN SOMETHING ELSE WOULD BE BETTER. One of the complaints Lamb hears is that people don't consider the full range of communication options, from face-to-face meet-
ings, to videoconferences, to instant messages, to texts, to faxes, before they send an email. "Email is good for passing along information, but not for many other things," she says. 27
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