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T-3 minutes.
T-366 days.
That was the time left for us to countdown to the new year. We were running to the beach for the countdown of the last few moments of 2015. And when we got there, I was shocked. Beyond words. The whole beach was crammed.
I absolutely love the hashtag ‘Sweet 16.’
But I loved it.
It makes me feel like a romantic. Like a teenage dream come true. And as I think about the many days of our leap year, I think of vastness. Like the ocean, this year is vast. Like a humongous package, set out for me to develop myself into a man of great panache and finesse.
But really, sweet 16 is beyond catchy. It's our birth into the new age, painful but That was the time left to set up the firevery contentful. Like a sweet taboo. And crackers and all that noisy paraphernalia the uncertainty and newness make 2016 that should never miss the season of even better, glorious, phenomenal and crossing over. immense. Our contributors, columnists, writers and the whole of the Banza crew Pressure! has a lot, a lot, in store, herein. From the We nailed it. whole of the 2016 Sports Calendar of the Globe to a leftover recipe! And who does not need some Motivation for the year? T-0 minute. Physically, our guest writer has packaged That was the time I saw the night become an awesome Blast Plan to get your muscles day. Flashes of colour and storms of boom toned. Emotionally, our other guest writer animated the night. Hugs and kisses has taken it upon himself to uplift our everywhere. The love was tangible. The souls. And since it's back to work, we need hope was breathable. I felt ready for the to spice up our wardrobes, all for growth new year. I felt a twitch in my cheeks from this year. all the laughing and I felt a scratch in my undies. The sand was too much. T-Now. T-1.5 minutes.
That was last year.
Get flipping. Get screenshotting. Get jotting. This is your brand new. This is your birthday. This is your teenage dream. Make it explode! Let every day in the 366 count.
I wish you all, a very Eric Maingi very, very very very phenomenal Sweet 16!. Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL
4,5 & 9
The Editorial Crew, plus an overview of everyone in the team working hard to make Banza Magazine. The Editors Note.
14-23 FEATURE STORIES Our feature columnist takes us on a tour to East Africa, specifically Somaliland, with the meek Roda Ahmed ,as she opens us on Leadership. And our tour lands us in Central Africa where we meet the mover and the shaker, Baraka Pilipili or should we say, Hot Blessings!
FASHION FACE
24-41
Now that we have to get our scraggy bottoms back to work, Maria Mang’eni redesigns our closets to adorn us in glamour.
60 SECONDS
42-43
Meklit Baye features two lads who love their cultures, their future and their heritage.
BUSINESS
44-55
Disentangle yourself from the fetters of monetary slavery with our Guest Writer, Maatla Kgasa. 44-45 The genius behind the Chez Popo Supermarket walks us in his shoes of 53-55 greatness. We dive deeper into Investments, II, from the what to the how.
LIFESTYLE
56-90
The diary of Nolwazi sets off on an emotional start of facades, night clubbing and hiding hearts with our guest writer, 60-63 Gcinekile Zwane. In Better me, we improve our motivational habits and drop our bad habits this year. And, some fitness notes and takeaways for you this year. Build your muscles and become a hero for all to see with our guest writer, Torey Foss. 70-77 In Health, find out why water and muscles are two sides of a coin and how and why you should take care of your skin. We feature a delicious recipe that will need only left overs from your refrigerator and a hunger for awesomeness. All the Spovers and non-spovers will love this new years Sports calendar in our 82-85 Sports Section. Another guest writers gives his all in emotional well being in our Letters.
“Nails on fleek?”
“Director, please. Time out!”
The crew had to meet over the holidays. And nobody was dressed up for the shoot. So they decided to have a bean bag moment.
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Baraka Pilipili Is Dogged, Earnest and above all A Doer By Joseph Rutakangwa
li d, st d ll er
By h wa
W
hat do we want from flashy, powerful men we call leaders. Or icons. Or role models? We want them to want– and in our names get- everything they possibly can. Success at work and in friendships. Change. Money and power. We want them to embody multiple fantasies. We want them to make us believe that exciting realities are just around the corner.
It used to be that great leaders of style gave us variations on one grand theme. Julius Nyerere: short walking staff, kitenge shirt, and ujamaa legacy. Kenneth Kaunda: Kaunda suit and African socialism. Yoweri Museveni: a huge buff scout’s hat and a constantly amended constitution. Today, leadership isn’t about the grand theme, it’s about juxtaposition and it’s filled with allusions of history and art; to movies and music; to iconographies of race and ethnicity, religion and gender. The millennials opened the door to this collage approach. Today, we see it in advocacy, activism, and single-handed movements of Malala Yousafzai. And, of course, in social entrepreneurship, community service, volunteerism, and the rise of the ultimate combination: Baraka Pilipili.
As students graduate from college, it briskly becomes clear that money, whose enchanting force has made the Koch Brothers business magnates, has moved to the Kingdom of Far Far Away. It appears as though all the years they invested in education have gone to waste.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, it’s even worse. With an unemployment rate of 46 percent, young people barely stick their necks out in the competitive market. I’m sitting opposite a young man, had I known who he was I would have understood why his colleague, Tojosoa Ramarlina calls him ‘The Face of Africa.' Baraka tells me about the crisis in DRC, not one you’re thinking about, but the one that has to do with the ethos of many, if not all Congolese. “Wealth is eating everyone’s heart out. Politics is regarded as the easy route to wealth, so from a secondary school student to a retired citizen; they all yearn to jump into the political arena. For instance, five people were needed for the Member of Parliament (MP) candidacy in Goma, but 285 people applied. A total of 500 candidates were needed to run for the position of MP across the country and 19,500 applied. The worst part is, everyone admits that the main reason of being a leader is to feed one’s own belly. It’s only a matter of who gets there first,” says Baraka. Indeed, Baraka is no gutless wonder. Born in the eastern part of DRC, Sake village, made a move to Goma town at age six to pursue primary school education, Baraka has lived through what most of us only hear of – a volcanic eruption. While in second grade, on the 17th of January, 2002, mount Nyiragongo which stands 3,470 meters high erupted. “Many people died and others were left homeless. My family lost everything and we later had to restart our lives,” he recalls.
Living through almost fictitious challenges made him versatile and what he calls a ‘change maker without limits’. Baraka maintains that “if you don’t have a job and can’t get one, then create one. Unemployed youngsters want to be hired. My friends who are graduates and unemployed, are home; sitting and consuming their parents’ money. They don’t have jobs and they don’t bother to think about creating jobs.”
“In registering our organization, we were charged more than double the amount and given more requirements. As much as it was an organization to help create jobs, officials would say ‘unemployment is not our concern, just pay the money as told or leave’. This was shocking!” he adds.
“I stepped up and created an organization, Centre d'entraide et de Fraternite pour le Développement Integral, CEFRADI, in 2014 with a mission to create jobs for unemployed youngsters. The funny thing is that when I approached my friends who are unemployed with this idea, the first thing they would ask is ‘how much money will you pay me per month?” He chuckles.
“if you don’t have a job and can’t get one, then create one.”
After CEFRADI was registered, their first project was building a market in Rutshuru territory, Rugari village in Eastern DRC. “The war between the government and M23 rebel forces was recently over in this village, leaving people economically devastated. They needed quick recovery,” says Baraka. On top of that, the war resulted in discrimination between the Congolese and Rwandese. Building a public market, he thought, would bring people of all ethnicities together and hence solve these issues.
I hearken attentively to his words, trying to get the significance of what he’s telling me. Having not yet reached closure, Baraka continues, “young adults in DRC only want the present interest; they want to get success at their time, today. I explained that it could take some time to benefit from the organization, even one year or two. ‘That is a waste of my time, I don’t have time for such initiatives,’ was a common response I got. But then I wondered, how can someone who is just staying at his or her parent’s Evidently, it was not a small project to house, doing nothing productive, say they take on. “We were broke. And we needed don’t have time?” 36,000 US dollars to run this project,” he confesses. But you applied for funding, Was it easy setting up your organization? right? “Nope,” he replies, “many associa“Not at all. The government is so corrupt tions in Congo are created in order to get and there is nowhere to report corruption funding. When funds come in, they divide cases.” So they had to fight an uphill among themselves and disappear. So we battle. were denied funding. The requirement was to run 5 projects in order to get approval,” he adds.
Failing to get funds would insinuate a dead end to many, but for Baraka it was different. “One night I was thinking about this project, and a word flashed in my mind – ‘self-reliance’. So, I questioned myself, ‘how can I use this word in our project?” Astonished by the idea of self-reliance, he shared with the rest of the team and they changed their strategy. Few days later, they reached an agreement with the local government and started campaigning their strategy throughout the territory. “The strategy was simple. We made it clear that we do not want to solve their problem; we want them to solve their problem,” says Baraka. A committee comprising of Rutshuru residents was formed. They were responsible for collecting funds from the public to build their own market. CEFRADI gained public trust and more people stepped forward to contribute.
More than 300 people were hired for construction. “This was just the beginning of our project and we had created more than 300 jobs. Some of my friends who refused to join CEFRADI were also employed,” says a snickering Baraka. It was a living proof on how creating jobs could be as possible as everything else.
In February 2015, the project was officially launched. Rutshuru residents were surprised that they made CEFRADI’s first project a success without help from other developed territories. It gave them high hopes and a lot of inspiration. People got jobs and today it’s business as usual. “We are one. I am from Masisi, Eastern DRC, but that does not mean I can’t help people in Rutshuru. If you want to help someone you must not ask him where he is from, just help. If he is human, he is your relative,” says Baraka.
Baraka believes that young people in DR Congo “need to be in contact with their peers in other countries through exchange programs or similar platforms. They will explore different ethical virtues and become curious to know why gaps exist between their countries.” Baraka anticipates that as a result of a cultural exchange plan, associated ethics might be formed in order to reach the recommended standards of development of other countries – which is what he’s aiming for. CEFRADI is currently running a second project aiming to improve the use of technology in the education system of North Kivu province. They’re providing computers through a loan to signed-up teachers in the province. The price, which is at a discount, is then deducted - a small portion per month – from teachers’ salaries.
“Our aim is to help teachers do thorough research and teach updated information in class. They will be teaching and preparing for lessons on their laptops which is much more helpful and easier. Also, they can now do their research online and update the information provided in books,” he explains of the outcomes for their project. Before being who he is today, Baraka attended Tupendane High school where he focused on Social Sciences. He then interned with Comico FM Radio as a presenter before enrolling at Institut Superieur d'informatique et de Gestion to major in a Journalism Degree. A 21-year-old Baraka is the first of seven children.
At 46, he sees himself as having accomplished his main goal – to shift the majority of the population in DR Congo from lower class to middle class. “I will graduate from the African Leadership University (ALU) with a full package of what I need in order to achieve this goal. At ALU, everyone has a vision for their country and everyone has made a change. From the interactions with these people, I will learn a lot, and their experiences could support my vision.”
If you had to wish for one superpower, what would it be?
“The Key from the government to allow me to do anything I want to in my community.”
As Roda Ahmed embraces a fascinating
new life, the inspiring
changemaker talks about children, women, and her country.
Roda Ahmed The Leader’s life
By Joseph Rutakangwa
It’s sweltering in Trou-aux-Biches, the kind of heat that melts the ice cubes in your caramel macchiato faster than you can say, Kardashian. I am holed up in my room on Laval Road watching Leonardo DiCaprio’s new movie, The Revenant when suddenly… Knock Knock! Roda Ahmed is checking if we’re still meeting. Forget the meeting at Le Pescatore, a restaurant on Coastal Road; let’s just have it here.
Roda prefers to tell her story in chronological order. So she starts by giving me the lowdown about her country. She comes from Somaliland. Officially known as the Republic of Somaliland. It is a self-declared state which lies in the north-western part of Somalia on the South Coast of the Gulf of Aden. It has about 3.5 million residents. The fact that it has not yet been recognized internationally agitates Roda and she plans to do something about it. “My first major target in life is to see my country being recognised, and for people stop asking me impertinent questions about Somaliland: where is Somaliland? Is it another name for Somalia?” she says. I’m curious. So I pop the question, what do you think could help solve this problem? Her reply, “I think having young leaders in the government could help make the process of being recognised easier. I noticed that the older generation tends not to learn from mistakes. Somaliland proclaimed her independence in 1991 but was not recognized. It has been 24 years now, and still we’re not recognised as a country. If our leaders had known what they’re missing, I’m sure we would have been recognised already. That’s why I think we need new young leaders with new approaches to tackle such issues.”
Roda grew up in Hargeisa, the capital and largest city in Somaliland with about one million people. Despite being an urban space, girls are highly underestimated in the society. It is taken as Gospel that girls are not supposed to go to school or work in the tertiary sector. “They think a girl is born to take care of her husband and children. This is absurd!” she exclaimed. “In school, when any opportunity arises, boys are the only ones who get selected even when there is a girl who tops the class. Teachers tell us because we’re going to get married, we don’t need great success in other areas,” she adds.
To this point, I feel irritated brushing up on what girls in the other parts of the world are going through. And it gets even worse as I pick her brain to understand parents’ feelings about the education system. How do parents react when their daughters are oppressed in broad daylight? “Parents?” she asked smiling, “they support the system. In fact, they discourage their daughters not to attend school. A mother literally tells her daughter to stay home and do chores instead of going to school. As the result, about 90 percent of girls drop out for various reasons including early marriages.” Roda is in the 10 percent of girls who continue their studies to university in Somaliland. Her mother has always been there for her and supported her education. “My mother is my role model. She went through a lot but never gave up on our education,” she says. Roda is the oldest of four children. “As the firstborn in my family, I have the responsibility of being the best I can possibly be so that I can be a role model not only for my siblings but also for other girls in Somaliland,” added Roda.
While in High School, Roda was volunteering at Hargeisa Orphanage Centre as a teacher for two years. “I loved it. Most of the kids don’t go to school because they don’t have anyone telling them to do so. Their guardians are often people who were not privileged to get any education so they never tell them why going to school is important. The kids lose hope and end up wandering in streets. You can’t let a 9-year-old choose between education and fun.
Teaching them and being their big sister satisfied me in a way I can’t truly explain,” she says. After graduating from high school in 2013, she took a gap year. She worked as an accountant assistant at her high school.
How she responds to questions, the depth of her understanding of social issues, her passion for change, all tell me that she is fit for the presidency. So I make the move and ask her if she considers running for the presidency in Somaliland. “If there’s one thing I never think about, it’s being a president. Most presidents I have seen don’t do much, they just have titles and I think that’s not right. I just want to serve people without having a big name or title like a president,” she replies.
“I have the responsibility of being the best I can possibly be so that I can be a role model.”
“I just want to serve people without having a big name or title like a president.”
Roda is enjoying her time at the African In the next 25 years, she will be running a Leadership University. “So far I’m still on chain of schools for girls-only, the homeless, self-discovery, but I get so many inspirations and orphans. Roda says she “always wanted from my peers. Classes and the curriculum to open opportunities for girls in my country. are very different, and that’s what I like When I saw the African Leadership most,” she says. She loves Mauritius. The University, (ALU,) a place that does not weather, the people, and the beaches; all discriminate people and give them an make the list of her favourite things in the opportunity to gain skills that could help country. Food couldn’t make it to her list, though. “Mauritian food is probably the only them develop, I knew that was it. That’s why challenge I’m facing,” she laughs. I applied and I will share the ALU spirit with my fellows in Somaliland.” Roda enjoys dancing, listening to music, writing and watching the sunset.
LY N A NOSSIR
Embrace the new year at work in style. Let your wardrobe be sophisticated and trendy. Let it be simple and in swank.
Let your glamour spell out ‘modern.’ Let your new year embrace the Sweet 16 touch.
Mary Mang’eni Photo Credits: Michael Muturi
Looking fresh, ready to face the day. My brown rectangular eye glasses will give me a clearer perspective of the day’s workload. Suit; check. Tie; check.
Just arrived at the office. I must tuck in that Chiffon Blouse in my Black Pants. Nobody want to look off on a Monday morning. Oh yes! And confirm that my hair is not dishevelled. All set.
You may not set the sartorial bar at work, but how you clear it is up to you. For the Lady For the Gentleman, An impeccably fitting suit shows that you pay attention to the details of your body size and shape. Pair it up with a white cotton long sleeved shirt to complete the smooth look. Collar must be buttoned up when wearing a tie. When you go without a tie, its best to keep your shirt collar on the smaller side.
A great standard silk neck tie that is perfectly in proportion with the rest of the look gives you the James Bond, 007 factor.
Don’t drag down your outfit with a substandard time piece-find one that shows you have fully invested in every last detail of your appearance. A white face, black leather strap watch is a great match for a black or grey suit.
It is advisable to keep the office hairstyle neat. For the guys with long hair, a neat comb is preferable and gentlemanly and a clean shave for those who prefer short hair, which is also gentlemanly.
White V Neck Long Sleeve Chiffon Blouse, with Black Trim. An amazing outfit for the office.
Chiffon is great. They have been in style for quite sometime. The beauty of chiffon is that it can be dressed up or down. It can be worn with skirts, pants, shorts‌ you name it, to get that glamourous look. Note that while wearing chiffon blouses as official wear, it is advisable to tuck in for that neat yet chic look.
Nude lipstick is an awesome shade for a typical day at work. While wearing it; opt for a veil of gold lip gloss over the top. The look looks great with a tan on those with slightly thinner lips. Team it up with a sheer gold eye shadow for a full on, bold look.
Accessorize with simple drop earrings or studs and wrap your wrist with a classic leather watch.
Office is a formal occasion, so office ladies should style formal hairstyle for the workplace. It is advisable to keep the office hairstyle neat since a messy or unkempt hairstyle always reminds people of low effectivity and no image consciousness. If in a hurry, a neat pony tail is advisable for those with long hair.
I put my best foot forward in a pair of Slip On shoes. And of course, my Pocket Square roughly tucked in for show.
Avoid over accessorising. If you are already wearing a pocket square and a tie bar., you will want to reconsider that clever the Lapel Pin. A light partnered pocket square provides a welcome visual anchor to a dark coloured suit and vice versa.
Talking to a client has never been better with my feet on the table, flossing my wet look peep toe heels and my Cartier bracelet.
Nothing is more classy than a plain turtle neck sleeveless top. Wear it with a simple pencil skirt (black preferably) to keep your look fresh and trendy. Peep toe heels are a must have this year. The signature red sole gives it the glam look. Simple, chic and always trendy. An elegant and professional hairstyle is a boost. Separate the hair into two at the front, style it into a high ponytail and then twist the hair ends into a bun.
The Style and Elegance of a Black Pencil Skirt The awesome advantage of pencil skirts is that they allow you to play with proportion in a way that dresses do not. The skirt defines your waist and skims your hips in the most flattery way possible.
To accessorise, opt for simple drop earrings as the turtle neck top is enough to steal the glamour.
A peplum top also works best with a pencil skirt for that charming and elegant office look.
Timeless Eye Glasses for men
It is usually best to stay with conservative frame shapes and colours. Shapes such as ovals, rectangles and almonds are OK. For colours; Silver, Brown and Black are recommended because they are easy, conservative tones to wear and they match with business suits.
To this day, suspenders remain the preferred method to hold up a pair of trousers by many fine dressers. They make it easier to align the shirt buttons with the fly and keep the plumb line straight. Cases that travel to the office should look office appropriate. For a professional laptop bag, chose an executive case in a spare, elegant style. A perfect handbag is a total accessory to every lady. They are instantly able to make any look ultra-chic and can be a nice way to show off your personal style. Black handbags are an added bonus as they go with everything.
he of ey irt he ht.
ld ra an le.
ry ble be al ed ng.
For the ladies; A brightly coloured spaghetti strap Cami top is an instant mood lifter and a perfect fashion statement for a weekend at work. Pair the top with black pants and slip on a pair of comfy heels. Accessorise with a silver Cartier bracelet and emerald shaped earrings. Wrap your wrist in a black leather strap watch. Accentuate the look in black velvet heels. A light shade of makeup is advisable and a simple low up-style creates the elegance for the office. The side hair is dragged back and rolled into a bun.
For the Gentlemen; Smart casual and business. Begin with a laid back base. A pair of slim fit Chinos, a fancy shirt and one dressier element (a velvet blazer) to elevate the look. Match the look with a pair of Red Woven Derby shoes. And with the shoes comes a matching red belt or a dark shade of brown.
And when all is said and done...
6 0 seconds with Isaac Agyemang By Meklit Baye
I choose to wear Afr ican clothes because they connect me to my home country. I admire people who ar e pr oud of their culture and like wearing cultural attires. I looked up to mainly significant figures in my home country like the President of Ghana who enjoyed wearing cultural clothing. I believe that we wear our own attir es best. I advise other s to be pr oud of their culture and embrace it.
6 0 seconds with Loukou Amani By Meklit Baye
I choose to wear Afr ican clothes because they are souvenirs given to me from my ancestors. I believe that we should wear our own cultural clothing because we should represent Africa and change the negative image that others have about Africa. I looked up to my par ents who mainly enjoyed wearing African clothing. My advice to the community is to be proud of our culture and to embrace being unique Last Comment– Specifically to the students at the African Leadership University and other students across Africa that we are the hope of Africa and every day, we should make the positive change of our continent a priority. This starts by something as simple as representing one’s culture.
By Maatla Kgasa
In
Cease to be a slave to your money; make it work for you
Like most people, instead of trying to make ends meet with the salary he gets, a retrospective manner, he succumbs to a destructive monster financial stability shall remain a shadow called a “BANK LOAN�. He goes to the people chase for as long as they continue to bank gets a $1500 loan, buys a car and live with the same recklessness and abandon there is the start of messy financial life. as far as money and finance management is The bank gives him a 5 year concerned. Let’s take a typical young man amortization/repayment plan, which who graduates from university at 23 years, means a monthly payment of struggles to find a job for 3 years till he gets above $250 to cater for the interest one in the city. His starting salary is charges. This further reduces his already something like $850 per month. Breaking meagre disposable income, no savings. At down his expenses, $250 is swallowed by 28 or 29 years old and already living a rent, $ 150 is swallowed by food and miserable life. Mind you, the car needs groceries. $50 goes to utility bills and $100 is fuel, constant maintenance and sent to the family back home. Another $100 servicing. Bam! Is this all worth those goes to hire purchase payments for the furniyears of education and young as he is ture . What is left is a meagre $100. He going through a mid-life crisis? Most needs to pay a taxi fare to get to work, he people never recover after this. In fact needs to buy clothes, have fun, go out and after they successfully pay the first loan, ease off, not forgetting insurance and life cover deductions. The remaining $100 is far they quickly apply for the second loan to build a house. too little to cover all that.
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Once the banks have reeled you in with the first loan, they will do everything possible to keep you in a debt drowning lifestyle. They have something they called “DIRECT LOAN TOP UP,” EVERY bank has that. Every time they realize you are left with a few months to finish your loan, they offer you another loan under the pretenses that they are rewarding you for not defaulting. You will spend the rest of your life paying loan after loan and before you know it, you are 60 years and about to retire and you have lived a miserable monotonous, financially stressing life. The idea is to delay taking a bank loan as possible, to an extent where you save as much as possible so that you are in a position to ask for a loan from the bank only on a CO-FINANCING prospect, where you fund the car or house with a portion of your own money and the bank meeting you at half. This is quite handy as it reduces the interest you would have paid had you borrowed the whole sum from the bank. Remember, the more you borrow, the higher the interest rate.
Secondly, it is upon us to try and diversify dependency on salaries alone. There are far many prospects available out there than can improve our financial positions. Classical accountants will tell you that a car is not an asset, it continues to drain you financially every month. Worse still, its value depreciating. Take a loan to buy something that will bring in money while you are paying for the loan. Acquire property through loans. It’s quite handy as the house itself will become security or collateral. Then lease or rent out the house and use the rental fees to pay back the loan. Your salary is still untouched; the rentals continue to pay back the loan and 5 years down the line you own the house and you have paid nothing to acquire it.
Your money is your money, you need to start spending it wisely. Sit down, take a piece of paper and assess your financial position. You can have everything you want in life-a debt free lifestyle, vacations and houses. Do not become another statistic of someone who worked hard all his/her life just so they can die; miserable, poor and still in debt. Without a clear cut budget and devoted personal finance plan, your fate is sealed. You will never enjoy the fruits of your labour. Plan it all the way.
Be good, Do good.
“Do not become another statistic of someone who worked hard all his/her life just so they can die; miserable, poor and still in debt.”
Maatla Kgasa is novelist, a screenwriter and an aspiring entrepreneur.
Antonio Maurer
Managing Director, Grandes Surfaces Reunies GSR CEO & Founder, Chez Popo Supermarket Father, Husband, Friend and well, a Success!
Kabo Madigele
Despite his advanced age, Antonio Maurer radiates passion and constructive energy. His account is that of rags to riches, a feat realised by just a few. He credits this to his determination and resilience, as he was consistently strained along the way. As I patiently wait for this business behemoth, my eyes begin to wander around the spotless supermarket. They quickly explore the many fully-packed rows of stock. They are impeccable. Everything is in place. The fresh air that circulates within the building is soothing and relaxing to the mind. Once in a while, my ears pick up some exchanges in the local language, Creole and a few lines in French. I just smile and shake my head, as these are undeniably incomprehensible. One customer passes me by and I quickly embrace the opportunity to console myself. "Bonjour,’’ I utter this in an evidently rudimentary fashion but to my delight, she responds with a welcoming grin.
Still consumed in merriment from this unexpected accomplishment, Mr Maurer emerges in an opposite direction, striding towards the mini reception area where I was sitting. I could see his wide imposing smile from afar. His easy going character is easily decipherable from his interactions with the employees. Along the way, they engage in rapturous laughter. I instantly storm out of my seat when he gets to me. His stature is quite unsettling and I can feel an accelerating loss of composure. He kindly extends his hand and I respond in the affirmative. After this rather extended firm handshake, he guides me upstairs to his office, where we conduct the interview. From behind his desk, surrounded by stacks of documents and files, he begins to narrate his entrepreneurial journey.
I began with nothing. With little academic endowment, Mr Maurer worked for many years in hotels. He saw himself doing menial duties such as cleaning and bartending. As the years passed, he rose through the ranks until he became a manager, thanks to his hard work, commitment and attention to detail. During this time, his wife was running a pet business. She operated a tuck shop selling small things like cigarettes, biscuits and candy. This enterprise exhibited potential, only if it operated on a larger scale. Even though his formal job put food on the table, Maurer knew his destiny: to operate his own business. And he was more than ready to begin carving a path towards it. Armed with managerial experience from the hospitality industry, he downed tools and set foot on an unchartered territory—retail.
I went through excruciating ordeals, but I was resolute.
Realising this idea was not a walk in the park. There was one seemingly insurmountable stumbling block before him. Acquiring seed capital was a headache. He knocked on many doors and all slammed on him; hard hitting rejections. The locus of this challenge that menaced the very existence of his company was that banks and other lending institutions were reluctant to facilitate an unsecured loan in his favour. He had no tangible assets to put forth as collateral for the loan. The land he lived on was in his parents’ name. This is a major stumbling block for a majority of start -ups and they usually fail to get off the ground. At that end, he was utterly convinced that he had reached a cul-de-sac.
Fortunately, he managed to pull a few strings and sourced enough funds from his associates and bought a piece of land. With this development, Maurer was now upbeat about his triumph at the banks. Things turned right; he managed to get capital and work began in full swing.
Stand from the rest. Position yourself strategically . Situated along Royal Road, Trou aux Biches, Mauritius, Chez Popo supermarket is ceaselessly buzzing with activity. It has now positioned itself as a leading store in the area. It primarily sells fast moving consumer goods (FMCG’s) and fast foods, household goods and tourist souvenirs such as Mauritian themed t-shirts, bags and caps. Its customer population constitutes local people and tourists. The latter visit the store in droves. This is to a greater degree because of the proximity of their hotels to the supermarket. Multitudes also pass through it as they descend on Trou Aux beach, which is about 250 metres away. Undoubtedly, Maurer has nailed it, epitomising the power of choosing the right location for a business; a puzzle that many seem to fail to solve.
Be innovative, create your own niche. Forge strategic partnerships.
Give back; make an impact. Not only is this enterprise satisfying the market but it is also simultaneously contributing towards the socio-economic upliftment of the community. It employs 30 permanent staff, 24 of them being female. Many of them have worked for 10 to 15 years, chiefly because of the good working conditions and well-attended-to welfare. The group’s name is also synonymous with philanthropic pursuits.
There are other stores in the periphery but they are relatively smaller: both in floor space and product range. Maurer does not deny that these are competitors, but he confidently asserts that he is giving them a run for their money. First of all, his prices are lower and come with quality products and service. His competitors, on the other hand, charge exorbitant prices, sell low-quality goods and they care less about good customer service. One other thing that gives Chez Popo a competitive edge over other stores is its strategic associations, one of them being GSR, Grandes Surfaces Reunies. It is a Be open minded and anticipate cooperative group of supermarkets, with setbacks; they offer a great impetus Maurer as the Managing Director.
to improve.
The group allows them to create a large capital base in a low-cost way. Furthermore, they can easily access and exploit new markets. This affords members the latitude to strike better deals with suppliers, therefore automatically reducing the selling prices. Through this, high turnover is stimulated and profit margins soar. Member supermarkets use the group brand to collectively market themselves. They promote their products through various media such as newspapers, radio and monthly catalogues. So far, being a GSR member has been the best move ever.
Mistakes and bad decisions are internally part and parcel of every human endeavour. In the quest to diversify his company’s interests or as investment gurus would call it; to put one’s eggs, not in one basket, he constructed a few apartments directly on top of the supermarket. To him, that was a propitious move. On the contrary, this has created strenuous problems, especially in the Costing Department. Additionally, he invests almost all his time and energy in the supermarket, thus, the apartments are not short of being a white elephant. They have only dug deep into the company’s coffers without yielding any substantial return on investment.
“Be open minded and anticipate setbacks; they offer a great impetus to improve.�
I have learnt countless lessons. Every rise and fall has been enlightening. The most valuable lesson that Maurer has learnt is that of taking risks. “Take risks. Be bold and steadfast. On top of that, employ measures to mitigate their impact.’’ His advice to other business people is that they should be innovative. "Solve problems. Bring something new so that you stand out from the pool.’’ "Also, trust your instincts and follow your passion.’’
The future looks bright. Zooming into the future, he plans to flex his muscles by opening another store and creating ample parking facilities at the current store. He also considers variegating his business by investing in real estate, in partnership with his two sons who are currently working with him.
“Solve problems. Bring something new so that you stand out from the pool.”
INVESTING; the HOW
demystified
Mohamed Bouya Maalainine
After demystifying the topic on investment in our first issue, let’s dive deeper. How do you invest? Before investing your money, prepare yourself.
1-Protect yourself
2-Define your investment goals
An investment guru, Warren Buffet advised, “Don't save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.”
It is cool to invest to make money. But it is mandatory that you set a specific goal. Are you making that money to fund your studies? Are you interested in buying a (new) home? Are you trying to have a different source of income? The goal defines where to and how to invest and how risky the investments can be. If you are willing to pay your college fees, you will probably play it safe while investing.
In the real world, even the safest investments are not that safe. To avoid regretting the consequences of a bad investment, start by having an emergency fund. As the name suggests, this fund will be used in case of emergencies such as losing a job, physical injury and bankruptcy.
3-Outsource help As much as you may have an idea about what you want to do, if you feel the need to have a financial coach, don’t hesitate. An expert who knows the trends of the market and the rules that govern it is definitely an asset to have.
Now that you are prepared, below are the fundamentals of investing.
III. Diversify your portfolio It is never said enough, let us say it again: “Do not put all your eggs in one basket�. Do not put all your money in one company. If that company fails, you are done. Try to diversify the type of investment (stocks, real estate, commodities ...). And if you are familiar with more than one sector, diversify your sectors of investment as well. However, you do not want to have many baskets that you are not able to hold anymore. Diversify reasonably.
IV. Buy low, sell high
I. Invest in sectors you are familiar with Given that you have a financial coach, it is still the right thing to do. Being familiar with a sector, gives you the privilege of knowing when this or that company is failing or succeeding. This alone is enough to make you well positioned for investing in that sector.
Disclaimer: while it is the right thing to do, it is not necessarily the best thing to do. History has proven that even if you ignore entirely a given sector you can still make a big hit out of it.
II. The Risk/Profit relationship
This is the most widely known investment fundamental. The riskier your investment, the higher the outcome, be it profit or loss. That being said, avoid being speculative about your investment. Otherwise, the chances of having a good return will be the same as winning the lottery.
This is another way of saying, be mindful of the Demand/Price principle. When there is a little demand on a stock, its price is very low. Buy it. When there is a huge demand on the same stock, its price goes up. Sell it.
V. Educate yourself The more you know about investments, the better. Educate yourself, not only about your specific investments but the market itself. Check its history, the number of bubbles it had, how investors react to financial storms and how they behave in the normal settings. Knowledge is power. Keep researching and updating your information.
Advanced tips Hedge It is counter-intuitive to invest simultaneously in two securities that might move in the opposite direction. However, hedging can be a very powerful means of protecting yourself. At least, when one security goes down, the other will likely cover the loss from the first security and generate profit on top of that.
Invest long-term The media portrays the stock market as the way to go to make fast and easy money. While this might be true, once in a while, for a lucky gambler, it is not for the common and wise people. In fact, with the day-trading and short-term investing, you will face difficulties predicting the market. You will also have to pay more fees because of the daily transactions. Again, expert Buffet: says, “If you are not willing to own a stock for ten years, do not even think about owning it for ten minutes. Put together a portfolio of companies whose aggregate earning march upward over the years, and so also will the portfolio’s market value.” “If you are not willing to own a stock for ten years, do not even think about owing it for ten minutes.”
Reaching for the stars but the clouds won’t let me
Gcinekile Zwane
“You never get it, do you? You dumb girl!” Nolwazi heard her mother’s high-pitched voice ringing in her mind as if reliving that moment all over again. A single tear slid down from her beady eyes, and another, and another, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flowed its way down her pale cheeks, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside of her all this time but still she did not make a sound. Her whole body started trembling. She took a deep breath as if exhaling all the pain out, trying so hard to steady her shaking hands. She opened her eyes. “I’m sorry, this was a mistake,” Nolwazi said hastily standing up running towards the door. “Nolwazi stop!” Dr Msibi tried to stop her but it was too late. Upon her way to the door, she turned back and said; “I shouldn’t have come here”. Still crying, she shut the door so hard and ran out.
At that moment, Dr Msibi, the school’s therapist, remained startled by young Nolwazi’s reaction. During his years as a psychologist, he had dealt with several cases whereby the patient suddenly runs off, but it still surprises him. They hadn’t even started speaking about what brought her to his office. Suddenly the conversation was over. Who said having a Masters in psychology would help get patients to open up, he thought to himself. He was now more convinced than ever that she was a troubled young girl who really was bothered by the things she’s been through. Breathing profusely, Nolwazi raced across the corridors to the ladies room. She stood in front of the mirror. Unmoving. Unblinking. Tears fell down her face endlessly. She looked straight into her eyes as if expecting something to happen. Eventually, she looked away and recollected her thoughts. “What have I done?” she asked herself in revulsion. Wiping her tears away, she turned to the mirror again, expecting answers from it, so to speak. Her mind was racing out of control again, she couldn’t think straight. “Hey Nolwazi” Thando greeted as she swaggered in.
“Hi Thando” she replied shying away. “Lwazi, what’s the problem? Your allergies again? Oh, you poor girl!” Thando said pitifully after spotting her red eyes. Forcefully faking a smile, Nolwazi nodded trying so hard to hide her puffy, watery eyes. Thando turned to the mirror to do her makeup. Later that day, Nolwazi was alone in her room. Her roomie had gone out. It’s Friday night! That’s the life in varsity- everybody goes clubbing all weekend. But not Nolwazi. She liked it when everybody had gone out. Silence. She called it. That is when she gets to be herself, and do what she likes. She sat at her desk and started writing her diary as always.
Friday, 18 May 2013 Dear Diary, Thank God the day is over. And it’s a Friday night! I don’t have to hide anymore. What was I even thinking anyways? How could I go Dr Msibi? Jeez! Did I really think that it was going to help? I should have known better than to trust Zama. I mean I’d never discuss my problems with a stranger. I can deal with everything on my own, as always. It’s just me, myself and I. Strong girls can deal with anything and never break down. I don’t need anyone. But hey, what’s done is done. It’s my second year, and it’s towards the end of my semester. Soon I’ll be writing my exams. Just two more months to go. I need to put in more hours of study. Blood, sweat and tears. All I want is to make my parents proud. For once, I was them to look at me and smile. Let me get back to my books now. Hope tomorrow will be better. Oh Lord help me not do something stupid again.
Goodnight Diary, See you soon. Nolwazi closed her diary and placed it in her drawer. Taking a deep breath, she opened her textbook and started studying.
11 Ways to Wake Up With Motivation Joseph Rutakangwa
Through all of the stories of great successes, it’s the men and women who found their motivation and consistently used it as their main drive to reach success.
Motivation and excitement about your vision, your ambition, your goal, give you energy and an ability to do what others can, but won’t do. If you’re motivated, you work longer hours, but are also more productive and focused in those hours you work. Are you relegated to a life of mediocrity, or is motivation
something that can be coached, practiced, and created? Today we’ll look at 11 ways to find the motivation:
Have your biggest dreams written on a massive white board Your dreams and audacious goals should be written where you can consistently see them. I use a big whiteboard next to my desk. On the white board are my big goals, my weekly goals, and motivational quotes. This helps me keep the eye on the prize, maintain focus, and ward off the distractions that make their way into my day.
Have only 3 things on your to-do list that MUST BE accomplished Don’t try and fill your day with too much. Sure, you’d like to get a lot accomplished, but there should be 3 (only 3) important tasks that NEED to be accomplished. Focus on these first. When they’re completed, and only when they’re completed, are you allowed to move on to other things. Too many people spread themselves thin. What ends up happening is they get overwhelmed, which crushes their motivation, and nothing gets done.
Focus only on TODAY We can get lost in thinking about the future or regretting the past. What’s terrible about this is that while you’re worrying and wishing you were in a different position in life, someone else is working. Worry does no good. If you truly want to succeed you need to learn how to focus your mind only on the present. Do what you can do in the moment, work on the project at hand, accomplish your daily goals and tasks, and you’ll do the same with your bigger, lifelong goals and dreams.
If you’re focused, you’ll stay motivated, you’ll get more done, and you’ll be where you want to be a lot faster.
Practice discipline
Discipline isn’t sexy, but it’s necessary. It’s in discipline that we gain freedom. We gain the freedom to get more done, to improve, and to remove regret from our lives. When you’re focused only on today, doing only what needs to be done in the now, nothing else matters. But discipline needs to be practiced every day. If you practice laziness and distraction, you’ll be left with nothing but regret and failure. Practice being successful by doing what successful people do every day: they remain disciplined. Remember, take it one day at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed with eternity when the present should be your only concern.
Have a quotes list near your desk, and your bed For as he thinks in his heart, so is he… The famous quote from the Bible in the book of Proverbs 23:7 is always close. Be it in my notebook (one of the two), or next to my bed, I always have inspirational quotes that keep me focused, upbeat, and aware that success isn’t immediate. That success takes hard work, dedication, and much sacrifice. If “making it” was easy, everyone would have made it. That’s why I respect all entrepreneurs, it takes guts to be in the arena.
Set mini, measurable goals You’ll have your big goals – and make sure they’re as clear as possible – but they need to be broken into smaller goals as well. Make these goals measurable and attainable in the near future (like “to-do’s.”) Everything should be measurable so you know where you are in relation to where you want to be. EVERYTHING.
Work in 90-120 minute intervals interspersed with active breaks Your work should be intense, purposeful, and focused. Studies have shown that we can do so for a 90-minute period but tend to lose focus once that 90-minute period is struck. One of the best ways to regain focus is to do something active. The endorphins released during this period by a quick jog or set of sprints will help you not only gain energy but regain focus.
Create an inspiring environment Your environment HAS TO inspire you. Surround yourself with images that motivate you, but also in a clean, clear space. Clutter truly does clutter the mind, but it can also be depressing to be in a messy area. Pattern your work environment as you’d love it to be. Spend a little money on a nice desk if that’s your thing, but make sure your work space inspires you and motivates you. This is where the magic happens. This is where you should be spending most of your time. So make sure it affects you positively.
Don’t work on small projects That is, don’t set small goals that don’t excite you. You NEED TO BE excited about what you’re trying to accomplish. If it doesn’t excite you, how are you going to be motivated?
Clean once a week Clean your house and work space once a week. Keep clutter and mess out of your life if you want to keep consistently motivated.
Take mini-vacations monthly While the hustle and grind of creating something – i.e. the life of an entrepreneur – can be arduous and necessary, it needs “mini jolts”. Nature, for myself, is the best way to give me the jolts I need to stay focused, hustle daily, and accomplish big things. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but you should unplug once a month. Go local, but do what you gotta do to get out of your routine. You’ll not only be reenergized, but you’ll find that nature can enhance your creativity. Bring music and a notebook to accompany you on your adventure.
To be more productive in 2016, you should break these bad habits. Joseph Rutakangwa Being more productive is about working smarter, not harder, and making the most of each day. While this is no easy feat, getting more done in less time is a much more attainable goal if you're not sabotaging yourself with bad habits. Here are 13 things you should stop doing right now to become more productive:
Rachel Gillett contributed to an earlier version of this article.
1. Hasty web browsing
Since most of us have access to the internet, it's easy to get side-tracked looking up the answer to a random question that just popped into your head. That's why Quora user Suresh Rathinam recommends writing down these thoughts on a notepad. This way, you can look up the information you want later, when you're not trying to get work done. 2. Multi-tasking While many people believe they are great at doing two things at once, scientific research has found that just 2% of the population is capable of multitasking effectively. For the rest of us, multi-tasking is a bad habit that decreases our attention span and makes us less productive in the long run. 3. Checking email throughout the day Constant internet access can also lead people to check email throughout the day. Sadly, each time you do this, you lose up to 25 minutes of work time. Instead, Strategy Consultant Ron Friedman suggests quitting Outlook, closing email tabs, and turning off your phone for 30-minute chunks of deep-diving work
4. Moral Self-licensing Whether it’s a workout routine, work schedule, or a new diet, one of the most difficult things about forming a new habit is the urge to cheat as a reward for sticking to a routine for a while. This idea that we "deserve" to splurge on fancy meal after being thrifty for a week is called "moral licensing," and it undermines a lot of people's plans for self-improvement Instead, try making your goal part of your identity, such that you think of yourself as the kind of person who saves money or works out regularly, rather than as someone who is working against their own will to do something new.
5. Procrastinating People often start off their day by completing easy tasks to get themselves rolling and leave their more difficult work for later. This is a bad idea, and one that frequently leads to the important work not getting done at all. As researchers have found, people have limited amount of will power that decreases throughout the day. That being the case, it's best to get your hardest, most important tasks done at the beginning of the day.
6. Taking too many meetings Nothing disrupts the flow of productivity like an unnecessary meeting. And with tools like email, instant messenger, and video chat at your fingertips, it's best to only use meetings for introductions and serious discussions that can only be held in person. BlueGrace Logistics founder Bobby Harris recommends that people don’t accept meetings unless the person who requested it has put forth a clear agenda and stated exactly how much time they will need. And even then, Harris recommends giving the person half of the time they initially requested.
7. Sitting all day Business consultant and author, Nilofer Merchant, recommends forgoing coffee or fluorescent-lit conference room meetings in favour of walking and talking 20 to 30 kilometres a week. "You'll be surprised at how fresh air drives fresh thinking, and in the way that you do, you'll bring into your life an entirely new set of ideas," she says.
8. Hitting the snooze button It might feel like pressing the snooze button in the morning gives you a little bit of extra rest to start your day, but the truth is that it does more harm than good. That's because when you first wake up, your endocrine system begins to release alertness hormones to get you ready for the day. By going back to sleep, you're slowing down this process. Plus, nine minutes doesn't give your body time to get the restorative, deep sleep it needs. This isn't to say you should cut back on sleep. As Arianna Huffington says, a good night's sleep has the power to increase productivity, happiness, smarter decision-making, and unlock bigger ideas. The trick for getting enough sleep is planning ahead and powering down at a reasonable time.
9. Keeping your phone next to your bed The LED screens of our smartphones, tablets, and laptops give off what is called blue light, which studies have shown can damage vision and suppress production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle. Research also suggests that people with lower melatonin levels are more prone to depression.
10. Failing to prioritize Some people think having lots of goals is the best way to ensure success — if one idea fails, at least there are plenty more in reserve to turn to. Unfortunately, this sort of wavering can be extremely unproductive. Warren Buffett has the perfect antidote. Seeing that his personal pilot was not accomplishing his life goals, Buffett asked him to make a list of 25 things he wanted to get done before he died. But rather than taking little steps toward completing every one of them, Buffett advised the pilot to pick five things he thought were most important and ignore the rest.
11. Over-planning Many ambitious and organized people try to maximize their productivity by meticulously planning out every hour of their day. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned, and a sick child or unexpected assignment can throw a wrench into their entire day. Instead, you might want to try planning just five or four hours of real work a day, that way you're able to be flexible later on.
12. Under-planning With that being said, you should take time to strategize before attempting to achieve any long-term goals. Trying to come up with the endgame of a project you're doing midway through the process can be extremely frustrating and waste a huge amount of time. Harvard lecturer Dr. Robert Pozen recommends that you first determine what you want your final outcome to be, then lay out a series of steps for yourself. Once you're halfway through, you can review your work to make sure you're on track and adjust accordingly.
13. Perfectionism More often than laziness the root of procrastination is the fear of nothing doing a good job, says British philosopher and author Alain de Botton. "We begin to work only when the fear of doing nothing at all exceeds the fear of not doing it very well ‌ And that can take time," he writes. The only way to overcome procrastination is to abandon perfectionism and not fuss over details as you move forward. Pretending the task doesn't matter and that it's OK to mess up could help you get started faster.
Zero to
It’s that time of year again- the time for new year resolutions, for reinventing yourself, for going f bodybuilding. It is about being the best version of yourself that you can be. The foundation of beco any good exercise routine is a warm-up. Doing a dynamic warm up has been found to be more effec plete Running in Portland, Oregon explains that dynamic exercises increasing the body’s core tem such as the glutes and hamstrings which in turn increases their strength and flexibility. The follow exercise activity. This set of exercises should be repeated 3 times to create a short 3-minute dynami
High Knees
Bum Kicks
Begin with your feet facing forward and hips-width apart. Jump from one foot to the other whilst raising alternate knees as high as possible. *Perform continuously for 20seconds.
Begin with your feet facing forward, hips arms extended slightly away from the bod arms above head whilst separating feet to si jump again, this time lowering your arms d feet back to the starting position. *Perform seconds
HERO!
by Torey Foss
ng from zero to hero! And, being a ‘hero’ isn’t about runway modelling or the next big thing in becoming the best version of yourself lies in becoming active and becoming healthy. The start of effective in injury prevention than a static warm-up. Sean Coster, founder and coach at Comtemperature, as well as increasing blood flow to the body’s large muscles used during exercise ollowing is a short and easy dynamic warm up routine which can be implemented before any namic warm up before more intensive exercise is performed.
hips-width apart with and e body. Jump up and raise to sides. From this position, ms down and bringing your rform continuously for 20
Jumping Jacks
Begin with your feet facing forward, hips width apart. Jump from one foot to the other whilst kicking your heels backward as high as possible into glutes. *Perform continuously for 20 seconds
Do it Together
In order to kick-start a new exercise program, it is important to get into a routine with an account increase the enjoyment of exercise. The following is a short fun exercise plan to do with a partner your own body and take it at your own pace. Perform these exercises through 1-minute intervals d ord how many you manage, and try
Sit up Hi-Five
Begin with your feet locked together and hands behind your head to support the neck. Tensing abdominal muscles, crunch up and meet in the middle with an encouraging high 5. From this position, slowly lower your trunk back down keeping abdominals engaged and repeat.
Push ups hand shake
Begin in a lowered push-up slightly wider than shouldera straight
Push up from the starting pos weight onto one arm and ra shake hands in the middle. R and place hand back onto th body weight evenly. From this by bending at elbows- keeping starting position is reached a arm.
ountability partner- someone to exercise with. This is important to keep yourself motivated and to tner but remember- even though you are working out with someone else, it is important to listen to als during which as many reps as possible are done. Repeat for as many minutes as possible! Recd try and improve on this next time!
ke
-up position with the hands der-width apart and body in ight line.
g position, shifting your body d raise an alternate arm to le. Release from handshake to the ground to distribute this position lower the body eping in a straight line until ed and repeat with opposite arm.
For difficulty levels, E=Easy,
M=Medium
H=Hard
Squat taps
Begin by facing one another with the feet at shoulder width apart. Position your feet to face forward with the knees slightly turned out and sit into a squat with a straight back. Simultaneously shift your body weight onto alternate legs and raise the non-weight-bearing-leg to tap in the middle. To increase the difficulty of this, stay in a low squat as this is done. To make this slightly easier, stand up before shifting your weight and tap from a standing position. Repeat by returning to a seated squat position and perform the exercise on the alternate leg.
Blast Workout
This months’ blast workout will focus on the core. Just as any new beginning has to have a strong workout should leave you exhausted by the end of it, and it therefore has different levels that it can achieved from the w
Flutter Kicks Begin from a supine position, ensuring that the back is flat on the ground and not arched. Raise one leg up splitting legs as one stays down. In a controlled movement raise the opposite leg up while lowering the other leg. To make this exercise easier, or if the back is arching off the ground, place hands underneath hips and raise your legs higher into the air. To make this exercise more difficult, place arms out to the side and keep legs low to the ground.
E
M
H
Hands underneath thighs, legs higher.
Hands on mat, legs fairly low.
Hands underneath thighs, legs really low.
Scissor Kicks Begin from a supine position, ensuring that the back is flat on the ground and not arched. Split legs apart and in a controlled movement and raise one leg across the body above the other until they are in line in the middle of the body. From this position, in a controlled movement, split the legs back apart and raise opposite leg above the other one and repeat, alternating legs. To make this exercise easier, or if back is arching off the ground, place hands underneath hips and raise legs higher into the air. To make this exercise more difficult, place arms out to the side and keep legs low to the ground.
E
Hands underneath thighs,
M
Hands underneath thighs, legs fairly low.
H
Hands underneath thighs, legs really low.
ong foundation, so does the body, and the strong foundation of the body is the core. A blast can be performed at- options to make it easier, intermediate or harder to optimize the value he workout.
Round toe touch Begin in a supine position with the legs raised at 90 degrees to the body and knees flexed. Crunch up to touch shoes, or as far as possible, and slowly lower back down. If this exercise is felt in the neck, place hands behind head to support it and crunch up as far as possible.
E
Touch the knees with hands.
M
Touch the calves or further with hands.
H
Touch the toes or further with hands.
Straight leg toe touch Begin in a supine position with the legs raised parallel to the body and with the knees extended. Keeping legs as straight as possible, crunch up, reaching as close to your shoe laces as possible and slowly lower back down. If this exercise is felt in the neck, support the head with hands.
E
Touch the knees with hands.
M
Touch the claves or further with hands.
H
Touch the toes or further with hands.
Penguin
Bicycle Kicks
Begin in a supine position with the knees flexed and feet placed flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Raise shoulders slightly off the ground by tensing abdominals and reach to left ankle with the left hand and repeat on right side. If this is felt in the neck place hands behind head and contract oblique’s as much as possible. To make this harder, raise trunk further off the ground by tensing abdominals and perform exercise from this position.
Begin in a supine position with the shoulders and legs raised slightly off the ground. From this position, contract your abdominals and bring the right knee up to meet left elbow. Lower the knee and elbow at the same time and raise left knee and right elbow to meet in the middle. Repeat as many times as possible.
E
Lower trunk.
E
Lower trunk.
M
Raise trunk higher.
M
Raise trunk higher.
H
Raise trunk even higher.
H
Raise trunk even higher.
Backward Crunch Begin in a supine position with your shoulders and legs raised slightly off the ground and arms extended along the sides. From this position, flex your knees and hips while simultaneously contracting abdominals to bring your knees to meet your chest. Slowly extend knees and hips to return to starting position and repeat.
Plank Form a triangle with hands and elbows, placing your feet slightly apart. Raise body up and hold, forming a straight line from shoulders through to feet. To increase the difficulty of this, keep the body stable and raise one leg upwards. To decrease the difficulty of this drop one knee at a time to the ground to reduce the weight of the plank.
E
Lower trunk.
E
Put knees on the ground.
M
Raise trunk higher.
M
Take knees off the ground.
H
Raise trunk even higher.
H
Raise one leg and alternate.
Muscles Water & When exercising, the muscles utilized are strained and tiny tears occur. This needs to be healed in order for the muscle to grow. And the way to heal it is through giving your body the right nutrition. One of the most important substances that your body needs when exercising is water, as 70% of your muscle is comprised of water. To calculate how much water your body needs in a day, divide your body weight by 25, and the figure that is left is the amount of water required per day in litres. Drinking the right amount of water each day will not only help your muscles to grow, but it will hydrate your body which in turn will make you feel more energized, remove toxins from your body, and improve sleep. When making a list for new year resolutions, be sure to include your new and improved health and exercise plan. The key components to incorporate are dynamic warm-ups, an accountability partner, something to challenge you, and drinking enough water!
Be-you-tiful 10
Hawi Tiyo
Protect yourself from the sun One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. An excessive sun exposure cause dehydration, wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer. Using sunscreen is helpful to protect our skin from sunlight damage.
Eat Healthy A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamins and low in unhealthy fats and carbohydrates promote pure and younger looking skin.
Manage Stress Take out time for yourself, and try to avoid stress as much as possible. When people are stressed, you tend to break out more. This is because stress causes human body to produce cortisol and other hormones, making the skin oilier and folded. Practice stress management techniques like yoga and meditation, or any activity that will help you feel better.
Know your Skin Type In order to take care of and respect your skin, first and foremost make sure to choose products specially designed for your skin type. Dry skin does not have the same needs as oily skin. Determining your skin type is absolutely necessary to ensure proper care and treatment of your skin. Knowing your skin type will help you pick the right product s for your skin and helps you to provide your skin with the best care.
Taco Crescent Ring
Mohamed Wassim Lawrenda Adzomani
With the festivities now over, chances are that you have lots and lots of left over food stocked up in your refrigerator. So lets get thawing and take your family and friends through an unforgettable culinary experience. You’ll need... 450 g left over Beef/chevon/ poultry/lamb
I medium green pepper, chunked
230 g Cheddar cheese half cubed, half grated
1 medium yellow pepper, chunked
100 g Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 large ripe tomato, chunked
2 packets of dinner rolls or crescent rolls
100 ml salsa/tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon of salt, black pepper and all spice.
1 medium shredded lettuce
Butter Pickles or olives (optional), circled.
After defrosting the meat, cook it slightly in the sauce or salsa. Add the salt and all spices at this point. Take out of heat.
Place the meat mixture in a bowl. If it is too wet drain the liquid out. Pour in the cubed Cheddar. Mix with a wooden spoon.
Add in to the meat mixture the peppers and tomato and continue mixing.
Add in the black pepper to the mixture and mix for the flavours to settle.
Once the meat mixture is done, butter the baking tray and cut out the dinner rolls or crescent rolls into triangles of not more than 6 cm.
Arrange the triangles in such a way that they form a star with a small circle I the centre left open. They can overlap each other.
Carefully place on the crescent triangles the meat mixture to form a fence around the inner small circle. It should look like layered burger.
Add the Mozzarella cheese on the top of the meat later. Fold in the triangles to get to the centre of the small circle, but they do not have to cover up till the bottom.
Preheat the oven to 375째F or 190째C.
Once the triangles have all covered the layers for meat and cheese, bake in an oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
2016 Games
Houcem Khlifi
I believe that sports are not just a simple combination of exercises differentiated into different fields or categories. They actually make our lives happier and more exciting through the wonderful events happening year after year. They bring health and welfare to the human body. Unfortunately, some people are still oblivious to its advantages.
They ignore that all change has a start anchored on desire and hope. I summon you, all, to hope to succeed, to hope to improve and to hope to be better than the person you were in 2015. I summon you to sculpture the best vision of yourselves. And indeed, this is the right time to do so, and this is the right moment for your glory. Do not miss the chance of making your 2016 a Sweet 16.
Imagine the world without a Tennis open, without the UEFA champion’s league, and really, without Sports. I can’t. And that´s why I would love to thank all the people worldwide who are contributing, on a daily basis, to keep Sports alive. Thank you 2015 for the happiness you brought to us
and for having such excitement in you in our sports world. It is going to be crazy in 2016. Numerous competitions, championships and obviously the most anticipated event “The Olympic Games, RIO 2016”.
With an exciting start, the Australian Open between the 18th and 31st of January at
Melbourne Park will get our umpires on fire. This tournament is one of the Grand Slam tournaments and it is played in the middle of summer time when Federer, Djokovic, Nadal and all the tennis big boys and girls meet to battle. I highly recommend the spo-
vers* to watch the whole tournament. And if you are not a spover, JUST GO FOR IT.
In
the
month
of love,
February,
the
Youth Olympics Games will animate our sports calendars. The YOG is an international multi-sport event, held after every four years. The age limitation of the athletes to participate is between 14 and 18. The sports contest at the Youth Games is the same as those scheduled for the traditional games. For all the Snow Lovers, get ready for this year’s winter YOG. Our flight tickets will be booked for Lillehammer, Norway. So get packing for this exceptional journey.
March forward to the exciting third month where cycling fans will be enthused to attend the world track championships that will take place between the 2nd and 6th of March in London. The cricket fans too, will get up on their feet immediately and hurry to attend the ICC world twenty20 held in India. Snap back to the world track championships which takes place annually and comprises of races for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling. The championship is regu-
lated by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
Spovers*, the world is yours, you are the master of yourself and may 2016 be a year full of success and achievements for you. One last thing. Keep doing what you love and always remember not to give up despite the level of pain. Bear in mind that pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an
hour, or a day, or a year, but it will eventually subside and something else, something good, will take its place. If you quit, however, it lasts forever.
*Spovers: sport lover
JANUARY MUSIC ALBUM RELEASES
Wildfire
Kavana
It lies Within
Rachel Platten
Zusha
Paramount
Release Date: 01/01/2016
Release Date: 05/01/2016
Release Date: 8/01/2016
A War Against You
Greatful
Masterpiece
Ignite
Classified
Jah Cure
Release Date: 08/01/2016
Release Date: 15/01/2016
Release Date: 22/01/2016
Better
Islah
Nine Track Mind
Brian McKnight
Kevin Gates
Charlie Puth
Release Date: 29/01/2016
Release Date: 29/01/2016
Release Date: 29/01/2016
JANUARY MOVIE RELEASES
Yosemite
The Revenant
Genre: Drama
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
Genre: Adventure, Action
Release Date: 01/01/2016
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 08/01/2016
Release Date: 05/01/2016
400 Days
Ride Along 2
A Perfect Day
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 12/01/2016
Release Date: 15/01/2016
Release Date: 15/01/2016
Exposed
Kung Fu Panda 3
Fifty Shades of Black
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Genre: Family, Adventure
Genre: Crime, Comedy, Spoof
Release Date: 22/01/2016
Release Date: 29/01/2016
Release Date: 29/01/2016
A letter from Uncle Charles Dearest, It is super 2016. There are lots of opportunities and chances to be grabbed. It is the year to rise to influence and significance. 2015 just came to an end. And with it, all losses, disappointments or failures. All the setbacks that took place are now insignificant for we can never change the past nor go back to the season. So let 2016 be your year of massive success and whatever failure or impediments you experienced in 2015 should be taken as comebacks and stepping stones to your way on top. It's time to capitalise on what you gathered throughout the previous years and apply all that insight this year. The focus this year should be making you and the people around you better. You should aspire to get to a higher level full of positivity and warmth together. It is only those who will be willing to lose sight of the shore who will discover new lands; of plenty and better, this year. start the discovery today and now. Because you are the best, never look down upon yourself. Do your best to be the best and raise your standards, only settling for the best. Hang out with people who will bring out the best in you because your network will always become your net worth! Stay out of the crowd and do not be afraid to be different. Funny, those who turn their backs to the crowd get to conduct the choir! Good music is produced after the choir master or mistress conducts the notes well, and the crowd gets to dance to the tune. Chase your ambitions, dreams and goals in life! Expose yourself to growth this year.
Grow in Wisdom. Mentally grow. Read lots of different books, articles, magazines among others this year to gain a lot of knowledge. Try your hardest to retain that knowledge and you will stay ahead of the pack. Indeed, knowledge is power. Grow in Stature. Your health is your biggest wealth. Keep fit and happy. This is very necessary and key. Eat right, play right and work right. Grow in Ties. Social growth encompasses favour among men. You need to learn how to connect with great people and connect well. Ensure they better you and not intimidate you because it's the great destinies are clouded with great people. Grow in God. The desire to have the Supreme power walking with you to empower you to do all things through His strength should burn in you this year. The hunger for where you want to be must be greater than the comfort of where you are. Let this be the year of achievements and success. Let it be your Sweet 16. I wish you all the best and Good luck!
Take care and God Bless You so much! Best, Uncle Charles. Charles Msilanga is a Motivational Speaker and Mentor who’s based in Kenya.
Zoom in to the Future
BANZA WISHES YOU A SWEET
2016