A time to
Celebrate
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s the year careers towards a close, in this, our final issue of S13, we take a few moments to celebrate all the great initiatives and inspiring people that have made 2013 so memorable for so many Africans. Our report on the trends that shaped Africa this year offers a glowing bill of health in social, economic and technological advancement. The African Union, 50 years old today, represents an ideal for all that is possible as a united continent. It is with that same spirit of Pan-Africanism that we celebrate our cover girl, Kenyan-based luxury accessories designer Adele Dejak. She is one of 14 designers who participated in #AmazeAfrica, Samsung’s groundbreaking fashion show that took place during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa, and set the tone for a new ideology in African luxury. This year also marks the 75th birthday of Samsung Electronics. Ours is a remarkable story that begins with a small trading company selling dried fruit and vegetables, and culminates into what is now a giant global entity
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partnering with local communities to create opportunities for young pioneers. Much like the young people from across the African continent whose achievements we pay special tribute to in our celebratory profile “Ten of the Best”. Their endurance, innovation and ambition in various fields have led to real life examples of awe-inspiring achievements in 2013. As we look back, it’s important to look to the future and one of the highlights of every new year is the unveiling of Samsung’s new product launches at the annual Consumer Electronics Show that takes place in Las Vegas, January 7-10; be sure to check in the first issue of S14 for all the news and reviews. S13 is not a static entity and as we enter a new year, fittingly the magazine too shall turn a corner and return under the banner S14. If you would like to subscribe please visit www.amazeafrica.com We hope all these stories of achievement renew your own journey towards more personal bests and firsts in the year to come.
Seoul Lantern Festival.
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Image courtesy of Dave and Kim Travel
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12 Photographer Kristin-Lee Moolman assisted by Ed Listner, Stylist Louw Kotzé Hair and make-up Amber van Winsen Black jacket from Dolce & Gabanna. Choker and gold ring from Appartement a louer at Catheryne Gaeyla. Drop necklace from Adèle Dejak.
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Guest editor’s note What a difference a year makes! In S13Q4 we take stock of the months gone by, paying special tribute to some of the most inspiring young people from across the African continent. Their endurance, innovation and ambition in various fields have led to real life examples of awe-inspiring achievements in 2013, which are now immortalized in history.
Need to know.....................................6 Adèle Dejak. . .....................................12
Ar yan Kaganof.................................18 David Adjaye.................................... 20 10 Trends that shaped Africa.. .... 26 Siba Mntongana.. ............................ 30 African food bloggers . . ............... 32 AmazeAfrica.................................... 36
We also reflect on the way things were, tracing the beginnings of present-day iconic brands. As we marvel at how far we have come, we cast an expectant glance into the future and hope all these stories of success renew your own journey towards more personal bests and firsts in the year to come. Phiona Okumu, Afripopmag.com
Retraction Africa’s New Fashion Leaders, published in S13Q3, said Franca Sozzani advised GFDW to create ETHIKA(TM). This is untrue and we apologise for the misinformation.
inside S13Q4 share/invest play City guide: Kampala...................... 54 10 African success stories.......... 58 Kenya’s Konza dream. . .................. 62 Luxur y destinations...................... 66 Keeping the cool . . ......................... 72 The age of the app. . ........................74
S13 Quarter 4 Editor in chief Eben Keun Managing editor Nimi Pretorius Guest editor Phiona Okumu Finance Ilan Green Designers Nicole Sutton-Pryce, Leanie Herbst, Gregory Wylde Production Keo Sardinha, Michelle Nelson
75 years of Samsung. . ................... 78 Vlisco................................................ 88 Samsung mobile centres. . ........... 92 Solar power in Africa. . ................... 94 Samsung Digital Village............... 98 Samsung EVP day........................ 100 50 years of the AU....................... 106 A day in the life of........................ 108
Contributors Ashraf Jamal, Chris Saunders, Chris Valentine, Helen Herimbi, Ivan Colic Emma Jordan, Kate White, Kgomotso Moncho, Lola Pedro, Melinda Ozongwu, Mwanabibi Sikamo, Nana Ocran, Patrick Latimer, Phiona Okumu, Steve Tanchel, S.M. Adeyemi, SDR Photo, Vernon Reed, Louw Kotze, Jenny Andrews.
88 For editorial queries contact S13@breinstorm.co.za S13 is published quarterly for Samsung Electronics Africa by Breinstorm Brand Architects, Dispatch Building, The Media Mill, 7 Quince Street, Milpark, SA, 2092 Samsung commissioning editor Christine Roux
Need to know Home chic home What happens when London’s most luxurious department store, a leading technology giant and an accomplished interior designer join forces? Working with world-famous interior designer Kelly Hoppen, Samsung answered this question with the launch of the Samsung Home Innovation Luxury Living Space, a premium showcase of Samsung’s top home appliances in Harrods. The display includes Samsung’s Intelligent Ecobubble™ washing machines that can be controlled with your smartphone, vacuum cleaners with special sensors to identify which areas in your home need
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cleaning most and an oven range that features Samsung’s unique Dual Cook™ – a new technology that allows you to cook two dishes at two different temperatures at once. “Our homes are so important to us – they are an expression of ourselves and places we eat, sleep, work and play,” says Hoppen. “My aim with the Samsung Home Innovation space was to create a beautiful, sleek design in my signature neutral style that showed off these innovative products and created a luxury experience in the home.”
Africa’s next top model
Ahfad University for Women image: mark.space.4goo.net. Oluchi image: yazkam.wordpress.com
Following the success of Tyra Banks’ America’s Next Top Model brand – now spanning three continents and 35 countries – Nigerian supermodel Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi recently launched the iconic model search in Africa in partnership with CBS, South African Tourism and M-Net. The leggy supermodel is executive producer and host of the show. Twelve hopefuls from eight African countries (Angola, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Tanzania and Mozambique) will compete for the Africa’s Next Top Model title. Season one was shot on several locations in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and is set to air in the last quarter of 2013 pan-regionally on M-Net/ Africa Magic channels. According to Oluchi, the competition is a way to promote unity on a continent whose niche fashion industry is still finding its feet.
The next generation of learning There is no future worth looking forward to without education. Inspired by this belief, Samsung Electronics Africa has just launched an innovative “smart school” study lab at the Ahfad University for Women in Khartoum, Sudan. “Sudan’s future rests on the potential of its youth,” says Mr. Kyoung IL Min from Samsung Sudan. “We are very pleased to be able to contribute to changing the face of teaching and learning in Sudan by bringing our solutions to schools like the Ahfad University for Women”. The lab consists of 30 Samsung Notebooks and Galaxy 3 tablets, an interactive e-board and a server that sees teachers deliver content to learners, monitor student progress, conduct group activities and run tests on shared screens.
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Kenya’s Kipochi: money on the move When it comes to mobile money, it seems Kenya is leading the world into an exciting new era. Following the success of M-Pesa, Kenya’s innovative mobile money system, the country has now introduced Kipochi, the next revolution in virtual money. Kipochi means “wallet” in Swahili. It’s all about smart, fast ways to transact: the system enables M-Pesa users to buy Bitcoins, which they can use to shop online or make cross border money transfers in a way that is faster, cheaper and easier than ever before. With Kipochi, you don’t actually go into a bank to transact: the value is held in a cloud and shared between countless virtual users. Your mobile phone number is also your Kipochi account number, which means that you become your own bank manager, using nothing but your phone.
When words fail us First we started texting instead of sending letters. Then we started using SMS language, LOL’ing at jokes and ROTFWL at really funny ones. The latest craze in digital communication, stickers, is fast replacing text for a young generation that seems to be cutting down on conversation. Stickers are basically adorable emoticons born in Japan, where an app called “Line” was developed to allow smartphone and PC users to make free phone calls and send text messages to each other, complete with a wide variety of fun emoticons nicknamed “stickers”. Millions of users in the East are now willing to pay several dollars for digital sticker bundles, making this world of cutesy characters a new type of goldmine. And with Facebook recently launching its own range of stickers, it’s quite possible that the rest of the world will follow in their footsteps. After all, why choose your words carefully to tell someone you love them, when you can send them a picture of two kissing birds?
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Banking on fashion image: still from GTBank and Tate Modern Partnership YouTube video
Banking on African film, art and fashion ‘Investing in African art means supporting African human talent, safeguarding African heritage for future generations and enhancing the perception of our continent and country to the rest of the world’. These were the words of Segun Agbaje, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank back in 2011. The occasion? The bank’s cultural partnership with London’s Tate Modern Art Gallery. At the time, the intercontinental focus meant the creation of a dedicated curatorial post, an acquisition fund aimed at increasing the gallery’s African works, a UK and Africa knowledge exchange programme and a series of annual exhibitions that have included the works of Africa-based photographers, and more recently the much-talked-about 12-room installation by the legendary Beninese artist Meshac Gaba. Multi award-winning, GTBank (as it’s commonly known) has a strong presence both locally and abroad, not just as a financial service provider, but as an institution that fully embeds its activities within Africa’s cultural industries. Through its sponsorship and support for African film, art and fashion, GTBank’s holistic approach to business is clearly shaping the local, national and international landscape for African creativity and innovation. The digital space has also had major GTBank input with the 2012 launch of Ndani TV, an online portal for music, arts and business. It’s a move that seals the bank’s desire to project Africa to the world, but also one that taps into the continent’s huge and growing youth culture, by providing voices for, by and about the creative energy that we possess. These aren’t idle moves for GTBank, whose before tax profit was around N103 billion in 2012. This undoubtedly reflects the bank’s status as a financial history maker and creative leader in Africa.
Lagos Fashion Design Week ‘What you wear is how you present yourself to the world,’ said Italian fashion designer Miuccia Prada. ‘Fashion is instant language’. Although her references probably apply to what she sees on or creates for the European or US catwalks, her words ring true when applied to the styles that appeared at this year’s Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW). The event, which saw its third edition in October, is the brainchild of founder Omoyemi Akerele, a former lawyer and Creative Director of Style House Fashion, a fashion and image consulting company based in Nigeria. Very much aware of the global fashion industry’s multi-billion dollar value, Akerele’s aim is to strengthen Nigeria’s place within this sector. Lagos is a fashion capital. This year, collections by McMecka, Tumisola, Ejiro Amos Tarifi, Anita Quansah + Mosaique and Kiki Kamanu wowed the crowds. With a growing number of internationally successful and on-their-way-to-being successful fashion designers placed throughout the city, it’s inevitable that the global fashion audience will keep arriving on West African soil to get up close and personal with the garment and accessory creators that are based there. Sponsored by Guaranty Trust Bank, this year’s LFDW was far more than a runway experience. As well as featuring new season collections from the best African talent in the industry there was an exhibition market place, workshops and master classes, an award ceremony in partnership with the British Council and a Fashion Business series that linked key players from the Nigerian, African and the international fashion industry with an audience of models, designers, buyers, stylists and fashion PRs.
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Designer gear It’s hard to believe that Italian design house Moschino is 30 years old already. To celebrate this milestone, Samsung asked the fashion brand to design a range of Galaxy Note3 and Galaxy Gear accessories. The collection, inspired by Moschino’s famous design perspective, features peace signs in metallic combinations and heart-shaped accessories in white/red and white/gold. As an official sponsor of London Fashion Week from 13-17 September 2013, Samsung also teamed up with renowned UK footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood to unveil a range of exclusive accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Note3 at the event. Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Division at Samsung, said: “Technology is becoming more deeply linked with the creative processes of fashion designers and artists – both enabling and empowering them in their creative process.”
Nicholas Kirkwood
Africa’s growing taste for champagne In September Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s leading producers of premium spirits and wines, announced rising champagne sales figures in Africa. Many experts are now saying that Africa is the continent to watch when it comes to future lucrative markets for upmarket beverages. Whilst Johannesburg was mentioned as a key market for the much-loved bubbly drink, Lagos seems to be leading the celebrations. Earlier this year, research house Euromonitor estimated that by 2017, Nigeria’s annual champagne consumption will be 1.1 million litres. This means that the country has the fastest growing champagne consumption rate in the world, a tell-tale sign of a fast emerging luxury culture. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 1 0
Moschino
From Lusaka with love
A helping hand for education in East Arica
Nestled on the outskirts of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, away from all the hustle and bustle is the picturesque Sugarbush Farm, home to Jackal and Hide; a company that produces exquisite, handmade leather bags and accessories. It is a versatile range of products designed by Gillie Lightfoot and includes wallets, totes, jewellery and beautifully crafted notebook covers. Every item in the range is fair-trade, produced on the farm by artisans that are trained in-house. The leather and all other material, including embellishments, are ethically sourced across Africa. Such is the attention to detail, dedication and commitment to ensuring their products are truly African and of the highest quality that even the lining is made from fabric which is hand printed in the Luangwa Valley of Eastern Zambia. A bag from Jackal and Hide carries the message that Africans can successfully combine the traditional with the thoroughly modern. Visit www.jackalandhide.net for more info.
The future prosperity of East Africa depends greatly on the level of education its people can access. For this reason, Samsung Electronics East Africa has partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to provide laptops to university students at a price they can afford. The deal aims to enable and promote e-learning at university level. Speaking at the signing of the agreement Samsung Electronics East Africa Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Robert Ngeru was optimistic about the initiative’s contribution to economic growth in the area. “We are committed to supporting the government to achieve goals, specifically within the ICT sector through our provision of transformative e-learning solutions,” he said.
Tribal beauty SKIN is a quintessentially African company that takes advantage of the continent’s natural diversity to produce nourishing handmade soaps, body scrubs and creams. This family-run enterprise operates on a farm in central Zambia; its product range is rooted in the unique traditions of the surrounding areas. The ingredients are all organic and include Mongongo oil that has been used for centuries by local tribes to treat a variety of skin ailments, as well as Baobab oil from that iconic African upside down tree. Visit www.skinafrica.com for more information. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 1 1
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The Kenyan-based accessories designer changing the course of African luxury, one piece at a time. Words Emma Jordan
Photographer: Kristin-Lee Moolman assisted by: Ed Listner Stylist: Louw Kotzé Hair and make-up: Amber van Winsen
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any designers cite itinerant lifestyles and global travel as an inspiration for the their work. For accessories designer Adèle Dejak, multiple plane tickets and far-flung destinations are an every-day reality. Born in Nigeria and educated in England, she has lived in Abuja, London, Rome, and now splits her time between Kampala and Nairobi, from where she runs her eponymous business. “I’m a law graduate,” says Dejak as we travel to the cover shoot, two days after she has taken part in the Samsung #AmazeAfrica MBFWA 2013 show. “I wanted to do art and design or advertising, but my father said ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea, you need to do something solid and stable.’” What followed was a few years working in various city firms, before, she says, she had a meltdown and travelled to Italy. It was here, “hanging out with artists” she met her husband, and the Italian connection began. It suits her, with her largesse and passion, her elegance and openness, that she would be adopted by this rich, Mediterranean culture. It’s also stood her in good stead. Last year, when Franca Sozzani’s jet was declined landing rights in Addis Ababa, she flew via Kampala, Uganda, and it was Dejak, with her Italian and design connections who was proposed as a ‘fashion guide’ to Vogue Italia’s Editor-in-Chief. “She had a list of design people she was meant to see and I wasn’t on it,” she says matter-of-factly. “Once we’d started talking, and she went on my website, she said she couldn’t believe I wasn’t on it.” And neither can we. The designer, who runs a fleet of shops in Kenya and exports across Africa, has been turning the eye of an international fashion cognoscenti looking for that special ‘something’
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Like all her pieces, they effortlessly straddle the divide between artefact and high fashion
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coming out of Africa. Recently she took part in Graphic Africa, the Design Network Africa showcase at Habitat in London, and was invited by Salvatore Ferragamo to create six bags for the luxury Italian label’s annual Bags for Africa auction. She was also part of Vogue Talents at Milan Fashion Week and was paired with Ghanaian designer Nana Brenu for Samsung’s #AmazeAfrica. For the latter she created a selection of limited-edition pouches and totes for the Galaxy Note 8 in the softest black leather, finished with recycled brass and horn. Like all her pieces, they effortlessly straddle the divide between artefact and high fashion. “I wanted to rejuvenate African luxury,” she says. “The African Renaissance is here to stay and the more established Western fashion industry needs to watch out for the African fashion industry. It is bursting with tremendous talent to match theirs!”
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The world of Adèle Dejak shot on her Samsung Galaxy Note3
create/ inspire
Cellular visionary
South African Aryan Kaganof is a leading light in the growing African film industry. Kgomotso Moncho talks to the award-winning mobile film maker on his innovative marriage of art and technology.
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Image courtesy of Aryan Kaganof
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his is the era of mobile film making,” Aryan Kaganof declares. Kaganof is the South African film maker who gave Africa its first feature-length film shot entirely on mobile phone cameras, with SMS Sugar Man in 2005. And the film has not aged. SMS Sugar Man is still as freshly hip as the year it was made. Perhaps this has to do with how revolutionary it is in a film industry that is still developing. Or it could be Kaganof’s personal approach to investigating the creative and aesthetic potential of cellphone film making. He does experimental art with a soulful intent. So as subversive and erotic as SMS Sugar Man is, with its political subtexts, his technique gives it a poetic theatricality which is quite brilliant. And it would seem Kaganof is still riding on the wave of the legacy that film has left him. He has developed a knack for creating or being involved with groundbreaking material. He edited Elelwani, South Africa’s first Venda feature film adapted from the first Venda novel of the same name, directed by Ntshavheni Wa Luruli. It premiered in South African cinemas in October. Florence Masebe won best actress for her role in the film at the Africa Movie Academy Awards this year. Kaganof’s latest film, An Inconsolable Memory, about the Eoan Group, South Africa’s first grassroots opera company established in 1933, is a contender for an international award at the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) in Amsterdam in November this year. The IDFA has a reputation for being one of the world’s top documentary film festivals pushing for groundbreaking and creative documentaries. The story of the Eoan group, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, is a catalyst to promoting understanding of the ‘coloured’ classification and the emotional implications that has on people’s lives.
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My life is my art and my art is my life. Finally technology has caught up with my fantasies.
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“An Inconsolable Memory attempts to convey in the film medium a sense of loss that is so great that language as we know it entirely fails at encompassing, at describing, the feeling. Only song and film can measure this kind of grief. So the film has an elegiac quality,” says Kaganof. “I wanted to tell the story of the Eoan group through the memories of the members that were shared with us on camera. However, as we know, memories are not always coherent, are often ambiguous, at times inconsequential and contradictory. I tried to capture that feeling through the different types of film material I used (for instance, cellphone footage)” . He is currently editing his experimental documentary Marikana Symphony which he plans to send to the Rotterdam Film Festival for a world premier in February. Elaborating on what drives his creative choices, he says, “I have a very foolish, and quite ignorant, tendency to not want to copy other people.” “I’m constantly filming on my phone. My life is my art and my art is my life. Finally technology has caught up with my fantasies.”
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Bringing Africa to light David Adjaye, the Nigerian-born, award-winning architect, says Africa holds the key to future-build solutions. He recently visited South Africa to open the Museum of African Design. Words Ashraf Jamal
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Image courtesy of MOAD. www.moadjhb.com
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avid Adjaye “doesn’t do” bricks. For an internationally renowned architect this is an unusual thing to say, but then Adjaye is no ordinary architect. Concrete slabs, glass tiles, hunks of marble, yes, but bricks … well … maybe. If David Adjaye is widely sought after for his inspired use of materials, it is his use of light that sets him apart. With building projects across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Adjaye Associates is a global brand. Southern Guild, the South African mecca for collectable local design, recently flew in David Adjaye as Guest of Honour for the launch of MOAD, the Museum of African Design in the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg. Adjaye’s illustrious presence was matched by that of Paul Mashatile, the South African Minister for the Department of Arts & Culture. Clearly this was a landmark event in the global repositioning of South African and African design. That there has been a marked global interest in African art and design as “the next big thing,” not only means that African art increases in financial value and cultural provenance; it also means that life in Africa – and African lifestyles – accrue greater interest. 1:54, the first African Art Fair in London, or the triumph of the Angolan Pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale, are other recent cases in point. Gone are the
days of Africa as a curiosity cabinet to be raided; today there is a strong commitment to mutual investment, underpinned by the utopian belief in Africa as the epicentre for a new global ethics and humanism. As a spokesperson for African cities, David Adjaye is instrumental in this changing perspective. “I’m bored with the simplification of Africa — the reduction of the continent down to a series of clichés,” he says. “We know them all: Africa the begging bowl of the world…” Contrary to this widespread – though changing – opinion, Adjaye knows that Africa has much to offer the world. Having travelled the length and breadth of the continent, visiting cities as diverse as Dakar, Abidjan, Accra, Cairo, Asmara, Bangi, Maputo, Nairobi and Johannesburg, Adjaye’s eye has always been caught by the rich texture of Africa’s urban living conditions which have largely been neglected by the rest of the world. As Adjaye notes, “in the mainstream there’s a lot of imagery of savannahs, safari, poverty – but no urban culture. It’s not been required by western media outlets and business – so largely it’s not been documented.” However, after 500 years of exploitation, Africa today is inspiring a global reckoning and an inspiration. Thanks to powerful interventions such as Adjaye’s African urban photographic project, a meticulous visual study of
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There are lessons to be learned from African cities for how Europe can move forward.
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the lived conditions and relations of people in African cities, new perspectives are emerging. Adjaye describes his photographic project as “an agenda-less archive” of urbanised Africa, its look, its feel, stripped of “how an NGO, a global media agency or government chooses to portray it.” If for Adjaye the African city was “a blind spot” in the global media, then today it has become the core for new – global – developmental innovations. As J.M. Ledgard notes, “cities supercharge ideas,” and this is often more true of slums; “most of the economic growth in the world in the coming years will be from the poorest bits of cities in the poorest
countries.” It is this core insight which fuels David Adjaye’s vision. Quite literally, David Adjaye is here to shine a light on Africa. If “western architecture is about keeping the weather, specifically the rain, out,” he says, then “Africa is created by the sunshine, so it encourages a different type of living. There are lessons to be learned from African cities for how Europe can move forward. I learn something every time I go to a new place – whether it’s a slum community like Kibera in Nairobi or the business district of Luanda.” Understanding the connections between people and places is vital. As J.M. Ledgard reminds us, “connectivity is a given:
it is coming and happening and spreading in Africa… culture is being formed online as well as on the street: for the foreseeable future, the African voice is going to get louder.” There is no doubt that David Adjaye belongs to this great chorus; a “transnational” voice for African design, new urban vision and a new connectivity. “I’m very interested in working on the continent,” he says. “I want it to be a part of my practice.” Who knows, with his recent visit Johannesburg may prove that locus. After all, says Adjaye, “Johannesburg, more than Cape Town, has become the cosmopolitan city of South Africa.”
Urban Africa: David Adjaye’s photographic survey, Design Museum London, photography by Luke Hayes D.C. public library, photography by Brandie Tendai Sclera by David Adjaye, supported by AHEC, for London Design Festival 2008, photography by Susan Smart
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Images courtesy of xxx
Seoul Lantern Festival. Image courtesy of Koreaholic
Celebrating 10 trends that shaped Africa in 2013 2013 has been an exciting year for Africa, as cities expand, consumers diversify and businesses boom. Industries this year have finally stepped up to the mark to offer even more innovative products, services and experiences. Here is a round up of the key trends and related brand examples that affected African consumers over the last year. Words Lola Pedro S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 2 6
Crossing borders African audiences have always embraced cultural nuance in entertainment, whether through watching a local show or listening to a favorite musician. 2013 however, saw brands from creative industries cross over geographic borders to produce and present engaging experiences for Africans everywhere. »» MTV Africa celebrated African music culture with a pan-African music campaign and ‘All Stars’ tour. »» Nigeria’s iRokoTV launched their Nollywood DVD collection in South Africa. »» The Goethe Institute implemented the ‘10 Cities’ music project linking artists from various African cities with themselves and creative counterparts in Europe.
Illustrations by Patrick Latimer
Digital citizenship Organisations in the public sector this year have been busy overhauling their systems and electronically upgrading their tools for managing the populace. Citizens who haven’t already enjoyed the effects of these technological changes should be doing so soon as many more projects linger in the pipeline. »» All court records and systems used by the Kenyan judiciary became digitised . »» A government-led citizen smart ID card project
commenced in South Africa. »» Mastercard and the Nigerian government announced ‘National Identity Smart Cards’ with payment capabilities.
Young Einsteins In 2012, Euromonitor International reported that “countries in sub-Saharan Africa had the youngest proportion of population in the world with over 70% of the region’s population aged below 30.” 2013 expressed a bright future for this critical demographic group when an unprecedented amount of young African entrepreneurial geniuses excelled on the global stage. »» A 13-year-old Kenyan boy presented ‘Lion Lights’ system that solves a critical agricultural problem at the 2013 TED Conference. »» A urine-powered generator invented by Nigerian teens received international acclaim after being exhibited at Maker Faire Africa. »» Two students from Burkina Faso and Burundi were the first non-Americans to win Global Social Venture Competition after inventing an anti-malarial soap.
Saluting commuting
experience. Yet commuters today are starting to make journeys with a little more ease than before. Innovative organisations in 2013 have proved that transportation can be made more efficient, comfortable and convenient regardless of whether state-led infrastructural changes have been implemented or not. »» Mobile app Snappcabbs was launched allowing travellers to order, track and pay for taxis on the go in South Africa. »» Google launched cashless pre-paid commuter cards in Kenya. »» Wi-Fi capabilities were installed on ‘Jaguar’ buses for passengers in Rwanda.
Homegrown gadgetry 2013 marked the moment in which African-made consumer electronics arrived in full force. These often-tailored products that address the region’s challenges and idiosyncrasies were rolled out for discerning local audiences like never before. »» Kenya’s “Back up generator of the Internet” modem, BRCK reached its funding target on Kickstarter. »» Nigeria released the ‘Bamboo’, a tablet aimed at the African market. »» South Africa’s Seemahale Telecoms launched its first smartphone.
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Rural revival
Information saturation
Fashion forward
The rural landscape opened up for brands wanting to flaunt their sustainable and ethical innovations in 2013. CSR strayed from the cities into the remotest of African locations, taking on the challenges of those locations and offering inventive solutions for their communities.
African organisations got extremely creative when disseminating information to their readers and viewers this year. Whether for general knowledge, current affairs, self-advancement or simply just entertainment purposes, the plethora of new solutions that optimised existing channels to feed the info-craving masses was undeniable.
African fashion took on interesting twists this year. Enthusiasts were given the opportunity to revel in new fashion channels as cool events, projects and initiatives were seen all over the continent and in the diaspora.
»» Samsung launched solar-powered mobile health centres in South Africa. »» Coke introduced rural ‘Ekocenters’ to provide clean water in South Africa. »» British company ‘OX’ built a flat-pack truck aimed at transporting water, food and materials across Africa.
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»» An independently run website visualised Zimbabwe’s election results using real time maps. »» Wikipedia piloted hosting its articles via SMS format in Kenya. »» MTN Uganda launched a newspaper-based, USSDactivated virtual library.
»» Edun and Diesel’s ‘Studio Africa’ collection featured music events and African talent from across nine creative industries. »» SUPAFRIK launched a diaspora-inspired pop-up shop in Paris. »» The Bokeh Fashion Film Festival in South Africa became a first of its kind on the continent.
Mobile integration
Cybercentricity
African consumers have been spoilt when it comes to mobile innovation. To take things a step further, telecoms companies, mobile networks and related apps spent the year collaborating with each other to provide their customer bases the very best of the best all bundled into a single experience.
As the race for Africa’s Silicon Valley continues, geeks were treated to some very ambitious announcements of ubiquitous connectivity through futuristic tech projects, ecosystems and initiatives.
»» Both 2go and iroking vouched to bring Nigerian music to millions on the move. »» MTN Nigeria and Eskimi collaborated to offer a social network data bundle. »» Nashua mobile and Orange formed a strategic partnership to target French nationals in South Africa.
»» Victoria Falls was converted to a cyber city during the UN’s world tourism conference. »» Google tested ‘Project Loon’ using a network of highaltitude balloons to deliver low-cost Internet access. »» Microsoft trialed using TV ‘white space’ to supply rural Africa with broadband Internet connections.
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Table for one
With 90 countries around the world tuned into her newest television show, Siba’s Table, all eyes are on chef Siba Mtongana. She spoke to us about food, fond memories and the festive season. Words Helen Herimbi
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Image courtesy of www. teeveetee.blogspot.com
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re you happy with that?” Sibahle Mtongana puts her hands on the kitchen counter and leans in, looking straight at the director, “I’m just going to riff it and make it my own.” With that, the cameraman resumes his starting position, the blender is quickly cleaned as Siba, as this chef is affectionately known, walks out of frame to take the scene from the top. Siba is shooting an episode on braai-ing or barbecueing on the set of Siba’s Table, a cooking show that launched on the Food Network in 90 countries. The kitchen, a palette of bright colours, is a homey lived-in space in the heart of Hout Bay in the Western Cape. This isn’t Siba’s first television show – she had great success with Cooking With Siba on DStv’s Mzansi Magic where she shared her kitchen with celebrities. A few takes later, they break for lunch. “Under normal circumstances, I would never say grill or barbecue,” she explains the fluffed-up line from a comfortable chair in her dressing room that has a long clothes rack and a bed, “but there are people who will watch the show and not know what a braai is. We have to cater for that. For instance, in one of my recipes on the show, I use mielie-meal but you’re unlikely to get that outside of Africa so I tell them they can also use polenta as a substitute.
It turns me off when someone uses ingredients that aren’t available to me.” Siba (28) is passionate about her profession and proud of her achievements. She is the first black South African and second woman (after Jenny Morris) on the Food Network, a Mail & Guardian 200 Young South African, a multipleGalliova Award for food and health writers winner and a Consumer Sciences: Food and Nutrition graduate. Siba’s Table speaks to food being Siba’s love language. It’s a conduit to romancing her husband (in a date night episode), her family (where she cooks her mother’s favourite glazed gammon) and her friends (in a cocktail episode). “Sharing food with my family and close friends is a big part of who I am,” she says, “That’s what people like the most about it as it makes it real and they can relate it to me and my experiences. It also indirectly revives family values and the sharing of food around the table at home.” Her home town, Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, is where her fondest childhood memories are set. The youngest of six siblings and new mother of one vividly remembers, “My mom’s kitchen always used to smell of good food and made our home a place of comfort. She is the centre of my childhood food memories especially observing her make our traditional food, which still echoes even now in my cooking.”
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Sharing food with my family and close friends is a big part of who I am. It also indirectly revives family values.
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For the festive season, Siba excitedly recommends “desserts, braais, salads, cocktails and all things nice” “I’m big on seafood so perhaps I will braai a whole salmon covered in foil as my main, with lots of salads and dainty desserts with my ginger-infused berry sorbets in between.” And considering that she has a growing following in Africa will any authentically African cuisine be making its debut on Siba’s Table? “I wouldn’t like to give away much at this stage as it kills the surprise element,” she laughs, “So people have to stick around and watch this space.” S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 3 1
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Abacha/African salad image courtesy of Lohi's Creations
Flavour of the web When it comes to blogging about food, Africa has a smorgasbord of options. S13 breaks bread with a few of the digital tastemakers from the African culinary community. Words Helen Herimbi
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a testament to the increased influence of bloggers these days, for mainstream media they are the popular go-to talking heads weighing in their expertise on music, fashion, technology and lifestyle. African food bloggers are especially interesting because while there is no shortage of Western cuisine online, these literal tastemakers’ focus on African flavours playing an important part in documenting modern African culture. Lagos-based Chef Gbubemi Fregz is a food columnist for the prolific Nigerian lifestyle blog www.bellanaija. com Popularly known as Chef Fregz, his take is, “Food is one of the things we agree on as a planet. The world has become flatter through social media and food always seems to reinvent itself somehow. Being
a foodie is really cool now and people travel more so food is one way we can express how well we enjoyed wherever we travelled to.” For Ronke Adeyemi of 9jafoodie blog (www.9jafoodie. com), the rise of the African food blogger is down to a change in the times. “There is a new generation of Africans with strong passion and love for the continent,” she says, “There are many subcultural focuses currently: fashion, tradition and more, and technology makes it easier than ever to document and share hence the growth in blogging in general.” Ronke, born and raised in Nigeria, and now living in Canada, has been active in the food blogosphere for five years. “I had just finished university,” she says, “I had always cooked, just never documented my process. 9jafoodie started
as little-miss-gastronome. blogspot.com and 9jafoodie was spawned out in the fall of 2011.” Durbanite Nomi Matlala runs Nomi vs Life (www. nomivslife.blogspot.com) and offers this insight: “The key to getting people to buy your food product, is in making them believe it tastes really good. Food bloggers help brands and consumers close the ‘trust’ gap, we have the time to explore the offerings and offer an honest opinion on the quality.” The way to Nomi’s heart is through highlighting authentically African food. “I believe in documenting what South African food is actually about,” she continues, “One of my biggest fears is that we will forget what ingredients are for and what their natural flavour actually is. I try and use minimal seasoning to remind my self what the vegetable actually tastes
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Food is one of the things we agree on as a planet. The world has become flatter through social media and food always seems to reinvent itself somehow.
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like so when I cook for people, I can enhance the true flavour.” The common and lazy assumption is that life as a vegan for an African is virtually impossible. But Elsbro (www.elsbro.com) s uggest otherwise, dishing out vegan-based diets, stylised images and witty anecdotes. 9jafoodie also maintains a healthy food emphasis which Ronke justifies as follows: “There is a new focus on health and wellness across the globe, people now understand that health is truly wealth and what we eat has a great influence on how we feel.” “The average African diet is diverse enough but the focus is more on carbohydrate than protein or vegetables; this worked for our ancestors centuries ago because of the types of work they did using nonmechanized agriculture.” “Africa now is more S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 3 4
modernized/industrialized and with these changes come the need for less calorie-rich food and greater focus on nutrition. There isn’t a wealth of information on African food nutrition and we hope to fill in the gap.” Unlike, say music or fashion blogging, which rewards its experts all the more for being young and hip, the food blogging community have a more inclusive attitude. Food bloggers, come in all shapes and sizes, from young girls to gogos and even guys. Formally trained chefs and self-taught cooks alike are also included in the fold. Chef Fregz dismisses the distinction between the latter two: “Chefs just happen to be professionals who pass through serious rigour in professional kitchens and get to play with a bit more technique than the average cook.” Nomi on the other hand, is
a self-described “culinary creative”. Besides sharing stories about food and friends, she attends events and reports on various food products that emerge in the market. “I accept product to test as well as invitations to experience,” she explains, “I’m here to share my food affair and what fun would it be if it was all in my kitchen by myself?” There may be clusters of communities that have come together in different corners of the continent but it’s clear that African food blogging is no fleeting phase. As Ronke says, “There are loads of discoveries to be made with African food but the changes need to start with our own people. There is potential to rival the great cuisines of the world but first we must learn to appreciate the distinctiveness of our offerings and then celebrate what we have to offer the world.”
LOOKING FOR FOOD TIPS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON? Betumi
betumiblog.blogspot.com Industry news and interesting ingredients from around the continent.
Mzansi style cuisine mzansistylecuisine.co.za
Traditional food from different cultures that reside in Mzansi aka South Africa.
Afrolems
afrolems.com Nigerian recipes by a designated team as well as guest bloggers.
Jozi foodie fix
jozifoodiefix.blogspot.com Based in Johannesburg (aka Jozi), this is a blog where food meets travel and product trials.
Lohi’s creations lohiscreations.com
Nomi Matlala, www.nomivslife.blogspot.com
High-end global and Nigerian cuisine with a focus on catering and entertaining.
Ronke Adeyemi, www.9jafoodie.com Gbubemi Fregz, www.cheffregz.com Elsbro, www.elsbro.com
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Samsung presents:
Amaze Africa! T
he groundbreaking #AmazeAfrica collection was showcased before an audience of over 500, and immediately drew a rapturous response for its superb showcasing of new-world creativity. Inspired by Samsung’s global Accelerating Discoveries and Possibilities philosophy, #AmazeAfrica drew together 14 fashion and accessory designer collaborations into seven partnerships, mining the generous supply of exceptional design talent spread across the continent. The designers drew their inspiration from the natural genera found at Pretoria’s Ditsong Museum of Natural History - and the results were spectacular. Speaking before the event Thabiet Allie, Head of Content and Services for Samsung Electronics Africa said: “Just
as Samsung connects the continent through technology, it now has the opportunity to create a conversation through fashion.” “There is real luxury in creating something unique for Africa. Especially limited-edition, hand-crafted accessories that compliment Samsung technology in the ‘real world’ as much as tailor-made content complements it in the digital world.” Notebook bags, note covers and pouches for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 & Gear complimented by the Note 10.1, Note 8 and S4 Zoom were all a part of the limited edition premium hand-crafted range. Following the show, the garments and accessories went on display in a specially curated gallery space in the Pretoria City Hall.
Images Brett Rubin
A new African luxury stepped confidently into the global spotlight on the opening night of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa with the #AmazeAfrica collection. Words Emma Jordan
Images courtesy of xxx
Marianne Fassler and Quamta looked at the dual nature of the pincushion - the hard and soft structural elements and the emotional evocation of resistance presented by the indigenous African flower. Using the ‘china bag’ motif as an appliqué and weave, Marianne intimated the
Designed for Galaxy Note3 + Gear
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permanence of the flower. Pieter Jansen van Rensburg, Quamta designer, picked this up as a motif for Samsung Note 3 covers and pouches, weaving in his own signature exotic leathers. www.leopardfrock.co.za www.quamta.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
Marianne Fassler (SA) & Quamta (SA)
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Image Image Steve Steve Tanchel Tanchel / Makeup AFI/MBFW by MAC AFRICA2013/ CosmeticsMakeup by MAC Cosmetics
For Nana Brenu and Adèle Dejak a pared-down, sophisticated luxury is key to their collection. Brenu constantly looks at conflict in his design: geographically as an African in Europe and aesthetically through a tension between restraint and opulence. For #AmazeAfrica he looked to the hard and soft elements of the beetle’s exoskeleton - interpreting the protective casing through silk gazar Designed for Galaxy Note 8.0
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and techno-wool, offset with soft silk organza mimicking the fragility of the wings within. Both designers looked to the silk ‘oil in water’ colours of beetles. Dejak used recycled brass and Ankole cow horn to hint at the shape of the beetle as features on her luxurious black leather pouches for the Galaxy Note 8.0. www.adeledejak.com www.studio1981.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
1981 by Nana Brenu (Ghana) & Adèle Dejak (Kenya)
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Designed for Samsung Notebook Series 9 15�
Inspired by Herpetology (snakes & Chelonians)
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Working in studios thousands of miles apart, LaurenceAirline and Missibaba created looks inspired by the yellow of the coral snake and the geometry of the turtle carapace. ChauvinBartrand of LaurenceAirline used the finest wool and wool blends to create minimal softtailored winter coats worn over her signature geometric shirts and slim-leg pants. Missibaba hand-wove different textured leathers to create a single slip of a laptop casing. www.laurenceairline.com www.missibaba.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
LaurenceAirline (Ivory Coast) & Missibaba (South Africa)
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Taibo Bacar and Pichulik looked to the ancient Cycadala for inspiration. Inspired by hot summer nights, offset by a cool verdant palette, Taibo’s collection has a touch of Robert Palmer-chic; stretch-satin body hugging looks with asymmetric cutout detailing and exposed zips. Pichulik’s accessories
Designed for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 & Gear
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designed for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 & Gear, in soft mustard suedes, brilliant Azure and textured fawn leather hark to the exotic of North Africa while shapes mimic the silhouettes and textures of the prehistoric plant. www.taibobacar.com www.pichulik.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
Taibo Bacar(Mozambique) & Pichulik (South Africa)
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Both Doreen Mashika and Anisa Mapungwe of Loin Cloth and Ashes looked towards a futuristic world inhabited by ants and wasps. Doreen used burlap, sisal and Namibian silks to intimate the ants’ natural living environment for her Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom accessories. Anisa incorporated textured taffeta and a hexagon shaped mesh, presenting a literal representation of the world of bees. In a move away from Anisa’s signature print, she underpinned all her looks with a metallic stretch viscose bodysuit. www.loinclothandashes.com doreenmashika.myshopify.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
Anisa Mpungwe (Tanzania) & Doreen Mashika (Tanzania)
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Designed for Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
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Angolan label Projecto Mental worked with Kenya’s Rift Valley Leather to create an acidic new-world dandy. Inspired by the hallucinatory colours of the moths and butterfly genus, Projecto Mental also looked at their migratory patterns, creating a slim, modern silhouette. Rift Valley Leather picked up the print motif, transferring it to a simple, padded man-bag for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, inspired by the initial stage of the butterfly’s lifecycle - the pupa. www.projectomental.com www.riftvalleyleather.co.ke
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
Projecto Mental (Angola) & Rift Valley Leather (Kenya)
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Designed for Monster Headphones
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For Jacques van der Watt from Black Coffee and Albertus Swanepoel, the feminine stature of feathers inspired an elegant silhouette offset in a simple, yet striking, red, white and black palette for the Monster Headphone accessories. Black Coffee’s sophisticated lines follow a graphic and literal interpretation of the Avialae genus. Both designers used the feather as an element of fabrication - Swanepoel ironing, twisting and fixing it, following an old millinery technique, while van der Watt employed the traditional couture technique of individually applying feathers to a silk tulle, creating a new old-school luxury. www.blackcoffee.co.za www.albertusswanepoel.com
Accessories Images Vernon Reed. Ramp photography by SDR Photography
Black Coffee (South Africa) &Albertus Swanepoel (NY)
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Destination Kampala Named after the once prolific impala herds that were hunted on the shores of Lake Victoria, the capital of Uganda is today a bustling, booming city that offers culture, history and entertainment for business and leisure travellers alike. Words Melinda Ozongwu
Gettyimages
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century ago Uganda was referred to as the ‘Pearl of Africa’. Today, it continues to live up to the Winston Churchill-esque descriptions of a green, scenic and charming destination. Hiking with the gorillas, a game drive at one of the national parks, a day spent at the source of the River Nile and similar attractions earned Uganda a spot in Lonely Planet’s top 10 countries to visit in 2012. These days Kampala is confidently more than just a pre-safari stop. Uganda’s capital city shines as a main holiday destination. Kampala is vibrant yet calm-busy, but not chaotic enough to stop you from finding your way around the city’s gems.
Men theme, or spread out under the stars and gaze at the night sky. 34 Windsor Crescent, Kampala
Khana Khazana Camel Club A sundowner in the newly established Camel Club’s garden could easily turn into late-night mojitos and martinis. More of a lounge than a bar, the extensive bar menu will live up to any connoisseur’s expectations. You can choose to be in the heart of the buzz at the bar, tastefully decorated with samurai walls and a Mad
Kampala is known for its Indian food influences. Buying a chapatti or samoosa from a roadside vendor is standard Kampala living. In a city with a wide variety of Indian restaurants, you can take your pick – but if you prefer yours in a romantic, ornamented restaurant then this is the curry haven for you. It offers tasty dishes and an extensive menu that may add to your dining time. In fact, the presentation alone will have you Instagramming food S 1 3
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pictures full of design, color and variety. 20 Acacia Ave, Kololo, Kampala
Good Glass
Tamarai
Afternoon tea against a Thai backdrop with Asian desserts. Tea lovers will appreciate the variety of quality Dilmah teas and a diverse menu, ranging from spring rolls to scones. The icing on the cake is the complimentary foot or shoulder massage — an added touch of leisure in a stunning location. Sip on an iced tea amongst decorative Buddhas for a fusion-filled experience. Plot 14, Lower Kololo Terrace, Kampala
Shop @ Bold Bold is an eclectic African fashion boutique collective of emerging, established and talented regional and Ugandan designers such as Gloria Wavamunno, Juliana Nasasira (Kwesh) and Martha Jabo. From quirky unisex bow ties in wax fabrics, T-shirts with popular quotes and KLA sayings to pieces showcased on international runways, Bold is a one-stop shop in a central convenient location that caters to retail therapy urges. Shop #29, 1st Floor, Krsna Mart, Kisementi, Kampala S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 5 6
AfriArt Gallery More than just airport art, AfriArt Gallery is a unique center of creativity and contemporary art. Popular Ugandan artists such as Daudi Karungi and Paul Ndema as well as international artists, exhibit at AfriArt. You are not just limited to strolling around in the minimalist exhibition rooms. You take part in creative workshops like B.Y.O.B (bring your own bottle) art classes, purchase art or buy gifts in the artisan gift shop. Block 56/57, Kenneth Dale Drive, Kamwokya, Kampala
Investing in items that promote sustainable development projects in Uganda is a great way to support your travel host. Uganda isn’t quite as ‘green’ as other countries in terms of recycling. Eco-friendly companies like Good Glass are popping up though, with melted and reshaped glass from around the country. A great option for handmade gifts. 50 Bukoto Street, Kololo, Kampala
The Spa @ Emin Pasha This centrally located spa in Kampala’s first boutique hotel is the perfect place for relaxation and rejuvenation. Choose from a variety of treatments, from candlelit couples massages to body scrubs, to start your day or end your day in a blissful state. Bookings essential. Plot 27, Akii Bua Road, Nakasero, Kampala
Images courtesy of www.goodglassug.com, www.ellamr2.wordpress.com, www. tourugandagorillas.com, www.thepearlguide.co.ug, www.tripadvisor.com
Dance @ UNCB Most Kampalites haven’t yet familiarised themselves with ballet in the city, but it’s been going strong for six years. Think pirouettes to Bach-infused percussion and powerful choreography. At least twice a month the Uganda National Contemporary Ballet performances are hosted in the National Theatre, with social and inspiring performance themes, dance fusion and vibrancy. You don’t have to be a ballet aficionado to appreciate their art. Event listings: www.uncbcompany.com
Cayenne Nights Cayenne is infamous for red-eye departures in a one-stop location of enjoyment. It offers a poolside shisha, a newly constructed Heineken luxury club lounge and skillful DJs to keep you busy on the dance floor. For a calmer experience, try the live band on Sundays and the popular Lilian and the Sundowners on the last Wednesday of the month. 1213 Kira Road, Kampala
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Celebrating 10 of the best
Chris Froome Riding to the top
South Africa / Kenya
Who are the successful young Africans shaping the continent’s future? We look at some promising achievers who triumphed against the odds. Words Phiona Okumu
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Nothing evokes national pride like global sport. Kenyan and South African cycling enthusiasts all claimed as their own the 2013 Tour De France champion, Brit national Chris Froome, who was born in Kenya to a Kenyan-born mother and English former hockey player father. He represented Kenya in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The 28-year-old went to school in South Africa from the age of 14 and raced for a South African team in 2007 when he first turned pro. Despite being diagnosed with the debilitating parasitic disease bilharzia, Froome clinched the Tour De France title after securing victories in the Tour of Oman, Criterium International, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine. French magazine Velo gave Chris the prestigious 2013 Velo d’Or award, an honour reserved for the best rider of the year.
Sandile Ngcobo
Steven Kiprotich
Lupita Nyong’o
South Africa
Uganda
Kenya
Sandile Ngcobo was one of the few kids at his Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal high school who actually enjoyed physics and maths. The 33-year-old nurtured his love for science right through to his tertiary education – nowadays he is a doctoral candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and also works as a researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Persevering past two years of ceaseless investigation led Sandile to a world first – the invention of the digital laser. This ground-breaking technology especially benefits the health, manufacturing and communication fields which previously, through lengthy and costly techniques, had to alter lasers in eye surgery, CD and DVD players, and barcode readers. Ngcobo’s research is published in the Nature Communications Journal.
You’re more likely to hear about athletic champions from Kenya than from its neighbouring country to the west. Like in several African countries, Uganda’s sports industry could do with a lot more investment. Its most celebrated sporting national hero Steven Kiprotich (24), aided by American nonprofit A Running Start, is virtually self-made. John AkiiBua, the first, and since then last, 1972 Ugandan Olympic gold medalist, set the pace for Kiprotich, whose life journey was not without its obstacles: He missed 3 years of elementary school due to an undiagnosed illness and had to quit athletics in 2004 to concentrate on school. Steven, the youngest of seven children of farmers, gave Uganda its second ever Olympic gold win in 2012 and won the Moscow IAAF championship to become the reigning World and Olympic marathon champion.
Lupita Nyong’o’s African fans who remember her as Ayira from MTV Base’s TV drama Shuga will be somewhat prepared for the unveiling of the serious acting chops she shows as Patsey, a field slave whose striking beauty is a gift and a curse in director Steve McQueen’s adaptation of the 1853 Solomon Northup memoir 12 Years a Slave. The Kenyan Yale drama school graduate auditioned for Macqueen, and within 2 weeks had been swept up into the razzle-dazzle. A worthy contemporary amongst an A-list Hollywood cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard and Brad Pitt. 12 Years a Slave won the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival. Lupita took home her first award at the 17th annual Hollywood Film Awards where she received the ‘New Hollywood Award (Steve McQueen won ‘Hollywood Breakout Director Award’).
Illustrations Gregory Wylde
Cutting-edge research
Running for gold
Acting for Africa
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Yityish Aynaw
S’manga Khumalo Kariuki Gathitu Jockeying for first
Banking ahead
Ethiopia / Israel
South Africa
Kenya
Yityish “Titi” Aynaw’s lot in life gave her a bold attitude. Apparently when asked by judges why she thought she deserved the title of Miss Israel, the Ethiopian-born 21-year-old Yityish “Titi” Aynaw responded that it was about time a black woman took the title. Remarkably she won it. Yityish’s name in Amharic loosely means to be expectant, and was given to her when she was born in Ethiopia. She was a sickly and her mother died when she was only ten— making her and her little brothers orphans. Bundled off to Israel where her maternal grandparents live, she found herself in the deep end at a religious Jewish boarding school where she nonetheless excelled academically and at extra curricular activity. Yityish intends to use her newly found public profile to devise programs of inclusion for Ethiopian children in Israel.
S’manga “Bling” Khumalo spent most of his early childhood days trying to keep a low a profile. His slight build meant he couldn’t play many competitive sports on offer at school, and that he was also likely to be picked on. Little did he know that his size would earn him a lucrative and history-making career. At age 15 a talent scout recruiting for the Durban jockey academy came to the school, met him and turned his life around. After his five-year apprenticeship at the academy, Khumalo joined and turned pro in 2006. In 2013, after a long stint of establishing his name as one of the country’s leading jockeys, the son of a domestic worker became the first black winner of Africa’s biggest horse race, the Vodacom Durban July, bagging on first attempt the 3.5m prize, and a title until now the reserve of South Africa’s more privileged class.
The easier (and perfectly plausible) way up for Kenyatta University IT graduate and software designer Kariuki Gathitu might have been to take up a cushy job offer from Google. Instead, he opted for the treacherous path of trechpreneurship. Kariuki’s singleminded ambition to transform the banking industry saw him launch MPAYER, a mobile phone application that allows businesses to transact real-time money transfers. MPAYER, listed by CNN as one of Africa’s 2013 top tech Startups to watch, has since received wide acclaim including second-place wins in Dragons Den and in the World’s 50 Top Startups.
Beauty before politics
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Warsan Shire
Trevor Noah
Eyram Tawia
Kenya / Somalia
South Africa
Ghana
Warsan Shire remembers showing her writer father her first poem at age 11. It was about Africa. Now 24, although she never actually lived there, the Kenyan-born poet, author and educator keeps her war-torn country Somalia at the centre of her work, narrating the harrowing events in the lives of her close friends and relatives, paying them tribute and making sure their stories are never forgotten. Warsan’s published her critically acclaimed debut book Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth in 2011, and her widely published poetry has been translated into Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. In October this year, Warsan was selected from a shortlist of six young poets to become London’s first ever Young Poet Laureate and has begun a residency at the Houses of Parliament.
Because it is often very culturally specific, stand-up comedy delivered outside its given locale can be tricky. Somehow though, Trevor Noah has the world eating out of his hands with gags that are translating the South African experience globally. Noah (29), a former radio DJ, actor and TV host made his U.S. television debut on Jay Leno’s coveted talk show in January this year, the first African comedian to do so. He has since spent a year top billing at the Edinburgh Fringe, a sold out six-week run at London’s Soho Theatre and multiple sold out shows in SubSaharan Africa.
Sometimes the reward lies not in collecting the top prize but in the taking part. Gaming apps company Leti Arts was a finalist at the 2013 World Summit Award. The joint first prize went to fellow Ghanaian startups Nandi Mobile, MoTeCH – both health initiatives. Nevertheless, a career-long ambition for Eryam Tawia, CEO and co-founder of Leti, and one of Google Africa’s top selected innovation heroes for 2013, has been to prove that gaming design in Africa can be as lucrative as other established science and business professions. With Leti Arts (formerly Leti Games) Tawia is moving into unchartered territory. By bringing the continent’s rich folklore to life through digital comics and mobile games he is revolutionizing the ever-important art of story-telling one African superhero at a time.
Poetic justice
Leading the laughs
Digital storyteller
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A whole new world
Konza City, a government funded technodevelopment outside Nairobi, ensures Kenya leads the way as futuristic urban centres rise up across the continent. Words Nana Ocran
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Image courtesy of elsbro.com
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‘W
here Silicon Savannah’ starts’ and ‘Kenya’s new technopolis’ are the types of East Africafocused headlines that the national and international tech media have been highlighting for the past couple of years. Konza City is the focus, and the celebratory fervour is devoted to what is essentially a massive venture to create a world class and sparkling future city. Essentially, this new urban space is set to be a technology hub and economic driver for the nation, with a mix of businesses, workers and residents. The Konza dream didn’t spring up from nowhere. The fact that over the last few years, much of the continent has been experiencing a tech boom – essentially through the innovative growth of mobile telephony – is no hindrance to the Konza story. Africa’s digital landscape is continually reshaping itself, with much of this activity being down to the undeniably savvy and predominantly youth-led movements of creative technopreneurs. Deviceful uses of social media and new technologies
Konza City, pavillion roof deck Konza City, office district Konza City, entry to plaza
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in many of the continent’s urban areas are a big talking point, but Kenya stands out as the blueprint for activity, with many African countries looking east to Nairobi as the enterprising prototype. It’s Kenya that launched the world’s first mobile money transfer service – M-Pesa – and it’s where key organisations including the iHub innovation space in central Nairobi and its inhouse Ushahidi software company have already helped establish an organic eco-system. It’s an added bonus that a growing community of Kenyan artists, filmmakers and musicians, whether based on home turf or diasporically located, are consistently reshaping the country’s creative and digital output. Futuristic sculptor Cyrus Kabiru, film director Wanuri Kahiu, electro musicians Just a Band, artist Wangechi Mutu and tech entrepreneures Will Mutua and Juliana Rotich have won awards, stood on TED stages or created strong web presences, with their ongoing creativity. Their activities are doing a lot for Kenya’s creative economy, which is intrinsic
to the further development of Africa’s soft power when the continent competes with the rest of the world. The back story to this venture is Ruwaza ya Kenya (Kenya Vision 2030), which is the Kenyan government’s mission to create a world class city, powered by a robust and flourishing knowledge-based sector capable of generating tens of thousands of much wanted jobs. Konza is just one of the visionary projects that is set to make this happen. The location is a government bought plot of land in Konza, an area that sits in Machakos County, about 40 miles beyond Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The wide attention that this $14.5 billion, 5,000acre science and commercial project has gained is set to continue throughout the 20-year lead-up to the muchanticipated completion point. It’s an ambitious plan that owes its existence to Bitange Ndemo, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications. With a remit to develop ICT projects, he has the tech city project very much
under his wing. A model-sized Konza replica sits in Ndemo’s office, with the small-scale structure featuring innovation labs, tech offices, financial districts, manufacturing plants, artificial rivers, schools, churches and mosques. The grassroots, early start up or crowdsourced nature of the iHub and others within Kenya’s tech scene may in some way seem auxiliary to the grand scale dominance of Konza. The new city, with its government support, crosssector focus on finance, technology and manufacturing and its distance from Nairobi will be quite a separation from the dynamic cheek by jowl energy of the country’s capital. Also, its proposed design is a direct aspiration to compete with the high tech centre of the USA’s Silicon Valley. This is where some cautionary thoughts may creep in. Firstly, why the Silicon Valley reference when it comes to Kenya’s impact on the global tech community? The idea of big, shiny, sculpted buildings in carefully carved out landscapes may sound good, but is there a need for urban homogenisation emerging in the continent’s large open spaces? However, planned cities in regions of Africa are nothing new. Konza was beaten to the post by Tatu City, an estimated $5 billion real estate project on the edge of Nairobi that broke ground in early 2013. Meaning ‘three’ in Swahili, Tatu represents the three elements of holistic living – life, work and play. Accordingly, the construction involves the creation of homes, businesses and leisure options. There’s a small list
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Kenya stands out as the blueprint for activity, with many African countries looking east to Nairobi as the enterprising prototype.
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of others – the West Cape, a planned mini housing development outside Cape Town, Appolonia (the City of Light) outside Accra in Ghana, King City in Takoradi, Ghana and Accra’s Hope City, a planned IT hub that comes in second place to iSpace Ghana Foundation, a tech and innovation hub for tech entrepreneurs to meet, work and exchange ideas. The Democratic Republic of Congo is constructing La Cité du Fleuve (the new Manhattan) and there’s a new master plan for Kigali in Rwanda. These constructions point to an economic and architectural growth trend that’s happening across the continent and promising a huge increase in jobs. California’s Silicon Valley is an obvious design reference point but aside from the parallel name-checking, there are issues of logistics in Kenya as well as elsewhere.
Regular and affordable train links or traffic controlled roads will be crucial for small, predominantly Nairobi-located start ups to locate to the new techno city – hopefully bringing their clients along with them. Another issue is time. It could be that in 20 years from now, Konza will be facing a tech landscape that’s different from the one it’s currently building towards. With what’s already happening with Kenya’s grass roots tech scene, who knows how, and in what ways, the East African region will keep impacting on the digital world? All this is an ongoing conversation, but without doubt, Konza City – and others like it – are blurring the lines between fact and fantasy via the ever more creative growth of new visions for the continent’s evolving metropolises.
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At Ngorongoro Crater Lodge in Tanzania, 30 000 indigenous trees grown from seed was planted to reforest the area.
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Beyond luxury There is a new kind of luxury traveller: the type of person who delights in Africa’s splendour, but cares about the continent’s future. Words Nimi Pretorius
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afari companies can no longer exist purely for profit – there is a need for bigger thinking in the travel industry. Responsible luxury experiential tourism recognises the fact that wildlife conservation and ecotourism are vital for the future and the prosperity of the people of Africa. In Uganda eco-tourists flock to mountainous areas to see the country’s famed gorillas, spending vast amounts of money for just a few moments with the animals. The limited time with these mystical creatures and tough hike through difficult terrain is testament to their commitment to spending their leisure time in an environmentally responsible way. Bird watchers flock to Gambia, knowing that their tourism spend offers not only the opportunity to spot the rarest of feathered finds, but is also appropriated to support bird life conservation on the continent. The business of responsible travel is not just about protecting wildlife and ecosystems. With growing numbers of people trekking to the world’s most beautiful places in search of tranquillity, impact on natural environments must not only minimised, but also reversed. For eco-friendly travel companies, this starts with protecting endangered species and ecosystems under pressure. In addition, there is a big drive to decrease the human footprint at the exquisite locations where lodges are built. True sustainability also considers the wellbeing of people. Throughout the continent we are now seeing numerous projects uplifting the communities surrounding luxury lodges – a clear sign that premium travel is ready to serve a bigger purpose.
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Wildlife conservation and ecotourism are vital for the future of Africa and her people.
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Known for its striking sunsets over endless dunes, Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia lies in the heart of the Namib-Naukluft Park. At Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp in Tanzania, a doctor is employed full-time by the lodge to assist the staff and local community health. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 6 8
Images coUrtesy of andBeyond
At Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp in Botswana, the hybrid motors used for water transportation are completely silent and emission-free. Africa Foundation, andBeyond’s community development partner, facilitates the socio-economic development of the rural communities. At Xudum Lodge in the Okavango Delta, innovative green architecture of stilted rooms enables the constant regeneration of forest floor. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 6 9
Luxury tourism has a valuable role to play in the conservation of Africa’s precious wildlife. At Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp next to the Masai Mara, you’ll find yourself directly in the path of the Great Migration, one of nature’s greatest spectacles.
Keeping the cool With temperatures rising, Samsung’s large-scale air conditioning systems are becoming even more necessary in African cities. Words Kate White
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This balance helps generate savings in energy output and cost. The product is also a technologically advanced, sustainable solution – all features are eco-friendly and conform to the highest environmental standards.
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Illusrations by Leanie Herbst
T
hat first moment when you step off the aeroplane and are met with a thick wave of hot, humid air – only to hurry inside the airport terminals, where you will be cooled by the air con. Or, the long day that you spend on the balmy beaches in Mauritius. Followed by the decision to sit inside the temperate climate of the hotel, looking out. As temperatures rise across the world, so too does the need for large-scale cooling systems. Whether in complex buildings such as office parks, or simple but large areas like shopping malls, air conditioner systems need to be customised to suit the needs of the space. Even buildings such as stadiums, that appear to be outdoor venues, are equipped with sophisticated climate control systems that regulate a balance between the interior and exterior of the building. Internationally, Samsung leads in this industry, having installed air conditioners at a number of flagship venues. In Korea, Samsung played an
integral part in creating an acclimatised environment in Incheon airport, one of the most sophisticated airports in the world. A number of these DMV Plus IV systems have also been successfully installed in highprofile projects in Africa. On the tropical island of Mauritius, the tourism industry benefits from cooled environments, whether it’s the interior of a world-famous hotel at Sugar Beach or the McDonald’s where locals and tourists can mingle over a burger. In Guinea, parliamentarians make important decisions in the air-conditioned interior of the National Assembly building. In Angola, Samsung has even set up an internal climate control solution at a church that hosts up to 5000 people – enabling members to stay and worship for as long as they want in a comfortable, temperate environment. Further south in Botswana, Samsung provides DMV systems for the Zambezi Tower, an exclusive mall and office
block in the centre of Gaborone. A CAC air duct will also be installed at the Debswana Diamond Converter, a mining environment that requires both cooling and warming. With the DMV system, units can be customised and the compact design of the units enables businesses such as malls to free up space that could be better used for retail. Because the systems are adapted to suit particular environments, it is easier to provide consistent cooling or heating in different parts of the building. This balance helps generate savings in energy output and cost. The product is also a technologically advanced, sustainable solution – all features are eco-friendly and conform to the highest environmental standards. As part of their on-going mission to create customised solutions for local environments, Samsung continues to come up with bigger, innovative solutions to aircondition various types of buildings.
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FACEBOOK Launched: February 2004 Created by: Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes A few short years ago, the word “app” did not exist. Today, it is hard to imagine life without our favourite mobile applications, or apps.
Purpose: Social networking with friends Who knew: Mark Zuckerberg is red/green colourblind, which is why Facebook is blue POPULARITY: Over a billion active users
In fact, the word “app” is now so widely used that dictionaries have bowed to its power. ‘Appreneurs’ scratch their heads trying to create the next big thing and app stores generate billions of dollars of income every year. Three year olds beg for them by name. And whilst you can get an app for pretty much everything imaginable nowadays, these are the main players.
References: www.mediabistro.com www.wikipedia.com www.dashburst.com
LINKEDIN Launched: May 2003 Created by: Reid Hoffman and founding team members from PayPal and Socialnet.com Purpose: Social networking for professionals Who knew: In 2011, LinkedIn earned $154.6 million in ad revenue alone – more than Twitter, which raked in $139.5 million Popularity: About 225 million users (in more than 200 countries)
SHAZAM Launched: 2008 Created by: Chris Barton, Avery Wang, Philip Inghelbrecht and Dhiraj Mukherjee Purpose: Identifying songs in real time Who knew: In January 2011, Shazam was the 4th most downloaded free app of all time on the App Store Popularity: 250 million users with 2 million active users per week S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 7 4
S13 INFOGR APHIC
Launched: February 2005
Created by: Former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim
Baby, baby oooh!
Infographic by Ivan Colic
YOUTUBE
Launched: July 2006
Purpose: Video sharing Who knew: “Gangnam Style� by Psy became the first YouTube video to receive over 1 billion views on December 21, 2012 Popularity: 800 million users monthly
Created by: Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass Purpose: Microblogging and social networking Who knew: Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Katy Perry have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of Germany, Turkey, South Africa, Canada, Argentina and Egypt Popularity: Over 500 million users
PINTEREST Launched: March 2010 Created by: Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra & Evan Sharp Purpose: Pinboard-style photo sharing Who knew: At the beginning of 2012, Pinterest became the fastest site in history to break through the 10 million unique visitor mark Popularity: 11.7 million - mostly female - users
Launched: October 2010 Created by: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger
Purpose: Online photo & video sharing Who knew: Instagram was sold to Facebook in April 2012 for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock Popularity: Over 100 million active users
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A history of inspiration Celebrating 75 years of Samsung
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1990 Samsung starts a Regional Specialist Program in order to train employees to become leaders of globalisation.
Information extracted from the publication “Enter the Pioneers”
1938 Samsung begins as a small trading company selling dried fish, vegetables and fruit.
1965 The Samsung Foundation of Culture is formed to preserve and promote the brilliant achievements of Korean traditional art.
1969
1990 The Samsung Childcare Center opens to help working parents.
1992 Samsung leaves its mark in Times Square, the heart of the world’s economy, with a massive neon-lit billboard.
1992 - present
Samsung Electronics is established, beginning its journey for the future of Samsung and Korea.
The semiconductor changes the world. For 21 years Samsung remains the world’s leading producer.
Beginnings
The big idea
In 1938, in the midst of Japanese colonial rule, Byung-chul Lee establishes Samsung, planting a seed of hope that begins to germinate in the gloomy period.
Taking over from his father, Kun-Hee Lee becomes Chairman of Samsung in 1987. With his entrepreneurship, he dives into uncharted waters and lays the groundwork for Samsung’s corporate transformation.
1993
1994
The new unified Samsung corporate identity is developed and lays the foundation for the current Samsung logo.
Samsung Corporate Citizenship, Korea’s first corporate social responsibility (CSR) group, is established.
1994 The world’s first 256M DRAM memory chip is developed and proves Samsung’s strength as the global leader in the semiconductor business.
1996 Product design takes center stage and ignites Samsung’s passion for design management.
1997 Samsung is selected as an official Olympic partner, improving its brand awareness around the world.
The larger world Under Chairman Lee’s vision, Samsung grows to be one of the world’s largest companies with electronic products in markets everywhere around the world.
1994 The Samsung Medical Center opens and lays the groundwork for future business.
2005 Samsung elevates its brand awareness through sports marketing and becomes the official sponsor of Chelsea FC.
Frankfurt Declaration:
“Quality first, no matter what”. 1993
His sixth year as the head of Samsung, Kun-Hee Lee sets out on a world tour to see his company from an outsider’s view.
End of 1993 Samsung was ready to introduce a new cell phone that was light years ahead of the competition.
A pioneer blazes a trail
Back at Samsung headquarters, Chairman Lee’s Frankfurt Declaration was transcribed, and every employee received a copy. A special illustrated version, with pictures like a comic book, was also delivered.
Pioneers rebuild, better than ever
In 2011, Samsung overtook Apple to become the world’s number one smartphone maker.
New ideas. New dedication Everyone felt like a part of the team. Everyone was part of the team. To this day, teams work together to create products that lead the world in sales and customer satisfaction.
The bonfire Yet Chairman Lee reminds his team that they can never rest. Business, he says, is “perpetual crisis.” Pioneers meet every crisis head-on, and they triumph over it. Again and again.
In 1995 Chairman Lee sent the new phones to business associates as a holiday gift. Some of them reported that their phones did not work, and the chairman traveled to the warehouse to sample the new models. Phone after phone failed. “Build a bonfire,” he said. The entire stock of
phones was piled outside, a towering heap of 150,000 phones. Two thousand employees watched as the bonfire was lighted and the flames blazed, burning the phones to ash. The message was clear: never settle. Always demand the best of yourself, the best of your work.
2005
2006-PRESENT
A team of designers and engineers arrived for a six-week stay at Samsung’s Value Innovation Program Center. Their goal: to reinvent the television.
Samsung TVs rank number one for the seventh year in a row.
2006 The Bordeaux went on to become the world’s most desired LCD TV. More than one million sets were sold in the first six months; in time, more than three million.And it all began with a glass of wine. Undisputed leader
Despite a recent slump in TV sales, Samsung not only maintains its number one position, but is increasing its market share worldwide.
The vintage that inspired a classic For the Bordeaux project, the team studied what consumers really want in a television. They discovered that many want a TV that looks good from every angle - like a glass of fine wine. Beautiful shape. Beautiful colour.
2010 The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, is constructed.
2012 Samsung is ranked 20th as the world’s most admired companies by Fortune. The Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series grow to become industry-leading mobile devices.
2013 In 2013, Samsung landed in 8th position globally in Interbrand’s annual analysis , one of the biggest increases of absolute brand value this year.
A new ambition With some of the world’s most popular products, Samsung is taking on an ambitious challenge to create a better future.
Future pioneers The Samsung e–Learning Center in New Delhi imparts important skills to disadvantaged youth in order to increase their opportunities for employment. This is one of four centers in India that Samsung is supporting in partnership with the Smile Foundation, which seeks to use the platform of education
to make a difference in the lives of the community. Samsung is giving solar powered LED lanterns to thousands of homes in Ethiopia. This program is part of a broader effort to help children who live in areas with abundant sunlight but in homes without a connection to
the power grid. The project is part of the Samsung Hope for Children initiative, and will provide this basic necessity, lighting, to children and their families. It is one of many of programs of the Hope for Children initiative designed to improve the health and education of children around the world.
Shabana & Elif Thousands of miles apart, Samsung is helping two young girls overcome social discrimination and hardships to realise their dreams. Shabana is an 11th grader who uses the Samsung e-Learning Centre at the Ank School to supplement her education with English and basic computers. She has a natural gift for teaching others and is determined to see her community develop and progress. Elif comes from an impoverished background and dreams of travelling the world. She attends the Samsung Academy in Turkey where she learns real-life technical skills to help her pursue a future that once seemed beyond her reach.
Creating new platforms Samsung is working with partners and communities around the world to create opportunities for today’s young pioneers. This year, we travelled to Ethiopia, India, and Turkey to capture their stories and show how they’re paving the way for a brighter tomorrow. www.youtube.com/user/SamsungCSR
Images Courtesy of SDR photography and Getty images.
MOBILE MILESTONES SAMSUNG 2013 INTERBRAND BEST GLOBAL BRANDS
JAN
8TH
9TH
100 million+ unit sales GALAXY S Series FEB
17TH 2011
2012
Device Manufacturer of the Year Best Smartphone: GALAXY S III at GSMA Awards 2013
2013
40 MILLION+
MAR
TOTAL GALAXY S4 SALES ACHIEVED Q3 2013
Enough GALAXY S4s to span 5,567 km to connect New York & London
GALAXY S4 UNPACKED 2013
MAY
10 million+ GALAXY S4s sold in the first month of availability JUN
5 MILLION
SEP
TOTAL GALAXY NOTE 3s SOLD IN THE FIRST MONTH
PC Magazine calls the GALAXY S4 “The Best Phone on the Planet”
GALAXY Note 3, Gear, Note 10.1(2014 Edition) UNPACKED Episode 2
OCT
Todd Pendleton, CMO at Samsung Telecommunications America honored at 2013 AdWeek Brand Genius Awards
41,910 m 830 m 443 m 324 m
5 MILLION STACKED GALAXY Note 3s
BURJ KHALIFA
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
EIFFEL TOWER
=500,000
“...it's beautifully formed, and delivers excellent performance and a world-leading screen” – Wired
Younghee Lee, head of marketing at Samsung Mobile named one of The World’s
Most Influential CMOs
“A cut above most smartphones” – Mashable 6 million+ followers the most followed brand on Twitter Samsung Mobile Global Twitter
Seoul Lantern Festival. Image courtesy of Dave and Kim Travel on www.flickr.com
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The enchanting business of The instantly recognisable wax print may be born in Holland, but a multi-million buyout and strategic collaborations ensure the 170-year old iconic fabric brand is a global leader. Words Nana Ocran.
E
ffortlessly sylph-like models, swathes of gorgeous, psychedelically printed fabric and show-stopping marketing campaigns. This is the territory of Vlisco, the coveted label with the long-held status of being the go-to luxury fabric choice for discerning customers in West, Central and South Africa, as well as the diasporic African communities in New York, London and Paris. Vlisco is a business name synonymous with premium African chic – but what many may take to be a quintessentially African brand was entirely Dutch owned until 2010, when Actis, a global market equity firm, announced its $151m, 100 per cent buyout of the Vlisco company. The original Vlisco enterprise owes its existence to the long-ago commercial efforts of Pieter Fentener van Vlissingen. A forward-thinking merchant, he set up Van Vlissingen & Co in 1843 in Helmond in the Netherlands. Initial production was inspired by his passion for high quality, hand-printed batik – a Javanese cloth from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Primary sales of his Dutch Wax were focused in Europe, although a lucrative business developed amongst traders who used the cloth for bartering on Dutch ships
travelling from the East Indies and stopping over on the West African coast. It was mainly Ghanaian women who fell in love with the fabric, which led to the company having a leading position in that part of the globe. From decade to decade the company upped its commercial tempo, so that by the 1930s many of the Van Vlissingen & Co executives had started visiting areas in Africa to adapt the cloth design to suit local tastes. By the 1960s, bold investments in research and development led to huge increases in exports in Dutch Wax, which leapt from 1 million to somewhere around 34Â million yards. In 1970, Vlisco became the snappier company name and by then two thriving factories had been established in Ghana and Ivory Coast. However, despite the fact that imitation may be the best form of flattery, pale imitations of the Vlisco cloth (which was generally referred to as Real Dutch Wax) started to seep into the textile market. By the mid 2000s, Vlisco made a strategic decision to reinvent the company as a fashion label. This came after collaborations with high-fashion brands and designers including Comme des Garcons, Adidas, Printemps, Lanre da Silva-Ajayi and Dutch design brand Studio Job. In 2007,
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The universality of Vlisco is crucial to its growing iconic status.
Vlisco launched a boutique in Cotonou, Benin, which ended its reliance on market vendors to spread the company’s name in that region. Now, ready-to-wear collections such as the ornate Belle Afrique as well as dresses and accessories under the Graphic Fashion label have sprung up. Added to that was a newer, high-end line of Haute Maroquinerie leather and crafted shoes in black and pastel tones. These were developed in both luxury and limited editions. The universality of Vlisco is crucial to its growing iconic status, but there’s still a strong connection with the early spirit of the company’s cross-cultural links between Holland and the African market. Paulien Eikins, Key Account Manager for Vlisco designers and stylists explains that Vlisco’s fabrics very often have specific stories and meanings attached to them. “Some of the stories are picked up from the market and others are attached to special occasions” she says. “Every name has a unique background, location and a personal experience or narrative. As far as we know, Vlisco is the only brand in the world where the people and not the company give the name of the product”. These are names that can seem obvious or completely open to interpretation, with Angelina, Tu sors, je sors (meaning if you’re unfaithful I won’t restrain myself) and Staircase being just three examples. Obama was one
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proudly given name that was provided at the first-time election of the US President. Although, this particular fabric’s design featuring planes, trains, automobiles and large wads of cash may not be the iconic images that Barack would have chosen himself. The mapping of highly produced fabrics carrying quirky and almost uniquely provocative name tags reveals a playful essence at the heart of the company, all of which seems to add to the enterprising weight of its TV, newsprint and billboard campaigns in Europe and Africa. Representations of Vlisco at international fashion shows have seen the brand taking centre stage in Paris, Lagos and most recently at Dutch Design Week 2013 where ‘Vlisco Unfolded’ was showcased as an exhibition concept during the nine-day event in Eindhoven. Boutiques in Paris, Kinshasa, the DRC and Accra, as well as a portfolio of brands Uniwax, Woodin, and GTP offering menswear and accessories, affirm the fact that Vlisco has come a long and inspirational way from its formative days. It’s not a bad journey for a Dutch venture that kicked off a sartorial chain of activity that travelled along the discerning route of traders, market women and tailors, right out to an international consumer market.
Images courtesy of Vlisco
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Vlisco recently released a new collection
The Chicken One of Vlisco’s best
The Snail The exact meaning of this cloth
‘Hommage à l’Art’ which celebrates their
selling-prints, ‘Happy Family’ featured
is not clear but in Nigeria, a particular
iconic drawings. A number of their
a design with an archetypical African Family.
design know as ‘Big Bible & Snail’ is popular
famous figures are featured in their
The mother chicken who plays a pivotal
amongst the Igbo tribe.
new fabric designs.
role in the family is in the center with
The Roller Skate A quote was taken from
her children surrounding her. The father
Annette Schmidt, a curator of an exhibition
SYMBOLISM OF THE ICONS
(rooster) is shown with his head down,
on African wax (Dutch National Ethnology
The Hand ‘The Hand’ is a print that
meaning he has only a minor role in
Museum) who said ‘I saw the rollerskate
symbolises financial stability in a household.
the family structure.
design on women in villages in Mali who
In Togo, when a women gets married, her
The Fan In Niger, a vendor that sells a fan in
I’m sure had never seen a real one, but
parents must come up with income that
his stall has a certain status as it is a popular,
I guess they saw the humour.’
will allow their daughter to be independent
expensive item to obtain and sell. Vlisco
from her husband.
designed the Hema fan in 1985. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 9 1
Retail re-imagined In a technology market that bombards consumers with choice, Samsung Mobile Stores answer the need for a non-intimidating space where users can have firsthand experiences with handsets before deciding to buy.
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Images Shawn Driman. Words by Nimi Pretorius.
Over 250 Samsung Mobile stores
on and off to touching the Samsung
knowledge. Customers are invited
have already opened across the African
superior screens. Consumers are
to touch, feel, play and interact with
continent, from South Africa to Sudan,
shown how to access advanced
Samsung devices in private, or assisted
Kenya to Senegal as well as well as Indian
content downloads, take photos
by the knowledgeable sales staff.
Ocean Islands. Plans are underway to
and listen to music.
Operating across Africa, Samsung’s new
increase the model’s footprint and get
Many visitors are interested in the
generation Mobile Stores signal a new era
more business partners in Pan African
convergence capabilities of their various
in technology retail. “A Samsung Mobile
areas of operation.
Samsung devices. This is where it is all
Store is where Samsung innovation and
The Samsung Mobile Stores invite con-
demystified and brought to life.
technology come alive,” says Deryck
sumers to experience basic functionalities
Samsung Mobile Store staff members
Gwambe, Retail Sales Manager, HHP
of Samsung devices – from turning devices
are highly trained and eager to share their
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Higher power The general upsurge in African economies is good news, but it comes at a cost. Mwanabibi Sikamo makes the case for solar energy as a sustainable solution to the ever-increasing demands of a continent on the rise.
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ast night we had a two-hour blackout. It’s a regular routine - load shedding, experienced across Zambia and in many other African countries. A whirring sound permeates the silence as those who can afford the high fuel costs turn their generators on. If you are lucky it is regimented and you can plan your activities around it. If not, you may have to attend that important event with a half ironed pair of trousers. It hasn’t always been this way. It used to be that when the electricity went off something had disrupted the line of supply and all you had to do was wait for the issue to be resolved. You must have heard the much-quoted statistic: ‘six out of 10 of the fastest growing economies over the last 10 years are in Africa’. Well, this increase in economic
activity also means that Africa has the fastest growing energy consumption in the world. National governments are struggling to cope with the financial implications of the increased need for infrastructure to develop their energy sectors. South Africa runs a televised public service announcement warning viewers to switch off non-essential appliances when electricity consumption is high. Nigeria recently completed a process privatising 15 stateowned electricity companies at a cost of $2.5bn in a bid to improve supply in the blackout prone country. A $1.3bn deal with China to construct a 700MW hydroelectric plant in Zungeru, Niger is also in the works. Interruption of supply is not the whole story. The vast
majority of Africans have no access to electricity at all with fewer than one in six rural Africans connected to the national electricity grid. Contrary to what some may believe, Africans in villages are not necessarily sitting around wood-lit fires passing down tales from the ancestors; many of them use candles, paraffin or kerosene lanterns for light and cook with charcoal. These sources of energy are not only dangerous, according to the World Health Organisation, they lead to 1.4 million premature deaths every year; they are also more expensive in the long term than electricity rates. Stories are far more likely to be passed on using mobile phones, which have a tremendously high penetration rate in both urban and rural Africa. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 9 5
In other words, more Africans have mobile phones than are connected to the national electricity grid. Most of us urban dwellers think nothing of switching on our laptop, tablet or smart phone and communicating through a number of different channels. In most parts of rural Africa it’s all about the humble mobile phone. Not only is it used to make and receive phone calls and messages, it is also increasingly a tool for financial transactions as well as the transmission of important information such as drought warnings from farmers. Cellphones need to be charged. Those fortunate enough have a local shop with electricity supply that will charge the phone at a fee while others have to walk kilometres for a similar service or find another source of energy. Increasingly this alternative source of energy is solar, making renewable energy in this part of the world not
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just a lifestyle choice, but also a necessity. It is not uncommon to find one of those little solar panels soaking up the sunlight outside a village hut.
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More Africans have mobile phones than are connected to the national electricity grid.
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Africa is a vast continent with distinctive individual countries that all face unique challenges when it comes to energy distribution. There are, however, similarities such as the poor state of infrastructure
and relatively low levels of funding and it is often useful to evaluate experiences in one country to learn how change might occur in others. Let’s take Zambia as an example. In a year the average Zambian, without an electricity supply, spends about 716910 ZMK (138 USD) on procuring candles, paraffin or kerosene and charging their phone. This doesn’t sound like a lot until you realise that 60.5% of the population live well below the poverty line. A simple solar-powered light that has a provision for phone charging is far more cost effective, safer, and convenient and certainly much more durable than a lot of the current methods used. A company like Zamsolar, which has only been operating in Zambia for about a year, has already sold thousands of such lights across the country, indicative of the growing demand. The private sector is bridging the gap between what is economically viable for African governments
and the needs of their citizens. The availability of solar power is not just more convenient - it is positively life changing. One of the most exciting aspects of recent technological advancements is the fact that information is now far more readily available. With the slide of a screen we can discover so much about what is happening in the world around us. Africa lagged far behind the rest of the world when it comes to information
dissemination, until now. This is changing with the advent of products such as iSchool Zambia’s educational tool the ZEduPad, which contains the country’s entire primary school curriculum and is powered by both electric and solar energy. It means that education is no longer tied to the number of physical school buildings with electricity supply and that children in the remotest areas of the country, with roads that are barely passable in the rainy
season, can access information in the same way as their counterparts in the West. An increase in the use of solar energy in Africa is therefore of paramount importance to the continent as it will contribute towards the strengthening of economic competitiveness, reduce poverty and assist in the achievement of overall development goals.
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An increase in the use of solar energy in Africa is therefore of paramount importance to the continent as it will contribute towards the strengthening of economic competitiveness, reduce poverty and assist in the achievement of overall development goals.
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The powers that be
Samsung unveils the Solar-Powered Digital Village How do you turn desperation into hope on a continent with serious education shortcomings, power shortages and medical crises? For Samsung Electronics Africa, the answer is as clear as daylight. Words Nimi Pretorius
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“Everyone speaks of the need to bridge the digital divide,” says Ntutule Tshenye at the recent launch of Samsung’s first Digital Village at Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg. “The fact is, we can only really achieve this if we focus on the core objective of changing lives for the better.” Ntutule is Head of Public Affairs and Shared Value Creation at Samsung Electronics Africa. His team has been working on innovative ways of delivering essential services to those who need it most, wherever they are. “Like many businesses, our challenge was to look at what was needed versus what was available - and devise a plan that connected the two.” One of the biggest problems in Africa is the absence, interruption and staggering costs of electrification. The numbers are daunting: on average, less than 25% of rural Africa has access to electricity. In a continent that’s in desperate need of socio-economic upliftment, a shortage of power contributes directly to a serious lack of education, healthcare and connectivity. It’s a conundrum that has inspired Samsung Electronics Africa to develop solar-powered products with one main aim: to improve lives. The Samsung Digital village, developed under their “Built for Africa” umbrella, is no exception. Shortly after the formalities, the press is invited to see the Digital Village in action. As we walk around the Village, it’s clear to see why a Powerpoint presentation wouldn’t have sufficed - you can only really appreciate the vast potential of this initiative by experiencing it for yourself. A solar-powered classroom,
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Our challenge was to look at what was needed versus what was available - and devise a plan that connected the two.
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complete with smiling leaners hard at work, shows how a school with limited resources can save a bundle on electricity costs and enable teachers and scholars to access the internet and learn valuable computer skills - using nothing but solar power. I had seen the solar-powered mobile medical centre before, but at the launch in Midrand I was reminded of this project’s incredible power to bring medical help to previously unimagined rural areas. “Our Digital Village initiative is an example of Samsung’s investment in CSR on the continent: a keen focus on education, healthcare. Accessing as well as harnessing the company’s legacy of innovation to respond to the felt needs of people on the continent,” Ntutle explains. As I drive away from the launch, I can’t help but wonder why it’s taken so long for someone to find a way to give new hope to the continent using the one thing that clearly symbolises it. If Digital Villages pop everywhere, it can only mean good things for those who live under the African sun.
What does a Samsung Digital Village look like? 1. Solar Powered Internet Schools This exclusively solarpowered, mobile and completely independent classroom is geared at increasing accessibility to education and connectivity across Africa.
2. A Solar Power Generator A solar power generator can be deployed in less than an hour and for increased power needs, a number of generators can be daisy connected.
3. A Solar Power Health Centre This mobile medical solution provides professional, qualified medical care, thereby eliminating economic and geographic barriers.
4. A Telemedical Centre This centre provides remote medical assistance through a centralised pool of medical expertise and experience, reducing the need for qualified doctors in rural areas.
5. LED Lanterns Charged from a central charging kiosk that is equipped with a solar rooftop, the lanterns are expected to provide lighting for more than 10 years while producing no greenhouse gases. S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 9 9
Hope on wheels The day the Samsung Solar Powered Health Centre rolled into Cosmo City. Words Nimi Pretorius Images Chris Saunders
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It is a hot, dusty morning in front of the Oasis Itsoseng Community Clinic in Cosmo City just north of Johannesburg. News of this Mobile Health Centre’s arrival has spread like wildfire and a big part of the community of Itsoseng, Cosmo City’s neighbouring township, is here to see what all the fuss is about. The Solar Powered Health Centre model was launched earlier this year at the Samsung Africa Forum, but today’s outreach in Cosmo City is the first time it has been made accessible to the public. Samsung has set itself a goal to reach one million people through its Solar Powered Health Centres by 2015 - as part of its broader social responsibility goal to positively impact the lives of five million people in Africa by 2015. Some people have been waiting in slow-moving lines since 6am, hoping to seize this rare opportunity to have their eyes tested, or get advice on some other ailment. As I wait for the informal media briefing to begin, it’s hard to miss the underlying buzz of excitement and optimism in the long queues. Under normal circumstances the people of Cosmo City and Itsoseng Township have to travel for hours to seek specialised medical care when they need it. It’s not every day that help comes to them.
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These trucks can move into remote and rural areas, help a large amount of people in a short time and move on to the next place.
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“Good health is at the heart of wellbeing and impacts society at a fundamental level,” says Kea’ Modimoeng, Public Affairs and Common Shared Value Manager at Samsung Electronics Africa. He proudly addresses the media in the merciful shade of a tree. “It affects a child’s ability to learn at full potential and an adult’s ability to provide for their family. Today, we are seeing an innovation we’ve worked hard to develop come to life - and it is very exciting.” Today is not just the first time the Solar Powered Health Centre opens its doors to the man on the street. It also marks the launch of the ‘Mother and Child’ unit, specifically designed to provide medical services to to pregnant women and babies. “I am here because I think there S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 1 0 2
is something wrong with my baby,” says 20-year old motherto-be, Sinikiwe Ndlovu. “I have been in pain for days, but I know that a sonar can be very expensive. That’s why I am happy about seeing the doctor today.” Her son Mhlopeni sits patiently on her lap as they wait to be called. “The challenge regarding healthcare in South Africa is not only access to a physical clinic, but also access to dentist treatments,” says Dr Pagollang Motloba, a Dentist from Medunsa. “For example, most local clinics are only able to perform extractions when it comes to dental care. No crown or bridgework can be done due to a lack of equipment. This is why we are happy to partner with organisations like Samsung on solutions that open up
alternatives and quality medical treatment to people on a sustainable basis.” I am introduced to one of the patients, Timothy Moyo, who celebrated his 95th birthday in October. He wants the doctor to check his eyes, ears and teeth today, he explains in a slow, serious tone. A former farm worker, Mr Moyo now lives in Itsoseng with his wife and children. Ephraim Zimbili, a competency teacher from the Oasis Centre translates for him. “He’s been here since the early morning. Things started a bit slow, but we’re picking up the pace now.” I thank Timothy for his time and Ephraim translates. As I walk away, the old charmer grabs my hand and kisses it, much to the amusement and delight of bystanders.
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Mounted on a truck and manned by qualified medical professionals, the Solar Powered Health Centres are able to move from one area to the next providing a range of medical services to the public. “That’s their main advantage,” says Mike Peri, who built these trucks to Samsung’s specifications. “These trucks can move into remote and rural areas, help a large amount of people in a short time and move on to the next place.” It takes approximately 90 days to build one of these vehicles, after which it can operate for up to 10 years. “Our next step is to add telecommunication services,” explains Mike. “That way, a doctor seeing a patient in a rural area can send vital info to a specialist in real-time and get much needed expert advice on the spot.” There’s a strong focus on screening people to establish common afflictions S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 1 0 4
like diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay and cataracts. The mobile healthcare centres also educate communities about general health and hygiene issues, preaching the age-old wisdom that prevention is better than cure. I stop to chat to two gentlemen who are patiently waiting in line. John Chibaku (73) and Walter Wycliff Johnson (71) are neighbours. Walter has been worried about pains in his eye sockets, whilst John suspects he is in need of spectacles himself. “I can see you if you are close to me, but I cannot see people who are far.” He explains that a normal trip to a specialist means traveling to Johannesburg’s Baragwanath Hospital – a pricey, uncomfortable journey that involves switching minibus taxis three times and spending four hours on the road, one way. They walked here together at 6am morning,
eager to seek help closer to home. “Talk to him, he is my friend,” says John, offering to share a bit of the limelight with Walter. Our photographer asks the two neighbours to pose for a picture together – a request they are proud and eager to grant us. On my way out, I exchange a few words with the 56-year old Gladys Chauke who also came here to have her eyes tested for the first time today – a prospect she finds exciting and a bit unnerving. She explains that she saw a sign advertising the project a few days ago and has really looked forward to being here. “I think my eyes are good,” she says cheerfully. “But my blood pressure is too high.” I ask what she thinks about the idea of a mobile health centre that brings doctors to sick people, where they live. “Njabulo,” she smiles. “Today, I am happy.”
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Good health is at the heart of wellbeing and impacts society at a fundamental level.
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50 Years of the African Union
A retrospective The idea behind the establishment of the African Union is a deep-seated belief in the importance and dizzying possibilities of a symbiotic relationship between African countries. From its establishment 50 years ago, to date, the AU has been at the forefront of fostering this symbiotic relationship
by providing an effective forum wherein member states can adopt coordinated positions on matters of common interest on the continent and in the world at large. A look at some highlights of the African Union’s history shows that the institution has spent the past 50 years doing just that.
The AU through the years: 1963
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1990
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Under the leadership of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and Malian President Modibo Keita, a ceasefire is reached in the Algeria-Morocco border conflict
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Promotion to ensure the acknowledgement of the Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile (GRAE), composed by FNLA. Such acknowledgement was extended to Agostinho Neto’s MPLA in 1967 and to the merger of both organisations in 1972
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African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted in recognition of ever-present conflicts on the African continent and their role in retarding African economic development
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Launch of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) with a rousing speech by Pres. Kwame Nkrumah in Addis Ababa
OAU stages the first All African Cultural Festival in Algiers, Algeria, and First Workshop on African Folklore, Dance, and Music in Mogadishu, Somalia
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OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, and Resolution adopted. Intervention in what was formerly considered internal conflicts became possible
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Is it not unity alone that can weld us into an effective force, capable of creating our own progress and making our valuable contribution to world peace?
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– Pres. Kwame Nkrumah in his speech at the opening of the OAU
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Mediation led by former Presidents Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Nelson Mandela of South Africa is instrumental in resolving Burundi conflict
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OAU in Harare gives West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG the go-ahead to use force to drive out the military regime in Sierra Leone
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OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government passes the Sirte Declaration calling for establishment of the African Union to address social, political, and economic realities, as well as eliminate conflict
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Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 helps to end the fighting in Sudan that led to thousands of deaths in Darfur in what is now South Sudan
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During a donor conference in Ethiopia, leaders of the AU pledge $380 million to help famine-hit families in the Horn of Africa
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Inauguration of the new AU HQ in Addis Ababa, built and donated by the Chinese
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF Hyon-Ju (H.J.) Cho Vice President – Global Media/Digital Strategy, Suwon Digital City, Korea The best part of my job is integrating synergy and maximising value amongst paid, owned and earned media. As VP of Global Media/Digital Strategy, it excites me to keep up with the fast-changing media landscape and to come up with strategies that leverage effectiveness of paid media best utilise owned media, and amplify through earned media. I am inspired by people. I love meeting marketers from around the world. It is an endless source of learning and helps me to think about key marketing topics. On a typical work day my 5:30am alarm is followed by the long commute from Seoul to Suwon Digital City. The morning starts with the usual conference calls with agency partners in New York to discuss key project developments. This is followed by several internal meetings with group members and GBMs. In the evening, I connect with our European S 1 3 Q 0 4 P 1 0 8
HQ digital team to discuss Samsung.com pilot programs in the evening when the UK wakes up. My typical workday ends with a walk to refresh. I usually have lunch with my group members. This is a good time to get together with them and discuss key agendas. I feel lost without my Galaxy Gear, a long comfortable jacket with matching pants and my handbag.
The greatest achievement of my career is achieving media consolidation and maximising the scale of Samsung’s total media spend. Our media dollar had been relatively scattered and has not been fully utilised for its scale and value. Global Digital has been dealing with six key digital partners since 2012 as part of a global media consolidation.
My favourite apps are cooking apps. I love to cook and to explore famous restaurants.
The biggest challenge has been establishing the SMC (Social Media Center), as the importance of social media was relatively new back in 2011 and there was not much learning for resources available at the time. Thanks to two years of hard work and a systematic approach towards social media, Samsung now has the second highest number of global Facebook fans.
I relax by walking around Suwon Digital City complex or near my home. I also love going to the cinema, concerts and art galleries.
If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t wait for anything. I would just pursue my dreams without hesitation. Do not be afraid - do it right now!
I use my handset all the time – mostly to check e-mails and connect with friends on social networks. My favourite social networks are Facebook and KakaoTalk.
Fresh perspective
Samsung T9000
Cool sophistication
Samsung F900 Aircon