FAITHFUL TO NATURE

ANELE MSWELI’S ALL-NATURAL PRODUCTS ARE FINALLY GETTING THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE, WRITES KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN

Anele Msweli and her three sisters were raised by her mom in Montclair. “At Mowat Park High School I was a bit of an odd ball, I was a library monitor and organised cake sales for Animal Action,” she laughs. “But a lot of my childhood was just me in my own head, dreaming big. And I was obsessed with South Korea and Japan, everything about the East fascinated me.

“Some of the best days of my life were spent at Rhodes University, where I studied a Bachelor of Science,” continues Anele. “After university I volunteered for Greenpeace Africa. The most memorable part of this journey was onboard the Rainbow Warrior, sailing with an eclectic and multi-national crew I learnt so much from.”

In 2016 Anele moved to Harbin in China. “I needed change, adventure and well, money, to be perfectly honest,” she says. Completing an online TEFL certificate, she secured a decent entry level job. “The first three months were hard, I missed home and it was just the biggest culture shock,” says Anele – who chose Harbin because it was a city most unlike Durban, with long and freezing winters.

“I remember being absolutely down with my dry hair, scalp and hands in Harbin. Everyone blamed the harsh weather,” she says. “After a YouTube rabbit hole spiral, I learnt so much about essential and carrier oils, and started making concoctions for my dry hair.” And this is how Mare & Itis was born. “I found a South African expat selling essential oils and started tinkering away in my little kitchen,” she says. Not only focusing on skin and hair products, Anele had also realised that cleaning products in China had harmful chemicals that would cause a rash or peeling. “That’s when I made the first prototype of the Zesty Kitchen Cleaner.”

Anele moved on to Wuqing, a small district in Tianjin, and worked long hours as a Montessori English teacher and co-ordinator. “I was also studying interior design online,” she explains. “I was exhausted all the time, so I needed to make another plan as I couldn’t continue working myself to the bone.” Anele’s partner back home in South Africa, Kyle Watkins, told her to sit

down and think long and hard about her future. “For our relationship, someone had to move. I was that someone. And, I was going to start a business. I needed to do something new and something I loved – and that included tinkering, creating, and being environmentally conscious.” Mare & Itis has grown far beyond what Anele had imagined. “From just selling at markets in China, we are now online and at numerous stockists in KZN,” says Anele – who laughs when asked about the story behind the unusual name, which originates from her student days at Rhodes. “Mare is a ‘Rhodent’ word that you’d hear buzzing around on a Saturday morning; meaning somewhat a fun yet debaucherous time. Itis is slang from the Boondocks which is your translation of ‘maagies vol, ogies toe’ – that feeling you have after Christmas lunch,” she explains. “I decided to put these two amazing things together to create something that is quintessentially me. I love a good time and I love food.”

I needed to do something new and something I loved – and that included tinkering, creating, and being environmentally conscious”

TOP: Anele during her time in Harbin, China. ABOVE: A few of the allnatural Mare & Itis skin products. LEFT: Passionate about making a difference, Anele hopes to shift the consumer mindset.

Anele had come back to South Africa for a friend’s wedding early last year. “I had a suitcase packed for two weeks, but then lockdown happened in both China and SA and I couldn’t go back,” she says. Mare & Itis Shoppe was propelled, and had to become a fully functioning income-earning business. “The year 2020 will always remain a significant year for me and for the brand. It was all or nothing, and I have learnt so much about entrepreneurship and resilience.

“Mare & Itis home care products instantly convert an apartment into a home. They envelop the space with cosy and homely scents that often remind people of something. The non-toxic, natural and cruelty-free products are plant-based and biodegradable, work really well, and won’t break the bank,” says Anele – who still makes everything herself. “I formulated every single product with some help from friends in the industry. I think having studied science has helped me a great deal.”

When Anele is not tinkering, she loves being in nature, travelling to new places and talking to passionate people. Her partner is also an entrepreneur. “Seeing his fire lit, working tirelessly to build his dream, inspires me every day. It lights my fire too,” she says – adding that she met Kyle on holiday in SA in 2018. “We will talk about our businesses, the operations and the ups and downs until the wee hours. It is so good to have someone with far more experience than you do, someone who can be a sane sounding board.”

This year Anele is focusing on growth by leading Mare & Itis into more retail stores. “We want to shift the consumer mindset; it’s affordable and practical to shop consciously,” she says. “We also wants to educate. Even if you don’t buy a Mare & Itis product, but you have learnt something from us – whether it’s about essential oils or cleaning products, which will make you shop with your health and environment in mind – then we have done our part.” *

FOR MORE INFO www.mareanditis.shop; anele@mareanditis.com STOCKISTS: Faithful to Nature, Yuppiechef, Off The Shelf in uMdloti, Sage Ko’op in Salt Rock, Vittoria & Co at the Watercrest Mall.

The best start in LIFE

WELCOME TO PRESTIGE BABY & KIDZ ACADEMY – A LEADING GROUP OF PRE-SCHOOLS WITH THE AIM OF GIVING TODDLERS FROM THREE MONTHS TO SIX YEARS THE VERY BEST START IN LIFE

In 2005, Prestige Baby & Kidz Academy was founded in response to the need for exceptional early childhood education in South Africa. There was also a clear vision – to provide the necessary balance of academic learning and play that all children need to excel, not only in grade school, but in later life as well.

Apart from excellence in our early childhood development (ECD) foundation, the stability gained from social, emotional, physical and intellectual stimulation experienced at Prestige schools is priceless. become a child and family specialist. Kirsten is an internationally recognised certified children’s life coach. Working simultaneously with her brainchild – Kids Unique Coaching – she focuses on empowering children through social and emotional learning. Kirsten’s vision for a dynamic approach on early childhood learning combined with that of family support and instilling value systems, is entrenched deep within her heart.

After a decade of success, Prestige pre-schools have raised the bar for excellence in early childhood development, elevating an established group of facilities to a first-world premium standard.

We welcome you to visit our beautiful, warm and family- orientated schools.

Understandably, learning to read and write is important, but at Prestige we believe it is essential for every child to develop a high level of selfconfidence and self-esteem to allow them the opportunity to find their place in the community. Prestige children learn through arts, projects and activities that reflect their ideas and interests. More importantly, the ECD programme teaches children to learn invaluable life-long lessons from an early age – something they will use for the rest of their lives.

The facilities offered are beautiful and spacious, and following Covid regulations, the classrooms are exceptionally hygienic.

Principal Michelle Greyling

Meet the team

The Prestige Group is directed by a comprehensive management team where collaboration is a dynamic process in which our staff across our branches combine knowledge, expertise, experiences, resources and strength to promote children’s growth and development at our schools.

Meet Principal Michelle Greyling of our uMhlanga branch. Her passion and heart for children has earned her an admirable reputation as a contributor in ECD for almost two decades in the uMhlanga community.

Michelle, who is our Grade R lead, studied childcare and education in Britain and holds a B.Ed Foundation Phase Degree. She has furthered her studies to include special interest in children who have different individual needs and how to provide for them in the school environment. She relocated to South Africa in 2006 with an amazing career opportunity in the ECD field, then joined the Prestige family in 2015 with her wealth of knowledge.

Apart from teaching, Michelle has also worked individually with young adults and children within a family unit. Her special interests include creative elements, music, reading, cooking and co-ordinating school concerts.

Raised and schooled in Cape Town, Principal Kirsten Katherine Brissett heads up the stunning Durban North campus. Her passion within the institution of ECD has facilitated both children and teachers in exceeding their full potential.

Along with excelling in the field of leading teams through child focused programmes, she furthered her career to

Principal Kirsten Katherine Brissett

FOR MORE INFO UMHLANGA: 083 661 8239; DURBAN NORTH: 083 761 9463; MORNINGSIDE: 082 496 9597;

www.prestigebaby.co.za

One-eyed maple apple MONSTERS

MAKE LUNCHBOX MEAL PLANNING FOR BACK-TOSCHOOL FUN BUT HEALTHY BY TRYING THESE ONE-EYED MAPLE APPLE MONSTERS PACKED WITH A SELECTION OF FRUITS AND HIGH IN POTASSIUM AND VITAMIN C

TIME TO MAKE: 20 MINS PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINS INGREDIENTS: apples strawberries whipped cream blueberries Illovo Maple Syrup METHOD: Remove the core from an apple, place apple on its side and slice through, but making sure not to slice all the way through. Play around with the slices so they all face different directions. Take a strawberry and cut into slices, then place one strawberry slice between two slices of apple to create a tongue. Put some cream in a piping bag. Add a blob of cream to the front of the apple above the tongue to create an eye, and on top to create horns. Place a blueberry in the middle of the cream to form the eye. Drizzle Illovo Maple Syrup on the tongue and all over the apple for that sweet ending.

Doing more in 2021 Illovo Sugar SA annually supports the Eston Trail Challenge, which WITH A NEW YEAR COMES THE ADDED ANTICIPATION OF ANOTHER YEAR OF LEARNING FOR OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE LEADERS. is a major fund-raising event for the Eston Club and its community that caters for 130 commercial farmers

and 510 small scale sugar cane growers. Eston places value on quality education being made available to all of its community members, and in late 2020 the funds raised from another safe

In line with Illovo Sugar SA’s mandate to build thriving communities, we are passionate about supporting initiatives that look to improve schools and assist learners so they can help build a brighter tomorrow. and successful Eston Trail Challenge event went towards the upgrading

of school infrastructure and sporting facilities

for the Nippers Preprimary and Eston Primary schools.