THE SHE VOICES OF AFRICA
JUNE-AUGUST 2020 | ISSUE 4
MELLENIN
IN THE COVID WAKE ARE WOMEN SAFE?
EMBRACE YOUR POWER MUMMY IN BUSINESS
MEN AND MAKEUP A NEW NORM?
DOOFAN AGBER FROM NIGERIA WITH LOVE Mellenin Magazine
KESEGO
MOENG ON HER THRONE
June-August 2020
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June-August 2020
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IN THIS ISSUE
HOW IS IT BEING A MUM WHILE RUNNING A BUSINESS? KELLY ROSE
22
VEE MONEY, GIRL ON FIRE
45 A PHYSICIST AND HER OVEN.
ARE WOMEN SAFE DURING THIS PANDEMIC? WHAT CAN WE DO?
MEET DOOFAN, NIGERIA’S SWEET TOOTH
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June-August 2020
We wish to thank everyone who made it possible for the success of this issue. A big thank you to the photographers(at pexel, check back cover), contributors and not forgetting the lovely team of ladies; the black women who agreed to share their motivational and inspirational stories with other African queens. Kesego Moeng from Botswana, Doofan Agber from Nigeria and Kellen Rose from Kenya. We much appreciate you mellenins.
48 MEN AND MAKEUP. THE MUAS ARE HERE
This issue is for online viewing only. No part of this issue should be printed or sold by any means.
35 ON THE COVER @melleninmag
ONE ON ONE WITH BOTSWANA’S
KESEGO MOENG
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be transmitted in any form or by any means ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Send us your feedback at melleninvoices@gmail.com
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June-August 2020
EDITORIAL WINSTON ERIC WRITER & EDITOR
@sirushi_mawe
I write when…The gods bring in ideas My current read: Online courses and work, so nothingat the moment A book I have always postponed on reading…Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s autobiography My take on the current Covid19 pandemic: It has exposed how much people we really think are enlightened, aren‘t so much. And that the poor are always on their own. ―Whatever you do, don’t be poor‖ Gabriel Oguda:
MELISSA SHALIMMA WRITER Current read: The Inevitable by Melissa Shalimma. Last book you read: Ransom by David Malouf.. A book you read that changed you: Bullied by Vera Micic. It made me realize that I wasn't the only one who was bullied and body shamed.. Skills learned during this pandemic lockdown? Surprisingly, I haven't adapted to anything new
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WAIRIMU wa GATONYE WRITER
@charthy
Female or male authours? I don‘t choose to read a book based on gender. I simply like what I like What you look for in a book…Murders, mysteries, thrillers are mostly my cup of tea Watch a movie or read the book? Read a book, since you get to create your own characters in your head and that‘s priceless Your take on Africa and Covid-19 response… I think we joke a lot about everything really and may end up regretting how lightly we are treating this
MATTHEW OMOLO DESIGNER @od‘wyre Current read…I prefer reading but I mainly do audiobooks. Your take on Covid-19... It has helped escalate good work and hygiene practices like working from home if you dont have to be out there adding to traffic. I am not pleased by the authoritarian ways the pandemic has been dealt with because freedom is key. Do you feel your government has done enough? The government is doing good in this fight because I believe there is very little that any government can do to stop this virus burning through the population. Skills learnt during this break? I have been learning on how to play the violin. It‘s really helped get by.
EDITOR- IN- CHIEF WANGARI GATONYE EDITOR WINSTON ERIC DIGITAL EDITOR CHACHA KAIRU DESIGNER ODHIAMBO MATTHEW DIGITAL DESIGNER WANGARI GATONYE CONTENT CREATOR WAIRIMU WA GATONYE PHOTOGRAPHERS MODELS’ OWN AND THE TEAM FROM PEXELS.COM COTTON BRO, KAROLINAGRABOWSKA, GUSTAVO FRING, BONGKARN CONTACTS @melleninmag Email: melleninvoicesmag@gmail.com We wish to thank everyone who made it possible for the success of this issue. A big thank you to the photographers, contributors and not forgetting the lovely team of ladies; the black women who agreed to share their motivational and inspirational stories with other African queens. Kesego Moeng from Botswana, Doofan Agber from Nigeria and Kellen Rose from Kenya. We much appreciate you mellenins.
This issue is for online viewing only. No part of this issue should be printed or sold by any means.
June-August 2020
STOP KILLING US My 5yr old daughter told me the other day that she wanted to change her surname from her dad‘s to mine. Yeah, you read that correctly. She was questioning a rule and culture I had never even thought about myself. I was overcome with joy. Not because I believed she loved me more (though I believe she does LOL) I was impressed because I realized that at her young age, asking this, showed a sense of girl-power in her own way. How things are, what society dictates, why should it be? Why not? I marveled at a bright future ahead. I somehow saw it. It got me thinking though, how many of us women, grown and in our adult stages question the traditional norms made before us? The societal rules on how we should or shouldn‘t live? Do we just cruise in life on a given straight narrow path of laws conceived way beyond we existed? Yet, somehow, find ourselves blindly entangled in the webs and chains of male domination and oppression? Don‘t dress like this, don‘t speak like that, don‘t do this type of job, do not participate in politics etc. Yet still in our humble obedience, we have been reduced to vulnerable preys in our own homes. We have been locked in with vampires, hunters begging for our blood (reasons given as harsh economic bites). We have been maimed and made to believe it‘s ok. As people are advised to stay at home, gender violence has kicked a note higher than ever before. Women are being murdered by their domestic partners on a daily. Rape cases have intensified as culprits still walk freely. There have been endless cries for justice all over social media. The cases seem rampant in South Africa, where it‘s been estimated that over 40% of South African women will be raped in their lifetime and that only 1 in 9 rapes are reported. The sad case of the pregnant woman who was stabbed to death and hanged on a tree remains mind bogling to every sane human being. May her soul RIP. Yet, its not the south that‘s suffering alone. There are many reported cases in all over Africa where even the police, the very people who vow to protect us, have turned their backs on us - beating helpless women and children during government-forced curfews. Something that‘s by far beyond humanity‘s comprehension. So as we strive to live, to survive, let‘s also learn to speak our minds and raise our voices. Our voices matter. Our lives matter. We are the backbone of our society and our existence is as crucial as any other. Yet, bove all these hogwash, sickening reports, women are still finding ways of creating their own thrones and thriving therein. In this issue, we meet three women from different parts of Africa who in their own way, are making big steps towards supporting and motivating themselves as well as other women. Here‘s our issue 4, and we are glad that with you, we have come this far. Follow us on our social media platforms and let‘s engage. #BlackLivesMatter #WeAre52pc #StayHome #StayAlive
Cheers to life Mellenin Queens! Founder,& EIC
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By Wairimu Gatonye There ain‘t nothing that I got to hate more than generalising, people. Well, it has never been my thing, I have learned to judge people by their own individual characters. But there are those moments where a rock and a hard place is the only true existence.
I do remember my first harassment quite vividly. Walking from school in my high school uniform, I meet a man who primitively decided to have a go at my still ‗developing‘ rack. I remember instantaneously shouting at him a not so pleasant word that he actually turned back and dared me to repeat the word.
Sexual harassment can also include verbal and non-verbal habits. For women, unfortunately, this is an unending daily struggle.
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With the passing years, I realized that life had literally the same things in store. My lecturer, a random bus conductor, a homeless bum. To be honest, I am no bitter feminist on a campaignto ruin men‘s reputation and demand to be like them. A big freaking No! But when a stranger knows they can put their hands on you however, and whenever they want and get away with it, then Trash becomes a noun for such men. I mean, do other men clearly choose to see such primeval behavior towards women and decide to do absolutely nothing? Why? Do they get some form of arousal from this? Satisfaction that proves we are in a patriarchal society and can do nothing about it? No?
That said, one thing I am almost certain about is the fact that most, if not all women have undergone a form of sexual harassment. This may be knowingly or unknowingly. At some point in our growing up, we were all surrounded by those kindof-weird uncles with distatesful vibes. Grown up men who would say things so out of the norm, it would scare the hell out of the little us. One instance was the weirdo who would always say he couldn‘t wait to marry the little me someday, As petrifyingly creepy as that sounds, I have carried the words in my heart as the pepetrator remains oblivious to his past deeds and queer behaviours todate.
fighting tears just because she had never felt so helpless.
Are these the same people who watch us being stripped naked because we decided to dress our way? I was shaken and afraid, maybe more of perturbed. So it was not enough that I was being violated, I wasn't even allowed to speak my mind lest it turned to violence? The guts?? People just watched as a girl in uniform looked down in so much embarrassment andpain,
With the current pandemic and the social distancing rules, one would think such would stop? No, babes. The audacity and given prviledge some think they have over our bodies is outrageously filthy. Men, what happened? Are we not your sisters and mothers you should love and care for? June-August 2020
Twitter’s Black Women To Follow
@ AishaDaughter
@ niqita11
She defines herself as a Pan Africanist and a black people‘s defender. She is a Nubian advocate who constantly reminds us of our African heritage. She‘s knowledgable, knows her history and holds her opinions with facts.
Niqita from South Africa is that big sister you love to share your fears and secrets with. She‘s smart, funny and outrightly down to earth. She will keep you grounded on your meds and make you look cool while at it.
She‘s an epitome of African culture and divinity. She‘s that true, African daughter of the land that we all love to be.
10yrs on ARVS, 3 kids and a negative partner, she posts on healthy living with HIV-AIDS and proves that life can still be normal.
Soldier On sister!
We simply love to love her! She‘s the purest of souls.
@ drthema She‘s your helper and that big mama advisor when it comes to mental health and loving yourself. She describes herself as a minister, psychologist, professor, artist and author. She has enough quotes and encouragement to make you realize you are never alone when it comes to feeling sad or stressed. We basically love her motivational quotes. Give her a follow and keep your daily wisdom on check. And yes, welcome
sisters,
y‘all
5
IN THE WAKE OF COVID 19 women no longer safe “Domestic Violence that led to the Grave”, the post read. A woman goes on to tell the story of her mother. On the left, she says, that‘s my mother. On the right of the picture, the last frame, that‘s my mother too. But in deep down on the grave! Killed by the man she married, her lover, her friend, turned a murderer! Evidence that led to her murder laid bare for the world to see. The depression, the hurt, the hopelessness, foretold in her despair post. The government having failed her, she seeks solace with the online community. And believe it or not, that‘s the real sadness we are going through. Women no longer safe in this pandemic. Covid 19 coming as a curse to the very women that have helped build a nation. The inhumanity cases are happening all over Africa, and South Africa has been worstly hit. Over the weekend, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke out against genderbased violence, ―We note with disgust that at a time when the country is facing the gravest of threats from the (coronavirus) pandemic, violent men are taking advantage of the
By Wangari Gatonye
eased restrictions on movement to attack women and children,‖ he said in a statement. The death of a young, pregnant 28 year old woman sparked a a nation wide protest after she was found stabbed and hanging on a tree. Tshegofatso Pule, who was eight months pregnant, was last seen June 4 getting into a cab from her home in Soweto, saying she was going to visit her boyfriend, the South African outlet Sowetan Live reported. She called her family later that night, claiming she got in a fight with her boyfriend and planned to return home, the outlet reported. Pule never returned and a local resident later stumbled across her body, with stab wounds in her chest, hanging from a tree near Florida Lake, according to reports. Pule‘s grisly death sparked the hashtag #JusticeForTshego, which was trending last week on Twitter, and made international headlines. Last year, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dubbed the country one of ―the most unsafe places in the world to be a woman.‖Also in 2019, crime statistics showed that 2,930 adult women in South Africa had been murdered during a 12-month span from 2017 to 2018 — about one murder per three hours.
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Tshegofatso Pule Mellenin Magazine
F IRS T, WE LIVE
At the time of writing this article, A man has been charged with premeditated murder after a pregnant woman was found dead, hanging from a tree, in South Africa last week. Mzikayise Malephane, 31, was charged in the death of Tshegofatso Pule, 28, after appearing in court. Officials have not said whether Pule knew Malephane, who did not enter a plea during his court appearance. NIGERIA, CITY
Vera Uwaila, Uwa
BENIN
Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 22year-old microbiology student, sought the quiet of her empty church in Benin City, southern Nigeria, as a place to study. Hours later she was raped and killed in a crime that has sparked outrage across Nigeria. A church security guard found Uwa, as she is known, unconscious in a pool of blood, according to her family.
She was rushed to hospital but died on Saturday afternoon. The attack on a university student in a church has horrified many in Nigeria, a deeply religious country. Even after she gained admission to the University of Benin last year, the 22-yearold didn't stop taking theological classes at a local parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Edo State, her older sister said. "She wanted to be a minister and preach the word of God. The church was her favorite place to be," Judith, 24, said by phone. "That she was murdered where she always found peace is just devastating." Omozuwa usually went to the church on weekdays to study to avoid distractions from her siblings at home, her sister said. The student went more regularly in recent months as her university was one of the dozens shuttered by authorities Vera Uwaila as part of measures to halt the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria Omozuwa's death is part of a recent spate of violence involving young women in Nigeria and the killing has become a rallying cry as women call on authorities to tackle gender-based violence in the West African nation. A group of university students marched to the police station in Benin City in protest on Tuesday, and Nigerians Mellenin Magazine
have been using the twin hashtags #JusticeForUwa and #SayNoToRapists to speak out against violence against women and girls. As if that was not enough, a 12-year old girl was gang raped and left for dead, still in Nigeria. Just days after Omozuwa's death, another name was trending on social media -- this time a teenage college student in the southwest of the country who was allegedly raped and murdered at her family home, according to local media reports.
leave. This is when things changed from bad to worse," Nyamvula said. She said with both of them being out of a job, the couple faced an economic crisis as their finances kept declining since they had been using the little savings they had. Nyamvula cannot count the number of times her husband has hit her and at one time, she even lost consciousness only to regain it after hours.
W O M E N A C T I O N S T O ADRESS RAPE & VIOLENCE All across social media, many women have come out to report cases of sexual and physical abuse from men living with them. This has become an awakening call for women
#SayNoToRapists!!! Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari called Omozuwa's killing a "barbaric act" in a tweet on Tuesday and offered his "deepest condolences" to friends and the victim's family.
In yet another part of Kenya, Frida Nyamvula is nursing wounds she got from a beating she received from her husband of seven years. Nyamvula, a teacher, said her husband changed ever since the work-from-home directive was issued by the government. ―My husband‘s company shut down and they were all sent on unpaid
of abuse, being able to come out and speak about it; thus minimizing abuse and amplifying the distraught women voices. Women have held meetings to educate masses on ways to protect themselves from the virus. In Nigeria for example, a group of women‘s groups, have organized workshops teaching communities on ways of prevention and awareness of the pandemic.
The following are a few guidelines that have been put for women to prevent them from rape attacks and violence. When you are staying in an unfamiliar city, don't become a victim. Protect yourself by following these suggestions. 1. Find out where the safe and unsafe neighborhoods are located.
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2. When you can, travel with a trusted colleague. 3. If you are a woman, ask if your hotel offers women-only floors. 4. Ask if you can be seated with other guests in the hotel dining room or in restaurants to avoid being targeted as a woman traveling alone. 5. When you leave your room, always lock the door. 6. When you are in your room, keep the deadbolt locked and the chain on the door. 7. Don't open your door unless you have called room service or you are expecting visitors. 8. If someone knocks on your door, verify that your caller is the person you're expecting, before you open the door. Even if you're expecting someone, if your door has a peephole, look through if before opening the door. 9. If you like to jog or work out while you're on travel, ask the hotel/motel to recommend a safe place. Don't jog in areas that are unsafe. 10. Take taxi's after dark. Don't walk alone at night. And even during the day - be alert!
In a January 2018 survey of 1,000 women nationwide, 81 percent reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment, assault, or both in their lifetime. Verbal harassment was the most common form, but 51 percent of women said they were touched or groped in an unwelcome way, while 27 percent of women survived sexual assault.
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Even if you‘ve personally never felt yourself in a situation that made you feel physically unsafe, having reassurance about your next steps (and what you can do to help yourself should the unfortunate circumstance ever happen) can make all the difference. A study from the University of Oregon found that women who participated in a self-defense class felt they:
had better safety strategies in place were more equipped to deal with strangers, and people they know, in the context of potential assault or abuse had more positive feelings about their bodies had increased self-confidence It therefore becomes imperious that while working to alleviate the hostile impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic-assult cases, African states should establish laws that protect its‘ peoples in times of unplanned crises as these. Women utmost being at the epicenter of the worst effects of the pandemic should be included at the core of the COVID-19 response.
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STOP KILLING US
WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED
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“Be a little bit selfish sometimes and spoil yourself, you have earned it�
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KELLEN ROSE By Melissa Shalimma
It’s not everyday we get people interested in uplifting our souls and lives through their own stories, and moreso, for free. This is probably because the world of social media has becomemore of a realm of floss, fake living and comparisons. But not for one, Rose Kelly. The unapologetic, lively lady is an ambassador of hope, motivation, confidence and real life struggles of the modern woman in a society dominated by patriachal chauvinism. She is here for a different mission, and here to stay! Shalimma got a chance to interact with her as she let us in on the perks of being a mummy in business. I w a s b o r n i n K e n y a but raised in Tanzania. My official names are Rose Wambui Kellen, though most folks prefer to call e Rose Kelly. I am a single mum of one,a lawyer, mediator, podcaster and businesswoman. I was once elected as the student publicity secretary (and I loved everything to do with it), so maybe I can add politician to my title? I am a
What was it like in the first months of being a mother?
It was crazy! Sometimes even hard but it’s the best feeling ever. The changes experienced after being a mum For starters, my friends used to call me chubby (had to ask them to stop since I am a mum now) but I now go by Mama Petra. One of the perks of being a mum was the confidence it came with. I felt like nothing could stop me and thus made me a smarter businesswoman...(or maybe I think it did). Did you start planning ahead for your business even during your pregnancy?
graduate of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, where in 2016, graduated with a Bachelor of Law. I then later on went for mediation training to became a certified mediator. I am 26 years old. However, I currently run a kindergarten and daycare called FAWROSE School in Ongata Rongai. I have always loved business. Any legal way I can be able get an extra coin and ofcourseit’s morally correct, I will definitely do it.
Well,I had planned for my business…my pregnancy on the other hand, came as a pleasant surprise. Are there times you wish you would have postponed one for the other? Mhmm not really, I believe everything happens for a reason and at the right time. My daughter was a surprise but she has made me make better decisions and be a better business woman.
“Being a mum gave me so much confidence and I feel like nothing can stop me”
Would you say being a business woman makes you less of a good and present mother or vice versa? Being a businesswoman makes me even a better mum, rhis would be unlike if I was employed I feel like that would have robbed me the chance of Mellenin Magazine
being present in my child’s life whenever I wanted to. Running my own business gives me an opportunity to create my own schedule and make plenty of time to be a mother to my daughter. How has having a child impacted your business? Running a kindergarten and daycare means being surrounded by children everyday. So, I am like a mom to them all. Having my own child has made me understand my children (students) in my school and the psyche of the parents better. What would you say are some things that apply to both responsibilities? Having a sound mind and remaining calm even in crazy situations. Is there actual balance between the two? Sometimes it’s hard to find a balance especially when things get difficult in business. But I try to not bring work home. So that sort of brings the balance. Does your day to day schedule leave you time for yourself? Plenty of time.thats the fan part of running your business you can always create time for yourself go for a massage or take a long road trip to nowhere. Advice to other mums in business…Your sanity is the most important thing. Always try to keep it so as to be able to balance,it’s ok to break down and mess up once in a while but you got this! Remember to find balance- money is important but spending time with your little one is also very important. If you find a way to balance both, - and use your child as your motivation, you will be Ok.
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�Your sanity is the most important thing.�
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SMART
ENTREPRENEURS
THE OVEN LADY On ou r E n tr e p r e n e u r s s e c t io n , w e m e e t Do o f an A g b e r f r o m N i ge r i a. S h e ’ s a s e lf m ad e b ak e r a n d a P h y s i c is t b y p r o f e s s io n . S h e ad m i t s t h a t d e f i n in g h e r s e l f c an b e t e d io u s an d a g r e e s t h a t s h e c an b e m a n y t h in g s a t a g iv e n t i m e . S h e ’ s a m u m , an e n tr e p r e n e u r , a w if e a n d a b a k e r . S h e ’ s a g o g e t te r w h o i s m a k in g h e r o w n r u le s in a n in d u s tr y t h at r e q u ir e s h ar d w o r k an d p u r e p as s io n . T o t h is N i ge r i an b e au ty , i t ’ s a l l a b o u t C ak e s , C a k e s a n d mo r e C a k e s ! D o o f an s p e ak s to u s an d l e t s u s in - i n h e r w o r l d o f f l o u r , e g gs a n d s u g ar ! Was entrepreneurship what you wanted to do after school? Well, at the time, it wasn’t a thought out plan. Getting a job with the government wasn’t easy and the private schools I applied to teach in, didn’t offer a salary I was comfortable. Why baking? I have always had a passion for Baking because as a kid, my mum would bake us yummy treats. So I figured out if I wanted to go to business, it had to. What challenges have you encountered? Getting clients as a startup is really difficult as people
The Queen Sugar, Doofan Agber
insinuate you are not capable. It was really tough for me in the early days.
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Now, am at a good place and people actually message me to make orders because they see my work on social media is amazing! I
What’s the future like for Sessy Bakes? The future sure looks
also get referrals and ofocourse, word of
great for Sessy bakes.
muth has taken me this far.
The aim is to become a household name,
Where do you get your cake inspiration from?
So watch out for us. (smiles)
I look up designs and then do my thing. Some clients also come with a picture for
Final Words… Starting a business is easy.
replication.
Consistency is the hard
In my free time, I design my own ideas; I
part.
may see a color
To anyone who wants to
combo on a dress and VOILA!!
venture in this, believe in Yourself. Don‘t let anyone
How do you plan your time considering
or anything discourage
you have kids and a home to take care
you
of?
from reaching your
I try to spread the work spread for orders
dreams and goals.
on time, say, I have an order for Thursday,
.
ill bake on Tuesday, then decorate on Wednesday. Though there are other times am extratired and do everything in a day.
With kids? In between screaming at the kids, I just manage funny enough. I love working at night when they are already asleep. Durong school time, I wake up at 0530hrs and sleep by 0100hrs. But now, with the COVID-19 pandemic and no school, I get a little more longer hours for my sleep. Though still, work comes first.
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Follow Doofan Agber on all social media pages @sessybakes Plot 3366 Ankpa Ward, GRA Makurdi. Benue State, Nigeria.
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Who’s That Babe?
THE OTHER SIDE OF KESEGO MOENG
She goes by Miss.Exuberance on social media, and by her posts, boy, ain‘t she a ball of energy and excitement! She‘s nothing short of the noun. Her lovely spirit and dynamism cannot go unnoticed and it‘s no wonder, we too couldn‘t help but fall in love with her. She spoke to us on her recently launched book, ―Great News I Welcome You.‖
Q
Tell us a bit about Kesego Moeng.
Kesego Moeng is a young vibrant woman,proud young other,mixologist,a plus size modeling founder, a lover of body and art, a new author who hails from a village called Mochudi in the beautiful country of Botswana aged 26 years. Her ambitions include being robust in the media industry and defining her passion plays to vibrate to her highest potential.
Q
You are an author of a beautiful,
motivational quotes-book, “Great News, I welcome You”. Tell us about this incredible book. ‘Great News I Welcome You’ is a beautiful compilation of 100 motivational quotes written under the first national lockdown which was provoked and declared due to the COVID19 pandemic and launched on
the 7th of June, the book speaks to the inner you, the bowel of your thoughts and emotions. Not only is it a motivational quote book but it causes you to desire personal development on another level.
Q
At what age did you know you had
a passion for writing? At the age of 13, poetry is one of the things I would listen to, read, write and it was then that I knew I had the passion to write.
Q
How long on average did it take
you to write the book? It took me 2 days to write this beautiful piece of work.
Q
Does writing in general
energize or exhaust you? Writing energizes me as I write from the bowel of my soul and often times in the right state of mind/sanity Would you say writing was your career goal? Never had I imagined that I would pursue writing as a career Does your family support your career as a writer? Yes
Q
What would you say is your interesting writing twist? My interesting writing twist is that I write from the depth of my soul and my content is relatable.
Q
Where did you get your quote
ideas for the book? All quotes in my book come from a place of contentment, solitude, gratitude and the desire to spark hope and faith in another person.
Q
You wrote a book and
published it during a lockdown. Something many of us wouldn’t have the drive to. What was your inspiration/motivation? A dream is a dream until you turn it into a reality, I believe I had a thoughtful conversation with self in essence that if I do not share my compatibility with the world then I may never fully inspire people who do not have direct access to me, so why not spread my inspiration through a book.
Q
The challenges you’ve experienced
as a young author so far I have experienced restrictions due to the COVID 19 pandemic such as printing and getting books out on time and most of the people want the book beyond the borders of Botswana.
Q
What did you learn about
yourself while writing the book? I have realized that I am as powerful as I believe I am and that whatsoever I put my mind to, I can achieve it.
Q
For other black women writers
who would probably want to go into book writing, what would be your first advice to them? My advice to other aspiring female authors is that, “write with essence and write from your heart, unapologetically!”
FUN FACTS ,
ABOUT MISS. EXUBERANCE,
KESEGO MOENG
1.
Her favorite quote from her book is: ‘YOU ARE YOU AND THAT IS YOUR SUPER POWER’
2.
Amaryllis, is her favorite childhood book ( read in Botswana at junior level).
3.
Her current read is… Great News I welcome you.
4.
She’s on a journey to starting a plus size modelling agency, which came about during the lockdown as well. “It’s still fairly new so be on the lookout for it.The Agency is called Precious Pearls Agency”.
―You Are You! And that‘s your Super Power ― Kesego Moeng
Follow Kesego Moeng on her social media pages for more inspirational vibes @KesegoMoeng
AIN’T NO STAAPIN’ VEE MONEY
ENTERTAINMENT
Name: Vanessa Mdee aka Vee Money Age: 32. Place of Birth: Arusha, Tanzania. Occupation: Radio Host, Musician and Philanthropist Vanessa has been gracing our ‗TV screens ever since she did that collaboration with Ommy Dimples. Her single ―Closer‖ in 2015 remained on the charts for 13 consecutive weeks.Her top hit songs include ―Cash Madame,‖ ―Niroge,‖ ―Juu,‖ ―Nobody but Me,‖ ―Hawajui,‖ ―Just Like Dat,‖ ―Never Ever,‖ ―Kisela,‖ ―Tusimame,‖ and ―Come Over.‖
Her voice is a gem and unlike many popular artists who have learnt the hack of autotunes, Vee girl actually uses her voice, at least according to the live concerts she‘s been doing across Africa. This girl has proved she‘s no hit wonder and that‘s why we love her.
Classy and sophisticated, Vanessa Mdee‘s music has set her apart as she keeps producing hit after hit. Her hardwork shows in her music videos and it‘s no wonder she still holds the airwaves. It‘s because of this, Vee is this issue‘s Mellenin artist!
OF MAKEUP AND MEN By Wangari Gatonye
The rise of Instagram and other other gender. This does more ―pictorial‖ social media not come as a surprise, as spaces has created the need to more and more women look more beautiful Ancient Egyptian man and far away from in makeup natural-normal looks as possible. In come makeup and makeup MUAs(Make Up Arstists) and the desire to look better and get more likes, retweets, feel comfortable and confident, has necessitated the sudden rise of makeup MUAs. This has thus given rise to a career proffesion that we were not familiar with, especially in Africa. More jobs have been created in the competitive beauty and hair trades and the industry just seems to be catapulting by the minute. Men have not been left behind and their presence in the market can heavily be felt. They are now becoming the leaders of beauty makeup slowly overthrowing the
African male MUAs are not being left behind and slowly but surely seem to be warming up to this lucrative trend. In the recent past, this would have been considered taboo and eye raising but with more people having access to the internet, new norms are being created. e Major towns and cities like Nairobi, Johanesburg and Lagos have seen a surge in male MUAs who have obviously seen a competitive loophole in the market.
who require makeup services, have come to prefer men. Majority of women have described men as ―gentle and caring‖ when it comes to offering such services.
This drift is not new in masculinity though as in the ancient Egyptian culture, makeup was actually part of their culture. Its believed that as early as 4000 BCE, men used black pigment to create elaborate cat-eye designs. While a few millennia later, kohl eyeliner, green malachite eye shadow, and lip and cheek stains made from red ochre were also popular with the Egyptian men.
The purpose however, was not what it is today,(look more attractive)—as thegreen eye shadow was believed to evoke their gods Horus and Ra, and therefore ward off harmful illnesses. During the Victorian era, however, makeup was considered "an abomination" by both the crown and the church, creating strong, widespread associations between makeup, vanity, femininity, and "the Devil's work‖, writes birdie.com " As religious values continued to permeate cultures around the world, mainstream definitions of masculinity narrowed. However, with the advent and rise of homosexuality in the 70s, makeup came to be associated with the homosexual society – who seemed to deviate from the norm and the narrative has stuck to date. Since society cannot move forward without looking back, women should now be aware that the male gender is definitely a threat in the once predominantly dominated female
industry. And this gender means business!
Somizi Mhlongo is a South African celebrity and media personality and music choreographer. Somizi is the first man in Africa to be the face of the internstional make-up brand, Black Opal.
Victor Ramos is .a beauty influencer, an advocate for representation in the beauty community (for both male beauty bloggers and people of color) and a lifestyle vlogger. He says of competition, ―evolve your artistry with the times and study the business side of this industry. So many talented artists get left behind or are taken advantage of, so it‘s important to know all aspects of the industry and stay current without sacrificing what makes you you. @vicmram
Great Phill is Kenya‘s self proclaimed celebrity MUA and trainer. His amazing work can be seen in his Instagram page where he exudes his rather splendid artistic skills. Phil‘s makeup seems to be enough advertisement for his job. He‘s a sweetheart and a darling at heart, probably the sole reason he commands a huge following from women and men alike. He is the CEO & Founder @phildo_creations creativephill
Denis Karuri describes himself as, ―Just a boy blending the rules‖. He‘s a Kenyan MUA who boasts a large clientele of celebrities and media personalities. A peep at his Instagram page, proves why he is such a darling with many. Denis knows his job!
Denis is the founder of @_makeupbydennis @_makeupbydenni
Nigeria‘s Olajide David Okerayi is probably one of the most sort after MUA in Nigeria. He‘s the founder and CEO of ST.OLA MAKEUP STUDIO. Jide is generally known for his work with top celebrities and top government officials. He is a selftrained makeup artist who acts as a mentor for aspiring makeup artists. @jideofstola
Photo Courtesy Models‘ instagram
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