Mojatu Nottingham Magazine M017

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FGM International Conference - P32

Editor’s Welcome When faced by social and cultural practices that disempower and hinder us from leading happy and fulfilled lives, most people feel overwhelmed and incapacitated.

However, many decide to act and counter these social, cultural or even natural hindrances and problems.

They transform themselves and those around them by taking a stand for what is good and important. They strive to stay positive and survive against the odds. They transform these negative forces to positive phenomenon.

Interview with Dr Phoebe Abe an experienced GP is one such example (p4). Read her empowering story and her commitment to supporting internally displaced people thousands of miles away while managing her career and supporting FGM survivors.

Roger Henry has also established Taken Too Soon (p12), now in its second year, to transform devastating and destructive acts to positive opportunities for supporting young people and communities to rid themselves off crime and criminal tendencies (p14).

Refugees and Asylum seekers escaping persecution have also been supported by a large group of volunteers who were recognised during the Volunteers week and Refugee week (p8).

Thanks! You voted for us as winners at Castle Cavendish Fest (p16). FGM survivors have dedicated their time and work to support one another and safeguard those in danger. Read Dahabo Ali’s moving poem (p17) and see proposals by Nafissatou J. Diop on how to tackle FGM (p20).

Book the International FGM conference (p22 & 36). Let’s end FGM in a generation!

Valentine Nkoyo Managing Editor: Mojatu magazines Email: valentine@mojatu.com

Editorial

Group Editor: Frank Kamau – frank@mojatu.com Managing Editor: valentine@mojatu.com Graphic Designers: Robert Borbely | Sehrish Din Contributors: Valentine Nkoyo | Kris Gunnars | Michael Henry | Edwin Ubah | Jenny Carter | Irene Amadi | Fiker Saifeselassie | Thelma Ruski | Irene Ndun’gu | Emily Lonergan | Andrew Mwenda IT: Denis Negreba | Manisha Sutradhar Photos: Sehrish Din | Joanna Frith Accounts: Xiaomin Qi - accounts@mojatu.com Admin: Penny Cooper - info@mojatu.com Sales & Marketing: Abdoulie Jah Community: Kevin Price | Edwin Ubah News & Comments: news@mojatu.com

Contents News & Sports Interview with Dr Phoebe Abe, GP...................... 4-7 Volunteers Week & Refugee Week............................ 8 Living in Lenton.............................................................. 9 BME Mental Health......................................................10 Taken Too Soon, Ending Youth Violence..............12

Community Castle Cavendish Summer........................................14 The Feminine Pain........................................................15 Kenya Day in the Farm......................................... 16-17 Eliminating FGM by 2030................................... 18-19

Faith & Spirituality Why young women drawn to extremism? . .......22

Arts & Culture Zambian writer Namwali Serpell............................21 IGBO Cultural Group ..................................................21

Health & Food 18 Foods That Are Bad For Your Health......... 24-25

Education & Career Top CV Mistakes to Avoid .........................................26

Business & Finance 10 Step Guide to Building a Business Plan..........27

Cover

Dr Phoebe Abe

Mojatu Foundation Disclaimer The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors, omissions, nor can we accept responsibility for the advertisements or editorial contributions.

News & Comments: news@mojatu.com Non Executive Directors: Delroy Brown - delroy.brown@mojatu.com Dr. Tabani Ndlovu - tabani@mojatu.com Getting the magazine Online @ www.mojatu.com/magazines Subscription @ £24 per year including postage subs@mojatu.com Address: Mojatu Foundation Publications 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR T: 0118 906 3643 | 07859072534 Facebook: www.facebook.com/mojatu Twitter: www.twitter.com/mojatu1 Printers: Mojatu

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News & Sports Interview with

Dr. Phoebe Arach Abe Okwonga

By Valentine Nkoyo

1.

What are you passionate about?

or supper after a hard day’s work. I have always wanted to be a Doctor since I was 12 years old therefore this is really my comfort zone. I enjoy giving all to my patients. Sometimes I just feel I am not giving enough. I keep praying God to please let me give more and help me find a way to give more all the time. It is sad that GPs are allocated only 5-10minutes to see their patients.

This is not enough!

I am passionate about empowering young people, especially young mothers and widows, to achieve their potential.

2.

Then can you tell us something about your career I have been a GP for nearly thirty years. My general daily routine is no different from all my colleagues all over the country. Therefore apart from the normal house visits, paper work of checking results, hospital reports, weekly meeting with our practice manager to discuss financial/ medical running of the surgery, one yearly appraisal/ five yearly revalidation and booked daily clinics from Mondays to Fridays that most of us do I have taken onto myself to do one hour session every day freely unfunded of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to see any woman or girl who want to see me because she has medical or social problems.

Giving them 15-30minutes appointment is very advantageous because we can correlate to one another and talk about all the medical problems and try to sort this out. Then as women we can talk a little about our lives which I share a lot with most of them.

This is so because do not forget I was a young woman refugee when I arrived from Africa into this country. I had no money I was single and free but I had no money and no qualification. I had left all my family in Africa. My father was in exile in Sudan and my mother was in Idi Amin’s notorious prison. When I left my people I knew I had to move on and succeed. Most of these women come to me very distraught but after they have seen me for more than five sessions they soon realise that I am one of them. Then we are on course. Medically I have to treat them with all their presenting chronic problems which can sometimes be so severe that I am sorry we all can break into tears and then later on go out for tea

Dr ABE was born in Uganda. She attended Medical School at Makerere University but had to abandon her studies when she arrived in the UK as a refugee. She completed her degree at Manchester University Medical School and has been working as a GP for nearly 30 years. She is a very active supporter of women and girls, and has been instrumental in tackling FGM in the UK. She founded Dr Abe Foundation and Female Genital Mutilation Association Worldwide (FAW). She discussed her work and passion with Valentine Nkoyo.

3.

What does Dr Abe Foundation and FGM Association Worldwide (FAW) do?

I have been doing charity work since I was a little girl. Helping the poor old man near our house called Okema Lamojelle. I would always fetch him some water and go and cook for him. Since 1992 I have been doing a lot of charity work in Uganda in IDP (Internally Displaced People’s) Camps in war torn Northern Uganda. I have danced, sang and cried with them. However, the thing we managed to do was to study anything any of them wanted to study.

One of them told me “Doctor everybody wants to go to University but I just want to be a 4x4 wheel driver as there are so many NGOs and heavy tracks going from Sudan to Mombasa passing

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through Gulu I want to learn to Drive and be a good driver” Yes, I paid for his driving lesson and he is now supporting all his relatives paying their school fees and lending them money to build houses. A Driver! We have had many qualified both girls and boys pursuing whatever they wanted to do. We have lecturers in the University, Nurses, teachers, politicians just name it we have them and we are very proud that despite all the odds we have made it Next month we shall have a big celebration in Gulu for one of my students and other graduates from the University this month. Each student has assigned themselves to take/ adopt five children who looks to them as uncle/aunt (neru/wayo). It is a commitment they make to show that what I gave them they will give back also. As one of them said “Doctor we cannot measure your footstep but we can only follow it” I did this for Acholi Heartbeat and MAMA in Gulu from 1992 till 2010. Now they are able to look after themselves with little help. See my website www. drabefoundation.com.

What I did for them is what I intend to do for FAW women, girls, their children and their partners. I will try to encourage and help them to gain any education they want to pursue as most of them had missed out. One African man told me when he brought his children to see me“Doctor we were 4 brothers and we had five sisters. They were not sent to school but they stayed at home cooked and did everything in the home while we go to school every day. They cooked for us, washed/ ironed our clothes. They went to the garden while we stayed at home. Eventually all the four of us went to university and had good jobs” .

Empowering a woman is the best. These women are nearly all mothers and with as many as 9 children in a household. They need firstly and foremost speak and write English as at times the fathers are not even here. Therefore communication is very important especially where school home work is concerned. The young ‘girl’ survivors need to be encouraged to continue to complete their education whether they are under the social services or not. They are in a country where they can achieve anything they want to study and should be given a chance to be empowered.

5.

a. I have managed to send most of these women to go and get certificate in English by attending evening or daytime classes in colleges when spouses or friends are at home or while their children are in classes consecutively. b. Taking the women to functions or lectures where they meet other women who necessarily have not have had FGM but have had other traumatic experiences. For example they have attended talk and forum organised by Utulivu CMNetwork

by Celily Mwaniki c. Taken them to listen to talk on FGM and it surprising how most of them do not realise that most of the medical problems they have is due to FGM. And once they attended these functions as explained by Dr Comfort Momoh MBE when I took them in 2014 they came back all quiet in the car because they did not realise the seriousness of FGM experienced by other women. d. I have regular weekly or monthly meetings in my surgery so they can talk to one another or invite people to come and talk to them. Or I do it myself.

6.

4.

What is it important to support and empower FGM survivors?

We must empower them socially, financially, academically and literally in any way necessary.

How do you support and empower them?

What kind of business activities are the women you work with interested in?

I have asked them what they want to do as this is an individual choice from country to country they come from. Some want and are now doing beads necklaces and ear rings and bracelets and they have gone to London and obtained Saturday training at the beads crafts. Others want food as most of them think they can provide foods prepared that people in their community would like to eat but I had to send them to do ‘the health and safety Certificate and Diploma’. Most of these women are fantastic cooks but for those (very few) who cannot cook we try and teach them as they need to prepare food for themselves. Hair dressing, counselling sessions

and dressmaking are also in demand. We have so many African dress makers and tailors and most of them have volunteered to help these women do some tailoring. I have advised all of them to try and get a pen/paper/notebook and start writing their Autobiography or etc.

7.

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News & Sports 8.

I Sing. I have done 2 albums and 2 CDs and videos, NIPO, Acholi Renaissance my first album produced by Derrick Taylor. I Dance. I know all my traditional Acholi dances... and I have danced all of them except the ‘Lyel’ (funeral dance). My mother did not allow us to dance it so even as an old woman I find it difficult to participate in it. But when I am gone I hope my people will celebrate and dance happily for me. I deserve it now. Acholi have so many traditional dances as a child as soon as you start walking you are taught how to dance ‘Dingidingi’. As you grow older you learn Larakaraka and games with singing as in my second Acholi book. Then there is Alere, Moko, for the active and fit youths. Then the one for women Acut and Apiti. Then for grown ups with youths invited ‘Otole’ (war dance). ‘Bwola’ (ceremonial dance) and last ‘Lyel’ for the elderly.

You do not dance when a youth or a child dies!

You are a successful African woman. How has is it been being a single mother and widowed, having come to the UK as a refugee and training to become a Doctor?

I am not sure about being successful. However my upbringing in Uganda tells it all. My tribe Acholi and my parents Peter and Irene Abe the community and my siblings did it all for me. Then the rest I had to do it myself. Discipline and love in the home is very important. I cannot emphasise this enough. It is all coming in my next book ‘Survivors Flocking Together’. Fetching water from the well on our heads every day before going to school; collecting firewood from the bush where sometimes you can find pythons or snakes; going hunting with my dad; cooking for the family even at the age of ten years old.

Being a nanny to my little brother Abraham at the age of five; assisting my grandmother Tezira who was a local doctor and midwife as she delivers children and look after pregnant women and sick people always instructing me to go and get herbs, medicine from the barks of an old tree; sitting and listening to my grandfather chief Lasto Okech meeting important people; my father and mothers were all very highly educated but they did not give us room to be too comfortable!

There was and still is absolute equality among all the 16 children they had.

So when I arrived here as a refugee in my early twenty with nothing it did not take me long to complete my studies. I was widowed very young and as a single mother I survived it. I was lucky God blessed me with such wonderful children.

I am also a strong Christian you know and this helped me through.

Apart from your career, what else do you do?

I love cooking especially the Acholi dishes. You know my clan ‘KOCh ‘ love their beans and peanut butter and ‘kwon’ (millet bread) I have been cooking since I was 10 years old so I know How to do this with ‘my eyes closed’. I also write books in Acholi and Tedo pa Acholi (Acholi Cookery Book) my first ever book. I go to the Gym and I support my children whom I keep in constant contact with.

9.

What has been the most successful thing you’ve done in your career?

Written a book ‘Female Genital Mutilation. A-Z Guide’ (See advert in page 7)

10. What has been the most challenging thing in your career and how did you overcome it?

Being an immigrant ‘black’ woman. I had been a northerner among southerners where I could not speak their language in Uganda boarding school 500 miles away from my Acholi community. At the age of twelve I dealt with it. 10 years later arriving in Britain I had to deal with it. My Christian

Nottingham connected faith and learning to be polite to all people make life easier not perfect but tolerable so you can do what you want to do and achieve. You should never blame anyone for your ‘misfortune’ I have two prayers. I thank God to all the bad things (I think) which has happened to me because when I go through it this makes me stronger. I thank God for all the ‘good’ things that happen to me because this make me happy 11. What’s your message to young women of African origin living in the UK?

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First and most importantly, sort out your education. Stay close to your maternal and paternal family and community. Whatever religion you have practice it appropriately and read your book of religion yourself and understand it to pass it to your children.

Know what your children are being taught.

Religion is very good! Learn to pray so when you have children and family you will pray for your children and family. Mothers have a lot of responsibilities. Quoting the Quran ‘When other people pray God is up there. When Mother pray God come down and pray with you’ 12. Where would you like to see FAW in the next five years?

Financially we should be stable. Nationally FAW should teach all survivors to be strong and go beyond FGM. Get involved in the community networking. Globally we must connect with the African Union and all 29 practising African countries and their roots making sure they understand the law which has been passed (if not it should be done). Their President Valentine Nkoyo should work effortlessly, solidly and together with all the members willing to promote the end to FGM. By 2020 there should be no more girls being cut and traumatised.

Online: www.fgmworldwide.org Email: cecily_mwaniki@yahoo.co.uk Call: 0118 906 3643 | 07859072534 All proceeds go to FGM Association Worldwide (FAW)

News & Sports

Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum celebrates refugee week, rewards volunteers and organises summer fair.

This June saw Refugee Forum celebrate two main activities. In the week between 1st and 7th June, they celebrated the Volunteers Week which culminated with the awards to the volunteers who were nominated by staff, service users and fellow volunteers. The awards were awarded on 6th June in a ceremony held at the Sycamore Centre in Nottingham.

Refugee Week was also celebrated between 13th and 20th June which saw a variety of activities – films, exhibitions, talks and music shows presented in various parts of the city.

Photos Courtesy of Karolina Wawrzycka

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Communities Inc are launching a new project to support residents through the developments XEOMRK TPEGI MR XLI 0IRXSR ÂEXW EVIE 8LMW TVSNIGX will involve residents of Nottingham City Homes in helping to shape activities during the transition including the development of a residents EWWSGMEXMSR 7LEQWLIV 'LSLER TLSXS JVSQ Communities Inc said “this is a great opportunity do something that will make a lasting difference for those residents living in XLMW XMKLX ORMX GSQQYRMX] Our approach promotes integration, cohesion and IQTS[IVQIRX¶ -X MW LSTIH the project will foster a greater sense of community during a period of transition leading to a more supportive environment JSV IZIV]SRI (c)John Perivolaris

African Diabetes Awareness

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Living in Lenton

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Nottingham connected

Memoirs of the Life and Times of Pastor Verley Mignott

How can we forget him?

Please join us in celebrating his Legacy Saturday 8th August 3pm - 5pm (with refreshments until 6.30pm) @The Church of God of Prophecy 83 Church Drive, Nottingham, NG5 6LD RSVP: Eileen Mignott - Director Connecting Families ...valuing relationships Tel: 07877 583529

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10 News & Sports

BME mental health

By Dr Chris Udenze MRCGP & Edited by Irene Amadi A meeting of experienced GPs and Clinical Commissioners (CCG) sat down together to discuss a controversial contract awarded to a Housing Association.

The contract was designed to help people in the BME community with mental health needs. The controversy was that a contract has been awarded to this Housing Association, instead of better qualified organisations.

This association has no experience of mental health, or community engagement, also, the group were concerned that a ‘white organisation’ cannot deliver this kind of service. However, skin colour is not the issue. The association lacks cultural competence and understanding of mental health issues. Some people might feel that the Nottingham counselling service is a white organisation, despite its very dynamic and experienced chief executive, its multicultural board and its multicultural team of counsellors. But it has a strong tradition of being a highly respected, very professional, Patient /client centred provider, for nearly 40 years, which already reaches out to a lot of black members of the community, and like many other organisations sitting around that table last night, are desperately in need of additional funding.

Thus, this contract could have given them the funds they need to allow them to continue to deliver care, making them more suitable to undertake the project.

They won’t learn that this is why half the psychiatric wards are over represented with African Caribbean patients, admitted for months if not years, at around £1000 a week- much more for secure beds at the Wells Road centre, and many of these admissions could be prevented or made much shorter by adequate funding services in the community.

There are a tiny superficial and cosmetic changes, a few black receptionist to give organisations , the right image, a few black faces on the leaflets and rhetoric about being equal opportunity employers - rather than acknowledging that things are not equal, and that health care reflects general society inequalities, but still the establishment does not acknowledge its own structural and subconscious racism and learn from black and ethnic minority communities rather than trying to tell us what we need.

Why are things changing?

The government introduced a new bill in Parliament over two years ago, and it is just now coming into effect. The Health and Social Care Bill is one of the longest and most complex laws to be passed, with over a 1000 amendments made since it was first published as the White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. The idea is that ‘The Market’ ie

competition between private health care providers will improve services and lower costs; clearly competition, lossleaders, BOGOF, and other tricks of the market provide us with cheap service but will not lead to an evidence based appropriate health care system. On the brighter side, most responses to the White paper reflect on the possible opportunities and minimise the threats. There are opportunities for Social Enterprises and multinational corporations to tender as providers, but it is predictable who is already geared up to exploit these opportunities, and who will be awarded most of the lucrative contracts.

In this case, excellent local, well trusted organisations like BACIN, Awaaz, Nottingham Counselling Service and Nottingham Hospice found it difficult to compete against multi-nationals like Virgin and Circle Healthcare who have big marketing departments and the funds to undertake TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).

The key idea is to get a panel of GPs to ‘Commission’ (ie buy) health services from ‘any willing provider’ and abolish the Primary Care Trusts (the Health Authorities) . Great! Your local GP will decide how health services are funded rather than some faceless bureaucrat in an ivory tower. But health service planning is a difficult job requiring the expertise of specialists in Public Health who can have an overview of all medical conditions and what treatments are most effective, and GPs are trained for family medicine and most don’t have time to start being part-time commissioners as well.

Nottingham connected ‘Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose’ - the more things change, the more things stay the same The Tory’s idea (there seems to be very little of the Liberal Democrats policies in the Paper) is that competition and allowing any company to bid for NHS contracts will push prices down, saving helping to save £20 billion out of the £100 billion NHS budget over the next four years and improve standards. There is no such thing as harmless cuts, health service cuts cost patients their health and lives- not identifiable individuals but will be reflected in mortality and illness statistics – there are ethical issues for GPs colluding with these cuts.

Most GPs will not directly be involved with commissioning, but we have a budget to cover referrals to hospitals and will be financially penalised if we go over budget, so patients will start to wonder if they are not being referred because their GP is worried about going over budget.

This could also lead to other forms of corruption, like GPs setting up a specialist private clinic and referring patients to their own clinic to make money - this happened 20 years ago when GP fundholding was introduced.

The NHS should be run as a publicly provided service following Nolan principles*, health care cannot be treated as just another market commodity like baked beans, with the hope that a capitalist free-market approach will provide a cheaper and better service - it’s not just ideologically that it is nonsense, the vast majority of the UK medical establishment sees that it is nonsense.

It is possible for a CCG to acknowledge that the NHS Health and Social Care Act, which forces them to put contracts out to tender will lead to increasing health inequality, both Tower Hamlets CCG and city and Hackney CCG have publicly voiced their opposition to the health and social care Act; Nottingham CCG should do the same.

About Dr Chris Udenze Dr Chris Udenze qualified from Guys’ Hospital Medical School in 1986 and has extensive

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experience as a GP, Prison Medical Officer, in Public Health Medicine and in the treatment of victims of torture. He has been a GP principal since 1996, and a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, was a practising Forensic Medical Examiner (Police Surgeon) and approved under Sect 12(2) of the Mental Health Act. He also sits on the board of Nottingham Counselling Service and his practice serves the many of the most needy people in one the most deprived areas of the City, with more asylum seekers, drug misusers, people with HIV and severe mental health problems that any/ most GPs in the City. Dr Chris Udenze will be a GP in St Ann’s until 1 July 2015.

How many legs does the elephant have?

FACT BOX: What are the Nolan Principles? · A set of principles governing how people in positions of power should behave. · Selflessness – make decisions in the public interest and not for personal gain. · Integrity – do not cause conflicts of interest which might influence their choices. · Objectivity – award contracts and appointments on the basis of merit alone. · Accountability – be available for public scrutiny of their decisions. · Openness – be open and transparent about the reasons behind decisions and actions taken · Honesty – declare any private interests affecting public choices and resolve any conflicts between these interests. · Leadership – promote and support these principles by example

12 News & Sports

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“Taken Too Soon – Ending Youth Violence UK” Charity Day & Football Event.

Sunday 12th July. Venue: Inspire Community Stadium, Stoke Lane Stoke Bardolph, Nottingham, NG14 5HX. 11.00am until 8.00pm.

Entrance fee: Adults £12.50, Senior & children (5yrs-16yrs) £7.50, Family car of 5 (to include adults & children) £30 per car. Under 5 year’s go free.

Taken Too Soon was introduced by Roger Henry who is the founder of The Real United FC. Taken Too Soon is an annual event which remembers the young people of Nottingham who have lost their lives as a result of violent incidents. The Real United Football Club is a community based organisation which engages with young people, particularly those who have faced challenges in their lives. Real United run a range of structured programmes incorporating football, mentoring, coaching and training. Roger Henry is the Executive lead of Real United, and University of Nottingham’s Dr Gary Winship is an honorary president of the club along with Nottingham’s ex-Mayor, Cllr Merlita Bryan.

The event is a family led event with plenty of activities throughout the day. The 2 main parts of the day is the football match that is played between Mercedes VIP All Stars and the Police Interceptors, and the commemorative speech. In attendance on the day will be the High Sheriff of Nottingham, Dr Jas Bilkhu and also Deputy Lieutenant Veronica Pickering.

There will be arts/crafts stalls, educational stands, children’s corner, bouncy castle, fairground rides, food and drink stalls plus there will be a live stage performances given by a number of local and VIP acts performing throughout the day.

Josh Kemp, a local musician/singer song writer from Long Eaton is heading up the local Nottingham talent. Josh will be performing alongside a number of up and coming local artists, with a real eclectic mix of music genres. Two local DJ’s Nathan Hadley (Akadian) from Gatecrasher and DJ Damien Wells, from Kemet FM Radio, and Shimmer at Riverbank will also perform throughout the day. Local dance crew, Real KTF (Kids of The Future), will also be performing throughout the day. Demi Clay, 13 years old, from Nottingham is taking the lead on all the choreography on the day.

Mercedes Benz of Nottingham are the headline sponsor of this event. Roger Henry and Jaimie Laws, VIP programme Manager at Mercedes Benz, have been working closely on a VIP line up of celebrities who will be supporting the day by either performing live on stage and to play in the charity football match.

There will be VIP live stage performances from Chart toppers Union J, Ray Quinn, who won the fourth series of Dancing on Ice in 2009 and the final ‘All Stars’ series in 2014. Plus we have Rough Copy performing live, who were also X Factor finalists in 2012. Union J, Ray and Rough Copy will also

Nottingham connected be joining the Mercedes VIP All Stars football team on the day to play the main charity football match. Rudimental, who were named by the BBC as the festival band of the summer, supported last year’s event and were the first to sign up again this year to participate in the football match.

There are many more celebrities who will be making an appearance on the pitch such as Michelin Chef Tom Sellers, World Champion Boxer Carl Froch, Luke Friends, Rough Copy, Ray Quinn and more names to be confirmed.

Stephen Bloy, an opera singer who performed on this years The Voice will also be in attendance and will perform with our very own Faith Tucker, who came second in the Nottingham Post’s Nottingham’s got Talent, 2014.

Supt Shaun West plus 3 members of Channel 5’s Police Interceptors are the opposing team on the day. Supt Shaun West, Head of Armed & Roads Policing for East Midlands Operation Services, explained why the four force collaboration was keen to assist Taken Too Soon.

“I first met Roger when I played in last year’s match. Roger’s story is a very personal one and he has drawn upon his own experiences for the good of the local community.

He has a close knit team who aim to reduce violent youth crime and have some fun on the way through sport. We are always striving to work closer with those communities we serve and Taken Too Soon provides a unique insight

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for us and opportunity to do this. All too often we deal with the consequences of this type of crime and if, by our participation, we can help reduce the suffering associated with this, our team will be very happy to know we played a small part in this’’.

There will be a commemorative speech and a moment of silence given at 1pm. This will allow friends and family to remember loved ones that they have lost and that have been taken too soon. Then it will be ‘kick off’ and then straight into the action.

The Main Charity Football Match which will kick off at 2.00pm. The winning team will then be presented with a trophy. The trophy will be dedicated in memory of Nicola Darby. Nicola met Roger last year at the Nottingham Post Heroes award, where Roger was crowned Sports Hero of the year Award and Nicola was awarded Overall Hero by the editor Mike Sassi. Sadly Nicola lost her battle with cancer in October. Roger felt it was appropriate and fitting to dedicate this trophy to her, as he believes Nicola was taken too soon.

For further details of the event and where to purchase tickets (advance booking is recommended as places are limited) visit the Real United website: http://www.therealunitedfc.co.uk/news/events Tickets will be on sale through See Tickets – www.seetickets.com.

A Bittersweet World Cup Win for Nottingham Women - By Irene Amadi Four of the national stars of the Women’s World Cup hail from Notts County Ladies Football Club (NCLFC): goalkeeper Carly Telford (51 caps), defenders Laura Bassett (50 caps), & Alex Greenwood (12 caps) and forward Ellen White (50 caps). NCLFC stand at third place in the Women’s Super League.

women into football. Spurred by the strong success of the World Cup, it has gained a lot of positive attention.

The coverage of the Women’s World Cup by the BBC has boosted the public profile of the sport, and injected the idea of women playing football - and playing it well - into the public imagination. England women’s team nicknamed the Lionesses - won third place. They qualified for the semi-finals but lost 2-1 in a heart breaking defeat against Japan. Despite the hard loss, they went on to secure third place by beating Germany 1-0.

Viewership of the tournament and social media interaction showed that an appetite to see women’s football does exist. It also shows that it has to be accessible, and accessibility means being broadcast on a mainstream television channel. But will the big broadcasters respond to this and start showing more women’s football?

Extra funding will not only help to bring up the level of the game by giving players more time to train, but also better facilities. The social impact of sponsorship and funding could translate into young women absorbing the idea that they can be athletes. In response to a deeply grained idea that women can’t play football, FA has launched a campaign: ‘We Can Play’, to get more

England Women’s Team, 2015 Photo By Joshjdss

Ratings records were broken, with BBC viewing records averaging 24.5 million viewers, and peaking at such unprecedented exposure could attract more funding, something members of the women’s football community have been fighting to gain for years.

Furthermore, more money will improve the fairness of the game, as new technologies like ‘goal-line technology’ are introduced and implemented.

mojatu.com

14 Community

Mojatu Foundation wins community group vote in Castle Cavendish Summer Fest

By Irene Amadi

Castle Cavendish hosted an annual fun day for the community on their grounds in Radford on July 4th. A talent show displayed the creative abilities of young people from the Arboretum, Radford & Park, Lenton & Dunkirk. Various acts sang, danced and rapped.

Voluntary organizations converged on the Castle with flyers on their stalls detailing the work they undertake around Radford. These included SusTrans, a charity mobilizing the community with walking and biking workshops and events, and the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum, who offer counselling, job clubs and organize a free gardening club.

The day brought together a variety of service providers in the area, putting them all in one place where people could learn more about the opportunities they offer and the work they do.

Members of Nottingham council were in attendance, offering information about fly-tipping services and the work they do to improve the image of the area. Dave (Chief Executive) described the day as a positive event: ‘lots of lovely people, lovely weather and lots of passion and commitment.’

Mojatu Foundation, Nottingham Arimathea Trust and The

Vineyard Arches Trust had the highest number of votes among groups voted for during the fest. The groups securing the three highest amounts of votes won. They were awarded the Community Cohesion Grant.

Valentine Nkoyo, Director of Mojatu Foundation made the winning presentation. “We will use the grant for developing the Kutambua Platform which will help us train and support women and girls and empower local communities. Kutambua, which means discovery in Swahili language, will act as a platform for bringing communities together”.

Veronica Barnes of Blue Mountain Women noted that “Valentine’s presentation made the decision between many very deserving charitable organisations from the community easier to make. Her passion and dedication came across very vividly. Mojatu is a deserving winner”.

Thanks to Castle Cavendish and to you all For voting for Mojatu Foundation

T

s k n a h

For having Trust and Faith in our work and our commitment towards tackling Female Genital Mutilation and empowering girls and women locally and beyond.

We are truly honoured and humbled Mojatu Foundation Management, Volunteers and Trustees

Nottingham connected

FGM Impact: The Feminine Pain Dahabo Ali Muse is a Somali poet and female genital mutilation (FGM) survivor.

‘The Feminine Pain’ expresses the agony of the procedure and the multiple ways in which the practice damages the health of women.

The poem describes two universal moments shaping many women’s lives; having their first sexual experience and childbirth.

Muse brings out the tragedy of FGM by contrasting how she imagines these events to happen, and then how they really happen. Muse makes you imagine how differently such basic experiences would have been for if you’d gone through them while experiencing the intense pain caused by female genital mutilation.

Female Genital Mutilation Poem

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Kenya Day on 9th May - A collaboration of Mojatu, Eco Farm and the Kenya Nottinghamshire Welfare Association aimed at bringing people together in a farm environment to enjoy and learn about countryside, integrate further and learn more about Female Genital Mutilation. We launched the 250 Trees project aimed at enhancing FGM campaign. Kenya Embassy, Forward/Girl Generation, Police Schools, Community Groups and local communities were represented.

Adopt a tee - email valentine@mojatu.com

16 Community

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Nottingham connected

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18 Community

Eliminating female genital mutilation by 2030

By Nafissatou J. Diop

The UN’s proposed new development goals include a target to end harmful traditional practices like FGM by 2030. We now know the key steps needed to get there.

A poem by the Somali writer Dahabo Ali Muse expresses the pain caused by female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice endured by more than 140 million girls and women in the world: ‘It is what my grandmother called the three feminine sorrows.

She said the day of circumcision; the wedding night and the birth of a baby are the triple feminine sorrows.’ (See full poem in page 19) FGM, the first of the three feminine sorrows, refers to all procedures involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

The practice is life-threatening both during the procedure and throughout the course of a girl’s life.

It is also a reproductive rights violation, as it violates the right to health and bodily integrity and is a form of violence against women and girls.

Most countries have committed themselves to protecting the rights of women and girls by ratifying a number of international and regional treaties. In December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on ‘Intensifying global efforts to eliminate female genital mutilations’, reiterating the international community’s commitment to eliminate FGM. In the coming months, world leaders will agree on a new set of Sustainable Development Goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals. One of the proposals is to include a target on eliminating all harmful practices, such as FGM, by 2030.

Despite global and national actions to eliminate the practice, FGM remains widespread.

Can this be done? The task seems daunting. Despite global and national actions to eliminate the practice, FGM remains widespread. It is most common in 29 countries in Africa; in some countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America; and among migrants from these areas settling in Western countries.

Prevalence of FGM varies across countries, from 96.7 per cent among girls aged 15 to 19 in Somalia to 0.4 per cent in Cameroon. Although FGM prevalence has dropped in many countries, the rate of decline is far below what is needed. If the current trend continues, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, estimates that 86 million girls born from 20102015 will be at risk of being cut by 2030.

But this trend can be reversed. We need to learn from our experiences and design and scale up programmes

that have a real impact in the lives of women and girls.

That is why UNFPA and UNICEF are leading the largest global programme to accelerate the abandonment of FGM, which is currently active in 17 countries. So, what have we learnt so far? What works?

1.

Creating a movement to eliminate FGM There is a need to reach out to the girls and women whose rights are violated by FGM, while engaging governments and other parties that have the responsibility to eliminate it. It is important, in particular, to sensitize political leaders on FGM, to cultivate networks of supporters and activists and to disseminate information about local, regional and global developments.

2.

Translating Legislation into Action States must ensure adequate national provisions to stop FGM, including through criminalization, appropriate enforcement and prosecution. Countries are reporting varying degrees of law enforcement, and many stakeholders say the existence of anti-FGM laws provides them with leverage and legitimization for their advocacy work. Similarly, the process of informing the population about a new law offers opportunities to publicly discuss FGM, thereby raising awareness. Media coverage of prosecutions and court public hearings can also further inform people about legislation.

3.

Engaging health workers in the elimination of FGM Health workers, fully aware of the considerable consequences of FGM on sexual and reproductive health, are increasingly standing up against the practice. Their advanced skills in the prevention and provision of care to girls

Nottingham connected and women who have been subjected to FGM are also complementing community behaviour change processes.

Community 6.

Amplifying change through the media.

Given the complicated nature of FGM and frequent misinformation about it, building the capacity of media professionals remains a priority. Involving national and local media, including at the community level, is instrumental to spreading information, raising the visibility of communities that have abandoned FGM and promoting positive behaviour change.

4. Reframing concepts and traditions and empowering Girls FGM is deeply rooted in tradition and persists as a social norm upheld by underlying gender structures and power relations. Reframing concepts and traditions related to FGM, rather than seeking to discredit long-held traditions, is essential to accelerate abandonment. The creation of new social norms has had encouraging results in countries like Sudan, where a positive term for uncut women and girls was created, Saleema, to replace negative concepts used for such girls. Similarly, in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, an alternative rite of passage has been introduced, accompanied by community education sessions. Girls are educated on a wide range of topics, including positive traditional values and life skills, as well as human rights.

This prepares them to become mentors and role models. Educational activities and community dialogue create a non-threatening space where community members can re-evaluate their own beliefs and values regarding FGM.

19

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Advancing coordination and strengthening capacities

National committees chaired by the government and composed of key stakeholders are being set up in several countries to address FGM. Improved collaboration among stakeholders has proven to strengthen the individual and collective capacities to eliminate the practice.

The linkages between legislation, human rights and positive social change resulting in the abandonment of FGM are complex. Much progress has been made, but the prevalence of FGM remains at an unacceptably high level. Human rights can help to accelerate abandonment and to achieve gender equality, but they must not only exist on paper. Human rights must become a reality in the lives of women and girls.

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The value of public declarations

Facilitating public declarations of FGM abandonment makes the change in a community’s attitudes more visible and encourages others to embrace the new social norm. A public commitment, especially if made by traditional or religious leaders, produces a social pressure that makes it difficult for community members to return to prior practices and contradict a pledge.

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Let us pay heed to what the Somali poem quoted above says on how we should treat girls: ‘Initiate them to the world of love, not to the world of feminine sorrow!!’

Nafissatou J. Diop, is a Senior Advisor and Coordinator of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM/C: Accelerating Change. Article first published in Open Democracy website https://goo.gl/MGW8Wr

Live Music, Performances, Dan Live Music, Performances, Dancing, Arts & Craft, PlayingCooking, instrument,Food, Cooking, Playing instrument,Food, Information stalls &InM Youth Football Tournament Nottingham Sports Group Events 2015 August Sunday 30Dancing, Live Live Music, Music, Performances, Performances, Dancing, Arts Arts & C& Tournament Adults football Children Activities: Bou Children Activities: Bouncy Time: 10 - 5castles, Saturaday 29 August 2015 the event with alongsideInformation tennis Table Playing Playing instrument,Food, Cooking, Cooking, Information sta 10 - 5 instrument,Food, Time: Face Painting, Face Painting, Story Telling ss ent for FGM AwareneStory tournam football Female park onal Recreati Forest Venue: teams) (6 female event Children Activities: Activities: Bouncy Bouncy castles, castle Table tennis alongside with theChildren Venue: Forest Recreational park Face Face Painting, Painting, Story Story Telling Telling locSu th

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mojatu.com

International Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Conference Mojatu Foundation has been raising awareness, sensitising communities and empowering survivors to be the driving force for tackling FGM by giving them a voice and engaging them in discussions, decision making and events aimed at tackling FGM. Mojatu Foundation in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University and other local, national and international organisations tackling FGM invite you to our “International Conference: Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Together,” to be held: Date:

3rd September 2015 from 9am-4.30pm

Venue:

Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BU

All delegates MUST have tickets The key people involved in the planning of this conference are FGM survivors themselves supported by the Community FGM Steering Group initiated by Mojatu Foundation to support the efforts to safeguard and protect children at risk and also support survivors living with the consequences of FGM. The Conference deliberations will be on the following themes and how they impact on ending FGM. These are Gender equality and women’s empowerment, Training and Education, Religion, Media, Law and Language, arts and culture.

This conference will bring together local, national and international speakers and delegates comprising of FGM survivors, FGM campaigners, members of the practicing communities, religious leaders, local authorities, health and education specialist, women’s organisations, the police, journalists, and other multidisciplinary professionals.

It will bring to life the realities of FGM by facilitating personal accounts of survivors living with consequences of FGM and their journeys to protect and safeguard those at risk and support other survivors. It is also a fantastic learning and networking opportunity.

The conference is a follow-up of the national FGM conference that took place in February 2015 and will explore the work being done in tackling FGM. It will also explore good practices from other organisations tackling FGM within the UK and beyond.

During the conference, the Mojatu FGM Logo, now adopted as a symbol of local coordinated work by

the City and County FGM Strategy Board including Safeguarding boards will be launched. It will also launch the local FGM referral pathway being developed. The upcoming FGM training programmes and curriculum to be launched by University of Nottingham later this year will also be unveiled.

Who can attend?

Tick

Onleyt

1. FGM survivors Event 2. FGM campaigners and activists 3. Religious leaders 4. Young people and youth workers- 18 years and above 5. Commissioning managers / leads 6. Safeguarding leads/LSCB members 7. The Police 8. FGM Trust leads 9. Health and Wellbeing Board chairs / Public Health leads 10. Local authority leads / councillors/MPs 11. Community groups & 3rd sector organisations 12. GPs, midwives, nurses, health visitors, teachers, etc 13. Other multi-disciplinary professionals and individuals interested in FGM Lunch, all day refreshments, pens and writing materials will be provided.

Tickets & Registration Early Bird £90 (Until 16th August 2015) Normal Price £120 (From 17th August 2015) Community Groups Free Order Tickets Online: http://goo.gl/xvlGoh Phone: 0115 8457 009 Mob: 077 9437 2214 Email: emily@mojatufoundation.org Visit us: 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR www.mojatufoundation.org To sponsor this conference and support the end of FGM in a generation, please select one of the packages in the back page.

Contact: Valentine Nkoyo Director, Mojatu Foundation Phone: 0115 8457 009 Mob: 077 9437 2214 valentine@mojatu.com 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR

Nottingham connected

Community

Caine Prize winner shares her £10k prize Zambian writer Namwali Serpell has become the first scribe from the southern African nation to win the coveted Caine Prize for African Writing. She has also broke new ground by becoming the first winner to share her prize money with her fellow shortlistees.

Namwali Serpell rose above stiff competition to clinch the esteemed Caine Prize for African Writing with her story, The Sack, from Africa39. Her win was announced on Monday at a dinner held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, UK. Serpell said, “Winning the prize didn’t seem real until I managed to tell my family in Zambia. It was a real honour just to be on the shortlist”.

Zoë Wicomb, Chair of the judges, lauded her work for being “an extraordinary story about the aftermath of revolution with its liberatory promises shattered”. “It makes demands on the reader and challenges conventions of the genre. It yields fresh meaning with every reading,” said Wicomb.

Upon receiving the award, Serpell promised to share the prize money with her fellow shortlistees as she didn’t wan’t to feel like she’d been “on American Idol”, according to The Bookseller.

Serpell’s not the first African writer to share some of her winnings with the competition. Last year, Noviolet Bulawayo, the winner of the Etisalat Prize for Literature 2014, gifted fellow shortlistee Yewande Omotoso with the University of East Anglia Fellowship included in the prize. Each of the shortlistees receives £500 from the Caine Prize.

The Sack, Namwali Serpell’s Caine Prize-winning short story can be downloaded at http://goo.gl/uHNN1n.

African Cultural Group Nottingham!

For Unique performers of African Cultural Drums, Dances and Igbo Ogene performances in all kinds of events. Also for event management services, MC, DJ, Photo and video services available. Contact Eddy on 07788719371. Promotion sponsored by Mojatu Foundation

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mojatu.com

22 Faith & Spirituality

Why are young women drawn to extremism?

By Irene Ndungu, Nairobi, Kenya

In East Africa and across the globe, the Internet is increasingly being used to recruit and radicalise young women into extremist groups. In March, three young women – two Kenyans and one from Tanzania – were arrested en route to Somalia, where they were allegedly headed to join extremist group al-Shabaab.

The incident raised concerns about a possible new trend in the region, as well as the readiness of governments to understand and address it. The women were arrested near the town of El-Wak, close to the Kenya-Somali border. Kenyan security forces suspect they were travelling to participate in training to become suicide bombers, or to be married to alShabaab militants.

Other media reports suggest that the girls had been recruited via social media platform WhatsApp, and they might have intended to join the Islamic State (ISIS) as so-called jihadi brides. The three girls are currently in custody facing terror-related charges.

These arrests add to a growing number of incidents of young African women being recruited into extremist groups, the extent of which is yet to be fully established. A similar incident was recently reported in South Africa, where a 15-year old girl was detained, allegedly en route to join ISIS in Syria. Many such cases have been reported in North Africa, where the trend has acquired its greatest impetus in Africa, while in Europe there have been several reports of girls running away from home to join ISIS.

young women in East Africa is still unknown. In March this year, ISIS reportedly recruited several medical students – including women – from a prestigious medical university in Sudan. It is unclear whether there may be recruiters who are specifically targeting young women in this region. What is evident, however, is that extremist groups systematically and intentionally use the Internet and social media to spread jihadist propaganda. This is increasingly targeted at young women, who may be vulnerable due to factors such as their quest for political and social identity.

In the case of the three girls arrested at the KenyaSomalia border, ongoing investigations indicate that a female ISIS insider recruited the Tanzanian girl, who in turn recruited her two Kenyan friends.

Such peer pressure may be one of the key drivers of radicalisation, particularly among teenagers. The recent disappearance early last month of two other Kenyan girls is another case of childhood friends who are also alleged to have joined ISIS together.

This lends credence to views that peer pressure is an important factor, and also adds to growing concerns that ISIS may have gained a foothold in Kenya.

There is an urgent need for concerted regional and international responses and cooperation Empirical studies undertaken by Institute for Security Studies senior researcher Anneli Botha identified the instrumental role of religion in the radicalisation of youths in Kenya: 87% of Kenyan youths interviewed in the study cited this as the main reason for joining extremist group, al-Shabaab. However, a combination of peer pressure and religion could also account for why young people join extremist organisations, given that most respondents who joined al-Shabaab were between 20 and 25 years old.

While this study did not include female respondents, it is telling that almost all of the women in the reports cited above fall within this age category. A gendered approach in counter-radicalisation interventions is therefore not only necessary, but also essential.

The arrests add to a growing number of incidents of young African women being recruited To what extent the Internet is being used to recruit

Unlike the Chibok case in Nigeria, where Boko Haram forcibly abducted schoolgirls, these examples reflect the increasing concern that young women are making voluntary choices to join extremist groups. Reports of the fate that awaits them, including sexual violence, do not seem to act as a deterrent. What could be driving these choices? Typical teenage rebelliousness, the romanticising of extremist jihadism and boredom may well offer some answers. Nonetheless, a gendered understanding of what motivates these

Nottingham connected

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influential roles may radicalise young, impressionable minds, they may also serve as valuable mentors and roles models to assist young people as they navigate periods of uncertainty.

decisions would ensure that counter-radicalisation programmes offer real alternatives to young women.

Countering violent extremism requires a more nuanced understanding of gender Studies have shown that belonging to extremist organisations provides young people with ‘a sense of identity, prestige or pride, acceptance, responsibility and outlets for frustration and excitement.’ Western countries, particularly, see many stories of welleducated girls from affluent families who are intercepted while travelling to Syria, either as ISIS fighters or brides.

Based on media reports, such cases are on the increase – particularly in the United States and United Kingdom. Given that terrorism is a global problem and the Internet is borderless, there is an urgent need for concerted regional and international responses and cooperation in dealing with this trend.

The role that educators and learning institutions play in radicalising young people, including women, also needs further investigation. Clerics and other important religious figures may influence the choices of young people. Research suggests that apart from friends, such figures are the most likely to introduce young people to such groups as al-Shabaab (in the case of Kenya).

In the March al-Shabaab attack at Garissa University that saw 142 students killed, the alleged mastermind, a former madrassa teacher, is believed to have been radicalised while in high school. In another incident, where two Kenyan women students informed families that they had travelled to Syria, one was a part-time teacher at a local girls’ high school. This points to a need for stronger scrutiny of educators and school curricula, including programmes and activities in places of learning and worship. While those in

It is clear that countering violent extremism and radicalisation requires a more nuanced understanding of gender as well as the factors driving young people to join such groups. The policies of governments – and the range of services that they provide to young people, including young women, their families and communities – are significant factors within this framework. These require ongoing enquiry and significant development if they are to have any success in curbing these worrying trends. Platforms such as the recent civil-society-led forum on gender dimensions of terrorism and counter-terrorism in Kenya; and the ongoing government-led regional conference on youth counter-radicalisation, are meaningful steps in this regard.

Irene Ndungu, Researcher, Transnational Threats and International Crime Division, ISS Nairobi. Article originally published by the ISS African Centre for Peace and Security Training at https://goo.gl/zD0Nyn

mojatu.com

24 Health & Food

18 Foods That Are Bad For Your Health - Avoid Them!

By Kris Gunnars and Edited by Emily Lonergan & Irene Amandi

1.

Sugary Drinks – The most fattening aspect of the modern diet. As the brain doesn’t “register” them as food, therefore people don’t automatically compensate by eating less of other foods, and end up drastically increasing their calorie intake. Sugar is strongly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and is also associated with various serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

cottonseed and canola. These oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids, highly sensitive to oxidation and cause increased oxidative stress in the body. They have also been linked to increased risk of cancer.

Alternatives: Use healthier fats like coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil instead.

6.

Alternatives: Drink water, soda water, coffee or tea instead.

2.

Most Pizzas, one of the world’s most popular junk foods. The problem is that most commercially prepared pizzas are made with seriously unhealthy ingredients. The dough is made from highly refined wheat flour, and the meats on them are usually processed. Pizza is also extremely high in calories.

Alternatives: Use real butter instead, preferably from grass-fed cows.

7.

Pastries, Cookies and Cakes - Most pastries, cookies and cakes are made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour and added fats, which are often disturbingly unhealthy fats like shortening (high in trans-fats). With almost no essential nutrients, but tons of calories and unhealthy ingredients, they are literally some of the worst things that you can put into your body.

8.

French Fries and Potato Chips: Whole, white potatoes are very healthy. However, products that are made from them, such as fries and potato chips, are very high in calories, and it is easy to eat excessive amounts. These foods may also contain large amounts of acrylamides, carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are fried, baked or roasted.

Alternatives: Some pizza places use healthier ingredients. Homemade pizzas can also be very healthy, as long as you choose wholesome ingredients.

3.

White Bread, which is generally made from wheat, which contains gluten. All wheat-based breads are a bad idea for people who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. However, most commercial breads are unhealthy for everyone, because most are made from refined wheat, which is low in essential nutrients and leads to rapid spikes in blood sugar.

Alternatives: For people who can tolerate gluten, Ezekiel bread is an excellent choice. Whole grain bread is also definitely better than white bread.

4.

Most Fruit Juices are often assumed to be healthy.

However, many fruit juices are actually little more than fruit-flavoured sugar water. Juice does contain some antioxidants and vitamin C, however it also contains just as much sugar as a sugary drink like Coke, and sometimes even more.

Alternatives: Some fruit juices have been shown to have health benefits despite the sugar content, such as pomegranate and blueberry. Water is still the best alternative.

5.

Industrial Vegetable Oils. In the last 100 years or so, people have increased their consumption of added fats due to a drastic increase in the consumption of refined vegetable oils such as soybean, corn,

Margarine is a highly processed pseudo-food that has been engineered to look and taste like butter. It is loaded with artificial ingredients, and is usually made with industrial vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to make them more solid. This increases their trans-fat content significantly.

Alternatives: Potatoes are best consumed boiled, not fried. If you need something crunchy to replace potato chips, try baby carrots or nuts.

9.

Gluten-Free Junk Foods. There are many glutenfree diets. However, people replace the gluten foods with junk gluten-free processed foods which are often high in sugar, unhealthy oils and refined grains like corn starch or tapioca starch. These refined starches lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, and are extremely low in essential nutrients.

Alternatives: Choose foods that are naturally glutenfree, like unprocessed plants and animal foods.

10. Agave Nectar: Agave nectar is a highly refined sweetener that is often marketed as healthy. It is extremely high in fructose and can be disastrous for

Nottingham connected health. Whereas table sugar contains 50% fructose, and high fructose corn syrup around 55%, agave nectar is 85% fructose.

Alternatives: Stevia and erythritol are healthy, natural and calorie free.

11. Low-Fat Yogurt: Yogurt can be incredibly healthy.

Unfortunately, most yogurts are loaded with sugar to make up for the lack of taste that the fats provided.

They are made ‘healthy’ by replacing natural dairy fats removed, with much worse ingredients.

Alternatives: Choose regular, full-fat yogurt that contains live or active cultures (probiotics). If you can get your hands on it, choose yogurt from grass-fed cows.

12. Low-Carb Junk Foods: Processed low-carb replacement products, such as low-carb candy bars and meal replacements, are often highly processed foods and contain very little actual nutrition. There are plenty of real foods that you can eat on a low-carb diet, most of which are very healthy.

Alternatives: If you’re on a low-carb diet, eat foods that are naturally low in carbs.

13. Ice Cream is one of the unhealthiest foods on the planet. Most commercial ice cream is loaded with sugar, high in calories, and it is very easy to eat excessive amounts. Eating it for dessert is even worse, because then you’re adding it all on top of your total calorie intake.

Alternatives: It is possible to make your own ice cream using healthier ingredients and significantly less (or no) sugar.

14. Candy bars are high in sugar, refined wheat flour and processed fats. They are also very low in essential nutrients. A candy bar may taste good and cause some short-term satiety, but you’ll be hungry again very quickly because of the way these high-

Take Home:

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sugar treats are metabolized.

Alternatives: Eat a piece of fruit instead, or a piece of real high-cocoa dark chocolate.

15. Processed Meat. Even though unprocessed meat can be healthy and nutritious, processed meats lead to higher risks of many serious diseases, including colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Alternatives: If you want to eat bacon, sausages, pepperoni and other “processed” meats, then choose wisely and try to buy them locally from sellers who don’t add a lot of unhealthy ingredients. Quality counts.

16. Processed Cheese. Regular cheese is healthy. It is loaded with nutrients, and a single slice of cheese contains all the same nutrients as an entire glass of milk. However, processed cheese products are mostly made with filler ingredients that are combined and engineered to have a similar look and texture as cheese. Read labels, and make sure that you eat actual not processed cheese.

Alternatives: Eat real cheese instead.

17. Most Fast Food Meals. This is because generally most “fast food” chains serve only junk foods. The majority of the food they offer is mass-produced, highly engineered junk food with very little nutritional value.

18. High-Calorie “Coffee” Drinks: Coffee is very healthy. It is loaded with antioxidants which helps lower risks of serious diseases, like type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s. However, coffee with artificial creamer and added sugar is just as unhealthy as any other sugar-sweetened beverage.

Alternatives: Drink plain coffee instead. Black is best, but small amounts of heavy cream or full-fat milk are fine as well.

· Avoid anything that is high in added sugar, Refined Grains, vegetable Oils and Artificial trans-fats. · These are some of the unhealthiest (and most common) ingredients in the modern diet. · Always Read Labels · Real food does not need an ingredients list, because real food IS the ingredient. · Processed foods are often engineered to be super tasty (so you eat more), and have been designed to be eaten easily and quickly.

mojatu.com

26 Education & Career

Top CV Mistakes to Avoid Your CV is often the first impression a hiring manager has of you and often you will only have a few seconds to grab their attention and leave them wanting to read more and invite you in for an interview. It is essential that you get this vital piece of communication right and use it as a springboard to the next stage of the job search.

1. Insufficient contact details Make sure your CV clearly details your full name, address and contact details for a prospective employer to reach you, including phone numbers and email address. This may sound obvious but some candidates omit key contact information or have outdated contact details. If your email address reads particularly unprofessionally (eg hotbabe) or is a work email it may be worthwhile using a different one for correspondence with employers.

2. No objective CVs should begin with a clear and concise objective citing the position you are seeking and a supporting short skills statement summarising the reason you are highly qualified for this role; e.g. “Seeking a senior marketing analyst role where I can apply my 3 years’ experience in marketing analysis gained with a leading Fortune 500 FMCG company as well as my skills in copywriting, strategic analysis, business development, client servicing and media planning.” The goal of the CV is to outline what you can do for your prospective employer, not what your employer can do for you.

3. Passive language Active verbs that show leadership and accomplishments such as achieved, spearheaded, managed, exceeded, pioneered, led and developed conveys an active, dynamic successful professional. Substitute all weak descriptive sentences for sentences that detail accomplishments strongly. E.g. instead of “Managed the firm’s emerging markets equity portfolio” try “Managed and achieved a 34% annualized return on the firm’s flagship GBP100 million emerging markets equity portfolio.”

4. Lack of focus Every CV should focus on the particular job and industry you are targeting. If applying to jobs in 2 different industries

make sure you have different CVs that cater specifically to the different skills. The best CVs are customised for the individual job and emphasise objectives, skillsets, past accomplishments, aptitudes and qualifications that are uniquely relevant to that role.

5. Poor formatting Your CV will get no more than a cursory glance if the formatting is poor and it shows bad planning, poor organisation or clutter. Adhere to an acceptable format that is professional, simple and attractive to the eye.

Use bullet points wherever possible rather than long, winding prose and be consistent with font, headings and layout. Aim to keep your CV to 1 page for entry level and 2 pages for a seasoned professional.

6. No proofreading Spelling mistakes, poor grammar and glaring errors are a surefire way to get your CV dismissed. Read and reread your CV before sending it to the employer, run a spellcheck and have someone else read it for an extra check before sending it out.

7. Lies Lies and half-truths will always be discovered so omit them from the start. If you have not finished a university degree make that clear on your CV without neglecting to include the coursework you did complete and the educational accomplishments you have. Similarly, do not list promotions, jobs, titles, dates or job descriptions that do not accurately reflect your work history. Most companies run detailed background checks and lies and exaggerations that are not glaringly obvious on the CV or at the interview will often be discovered at the reference or background check.

8. Poor targeting Make sure you send your CV to the right person at the company and accompany it with a short, concise cover letter that personalises it and summarises your skills, objectives and the value you will bring to the job. Spend some time researching who heads the division you are targeting and send your introductory CV and cover letter directly to them. Your CV is likely to be disregarded completely if you send it to the wrong person or to a nameless “To Whom It May Concern”.

Nottingham connected

Business & Finance

27

Volunteers needed to help with digitisation of African and Caribbean Historical materials in Nottingham Blue Mountain Women’s Enterprise

Email: bluemountainwomen@gmail.com

mojatu.com

28 category

ANTHONY N

Director

Health & Social Care

Jobs available Carer Care Assistant Support Worker Good pay rates

Apply now 07447 108544 | 01158 373320 ultimategsl@gmail.com 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR

+ 44 (0) 753 345 9814 ANTHONY.N@SOJ

Floor 1B, 91 Isandula Road Nottingham NG7 6ER

Provision Of Quality Support * Caring for children 0-18 years * Caring for adults over 65 years * Caring for people with special needs and disabilities * Learning Disabilities * Eating disorders * Mental health Conditions * Personal Care * Physical Disabilities * Sensory impairment * Dementia

COMMONWEALTH AFRICA NETWORK Cordially invite you to their Africa community Awareness Event Child/sexual Abuse and Exploitation in the Africa community Nottingham

Venue: Hyson Green Youth Club Terrace Street, Radford, Nottingham, NG7 6ER Side attractions includes: Africa cultural heritage in Arts, Music & Dance

Date: 11th July 2015 | 3pm to 9pm

PATRA INCORPORATING ACDA JOB VACANCIES Earn £9000 per year plus training if aged 16 – 18

For more information contact:

Have you recently left school or college and are aged 16 – 18?

How would you like to earn £750 a month (take home) and the chance to study for an on-the-job qualification?

If so, PATRA might have the right job for you as we have a number of administrative vacancies.

0115 942 2440 info@patraeastmidlands.co.uk www.patraeastmidlands.co.uk

If you are from the BME community and want a job look no further than PATRA Incorporating ACDA, because we are offering one-year placements in business administration at Nottingham City Council.

PATRA Incorporating ACDA Marcus Garvey Centre Lenton Boulevard Nottingham NG7 2BY

As well as working you will be expected to undertake on-the-job training that will enable you to obtain a qualification at NVQ Level 1 or 2.

Section 158 of the Equality Act 2010 applies

This is a great opportunity to gain the skills you’ve always wanted and earn £9000 a year at the same time.

As part of the process to become a PATRA trainee you will be required to go through an assessment which tests your literacy, numeracy and IT skills.

mojatu.com

30 Classified

Computer Export Company Offering Trade Prices on System and Laptop Packages Quantity deals available Pallet, 20ft and 40ft containers

Worldwide Shipping!

We can supply all tier one brands such as Dell, HP, Compaq, Toshiba and many more.

Stock is fully tested 2nd user with warranty Please call or Email for our latest export offers.

Tel: +44 (0)203 6278 078 E: it@mojatu.com www.mojatu.com/it

Join!

Community Media Champions to help end FGM this generation

Training - You will receive local and online training and resources to help you collect, edit, store and disseminate information on FGM and other community focused information. Media training | FGM training and awareness | Other training and skills By joining the Community Media Champions program you will become involved a wide variety of community engagement, media and awareness activities.

Mojatu Foundation is recruiting and training individuals, mainly those most affected by FGM, to develop skills and confidence to become Community Media Champions. The trainees are empowered to tell their individual and community stories, while helping to capture, store and share contents, images and other information online, on mobiles and in print.

This will increase, among others, FGM awareness while providing opportunities for support of FGM survivors. It will also allow participants to shape the direction of their communities by impacting on the media coverage on all types of information including what is being done in tackling FGM and other social needs within their communities.

You will receive- Business cards | Video camera | Dictaphone | Mobile phone with calling credit | Travelling allowance Funded By Rosa Fund Partners

T: 0115 845 7009 M: 07859063643 | 07794372214 E: training@mojatu.com www.mojatu.com/mediachampions

Nottingham connected

Classified

31

Saturday 8th August 2015 | 12 noon to 6pm

@ Forest Recreation Ground GregoryBoulevard Nottingham, NG7 6HB

WINNER of the Best Community Event in

2014

Celebrating the Music, Culture, Da nce & Foods of the World

Themeg: Endin FGM & ring e w o p m E Women

Live Music, Performances, Dancing, Arts & Craft, Playing instrument,Food, Cooking, Information stalls & More!

Children Activities: Bouncy castles, Face Painting, Story Telling .

JSS Security Services Ltd

hysongreenculturalfestival

Supported by local councillors: Radford & Park Arboretum Berridge

hysongreenculturalfestival

Stall booking call Penny on 01158457009 or email penny@mojatu.com 07946303384, 07794372214, 07790158615, 07860781106 www.hysongreenculturalfestival.org.uk | hysongreenculturalfestival@gmail.com

International Conference:

Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Together 3rd Sep 2015 - 9am - 4.30pm

Nottingham Conference Centre, Burton Street, Nottingham, Ticke t NG1 4BU, United Kingdom

Only Event

Professionals Community Groups o Free o Early Bird £90 (until 16th Aug) o Donations welcome o Full Cost £120 (from 17th Aug)

Order Tickets Online: http://goo.gl/xvlGoh Sponsorship Packages Brochure Inclusion* Double page Back Page Inside front page Inside back page Full page 1/2 Page 1/4 Page

Price £1,100 £900 £750 £750 £600 £300 £180

Other Sponsorship Packages

Price

BP500 – Logo design, Basic website, Domain name, Hosting, Design & printing of 500 Business cards & 500 Single sided A5 Leaflets (design & print) BP250 – Logo design, Basic website, Design & printing of 250 Business cards and 250 Single sided A5 Leaflets Adopt a tree with a plaque with your message Adopt a goat at Ecocentre Farm, Nottingham, NG13 8JL

£500 £300 £200 £100

*Special 5,000 copies of Conference brochure will be printed and distributed before and during the conference.

Together, we can surely end FGM in this generation!

Together, we can surely end FGM in this generation!

Logos to put:  End FGM Phone: +44(0)115 8457 009 M: +44(0)77  Mojatu  Trent University Email: emily@mojatufoundation.org  Valentine Nkoyo

9437 2214

Website: www.valentinenkoyo.com Contacts: 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR, UK

#endfgm

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