Africans Empowering. Entertaining. Educating. Inspiring.
www.rizikimag.com
ISSUE 3 APRIL 2013
Feature p.14
Style p.18
Innovation p.29
Yohannes Tilahun talks about his life,family and careers
Style up with and dress up with boots
The Android App for Environment Education
contents 6
Self Tired of Bad habits?
7
Recipe The delicious easy to make KOKOTENDE
13
10 Health
Never too late or early to care about Breast cancer
17 Fashionista
Nathan Apina at the park
8
Riziki LLc is the parent company established This digital publication reaches Af tri-mo Every day for us is an adventure f showcase, promote, support
www.rizikim
18 Style
Style up and dress up with Boots
22 Africa A Continent not a country The African language Map
25 Your Money
Chop your cable TV bill
26 Poetry
Africa:The African
28 Inspire
20
y of Riziki Magazine which was d July 2012. fricans worldwide and is published onthly. full of exciting stories. We want to t, inspire, and educate others
mag.com
24 The young multi-lingual lea Neema Elizabeth
29 Innovation
Entventure:Environment Education Android App
30
Karibu Editor’s note
N
ot too long ago, we were wishing each other a Happy New year and it looks like the year is speeding to its end. Have you been able to keep some, if not all of the resolutions, you made? If not, our main feature on Yohaness Tilahun should be able to inspire you to get back to the path you had set out for yourself, even if you had veered off. We remember Chinua Achebe who placed African writing on the world literary map. I encourage you to pick up one of the titles mentioned or both if you are so inclined, in his memory even if you have read them before. On innovation, we feature EntVenture; a project by Chepkoilel University College in Kenya, which will help you gain knowledge on the characteristics and benefits of forests. Also in this edition, Lea’s adventures prove that at whatever age you can make a difference, in fact the younger the better. You may wish to make a difference on your monthly bills as well, and we try to offer you some tips on how to do so painlessly. Happy Reading.
Christine
Our Team Christine Oduor: EDITOR: A freelance translator, writer and blogger. She holds advanced degrees in French and Journalism. Resides in Tunis, Tunisia.
Kawira Njeru: Aouthor of Coming Home http://kawira.tateauthor.com, http://kawiracn. blogspot.com Resides in Germany.
Joyce Mugun: Author of What a Kenyan felt. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-akenyan-felt-joyce-mugun/1016531596?e an=9781441502193 Resides in Alabama/ USA.
Florence Chirchir: “Other than teaching, I am interested in personal growth and development. I am largely involved in career guidance besides writing. I teach French and Swahili and also holds training in Human Resource Management”.Resides in Kenya.
Yena Balekyani: High school student, originally from Congo and now in Iowa. Resides in Iowa.
Eli Loltome Illustrator and graphic designer. Resides in Kenya
Joy Chelagat and Nehwoen Luogon Contributing writers
Sammy Mwirotsi Web design and develipment COVER MODEL:Daphne Ng’elechei Nelson, mother of 2 (Soraya 22 months and Eli 4 months), United States Air Force Spouse and a graduate nurse. 4/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
Jim NJoroge Layout and Design
From the founder
e d n u o f e FrFromomththe founder
Thank you thus far for your support of our magazine. We are growing each day and in each day we are making a profound difference. From having an amazing team, we also work with young adults, encouraging and helping them nurture their young talent. We are a lucky bunch for sure and excited on this amazing journey. Updates on what we are working on: We are partnering with Shoe4Africa as our Charity for year 2013. They are building the very first free children in East Africa, YEAH!!! We know that so many kids lives will be saved and you just can’t beat that. Follow Shoe4Africa HERE. We are working on a Riziki Scholarship Fund. We are hoping to offer a few scholarships to young deserving kids in African. Check out our next issue for more details.
Nancy Mwirotsi
We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children. Kofi Annan
Š Copyright 2012 Riziki LLC. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Riziki LLC. is expressly prohibited
www.rizikimag.com Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 5
Self You will have to replace the old habit with a new one, to fill the vacuum created in your life by its absence. Figure out new things that you have always wanted to do and put your heart and mind into them.
Tired of bad habits? Florence Chirchir IT’S TIME… Bad habits have this magnetic pull that makes breaking them an uphill task. New Year resolutions target good habits we want to adopt and bad ones that we want to give up. One may try to quit pouting, controlling anger, overeating, overspending or getting out of debt with different levels of success. For the majority, it is easier to live with the bad habits a little longer, if only to try quitting later when strong enough to resist their pull. Bad habits rob you of peace. You know you ought not to be engaging in it yet you end up doing it all the same. You get the same results all the time, you end up feeling bad and the cycle continues. “I just can’t help it…” has become your common refrain. In his book First Things First, Stephen Covey talks of some space between thought and action. This space allows one to either go ahead with the conceived thought 6/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
or not to take any action all together. Thoughts thus do not automatically translate into action. Simply put, what you end up with is what you decide on at that point, so yes you can help it. Imagine for a moment that your mother takes you aside, then attempts to breastfeed you at the age you are now… Would you go ahead and suckle? A resounding no! Why then would you keep feeding a destructive habit or a seemingly harmless tendency that you have always wanted to quit? By now you must have had enough of it, so you need to be decisive. Resolve to quit once and for all. Forge ahead no matter the temptation to go back to it. There is a whole lot more in the future to be explored than in the past that cannot be reclaimed. You will have to replace the old habit with a new one, to fill the vacuum created in your life by its absence. Figure out new things that you have
always wanted to do and put your heart and mind into them. It could be spending more time with the family, playing with your children, exercising, starting to put some money into a savings account or simply complaining less. Start with small steps and gradually progress to higher levels. Do not lose track of your goal. You have to identify your objective and shun the side shows which come in the form of unsupportive friends and relatives, low self esteem, realities in life such as a poor economy, ill health, loss of loved ones and fatigue from having tried over and over. Adapt to the reality of your situation and keep going, for you will certainly get there someday. It is time to create different satisfying experiences for you. You always have a choice, are you ready? To paraphrase James Michener, may you have the courage to face temporary defeat and not lose forward motion. Happy and successful 2013!
e p i c e R
Food By Joyce Mugun
Kokotende
Originally pronounced Kokwe za tende, but the name kokotende caught on as it was easy for everyone to pronounce.
Ingredients; 2 cups flour 4 tbsps. fine semolina 1 tspn. baking powder 1/2 tsp. cardamon powder 2 tbsps. melted butter 3/4 cup milk/water or coconut Egg white ( optional) Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS Knead together the ingredients to a dough Form tiny balls, put them on the side and shape one by one using a fork, by pressing the tiny piece of dough, on the back of a fork and rolling them away to give it a perfect seashell shape. Fry on low heat until golden and crispy. (Do not fry on very high heat) Drain and set aside Make the sugar coating.
Sheera / sugar coatin g 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Drop of vanilla Pinch of cardamom Combine all then boil until thick and sticky Dip the kokothende in the syrup and place on a tray. Store in an airtight co ntainer when complet ely cooled
.
photo-http://stellasmeza.blogspot.com/2012/10/kokotende.html
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 7
Travel
Time to Globetrot
Enjoy the Dominican Republic
Dominican republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with 48,442 square kilometers (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million people. The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic has the ninth largest economy in Latin America and the second largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region. According to the CIA World Factbook, the Dominican population is 73% multiracial, 16% white, and 11% black. The multiracial population is primarily a mixture of European and African, but there is as well a minor Taíno element in the population; research published in 2010 showed that 15% of Dominicans have Taíno ancestry, and 70% have African genes. Source: Wikipedia.
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Top ten thing to do in the Dominican Republic 1. Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial 2. Relaxing at Playa Rincón 3. Leisurely Las Galeras 4. Bahía de Las Águilas 5. Santo Domingo Nightlife & Dancing 6. Whale-watching 7. Descending the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua 8. White-water rafting 9. Winter Baseball 10. Mountain Vistas in Constanza
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 9
photo courtesy http://www.godominicanrepublic.com
Health
photo-sxc.hu
Never too late or early to care about breast cancer http://madeformoreministries.com/blog/ Thank you Amy and Tom for letting us share your blog. About Amy and Tom: Only days after her annual wellwoman exam, Amy Hauser discovered a lump. This walnut-sized lump (stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – breast cancer) would be only the first in a series of life altering events, for Amy, her family and the trajectory of 10/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
her life. Amy and her husband, Tom, journeyed through cancer with a boldness that is both inspiring and challenging. From Amy’s decision not to wear a wig so that her light would not be hidden, to their commitment as a couple to devote their lives to launching Made For More Ministries, Tom and Amy are sharing the hope and healing extended to them.
Top 6 Reactions Men Have to Their Wife’s Cancer Diagnosis IN 2010, my wife, Amy, found a walnut-sized lump just a few days after her annual female exam. It shocked us both because she had just been deemed “healthy.” The doctors showed immediate concern, ran tests, and left us with five long days to wait for results; results that would be life changing. We spent those 5
Hearing that your wife has cancer is enough to rock any man’s world. The sudden earthquake of emotion is overwhelming, to say the least. days waiting, worrying, wondering, but mainly we prepared for an inevitable fight. The results showed stage two invasive ductile carcinoma – breast cancer. It had spread to Amy’s lymph nodes – (where she found the lump.) Hearing that your wife has cancer is enough to rock any man’s world. The sudden earthquake of emotion is overwhelming, to say the least. Your reaction, attitude and the path you take will have a huge impact on how well this battle is fought. Your attitude is second only to hers and will significantly shape hers. It may appear that your choices are minimal, but you actually have several choices (and will most likely consider all of them at some point along the way). You can choose to: #1 Bail Out “I didn’t sign up for this, I’m outta here.” #2 Cop Out “It’s her tough luck and I’m not gonna let it change my comfortable, well (self)-ordered world…” #3 Check Out “If I ignore/deny it long enough, it will go away.”
Get the books here
#4 Wimp Out “Now I have this to deal with on top of everything else.” #5 Duke it Out (Superman Style). “I will take care of everything – the kids, the house, the wash, I will be the chauffeur, doctor, pharmacist, personal assistant, masseur, psychiatrist and spiritual advisor. Where’s my cape?” #6 Live it Out – Be Her mate “Time to earn my man card, fulfill my vows, draw closer to her and get through this together – emerging stronger for it.” It’s your call. A lot of guys take option #1. A blend of #2 through #5 is the chosen path for others. (Notice 1-5 are all “I” focused?) But, if you want to put on your big boy pants and choose option #6, congratulations. You’ll earn your man card. It won’t be easy, but as a guy who has been there, done that, got the t-shirt, I learned some hard-knock lessons. It is my prayer that by passing them on, your journey can be the best it can be. Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 11
Music To our Beloved Mama, Mama Africa,
Miriam Makeba Miriam was not only the first African to vocalist to put African Music on the map but a human rights campaigner. Makeba lived and sang in a divided time, and spoke out in favor of equality and justice. Through her music she was able to bring people together to enjoy the beauty of unique cultures and the shared human experience. “I don’t sing about politics; I sing the truth,” she told her audiences. Her vocal denunciation of South African apartheid also resulted in the withdrawal of her passport by the South African government. She lived in exile for 31 years until the end of apartheid saw the election of President Nelson Mandela. The Epoch Times
Our top Five Makeba songs
Pata Pata Malaika Click song Tululu Africa Is Where My Heart Lies
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photo-martjiecarter.co.za
I look at an ant and I see myself: a native South African, endowed by nature with a strength much greater than my size so I might cope with the weight of a racism that crushes my spirit. Miriam Makeba
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 13
Feature
Fall down,get back up again By Joy Chelang’at Nobody would have guessed that the young African cleaning tables at Bread and Chocolate in 1990 would someday be one of the top names on Wall Street. Having been made homeless a few months earlier, Yohannes Tilahun perhaps didn’t see the extent to which his drive to make something out of his life would amount to.
admits Yohannes. Five years after leaving his home in the Horn of Africa, Yohannes was suspended from the university, kicked out of his apartment and was facing the possibility of being “My privileged background had pre- deported by the immigration authorpared me to be successful in life. I ities. come from a good family, but once At that time, his mother came to I came to the US I lost my focus and visit and was dismayed to find her son Yohannes was born into a privileged I got addicted to the life on the fast sleeping on the streets of Washington family in Ethiopia and went for fur- lane, having fun and making money”, DC. The bleak circumstances coupled 14/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
ther studies in the United States at the young age of 19. Like many young people immigrating to the US, he got caught up in enjoying life and lost track of his education.
by his family’s disappointment put things back in perspective, giving him the motivation to make a complete turnaround. “I asked myself ‘What I am taking back to Ethiopia? I have nothing. I have ashamed my family. I have no degree, no money’”, he narrates. He made the decision to make something out of his life. He pleaded with the immigration judge hearing his case to give him another chance and he got a job cleaning tables at a bakery. Yohannes re-enrolled in school and received a Bachelor of Science in Finance in 1992 and an MBA in 1997 from the University of the District of Columbia. For the seven years that he was in school, Yohannes worked at Bread and Chocolate rising up the ranks, from a lowly bus boy to the manager of 16 restaurants. The tough years of juggling education and work engrained in him persistence-a virtue that would give him a cutting edge in his next venture-Wall Street. Conquering Wall Street Yohannes sent out applications to 149 firms seeking employment, and eventually company 143 hired him. Yohannes launched his career in finance together with 350 other recruits in 1999 at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney as a junior broker. At the end of his first year on Wall Street Yohannes had not only beaten the odds by keeping his job, he had become the number two junior broker in the whole country. For most people, success of that caliber would have been the focus of their thoughts - not for Yohannes. “I had a huge fascination: why do most brokers fail in this business? I realized that the way we train brokers is wrong. That’s why eighty percent of them fail within the first two years. ” Yohannes said. With that understanding, Yohannes began to deliberate on how the training process could be improved. Eventually, he came up with an improved training program for the branch which
he tested for one year with great success. The company was so impressed with his innovation that they awarded him with a Sales Manager position. Not long after his appointment Morgan Stanley made him head of training for the company’s worst performing region. Within three years, the region was first in the country. Yohannes then came up with yet another idea for improving work productivity. The company was, however, not as enthusiastic about the software so a friend advised him to pitch the idea to Wells Fargo instead. Through creativity and diligence, Yohannes carved a niche for himself in innovation and business intelligence. Under his leadership the company beat its peers by being the first company to come up with a centralized business plan. Amidst all his success, Yohannes found himself battling with emptiness. This drove him to reach out to charitable organizations where he could lend a helping hand. Through a friend, Yohannes met with the CEO of Big Brother Big Sister and struck a deal which saw him analyze data of troubled children that the organization was mentoring. “The most satisfaction I ever got was when I helped someone and they said thank you. I just wanted to help,” remembers Yohannes. His successful track record landed him several accolades among them the Innovation Partner Award which was awarded to him by the Governor of Missouri for his role in the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation. In 2010, Yohannes was voted one of the Top 100 executive under 50 in the United States. Going back home In 2012 an organization dedicated to the transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture reached out to him, seeking to have him join the team as a Senior Director. The Agricultural Transformation Agency, which is funded by, among many others, by the Government of Ethiopia and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, seeks to increase produc-
Pictures of young Yohannes
photos:Courtesy Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 15
Feature
tion and productivity by removing systemic bottlenecks in the agriculture sector in areas that range from seed system to mechanization to post harvest handling to markets. Despite the significant pay cut and the challenge relocating posed, Yohannes took a break from Wall Street and took the job. Since February 2013, Yohannes has been working toward creating strategies to boost food security and developing agriculture in Ethiopia. Moving back home has also given him an opportunity to give back to a cause that is close to his heart-education. Yohannes recalls spending most his Saturdays in the library reading as a child -this is an opportunity that he would like to accord to children who are not fortunate to have libraries in 16/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
their communities. Looking back at his life so far, Yohannes attributes his success to the virtues that were instilled in him as a child. Yohannes, who refers to his family as his foundation block, attributes his strong work ethic to his father. “Every business deal, everything he did-he used to take me with him. I remember my first board meeting was when I was seven years old. And that became my passion for business,” said Yohannes fondly. From his mother, Yohannes learned perseverance. “She never gives up on anything. She is the most persistent woman I have ever met. I inherited that from her and that’s why no matter what hardship I go through, I never give up,” he says of her.
So what does Yohannes have to say to the younger generation? “If you are not sure about you want out of life; just do the best with what you have in your hands. Be positive and have the right attitude.” “Always meet new people. Network, network, network.” “ If you are the smartest person in your group-you are in the wrong group.” “Be disciplined-this means have a goal and never deviate from it.” “Never give up. Along the way you will have hurdles. Instead of complaining, learn from it. “Learn to give back to society. If you give something to someone who is less fortunate than you are without expecting anything in return, eventually success will come back to you.”
a t s i n
Fa
o i h s
Nathan Apina enjoying the day at the park.
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 17
Style Style
Style up and Dress up with boots By Nehwoen Luogon
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PHOTOS: http://stylepantry.com/2013/01/24/white-button-up-school-girl-dress-rain-boots/ http://stylepantry.com/2012/12/03/cable-knit-cardigan-skinnies-rain-boots/
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Joules Brand – Evedon Rain boot Pollini - Tall Leather Trim Buckle Rain Boots
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Loeffler Randall Matilde Rain Boots Loeffler Randall Brand - LR Rain slip-on
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Jeffrey Campbell Marsha Over the Knee Rainboot
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Loeffler Randall Brand Rainboots – LR rain bootie http://www.thebeautyoflifeblog.com
Hunter brand rainboots – Hunter Earlham shearing trimmed rain boots
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Rockfish Gold Wellington Rainboots
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Style
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 19
photo-nytimes.com
Read
Chinua Achebe Born in Nigeria in 1930, Chinua Achebe attended the University of Ibadan. In 1958, his groundbreaking novel Things Fall Apart was published. It went on to sell more than 12 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages. He died on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts. Books: Things Fall Apart The concubine
“When suffering knocks at your door and you say there is no seat for him, he tells you not to worry because he has brought his own stool.” – Chinua Achebe
AFRICA
A CONTINENT
NOT
A COUNTRY 22/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
Official and Spokenan ic r f A f o s e g a u g n a L Countries.
Africa
There are fou r major groups of African N languages: A ilo-Saharian fro-Asiatic, N ilo-Saharian, Niger-Saharian gathering appo (Niger-Congo), and Khoiximately 140 san, on the map languages you see the dist with some elev en millions spea ribution of language famili kers scates and some m tered in Central ajor African and Eastern A languages. fr ic a. Niger-Saharia n (Niger-Congo List of official ) , national and spoken lan- covering the two thir guages of Afric d of Africa with a. principal bran as a ch the Niger-C Africa is a con ongo which tinent with a ve gathers more ry high linthan 1000 lan guistic diversit guages with y, there are an some 200 mill ions speakers es timated 1500-2000 Afr . The Bantu ican languages languages of Ce . ntral, Southern Of these langu , and Eastern Africa form ages four mai a sub-group of n groupings can be distingu the Niger Congo branch. ished: Afro-Asiatic Khoisan (appoximately gathering abou 200 languages t thirty languag ) covering er nearly Norther es in Westn part of South n Africa (includi ern Africa. ng the horn of Africa, Centr al Sahara et th All African lan e top Nile) guages are co nsidered official languages of the African U nion
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 23
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/african_languages.htm
Home
Give a little chic storage to the Pallbo footstool
photo-http://www.ikeahackers.net/2013/02/give-little-chic-storage-to-pallbo.html
Materials: SOLSTA PALLBO footstool, candle holders (4), screws (4), jigsaw, polisher, plywood, upholstery foam, lining, stapler, textile, sewing machine
Description: I took the footstool apart and turned it upside down. I drilled four holes on the bottom and screwed in the candle holders. I sawed the new top from plywood, and I polished the edges a bit. I covered the sides and the top separately with the foam and the lining fixing them with a stapler.
Foot stool by
Then I upholstered these items with textile with the stapler again, and sewed where needed (e.g. at the sides). Now the new footstool doubles as a storage item for magazines or a soft throw.
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Chop your cable bill Cable TV can make a huge chunk of your monthly expenses that can add up really quick. On average most people spend about $950 per year on their cable bills. Here are some things to consider to lower that. 1. Free TV from your antenna. Antenna could be something from the past, but at least guarantees you some free shows. 2. Pay services: Services that stream online like Hulu Plus ($7 /Month),
Money
Netflix ($9/Month), MLB.tv ($80/year) provide a cheaper option for watching movies and some shows. 3. Websites: Some companies do offer full episodes of their shows online. 4. Connecting your tv: With devices like Roku, Xbox 360, HDMI cable, Apple Tv and others help you get media content directly to your TV. With the above options you can cut your bills to over 90% .
photo-onarchitecturesite.com
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 25
Poetry
Africa:The african Dr Ahmadu A. Baba-Singhri 26/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
Dedicated to my beloved late brother,
Alhaji Ababakar Barau-Singhri To have pride, but lacking dignity To have creativity, but lacking initiative To have resources, without being resourceful To have plenty, but have none To have food, but be hungry To have riches, but be poor To have home, but be homeless To be fertile, but be unproductive To be full, but be empty To be natural, but be unconscious To be a genius, but be unintelligent To be tall, but be short To be beautiful, but be ugly To be exciting, but be dull To be happy, but be angry To be joyful, but be saddened To be first, but be last To be king, but be subject To be queen, but be maid To be master, but be slave To be generous, but be ungiving To be altruistic, but be greedy To have power, but be powerless To be educated, but be ignorant To be wise, but be foolish To be kind, but be cruel To be democratic, but be oligarchic To be monarchic, but be tyrannical To be peaceful, but be violent To be one, but be alone To be a warrior, but a be a coward To be humble, but be arrogant To have villages but be villagers To be African, but be African
Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 27
photo-sxc.hu
Inspire photo-courtesy
Only 13 but can speak 4 languages fluently By Yena Balekyani Lea Neema Elizabeth Kipendo, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has brought a smile to the people in her community. She is the fourth child in a family of 6 brothers and 3 sisters, who all now live in Iowa, USA. Lea’s family relocated to Arizona, USA in 2011 from Mozambique. Her family had earlier fled to Tanzania from Congo but because of the violence that followed them, they were placed in a refugee camp in Mozambique. Even though they were a little safer from the raging war in the Congo, life at the camp was restricted in mobility, enforced inertia, and dependency. For them, it felt like a human warehouse where lives were on a doubtful hold, a prison but with the added injustice of never committing a crime. You never had good sleep, because of fear that had settled in people’s mind. It was a life lived, but survived on charity. All that truly belonged to you was your family, and everything else was from someone’s charitable 28/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
hands. The clothes, shoes, water, house, it was all just temporary. Even the food they ate everyday was a depended on the good will of someone else. During the interview, Lea was astonished to see that someone thought of her special enough to merit being in a magazine but added, you know “My life here in America, is a good thing, even though my mom does not currently have a job, we are fine because my dad provides for my family .” Lea is involved in several activities, and plans to help unite her community. Although she only 13 years old, Lea has a vision of reaching out to others, teaching them and spreading love. Lea hopes that she does well in school so that she may fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor and travel the world helping people through the medical field. She speaks Swahili, Kibembe, English, Portuguese, some French and is currently learning Spanish.
Although she only 13 years old, Lea has a vision of reaching out to others, teaching them and spreading love.
Innovation
Entventure By Marcus Duveskog Educational game on Forestry developed by Kenyan students in collaboration between Chepkoilel University College,(Now University Of Eldoret) Eldoret, Kenya and University of Eastern Finland. Apart from answering questions the application also has mini games that needs to be solved such as a word find game, picture puzzle and a balancing game.
photo-http://www.sxc.hu/
Game Link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.chep.entVenture&feature=search_result%23?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImZyLmNoZXAuZW50VmVudHVyZSJd Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 29
Short Story
The cooking pot By Karue Njeru
.....So I rest the ugly ghosts to slumber and awaken the hope that this dry region will one day know irrigation schemes, a constant supply of fresh organic food. I pray that some day no child and mother will have to watch a vulture in their last moments of life.
photo-http://earthafricacurio.com 30/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
Short Story The earthen cooking pot
my children well fed
sits lonely in the dark corner
they lie safely in their cosy beds
of the now crumbling mud walled hut
my dust bins laden with the
her mouth is long dry
leftovers of the last meal
no home for flies
no flies or insects attack them
now,
they have been relinquished
they quench their thirst
and kept off by the chemical
on the weak and sully boy
I can so easily acquire
whose energy is long worn he fights them no more
I am scuttled back to the earth the screen is yelling at my brains
his arms won’t move
my heart is bleeding with passion
lying in the scorching sun
but,
baked dry under the noon day heat
most of all
His mother’s scary figure sits leaning on the once homely shelter
I am bitter, I am angry
her arms seemingly longer as the bone
raving and puffing anger
threatens to tear out of the thin and dry skin
stinking mad-crazy crazy crazy
she wears no expression on her face
For it is that time again the season for the well fed politicians
her heart seems to have sent
to campaign for yet another chance
all feelings back from where they had come
to get into the house of decisions
a place she remembers no more for her brains have left too completely detached from the present world a world in which she had had dreams hopes and prayers for her flesh and blood her empty gaze follows the giant vultures for now, they are keeping a distance from her they see a mask and await patiently
decisions they should make on behalf of their fellow country men but the scary and real drama of the unfortunate is their big motion picture to fatten their bank accounts, their wallet seams are bursting the expensive and rare leather that is filled with begged notes notes given on behalf of the vulture attacked peoples of his land
for its lifting- it won’t be long now
The earthen cooking pot shall one day tell the tale
man and beast know it
when its users have long been forgotten
they will pounce on their next meal
it will bear their history
their animal carcasses are long done with
for the coming generation
This is the picture proudly presented on my television screen
when they shall try to figure out why mankind was wiped off from a region with potential
I watch it in the warm haven
to harbour generations for a lifetime
and safety of my home
a region where a fresh water lake sits quietly-
lying lazily after another quiet day on my comfortable couch
elegantly promising life for very many decades
...For it is that time again the season for the well fed politicians to campaign for yet another chance to get into the house of decisions decisions they should make on behalf of their fellow country men but the scary and real drama of the unfortunate is their big motion picture to fatten their bank accounts,.... Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 31
Short story The gates open, a beehive of activity once again. It is evening and the aspiring senator is on his way home. His day has been spent shuttling between media houses, luncheons and press conferences. The best writers and marketers have gone through all that is written about him with a fine comb. Only that which attracts admiration from his folks, praise from the foreign lands and recognition by businessmen who would fund his campaign will pass through. All that part with the big, fat checks will remain hopeful that someday soon, the favour will be returned in form of a well needed and somewhat deserved signature; a return on investment.
cause anyone coming into his home must be invited and issued with a special pass that is hard to come by even for the many people who boast that they are related to him or that they went to the same school. Tonight, just like most other nights he will sit on the gold-rimmed couches, watching as the TV screen airs his activities for the day, yet again. He is frequently in the news now, it is campaign time! He watches a big cloud of dust is blowing, as a government helicopter lands, then out of this cloudy dust come the security guards, one even wonders what they are needed here for, the very few folks who have walked the last few days
Hon. Kamankuku speaks eloquently in a tongue that no one in the audience understands promising heaven and earth. He does not notice a few of his spectators dropping from fatigue. He scoops the dry, genetically-modified corn that has been generously airlifted from countries afar. One hand washing the other. His home is surrounded by a wall made of the hardest bricks, topped up with the thickest electro wiring, powerful enough to instantly roast the biggest of the male elephants that freely roam in the wild. The guards working in shifts around the home, bringing him home safely are well paid to do their job efficiently. Roaming in the compound are herds of the German shepherds, so well fed and trained they would pounce on any stranger and kill him instantly. Honourable Kamankuku is home safe and he has a few minutes to greet his dogs, for he must keep in touch with them; they are wild and could turn against him if he stopped treating them well. Later he will sit around the dining table and pass a few polite gestures to his children and the few visiting relatives. Few, be32/ Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013
from far and wide are weary and so weak, none of them can even raise a hand to greet the visitors, let alone cast a stone to harm the Honourable guest. The news came in a few days ago, they have been summoned to appear, enticed with promises there will be lots of goodies for them, meaning they gather their last energy… it’s all they have left. They gather their old tins and walk, treading the dry, stony land to the meeting point. Only a few will make it to the meeting most falling down along the way. Someday their bones will lead historians to a place where there was once a settlement. Hon. Kamankuku speaks eloquently in a tongue that no one in the audience understands promising heaven and earth. He does not notice a few of
his spectators dropping from fatigue. He scoops the dry, genetically-modified corn that has been generously airlifted from countries afar. My reaction at the news was very different from all those neighbours who will quickly grab their telephones and unthinkingly dial the number that is now on the screen. Their calls will automatically charge them a few pennies to save the lot that the Hon. Kamankuku has highlighted. I quickly scribble in something that will give me some history and background of this unfortunate news on hunger. I keep with the news from my motherland but so far this had not been mentioned. It will later dawn on us that even as I earlier shopped at my local supermarket, buying vegetables, fruits and flowers from the land of my birth, the producers have been plagued by drought for over two years. I can’t help wondering why Hon. Kamankuku and his ilk don’t think of an irrigation scheme in this region; there’s this huge fresh water lake, why wouldn’t they persuade other countries that so readily support their cause to enable growth here with some worthwhile project. Hon.Kamankuku quickly hands out the rations and leaves the few bags behind, the weary lot are now pouncing on the fallen grain that scattered as they all tried to get to it, now they peck on the hard ground, picking with their fingers for a couple of grains, how they will prepare it is unknown, for there’s no water in the vicinity. They might use stone to grind some to flour. The news does not show what happens after the helicopter takes off back into the air. Well politics is a fact of our lives, even before the new form of governance came. When I recall the stories of my grandfather, the old and wise were well respected and handled the governance of their folks and at the same time were the holy ones who
Short Story made decisions on the law for their people to live in harmony, they were the judges who handed out punishment or banishment, they called on their people if rains had failed or if a downpour had wiped out some of them, they alone could decide what remedy would be accorded their God to appease him. They had lived in great harmony and had faced a lot of challenges. So I rest the ugly ghosts to slumber and awaken the hope that this dry region will one day know irrigation schemes, a constant supply of fresh organic food. I pray that some day no child and mother will have to watch a vulture in their last moments of life. The ghosts of the vultures slowly fade away I set them free back into the wild where they belong that they too may live in nature as was planned I lay my head on the pillow knowing in my heart hope I fill my dreams with love for all the selflessness of the few teachers in the classroom
...His home is surrounded by a wall made of the hardest bricks, topped up with the thickest electro wiring, powerful enough to instantly roast the biggest of the male elephants that freely roam in the wild....
in the house of worship in the street corner in the fields through radio stations and I pray someday soon the screens will be proudly presenting the now valuable education that every single countryman holds the key they make the decisions knowingly, responsibly for all generations ensuring that the cooking pot does not go down to mark a chapter of sadness in history but the generation now and generations to come will make the history of this land a worthwhile read of chapters a well educated lot knowledgeable and wise making the right decisions living in good provision for all their days as was intended by the great master their maker. Riziki Magazine/ Issue 3/ April 2013/ 33
n o o t r a C
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Mothers’ Love love for her child is like nothing else in the world.It knows no law,no pity,it dares all things,and crushes down remorselessly all that stand in its path
Agatha Christie
Happy Mothers’ Day
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