SKY Magazine, Issue 1, SKY Girls Zed

ISSUE ONE OCTOBER 2020 For Teen Girls Only!

FREE

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E R E H SKY is Exclusive Interview with

‘Zuba’

Ace your Exams

Get the look: Fashion tips for the summer

I pledge to be true to myself and what I believe in.

I will trust my choices, and I will not let anyone else determine who I am.

Standing up for myself and others, and achieving my goals?

That’s My Thing.

Negative vibes and gossiping?

That’s Not My Thing.

I will make choices according to my character.

I will rise to meet my SKY.

HOW TO BECOME A SKY GIRL! Does SKY sound like a community you want to be a part of?

Want to be a SKY Girl? We got you!

All you have to do is take the SKY pledge. Go to any of our social media platforms @SKYGirlsZed on Facebook, and Instagram. Send us a message and we will get right back to you. You can also send us a WhatsApp on 0760024849 Take the SKY pledge and you will get a SKY wristband!

Once you have taken the SKY pledge, you have access to so much fun and great content, plus you will receive exclusive event invitations and find out about amazing competitions!

You will also be part of an amazing sisterhood - a safe space for you to express yourself, and to give and receive advice from fellow SKY Girls.

Let’s Connect!

SKYG irlsZe d

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WELCOME TO SKY

SKY GIRL - ALICE

ALL ABOUT SKY

SKY GIRL - DAISY

MY THING/NOT MY THING

SKY GIRL - MICHELLE

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IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU, NATURALLY!

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GET THE LOOK

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MAKING OF THE SKY SONG 27

HOW TO ACE YOUR EXAMS

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LETTER TO MY 14 YEAR OLD SELF

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CAREER CORNER

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CONFESSIONS OF A LUSAKA GIRL 18

PULL OUT POSTER

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MWAKA MUGALA

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SKY INDEPENDENCE 32

REVIEWS

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Are you as excited as I am? For the first time we have a teen magazine that is by us, for us!

Growing up I was blessed to have amazing women in my life as role models. But they were older aunts, cousins, my mum, which is great, but when you’re a teen you want someone your age to really get what you’re going through as well. And this is what SKY is all about. You get to drive the content, so tell us what you like, and what you don’t like. Send in your own features, tell us who you want to learn more about, tell us what inspires you, we want you to know this is all about you, we see you, we hear you, and together we will all find our SKY! Finding your SKY starts with being true to yourself.

Being true to yourself is not always easy, we are at that point in our life when we are just discovering who we are, but this is why SKY is here to be part of that journey with you. Being true to yourself gives you confidence to really go after your dreams, discover your passions, and just be the best version of yourself!

In this first issue of the magazine we speak to different people, girls like you and me, but also some celebrities to find out what’s ‘Their Thing’, and what’s ’Not their thing’. “My Thing” is all the things we love and are part of our lives, what’s “Not My Thing,” is all the things that we don’t want in our lives. It’s easier to be true to yourself when you know what these things are. I can tell you now, My Thing is making TikTok videos and hanging out with my friends, Not My Thing would be making people feel bad about themselves.

Mwaka was joined by our first SKY girls! These girls are down for the pledge and have joined the SKY girl community. Read their stories in this edition too.

And remember, you can be part of it too, take the pledge, it’s that easy.

Have you heard the SKY song? Natasha Chansa, Esther Chungu and Mampi made an anthem we can’t stop listening to. You can check out the behind the scenes of the making of the song and music video. If you haven’t heard or seen the song, you can check it out on our Facebook page.

And you know what month this is? Yep our Independence month. Isn’t it awesome that we launched the same month as Zambia’s independence? It’s a sign! Independence is all about courage, wisdom, and being true to your identity – definitely makes me think about SKY in the same way. It is a reminder about the importance of being independent even as an individual. It’s a great opportunity to mark our journey to have the freedom to pursue our happiness and to find our true self.

So don’t forget, SKY is a community, and we’re here for you on different platforms. You can listen to our radio show on Kwitu and Hot FM every Saturday from 10am, and we’re on Facebook and Instagram, all day every day! So don’t forget to click that like button!

Happy Independence and welcome to SKY!

Thanks SKY girls!

What’s your thing? There is a poster pull out for you to write down what’s for you, and what’s not for you, stick it up somewhere where you can see it so you can always be reminded to stick to your choice and stay true to yourself.

And then there’s our cover feature. So many of you told us how much you love our homegrown talent Mwaka Mugala so we asked her to pull up. She gave us an exclusive interview–you’ll find that in this issue too.

xoxo

Wankumbu 5

ALL ABO WHAT IS SKY?

SKY is a community of teen girls that supports, empowers and celebrates being true to ourselves.

SKY is about growing, loving and honouring ourselves, and knowing that we cannot be shaken by anyone or anything. Our thoughts, feelings and dreams are important and valid.

SKY is a safe space to connect, build each other up and be unapologetically unique!

We’re about choices we can stand by, which starts by knowing by knowing what’s our thing, and what’s not our thing. It’s all about being the best version of ourselves and having a sisterhood that will always embrace us and stand with us.

WHY DO SKY GIRLS STAND OUT?

Because we stay true to ourselves, we aren’t swayed by peer pressure, instead we make choices for ourselves and we stick to them – that’s what makes us unique.

Are you ready to find your SKY? Take the pledge!

HOW DO I TAKE THE PLEDGE? Easy peasy! Just send us the following information:

Name Date of birth Location Where you’d like to get your SKY magazine from What’s Your Thing? (3 things you really love) What’s Not Your Thing? (3 things you don’t want in your life)

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You can inbox us on Facebook!

OUT SKY HOW CAN I BECOME A SKY GIRL?

Have you taken the pledge? Everyone who takes the pledge IS a SKY Girl – it’s that simple.

Anything you post on our FB page can end in the magazine or on our radio show, so keep posting and don’t forget to tell your fabulous teen friends and relatives to take the pledge too!

WHERE CAN I FIND SKY?

Find us on Facebook every day – facebook.com/SKYGirlsZed instagram.com/SKYGirlsZed Listen to us on Hot FM and KWITU every Saturday morning at 10:00am Get the magazine every 2 months Check out the FB page to find out where else we’ll be popping up and for events near you!

HOW CAN I BE TRUE TO MYSELF?

That is a great question! Life is full of unique challenges; everywhere you look, people are trying to tell you how to look, what to wear, what to eat, and what not to do.

We think that the best way to find your true identity and keep grounded is to do the things that you enjoy doing, that feel inspiring, and positive for you. It’s also good to practice saying ‘no‘ to things that you can do without, or that make you uncomfortable.

Don’t worry – it takes practice to say #MyThing to things that you like and #NotMyThing to things that you can do without, but the more you practice, the more you will know yourself, and the easier it will be for you to stand your ground.

Good luck! #StayTrue

CAN I BE A MODEL IN SKY MAGAZINE?

We will run regular competitions to find girls to feature inside the magazine, and on the cover!

We never choose girls to feature based on their looks, but we love to feature SKY Girls who are fans of the brand, and who have some interesting and amazing content to share with their SKY sisters!

So keep it locked on all our channels to hear about upcoming competitions and how YOU could feature in SKY Magazine :)

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My thing

Not my thing Knowing your SKY is all about defining what you love and what you don’t want in your life!

Penjani Deborah Ng’uni, 34 My Thing: Pursuing my purpose, Flourishing in my lane, Staying true to me Not My Thing: Abuse in all its shape and forms, Personal limitation, Poor governance, corruption and greed

Napel Phiri, 16 Joyce Nyandobo, 16

My Thing: Sports Not My Thing: Cooking

My Thing: Dancing Not My Thing: Cooking

Salma Sky, 35 My Thing: Being unapologetic about who I am Not My Thing: Artistic expression Conforming to trends that hinder my talent

Mutale Mwanza, 33 My Thing: Listening to music Not My Thing: Bungee Jumping

Musaka Chibiya, 18 My Thing: Creativity Not My Thing: Sports

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Natasha Ng´uni, 23 My Thing: Photography, Baking, Socialising Not My Thing: Laziness, Texting, Watching TV

Nobuhle Sibisi, 17 My Thing: Nature Not My Thing: Bigotry

Hellen Kapalu, 18 My Thing: Basketball, Soccer, Netball Not My Thing: Cleaning

Wezi Victoria Mhone, 28 Tapo Mayove, 19 My Thing: Adventure, Being friendly, Creativity Not My Thing: Negativity

My Thing: Music, Reading, Watching Sports Not My Thing: Dancing, Crowds, Killing animals for food

Sophia Chapeshamano, 22 My Thing: Listening to music, Dancing, Watching documentaries, Spending time with family and friends Not My Thing: Tea, Arguing, Hanging around people who bring women down, Rape culture

Hope Kapalu, 16 My Thing: Dancing, Singing Not My Thing: Sports

Bwalia Nkumbula, 22 My Thing: Playing video games, Painting, Spending time with family and friends Not My Thing: Losing, Eating cereal, Fighting with my bestie

Patricia Kabole, 18 My Thing: Baking Not My Thing: Sports 9

It’s all about you,

Naturally!

It’s a fact, natural tresses are in!

The joke’s on schools that say you need to have natural hair, because it’s the in thing now, not some punishment to stop you looking like the queen you are.

But how do you keep your hair popping?!

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Despite what you think, keeping your hair in its natural state is easy and affordable; especially if you are willing to experiment with products that can be found in the kitchen (eggs, mayonnaise, honey, avocados etc). That being said, here are some tips for taking care of your hair.

Keep your hair moisturised: Moisturise and lock in moisture often. An easy and effective way to moisturise your hair is with a mixture of glycerine and water for spritzing on a daily basis.

Deep condition frequently: A weekly moisturising deep conditioning treatment will leave your hair easy to manage and a much softer texture.

Protein treatment at least once a month: A protein treatment keeps the hair’s natural strength and shine. The protein treatment will protect the hair follicles by forming a barrier around the follicle, which protects it from further damage and assist in repairing any current damage.

Avoid using heat: Additionally, keep the use of heat (using the blow dryer or curling tongs) to a minimum or if you are able to AVOID using heat; do so! Heat is one of the most common causes of damage to your hair.

Keep your hair in a protective style.

A protective style is one that keeps the ends of our hair tucked away and lessens the need to manipulate it daily; putting less stress on your hair particularly on the new growth. Styling which consists of braids, mukule and twists are easy go to protective styles.

Remember, less tension is always better for your hair.

Love your hair. It’s all about you, Naturally!

Contributors : Sharon Kabubi and Esnart Mumba of Afropologie

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Get the look

Summer vintage vibes on a budget: Mwaba Mwiko

Francin, 18 Musaka, 18

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Summer is here! Can’t find a cute summer outfit? Start off with a bold

statement piece and work around that.

For example, you might have a really bright or bold top and pair it with a simple pair of bottoms. It could be a pair of jeans or shorts or a skirt or whatever you like. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through your clothes as well. Self-expression looks great on you too. To find what looks best on you, wear what you feel good in; when you

feel good, you look good.

This spread is all about vintage aesthetic. It may seem outdated but you really can make older pieces in your closet look modern and bomb.

Your dad’s old sports polos are definitely something you should try out. Oversized dad shirts could look cute with a pair of shorts for comfort but still looks like you put effort into your appearance with a cute pair of sneakers.

When it comes to a piece with a bold pattern, pair it with a solid color. Keep it cute and simple with a solid color to go well with it.

When it comes to skirts, they’re always a safe bet. Skirts can be paired with some open toed shoes like sandals and tube tops. Short or long you could wear a pair of sneakers with skirts too.

Accessories are a really great way of making your outfit POP! Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, sunglasses or hats.

So many things to choose from!

Statement earrings are one of my personal favorites to pair with my outfits, especially the more simple outfits. Hoops are also a good accessory and go with literally anything.

Adding sunglasses to your outfits gives off a cool and put together look, definitely a great way of spicing up your outfits.

Clothes curated by Finders Keepers

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By Lulu Haangala-Wood

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Every issue of SKY magazine, one inspirational woman writes a letter to herself aged 14, reflecting on her teenage years and giving much-needed advice.

Dear 14-year-old Lulu, I want to start by saying that I can’t wait to see you become the person you are today.

You have so much to look forward to and I’m so proud of you.

I want you to know that you are enough just as you are. I know sometimes you feel a little down because you may not have developed the same way everyone else has. Listen, those insecurities you have about your body will fade and you will grow to accept and love the home in which your soul resides.

You will love your skin more, and enjoy having a figure that fits into just about anything. You will grow to enjoy experimenting with your hair and see it as a mark of beauty in whatever shape way or form you wear it.

Guess what?! Your dreams will come true.

You will move mountains and definitely prosper. There’s so much good in you and there’s no limit to the amount of change you will make far beyond the borders of your country. Remember always that you

women and girls to not only do better but be better people? What if I told you that the stories of your unlearning would change the course of history for someone out there? Well it’s true. So don’t be afraid when you make mistakes. Simply learn from it for that’s how we grow.

Here’s some advice to hold on to Lulu.

Nurture your other talents and take the opportunities that come your way for you never know what doors they might open.

Please finish your piano lessons so that you don’t have regrets about it, and be open to finding new hobbies.

Always be kind to yourself and others, but don’t let them take advantage of you. Find friends that will empower and uplift you, that have the same amount of drive that you do.

Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself for that’s how change happens. Remember that I love you and I am rooting for you always.

Yours Sincerely,

are such a force, so don’t stop dreaming.

What if I told you that you would inspire

Lulu Haangala-Wood is one of the most sought after media personalities in Zambia.

She has been a TV presenter since she was a teenager, brand ambassador, MC and has her own foundation #WeKeepMovingFoundation. She is also an entrepreneur. She co-founded Afrishop an e-commerce hub for fashion, homeware and more.

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Confessions of a Lusaka Girl:

A much needed reminder, Hello, my name is Chilufya and I am 18

years old. I live in the capital city of Lusaka, Zambia, I’ve spent my whole life here actually. I’d like to share a little bit about myself, if you don’t mind. You see, for the longest time I’ve been juggling self-doubt and being happy with who I am.

Growing up, from the ripe old age of 12, I saw the world through the lens of my insecurities and all I ever looked for were escape routes. These could be in the form of several vices or one in particular took precedence over the others. Attention. It was easy to rely on the idea that everyone wanted my attention instead of accepting myself as I was, as I am. Back then, I used attention as a form of currency, it meant I was amazing, interesting and fun to be around. If I couldn’t hold the attention of the room, with the popular people, it affected me negatively. I thought, “I must be so disgusting to look at’ or ‘I’m just not interesting enough.’ It was wrong though, but I couldn’t see it that way.

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Now, I realize if only I knew I was wasting my time and delaying the beautiful relationship with myself that was waiting to happen.

And it finally clicked. How? I’ll tell you.

My older sister is my best friend. My everything.

I think if there was anyone that loved me regardless of my wrongs and rights, it would be her. I sometimes think if I was the ultimate villain, it wouldn’t change one bit what she felt about and for me. She had always noticed this key component of my insecurities, this need to be the centre of attention. One day, a couple of girls and I had entered a bit of a disagreement, they had called out my weaknesses, it felt like they could see through me and it hurt me greatly.

I spent that evening in my room crying, I didn’t eat my supper. My sister had seen this, waited until our parents had gone to bed, and walked into my room at 2 in the morning. She gently sat herself down on my bed. She asked me if I knew how much she loved me, and I did but when you’re 16, everything seems

YOU’RE STILL YOUNG. inconsequential to what you’re going through.

She told me, “People in this world spend so much time trying live up to other people’s expectations and standards. Foregoing their own feelings and thoughts, exhausting themselves and not living for themselves, then end up dying with so much regret.

You need to realize Chilufya that you as you are, will forever be good enough for people to truly love you.

People like me. No matter what. And the only thing you ever need to focus on is knowing who you are and loving who you are. For you, not for me.”

I won’t lie to you and say it was a eureka moment, and that I understood it there and then. That would be a lie. I struggled with what she had told me for some time. Not because it didn’t make sense but because it opened up a gateway to a thought I had never even realized. It took time for me to realize that not knowing who I am made it hard for the next person to know me, because not only was I unpredictable with myself, but to everyone else too.

And don’t get me wrong, I had relapses. Loving oneself is never easy and it comes with a lot of bumps along the road. Loving yourself is something you have to actively choose every day. It’s something you have to pick up. If you don’t, you hold yourself back.

Now I’m starting to understand myself. Im starting to know what I want from life and for my life. With the help of my big sister— I hope she reads this— I am better at understanding what I want for me is worth respect and should never be down played to make anyone else happy. I’ve come to understand that people will love me for who I am and others won’t and that’s absolutely fine.

Life is a journey with many chapters and with every chapter we face new challenges and with those new chapters, take a deep huge breath and take charge of your life with your head held high. Love you first, and everyone else will follow suit.

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Pull out this page What’s your thing? What’s not your thing? List them here and stick this somewhere you can see it every day to remind you what is for you, and not for you so you can remain true to yourself!

Remember to take the Pledge on our Facebook page.

SKYG irlsZed

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Mwaka Mugala Staying True To Herself

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You can imagine my excitement when I heard I was going to be interviewing Mwaka Mugala!

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know her. Even if you don’t watch Zuba (Zambia’s first telenovela) religiously, you have seen her on billboards, and people talk about her everywhere.

Mwaka Mugala famously plays the lead character, of the same name of the show, ‘Zuba’. She has the fairytale storyline of the girl who came from the village and has ended up following her dreams as a fashion designer in the city! I got to talk to her about what it feels like to be known countrywide and how she stays true to herself with all that fame.

Because of COVID-19 we couldn’t meet face to face so I was a bit disappointed, but even on the virtual call she was amazing. Maybe it’s because, as she says, she’s stuck to her roots as a simple girl who grew up in Lusaka Nyumbayanga.

She discovered her talent at a very young age and fell in love with it. The kind comments she received pushed her to pursue acting as a career. I also found out that her dad is well known ZNBC TV broadcaster Alec Mugala! She is also a graduate of the University of Zambia where she studied Mass Communication. Let’s get straight into my interview with Zambia’s leading lady!

Muzya: What is one thing you can’t live without?

Mwaka: I’m a Christian and I honestly can’t live without God. Muzya: What advice do you have for younger girls who want to break into the industry?

Mwaka: To make sure that they have a passion for it before pursuing it. Because this industry is very demanding, it can take a lot of your time and if you don’t have a passion for it you can easily give up. If you do have the passion for it you can go far because you’ll put a lot of your efforts and do everything you can to improve your craft because you’re not just doing it for you but for the industry as a whole.

Muzya: When did you discover that you were good at acting?

Mwaka: I’ve always acted from the time I could walk. I guess I only truly knew when people told me I was good at it and I should pursue acting.

Muzya: What do you love to do?

Mwaka: I’m a very artistic and creative person and so a lot of things I love to do are centred around the arts. I love to paint, draw, bake, cook, read a lot because I love to learn and I also love to be in front of the camera. I’m always game for anything surrounding that.

Muzya: What are your pet peeves?

Mwaka: I do not like waiting or to be kept waiting for so long. I like when people keep time.

Muzya: Was there a point when you felt like giving up?

Mwaka: Oh yes, many times! Especially when I’ve had to miss a lot of important family events or I found myself shooting at 3am in the morning and I’ve had to wake up a few hours later. Or when I just felt like things just weren’t moving fast I wanted to give up. But then I would take a little break to relax, reassess why I’m doing this. So having a passion for it is important because it takes a lot of sacrifice.

Muzya: What do you find hard about acting?

Mwaka: Having to stay in character when you have personal problems going on in your life. It’s a huge challenge and a lot of people think you can just snap into character but it takes a lot more preparation than people realize.

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Muzya: What’s one thing you love about your character Zuba?

Mwaka: She’s stubborn and a go getter just like me. She always manages to get over her problems and she never gives up even if they tell her to stay out of it. If she thinks it’s a good thing to do, she will push for it. And as an individual that teaches me a lot about pushing forward and being persistent.

Muzya: What is one thing you hate about your character Zuba?

Mwaka: I just wish she would be less naïve and do what she wants. Of course now she’s a bit more independent but before it was like Zuba do what you want!

Muzya: How have you kept true to yourself ever since you joined the industry?

Mwaka: Firstly, I love to hang around my family and friends because it reminds me and keeps me in check of who I am. Secondly I love to mediate because it helps you remain grounded and focused on who you are so that when you go out into the world you are still centred and focused on who you are.

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Muzya: Who is your inspiration?

Mwaka: This might sound cliché but it has always been my father because he has always had the drive to work and do better which is an inspiration. I feel like I got me being a workaholic from him.

Muzya: Have you ever faced challenges with remaining yourself?

Mwaka: Yes I have but I had to take time off to remember who I am and spend time with my family so that I could regain myself.

Muzya: Do you have any quotes or sayings that keep you focused?

Mwaka: My favorite quote or saying is ‘everything happens for a reason’. I live by this because there are certain things that happen that we don’t understand why they happen. Sometimes you are faced with good and bad situations, you lose people and you always ask why it’s happening to you but this saying reminds me that nothing lasts forever even if it’s bad and whatever is happening is building you as an individual and shaping your destiny.

So Mwaka, what’s your thing?

I love to bake. I really love to bake, draw, paint, cook and read. I’m always trying new recipes and experimenting with food, That’s My Thing!

Clothes by Lace By Mwengz

Cover Girls!

Lets find out more about our very first cover girls!

ALICE, 14 Hi I’m Alice, I am 14 and live in Avondale. I am currently in Grade 10 at Thornhill School.

I describe myself as an introverted extrovert who is friendly but also truthful.

When I grow up, I want to be an actress or a BuzzFeed producer who creates media content.

What makes me unique is probably my personality. I am not your average girl, I’m somewhere between a girly girl and a tomboy and I guess that’s what makes me interesting.

In my free time, I watch YouTube and Tik Tok videos, I go out to watch movies and shop with my cousins and friends. I also love baking, drawing and reading novels and watching webtoons.

My Thing: Watching movies, eating, and making new friends.

Not My Thing: Feeling lonely and judgmental people who bring others down.

I’m excited about SKY because I feel like it’s a platform that can be a safe space for girls and can help them embrace and love themselves.

This is important because more girls will be comfortable opening up and won’t be afraid of being judged.

Being true to yourself is so important to me. It means loving yourself, not caring what other people have to say and doing what you feel is right for you as long as it makes you happy.

“I say be true to yourself no matter what”

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DAISY, 15 My name is Daisy Susan Chulu a 15-year-old from Lusaka’s Garden Compound. I am friendly, sporty, adventurous and curious towards learning new things.

Currently I’m in Grade 10 at Northmead Secondary. The features I like most about my school are the choir, the classes, and the teachers, they are really funny too. They really inspire me and conduct themselves well when they teach.

When I grow up I’d like to be a doctor in the army. Being one of the cover girls on the SKY magazine is an amazing opportunity for me. I hope to inspire someone somewhere to overcome their fear of cameras.

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My Thing: Sports, reading books, novels, watching movies, reality TV and cooking too.

Not My Thing: Violence and dogs.

Motivation for girls my age out there: I would tell them not to listen to people that think in a shallow way. Nobody should make you lose hope, everything is possible, stay true to yourself and my dad always says you can do anything but not everything and that should not let you down.

“It is important for young girls to know what they want, what they can achieve, and what they are capable of regardless of their gender.”

MICHELLE, 13 My Thing: Baking, acting and music.

Not My Thing: Rude people.

I’m Michelle Njeri Helen Njoroge, I’m 13 years old and I live in Ibex Hill. I’m funny, creative and smart. I am in Grade 8 at Trident College. I like my school because I like being around people and seeing them every day. I get to form strong bonds with them and it is very entertaining to meet different kinds of people. Basically I’m a people person.

Being true to myself means living by who you are and not changing for anyone else. No one is perfect but there are somethings that we can work on. When I’m older I’d like to work in psychology.

I’m excited to be one of the girls on the cover of the SKY magazine but I’m also quite nervous.

When I was younger I wanted to be in a magazine or a billboard for the longest time. I enjoy art-related activities, reading and TV shows that are similar to the books I read.

“I am confident about what I like and what I believe in.”

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Behind the scenes making the SKY song Check out our SKY Girl song on all our social media platforms

Here is a sneak peak into what it took to put the SKY song together:

Natasha Chansa featuring Esther Chungu and Mampi

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Study Tips:

How to ace your exams Whatever course you’re doing, whether it be your O levels, IGCSE or A levels, here are some study tips to help you along the way.

1 Creating a timetable works

for many. But try not to cram too many things into your timetable, it only stresses you out even more and you don’t need that. One or two subjects after school for 30 minutes to an hour with 10 minute breaks can help a lot more than you think.

3 Try not spending too

much time making your notes look too pretty, it’s good to have notes but don’t take too long working on them. Short notes, flash cards and mind maps should be kept simple for you to understand clearly when you’re going over your notes when studying.

4 2 Paying attention in class always helps, instead of trying to learn everything by yourself later on. Asking questions and engaging in your lessons will help you understand the content a lot better when you’re studying. If you feel you don’t understand a concept, ask a friend or teacher to make sure you don’t miss out.

Understand what you are studying, if reading out loud in vernacular helps you understand better the do so.

Don’t read to memorise but to understand.

5 Your mindset is another

great factor to consider when you’re studying, think about what motivates you and channel it into why you want good grades. With a positive mindset, you can achieve anything you want to.

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Career Corner

By Mwaba Mwiko

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It’s not unusual to dream of becoming a doctor. What we don’t often think about is that there are general practitioners and then there are also many things in medicine you can specialise in and be passionate about while doing it.

Meet Doctor Patricia Shinondo,

Zambia’s first female pediatric surgeon.

Yep, first ever.

Ever since she was young(er), she wanted to be a doctor. Dr Shinondo realised that as she grew older, she also loved children and fortunately for her, she got to combine the two loves and became a pediatrician – a children’s doctor. Dr Shinondo fell in love with surgery when she was an intern doctor and decided to take it up.

Her journey in medicine was a long one, but when you’re passionate about what you’re doing all the time put into it will be worth it. Lucky enough for her, academics is her thing, and she enjoys it.

She was at David Kaunda Technical School where she excelled and earned a scholarship to study medicine in Russia.

She lived and studied there for 8 years. With the language barrier, it was hard at first, but she didn’t let it derail her dream. She is big on not letting negativity derail you on what you want to do. She says one of her keys to success is staying true to herself by learning from your experiences and having a good support system. “Having good company around you with a positive impact will help you in the long run. And by also looking at your faults, you will ultimately improve in whatever you’re doing.” Dr Shinondo says.

The coolest part of her job is the diversity of it.

She finds it exciting that every case is different, which she likes; she likes to take on challenges.

With her job, it is important not to make mistakes; she has to be very careful as she is dealing with people’s lives on a daily basis.

The first is a spot in history, no one can ever erase that. So what is it like being the first? Dr Shinondo says she doesn’t even think about it. Even when she was the only female in the class, it wasn’t about becoming the first but about staying true to her passion and goal.

Dr Shinondo was already married and with a young son when she was studying to become a pediatric surgeon. And while doing all this, she was still working as a doctor at UTH. It wasn’t easy to bounce back into her job. Her male counterparts did not understand what she was going through. She was a new mum in a ‘boys club’ .

Luckily for her she had a sound support system.

Dr Shinondo is also married to a Chief and balancing her two worlds can be tricky at times, but she is still figuring it out. She tries to stay present in whatever she is doing at the time and also is learning to say no to what she can’t take on.

After her long hours of work, she likes to take time to read, which also happens to be her thing and spend time with her son.

Many younger girls who want to be doctors struggle with what they want to specialise in and Dr Shinondo went through the same thing. In the future, she would be interested in going into secondary schools for career days to expose, encourage and broaden the horizon of younger girls who want to break into medicine.

Today, she plays an active role in mentoring the pediatric surgery course here in Zambia to guide aspiring doctors.

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SKY INDEPENDENCE It’s Zambia’s 56th Independence! Independence is all about courage, wisdom, and being true to

your identity and so is SKY! That’s why in this issue, we pay tribute to three key Zambian women who made a difference during the freedom struggle and reached their SKY - How did they do that? By knowing what was important in their life and what they didn’t want in their life, and staying true to themselves! Read about other women of independence on the SKYGirlsZed facebook page.

Julia Chikamoneka (1910 - 1986)

Mama Chikamoneka, fondly known as Mama UNIP, was born Julia Mulenga Nsofwa in Kasama to a British Army African Sergeant who served in the First World War, Mr Mulenga Lombe. She founded the Women’s Brigade in 1951 (later became known as the Women’s League). Later, Mama Chikamoneka, with other women like Mama Betty Kaunda, Emelia Saidi and Mandalena Mumba, formed the first black women-led political party in Zambia, the African National Independence Party (ANIP). Julia Chikamoneka mobilised and organised protests and boycotts across the country against colonial oppression.

Her most famous protest occurred in 1962 when she recognised the District Commissioner (DC) at the Boma and slapped and whipped him. She then proceeded to strip down to her waist before leading a group of women protesters on a march to the national airport in front of a visiting British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Ian Macleod, to protest the hateful colonial regime and to call for immediate independence.

Chibesakunda “Bessie” Kankasa (1936 – 2018)

Mama Kankasa fought relentlessly for the liberation of this country. She also protested with other women by throwing stones at colonialists. The fighting was not aimed at killing the colonialists, but was a way to revolt against their unfair rule. At the attainment of Zambia’s independence in 1964, she was the first woman to be appointed as Zambia’s High Commissioner to Kenya by President Kaunda. She was also one of the first female members of UNIP’s Central Committee where she served as Minister for Women’s Affairs from 1969 to 1988. After retiring from active politics, and before her death, Mama Kankasa continued providing counsel to politicians in a bid to unite the country in the spirit of One Zambia One Nation.

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Mulena Mukwae (Princess) Nakatindi Yeta Nganga (1922 – 1971)

Mulena Mukwae Nakatindi Yeta Nganga, the daughter of the Litunga Yeta III (who ruled Barotseland from 1916-1945), broke so many barriers including being the first female member of the Lozi royal family to finish junior secondary and becoming the first female royal family member to go abroad to study. Princess Nakatindi returned to Barotseland to mobilise opposition to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and colonial rule even while her own brother was serving as a deputy minister in that Federation.

She was the first woman to contest a parliamentary seat in 1962, emerging victorious and becoming the country’s first female MP. At independence in 1964, she stood as the UNIP candidate for the Nalikwanda Constituency. She went unopposed for the newly created constituency and so she was a member of the first group of women to be elected to the legislature, now known as the National Assembly. In 1966, she was installed as Chieftainess of Sesheke district in Western Province by the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE). Nakatindi Hall, here in Lusaka at the Civic Centre, is named after Princess Mulena Mukwae Nakatindi N’ganga Yeta for her role in the liberation struggle of Northern Rhodesia and her role in the early years of Zambia. By all accounts, without her, Zambia may not have been granted independence as a unitary state in 1964 and Barotseland may have broken away from Northern Rhodesia as an independent country.

Show Your SKY Talent: Nicola Tembo, 14

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REVIE Reviews: books and movies

BOOK REVIEW

No Be From Hia - Natasha O Banda

I love to read!

Reading opens your imagination, you visualise what you read between the pages and get taken to new places, have new experiences, and it’s just fun. I recently read a book by a new Zambian author Natasha Omokhodion Kalulu-Banda called No Be From Hia. I was first drawn to the book because of the colourful cover but then also because of the fact that it was written by a Zambian.

The book is about two cousins, and crosses two continents and three countries, Zambia, United Kingdom, and Nigeria. It also spans across generations, from the grandmother, to the granddaughters - the two cousins: Maggie Ayomide, and Bupe Kombe.

SKY girls, this is a perfect book for us! It’s a story about homecoming, a family coming together, these cousins lived apart for many years, Maggie in Lusaka and Bupe in London, but when they finally get together as teenagers, they are united in their sisterhood, with an unbreakable bond! Both of them are trying to discover who they are, understand their family dynamics as the family does have a dark secret, the mysterious death of their grandmother, and Maggie’s absent Nigerian father. But the two of them are on a mission to discover their SKY and maybe even unite their family once more.

In the book you get to travel to pre-independence Zambia, London in the 60s, London today, Lusaka today and even Lagos of today, you don’t need a passport, the way the book is written you feel transported to all these places! At the heart of the book is two girls just trying to find their identity and their place in their world. You experience it from their childhood, through to their early 20s, and while I don’t want to give anything up, because you have to read the book for yourself, I think they do find a way to be true to themselves by the end of the book.

No Be From Hia is available in Bookworld and on Amazon.

TV REVIEW

The Seven Deadly Sins If watching animation was consid-

ered a crime, then I’d be guilty as charged and probably be sentenced to a life in prison because I am a sucker for pixeled television.

Animated series come in a very wide range as movies and it’s all about finding your type of genre. The Seven Deadly Sins is an old time Japanese favorite animated series that has three addictive and mind blowing seasons currently.

You can find it on Netflix! I recently discovered Japanese animated series, and realized their unique way of storytelling that keeps you glued to them.

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Most of their shows are very moral based and it’s up to you to discover what the moral of the story is.

The Seven Deadly Sins opens your mind to different life aspects as it caters a whole lot of societal beliefs and ways of life and how this can actually blindfold us into living wrongly and having wrong judgments about anything in general.

As stated above, the series must definitely be among your ‘Must Watch ‘ series and you can take my word for it, you won’t be disappointed.

Compiled by Namasiku.

ALBUM REVIEW

BLACK IS KING

The Bee hives

(Beyonce fans) are definitely excited about Queen B’s (Beyonce) amazing visual album called Black Is King. This album is certainly bound to make history.

The visual album by Beyonce was recorded in South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and even her own backyard! It contains so many beautiful African sites, people, materials and African stories.

Beyonce Knowles went all out with this album as she was set to share different African stories which she definitely has done. Certain Africans on the other hand, found this quite odd as they felt she doesn’t deserve to tell such stories if she wasn’t African despite history clearly stating that Black Americans originated from Africa. They felt that you cannot tell an African story if you have never lived in Africa.

‘Mama Africa’ is what Beyonce is being referred to, which tended to be quite offensive to many African singers who were born, raised and have lived in Africa their whole lives. They claim Beyonce has never felt the struggle of actually being an African and can’t tell the tale she is telling because she doesn’t deserve it.

On the other hand, many people seem to embrace the album even more than they would embrace an actual African artist’s album which of course offends our local artists.

I personally have made a decision to not listen to the album despite being a huge fan of the artist because I believe that we should first uplift our own local artists before making international artists ‘uku tulila amasuku pa mutwe‘ (grow bigger than our own artists).

If you have watched the visual album do feel free to send in your reviews and tell us what you think.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Heya! How did you find the first issue of the magazine?

Don’t forget SKY is for you, by you. So whatever you want to see in the magazine, tell us and we’ll try to include it. Maybe there is a celebrity you want to know more about? Or need advice on anything happening in your life.

Also share what is Your Thing, and what is Not Your Thing and we might feature you in a next edition of the magazine!

If you have a question, a comment or a shout out, post it on our Facebook wall and we might speak about it on the radio show ;) It’s totally for you, by you, so tell any fabulous teens you know to join the movement!

Find us on Facebook every day

Facebook.com/SKYGirlsZed

Website

www. SKYGirlsZed.com

Instagram.com/SKYGirlsZed

Get the magazine every 2 months

Check out the FB page to find out where else we’ll

be popping up and for events near you

Listen to us on

Hot FM and KWITU every Saturday morning at 10:00am

We are excited

to hear from you!

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This Issue’s Contributors

Writers

Muzya Vida Musokotwane

Precious Mwansa

Namasiku Kayama

Photography

Yemba Chilambwe & Namukolo Siyumba (Eness Photography)

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Denise Cohen

Chanda Chibale

Styling

Finders Keepers Lace by Mwengz

Makeup by Loushanna

Because We Love To Talk!

Apart from this cool magazine, we also have a SKY live radio show every Saturday on Hot FM (87.7 FM) and Kwithu FM (93.3 FM) at 10:00hrs just for you! Yes You!

This is where we talk about teen girls’ passions, hot topics, talents, real life stories, girl support and everything SKY girl - It’s a strictly girls affair! Oh plus you get to listen to the hottest tunes, awesome interviews and the best part? You get to call in!

SKY Live is Here!

Don’t forget to tune in to win prizes, and also to find out how to WIN BIG - we have some really exciting details coming up soon!!!

Tune in to

Hot FM (87.7 FM) and Kwithu FM (93.3 FM)

every Saturday at 10:00hrs