FayTheNomad

#FAYTHENOMAD

Fay the nomad is an African diaspora who has been working in the continent for a couple of years now. Fay is passionate about re-shaping the narrative of Africa through her work but also through the lens of photography.

62

FASHION

Necklace I was visiting Niger for a regional conference on

Women Peace and Security and was desperate to explore the city and discover local artist and designers in Niamey. I came across this local vendor who was selling pieces from across the country and spotted this beautiful necklace made out of fabric, the beautiful colours go with every outfit.

Country: Niger

Bag BAW POT ROUGE by AAKS I have been a fan of AKKS bags for a long time as they are handcrafted in Ghana. he stylish bags as described by the brand “maintain the spirit and durability of their ancestral counterparts characterised by bright exuberant colours”.

Country: Ghana, Elle Lokko

63

I have a slogan on my travel page, ”Nomad by blood and lifestyle” those words resonate because I feel that I have been a nomad from birth. My parents migrated from Somalia to Sweden when I was only a few months old and since then I have lived in 9 countries across 3 continents. To a large extent, my lifestyle and work enables my nomadic lifestyle from working on the continent to discovering new cities and cultures for leisure. I absolutely love it, especially discovering the diverse culture and beauties of Africa, so far, I have been able to visit 12 countries in Africa and hopefully will explore the continent further.

NOMAD LIFE

Travelling has definitely influenced my perception of the world around me and defined who I am, I am so humbled to have meet some amazing people from my travels and learnt from their wisdom and life experiences. You can’t learn these things in school or from books, but rather from shared experiences and openness.

64

Cardigan #Theshopaccra

Country: Ghana

Necklace

Statement necklace from designer Ami Doshi Shah, her pieces are centered on creating eclectic, statement adornments using locally sourced materials. This necklace has a sticking unmissable precious lavender stone.

Country: Kenya

WHO AM I

I am the Africa Director for a consultancy firm, Albany Associates, that works with people and communities in some of the toughest places in the world. We work closely with our local partners to build grassroots resilience to the drivers of crisis and conflict and to find homegrown solutions to the problems that cause them.

I have always been active in human rights, from when I was in high school I took part in fundraising for various causes and even took part in a play called “Lovesick” that was raising awareness on HIV/AIDS in developing countries. I completed a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratisation and received a fellowship to work at the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nation in New York, where I worked on UN resolutions focused on advancing the rights of people.

65

Scarf Haute Baso

Country: Rwanda

RETURNING TO AFRICA

66

I have always wanted to come back to the continent to work. When I completed my bachelor’s degree and was waiting to hear the outcome of my postgraduate application, I travelled to Tanzania to support my aunt’s charity. Zara Charity where I supported small-scale community projects with the aim of enhancing economic development in the communities, especially by supporting vulnerable groups.

During my Master programme, we had the opportunity to observe work in the field and travelled around in Kosovo and although there were opportunities to work in different countries and regions, I always wanted to contribute to the growth of Africa. After completing a competitive fellowship at the United Nation in New York, I landed at a consultancy firm with a predominant focus on Africa. To get a better grasp on the local issues the East Africa region faces, I moved to the region to lead and deliver on programmes.