TAP Magazine Issue 13 by Tap Magazine

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African of the

Year 2019

ISSUE 13

Thank you Almas for sacrificing your l i f e fo r t h e b e t t e r m e n t o f o u r p e o p l e. Fo r w e l c o m i n g t h e TA P Fa m i n t o y o u r home and for being an avid supporter o f o u r s . We w i l l n e v e r f o r g e t y o u n o r w h a t y o u s t o o d f o r. O u r t h o u g h t s and prayers remain with Zak, your entire family and the @elmanpeace c o m m u n i t y. Rest well.

MOSES MUTABARUKA editor-in-chief

WINNIE MILLS country coordinator

PAUL KIDERO photographer / creative consultant

IGNACIO HENNIGS creative consultant

WAMBUI KAMAU-ONGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;WENY staff writer, content coordinator

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MAC CHOKA video editor

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EDITOR’S NOTE Dear TAP Fam, Warm greetings! I hope that this new year and decade started out well for you and your loved ones! Our editorial board and committee is pleased to name Masai Ujiri as TAP Magazine (2019) African of the year. For his work with the ‘Giants of Africa’ and for being a model ambassador of the continent. For being an inspiration, a voice, a leader and an advocate for African Youth, both home and abroad. Despite having never bounced a Spalding till teenage, Masai is today a bearer of one of the most enviable trophies in all of sports after leading the previously underrated Toronto Raptors to an NBA title win. From page 42 of this issue, Masai shares secrets on how he got where he is today and why he’s been skipping his summer breaks for the last 15 years to go back to Africa and give back to the next generation. On page 22, we’re sharing an inspiring story of a tenacious young entrepreneur who left her safe and comfortable UN job in New York to start Enda Sportswear. Africa’s first running shoe company proudly made in Kenya. Speaking of brilliant people who left the UN, Eiman Kheir is another young African that now heads the Diaspora division at the African Union. Catch her story as she gives us the definition of an African diaspora and explains the diaspora scorecard in her feature interview on page 14.

MOSES

MUTABARUKA

Editor-in-Chief TAP Magazine

We also meet Delasi, a young, brilliant artist who is slowly growing a cult following of his own in Accra. While still in Accra, we visit CodeTrain offices and Richard Brandt shares his story about the early struggles of starting a software development training program from his tiny kitchen to the present where the company continues to turn regular folks into software development professionals across Ghana. It wouldn’t be a TAP Issue if we didn’t have agribusiness or fashion features. Read about Rose Khaemba who teaches us all about the power of value addition and crop diversification and meet Nawar Kamal, a brilliant Sudanese jewelry designer that is taking the region by storm. Special thanks to the entire TAP team, to all our contributors and to everyone else who helped in making this issue possible. Special mention to Elie Hills for the cover illustration.

Cover Image by A-Elie Hills Instagram @eliehills_arts

I’d like to end by paying homage to Almas Elman. A phenomenal human being and a member of the TAP FAM. We will never forget you. As always, grateful for your support.

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Bridging Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills gap and

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An interview with Richard Brandt, Founder & CEO of Codetrain.

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Today, Nearly half of university graduates in Sub-Saharan Africa are unable to land jobs. The proliferation of smartphones, high speed internet and the digitization of our economy means that Africa will need a talent base that will possess the needed skills to support this infrastructure. In order for there to be continuous development in the years to come, Africa must bridge the skills gap and provide employment opportunities for our youth. On our last visit to Accra, Ghana we met Richard Brandt, an amazing young Entrepreneur, Educator and Technologist who has dedicated his work to addressing the above challenge. Richard is the Founder and CEO of Codetrain. A training program that transforms people into professional software developers and then matches them to companies for employment. Codetrain has trained 395 developers in its two branches - Accra and Kumasi - with a placement rate of 81%. Codetrain has also held numerous campus bootcamps across Ghana training and mentoring over 10,000 students from across Ghanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s universities Even before receiving his BSc in Mathematics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Richard had already decided that his passion was helping others using STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math) to solve societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems. Fast forward a few years later, Richard would start Codetrain, direct from his tiny apartmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen. Here he tells us more...

Please Introduce yourself to the TAP Fam?

How did you start?

I discovered that Ghanaians are very talented and My name is Richard Bryandt and I am the C.E.O only lack opportunities, since I knew how to code and founder of Codetrain. I grew up in Accra, and knew that this was a skill in demand, I started Capital of Ghana, I went to school here in Accra Codetrain in my house and early on, like most kitchen with a table young Ghanaian boys, I and three chairs. I got used to play soccer and While at MEST, Richard’s team my first student but had ambitions of being won theWorld Youth Summit then he kept bringing a professional soccer friends because they player and representing Award with an innovative solution his also wanted to learn. the Black Stars. In Soon enough, more school, I was good in that aimed at reducing maternal and more students who most of the subjects. mortality in developing countries. really wanted to learn At the University started showing up to I joined a program my kitchen. The first called Meltwater group of students learned for free but the second Entrepreneurial School of Technology (Mest) where group paid some money for upkeep. I saw a business I got two years sponsorship in entrepreneur and opportunity that I was ready to venture into and so software development. This is where my love and I left my job to focus on Codetrain. interest in software development was developed.

From your kitchen table to today, how has the journey been?

How was it growing up in Ghana Growing up in Ghana was a lot of fun. We used to make toy cars and kheits using boxes and rubber and other cool and innovative things. My father used to work in the hospital and I remember there was a time I volunteered for polio immunization and during this time I was exposed to the poor rural areas where I learned that not everybody had the same privilege that I had. This instance changed my perspective and left me pondering on what I could do that will help the poor people in these communities and across Ghana.

The journey has been amazing. From my kitchen we started renting a training center once a week, from there, after the number of students had increased, we were able to rent a place of our own. Today, not only do we have this vibrant place here in Accra but we’ve also opened a branch in Kumasi (Ghana’s second city) and we’re forecasting on opening more branches.

295 developers trained 20 international students 81% placement rate 10,000 students trained in mini boot camps 11

What has been Codetrain’s Impact thus far? We have trained 395 students as professional software developers. Most of these students are already employed in big companies. We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve been able to find placement for 81% of all our students. As well, we’re proud of our community engagement and outreach programs. We’ve held numerous campus bootcamps across Ghana training and mentoring over 10,000 students from across Ghana’s universities.

Specifically, how is Codetrain different from other schools? The skills given here takes only six months compared to other schools that offer the same in a period of 2 years. Our courses are well tailored to get you ready for the opportunities in the job market. Most importantly, at Codetrain, we don’t just teach how to code! Codetrain’s holistic approach also offers valuable soft skills training required to be successful in today’s modern work environment.

What are some of the challenges that you’ve encountered? Starting the school as a young person was very hard for me mainly financial wise. Convincing students to join Codetrain was also very hard because the school was very small, with zero reputation and new in an increasingly competitive market.

What is the best business advice that you’ve received? The best business advice that I have received was that it was not only enough to start the school but that I had to make it sustainable on its own before we even thought about expanding it further to more cities and around the country.

What do you do outside Codetrain? I love to hang around with my friends, to play and watch football although most weekends I usually join my students for their project presentations.

How will coding change Africa? Coding will enable skilled African youths to access the global technology ecosystem, for them to secure competitive wages and employment hence create wealth back to Africa. 12

Richard was selected among the 100 best innovators in the world to join ‘Startup Chile”, one of the biggest startup accelerators globally; to advance his knowledge in technology and entrepreneurship.

DAILY FLIGHTS TO LAMU

skywardexpress.co.ke

The Future of African Diaspora with

EIMAN KHEIR

Head of Diaspora Division, Citizens and Diaspora Organizations (CIDO) - African Union

As an African publication that was started outside the continent, the topic of diaspora has been dear to us since our inception. Many of our magazine issues have consistently had a section on the diaspora and one of our most read articles on our website is a piece on African diaspora guide to returning home. That said, over the years, we’ve found it frustrating that numerous gaps exist when it comes to the way the diaspora connects officially with their home countries and the continent at large. This is why we were pleased to have a comprehensive interview on everything diaspora with Eiman Kheir, an amazing and humble young leader who is currently in charge of the Diaspora file at the African Union as the Head of Diaspora Divison, Citizens and Diaspora Organizations (CIDO).

“I try to show how the diaspora can contribute to everything. In peace & security, in skills development & resources etc. We are also working to make sure that as this happens, something goes back to the diaspora as well. It is a two way street”.

From an insider’s perspective, exactly what is the African Union and what is its mandate? Well, before the African Union (AU) there was the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). OAU was basically a club of member States. It was heads of States centered because their goal was to fight colonisation and apartheid. After achieving political independence, they realised they still had issues like internal conflict mostly linked to development, to contend with on the continent.They realised a change of the OAU mandate was needed and a new constitution that focused on peace, security and development was key. So the AU was born. They further realized that when you speak about development, you need to include everyone. So then they said “we are including people”. So it changed from the OAU to the AU and it became a people centered organization. But then, who are the people? Who are the African people? There was a discussion that we have a large segment of African people living outside the continent. The diaspora,who needed to be included! But then who are the diaspora? People who just left the African continent? But then there are those who left unwillingly as a result of slavery! So they came up with a comprehensive definition of an African diaspora.

So who is the Diaspora? The diaspora is officially defined as people of African origin living outside the continent and who, irrespective of their current citizenship or nationality, are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union. A consensus on the definition was reached in 2005 by the AU. However, it’s not just that you need to be African by blood or of the soil.You need to be willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the AU to qualify as an “African Diaspora”.

Why is this last part of the definition so important? Because when we say that we want to include the diaspora, it is a partnership. That linkage to the continent is important because there are people who do not want to be involved with the continent for some reason, and that’s ok.

Interesting. And is this how CIDO was born? Right. When they said that they realised that they needed to have a department that speaks about non-state actors;civil societies, faith groups,trade unions and diaspora CIDO was created. So CIDO was created with two divisions;The civil society division that deals with everyone inside the continent and the Diaspora division that deals with everyone outside the continent. I work with the Diaspora division.

Diaspora

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The diaspora is officially defined as people of African origin living outside the continent and who, irrespective of their current citizenship or nationality, are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Unionâ&#x20AC;?.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The overall goal of CIDO is to ensure the people are close to the AU and the AU is close to the people. We try to involve all African people in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluationâ&#x20AC;?.

So in short what is CIDO’s Mandate? The overall goal of CIDO is to ensure the people are close to the AU and the AU is close to the people. We try to involve all African people in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation. This is important because the AU is a norms heading organisation. It does policies specifically. Implementation is not something we do. The AU writes policies and these policies go to member states that should apply them then down to the people. So we try to create this relationship. Previously this relationship was only linked to monitoring and evaluation and that is why you hear non state actors are like watch dogs and its a term I dislike because it creates this hostility and animosity between them and governments. Of course they do play that part but it’s also important that they are partners in the process so that they can better understand what the challenges are, what is happening and what they can do. So with the Diaspora file, I try to show how the diaspora can contribute to everything; whether in peace & security, whether in skills, whether in resources etc. We are also working to make sure that as this happens something goes back to the diaspora as well. it is a two way street.

What are some of the model countries when it comes to engaging the diaspora? We have model examples of countries that support or engage the diaspora well. For example, countries that apply dual nationality. Some countries still don’t apply dual nationality because they are afraid of backlash from the people within the country and they create other schemes e.g an alien card. A card that gives you specific rights in the country and you don’t need a visa but you need to renew it and it. Other countries have done very well with knowledge transfer. You see professionals such as doctors especially come and do operations and teach medical students across Africa. Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana does this. Morocco applied this concept very well with their renewable sector. They made sure they targeted scientists abroad, brought them back and paid them well. They invested in them so they didn’t have to come mainly for patriotic reasons or charity. Morocco now has one of the largest solar and renewable energy plants. People even go to study how they did that. Rwanda is another example. It made it very clear and visible to citizens in terms of how they can benefit from the diaspora. They partnered with the diaspora for the one dollar campaign. They made sure this program changed a whole village from thatch housing to proper housing. This is something visible, development you can see. Rwanda also does amazingly well when it comes to interacting with her diaspora through Rwanda Day events across Europe, North America, Asia etc.

What are some of the events that have shaped the diaspora narrative? With the AU something that really helped change the idea of diaspora and its member states’ idea of diaspora is Ebola. Ebola happened and it was a crisis,an actual emergency, but no one wanted to declare it an emergency even though we saw the growing numbers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Because of the diaspora and diaspora individual celebrities like Samuel Etoo that AU made sure, with the private union, that they had a campaign, “Africans against Ebola”. It is because of this message that Ebola was declared an emergency. It was because of this message that people poured a lot of money into a fund for Africans Against Ebola. There was a campaign known as lunchbox initiative where people cooked food that Sierra Leoneans ate and provided to clinics.

Small initiatives like this require people who understand the context of their countries and these are diasporas. They see what is happening abroad, they know how to connect this and they bring solutions. After that Sierra Leone and Liberia immediately came to the AU and said they wanted to open up to the diaspora because they had always had poor relations with them. Because their diasporans are interested in politics, they thought they were against them but they realised in times of need these are their people. George Weah is the president of Liberia and he was in the diaspora for a very long time as well. Small things like these have changed narratives about the diaspora.

From your various engagements, what has been the most disturbing fact that you’ve encountered in the diaspora scene? The diaspora scene to date is filled with old men. You don’t see women or young people. It’s become like a club of men. That for me has always been disturbing. We try to involve more women or youth in the networks. It is important that half are youth and half of them are women.

Tell us about the decade for people of African descent and how the AU is involved? The decade for people of African descent is a decade that was initiated by the UN, the office of the high Commissioner of human rights from 2015 to 2025. They want to focus on the fact that people of African descent across the world seem to be facing many challenges. It has three pillars: Justice, recognition and development. We had the first meeting to relaunch the event with the UN officially at the AU in the first half of the year (2018), then in September we had the first event with the UN in Accra, Ghana. We brought different groups to raise awareness about what this decade is about and what member states can do. It was also very good that it happened in Ghana because Ghana and Ethiopia last year conferred citizenship or nationality to people of African descent. With Ethiopia they did that with the Rastafarian community. Ethiopia realised that these people have so much love and are putting back resources into the country.

Tell us about the African Diaspora scorecard? We thought that creating a scorecard or a mechanism if you may, to help the African Union member states evaluate themselves on what they are doing and how they are doing things while also helping the diaspora see how they can engage the continent more meaningfully. We want to take this to the summit and give prizes to those countries that are doing well. We also created a toolkit here at CIDO that we will launch next year. It is a diaspora toolkit that is supposed to help you understand how to engage the diaspora. We speak about knowing the diaspora, building your capacity and then monitoring and evaluation because everybody creates something and it is great but nobody wants to do evaluation. The kit is also cost effective because you don’t have to fly with a delegation to come to our offices; this is a booklet that will be available for you wherever you are. ■

For more on Eiman and her work at CIDO - Please visit https://au.int/cido Full interview on www.tapmagonline.com

Entrepreneurship

meet

nava

The tenacious entrepreneur who left her comfortable UN job in New York to start Enda Sportswear. Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first running shoe company - Proudly made in Kenya.

y name is Navalayo Osembo. I am the co-founder and chief executive officer of Enda sportswear. Enda is essentially a company that’s working with Kenyan athletes to share Kenya’s running culture with the world.

“If you say a machine is from Germany, everybody automatically assumes it’s quality. It’s the same thing with Kenya and running. So with our reputation in running, how have we not monetized this in a way that actually helps the country move forward”?

“I’m looking forward to seeing one of our athletes win a major championship or an Olympic medal in Enda’s.” Tell us a bit about your early years growing up in Kenya and your favorite memories. I grew up in Nairobi, my dad was in the Air Force so we spent a fair share of time in the Moi Air base but I’ve pretty much lived in almost all military barracks. I think favorite memories growing up were definitely Air force days! This is where they’d do all these stunts with planes up in the air and other activities - those were the good old days, Jeshi (army) was Jeshi (laughs).

Tell us about your educational background and career journey.

What did you think of London as a city and the UK in general? London was amazing, it is an amazing city. It’s very cosmopolitan. You meet almost every nationality there. The UK was a great experience, great eye opener. It was really difficult also because I’d leftmy daughter who was about three and a half then and I think she just could not understand why I was appearing and disappearing at certain moments. Thankfully, she’s forgotten (she laughs) but at that time she used to cry all the time. Every time I used to talk to her she’d cry and cry and cry and obviously I’d feel super terrible.

I studied law for four years but before I actually went to law school, I did my CPA and I became a certified qualified accountant. So from my second year of law school to fourth year, I was pretty much working and studying at the same time. It really gave me a chance to work with professionals in risk management, accounting, auditing and we did get a lot done. The variety of experience it exposed me to was really great so by the time I finished law school I was ready for the workforce.

From the UK to the UN, how was your first day at the UN like?

And how did you end up at the London School of Economics (LSE)?

Then how did Enda come about? What led you to that path?

There was this one random time I was trying to figure out what I would do with my life and I was looking on the internet and then I saw this brochures of people in universities looking so happy. I saw one for LSE and I was like I really want to go to LSE. So we took a loan as a family and that’s how I ended up in a program called the program for African leadership. It was a three week intensive course that was just basically giving you an overview of Africa, the challenges, the potential, the future, things to be thinking about. It was thirty five people from different parts of Africa, people who to date are very dear friends but that thing just blew my mind away. I’d never had that in-depth academic experience - I think the nerd in me just exploded. The next year the program for African leadership converted from a summer program to a masters’ program and I applied for it and that’s how I basically got into the London School of Economics on a full scholarship which was amazing.

I still remember the first time I walked into the United Nations headquarters. I was so full of joy and also just this feeling of here I am. I’m going to change the world and I’m in the policy seat where decisions are made and this is really me, not anybody else. I couldn’t believe it was me walking through these gates and it was a pretty amazing feeling, yeah.

I’d say Enda is a series of many events that kind of just led into one point. I’ve always been interested in sports and once upon a time I started a sports academy in Bungoma that was focusing on helping kids who have really great talent in sports but without the economic background to support their talents - the program basically intended to put them in a place where they can just focus on being their best. That experience, mixed with my experience in international development forced me to start thinking about how we can use sports as a tool for development. You see, while completing my masters’ in international development from the LSE, one thing that really blew me away was just how people used to talk about Africa. Every case study, it was Africa. If you are talking about dictatorship, Africa! If you are talking about hunger, Africa! At some point I remember people arguing in that class and feeling like you are African but it’s like the world is

So Enda came about through asking yourself these questions? Yes. Those were questions I had when I went to an event where my co-founder was also attending. I was asking myself the question of surely, a country like Kenya with all the famous athletes coming from Kenya, surely we can do much more than just a few of us being recipients of award prizes or being used in marketing campaigns. Like, how can Kenya and Kenyans as a whole benefit from our culture of running? I was also looking at how other economies have flourished based on their reputation. For example the Germans. If you say a machine is from Germany, everybody automatically assumes it’s quality. It’s the same thing with Kenya and running. So I was thinking, surely, with our reputation in running, how have we not monetized this in a way that actually helps the country move forward? Once I was discussing them with Weldon (Enda’s Co-founder) we realised that running was it if you really wanted to capitalize on sports in Kenya. Then, from there, if you think about the runner, running shoes are just the one thing that everybody needs regardless. You can run in tight shorts or whatever, but you have to have running shoes and that’s when we had that light bulb moment of, we have to make running shoes - and we did!

Wow! How did you go from this light bulb moment to having a product and are you at this point still at the UN? The shoe idea had just started brewing by the time I went to New York and it was still an idea. We’d just started working on it long distance with Weldon and just talking with different people, but I think I asked myself; here I am, I’m at the UN headquarters, I’m still this young, what’s next after this? I always had that question at the back of my mind because I saw a lot of people who walked into that building see it as the end! like they kind of just get there, they stay there until they retire and everyone goes like yaay!!!

discussing Africa without even asking you what do you think? It felt like everybody had this opinion about Africa. Coming out of there I felt as though I needed to change something. Like there is so much beauty, so much grace, beautiful things happening in Africa that were not necessarily reflected in the development academia and I thought, if I ever did something it would be something that definitely dealt with improving our development and at the same time using sports. 26

It’s great to retire and all, but I also took time to speak to people who’d been there for a really long time. I sought their advice and basically asked them if I’m looking at a career here how does that look like and I found an overwhelming number of people basically telling me that, if you have a dream go pursue it. Don’t get golden handcuffs. Go follow your dreams because there is just much more to life. Also, if your dream is here then that’s great, but if you feel that you have something that you want to do outside here, go do it. I think having that encouragement from such people and at the same time having this idea of Enda… it reached a point I couldn’t sleep and that’s how I always say I knew it was time to move. You sleep and you just feel like I’m not really supposed to be here. You go to

work; you’re just feeling I’m not supposed to be here. I don’t know how to say it maybe that’s what you call a calling.

You had reached a point of no return? It just reached a point in life I knew I had to do something, and that was the moment I basically said; okay, what does it take to move back to Kenya and I just said you know what, I’ve done all the research, I’ve talked to all the people, at this point it is my decision-am I going to stay here or am I going to go back? And of course kind of just making sure that you’re going back and not going to be a burden to anyone. That you have mapped out your dreams and you can basically afford some time away to do what you want to do, and yeah, it just made sense to come back. So, I basically left the United Nations and decided to hand over everything and to just basically take a chance and follow my dreams and see how it would be if I focused on Enda full time. If I came and everyday I woke up and I was just thinking about Enda, without having to think of anything else, how far can we go? I also remember there was an event in South Africa, I think Obama went for that event about some work he was doing with African leadership. He basically said and at that point I actually felt like he was talking to me. I think someone asked a question of what do you tell people who basically want to come back but they are afraid of the climate - by climate I mean economic,

political and social. What do you tell them? What would he advice someone who was thinking about coming home but is not sure about whether they are able to face the challenges of moving back to Africa? And he said that if you want to change Africa, you have to go to the ground. You can’t do it from a distance. And there was nothing wrong if you wanted to choose a comfortable life and live outside Africa. But if you wanted to make impact you had to come back home.

But leaving the UN must have been scary? Were you scared and did your close ones support your decision? I didn’t believe that I’d left the United Nations until when I gave back my LP (laissez-passer). You just don’t realize the effect of having it vis-à-vis having the Kenyan passport (she laughs). Because you never have to worry about travelling anywhere and now you have to go back to applying for visas. I think I had that moment where I was scared but I kept telling myself, if I have to discover my purpose in life it cannot be on a comfort zone. I have to go out and find something for myself - and one of the things my brother told me, he’s very philosophical, is the story of a roman general that went to a battle and his troops were afraid that they couldn’t beat this other army. When they reached the shores, he told the captain of the ships to burn all the boats! So it’s a quiet joke in my family when we say burn the boats! It means there is no going back, you’re going to have to move forward. 27

Who were the first people you told of your decision to leave the UN and return back home? The first people I told; I think my husband had kind of seen it coming with the whole back and forth of should we go, should we not? And the good thing is he saw the vision and was like - okay, if this is what we need to do let us invest in it. Then we broke the news to family. Of course everybody was like are you sure about this? Absolutely sure this is the way you want to go? and I think I was like; yeah this is it. And I think also my family is used tk me being stubborn. So they were like if this is one of your things just do it but be careful so that you don’t end up in a place where you throw away the one dream that so many people are looking for.

So in general you received the support you needed from family? Yes. We had a great range of supporters but equally there were a lot of people who were like, you are making a mistake. You’re taking this for granted and not taking full advantage. But I always say at the end of it all, I am accountable to me. If I’m okay with that decision, I’ll live with the consequences.

Granted, worst case scenario was I might show up at my family and I’m like; hey, here I am (she laughs). We tried it and it didn’t work. But I think the important thing is to try. I think that’s the driving force. Try. I’d say there were definitely a lot of concerns in terms of why are you coming back to Kenya? The politics suck, the economy is on the toilet, a lot of all that. But I always say it depends on what you see. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. What is rugs to one man is usually riches to another, and I think I see the opportunity. I also saw a lot of friends who are non- Kenyan trying to find a way to come to Kenya and live here or find something, and I kept on thinking, wait, why are Kenyans looking to move out and a lot of foreigners are looking to move in? There must be something. That also gave me courage that it is the right time. Also, from the family perspective, the kids are small. It’s still okay to move them around a little bit but of course we have an internal agreement that once they reach a certain age that’s it with trying to do stuff. We have to be more established. The combination of having the blessing of the family, having my husband be supportive and having the kids be excited to move back pretty much sealed the deal.

How was it like being back in Kenya? Adjustments, I would say when you stay out of Kenya for some time; you really start noticing the missed opportunities. For example getting a passport in the US (not that I have a US passport) you never interacted with the government, ever. It was a post office application. Look at what’s going on at immigration right now- the advice is that people literally have to camp early and stuff like that, also the fact that our transport systems are inefficient. Once you’ve seen efficiency it’s hard to go back in the sense that you wonder why can’t we do it right. I’ve really started questioning the concept of love after that because I’ve been asking myself; do we really love ourselves, honestly? Because it’s just the whole spirit of harambee, the caring for somebody else; for your neighbor, for your brother and if we did care enough for our brothers would we be involved in that much corruption for instance if we knew that we were taking away from the plate of someone who has nothing.

Getting back to Enda, what would you say is Enda’s vision? I’d say our vision is to basically put Kenya on the map as a source of quality, not just the runners but also running shoes. So, I’d say our overall vision is to ensure that everywhere you go in the world, whenever a conversation about top running shoes happens that Enda shows up. I see it becoming a household name, I see it making social impact like creating jobs, not just for us through the office and making the shoes, but also creating the supply chain because one of the reasons why it’s been challenging to create Enda is the fact that nobody has made sports shoes here yet- a performance footwear before. So that means even when you are talking about the EVA plastic that makes the mid-soles, nobody is doing that. I feel like we are creating opportunities for other entrepreneurs to come up as well. Hence, when I say social impact I mean jobs not just for Enda but for a whole new ecosystem.

I also see Enda as a channel of change. For every shoe we sell, a portion of it goes into a community fund which allows us to invest in local projects. I see us creating social impact by showing other companies that you can actually make money while also investing in communities. The two can go hand in hand. One doesn’t have to be an afterthought of the other. You can rise together. At the end of the day, you want to create business but what’s the purpose of creating business if the people do not have purchasing power? The two go hand in hand. I see this as an integral part of Enda’s vision.

Who would you say Enda is competing with in the marketplace? As a running shoe company, we are basically in the running footwear industry. So I would say the key competitors are brands in that niche industry. Some people like to compare us to other big brands, but I’m always saying that Enda’s path is Enda’s path. We’re not stopping and looking at the side and saying what’s that one doing and what’s that other one doing? Enda was created with a mission to bring the benefits of running back to Kenya. That is it. That’s our path. That’s basically what challenges us to do what we do every day. If other people are doing other things, good for them but Enda’s path is our path and we’re not really in a race where we’re competing with other people to get to an end.

But you’re not saying that Enda doesn’t care about Nike and Adidas…? No. I’m saying Phil Knight started somewhere…. We respect those people that paved the way in the industry but I think we also challenge that notion that the industry is “owned” by certain people - like why? Why should that be and why shouldn’t other brands try? And as I said trying is the key element. Just get in and try. The worst that you could do is go back to where you were originally but if you don’t try then you have this thing hanging over your head of what could have been. Enda is not waiting for anything. We’ll go till we get to where we are going.

“Enda is set to launch its second line of shoes the “Lapatet” early this year and rumors’ of a lifestyle shoe in the summer are also up in the air”.

In your circle of colleagues as a shoe company executive, how many people look like you? (She laughs) well, the running shoe industry is set up in a certain way and people kind of look the same. I think Enda is different because we are challenging that. First by just being daring enough to make shoes in Kenya when everybody else is saying let’s make them in China. We’re saying no! let’s make them in Kenya. If we have to make a change it has to be in manufacturing. Also the fact that this is a woman led company makes us a bit odd, most companies in this space are led by men, white men. So I’d say that’s also audacious enough being in a position to make decisions that determine the flow and the way of the brand and how we relate to our customers. I would say Enda is different in that respect and also in our story. I think there is a lot to be told in that a little company in Kenya is basically saying okay, I think I can size up to these guys - its the classic David and Goliath story. And am not just saying that, I believe that we can change this industry. I think even for Kenyan athletes sake, it would be great if there was someone alternative to provide competition so that they can negotiate better contracts and we’re not just in a monopoly of a few brands. I think it’s our time.

What are some of the challenges you face as the CEO of Enda? As the CEO of Enda, one of the things that has been mind-blowing is perspective of life as an employee vis-à-vis as the person who makes the decisions. In my opinion, based on my experience, it was very easy to show up to work and go back home and it’s a bit different when you are up late at night trying to make sure that things happen the way they happen. I would say my experience has been mixed bags mostly because this is a new industry here so inherently we are paving a way that has not been paved before in Kenya. This means that means that we have to encounter challenges that we hadn’t encountered before from policy structures that were not necessarily set up to envision a company like ours to many other issues. An example of that would be, we do exports for instance but we cannot qualify as an export processing zone (EPZ) company because we don’t own a physical factory. And one of the things that make me think from a policy perspective is we are a country with high unemployment, we have very low access to capital, so we should be promoting instances where people actually co-share stuff you

know! like you don’t have to own a factory and own it yourself. You can actually share. So I feel like policy is behind us in that perspective, that the future is a global shared economy and we are not there yet, so I’d say I face challenges like that a lot. I would say funding is also a major challenge.

Funding can be challenging in Africa! I feel that a lot of funding is available in Kenya and in Africa in general but most of that funding is geared towards businesses that target the bottom of the pyramid, and that is just a fancy term for saying businesses that are catering to a lot of poor people. I understand that from a development perspective and it means that, let us make life as easy as possible for the poor people of Africa and this thinking forgets that we’re also here creating and building brands and businesses something that is essential when it comes to development and this is why it’s important to tell our stories. My struggle with understanding bottom of the pyramid strategy is that everybody is trying to compete for the class that has no money. –It’s not bad, I just find it problematic that a lot of funding is too focused here when what builds and sustains a countries development is the businesses. It is the businesses that are creating jobs to make money to add onto that plate, it is the businesses that are earning revenue for the country, expanding the economy. So, I would say this is the challenge in funding but there is also the traditional funding where if you don’t have security from the traditional way of raising funds, they won’t give you money. That said, I’d say the opportunity is there for capital that is local to really go into these spaces that foreign capital is not going into either by virtue of not understanding or just by virtue of that’s how things work. Local capital really has to step up and plug those issues of we know we need this and that, and we know that entrepreneurs are facing a challenge to get that money so let’s just make it easy for them to get money and try their ideas. This is how we will build our countries and the continent

When would you say Enda was officially founded? In Kenya we registered in June 2017 and In the US we registered first for patent reasons, we registered at the end of 2015. So, in the US we registered in 2016 and mid 2017 in Kenya.

What can regular Kenyans and pple of good will do, how can they help Enda climb that mountain? People can help Enda in several ways. The first, the most effective way is to buy our products. Every sale makes a difference, the more we sell the more jobs we create and the more we become a sustainable company. The other way could be supporting our work by just talking about us to their friends and families and on social media. Word of mouth is the most efficient form of marketing. So, recognizing that a company that’s this small having to fight companies with marketing budgets that are almost the GDP of certain countries, it has to be a people focused - a grass root movement if I would dare call it that.

What’s your average day like? My average day is as you have seen very busy. Today, my kids are not in the picture so today is a good day (she laughs). I’d say on average I’m still trying to find a balance of what works and what doesn’t because as I’d said I moved back to solely focus on Enda, so that is always at the top of my mind. You have people to meet. You have to understand the business, you have to be there for the operations and other aspect and you have to make sure that you’re not running broke and people will be paid. Then there’s the regulatory aspects; you try to make sure that we are staying on top of all these things. I’m still trying to find a way to balance everything and thankfully I think I’m talking to the right people who will help me get there.

How do you feel you’ve done? (She sighs) I don’t know. I say that because I see the future and I think we are a bit far from it and we need a lot of help to get there but at the same time a feedback that I’ve received is that, I don’t take stock of where we’ve come from! I am always likewe need to do this, we need to do that. But I think we have come a really, really long way even though I cannot say that’s a measure of success. I don’t think we are successful yet. Not to the proportions I know. There is still a giant mountain ahead of us and just like running, we will keep at it, one step at a time. I think the focus is to just stop looking at that big obstacle and just say, okay, what can we do today? Do what you can for today and then let tomorrow fight its own battle.

But usually, I just wake up, stay with the kids for some time then go to the office and come back probably at around 6pm, then not look at my phone for a couple of hours until when the kids go to bed; ideally I used to be able to put in a few more hours once they went to bed but nowadays I just pass out with them… but I figure the key is to read the book here (living room), not to read the book to them in bed because if you do that it’s morning before you know it and you still have a ton of emails to get to.

What’s your biggest fear? I think one of my biggest fears is to not fulfill my destiny, and I still dont quite know what that destiny is; I wish we had a book that kind of told us- this is what you are supposed to do!

What are you most looking forward to where Enda is concerned. I’m looking forward to seeing one of our athletes win a major championship or an Olympic medal in Enda’s. ■

www.endasportswear.com

Text by WILLIEVANS ABEKAH Images by @THEUNSTTLD

SPARTAN

SK8 CLUB 34

Travel In the western part of the Republic of Ghana, t h e r e l i e s a c i t y, a c i t y k n o w n f o r i t s a n n u a l m a s q u e r a d e c a r n i v a l a n d u r b a n b e a u t y. T h a t c i t y i s a l s o e n d owe d w i t h talent, especially one t h a t â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s v i s i b l e i n i t s inner roads on weekends.

#Sek #Tako

#TapT lAfrica #travelA #Ghana#G #sk skating #Spart SpartanSk Skating Introducing the Spartans Skate Club from Sekondi-Takoradi.

#TapTravel #travelAfrica #Ghana #skating #SpartanSk8 #Sekondi #Takoradi

kondi oradi

Travel #Gha Africa Ghana #skati ating tanSkati ating The young and energetic group is known for its astounding skating skills and risky tricks they perform in the late afternoons and on weekends, when they take over the inner city roads and transform them into an improvised skating field, under the eyes of amused onlookers, loving fans and moving traffic.

For them, skating not only serves as a mode of exercise, fun and stress release, but also as a means to keep the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youths healthy and away from social vices. 39

The group is often booked by organisers to perform their tricks in events to entertain the public. Always open for new challenges and opportunities. 40

SALOMEY AFUA ADDO AIMS Ghana Alumni 2018/2019 Human Resource Executive Assistant at Niche Cocoa Industry Limited

MASAI UJIRI A Giant of Africa and TAP Magazine ( 9) African of the Year

Text by GABRIEL-MYERS HANSEN and MOSES MUTABARUKA. Images courtesy of GIANTS OF AFRICA

Our editorial board and committee is pleased to name Masai Ujiri, TAP Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s African of the year for 9 - For his work with the Giants of Africa and for being a model ambassador for the continent. For being an inspiration, a voice, a leader and an advocate for African Youth, home and abroad.

Cover Story

ven without uttering a word, when he enters the gym, his presence is immediately felt by everyone. Clean shaven and a royal charisma about his 6 ft. 4 figure, the soft-spoken Masai Ujiri calls the following Burna Boy Lyric to mind: “here comes the African giant,” for a mighty reputation attends the movements of this humble but confident son of Africa now a renowned basketball executive and community leader. Casual in his gracious and playful smile toward little children roaming the gym to his calm but salient eye on the drills that the campers are being put through. When Masai is in the room, he fills the whole place. Everyone is relaxed but extremely focused. There is fun. Songs and dances are performed but work is being done. A winning mentality is being shaped and ironed. This is the air that his presence blows out. Those who’ve seen him in action on the indoor/ outdoor facilities in one of the over sixteen countries that his Giants of Africa initiative has visited over the last 15 years, be it in Cameroon, or Mali, or Ghana, or Morocco, or in Kigali, or Mogadishu, or Nairobi, or Juba will testify to this effect.

So how did all this start and what’s the end goal? Well, it all got going in 2003, way before the fame and success came when Ujiri founded the Giants of Africa initiative. A result of his longstanding vision of Africa as a hub for opportunity, and her youth as the most reliable instrument of transformation. You see, like these kids, Ujiri too was once a rough diamond, emerging from modest circumstances in Zaria (northern Nigeria) and despite having never bounced a Spalding till teenage, Ujiri is today, bearer of one of the most enviable trophies in all of sport after he led the previously bilittled Toronto Raptors to an NBA title win. That last line lodges multiple records: Ujiri being the first African exec to hug the coveted Gold trophy, the Raptors, the first and only team outside the US to conquer the championship and so on. Furthermore, Ujiri winning the 2019 NBA title is symbolic of a renaissance in the African sport. For context, we refer to George Weah’s 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or feats and the opportunities that his win provided for African football players to join european football leagues and to conquer european sports in general. Thus is the scale of the Ujiri Ujiri’s Giants factor.

Founded in 2003, On this day, we meet him at a high school of Africa initiative is a result of The commission of about 15 minutes from his longstanding vision of Africa a leader is to envision downtown Dar es salaam, as a hub for opportunity, and the future amidst the Tanzania. He’s docked cacophony that is the in black swish shorts, an her youth as the most reliable present. Those who’ve orange t-shirt that reads instrument of transformation. followed his story and “I’m a Giant” and wears work over the past few fresh swish kicks on his years will testify that Ujiri feet. Before we settle fully recognises exactly where the future is tucked: down for the interview, on one of the schools lunch behind the closed eyelids of the wandering African tables, right underneath a nice tall bamboo tree that child. Once he has been brought home to the shields us from the Midday Dar sunshine, we first knowledge of his potential, the wandering African observe this Giant of Africa and the proceedings of immediately begins to manifest, at the very least, his camp here.. glimpses of his tomorrow. Little wonder, therefore, that by the end of these camps, attendees appear Looking into the expectant faces of boys and visibly re-baptised, emanating a vital new vivacity girls who are settled on the floor of the main gym, akin to epiphanies; their eyes freshly lit, hearts their hands hugging their shins, Ujiri seems to be beating to a different drum, and an ambitious wave reminded of his 13-year-old self; alive with fire and lining the creases on their foreheads. Africa has passion, but also in dire need of guidance. Of his finally rediscovered her voice, Ujiri as lead. many gifts, many reckon that this is his true forte: Channelling his own ascendance for reference. His This is why our editorial board selected him, a ability to look a 10-year old in the eye and stir up few months after this interview as TAP Magazine desire and discipline, to convince humble 10 year African of the year. For his work on the continent olds from the slums of Mathare to dream and to with the Giants of Africa over the last 15 years, for his dream big and wide beyond their environments and advocacy and for the championship he won in 2019 circumstances. To use his life to make these kids and the inspiration it gave young Africans throughout believe that they too, not only can they play in the the continent and the diaspora. For being a model NBA if they wanted too, but that they can also one ambassador of the continent and an inspiration. For day manage an NBA franchise and win an NBA being a voice, , a leader and an advocate of African championship. Better yet, that they can be anything Youth, home and abroad. they want to be in this world. 46

On the Giants of Africa, Importance of giving back and using Basketball as a tool Being the first and only African-born president of a North American major sports franchise, Masai has used the only time during the year that he could rest, or go on vacation with his family and recover from the grueling schedule of leading an NBA team; to return to the continent and pass on the baton to the next generation of African youths. Every summer for the past 15 years. When we asked him why this is so important for him. MU: It’s big for me to come back to the continent and give back to the youths. I was a youth like these guys on this continent so it’s something I really take pride in. It’s also a responsibility and duty that we are here; that we come back here to teach the kids. It’s a big deal for me. I see myself in these kids. We have to give back to the youth the same opportunities that Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo and Manute Bol gave us. However I can grow the continent of Africa I’ll continue to do it because this is home for me.

On how we get others to follow suit, especially those in the diaspora MU: We keep doing this and setting an example. A lot of coaches that come with me are Africans so we have to figure out a way to encourage these Africans to continue to come back whether they are diaspora or even people that work here; we have to set an example and encourage people to give back. I actually think that when people have an opportunity to come back they do! Sometimes people just don’t have those opportunities so we are looking to open the doors and give people opportunities for them to come and do something.

On what’s next for the Toronto raptors MU: We have to continue to win. It’s all about winning. We’re always going to be a winning team. This is our mentality. Everything else revolves around this.

On the NBA coming to Africa MU: It’s huge for the NBA to be coming to Africa. For the NBA to choose Africa as the place where it starts a league (The BAL League) is immense and this is going to be a game changer for us. I believe Amadou Fall is going to do a great job leading the league and I think this is going to create a lot of player development opportunities, a lot of scouting opportunities and even more important, the whole ecosystem that will be created around this league which will provide jobs and employment for people. This will also be huge. Obviously, the excitement and the fun that the league will also create. We have the talent and the culture for this league to thrive on this continent.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to give back to the youth the same opportunities that Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo and Manute Bol gave us. However I can grow the continent of Africa ill continue to do it because this is home for meâ&#x20AC;?.

On having African players on his championship winning team MU: Having those guys means everything. To have that example of Pascal and Serge Ibaka on your team makes a big difference to what we’re trying to do here in Africa. Now you have African players that have performed at the highest level and I think this is where you want to be. These kids here at the camps can see it and say hey, Pascal sat here in our shoes, Serge was here in our shoes, that Masai sat here, that Patrick Engelbrecht sat here in our shoes - that it’s not even just the players. To have that shining example and to contributing to winning a championship, I think that’s huge for us.

On the winning formula MU: Win Win Win. There’s no formula to winning. The winning formula is to continue to win. This is what sports is about. You develop that winning mentality and focus. Then you go and get smart people with that winning mentality on your team.

On the things he’s done to be the leader that he is today and on building a winning culture MU: You have to have that winning mentality. You develop it through maybe a mentor or how you’re brought up. You have to do all the right things, the basics. Whether its treating people right, whether its being honest, whether its staying focused with what you want to achieve. I emphasize on staying focused, you should always stay focused; be fierce and know when to be aggressive and when not to be. This is what has helped me. I also have good people around me. You surround yourself with smart and solid people and that raises the stakes, it raises your chances of success. All these things count at the end.

On changing the narrative and image of Africa MU: We have to be confident of who we think we are as Africans and what we think our continent is. I believe in the continent and I know millions of other people believe in it too. We know what we have here and the talent of Africa is its people and we will continue to drive that for as long as we can. The rest is just perspective and bias.

On breaking the culture of gatekeeping and young people and excuses MU: We make too many excuses. All of us make a lot of excuses, like we didn’t get the opportunity to do well and stuff like that! Well, go find it! Or make one! It’s our job to always find opportunities to be better. Let’s create the opportunities for ourselves. Knock on doors and create opportunities for yourself if you have too. My dad always used to tell me that ‘heaven helps those who help themselves’. Also, most of the time, even before we’ve got to a certain place we start to create a barrier or wall even when that wall doesn’t exist.

On giving opportunities to girls and women in Sports and beyond Girls should be given opportunities because they’re better - they’re better thinkers and they’re more patient than us and I believe in this world there should be equality. We all came from women, we all say our mothers, our sisters, our daughters are the most impactful people in our lives! So why can’t other women impact our lives in different other things like the workplace and in business? Girls and women can be leaders here too.

“Knock on doors and create opportunities for yourself if you have too. My dad always used to tell me that ‘heaven helps those who help themselves”.

On legacy and the qualities of a good leader (besides winning) A good leader wins! (laughs). It’s that simple. I believe legacy is about winning and doing it at the highest level. Legacy is also about bringing people along but I can’t talk about my own legacy yet because it’s still millions of years aways

On one of the lessons he learnt from his parents My father taught me that if someone gives you bread, don’t ask for the butter too! Just eat the bread

Visit GiantsOfAfrica.org for more on Masai’s work with this brilliant Initiative. 53

D E L AS I Before we met Delasi, our sources told us that he’s been busy building a cult of his own in the underground alternative music scene in Accra. And although his music is played everywhere from BBC6, NRk, Rfi, CKUT Montreal, Worldwide Fm and Radio Le meuh. Ghanaian radio and audience were yet to really appreciate him as an artist. When we met in person, we asked if this bothered him and he was like “nah, it used too, but not anymore, I love what I do. It has its own legs. It goes around by its own”.

Music Delasi recently completed an artist residency in Morocco and is working on releasing his second album - below is his story. Make sure you sample his work - He’s an artist that you’ll be hearing for many years to come…

Images by IGNACIO HENNIGS 55

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyday brings opportunities to rediscover something new...â&#x20AC;?

y inspiration comes from divine intelligence from my ancestors, from my genetic leanings to the side of my family who are musical educators. From my environment and from daily observations of life. From my struggles, from ecstasy and everything in between. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a personal philosophy but I strive to be better everyday. I am a sponge soaking in all my eclectic eccentric influences and observations. These themes seep into my consciousness, drip into the ink of my pen and manifest as lyrics, as music, as my message, as my philosophy. For me, everyday brings opportunities to rediscover something new and often a shift in perspective. Inspiration can come from something simple as a bus ride, the colors, sights, smells and nuances. The facial expressions of people, their body language, non verbal communication, the utterances, man I love travelling.

“I love what I do. It has its own legs. It goes around by its own”.

My mind probably a Kodak with a high functioning zoom. I get to immerse myself in new cultures, understand the next man’s way of thinking, celebrate, relish in exotic delight and their sorrows and pain become new narratives for me as the gatherer, the storyteller, the novelist. What’s important to me is receiving messages from people, sometimes folks I don’t even know who say that I’ve impacted them in a way. This is what gives me the most sense of fulfilment, that these talents and superpowers are to serve humanity…

My art is encompassing, from forays into poetry, poetry metamorphosed into songs, sprinkled with bits of illustrations. This helps me create a storyboard for my own visuals, guest lecturer, an unknown badass actor to now a budding music producer and model who’s getting captured by world renowned photographers and filmmakers... I guess I’m creating a new galaxy. What do I believe in? That no matter where we find ourselves on this beautiful planet earth we all have a role to play to make our lives better, we can transcend into the highest empathetic beings radiating love, respect and positivity to one another and the planet we all call home. ■ 58

“Unless you are super passionate, committed and non conformist, this ain’t for you. As an artist, you’re constantly fighting battles you never dreamt about”. @delasimusic

Agriculture

ROSE KHAEMBA

ON AGRIBUSINESS IN AFRICA AND THE MAGIC OF VALUE ADDITION

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s fertile, usable and uncultivated agricultural land. This is why the continent is widely considered to be the future breadbasket of the world. That said, large scale commercial farming on the continent is still a challenging endeavor for many farmers mainly because of poor infrastructure. This is why many experts argue that the money in agribusiness in Africa isn’t in production but in value addition. A key aspect of adding value is processing perishable produce into stable products that have a longer shelf life. To learn more on value addition and crop diversification, we visited Rose Khaemba’s farm in Kitale, Kenya and learned about how she intends to bring value addition to bananas farming and to inspire the next generation of African farmers

Images by PAUL KIDERO 61

y name is Rose Kabuthia Khaemba; I was born and raised in Meru at the slope of Mount Kenya. My parents were farmers and in those days, my sisters and I were among the first girls to go to school. I later got married to Mr. Khaemba and moved to Trans Nzoia on the slopes of Mount Elgon. I consider myself very lucky girl because all my life Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lived in between famous mountains.

How did you get into farming and teaching crop diversification? Trans Nzoia being famously known as “Kenya’s food county” and an Agriculture hub just like my place of birth in Meru, I decided to venture into farming and was later surprised that almost everyone in the county only planted one crop (maize). So I took the initiative of introducing crop diversification to others. I’ve hosted a few training sessions here at home to teach local farmers on the importance and benefits of crop diversification. I think the trainings have gone very well and more people here are now open to the idea of planting different crops and not just maize. I’ve personally started farming bananas and they’re doing very well in a place that is usually known for just maize.

What are the benefits of planting bananas over maize? Bananas are harvested three times a year unlike maize which is harvested once. During banana planting and harvesting a very small labor is required unlike or many other crops which require labor and process intensive.

Apart from Bananas, what else do you grow? I also plant carrots, courgettes, cucumbers, capsicums, onions, rosemaries, danias, lemon grass, jackfruit, arrow roots, apples and pumpkins, although most of these are not for sale but for my kitchen use. I also keep two fishponds one for tilapia and the other for catfish.

What is your advice for African youths thinking about venturing into farming? Tell us of your idea of “from the farm to the table”?

From the farm to the table is a concept and a philosophy that most of the items I use in my kitchen come directly from my own farm. I believe in health eating as the best way to avoid many health diseases and issues thus my kitchen is more organic since I don’t use chemicals in any of my crops.

When I first came here I noticed that most youths don’t want to stay in the villages. It was clear to me that they move from the rural areas to the urban areas to look for employment but you see in rural areas we have a lot they can venture into due to the advantage of having big farms. My advice to these youths is that they venture into it as soon as possible, find ways to be innovative and to create jobs for other youths for example through value addition. This way, we can reduce rural-urban migration. 65

What is your big vision for your banana venture? My big vision for my banana venture is to do more than just farming but to practice real value addition. Thus, I intend to bring machinery into the process to start value addition. From bananas we can get banana chips, wine, banana juice and banana flour which is actually very good for people with health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Banana flour is very rich in magnesium and 1kg of

banana flour is ksh 200 compared to 1kg of maize flour which is less than ksh 100. Part of the vision is also to start a banana factory here and to encourage farmers to shift from maize to banana farming. I have started to build storages at the farm and at the moment am very interested in getting business partners to get the factory started.

What would you tell a young African who wants to get into banana farming? The first thing to do is to buy/secure land then to strategize on the best way and method to plant the bananas. Usually, this will depend on the size of the land. With the internet nowadays, it’s very easy

for them to learn about banana farming. Like I mentioned before, bananas are very easy to plant and to manage compared to other crops so just find a way to start.

Why is value addition so important to you? For me value addition is very important at a personal level and to the women whom I have been encouraging to grow bananas. A few years back, I realized that (just like maize) we have a lot of banana brokers around who buy bananas at a very poor price and don’t leave much on the table for farmers.

This is the main reason why it is very importnat we have a factory here. I want to become the market where farmers can deliver their bananas and I am very sure I will pay them well, compared to the brokers. The factory will also create employment opportunities in this community particularly for the youths.

“From bananas we can get banana chips, banana juice, wine and banana flour which is very good for people with health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.”

What is the future of banana farming? Banana firming is the way to go this is because banana is wildly used everywhere in fact I have some friends who export bananas to

Australia and they tell me that the demand is more than the market, they have even approached me to produce more bananas.

How do we get more African youths invested in farming? When I first came here I noticed that most youths donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to stay in the villages. It was clear to me that they move from the rural areas to the urban areas to look for employment but you see in rural areas we have a lot they can venture into due to the advantage

of having big farms. My advice is that we encourage youths to venture into farming as soon as possible, for them to find ways to be innovative and to create jobs for other youths for example through value addition. This way, they have jobs and we can reduce rural-urban migration.

Outside farming, what else do you do? In my small way I do cooperate social responsibility by torching lives, when I was in west Africa I kept saying the day I will retire I will give back to the community so when I came back in the year 2012 I asked myself what I could give to the community, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when I opened a beauty and hair dresser college, the main purpose was torch and educate girl boy child, give them

the skills and enable them to get employment or to start their own business. We have a lot of orphans whom are left by parents because of H.I.V. and AIDS and having lost my sister some years back from H.I.V. I feel encourage to help them because I know what they go though. â&#x2013;

E DUCATE E M P OWE R I NSPI R E @BeyondHoops

Beyond Hoops Africa is a basketball and life skills program with the purpose of using sports as an intervention to reach talented youths who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get opportunities to excel in education and athletics because limitations brought forth by life challenges and financial barriers.

www.beyondhoopsafrica.org

Fashion Pick W

e’ve dedicated 5 magazine issues to profiling and highlighting Sudanese Fashion designers and creatives. In Issue 12, we featured The Nefisa Project by the amazing Sahar Arrayeh, a project that seeks to introduce the cultural diversity of Sudan through fashion. In this issue, we’re pleased to feature Nawar Kamal, a Sudanese jewelry designer based in Khartoum, Sudan and one of our favorite designers on the continent period. Her journey as a jewelry designer started when she visited Ghana as a 15 year old back in 2009 and was introduced to the beauty of the vibrant recycled glass beads and brass that are delicately handpicked and handmade by local artisans. NK jewelry combines diverse materials from all around Africa and the Far East such as environmentally friendly beads, semi-precious & precious stones, brass and will soon introduce silver and gold. NK jewellery aspires to be the first Sudanese jewellery brand that grasps regional growth and international recognition. ■

Fashion More on Nawar and NK Jewellery on IG @NKjewellery_

Rebranding Africa. One Story at a Time. 4