The African Scholar Magazine by African Scholar Magazine

THE

AFRICAN SCHOLAR VOLUME 04 JAN-MAR 2013

IS THIS THE SEASON FOR CHANGING CAREERS? Abby Locke

WOMEN IN MEDICAL SCIENCES Dr. Praveena Maharaj

FOCUSED DETERMINATION Njeri Rionge

FOLLOW YOUR HEART Des Squire

Refiloe Seseane Mentoring younger women for success INSIDE:

CLOUD ACCOUNTING 101 | LOVING ME, KNOWING ME | iSCHOOLAFRICA | EXAM PORTALS

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From The

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helps unlock South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s human wealth.

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t is with great passion, excitement and anticipation that we welcome you to another African Scholar edition. We are confident that you have enjoyed our previous editions, and this one will be just as informative and motivating. In this edition we will inform Africa of success stories, scholarships, bursaries and the possibilities a higher education can offer you. Our commitment to providing students, academics and intellectuals of all ages with a concise kaleidoscope into the world of higher education has not changed. Our aim with each new issue is to inform Africa of twice as many scholarships, bursaries and learning opportunities. We are committed to you as readers to provide you with mind-blowing success stories to inspire you to hold on to your dreams. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, you might have felt that no matter how excited you are about the future, there might be days when your motivation lags because you feel that you cannot do it. This is where we step in and say that having a bright and successful future is not impossible. Success is not born overnight. It requires commitment and effort. In this edition you will see how people who endured difficulties followed their passion and motivation to succeed. Challenge yourself and you will develop the power to overcome any obstacle in your life. Just remember, excellence comes from preparation and hard work. Act on your dreams and soar on the wings of success! Enjoy the read.

Anabelle Oosthuizen

E+I 17829

BA, PgDT, BPhil.

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CONTENTS FEATURES 10

IS THIS THE TIME FOR CAREER CHANGING? ABBY LOCKE

Q&A DR PRAVEENA MAHARAJ

iSCHOOL AFRICA

FOCUSED DETERMINATION NJERI RIONGE

28 Q&A BLACK COFFEE 32

CAREERS IN AFRICA RECRUITMENT SUMMIT

CLOUD ACCOUNTING 101 FOR STUDENTS STEVEN COHEN

40 Q&A REFILOE SESEANE 46

DISTANCE LEARNING PORTAL DISTANCELEARNINGPORTAL.EU

THUTHUKA BURSARY FUND

REGULARS 18

LAZY GAMER - GAME REVIEWS

26 FOLLOW YOUR HEART DES SQUIRE 53 PUZZLES - CROSSWORD 54

LENOVO’S ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY

LIFESTYLE

AVOCADO FRUIT SALAD

BACON & MACARONI

LOVING ME, KNOWING ME LOVE LIFE

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Is This The Season For Changing Careers Words by Abby Locke

he state of this economy has certainly challenged the best of us. With all the changes and adjustments you’ve had to make in your life, you may be seriously considering a career change. I have mentioned countless times that true career change does not happen overnight; you may run into brick walls because you either lack direct, relevant experience or you are unclear about your “ideal” new career. Talk about frustrating! I can certainly relate to the challenge of changing careers as I consider myself to be the “ultimate career changer”. More than 15 years ago, I discovered

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that there was a viable market for resume writing services. However, here I was with a fairly successful financial services career and a MBA degree, but wanting to make a bold change. So how does an analytical, numbersfocused professional get transformed into a nationally recognized career expert with top certifications in resume writing, personal branding and career coaching (whew – that was a mouthful for even me)? Well, it was not easy – it took a lot of hard, hard work, even more patience and the willingness to grow, one step at a time despite every hurdle and setback. Here a few career change strategies

that I recommend: 1) Do your research and narrow down your new target career (hmm, that sounds familiar, right?) Once I realized that resume writing was something I wanted to explore further, I started to do my homework. Apparently God, the universe, the spirit and everything else was working in my favor because one of the first books I found was called “How to start your own home-based resume writing service”. Talk about lights going on! Saying that you want a new career to utilize your existing skills does not say anything at all. Visit career exploration sites online to

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help you dig further and identify a new profession – learn about the career thoroughly. 2) Learn from the champions in your new field/industry My quest for new information prompted me to seek out other colleagues and identify professional organizations that assisted resume writers and career coaches to perfect their craft. Now I had access to professional development in my new field and access to seasoned resume writers. Who in your new industry can you turn to for best practices, words of wisdom, introductions, referrals and more? 3) Start getting the word out I remember the very first resume client I got was one of my father’s friends – ironically, I recently met him for the first time and it was great to reflect on my humble beginnings. When you are changing careers, noone is going to come and personally

hand you a new career opportunity. Most likely, you will work hard to convince that employer to take a chance with you. Have you identified people in your network who can be most strategic in helping you bridge the gap? 4) Be prepared and pay attention to the trends In the early days of my business when a website was optional, but not essential, I remember a human resource professional was hesitant to retain my services because I only used newspaper advertisements. I was qualified to deliver the service, but not essentially “prepared”. While it’s difficult to create a careerchanger resume overnight, there are other things you can do to be well prepared for a new opportunity. • Brainstorm and come up with at least three top Challenge-ActionResults career stories that would best demonstrate your transferable skills and talents to your new career • Seek out and gain recommendations for key contacts in your new target industry (if you are really maximizing your network, you will find trusted colleagues and old friends who will vouch for you) • Find creative ways to get involved in your new target industry – attend conferences, seminars, webinars, online forums, LinkedIn groups – remember you are getting the word out. 5) Practice patience and stay committed to the process If you really need a job and your financial situation is at stake, then you should postpone changing careers as it really can take longer than expected…instead, consider pursuing a new certification, enrolling for a new

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degree, taking a series of classes or other efforts that can lead you to a new career; keep in mind that things take time. It took several years before I was able to create an entire resume, professional biography and other career marketing materials that only r reflected my experience and talents in career development. So don’t underestimate your success with changing careers, just make sure you understand the efforts it will take to get you there.

Abby M. Locke is the #1 choice for top executives worldwide - with a triple threat of strengths that include personal branding, resume writing and career coaching, she has been interviewed, quoted and featured in Essence Magazine, the Washington Post, Washington Post Express, Wall Street Journal, CEO Update, Monster.com, Kiss 105.9, ABCnews.com and the Society for Human Resource Management.

Cima is looking foR the next geneRation of business leadeRs Registration closes: 2 April 2013

is it

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Report Submission deadline: 19 April 2013 Shortlist announcement: 24 April 2013 South Africa finals: 16 May 2013

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My Career as a Chiropractor Words by Marian Ross

ho is Dr. Praveena Maharaj in a nutshell? I am a registered chiropractor, and the clinic director of my own private practice, the Reservoir Hills Chiropractic Clinic in Durban. I consider myself as a dedicated, passionate and talented chiropractor who thoroughly enjoys practicing my profession. I am a national executive council member of the Chiropractic Association of South Africa (CASA) and I am a proudly South African Indian woman. Briefly describe your background and upbringing. I was raised and schooled in the small suburb of Reservoir Hills; where I was determined to one day open my own private practice, to serve the beloved community in which I was raised. I am truly proud to have accomplished this, and my community has proved extremely supportive. I am blessed to have been brought up by two loving parents, whose emphasis was always on education as they were both in the field of education. I just have an older

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and inspirational sister, Ashnie, who having qualified as a homeopath, encouraged me to explore the profession of chiropractic as a career choice. She now (naturally) takes all the credit for my chiropractic accomplishments. You pursued your undergraduate degree at Durban University of Technology. What did you study there? I studied the Chiropractic course and achieved my Masters degree in Chiropractic at the Durban University of Technology in 2009. A lot of readers would like to know the difference between Chiropractic and Medicine. What made you opt for Chiropractic? The initial three years of the South African Chiropractic course is considered “pre-med”. Very similar to medicine itself in the course-work taught at the institution. The next few years focuses on the “Chiropractic specialisation” aspect of the qualification. The main difference between

medicine and chiropractic is the hands-on approach of chiropractic. It is a drug-free and surgical-free approach to health-care with an emphasis on the functioning of the spinal column and the nerves arising from it to supply the muscles and the rest of the body. Where there is restricted movement of a vertebra, the areas of distribution of the affected spinal nerve/s become symptomatic. Therefore the task of the doctor of chiropractic is to assess the spine and its functional capacity and manually correct any restricted moving vertebra from the equation. Chiropractors and medical doctors work hand-in-hand in practice and the relationship between the professions is strengthening rapidly to the benefit of the patients they treat. Medical doctors are realising the benefits of referring to chiropractors for the prevention of surgery in many cases, and for pre/post-surgical rehabilitation. Chiropractors in turn refer to medical doctors for assistance in stabilising acute cases with medication or for surgical opinions/interventions in warranted cases. I chose chiropractic as I prefer its holistic approach to the patient’s well-being and the specialised interest in the Neuromusculoskeletal systems which focuses on the treatment of the source of pain, instead of masking the symptoms of pain. Your course was a seven year degree but you managed to complete in less than six years. How did you achieve this considering the pressure that comes with this program? I completely dedicated my life to qualifying as quickly as possible at the expense of any student/social life, and in hind-sight, without regret. In my internship, I did not take any days off treating patients like others did. I made sure to gain as much clinical experience as possible as I was determined to open up my private practice immediately after qualifying, and being confident in treating any presenting case I would be faced with. I would spend hours working with my research supervisor on my dissertation, sometimes until the early parts of the morning. I would spend weekends completing my community service and sports hour’s components of my qualification and spend every waking moment studying for exams. I can say that it was sheer dedication, determination and focus which has got me to where I am today. During your internship you worked with a record number of 800 patients. How did that make you feel, and how was the experience like? I enjoyed gaining the practical clinical experience. I treated patients from all walks of life and built mutual relationships with them. Most patients I treated at the

internship followed me into my own private practice and helped as a foundation for my patient base. The long and tiring hours of working at the internship clinic had paid off when the same patients would support me at my private practice. They spread the word of my good treatment on my behalf which helped expand my patient base, and I am grateful for such loyal and supportive patients. A lot of female students shy away from science, technology and engineering fields. What words of advice do you have for students facing this dilemma? These fields need a woman’s caring and sensitive touch. I have personally found that as a female, both male and female patients are comfortable with me, and this has allowed me to service a patient base of multicultural, religious and denominational groups. It has been strength to my practice. A woman can do anything she puts her mind to - in a good pair of heels! After your degree at the age of 23 you opened your own practice. What motivated you to do this? I am an independent woman and I could not see myself working for or with a colleague. Opening my own practice was my only option, especially since my heart was set on serving the community in which I grew up – where there was no existing chiropractic clinic. It was a “go big or go home” scenario... so I went big with my own private practice. I was clinically confident I could handle responsibly treat my presenting patients after my intense internship training. What are some of the challenges you have faced in your endeavours to run your practice and how did you overcome them? The main challenge was expanding my patient base, and this remedied rapidly by the word-of-mouth spread from my existing patients who told everyone they knew about the treatment I render and the worldclass equipment I use. Referrals came my way from rendering the best possible care to the few patients I treated, and this ethos is one I continue to observe in my busy practice, as it encourages the constant inflow of more and more people seeking relief from their pain. I have also been questioned on how, as such a petite lady myself, am I able to treat patients sometimes three times my size – and I have quickly proven that to be an excellent chiropractor one does not require strength, but rather speed and proper technique. What has been your greatest achievement to date? I have given back to my profession as a part-time

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“

My heart was set on serving the community in which I grew up – where there was no existing chiropractic clinic. It was a “go big or go home” scenario... so I went big with my own private practice. I was clinically confident I could handle responsibly treat my presenting patients after my intense internship training.”

lecturer at the DUT where I lecture in Subjects such as anatomy and Physiology. I also serve the chiropractic profession as a member of the National Executive Council of the Chiropractic Association of South Africa (CASA). I was elected onto the Council of CASA last year as the youngest member and this has by far been my greatest achievement and honour. I serve my surrounding impoverished communities through community service where I act voluntarily as a supervisory clinician to interns who treat members of disadvantaged communities who would otherwise not enjoy chiropractic treatments due to their financial constraints. This is self-fulfilling for me, and I will continue it for as long as I am able to. How does it make you feel giving back to the community in form of imparting knowledge to upcoming health students? In my fourth year of studies I was selected to mentor junior students of my course, and since then I aimed to be a role-model for not only chiropractic students throughout the world, but young female students who dare to dream big. What inspires and drives you to persevere? Honestly – my fear of failure and my continuous pursuit of excellence. I have set extremely high personal standards and am constantly attempting to achieve them. This has proven to be a daunting task at times but I find myself being proud - which makes it worth the extra efforts. I have dedicated my life to chiropractic now – and I am totally consumed by my love for its practice. I will continue to strive for more, not just for myself, but for the purposes of the profession itself. There is much work to be done in gaining the international acclaim of being the third-largest primary care profession in the world (after medicine and dentistry) in South Africa. Until this has proven true in our beloved country – CASA cannot rest. What are your aspirations, and where do you see yourself in the next 10 years? I would like to expand my private practice to larger premises, and possibly open more practices offering the highest level of quality chiropractic care. I will be married to my biggest fan, my fiancé Tyrone, this December, so hopefully I will be in the midst of the joys of motherhood in

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10 years. And I can definitely see myself driving down the road to the Reservoir Hills Chiropractic Clinic in a Ferrari by then. It can’t be all work and no play! I’d like to be the president of the CASA in the next decade and I would have completed my dream tour of Europe and Southern France by then. What’s the most important lesson life has taught you? People are not all they appear to be. All that glitters isn’t gold. Perseverance pays. Life is short – carpe diem. Appreciate your family. Which living African do you most admire and why? I could name a politician, activist or hero... but none compare to my mother who inspires me daily with her unwavering strength, immense selflessness, and unconditional love. She has been the wind beneath my wings and her prayers have helped me succeed. What’s your favourite quote on Education? Knowledge is power – it rings true everywhere I look. It is your greatest ammunition and your best chance of reaching your goals. African Scholar Magazine strives to promote higher education and career opportunities on the continent. What advice can you render to African Scholars, especially young female students on the importance of education and what part can they play towards developing our continent? Ladies – no one can multi-task better than we do. We do not need to be confined to one role. We can successfully juggle our careers with our role as business-woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and colleague. Your only restrictions are the ones you place on yourself. Our African continent cries out for the strength of virtuous women – courageous and strong – we can do this nation proud through our words, actions and deeds. Whatever you do – do it well, no matter how small you may feel your efforts are. We act as home-makers and nation-builders and there’s no better place to start than right where you are! Your education and honour are your most valuable assets – so be sure to guard them dearly. Keep climbing the corporate ladder – in those gorgeous stilettos!

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What has changed in Heart of the Swarm, and why are you going to want to pick up a copy as soon as it’s available?

that this planet is subject to flash freezing which freezes all your characters into place for a brief moment of time.

The campaign is entirely focussed on Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades. This time around Kerrigan is seeking revenge over Mengsk for his betrayal, so your mission is to rebuild Kerrigan’s power while exploring the galaxy and re-uniting the swarm.

This becomes the essence of this campaign as you come up against the Protoss who are not immune to the storms but otherwise nearly overwhelmingly outnumber you. During the warm periods you hunker down in your base growing your armies and then as soon as the storm hits you rush out to take out as many of the Protoss units and structures as you can before they thaw out and hit back.

Unlike in Wings of Liberty, this time you will play as Kerrigan in virtually every stage and with that comes the new ability to level-up your hero. The more XP your character earns, the more powers she gets to unlock. You can then choose which powers to arm her with before each level. You are able to swap and change her powers before every level, so you don’t need to worry about which paths you choose. One such power, for example, is the ability to automatically spawn zerglings at your home base every 10 seconds for no cost. But really that’s not the coolest part of the single player campaign; the part that I thoroughly loved was the ability to mutate your core creatures to give them extra abilities. Unlike Kerrigan’s powers though these mutations are permanent and you only get one chance to pick them. However to make the choice easier you are given 2 training levels to try out each variant of the mutation. For example the first mutation you are offered is for the zerglings. You can either choose to give your zerglings leaping power which allows them to pounce on the enemy from a distance and jump up cliffs – all while also increasing their general attack power – or you could choose to decrease their spawn time to virtually instant and to spawn 3 zerglings at once from one larva. I replayed the first level twice with each mutation and both offered an entirely different experience on the level. This will add a fair bit of replayability to the campaign section of Heart of the Swarm. The campaign will come in a bit shorter than Wings of Liberty with 20 stages planned – excluding the mutation training stages – but as mentioned before the ability to mutate means you will likely replay the campaign at least twice to see how the different options change the game.

The next stage is based around you needing to stop Protoss shuttles from escaping through the portals. These shuttles are blasting off from different bases and heading towards random portals while the Protoss are also mounting attacks on your base. It’s a great introduction to fighting on multiple fronts while still launching raids into the enemy bases to try and limit their attacks. The third and final level was the most unusual. You use a captive Protoss warrior as a host for your queen larva. The warrior is then transported to a Protoss ship and you then consume the warrior and begin sneaking around the ship consuming organic material to grow and spawn Zerglings to take over the ship from the inside out. It’s a break from the usual stealth or protect missions and while my notes hated the idea at the beginning of the level I ended up thoroughly enjoying it – and as long as they don’t throw too many of those into the mix we should be in for a good time. I played through on casual the first time, because I’m useless at Starcraft, and then randomly tried the other levels at different difficulty settings. The change in difficulty makes a huge difference and even though I knew the stage like the back of my hand I was completely unable to conquer it on Brutal. However the journalist from Greece found it pretty easy on Brutal and thought it should be harder… but he appeared to be the only one with that opinion. That brings us to the end of my single player experience. We were also given some new exciting information about the multiplayer aspects but this is a big enough wall of text. Look out for that story in a couple of minutes.

In the first stage you (Kerrigan), are dropped on a frozen planet with a few zerglings to look for a lost brood. You quickly find out

Gavin Mannion

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All your gaming news updated daily at www.lazygamer.net.

Crystal Dynamics’ new Tomb Raider reboot is unlike any other Tomb Raider game I have played before. I’m not sure if this is the Tomb Raider that people will be expecting but I am sure that this fresh, new approach to the franchise is one that is well overdue. If you are one of those gamers who isn’t a fan of change, best you start mentally preparing yourself now! Lara Croft is no longer the strong, almost super-human woman we have come to know. Lara is REAL, just like you and me, but she has this sense of perseverance that I have never seen before. You find yourself wanting to help her grow and persevere as a character… once you get over the vast amount of blood that is! Luckily the new gameplay direction allows you to do this. Lara’s skills and gear need to be upgraded to make her a stronger character, these upgrades are all dependent on you as a player. No pressure there. Not only does Lara have to fight to survive, she also has to fight to defend herself against the crew from other shipwrecks. There are different groups living on the island with Lara, many of whom have different accents and are heavily armed, which makes you feel like this island has been growing an army of shipwrecked soldiers for quite some time. Besides upgrading Lara’s character, you will also need to hunt and gather food to survive. This simple task is the thing that made me feel most connected to Lara. When she made her first kill, I stopped to take in the emotion of it all, it felt almost surreal. But beware, this survival mode is not made for the weak – prepare yourself for some BRUTAL attacks as you move through the game. I may not have been expecting the brutal attacks but I was expecting the open gameplay, I had read about it prior to my trip. I was slightly worried about it. I hate nothing more than running endlessly for long distances and accomplishing very little. The good news – for me – is that the distances between tasks are not too far apart, so a little detour here and there won’t cut heavily into your time. If you are an adventurous gamer, there is definitely room for exploration inside the hubs but if you prefer a more linear style game, just follow the checklist to keep on track. Best of both worlds I guess. As can be expected, the hubs always lead you back to your base camp. This is where all the upgrades are done and Lara’s journal comes into play. I didn’t get to see it but apparently this is also

where the fast travel element comes into play. The video clips you view at these base camps will take your breath away, Lara is often found watching old video tapes that lead you to understand how she came to be shipwrecked in the first place. For the first time playing as Lara Croft, the action side of the game was equally as time-consuming as the adventure element. Using an adventure-style weapon like the bow might make you feel otherwise but the balance between puzzle, exploration and combat have definitely levelled out. This is something that really struck me as being different and not at all what I was used to. By equalising all the pillars of the game, I did feel that a sense of history was missing. And by “sense of history” I mean actually being able to raid tombs and solve ancient puzzles. Don’t get me wrong, the puzzles are still there, but they seem to have evolved into more modern adventure puzzles. As for weapons, the bow is clearly the hero. I do worry that the aiming is a bit too easy though. I’m glad the lock-on-target element has been dropped but I still feel that the shooting could be more challenging. I’m not a strong shooter as it is, but I do hope the difficulty increases as you progress further into the game. I think it will. In the beginning of the game Lara has very few skills and hardly any gear but as you progress and she becomes a stronger character, I believe the challenges will start to pick up. The big surprise for me was that Lara only had one pistol, I almost felt a bit disorientated as the second pistol has become such a standard in this game. I’m almost certain that you will be able to upgrade to dual pistols later on in the game. After all, finding out how Lara Croft became a dual pistol lady really does pull on those origin story heartstrings. Overall, I am happy with the new direction. There are elements that I miss about the previous games but there are also elements that are completely new and fresh which is really exciting. Will everyone feel the same way? I think that is entirely opinion based but if you have an open mind and a love for Lara Croft I think you might embrace this change in a similar way to me. The Square Enix team asked me to describe the preview of Tomb Raider: A Survivor is Born in three words. The honest answer that sprung to mind was “worth the wait”, and that is not a paid for opinion… I really cannot wait until the official release date.

Kirsty Sharman www.africanscholar.co.za

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iSchool Africa

SchoolAfrica is an initiative to bring the best educational technology and practices to schools in South Africa. It is run by Think Ahead Education Solutions for the Core Group and works with corporate donors and government partners whose priority is to invest in education, and uplift communities with the use of sustainable education solutions.

Youth Press Team, and a broadcast programme.

Working with Apple technology iSchoolAfrica offers a range of programmes including an iPad learning programme, the soon-to-be launched iPad band music programme, curriculum integration with MacBooks and the extra-curricular iSchoolAfrica

The focus of iSchoolAfrica is on facilitation, ensuring that teachers and learners are trained and supported to get the best out of technology. Each school has access to an iSchoolAfrica facilitator, who works in the classroom, ensuring ongoing

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The iSchoolAfrica programme aims to bridge the digital divide whilst allowing learners to discover their own special talents. It focuses on nurturing key skills in teachers and learners. The programme operates in more than 45 under-resourced schools in townships and rural areas.

professional development. As a result, teachers become confident to use the technology independently in the classroom, with long-lasting results. The programmes are highly motivating for learners. A key initiative of iSchoolAfrica has been the iSchoolAfrica Youth Press Team programme. This is designed to train learners to create exciting multimedia content on topical issues for broadcast on TV and online. It began with World Cup 2010 when iSchoolAfrica set up 15 school press teams in four provinces, each with a video camera, Apple MacBooks, iLife software and the opportunity to tell the story of the

collaboration, leadership, awareness of key social issues and wide social engagement. Learners get opportunities to cover news events and interview people from diverse backgrounds. The impact of the programme is seen in improved communication, presentation and editorial skills, technical proficiency and skills that equip learners for the 21st century workplace. iSchoolAfrica Youth Press Team programme is designed around ongoing technical and editorial training for press team teachers and teams as well as feedback and support. The programme provides a broadcast platform for youth to engage with events and topical issues and to express their views on these. Involvement with the youth press team activity has been shown to boost learner confidence and ultimately learner performance. The school press teams operate on three levels. These are reporting and archiving school and community events, serving as an ongoing resource for the programme sponsor to report on and record relevant events and themes in the school and community, and involvement in broadcast campaigns. World Cup. In just over two months more than 100 videos were produced and watched by local and global audiences. Based on the success of the World Cup initiative, participation in the youth press team is offered as an extra-curricular activity to learners to foster important skills and values such as teamwork and creative

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Our Youth Press Teams are the â&#x20AC;&#x153;voice of young South Africaâ&#x20AC;? as they represent their communities and young people that are not often heard from in the mainstream press. This one programme epitomizes the values we bring to all of our programmes that are aimed at unlocking the potential of learners and teachers in our schools.

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Focused Determination Words by Njeri Rionge - CEO, Ignite Consulting & Investment Limited

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jeri Rionge is one of Kenya’s most successful serial entrepreneurs; perhaps most notably. Ms Rionge co-founded Wananchi Online Limited, now a leading IP communications solutions provider in East Africa, and is currently the CEO and Founder of Ignite Consulting & Investment Limited. I grew up in Nairobi and had a very ‘normal’ upbringing. My mother was a farmer and my father was head architect for Nairobi City Council. As part of his job, he got to travel all over the world and I remember promising myself that when I grew up I would also travel the world. I have always been independent. I am the first born in a family of five and at age 19, after finishing at Hospital Hill High School, I was already involved in what you could describe as my first entrepreneurial venture, which involved selling yogurt to the International School of Kenya and Loretto Convent Musongari High School over their 10am and 4pm school breaks. I sold the yogurt from the trunk of a car which belonged to a friend of mine, who partnered with me. We picked up the yogurt from a farm in Limuru (a town in Kenya) at 6am and returned back every second day for more stock. Throughout this period I also worked in a hairdressing salon. The clientele were largely high net worth individuals and I quickly recognised another business opportunity, which led to my next enterprise. I saved up and travelled to London on a regular basis using discounted courier tickets to purchase re-sale luxury merchandise which were not available in Kenya at the time. I then sold this merchandise to my clients.

By December 1994 I was living in the USA but decided that it was the right time to come back home to Nairobi. So, I returned and quickly set up my next business, exporting products from Dubai and selling them at Free Mark and KICC. I then moved to HACCO Industry, selling everything from hair products to cosmetics from my company van. From there I got a job at Form-Net Africa as head of corporate solutions and marketing, and was headhunted to work for Inter-Connect Limited, again working in marketing and sales. All of these roles not only helped me grow as a business woman but opened my eyes with regard to entrepreneurship opportunities. In 1999, together with a friend, I travelled to the north of Kenya to research the potential for internet services across the country. Based on what we saw and learned, we created a business plan to grow a countrywide infrastructure for delivering internet with the aim of making connectivity affordable to everyone. We went out looking for funding, raised the equivalent of US$500,000, and together we founded Wananchi Online, the region’s first mass market internet service provider, charging just 12,000 KSh for a year’s dial up (at the time existing services were 8,000- 10,000 Ksh a month, targeted only at big Corporate companies). This period was a great growing experience for me; it was where I learnt about the importance of business systems. I have always believed in preparing a business for the long-haul, and that to me means investing in systems.

During one of my trips to London I decided to stay, and from there I travelled to Greece where I briefly studied Computer Science and marketing before moving on to Italy, Canada, Spain and the U.S.

In 2006 I felt comfortable enough to move on to new ventures. A lot of companies in Africa are largely family owned and are more likely to be simply ‘trading’, without creating capacity for scaling into larger organisations, or leaving behind a business legacy. This is what inspired me to create Ignite Consulting, my next business, which became the management consulting business that I continue to run.

Every New Year I would write myself a one year plan, which then became 5 year plans and 10 year plans. I quickly realised that if I set my mind to something and put it into action, then it came alive and I could be successful. An idea in the mind or on paper is just that, an idea. The key is the actualisation of that idea and formulating a plan on how to put it into action. This is when you have the potential to succeed or fail. You face the challenge of people questioning what you are doing. This is when you have to have real tenacity and a strong belief in yourself.

Through Ignite Consulting, which began commercial activities in 2006, I now work with small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs to grow indigenous African businesses that can be scaled across the continent. I am passionate about seeing growth in African businesses. Our SMEs need to change the way they do business and to put in structures to deal with succession planning, skills transfer, ethics and structures for selfevaluation. When you have a business you have to be responsible for the good, the bad and the ugly.

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we don’t get left behind.

Ignite has now grown to include Ignite Lifestyle, a health care consultancy; Insite, a digital marketing firm (offering everything that goes with developing online businesses) and the Business Lounge, an incubator that offers workspace and networking opportunities to Nairobi’s entrepreneurs and to corporations establishing a Kenyan footprint. The Business Lounge seeks to nurture and encourage entrepreneurship. I also have an office in Toronto. It is a liaison company, structured to create opportunity to invest in Africa. I think in this country, both in the private and public sector over the past 20 years, there has been a focus on working and thinking primarily for oneself, and not about the common good for everyone in our country. I think this is one of our biggest hindrances in turning our economy around. What I would like to see is more young people being engaged in the process of change and in roles that would make a difference. We need to embrace the 21st Century, be able to scale our local businesses and make sure that

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Africa is the next economic frontier so there’s a huge opportunity ahead. I believe so strongly in this opportunity that this year I’m creating a new business summit in Nairobi (the inaugural event is 18-19 September) focused on local business development and the SME sector, Scaling Your Business Upwards, which is sponsored by my company Ignite Consulting. A summit focusing exclusively on business is an event that no one has done before. My own career is about business, entrepreneurship and investments. I think I will spend a good chunk of my time going forward as an investor, and my future aspirations are around building capacity for future entrepreneurs to build indigenous businesses. Ultimately, for me success is based on myself, my abilities and the things that I believe in. It’s about knowing who you are, believing in yourself and having a clear plan. The beauty of plans is that they give you clear indicators of what you need to focus on. Without a plan it’s very easy to get derailed. Know yourself, stick to the things you believe in, are passionate about and are good at, and remain disciplined and focused.

JUL-SEP 2012

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Follow your Heart

he heart is the diary of the soul. It is the unwritten diary of your personal life and experiences. The heart is full of emotions, feelings, experiences and has immense capabilities.

are not directed, trained or given any guidance on how to make personal decisions based on intuition and sixth sense. We are not conditioned, encouraged and in many instances we are not permitted to follow the directions of the heart.

When reflecting on the past at the beginning of the year I realised that many of the decisions I have taken in life have come from what I felt in my heart and not from what my head was dictating. I responded instinctively and intuitively to situations I found myself in.

Parents continually tell their children to do as they are told. When questioned as to why, the common response is, “because I told you to” or “because I said so”.

Recently when I asked my receptionist for her opinion on an issue her response was “follow what you feel in your heart” We have been conditioned to make decisions based on what is in the head. We make decisions based on what others have taught us. From the earliest age we have been conditioned to do as we are told. We

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“Don’t climb the tree John, you might fall” is a common command given by parents to children. Who is afraid, John or his parent? John has no fear. He believes he can climb the tree and has not considered or given any thought to the prospect of falling. Now his parent has sown the seed of doubt and has commenced a process of negative mental conditioning. Every time John climbs a tree he will automatically think of danger and will

have a certain amount of fear and apprehension. When John first decided to climb the tree he felt in his heart he could do so. He believed in himself and in his own ability. But now negative thoughts have been placed in his head, the seed of doubt has been sown and John is no longer so confident or selfassured. Which was better for John, what he felt in his head or believed in his heart? Information and conditioning comes to us from various sources. When we turn on the radio, the television or make use of the Internet we have immediate access to an immense volume of information. This information is made available through a series of transmitters, receivers, airwaves and sound waves. Much of what we receive through these sources will be either positive or negative. Depending on how we receive these messages we will be conditioned accordingly. Similarly our bodies are equipped with

a series of transmitters and receivers. We transmit messages by making use of our voice, body language, expressions and so on. We receive messages through the senses by hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and touching. The body’s transmitters send messages through the nervous system to the brain which in turn processes them and responds accordingly. The responses we transmit will be positive or negative depending on our prior conditioning. Think of the reaction of the body when you walk out on a cold winter’s morning. The signals received from the air, are transmitted to the brain and we feel the cold. What is the reaction of the body when you smell the scent of a lovely lady or the aftershave of a sexy man.? How do you respond to insults, is your reaction positive or negative? How do you react to a manager you do not like when you are given an instruction. What response do you automatically transmit? We transmit information every time

we think and with every emotion we express. The feelings we express as a result of these emotions are seen and felt by others and in many instances we are not even aware of the source of the signal we transmit. We respond intuitively and naturally without even as much as a thought. The reaction is spontaneous. Hugh Lynn Cayce who researched various ways of developing his own intuition, concluded that there are valuable outcomes from developing the intuition or listening to the directions of the heart • Improved communications. When we follow our heart and respond to our intuition we develop a greater understanding of the motivation, thoughts, and feelings of others. • Unleashed creativity. Following the dictates of the heart will bring us closer to the source of our intuition (self), and will result in an igniting our creativity and expression, which is the essence of our true self.

• Healing of self. As we attune to the dictates and directions of the heart we will feel more motivated and will become more attuned to self The intuition causes us to listen to our inner being and to follow the dictates of the heart. We feel more empowered and more positive in what we do. We take responsibility for our actions and over time will no longer be subject to the negative influences of others. Following your heart will stimulate the right side of the brain and will bring out the creativity within. Your logic and reasoning will be improved and your ability to visualise and strategise will improve. By following your heart you will respond to what you see as the big picture. Once this has been analysed only then will you concentrate on the intricacies and home in on the details. You will experience more “Gut feelings” and will respond accordingly. Believe in yourself and what you feel in your heart. Follow your heart and not your head.

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BLACK COFFEE Words by Chilalo Mumba

ho is DJ Black Coffee? Black Coffee is a South African Music Producer and DJ.

Tell us more about your background. I was born in Durban then we moved to the Eastern Cape when I was 9…in standard 5 I got into a music class till Matric, then studied Music at Technikon Natal and never looked back. You studied Jazz at tertiary level and ended up becoming a house DJ. How did this happen? When I was studying I was already a DJ since I was 17. Tell us more about the transition to becoming a world renowned House DJ. That happens through hard work that took time through networking and working with the right people. You have done well for yourself and garnered several accolades. How does that make you

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feel? Thank you. It feels great but I think there’s a lot more we can achieve as South African Artists. Your work is really unique and there’s a sound that resonates with every track you work on. What is it for you? Kindly explain your choice of palette? I think for me it’s a fusion of everything I've taken in musically…I go more for the more soulful sounds. You have collaborated with exceptional artists before e.g. Bra Hugh Masekela. What was your experience like? It was an amazing experience. Bra Hugh is one of the coolest I know, our recording session didn't even last an hour. Regardless of the people you have collaborated with and the places you have been to, you are still as humble as ever. How

do you do this? I owe this to my personality…I really can't take credit there. You have quite a nomadic life. Of all the places you have been to, which one do you like the most and why? Is it the vibe? I like Hong Kong / Paris. New York is the best…The vibe there is amazing. With the fame and glory, survival in the music industry is never easy. What are your words of advice to aspiring music artists? Be real, find your sound and master it…be open minded as well. You have founded a charity organization named after you to help disabled people. You also set a record by playing for 60 hours non-stop to raise awareness. What role can society play to help with this cause? For me it’s not only about donating money….Donate time as well, visit a home close to you, help clean, bath or cook a meal. That goes a long way. What has been your greatest achievement to date? Africa Rising DVD / CD is the best thing to date for me. What inspires and drives you to persevere? Hunger. I am afraid of it. What are your aspirations? Tour the Africa Rising Show in Africa and the World… What’s the most important lesson life has taught you? Real good people finish last. We strive to promote Education on the continent, of what importance is education to the youth’s in South Africa and beyond. It is very important in every aspect. It’s not just about the books but how school trains you for the real world.

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Careers in Africa Recruitment Summit Johannesburg 2012 32

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Words by Nomagugu Mthimkulu GCC International Recruitment Consultant

leven years since Rupert Adcock launched Global Career Company and the now world renowned Careers in Africa initiative, here we find out what inspired Rupert to create the Careers in Africa initiative, in his own words:

Rupert noticed a trend growing throughout African companies, a need for them to seek out internationally based African graduates and early career professionals, who could bring their skills back to the region. Careers in Africa allows our clients to utilise our growing network of internationally based talent, we then select these candidates specifically for them against their requirements and give them the tools and facilities to interview and recruit them over one weekend in key locations throughout Europe. For the candidates, we note that with career opportunities increasing throughout the region, Africans are more than ever considering moving home to further their careers and contribute to their local economies. Indeed, the uplift in applications that we have experienced shows how the appetite for a move to Africa appears to be greater than ever.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The first Careers in Africa event was on a smaller scale with just 14 companies. As we have grown exponentially our clients have grown with us. We can expect up to 50 companies at our flagship event in London this year. Graduates who we first contacted in 2002 have now become experienced managers. In many cases our candidates have become our clients and continue to act as our ambassadors across Africa. Despite the global economic downturn, we can see that Africa has remained strong. Companies are seeking experienced managers to run their African operations and drive them forward. At our recent event in Johannesburg November 2012, there were over 500 candidates and 19 companies compared to just 11 companies in 2011. A record number of interviews took place with a significant increase from the previous year. We were please to

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“

The candidates have always been extremely ambitious with excellent skills and experience. We recently conducted a survey with our database and when asked what drives the candidates to return to African countries, ‘opportunities to fast track my career’ was the leading response, ‘Africa’s growing economy’ was ranked second, whilst ‘returning home to family’ and ‘the ability to apply international knowledge to local

learn that our candidates were extremely pleased with our service and are keen to return home to contribute to their communities. We can surely expect the event in Johannesburg to grow even bigger seeing that the continents economy is getting stronger. The candidates have always been extremely ambitious with excellent skills and experience. We recently conducted a survey with our database and when asked what drives the candidates to return to African countries, ‘opportunities to fast track my career’ was the leading response, ‘Africa’s growing economy’ was ranked second, whilst ‘returning home to family’ and ‘the ability to apply international knowledge to local markets’ came joint third. Incidentally, ‘financial incentives’ and ‘giving back’ were ranked last. Over the next 12 months, Africa will continue to thrive and sustain economic growth. These are exciting times for the region and multiple opportunities abound. Global Career Company wants to be ‘in’ our markets and we are looking to grow rapidly. We are seeking to open up regional African offices, starting with South Africa. Africa is the future of employment opportunities and GCC wants to be integral to its success.’

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ower your career with the cloud Cloud computing is revolutionising our lives providing us with more mobility and convenience than ever. Online programs that can help manage our personal finances, remotely turn on the PVR and update which friends have walked into a certain nightclub, means things have become quicker, more efficient and more fun. As the generation taking this technology forward, today’s youth have a natural ability to adapt to new innovations – especially in the growth of cloud computing and mobile applications. Many of you are already using cloud computing for social purposes without even realising it, Sound Cloud, Gmail and Facebook are great examples. But what some of you may not know is that there is a whole range of cloud programs designed to enhance the way you work, study, and manage your finances. So, what I’m going to do in this article is explain what exactly cloud technologies are, how they work, and how you can use them to maximise your future career success. Cloud 101 Cloud computing has been around for a lot longer than we think. When we refer to the cloud we’re talking about where the program or data is hosted, or stored, and the answer is that it lives on the web and not your computer, iPod or tablet. It means that instead of information – whether it’syour Facebook contacts or iTunes playlist - being stored on an actual device, it lives on the internet and

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is accessible by using any gadget with a web browser. The best part is that the technology is automatically updated so if you lose your iPod, your favourite playlists will still be there. Similarly, the use of cloud programs like Evernote or Google Docs to make notes means that you can never lose them. Another great cloud program is Dropbox; an online data keeper. Imagine carrying a backpack of documents around with you wherever you go, and inside are the most current versions of your essays, textbooks, music, photographs, or anything that you want to keep. Dropbox allows you to do this, but without having to carry your bag around. The diagram below shows how it’s done. Pretend you have been working on an assignment called Economics 301 in the computer lab. As you save it into Dropbox, it will make a copy of it to all your other devices where you have Dropbox installed. So when you have to research extra information in the library, you can take your Smart Phone or laptop with you, open your assignment from the Dropbox folder and make changes there and then. No photocopyinglibrary books necessary! If you are then at home and want to hand in the assignment, open it on Dropbox and the latest version with all the information you added in the library via your Smart Phone will be there, ready to submit online. That’s the basic functionality of Dropbox but it goes much further. Let’s say you are involved in a group assignment and want to share information with a select bunch of colleagues. You

Cloud accounting 101 For Students By Steven

Cohen

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JAN-MAR 2013 can do this by creating a project folder and sharing it. And whenever you add or change a document in that folder, the people with whom you’ve shared it with will be notified that the document has been amended. And vice versa. Now that’s an example of the power of cloud. Really cool tools There’s a whole range of cloud apps to help you excel in your student life and early career. For example Astrid, a to-do note application allowing you to create lists, with your voice if you wish, and delegate specific items to specific people. It will also integrate with your calendar so you are assured to never forget important tasks. No excuses for missing an exam or an interview! Or Wolfram Alpha, which is like having a genius in your pocket. A computational knowledge engine, it provides instant access to a host of facts and data about the world across a range of topics includinggeography, maths, physics, chemistry, demographics, historical events, conversion rates, and much more. Online personal money management And what about being able to manage your finances from the palm of your hand and track exactly how your money is being spent? Our recently launched My Money application is a free online personal finance management tool allowing you to be the boss of your money and make the most of a tight budget. Pastel My Money will integrate your bank statements and give you a bird’s eye view of exactly where your money’s coming from and where it’s going. It also gives you the ability to create a budget and expense categories. Over time the application will track your spending habits so you can see where you are deviating from your budget. This will help you save for that new car, overseas trip, or even to start a business! Because it’s in the cloud you can view your financial situation from anywhere, for example when you’re in a bookshop and you’re not sure if you can afford to purchase a new textbook. Another awesome feature is the ability to automatically attach till slips to a transaction by taking a photo with a Smart Phone. So next time you’re at a bar with your friends and think you won’t remember your purchases the next day, take photo’s! Being online means there is no software installation or on-going maintenance, backups or costly upgrades.Log on to www.pastelmymoney.co.za to get started.

Did you know student’s make very good entrepreneurs? One of the main reasons for the success of the student entrepreneur lies in the fact that your bright young mind has not yet been dulled by the grind of corporate life. For those entrepreneurial spirits who would like to develop an

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e-commerce business, which has little overheads and is great to run while you’re still studying, why not try Pastel My Webspace. It’s a one-stop online marketing engine for SMEs with an HTML5 website builder designed for optimal e-commerce capabilities and social media integration. When it comes to managing your business’s finances there’s also Pastel My Business Online, an accounting program in the cloud. It has been designed for business owners with very little bookkeeping knowledge, so you’ll understand it no problem. Although it is easy to use, it offers the functionality of a fully-fledged accounting package including dashboards, graphs and drill-downs to source transactions. Because it’s in the cloud, Pastel My Business Online offers the user complete mobility, which is so important for today’s busy student and business owner. So, whether you’re studying, starting a career or your own business, cloud computing will truly make a difference to your life. And the best part is that most online applications are free or available for a fraction of the cost of traditional software programs. For those of you worried about cyber security, cloud vendors that store your data have stringent safety measures because this is their core business model so they can’t afford for anything to go wrong. At Pastel our security is iron clad; all our users’ information is backed up daily, stored in two separate locations and comes with a 128-bit encryption. At the end of the day there’s really nothing to lose and cloud technology will only become more pervasive as you move up the career ladder, so getting a handle on it now will mean you’re ahead of the pack!

STUDY IN AUSTRALIA FIRST INTERNATIONALLy FOCUSED RESEARCH INTENSIVE STUDENT–CENTRED TEACHING INSTITUTION IN AUSTRALIA

The University of Sydney is one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious universities. Established in 1850, it is Australia’s first university, and a member of the ‘Group of Eight’, Australia’s premier research intensive universities. It is ranked in the top 100 universities in the world and amongst the top four in Australia. Our 49,000+ students (including almost 11,000 international students representing 130 nationalities), enjoy an academic experience of the highest quality. We offer the most comprehensive range of degrees, majors and individual subject choices of any university in Australia, taught in 16 Faculties across eight campuses. Areas of study include Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Dentistry, Education and Social Work, Engineering and Information Technologies, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Music, Nursing, Pharmacy, Science, Veterinary Science and Visual Arts.

Our academic and teaching resources include Australia’s largest university library, and state-of-the-art technical, computing and research facilities. Our faculty is a mix of local and internationally recruited academics with extensive teaching, business and industry expertise. They bring years of knowledge gained from research in their respective fields into the classroom, providing students with a stimulating academic environment. Our sporting amenities, clubs and societies are second to none. Our student support services have been rated as the best at any Australian university. We are committed to maximising the potential of everyone in the global community we serve, seeking to develop curious minds that embrace challenge and change. We help seek knowledge and devise solutions. Over the past 160 years, we have maintained a proud tradition of excellence in education, and are relentless in our efforts to provide a fertile environment where the brightest minds flourish. www.sydney.edu.au - io.info@sydney.edu.au

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Refiloe Seseane Words by Alick Chipeta

an you tell us a bit more about your formative years as a young woman growing up in South Africa as you remember it then? I was born in Pretoria but my birth certificate says Benoni! I grew up everywhere – on my maternal grandparents’ farm in a semi-rural town called Tsolo in the Transkei (Eastern Cape Province) and with my paternal grandmother in Wattville township in Benoni (Gauteng province). My parents raised my siblings and I in Vosloorus township (also in the Gauteng province) before moving to the suburbs of Benoni. So that is why I am a proud “Benoni girl” and my birth certificate says I was born there. I remember that we had to have passports to get into the Transkei because it was a homeland that was independent of South Africa. I also remember the riots and civil unrest in the townships. I also remember the beautiful music and the sense of community.

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Who did you look up to as a role model then? My parents and grandparents (and they are still my role models!) In your mind as a young person, did you ever imagine you were ever going to accomplish as much as you have today? I will only truly know how much I accomplished when I am dead! Life is a work in progress and there is much progress that I must still make. I had all sorts of dreams for what I would do when I grew up. At one point I wanted to be a figure skating champion, and a casino show girl at Sun City and a judge! I never knew that I would become a TV actress, and I also didn’t know that I would become an Economist. So you can only imagine my surprise and delight at being able to run a wonderful Non-Profit Organization called 18twenty8 currently!

postgraduate (Honors) degree in Economics from UNISA. I now know that if I were meant to have only one career then I would not have been born with the ability to pursue all the diverse career paths that I have pursued. Refiloe, people associate you with Television more than the other important work you are involved in. Can you tell us about the other important things you are involved in right now? As the Founder of 18twenty8, I oversee the day-to-day running of the organization. My role involves building and maintaining relationships with various foreign and local donor agencies, private investors, government departments, private companies, high schools and other Non Profit Organizations. I meet influential people every day and have their support and respect which really motivates me. Developing content for our high school workshops is fun because we get feedback and advice from the girls in Grade 11 and Grade 12. 18twenty8 exists because of them! I am honored to have met the girls and young women whom I am mentoring. As a Big Sister, my greatest joy is knowing that we are working towards accomplishing the dreams of our Little Sisters, and that I am slowly gaining their trust every day. I am also lucky to have wonderful mentors myself, and I am a Little Sister to my Big Sisters and Big Brothers. It is all about learning and sharing and it is encouraging to get messages of support from people who believe in 18twenty8. I currently serve on the Maths and English Board of the Independent Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) and I am also a Board Member for the African Leadership Academyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Enterprise Program. What inspired you to start 18twenty8? The idea to start 18twenty8 came in October 2008 when, at age 28, I reflected upon the previous ten years of my life and what I had accomplished academically, emotionally and professionally since the age of 18. I felt that I would have gone a lot further if I had had someone mentoring and supporting me. So, at 28, I decided to provide the support that I did not have when I was 18, to other girls. That was what inspired the name 18twenty8. At what point in your career did you decide to go that route? I had been working in the asset management / private banking field in Cape Town (first at Allan Gray and then at BoE Private Clients) and I felt that I had to try something new.

Did you face any challenges deciding a career of your choice? The biggest challenge was thinking that I was compelled to choose only one career. My heart is in the Non Profit Sector but my talent is for television performance and my brain is in Economics, Business and Finance. I majored in Economics and Finance in my BCom degree at The University of South Africa (UNISA), and graduated with a distinction in Economics. I also hold a

Does that mean less time for television? People remember me as Dudu Kunene from Generations (SABC 1) (2005 to 2006), Nonti Ndaba from Rhythm City (e tv) (2008 to 2009) and Princess Ayanda from The Wild (MNET) (2011). I think that if I were to have the opportunity to portray such feisty and inspirational women again I would definitely consider it. I am currently developing content and doing research for a new television show that I will be producing with a friend to showcase philanthropy in South Africa and the African continent. The show aims to make philanthropy appealing and

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

“

The biggest challenge was thinking that I was compelled to choose only one career.”

promotes it as the best part of being a wealthy African. It is very exciting so I hope that everything will go according to plan!

Overjoyed! The profiling and positive publicity created awareness for 18twenty8.

Tell us what being a member of the Young African Women Leaders’ Forum with U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama entails for you? Networking with other young women leaders on the continent and keeping in touch via email and social media. We attend various events that are hosted regularly by the American Embassy so that we brainstorm solutions for the most pressing challenges that young women face. We learn from one another and explore the similarities and differences in our countries and regions. As a result of my being a member of the 2011 Young African Women Leaders’ Forum, 18twenty8 received a grant from the American Embassy to pilot an environmental project called Green Girls at one of our partner high schools between March and May 2012. The project taught our beneficiaries the importance of recycling, and exposed them to various careers in the green economy. In 2012, I was selected to be a member of President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders’ Initiative and I visited the U.S between June and July. How did you feel when you were recognized as a Top Young South African by the Mail & Guardian?

Did you in your wildest dreams ever imagine receiving recognition and accolades from Inyathelo and CEO Magazine? I didn’t set out with the intention of receiving awards. These are incredible honors that were bestowed upon me and the organization after months of hardwork, self-doubt and sacrifice.

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Both of the above awards came in 2010 and were a positive affirmation at a time when I was most uncertain about 18twenty8 and my future. The 2010 Inyathelo Philanthropy Award (Youth in Philanthropy Category) and the 2010 CEO Magazine Most Influential Women in South Africa Awards (Leaders of Tomorrow – Welfare & Related Social Services category) were wonderful platforms that enabled me to raise publicity for 18twenty8. 2010 was a good year because 18twenty8 also received the 2010 JET Community Award for School-level Programmes of Excellence in the Education Category – a fitting testament to the work that we do! What Advice do you have for the young people following in your footsteps?

I would advise them to chart their own paths and not necessarily follow in my footsteps. So the best advice I can offer is: • Get clear on your vision. • Freeze your vision. • Share your vision. These are the 3 insights I gained after reading Russell Simmon’s book Do You in 2012. The last piece of advice is my own • While you are making your vision a reality, always help others to make their visions a reality too To whom/what do you owe your success? My family, teachers, friends and everyone who has believed in me. Who do you look up to now as a role model? My parents and grandparents Our aim is to promote higher education. What advice can you render to African Scholars, especially female students on the importance of education? 1. Education is what will pull us out of poverty and empower us as young people, so no matter how hard it gets or how bad your situation is at home, stay focused and don’t give up. 2. Apply on time for bursaries, financial aid and scholarships. Education becomes prohibitively expensive

the higher you progress, and there are many young people who don’t take advantage of “bursary season” (between June and October in South Africa) by submitting their applications. 3. Surround yourself with intelligent and positive people who will mentor, advise and tutor you. 4. The true value of education comes from the application of knowledge. I would encourage young people to think about using their degrees to start their own enterprises as commercial entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs instead of “looking for a job”. Steve Biko says it better in his book I write what I like: “To most people, getting the degree is more important than getting the substance of learning attached to a particular discipline”

Finally tell us where you see yourself in the next five to ten years. Part of my prize for the 2010 CEO magazine award was a bursary to complete the Management Advancement Programme (MAP) at Wits Business School. I was the top MAP graduate in 2011, and I would like to further my studies by completing both my Masters and PhD in Economics within the next 5 years. I would also like 18twenty8 to expand beyond the Gauteng province and be a national organization as we receive an overwhelming number of requests and expressions of interest from girls and young women across the country.

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

d a l a S t i u r F o d a c o Av

e s lime juicream, crushed n o o p s le b c • 2 ta es: light sour rnish and • Gachios e g n a r o ed ts: pista Ingredieonz.) jar refrigerat . 4 $ • 1 (2 uit sections, gredients ns: ted dry al in io t t 6 a c p t e r s f ir d ir e n D f p a gra ther rained, rigerated tropic Toss togechill 1 hour. rinsed, d • f e r r ja .) d rup, Cover an , if desired. • 1 (24-orz in light asynd patted dry it u h f is n d r e e a , mix • G ained taloup rinsed, dcrubed fresh caando, halved • 2 cupsium-size ripe avoc • 1 med into chunks int and cut chopped fresh m p u • 1/4 c

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Quick & Creamy Bacon & Macar oni Tired of bo this tasty pring macaroni? Then tr Directions: the family c asta dish and watch y • Bring a lar (Serves: 4 | ome back for more! g water to ae pot of lightly salted minutes | C Preparation Time: 5 ooking Time: • Add pasta boil. 20 minutes) , until al dentcook for 8-10 minutes Ingredients: e. Drain. • Place the • 250 gram p a st a in a large • In a pan fr • 200 gram Macaroni y t h e bacon untbowl. B a c o n, roughly c c r is p • 250 millilitr y. il extra hopped • Re1duce hea • 1 KNORR B e Cream • In a jug w t to a simmer. • Pasta andacon Carbonara Flavo h ur and KNORRisk together cream • 250 gram Sauce grated Che Pasta Sauc Bacon Carbonara ddar cheese • Add to th e sachet contents. • Fresh herb e s for garnis the sauce t bacon, stirring until h • Pour the sa hickens. • Sprinkle wit uce over the pasta. h the pasta is cheese and stir until • Garnish wit evenly coated. h fresh her bs.

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

Discover

Distancelearningportal.eu:

“Your trusted window to study opportunities in Europe”

owadays, we live in a new reality of an ever increasing globalized society. New technologies and innovations are being continually developed on a daily basis. These new technologies also have a tremendous impact of the realm of education. Today, more than ever, distance learning has become a convenient prospect for students all around the globe. Thereby, African students face ample new opportunities to broaden their horizons and follow their educational pursuits at the world’s best universities, without having to leave the shores of home. So what is distance learning? The idea of distance learning isn’t new; Open Universities have been around

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Low Costs and High Quality: Up until recently, the norm for African students interested in foreign educational pursuits, was to travel overseas; mostly to the US and Europe. As this comes along with a lot of costs, studies overseas have always been a privilege for students from upper class backgrounds. For example, on average the tuition fees in the US are extremely high with quote all-in tuition ranging between $20,000 to $40,000 annually. (This doesn’t even include visa and travel costs). Fortunately though, times have changed: online degrees offered via respected universities overseas give you the opportunity to save on costs dramatically as you enroll at a foreign university, but may study from home. That means accommodation and transportation costs are no longer an issue for you. This widens access to international education as students that previously did not have access to the opportunity to study abroad, now have the opportunity to select their ideal study programme without being limited by regional/national borders.

“

“StudyPortals Founders are advocates of international and intercultural experiences for the benefit of personal and professional development. Together with the rest of the team, they continuously aim to bring transparency for students to the wealth of study opportunities in Europe's unifying Higher Education Market. Together, they are determined to stimulate and inform students on (inter) national study choice”

for a while now ever increasing access to education. As a matter of fact, Nelson Mandela benefited from such courses by obtaining his law degree from the University of London. Today, advanced technological capabilities allow for traditional, open and online institutes all over the world to offer distance education via online degrees at all degree levels with any subject on offer. The main advantage of such a type of tutelage is that in comparison to traditional education, online degrees offer increased flexibility: Distance learners may study at any time and from anywhere.

Destination Europe In comparison to the US, education in Europe has traditionally been much more affordable, while offering more variety in terms of study programmes. Furthermore, the Quality of tertiary education in Europe matches and sometimes even supersedes those on offer in the US. Europe boasts several universities with great reputations such as the Cambridge University (UK), Utrecht University (Netherlands), Karolinska Institute (Sweden) and several others. Several institutions within Europe have currently been spearheading to make their education more affordable and accessible around the globe: ensuring a high quality/ low cost form of education they have initiated numerous new online degree programmes – offering you a tremendous opportunity to increase your education. As a result of this revolution, there are currently thousands of high quality degree courses on offer throughout Europe taught entirely in English. Introducing DistanceLearningPortal.eu: With all this new knowledge in regards to the great number and variety of online degrees in Europe on offer, the next question would be: where and how to begin? Take a deep breath and relax, a solution has already been thought up for you by an organization that wishes to create value for students throughout the world! “StudyPortals” is a user friendly online platform helping millions of students worldwide to find the right study programme every year. StudyPortals has recently launched distancelearningportal. eu which is currently the largest single database within

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

Meet the founders of StudyPortals: From left to right Magnus Olsson (Co-Founder/Senior representative), Thijs Putman (CTO) and Edwin Van Rest (CEO)

Europe for Online Degree and Distance learning courses. Over 1200 such courses ranging from Engineering &Technology to Law are presented at the portal. Through easy search and filter tools it is possible to find and compare any online or distance learning opportunity in Europe. The opportunity distance learning offers is huge, especially for students in African countries. Just imagine the implications of this development; online degrees offered by top universities in Europe become available for you helping you to get access to tertiary education from European universities. This allows for fairer chances of success amongst students around the world. But distance Learning is not limited to students. It encourages anyone to become a life-long learner and allows even professionals and individuals settled in family to continue their education with new degrees. This is made possible as distance and online education overcomes the huge barrier of physical distance and allows you to study at your own pace and at your own time. In this manner, professionals can create their own schedules and family members have a better work-life balance. How to finance your study? Of course education is always an investment in yourself. That is why StudyPortals has also considered and created a solution regarding the issue of funding your

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studies: ScholarshipPortal.eu. Every year, there is over 15 billion euro worth of scholarships available to study in Europe, both for students from within and outside the EU! As getting access to these scholarships might be your first step to changing your life, ScholarshipPortal.eu provides information on over 1500 available scholarship programmes. This provides a huge opportunity for African students that may need help in financing their online degree programs. These scholarships cover a broad range of disciplines, from mathematics, and IT over applied science and engineering to the arts. Get started now! To make sure you find your dream education and the right scholarship, both portals are very comprehensive and easy to surf through. They allow you to easily narrow down the vast variety of options available to quickly identify those programmes and scholarships which you find the most interesting. Filters on the website, which assist you in this quest, are for instance degree level, subject, course delivery mode, tuition fee, language of tuition and location. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how ScholarshipPortal and DistanceLearningPortal make it easy for you to further improve your education. However donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just take our word for it, see for yourself. Feel free to access our distance learning and scholarship portals and discover your dream education today!

As the largest supplier of water, rain creates significant impact through the opportunity for growth that it brings to many diverse areas. At Nampak, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest packaging supplier, we work on the same principle when it comes to our people. By making a significant commitment to investing in opportunities for our diverse range of employees to grow, Nampak offers unparalleled career development

across

Africa.

From

production to finance, and everything in between, we provide a platform for growth and the opportunity to make a real impact in your career.

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JUL-SEP 2012

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

Loving Me, Knowing me. Words by Thandiwe McCloy - LoveLife

n your everyday life, it’s important to develop your sense of self-worth and identity as they are both crucial to living a healthy, positive lifestyle and enjoying academic and career success. They both play a powerful role in our choice of career, values, friends and partner as well as how far we go in achieving our dreams.

important to them,” she says. Precious Magogodi, the executive manager of loveLife’s Call Centre, explains that a healthy sense of self-worth and identity is about having a clear idea of who you are as a person and what it takes to look after yourself mentally, socially, physically and emotionally.

We often hear about self-worth and identity, but what do these terms actually mean? Nadia Louw, an educational psychologist based in South Africa, describes self-worth as how a person rates themselves in terms of their values, skills, abilities and worth. “Identity, however, is someone’s idea of who they are, what they believe in and what’s

loveLife, South Africa’s largest HIV prevention programme for young people, runs various initiatives as part of its efforts to lower HIV infections among youth. Included in these are a toll-free Call Centre on 0800 121 900 and a Plz Cal Me Service on 083-323-1023. Young people across South Africa can contact these lines for information on HIV/Aids,

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“

Being bullied taught me that if you look after yourself and exude selfrespect, you’re less likely to be disrespected by others,” he says. “I’ve also realised that it’s important to speak up when someone upsets you because people will treat you the way you allow them too.”

other sex and sexuality issues or to chat to a counsellor about any problem they’re experiencing. THE FEATURES OF A HEALTHY SENSE OF SELFWORTH AND IDENTITY In explaining the features of a good sense of self-worth and identity, Precious explains that they include knowing and understanding what you’re comfortable with, feeling confident about yourself and that which makes you unique. “Often these characteristics are shaped and guided by your beliefs, values and continuous parental and other family support,” she adds. Continuing the discussion, Precious says other elements of a healthy sense of self-worth and identity are knowing who you are and what you believe in. “It includes knowing your dreams for the future and how you’ll achieve them without infringing on the needs of others,” she says. “It’s about being proud of who you are and focused on your goals, whilst being self-driven and confident enough to take initiative. They tend to face their challenges with courage and optimism, often acknowledging and learning from their mistakes.” Nadia adds to the conversation by saying that people with a healthy sense of selfworth and identity accept themselves for who they are and are able to set realistic goals, tending to work hard towards achieving them. “They are less worried by what others think of them,” she says, “choosing to do what they think and feel is right, rather than just follow the crowd. They also don’t allow others to bully and disrespect them.” THE IMPORTANCE OF FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF AND KNOWING WHO YOU ARE HIV/Aids By being confident in yourself and knowing who you are and where you’re headed in life, you can lower your risk of contracting HIV. According to Precious, those with a healthy self-esteem are more likely to resist drinking and drug use to a far greater extent

- Mooketsi Nthipe (25), PRETORIA

than people with poor self-esteem. This in turn protects them against unplanned pregnancy as well as infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as substance abuse can impair a person’s judgement, causing them to engage in high risk behaviours such as alcohol/drug abuse and early or unprotected sex. Precious adds that more confident people are more likely to insist on condom use or leave unfaithful partners who could infect them with HIV or other STIs. With good self-esteem a person is also more likely to choose a loving, caring partner rather than an abusive one, so is better able to negotiate condom use. Having a healthy sense of self-worth doesn’t just lower the chances of a young girl or women choosing an abusive partner, either now or in future. “It also puts her at lower risk of ever getting into a relationship with an older man (sugar daddy) who gives her money or buys her expensive gifts in exchange for sex,” explains Precious. “She knows that she’s valuable whether or not she owns pricey products.” Studies and Career Nadia explains that a good sense of identity includes being clear about your strengths, weaknesses, values, passions and interests. “By having clarity on these aspects of yourself, you are better able to choose a course of study and career path that is best suited to you,” she says. Knowing yourself means you can select a career based on what you feel you’d enjoy and be good at rather than just choosing one your family and friends think you should follow. “It’s important to pick a career that drives you, that makes you happy and speaks to your soul,” says Nadia. “A person spends so much time at work, it’s important that they do something that suits their talents and personality, so they are happy and can perform at their

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

“

How you feel about yourself is just as important as knowing who you are in achieving success in your studies or job. Being confident in yourself and your capabilities means you’re more likely to put effort into your assignments, tests and exams because you believe in your competence and ability to achieve.” - Nadia Louw

peak.” How you feel about yourself is just as important as knowing who you are in achieving success in your studies or job. Being confident in yourself and your capabilities means you’re more likely to put effort into your assignments, tests and exams because you believe in your competence and ability to achieve. By being self-assured in the workplace, you’re better able to reach your potential, take advantage of opportunities for career progression and rise up the ranks of your chosen profession. BOOSTING YOUR SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND IDENTITY To boost your sense of self-worth and identity, Precious adds that it’s important to take time to identify your strengths and talents, your hobbies and interests: “Doing this will help you feel good about yourself and assist in forming your identity.” It’s also good to surround yourself with people who treat you with respect, care about your well-being and value you for who you are. “If you spend time with people who always put you down, you’re going to believe what they say. But if you’re around people who uplift you, you can’t help but feel better about who you are. You’ll think more positively about yourself too.” Nadia adds that you also need to be careful about what you say to yourself. “If you didn’t do as well as you expected in a test or exam even after working hard, it’s important that you praise your efforts, rather than just your results. Believe in your abilities and that you can do better next time,” she says. In working to boost your confidence and knowledge of who you are and what you believe in, it’s worth assisting your friends and family to do the same. IN THEIR OWN WORDS Proud of Me Mooketsi Nthipe (25), who hails from Pretoria, South Africa, was bullied in high school. Instead of allowing these experiences to crush his self-esteem, he chose to use them to build it. “I was targeted at school because I had low self-esteem and couldn’t afford to buy the same expensive brands as everyone else,” he says. Eventually, he’d had enough of being punched, kicked and

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teased and started standing up for himself. By standing his ground, his confidence grew. “Being bullied taught me that if you look after yourself and exude self-respect, you’re less likely to be disrespected by others,” he says. “I’ve also realised that it’s important to speak up when someone upsets you because people will treat you the way you allow them too.” Mooketsi adds that he’s worked to build his confidence in various ways including going to gym on a regular basis to look good and feel strong. Now he knows the true value of confidence and the power it has to better one’s life: “I’m a freelance journalist and because I have healthy self-esteem, I find it easy to approach magazines to write for them. I’m also taking steps towards achieving my goals, which include opening my own technology business with branches across Africa.” In January 2012, Nomkoliso Babaza (25) was one of 10 loveLife groundBREAKERS (peer motivators and community mobilisers) of 2010 and 2011 who travelled to France as part of a six month exchange programme. Reciprocally, in July, a group of French volunteers landed in South Africa to work in the Western Cape until January 2013. The exchange was made possible by Service Civique; a French institution responsible for voluntary civic service, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), loveLife; French NGO, Centres for Training for Active Education Methods (CEMEA) and the Burgundy Regional Council. While in France, Nomkoliso volunteered at a youth organisation where young people can enjoy a range of sporting activities and benefit from an array of different films. While there, her sense of identity was developed as she learnt more about herself: “In France, I had the opportunity to go hiking and draw a lot,” she says. “Now I realise I actually really love nature, hiking and drawing which is something I never realised before because I never had the chance to engage in activities like this.” Nomkoliso also realised more about South Africa by being in a different country. “I became really aware of how diverse our country is in terms of language and culture,” she says. She also expressed her identity by informing young people in France about South Africa’s history and cooking them a variety of delicious SA dishes!

Puzzles... Cars Going Nowhere Fast

*The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal

Across 1. Applied 5. Big __ Conference 8. Drill 9. Auditory 11. Computer picture 12. Insect stage 13. Volcanic glass 15. “Am __ believe..?” 16. Eastern European 21. Soon, to a bard 22. Bank claim 24. Merlot, e.g. 25. “___ and the King of Siam” 26 Mr. Turner 27. “How ___!”

Down 1. “60 Minutes” network 2. Dotty 3. Kuwaiti, e.g. 4. In retirement 5. Very high price 6. Small purse 7. Australia palm 10. Sack, SI 14. “___ alive!” 16. Swerve off course 17. Building block 18. Departed 19. Hokkaido native 20. Peddle 23. Dumfries denial

Niner Soduku Soduku is gaining popularity all across Europe. Only logic and patience are required. No math involved. Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has a number 1 through 9 and that the number only occurs once. Each column and row of the large grid must have only one instance of the numbers 1 through 9. Here’s a tip for playing. We’ll call hte 3x3 squares “regions”. With a highlighter, color in all the rows in the large grid and all the columns in the larger grid that have a 9 in them. We chose 9 because there are several of them in the puzzle. Finished? Now observe. In the top left region and the middle region, what is the only possible location for the 9? This technique is called “scanning” and you usually do it with your eyes and not a marker. The difficulty rating on this puzzle is medium. www.africanscholar.co.za

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

Lenovo’s new additions TO THE FAMILY gives business professionals two devices in one incredible form factor. It is a high performance, thin and light Ultrabook with a detachable Windows 8 tablet. We’ve also pumped more power and productivity into the new IdeaPad Yoga 11S mini-Ultrabook so it can handle whatever mobile computing tasks consumers throw at it.” ThinkPad Helix Fuses Laptop, Tablet and More with “Rip and Flip” Screen The ThinkPad brand’s premium convertible, Helix, defines the next generation of mobile computing through its ground breaking “rip and flip” design. This special design gives users absolute mobile freedom and versatility with four unique ways to use it.

Lenovo Intros “Rip and Flip” ThinkPad Helix and First Multimode Mini-Ultrabook Lenovo Rocks Mobile Computing Experience with Even More Convertible Devices South Africa – January, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) announced two new additions to its family of convertible laptop-tablet devices: the ThinkPad Helix, a premium convertible for business professionals featuring a “rip and flip” design - a blueprint for the next generation of laptop designs – and a more powerful and productive IdeaPad Yoga 11S, the first multimode mini Ultrabook™ equipped with powerful Intel processors and featuring Windows 8. “Our unmatched family of convertibles gives consumers, students, business professionals, and everyone in between the opportunity to choose the convertible that’s right for them,” said Peter Hortensius, president, Product Group, and senior vice president, Lenovo. “The ThinkPad Helix

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ThinkPad Helix first functions as a high performance Ultrabook. For added mobility, the 11.6-inch tablet can separate from its base to become the thinnest full-function Intel® 3rd generation Core™ tablet with vPro. Adding to its mobility, the tablet weighs just under a kilogram, also making it the lightest in its class1. Unlike other convertibles, the innovative “rip and flip” screen lets users flip the tablet 180° and snap it back into the base – this mode, called Stand mode, transforms Helix into a mini-movie theatre or business presentation central. From here, users can also fold the screen down to use it as a tablet while keeping the base connected for added ports and connectivity. Besides its game-changing design, the ThinkPad Helix comes with exceptional performance and productivity features that set the bar for this type of device. A top-class Ultrabook™ the ThinkPad Helix runs up to 10 hours for a full day of work and play. Navigation and interaction are easy with the precision on-board pen, full-size keyboard and new five button clickpad that boasts 20 percent more surface area than traditional ThinkPad clickpads. As the brightest screen in the ThinkPad brand portfolio, Helix’s 11.6-inch

high definition 1080p IPS display maximizes clear, crisp and vibrant visuals in nearly any environment. To connect virtually anywhere, ThinkPad Helix comes with optional LTE2 high speed wireless and also pioneers the emerging Near Field Communications (NFC) technology that allows devices to share data seamlessly by simply tapping to pair them. Additionally, Helix delivers the ThinkPad brand’s reliability, enhanced security and manageability features that large businesses depend upon, including Intel® vPro. Helix redefines expectations

applications like PowerPoint in full-screen when using Yoga in its other three modes: tent, stand or tablet. IdeaPad Yoga 11S also has the same attractive rubber painting and a soft-touch exterior as the IdeaPad Yoga 13 and will be available in Silver Grey and Clementine Orange. Lenovo offers a full suite of services for the convertibles, including In-Home Warranty upgrades for service at the owner’s home or business, and Accidental Damage Protection on select products to help insure against damage from accidents like drops or spills. Lenovo Premium Support’s expert technicians are available when needed with convenient over the phone or remote session support from the comfort of home. Additionally, a full line-up of Lenovo Services for Small Business backs up ThinkPad Helix. Customers can select from a portfolio of warranty upgrades, Accidental Damage Protection, Keep Your Drive and other protection services valuable to today's small businesses. For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook.

for mobile computing by bringing together innovative technology and engineering that essentially eliminate the need to carry a laptop and a tablet. IdeaPad Yoga 11S – Small Yet Powerful Ultrabook Users now have another option for choosing one of Lenovo’s groundbreaking flip and fold, 360° hinge IdeaPad Yoga convertibles. The new Yoga 11S comes equipped with a new low power lineup from Intel with up to 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i5 processors and Windows 8 to give users the full power of multitasking and using Office applications, all in a svelte, 0.68-inch thin frame. Like its predecessor, users can work with Yoga 11S as a laptop, or flip the screen around to turn it into a great sized tablet. Even convert Yoga 11S into Stand or Tent modes for a space-saving way to watch movies, as it’s tuned with great Dolby Home Theatre audio and smooth Intel integrated high definition graphics. IdeaPad Yoga 11S features an 11.6-inch HD IPS display that supports 10 finger multi-touch and comes with unique features previously only available on Yoga 13: Motion Control lets users simply swipe their hand in front of the webcam to advance photos, videos and other document, and with Lenovo Transition, users can automatically open

About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US30 billion personal technology company – and the second largest PC company in the world, serving customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com. 1Based on weight comparisons to full-function Intel core i tablets in market today. 2Requires separate data plan. North America only. 3Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

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Nthato Selebi

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Thuthuka Bursary Fund Applications for aspirant chartered accountants now open Words by Nkolola Halwindi

he decision on which career path to follow is not always an easy one. There are two key issues to address - whether to choose a career path that will give you job satisfaction or one that will ensure monetary reward. The most important question to ask at this stage is: can I get both monetary reward as well as job satisfaction? The answer is yes if you choose to become a chartered accountant. If you have a flair for numbers, excel in Mathematics and enjoy the business working environment, then job satisfaction as a chartered accountant is a given. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) is offering more than 300 bursaries to qualifying African and Coloured Grade 12 learners who wish to pursue a career as a Chartered Accountant (CA) but don’t have the money to do so. This move is part of the institute’s strategy to fast track transformation in the profession to represent the demographics of the country. Aspiring Chartered Accountants must have achieved outstanding Grade 11 results and should have a minimum of 60% in mathematics (5 or above on the NSC scale of Achievement), not maths literacy. The closing date for applications is 30 April 2013. One of SAICA’s prime goals is to strengthen the country’s economy by playing a significant and leading role in transformation and skills development. Through its transformation initiatives Thuthuka Bursary Fund (TBF) and Thuthuka Education Upliftment Fund (TEUF), the chartered accounting institute plans to transform the demographics of the profession to reflect those of the country in terms of race and gender. One such beneficiary of the fund Kim Jacobs from Toekomsrus, East of Johannesburg is one of the youngest

of three children raised by her single mother and the first member of her family to go to University. Her brother was the sole breadwinner and started working immediately after high school, although his dream was to study finance and banking but he postponed his dream so that he could take care of the family. Kim is just one of the over 1800 Thuthuka-funded university students who are currently studying towards qualifying as chartered accountants [CAs(SA)]. Tasked with boosting the numbers of black CAs(SA), Thuthuka is a holistic programme designed to nurture promising African and Coloured students from high school, through university, their workplace training and, ultimately, to prepare them for their qualifying examinations towards becoming CAs(SA). Nthato Selebi, Project Director of SAICA’s Thuthuka Bursary Fund, says: “This is not just money paid over to the students. We address the student's broader lifestyle needs via a comprehensive programme and working with the students as a group.” Selebi goes on to explain, “When a TBF student gets to a SAICA accredited university they will be covered for textbooks, their accommodation in residence and meals. TBF students are also given extra classes, tutorials, mentoring by student’s that are ahead of them, life skills training, workplace readiness and any other non-academic support they might need on their path to becoming a CA(SA).” He stresses that it is imperative that learners are aware that maths literacy is not accepted or recognised when applying for a Thuthuka bursary, but that core mathematics is. “Universities also generally require any learner intending to study a B Com accounting degree to have matric

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THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

THE AFRICAN SCHOLAR

JAN-MAR 2013

mathematics as a subject.” Selebi points out that the TBF has proven itself as an effective solution to addressing the skills shortage in the country. Evidence of such effectiveness is reflected in the remarkable success of the first seven years of implementation.

• • • • • • •

What are the Bursaries application requirements?

Where can a CA(SA) work?

• The learner must be a South African Citizen • The learner must be African or Coloured • The learner must obtain at least 60% on Mathematics (5 or above on the NSC Scale of Achievement) NOT Maths Literacy • The learner must be in Grade 12, intending on studying B Comm. Accounting

Research revealed that South African businesses need 22 000 qualified accountants. Therefore, if you choose to study chartered accountancy, you stand a better chance of getting better career prospects than any other profession and being well paid because of the demand for these professionals.

Learners can phone 08610 72422 and ask for the Thuthuka Bursary Fund application form to be sent to them. You can also email janes@saica.co.za The Thuthuka Bursary Fund, PO Box 59875, Kengray, 2100. Those who have access to the internet can visit the SAICA website on www.saica.co.za. So, go ahead. Take that big step and become a chartered accountant and put that smart designation after your name — CA(SA). It's called success.

What does a Chartered Accountant do? Chartered Accountants South Africa [CA(SA)] manage a company’s funds (money) and ensure accountability. They are also tasked with managing matters such as tax, financial statements, financial policies and many others. Several options are available: •

You can go into private practice

You can work as a tax advisor or consultant You can become a forensic accountant An entrepreneur A financial manager A chief financial officer (CFO) A chief executive officer (CEO) An Academic

Chartered Accountants [CAs(SA)] continue to dominate the directorships of South Africa’s largest listed companies. Further, a recent independent research into the qualifications of board directors of the 200 largest companies listed on the JSE ltd reveals that 35% of the 2215 directorships are held by CAs(SA). This is a slight increase on the 2010 figure of 32.3%. Unsurprisingly they also dominate the lead finance role in listed companies, with almost nine out of 10 (89.6%) finance directors or chief financial officers having qualified as chartered accountants. This represents a significant increase from the last survey in 2010 when 78% of finance directors had qualified as chartered accountants. “Companies trying to survive and thrive have turned to the advanced financial management skills of CAs(SA) to steer them through the toughest economic times of our

generation,” said Matsobane Matlwa CEO of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). “Business leadership in troubled times is not just about controls, tax or ratios – though these are important – it is about a grasping and managing risks and strategic opportunity. This is why CAs(SA) also dominate the chief executive function in South Africa with three out of 10 (29.7%) listed company leaders also having achieved the qualification.” CAs in business and industry work in companies such ABSA, FNB, Standard Bank, RMB, Nedbank, Delloite, Price waterhouse Coopers, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo, Treasury, Reserve Bank of South Africa, Sasol, Old Mutual, SAB Miller, BHP Billiton, MTN, Anglo American and other JSE listed companies as well as the Public Sector. The CA(SA)] qualification is not only highly regarded in South Africa, but throughout the world and currently there are approximately 6 000 South African chartered accountants who are working abroad. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Senior Executive for Professional Development, Transformation and Growth Chantyl Mulder who herself is a CA (SA) says that the qualification opens up the world. “With CA (SA) after your name, there are very few business obstacles you can't conquer. The designation is well recognised in the world.”

How do you become a CA(SA)? • You've got to have that university exemption in the bag (that means you must work hard in your last few years of school). • You’ll need at least a C-plus in English and

Mathematics (and NOT maths literacy). • Maybe you did accounting until grade 12 (but that's a bonus, not an essential) Next, you need to apply to study a relevant B.Com degree at a SAICA accredited university. SAICA, as a registered Education and Training Quality Authority (ETQA), only recognises certain universities as having the necessary quality to academically qualify prospective CAs (SA). These include: • North-West University • Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University • University of Cape Town • Rhodes University • University of Limpopo • University of Fort Hare • University of Free State • University of Johannesburg • University of South Africa (UNISA) • University of Stellenbosch • University of Pretoria • University of Witwatersrand • University of Western Cape • Monash University. Once you finish your B.Com degree and then the certificate in theory of accounting (CTA) - an Honours level degree – you will start your three-year internship or ‘articles’ with an accounting firm, in government or in a commercial company. This is called a training contract. Therefore, if you are planning on going into commerce, starting your own business or want to enter a profession that will ensure you always have a great job anywhere in the world, the smart thing to do is become a chartered accountant.

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JAN-MAR 2013

THE FUTURE IS IN

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