5 New Events & Opportunities YOU should know about

OPPORTUNITY:   Young African Leaders Fellowship : A new flagship program of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative. APPLY NOW.

EVENT: AFFORD UK - Sierra Leonean Health Matters : The Event will bring together the IOM and the authors of the UK mapping report to present the key findings of the UK mapping exercise, and a panel of experts to discuss issues raised by the study and the broader policy context. The presentations will be followed by an open question-and-answer session.

OPPORTUNITY:  Vacancy - GIZ Regional Resource Governance project for a "Senior Advisor for Private Sector Cooperation". The position is open for Sierra Leone nationals. Feel free to share.For further enquiries please contact me (janne.kaiser@giz.de) or Mrs. Robbin-Coker (ruby.robbin-coker@giz.de).

EVENT: Le Pop Up Marche - A month Fashion & Lifestyle Shopping Experience

OPPORTUNITY: Academic Scholarships for Study, Undergraduate, Post graduate and Doctoral - application deadlines are soon approaching.


Fambul dem, this is how we do...

Artist Njideka Akunyili

 “Achebe once said if you alter the English language you can make it bear the burden of another language. I feel like I’m taking this Western visual language I inherited, just as African writers inherited English, and I’m trying to make a new version of it so it speaks to another place.”

Njideka Akunyili

 Her work in its simplicity leaves me unsettled. Nostalgia is what i feel, lost in the ordinary moment yet active and seekng to understand the mini stories that uphold the meta-narrative of her pieces, and we say "the beautiful one's have not be born yet"....just OPEN up to African-a inspired offerings...This Nigerian artist has me intrigued.

SEE MORE OF HER WORK HERE.
fambul, this is how we do..

GROWN TOO QUICK by Kalumbu Kapisa

 

 

After the 2010 world cup in South Africa I took a long overdue holiday to my hometown in Blantyre, Malawi. Everything is so surreal I left the place as a 13 year old in 1993 with my parents to reside in South Africa. Decided to visit a few remaining childhood friends whom some are married with children, others young professionals and others have migrated to South Africa and the UK studying and persuading careers. The youth of Malawi paints a picture of doom and gloom in their narratives. The youth have lost hope. They have no place to contribute to the development of Malawi. The Kwacha (Malawian currency) has plunged down to K30 to the Rand. Prices for basic food have are sky high. Living is hard in Malawi and all fingers point to the late Bingu WA Mutharika for his failed economic ideologies of Malawi. The narrative of Bingu WA Mutharika is different depends on who you ask. This is the man who had good economic policies on paper but failed to implement them. A young Africa with old problems. On my last week of visit before I heard back to South Africa I honored a call by my mother to visit her old friend to check on wellbeing. I arrived at the biggest hospital in Malawi the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Blantyre where I was actually born to meet Mrs. Kaoza. She works in a special ward where she administers ARV to children. She is telling me stories of young children as young as 12 who are orphans and bread winners who are working odd jobs to support their siblings as young as 4. Girls as young as 13 are resulting in prostitution to support their families. With the increase of multiple partners with married men, HIV and AIDS is rife in Malawi claiming life of parents leaving children vulnerable.
Upon learning I work in the media Mrs. Kaoza advised I speak to a special boy from Kanjedza, an orphan who is looking after his siblings.
I met Francis Mkhoma a strong willed God fearing young man who started to relate his story of how he became an orphan at age 12 and became a breadwinner to his 3 siblings. His responsibilities including putting them through school, food, clothing and shelter. I was moved by his humbleness through the hardships he encounters on daily basics. Not easy to relate to his challenges as at his age I was more worried about being the next soccer star while playing in the dusty streets of Kanjedza. In spite of his challenges Francis remains positive and hopeful about life and he is committed to being the leader inspiring his siblings. His motto in life is that one should rather channel energies into positive thoughts than worry about issues of the world.
I called my friend Mike Kambalame a filmmaker in Malawi to get me gear as we have a story to tell the world.
Next day I travelled with Francis to Zomba secondary school to visit his two siblings who are in boarding school. They relate to Francis as a father figure of their hardships at schools including being chased away for school fees arrears. Francis promises he will make a plan and come through for them. This is a young man with no money but hope.
We head out back to Blantyre to see the last born who is still in primary school. He appeals to Francis for a brand new pair of shoes and school uniform. The young boy is on ARV and he often takes his medication without food. Francis breaks down, as he has nothing to offer to his young brother but hope of a better future.
My last day in Malawi before I leave for Johannesburg I met up Francis and helped him with a few Kwachas. With the high inflation rate in Malawi I am aware that the money will probably last him a week and he is back to square one. I promise him that I will stay in touch and help wherever I can.
Late 2010 we start postproduction work on the film with my editor Nyikiwe from Mirror Effect media and we complete by early 2011. SABC 2 and Aljazeera license the film and schedule for broadcast in 2012. Aljazeera invites the film to participate at the prestigious Aljazeera documentary film festival in DOHA in 2012.
I travelled to New York in April of 2012 to showcase the film to overwhelming responses of people willing to help Francis and his siblings. We start receiving food parcels and clothing to donate to Francis to help his family.
Upon my return to Malawi in December 2012 to share the news I meet the selfless Francis who insists that we help other child headed family members in Malawi whom are in worse situations than him. I am moved by his selfless altitude to life and always putting other people first and we decide to form an NGO called The Grown Too Quick Foundation with the aim of uplifting the lives of other child headed family members in Malawi.
We team up with other like-minded young Malawians to help the plight of child headed family members in Malawi. In 2013 The Grown too Quick Foundation gave bursaries to 10 child headed school children at the beginning of their academic year.
People will help other people to build better communities. It is not the government that will help people to build better communities. Being part of the Grown TOO quick Foundation gives me hope that with the little bit we have we can make a difference to peoples lives and gives them hope for a better future of Malawi.

 

WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY HERE. 

 

Author: Guest Blogger & Filmmaker Kalumbu Kapisa

WHY AM I HERE, 'HOME'

FatouWuriePhotography |Kroo Bay| Freetown, Sierra Leone

It is a matter of perspective. I remember, vividly, when I took this image in kroo Bay. Fresh of the plane from Montreal, I think the nation could smell that I was in unfamiliar territory that I call ‘home’. My sense of direction, orientation, reaction and attraction to people and places were electric. Every story, every movement, every gesture, dream and laughter left me changed. Re-activeness was how I coped, I ran after everything, chasing those stories and possible connections. Like I said, the nation, everyone and there mama knew I had just landed.  

 I reeked of naïve yearning to belong and understand. Recently, I have been receiving messages from friends and strangers, asking me of my experiences of ‘moving back home’. I recall asking the same question to individuals living in Freetown when I too wanted, ached rather, to come back home. Now that I am at the receiving end of these questions, I never quite know how to respond. I could respond with the usual, prepare, um things don’t really work/function, don’t really trust people…trust is broken, oh and it’s a really small place, like incredibly tight, fishbowl microscopic so be prepared to be private. No scratch that, just come be open and do YOU, if you are prepared to deal with the consequences. The men, women…o la…stay single. But don’t, freetown, upline, the country..is romantic..dream A LOT. Did I mention trust is broken. Lord, just do YOU. No. PRAY. Be.

I have no answers, I only have my story. My story mine mine, the reason why I am here, how I ended up here, why I am still here….it’s mine, Be open enough to know that your story will unfold as destined….What I can speak to however as year 2 approaches is this:

1.   Its all about perspective
2. Your core…who you are, your principles, your dreams, your aspirations….protect it.
3. Secure and ensure you have a circle of love. A circle that reminds you that you are human, that you are allowed to make mistakes, that reminds you that ONLY YOU can truly know who you are, want to be, and are made off. 
4.  Be humble. Kiss the palms of the elders, drink their knowledge.
5. Listen. TRUST ME; you do not have much to say…Yet.
6. Its home, relax…all will be well. You will see the extension of your roots…your ancestors live on…all will be well.

I look back at this image with a smile. Now, today, with the very same camera and lens, this photograph would be captured from a different angle. The textures and layers,  more sensitive, more detailed, more more more…less raw.

Its all about perspective. I promise.

Fambul dem this is how we do…