Daily Archives: June 27, 2015
Africa Reign: Magunga Williams
Magunga is trained in law at the University of Nairobi. However, the dream is to write. He started a blog when the writing bug got him in 2012. It became popular among his peers until it gained more traction and he got nominated and won awards.
To be able to tell a good story is my only vanity. So I write for a living, but most importantly I write to live.
His website (www.magunga.com) is a creative writing hub. A wonderland for fascinating stories. Magunga believes that we all live and die by the stories we tell and everyone has a story. It just needs to be told.The website concentrates on fiction, creative non fiction, poetry and book reviews.
I welcome people who have the talent to write but not the space or audience. I share my space with them, and I hope that this platform will someday grow to become Africa’s most read creative writing hub.
His Awards and accolades:
Best Overall Blog – Connect Vuka Border, Inter-University Blogging Challenge 2013
Winner – Samsung Blogger Challenge 2014
1st Runners Up – Best New Blog in the BAKE (Bloggers Association of Kenya) Awards 2014
1st Runners Up – Most Promising Blog in the SoMA (Social Media Awards) 2014
1st Runners Up – Best Creative Writing Blog in the BAKE (Bloggers Association of Kenya) Awards 2015
What does Africa Reign mean to you?
It means hope. Hope in Africa. Africa as a continent has so much potential yet it remains untapped for many excuses that pose as reasons. I am hopeful that this initiative will break these barriers and unlock our potential.
How can we as the African youth build the African Dream?
We can take the centre stage in our different fields. I plan to unite a continent by telling stories through my website and social media pages. Other young people in other fields should also take the lead in their own spaces. We have been ‘leaders of tomorrow’ for far too long. Tomorrow is here now.
Do u think the youth is motivated enough to help develop Africa?
Enough? No. Not enough. There can never be enough motivation for development. We should always be motivated to do more. The moment we say “enough” is the moment we become complacent, and we cannot afford complacency.
What is Literature’s role in developing a better Africa?
Literature will keep telling the stories that need to be told. Literature is the point of knowledge. That means it is the source of inspiration, entertainment, opportunities and power to develop the mind. Literature has been playing this role for the longest time, especially for Africa. Sadly, many of us have not been watching or listening.
Words are living things – Rix Poet.
Twitter: MagungaWilliams
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Website: www.magunga.com
Africa Reign: Kagiso Koyabe
Kagiso Koyabe, is an Economist with a degree from the University of Johannesburg, entrepreneur and designer from Botswana. A South African graffiti artist who told Kagiso about the history of the Hip Hop Culture in Southern Africa and taught him about design, materials and art inspired Kagiso to start an urban lifestyle company called Lucky Charm Creations.
Lucky Charm Creations started out focusing on initial designs for t- shirts as well as customized graffiti apparel. During his timein UJ Lucky Charm partnered in sponsoring with the Hip Hop Association of UJ the annual Break Dance Competition which ran for 2 years, as well as partnering with Film students at UJ together with some from AFDA in organizing the FYTA Independent Film Festival in collaboration with Coal Stove a South African film house.
During his time as a student of Economics, Kagiso worked at building his company and was selling his merchandise at 3 stores in the Melville – Newtown area. Being back in Botswana Lucky Charm has been registered and has started off by working with community and charity projects to generate funds through entertainment and art activities and exhibitions.
Currently Kagiso is working on ways to make an innovative impact through fashion and Art, this has put him on a path to try and research, test and improve the garments and products being released under the Lucky Charm brand, in order to establish his second full line of clothes, beyond t-shirts and plain hoodies, incorporating fabrics (African prints and others) into my garments to make them more comfortable, unique and of a high enough quality to make it comparable to international brands. In the future once the company structure is stable, He aims to convert Lucky Charm into a NGO that will run as an Urban Lifestyle company with regional and international reach, that distributes its Profit to various charities on an annual basis, ensuring that its purpose outlives him. The purpose being to encourage people to Dream, and be Creative in actualizing these dreams, and lastly to Give back to the communities that raised them in order to improve the options marginalized youth have in current times of high youth unemployment and frustrations
Africa Reign means a celebration of African entrepreneurship, talent and drive. I believe that this project can help sing praise of some of the bright stars of Africa and motivate many other hopefuls to continue pursuing their dreams and goals, moreover, this can help us see how alike we are as Youth in Africa, how we share challenges and frustrations, and demonstrate the necessity for African Unity
According to Kagiso the only way for there to be an “African Dream” is for the youth in Africa to unite over its hardships and challenges, and bond together in generating sustainable solutions and options for the development of Africa. This can be done by African to African internships, skills exchanges, regional youth business forums and programmes. In this way not only will we learn tolerance to our fellow Africans, we will also understand their history, their challenges and also opportunities.
The Youth is definitely motivated to provide solutions in developing Africa, but need a high level forum that can engage them on their ideas, and assist them in building them up towards assisting with improving lives of other youth and their own countries.
–What is fashion’s role in developing a better Africa?
Fashion has as pivotal role to play as it is an expression of culture and personality. Culture in itself is dynamic and ever adaptive to innovation and shifts in trends in traditional structures, which are often fused with modern ideas and expressions. this makes the current fashion scene very vibrant and competitive, with more and more Africans going into the industry and more regional fashion shows and exhibitions, Fashion and the creative sector as a whole will have a strong role to play in unifying Africa and giving us an identity we are proud of, to lead us into the future.
Stay in touch with Lucky Charm Creations on https://www.facebook.com/OrganicUrbanCulture
AFRICA REIGN BRANDING BY https://www.facebook.com/BranditPro
Africa Reign: Belinda Phofu
Belinda Phofu is a 21 year old creative entrepreneur and alternative jewelry designer. Belinda’s brand SIIC,which stands for Style Is InCalculable, is an alternative jewelry brand that was created in 2012.
She began making jewelry in 2012, which was the year she had to take a gap year because her mom couldn’t afford to send me to varsity.Belinda wanted to study wardrobe and costume design at AFDA.
Having too much time on your hands and nothing to do can drive anyone crazy so for Belinda making jewelry at the time was something she was doing just to keep me busy.It was only when she noticed that there was a demand for her products that she decided to establish a brand. SIIC was born mainly because that is what people would say when they saw her jewelry.
I really loved the ring that the word had to it and so I decided to use it as my brands name. I just wanted it to have meaning,which is where Style Is InCalculable came from.
Belinda’s approach when making my jewelry is basically taking mundane every day objects and tuning them into creative jewelry pieces. SIIC is different is that it’s an alternative jewelry brand that believes that Art is a culture and SIIC is about preserving and growing that culture, as well as using that culture to tell stories. Art Is Currency was Belinda first big project, she collaborated with 10 visual artists and they created illustrations that interpreted Belinda’s jewelry pieces. The aim was to show SIIC from a different eye, the eye of the visual artist.
It was a huge success, I’m reallly happy with how everything turned out and I’m really greatful to the visual artists, blacknation family and Mpho Makua from StylaGang for all the help.I couldn’t have done it without them.
To Belinda African Reign means inspiring creatives to keep following their dreams and helping them achieve their dream. In comparison to Art Is Currency, Africa Reign is also about preserving culture as well. Creatives can help push Africa forward by collaborating on projects.
Check out Belinda’s Work on http://styleisincalculable.tumblr.com
AFRICA REIGN BRANDING BY https://www.facebook.com/BranditPro
Africa Reign: Ndutiye Colombe
Ndutiye Colombe is the founder and creative director of INCO ices a Rwanda based fashion brand. Her aspiration is to expand INCO’s work and to showcase what uniqueness that Africa and Rwanda have to offer. Ndituye is currently working on opening a store project that she expects will enable other young and upcoming designers to showcase and make their creations available through retail. She has realized that at earlier stages most local and young brands are not able to fully finance themselves and have stores, therefore they cannot reach their market. That is why the solution was to have a store were these brands can be made available. INCO produces quality products and they want to penetrate both the national and international market and stimulating the economy.
Within Africa Reign, I see The African ability to compete in its originality
Ndutiye believes that we can have the African Dream if the youth starts believing that they can, by learning from different opportunities offered to them and most of all from learning from their elders’ experiences and their own mistakes. The youth needs to believe that they are the ones who own their countries and the African continent. they need to take education seriously and work well in their chosen fields and not forgetting that the future depends on them.
I think the youth has heard enough speeches and now they need to take action. If they are willing to learn then they will always find ways.
In developing Africa fashion has a huge role to play. Ndutiye highlights the number of jobs that can be created, designers, the tailors, models, photographers, writers, journalist and event planners just to mention a few are able to get jobs and content through fashion. Africa has a large number of imports on clothes. If the African fashion industry is strengthened then the millions that flow out of our countries can be spent in Africa thereby developing the fashion industry and stimulating economic growth.
Fashion is in someways a cultural identity from where it is made and what it represents including the story of its origin and the makers.
Find more on Ndutiye’s brand on www.incofashion.com and https://www.facebook.com/INCO-Icyusa
AFRICA REIGN BRANDING BY https://www.facebook.com/BranditPro
Africa Reign: Zaid Philander
Zaid is bag designer and he teaches people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities how to create their own products within their home. Zaid started I Scream & Red a planet friendly company that creates bags made from recycled seat-belts, reused car/homestead upholstery and rejected sample fabric books. They use natural organic cotton and materials to bind all their products. I Scream & Red trains and empowers people from previously and currently disadvantaged backgrounds with the skills to create these products and to sustain employment in order to significantly improve their lives
I do not believe that the individuals we teach have to continue working for my project, but instead, should be able to acquire their own clients and build on what they have. I do not believe in providing someone with job, but instead, I believe in helping them build their own career.
Zaid is interested in helping communities and building on the skills they have learned by giving them the advantage of learning how to start business of their own and use the skills they have in a pressure free environment. He has always been interested in the fashion sector and creating items that unite people by what they wear and allowing them to express their individuality.
I like the turbulence of the fashion industry and also the creative side that allows one to constantly work at revolutionizing the way we wear, think and express art in its most basic form. That basic form being simply clothes.
On Africa Reign:
Africa Reign: Reign means to be in power or rule. However, I believe that this is always what we have been doing. As an African and someone that is proud of where he comes from, I realize that the entire world exists off of Africa, whether we backdating to which continents were the most rich in resources or to the best of inventions. I believe that the world could not exist if it was not for Africa. So does this not mean that Africa was always on the Global throne to begin with? Sadly, ownership and everything around many periods that has passed has got people to perceive Africa as the less fortunate. I however, believe that we should be proud, for our reign has never really ended.
So when someone asks me what does Africa Reign mean to me? It means, now, it means, always have been and it means the chance to show pride and be better at any we have come to know.
Zaid believes having a united vision, having the courage and determination to want others to lead and succeed is the correct recipe for building the African Dream. He thinks working at our communications between groups is what is best to work on as most of us are doing great work, we just need to ensure that the work we do in building that African dream is communicated to the public, among ourselves and to other leaders across the globe in order for it to work well.
On the youth helping to develop Africa Zaid thinks there are selected individuals out there that are willing to make the change and there are some who are not exposed to the opportunity or whom expects to know or experience better than that of what they are given. Part of us all as an individual is to want better and create a drive for us all. Zaid highlights that not everyone is a leader and that he thinks some may be followers and others may succeed upon the dream and will of wanting to make Africa a better place. All of us are not born leaders, but we all can build in our own capacities to develop the Africa we believe in.
Check out I Scream & Red ‘ s bag on their website and facebook page. www.iscreamandred.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/iscreamandred
