by Nadjath AkanniAt an early age in most cultures, the girl child is forced to master the art of suppressing her emotions by constantly being reminded that her family, friends, future partner, and in-laws will do their worst. So it’s in her best interest to be numb, tameable, have a big heart, and accommodating as many discomforts […]
by Takudzwanashe Ndangana“Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Have you ever listened to a song and felt like the artist had you in my mind when he or she penned it down? Sometimes we find healing, peace and answers through listening to a […]
by Takudzwanashe NdanganaSometimes when we listen to a song it speaks to us, it takes us on a journey and in some cases we can reflect on whatever we will be going through. Musicians are great storytellers and some songs have great advice, advocate and raise awareness for different issues. Lastly, in some cases some songs describe […]
by Nadjath Akanni“One in every fifty human beings – more than 150 million persons live outside of their countries of origin as migrants or refugees. They are highly vulnerable to racism, xenophobia, and discrimination. But even when their movement is legal and authorized, non-citizens face high levels of discrimination.” Have you ever been at a job interview […]
by Kabasinga Samantha KagaboThere is a cloud of pressure that hangs over black women in our society. The pressure to be strong, independent, confident, among other things. We are ‘queens’ if we do not break down when something saddening happens to us, or if we do not fight back and take it elegantly. We are applauded for acting […]
by Natacha UmutoniJennifer Nansubuga Makumbi was born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1967 and now lives in Manchester. Her first novel, Kintu, was longlisted for the Etisalat prize in 2014, and she won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in the same year. Her first short story collection, Manchester Happened, was published in 2019. She was awarded the prestigious […]
by Kabasinga Samantha KagaboMental health is yet to be a prominent conversation in African communities. In the African culture, there are various perspectives on mental health and mental health conditions that are a hindrance to those affected. Some believe mental illnesses to be the “devil’s attack,” or “witchcraft.” While others claim mental illnesses to be just madness. Mental […]
by Natacha UmutoniIt is no doubt that Covid-19 changed our lives drastically and the way we operate at work; most people have made their living rooms, dining tables, guest rooms, etc their home office. One thing for sure is that the internet has become a crucial part of our lives visibly, and we now spend more time […]
by Kabasinga Samantha KagaboC.S Lewis wrote, “humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less”. The culture of self-deprecation seems to have replaced the real meaning of being modest. The first time I realised I have a problem with talking about myself and my abilities, was in college. I was asked to describe what I […]
by Faith MangwanyaIt was just after 7 pm when I reached for my phone to check on my WhatsApp messages. I had spoken to Tafie earlier that day, we had promised we would meet for dinner. Three missed calls, my screen flagged. I sighed in frustration as Tafie had attempted to reach me, franticly sending WhatsApp messages: […]
Lovely event with a light-touch, informal and friendly feel. I had a chance to catch up with people I had not seen in ages, as well as to meet a few new people. My suggestions would be for a greater range of entertainment (I’m a big fan of Georgia May and Daps, and they were great), to showcase some of the different kinds of talent in the NE. Food from the African continent or diaspora. And something slightly more structured (but still light-touch, fun and social) to encourage people to get to know about each other, and to find out more about Teakisi and the different initiatives which support different cultures and exchange and sharing in the region.
Had a great time at the event. The team were great and welcoming.
