Thursday 30 August 2018

Another Awesome AfriCAN week 20180830

#Cameroon 

Concept art of Enzo Kori-Odan, from Kiro'o Games's Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan game.

Founded in 2013, Kiro'o Games is one of Cameroon's most successful digital startups. It has grown to become Central Africa's first major video games studio. It draws on African mythology rather than Hollywood for inspiration, as in its fantasy role-playing game "Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan." Read more about what they are doing here.

#Ghana


Google recently announced that Africa is getting a Google Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in Accra, Ghana.

Why Ghana? Jeff Dean (the Google AI and Google Brain team lead), explains that it had to do with the robust network of academic institutions as well as infrastructure. Google has been a significant investor in strengthening those institutions and the infrastructure around it. Read the full article here.

#Morocco
Artist Hendrik Beikirch's portrait of Najma © Montresso Foundation

Rabat is becoming an open-air art gallery, with local and international street artists leaving their mark behind. Thanks largely to support from the annual Jidar Toiles des Rue festival and Montresso Art Foundation, large-scale murals are popping up around town on national institutions and residential blocks. More information and beautiful images here.

#SouthAfrica
  
Gracious Dube (33) from Hout Bay (Cape Town) has always had an eye for fashion, but never did she think her handmade purses from Rooibos tea bags would one day be sold as a hot fashion accessory in Paris, the fashion capital of the world.

township womans rooibos tea bag
The beautiful tea bag clutch, all the way from Hout Bay
in Cape Town that is all the rage in Paris!
Original T-Bag Designs is a company that started out as a social responsibility project by founder, Jill Heyes, to help impoverished women from Imizamo Yethu (an informal settlement in Hout Bay) to earn money, by making unique arts and crafts from tea bags and boxes. [Check out their website.]

Whilst holidaying in South Africa, French fashion designer, Carine Khalil, who focuses on upcycling products, was intrigued by Dube’s eye-catching tea bag purses, which she spotted at the V&A Waterfront.

Khalil has since worked with Dube on recreating her Rooibos purse for the Paris market, which sells for €26 at Ithemba Design Ethik, a top fashion and decor boutique, owned by Khalil.

To make her fashionable purses, which are lined with silk, Dube starts off by drying and ironing about 45 to 50 Rooibos tea bags. Once done, the tea bags are varnished and either glued or carefully stitched onto the silk. Some purses are also decoratively painted to add to the unique look. [More info SA's Rooibos Council's website].

#SouthAfrica
Cape Town, South Africa


South Africa has been named the top adventure travel destination in the world for 2018, beating popular destinations like Iceland and New Zealand in Virtuoso International Luxury Travel’s annual rankings. 

Global luxury travel network Virtuoso deemed South Africa the world’s number one adventure destination for 2018.

Advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated travel agencies in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East were polled, drawing on their expertise and client requests to offer insight into 2018’s biggest trends. Read more here.

Patience is the key which solves all problems. ~ Sudanese proverb

Monday 27 August 2018

Book: IoDSA King IV Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa 2016




The King IV report is the 'Bible' for corporate governance. It provides a fundamental base to running ethical entities. It is not just for corporate organisations, it includes subsections for: Municipalities, | Non-Profit Organisations | Retirement funds | Small and Medium Enterprises | State-Owned Entities | 

There are 16 Principles:
  • Principle 1 = The governing body should lead ethically and efficiently
  • Principle 2 = The governing body should govern the ethics of the organisation in a way that supports the establishments of an ethical culture
  • Principle 3 = The governing body should ensure that the organisation is an and is seen to be a responsible corporate citizen
  • Principle 4 = The governing body should appreciate that the organisation's core purpose, its risks and opportunities, strategy, business model, performance and sustainable development are all inseparable elements of the value creation process
  • Principle 5 = The governing body should ensure that reports issued by the organisation enable stakeholders to make informed assessments of the organisation's performance and its short, medium and long-term prospects
  • Principle 6 = The governing body should serve as the focal point and custodian of corporate governance in the organisation
  • Principle 7 = The governing body should comprise the appropriate balance of knowledge, skills, experience, diversity and independence for it to discharge its governance role and responsibilities objectively and effectively
  • Principle 8 = The governing body should ensure that its arrangements for delegation within its own  structures promote independent judgement, and assist with balance of power and the effective discharge of its duties
  • Principle 9 = The governing body should ensure that the evaluation of its own performance and that of its committees, its chair and its individual members, support continued improvement in its performance and effectiveness
  • Principle 10 = The governing body should ensure that the appointment of, and delegation to, management contribute to role clarity and the effective exercise of authority and responsibilities
  • Principle 11  = The governing body should govern risk in a way that supports the organisation in setting and achieving its strategic objectives
  • Principle 12  = The governing body should govern technology and information in a way that supports the organisation setting and achieving its strategic objectives
  • Principle 13  = The governing body should govern compliance with applicable laws and adopted, non-binding rules, codes and standards in a way that supports the organisation being ethical and a good corporate citizen
  • Principle 14  = The governing body should ensure that the organisation remunerates fairly, responsibly and transparently so as to promote the achievement of strategic objectives and positive outcomes in the short, medium and long-term
  • Principle 15 = The governing body should ensure that assurance services and functions enable an effective control environment, and that these support the integrity of information for internal decision-making and of the organisation's external reports
  • Principle 16  = The execution of its governance role and responsibilities, the governing body should adopt a stakeholder-inclusive approach that balances the needs, interests and expectations of material stakeholders in the best interests of the organisation over time
  • Principle 17 = The governing body of an institutional investor organisation should ensure that responsible investment is practiced by the organisation to promote the good governance and the creation of value by the companies in which it invests
The Insititute of Directors in Southen Africa (IoDSA), are the custodians of King IV. There is a wealth of information on their website. Their certified and chartered Directorship programs should be a non-negotiable course for all executives. 



Saturday 25 August 2018

The week that was 20180825

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT


For the first time in months I reconnected with my surfboard. It was an absolutely glorious morning. There was even a seal enjoying the waves with us, and small fish popping about. There really isn't anything that clears your head or is as exhilarating as finding that perfect wave;  (or anything that clears your sinuses if you don't!). I forgot what a full body work out it is! 



I am very grateful to Daniel Newman for the opportunity to chat to him about Reputation Matters and reputation management for his CEOWise.TV series. We recorded it in the Botanical Gardens in Pretoria.

MY BIGGEST LESSON THIS WEEK

One of the recurring themes of my conversations this week has been about time management. 

I've learnt to embrace routine. 

My weekdays do start quite early, but I don't start working immediately. When I get up, I set 30 minutes aside for quiet time and meditation; then 30 minutes of reading, and 30 minutes of exercise (usually if it is light enough, I take Bella for a quick walk around the block). I find this helps me to structure my day and be in the right frame of mind to tackle things. 

When I am in front of my computer, I steer away from the temptation to dive into my Inbox (otherwise, my day pretty much revolves around emails and I don't get to doing anything else). I first tackle something more strategic or pressing, then I allow specific times during the day to check emails. I have also found that as much as we put pressure on ourselves to multitask, focussing is key. First, focus and finish one activity at a time; switch off your phone and close your emails. Dedicate your attention to that specific piece of work. Finish it before you move onto the next 'to do' item. 

Getting sidetracked is fatal to productivity. Usually, it takes a lot longer to get back into the rhythm of said activity, than if I had just persevered another five minutes. 

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE THIS WEEK


PODCAST I'M LISTENING TO 




How Artificial Intelligence (AI) can save our humanity by Kai-Fu Lee was fairly interesting, and links back to the recurring theme of the importance of having balance. [https://player.fm/1sbTdW]

MY FAVOURITE QUOTE THIS WEEK 



ONE LAST THING 



Remember, YOU are AWESOME!

Thursday 23 August 2018

Another Awesome AfriCAN week 20180823

#Africa


The Homecoming Revolution is an absolutely amazing concept; they operate with the aim of creating a powerful wave of prosperity for the continent by bringing top skills back home.

Established in South Africa in 2003, Homecoming Revolution is the “brain gain” Global Headhunting Firm for Africa.

They specialize in headhunting and placing globally experienced African talent on the continent, with a focus on middle management up to C-suite.

They primarily recruit across sub-Saharan Africa with a strong focus on South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and other Anglophone countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

What an incredible initiative to bring talent back to Africa.

#DemocraticRepublicofCongo 


Congo Fashion Week ~ Much of the world knows little of the country’s vibrant arts scene, and last weekend in the capital, Kinshasa, models showed off daring new looks dreamed up by local designers on the catwalk. [The Guardian]

#Morocco
In Africa, drones are being used to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/10/africa/blood-drones-rwanda-mpa/index.html" target="_blank">deliver life-saving supplies</a> and serve as <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/15/technology/aerobotics-farm-app-drones/index.html" target="_blank">eyes in the sky</a>. Now, Moroccan startup ATLAN Space is developing smart drones that can identify and report environmental crimes like illegal fishing, poaching or mining.

Moroccan technology startup ATLAN Space is developing artificial intelligence (AI) to guide autonomous drones so that they can scan large areas for "environmental crimes" like illegal fishing, poaching or deforestation. Once a drone detects a boat, AI will enable it to verify whether it is a cruising boat, tanker or fishing vessel. The drone will then establish whether the boat is operating inside a marine protected area, and if it is an authorized fishing vessel.[via CNN]

#SouthAfrica 

Bicycles and Beyond (BAB), founded in 2015, is a non-profit organisation that empowers individuals, especially women and youth via bicycles. It is owned and managed by Beverley Roode and Janine Johnson. They believe that BAB plays a pivotal role in Western Cape communities, providing a safe and friendly environment where women and youth can learn about cycling, road safety, bicycle maintenance and repairs, and so forth. In addition to this, they also host ladies’ cycling events and bicycle tours, spinning classes, team buildings as well as special holiday programs in communities to keep vulnerable youth busy during the school holidays. 

Roode and Johnson manage and operate the Qhubeka Western Cape Bicycle Assembly Facility at Nederburg Wines in Paarl, where a number of previously unemployed women from the local Paarl East area work as trained bicycle builders and mechanics. 

Qhubeka, a non-profit organisation, advances socio-economic development in South African communities via the distribution of bicycles as part of a range of learn-to-earn, work-to-earn, sports and disaster relief programmes. To date, this charity has contributed in excess of 80 000 purpose-built bicycles, uplifting many communities throughout the country.  

#SouthAfrica 
In celebration of women’s month, South African Airways (SAA) chartered an all-female flight that took off to São Paulo yesterday morning. The flight aims to inspire younger generations of women to pursue a career in the field of aviation and ultimately showcases that women can do it too! It’s seldom that an all-female flight is chartered. [thanks for the pic @Slindelo_M]  

 If you have a story to share please send it to: africa@reputationmatters.co.za

Learning expands great souls. ~ Namibian proverb

Saturday 18 August 2018

The week that was 20180818

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT

The Awesome AfriCAN initiative is gaining so much momentum. Here is a short video I put together to give you an idea of what the computer centre looks like and what it means to some of the students. Funding, newer technology and wifi are their main needs at the moment, if you know someone that knows someone that could possibly help, please pop me note on awesome@reputationmatters.co.za. This is just one of the many pieces of the puzzle; it's the start of an incredibly exciting adventure, watch this space...



MY BIGGEST LESSON THIS WEEK

I'm clearly the only person concerned about whether Woolworth's new recycling machines are produced locally and respects the environment as much as they do. I've not received a reply to my tweet yet...

Here's my blog and the reason as to why I am concerned. If it is something of interest to you too, and you have a bit of time, please like & share my tweet. 

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE THIS WEEK


PODCAST I'M LISTENING TO 

It's still me and Alexa learning French.

MY FAVOURITE QUOTE THIS WEEK 

I am edging my way closer to becoming a certified Director. On Tuesday I attended Part II. Really like this quote by Lee Iacocca that was shared:

[Incase it is not that clear: "You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere," Lee Iacocca  

...AND ONE LAST THING

I've mentioned previously that I am a massive fan of Siya's art. 
Yesterday I met up with him and at last got myself a pair of beaded earrings. I don't often wear earrings (or any jewelry for that matter), as it easily irritates me. These earrings are SO comfortable! 

He also makes the coolest bow ties. 

Check out his Facebook page for his super cool designs. 

He is in search of material or leather offcuts, again if anyone knows anyone, that knows anyone that could help, please let me know. [awesome@reputationmatters.co.za] or give him a call on 0640645130.


Thursday 16 August 2018

Another Awesome AfriCAN week 20180816

#Nigeria

As 70% of the pharmaceutical products in Nigeria are fake, four Nigerian girls decided to use technology to help Nigerians verify that the drugs they are buying are not fake.
The FD-Detector (Fake Drug Detector) is an app which helps identify fake pharmaceutical drugs in Nigeria. The app uses a drug's barcode to verify its authenticity and expiration date. 
Congratulations to Promise Nnalue, Vivian Okoye, Jessica Osita and Adaeze for being recognised as the Junior Gold Scholarship Winners at the 2018 Technovation World Pitch in San Francisco, USA!

#SouthAfrica


Tsebo Solutions Group, Earthrise Trust, the Naledi Farmers Cooperative and community members from the Naledi Village recently hosted an event to celebrate the 2nd Harvest Ceremony at Rustlers Valley Farm, as well as the UN International Day of Cooperatives in the Ficksburg district, Eastern Free State. 

Tsebo Solutions Group partnered with Earthrise Trust and members of the Naledi Farmers’ Cooperative to promote social entrepreneurship, eradicate poverty, increase food security and encourage skills development through its visionary approach to community upliftment. 

Tsebo Solutions Group committed its support to the project by erecting ten multi-span tunnels, allowing members of the Naledi Village cooperative to safeguard their crops and ensure that they thrive in a controlled environment while being protected from threats such as black frost and adverse weather conditions. The quality and the quantity of the yield produced was greatly improved when compared to previous harvests. 

Tsebo Solutions Group has shared its expertise in food with the Naledi Co-op and availed valuable resources to the value of over R1 million to support sustainable farming that all community members can benefit from. 

#SouthAfrica



Stemming from a love of sneakers and a need to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children, Sibusiso Zulu and Hector Mgiba pursued the idea of recycling worn-out sneakers into artistic works.


Through their Sneakers 4 Change Kick exhibition, the duo sought to raise awareness about the need for footwear while promoting the spirit of giving and sneaker culture.

The exhibition also served as an activation for their #NoColdFeet winter campaign, a campaign that does not only seek to add a little warmth to the lives of the underprivileged, but to also inspire and feature young entrepreneurs, artists and creatives. [via Citizen]

Wisdom is like fire. People take it from others. ~ Hema (DRC) proverb






Wednesday 15 August 2018

Will I get an answer? Over to you Woolies

Some time ago, we were approached by a company that were looking at launching a super cool recycling machine in South Africa; that you can put any recyclable material into, and in exchange you receive vouchers.

The meeting was pretty one-sided from their side, which was okay as it was interesting to hear what they had to offer. One of the questions we posed to them was whether these machines were being manufactured locally. They indicated that it was too expensive to make locally and that they were importing it from China; and... because it is rather bulky, they ship it over. When we raised the fact that shipping is possibly the most environmentally unfriendly way to transport goods, and queried how they justify their carbon footprint, they said that they don't and indicated that they prefer avoiding the question.

Things steadily went downhill from there; as they were wrapping up and about to leave, I was curious about their actual intent of the meeting, and it became clear that they were just after our database as we have amazing clients and have done quite a lot of work in the environmental space. As they were stepping out the door, I couldn't help myself and had to ask them if they didn't want to know what we do? (meeting had not progressed to a two-way conversation by this stage), to which the guy pretty much said that he'd been to our website and knows what we do, cheers. Jeepers dude, if you want to work with our clients, then at least feign interest in the company that you are meeting with.

It was rather clear that this company did not resonate at all with any of our values of authenticity, respect or growth.

So, yesterday, I was intrigued to see a tweet about a trial recycling vending machine [here's the article]. I do hope that Woolies have found a service provider that manufactures the products locally, and respects the environment as much as they do; if not, I would be interested to hear about their justification of their carbon footprint, and why local resources aren't being invested in. Does the recycling of goods sufficiently counter the transport carbon footprint? I've not received a reply to my tweet yet...am looking forward to learning more. Here's to transparency. #Growth #Respect #Authenticity

Monday 13 August 2018

Leadership Magazine: Laughing all the way to the bank



My latest Leadership Magazine article is on page 50 to 53.

Laughing all the way to the bank
‘There is little success, where there is little laughter.’ ~ Andrew Carnegie
When was the last time you had a good old hearty belly laugh, when you guffawed with carefree abandon?
According to a study by Dr. Michael Titze, a German Psychologist, people used to laugh an average of 18 minutes a day in the 50's. Today, that's down to four to six minutes a day. In another study conducted by researcher Dr Lesley Harbidge of Glamorgan University, infants can laugh aloud as many as 300 times every day, compared to people in their twenties who laugh four times a day, people in their fifties, laugh on average three times a day and sixty year olds only manage to belly laugh a mere two and a half times!
No matter what age you are, and whether you laugh according to the study average or not, just consider how running a business or leading teams can make life become even more serious and far less funny.
I recently met up with Bronwyn Kilroe, Cape Town’s very own Laughter Coach to find out from her why it is so important to laugh and whether you can really laugh your business to success? Could laughter impact a company’s reputation?
What exactly is a laughter coach?
I create happy, productive teams through laughter skills.
Why is it important to laugh?
Laughter is the best medicine because every time you laugh out loud you dramatically improve your physical, mental and emotional health and well-being. Scientific studies and research clearly prove the positive and therapeutic effects of laughter on boosting health, happiness and well-being. Best of all, this “Ha Ha” medicine is fun and easy to use.
Why should people invest in a laughter coach?
For business success, laughter is a business asset. Laughter is serious business! No Joke! In a recent study, Forbes reported that happy employees were at least 50% more productive in their jobs. The happiness of your employees directly affects your bottom line, because happy employees are productive employees. One of the quickest and easiest ways to create happy employees is with regular Laughter Workshops. It is more than just laughing, it is a science-based methodology, designed to empower and educate teams with practical stress management laughter skills that they can use in their daily life at work and at home. Participants are armed with skills that help them to work under pressure, cope with stress, deal with change and boost their workplace performance, producing immediate results.
Finding humour in everyday situations in the workplace is an excellent antidote to stress as it helps to diffuse difficult situations, lightens your burdens and keeps you positive, no matter what obstacles you are facing. Humour helps with team morale and engagement levels. A workplace that feels fun and friendly will enhance employee happiness and productivity and reduce absenteeism rates. Appropriate humour also helps to break down barriers and is a wonderful way to break the ice with clients, customers or colleagues. Humour connects us with others, diffuses conflicts and encourages teams to work together.
How did you become a Laughter Coach?
I was first introduced to the concept of Laughter Coaching when I was a Television Director and doing an insert on Dr Madan Kataria, the founder of Laughter Sessions. I was blown away that this medical doctor from India, was providing lots of research and scientifically proven benefits that laughter has on the human body; mentally, emotionally and physically. I thought to myself, WOW, more people really need to know about this information to help them cope with life. Coming from a corporate background in the high pressure film and television industry, I met many unhappy, stressed out, depressed, anxious and overwhelmed people who were struggling to cope with the stressors of life, but not succeeding. The purpose of life is to be happy and find joy. Unfortunately for many people this is nowhere near their reality. I then had my ‘AHA’ moment and decided to become a Laughter Coach, to help unhappy people rediscover their smile and remember how good it feels to laugh.  
When people hear that you are a laughter coach, what is it that they think you do?
They think that I am going to tell jokes to make them laugh. However, a Laughter Workshop is based on the concept that anyone can laugh, for no reason at all, without using jokes, humour or comedy. You don’t need to feel good to laugh and you don’t need to have a sense of humour to laugh.
A Laughter Workshop teaches people how to laugh ‘without intellect’ and allows you to achieve sustained hearty laughter without involving cognitive thought. It bypasses the intellectual systems that normally act as a brake on natural laughter. Once released, natural laughter is hard to stop.
It is founded on the concept of ‘faking it, till you make it’ and based on scientific fact that the body cannot distinguish between fake, simulated laughter and real, genuine laughter. This means any time you laugh, whether real laughter or simulated, fake laughter your body still releases endorphins and serotonin (happy, feel good hormones) into your bloodstream, which I call the ‘Happy Cocktail’. Scientific studies and research clearly prove that this ‘Happy Cocktail’, produced by prolonged laughter, dramatically improves your overall health and happiness. The exercises are done in a group because laughter is contagious, so the fake laughter quickly turns into genuine shrieks, howls, roars and fits of chuckles and giggles.
What is the one lesson that you want people to take away from your workshops?
Everything you want is because you think you will feel happier if you had it. So why don’t you go straight to feeling happy by just laughing more because laughter instantly makes you happy.
If you can approach all situations you encounter with laughter, you can literally laugh your way to health, happiness and success! So take time every day to laugh more, laugh as often as possible, do things that feel fun, do what makes you happy and be with the people who make you smile. Life is supposed to be fun. You are supposed to feel good. You are supposed to be happy and a daily dose of chuckles and giggles is the key ingredient to achieving this.
‘We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we are happy because we laugh.’ ~ William James
What should people know about being a laughter coach?
Being a laughter coach is my life purpose and passion. I love to inspire, uplift and encourage people to follow their dreams, to have fun and to do what makes them feel good.  
It is my mission to transform lives, one laugh at a time. Seeing the transformation in the corporate teams I work with, before and after a Laughter Workshop is pure bliss for me. They arrive stressed, anxious, depressed and then to see their frowns turn into smiles of joy and happiness, and to hear the roars, shrieks and chuckles whilst doing some good belly laughs together is a pure delight.
My core focus is working with corporate teams however, I have just returned from facilitating laughter workshops with 800 miners! I upskill them with practical stress management skills and empower them with practical positive tools for them to use in their daily lives at work and at home.
Feedback from participants is that relationships with their colleagues have blossomed, marriages have been saved, health issues cured, workplace motivation and productivity has increased, and they are teaching the simulated laughter techniques to their families, friends and children. I have heard from others that they practise the laughter exercises when stuck in traffic or feeling stressed out at work, and this confirms that I am on the right journey, it is priceless.
How do you maintain a sense of humour for yourself?
I actively look for humorous situations every day and try to see the funny, lighter side of the situation, or the irony and absurdity of life.  When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change and finding humour in challenging situations, helps you to step back from the problem, reduces your stress, gives you a new perspective and helps you to cope with the difficulty you are facing. I also watch lots of comedies and funny sitcoms and regularly spend time with positive friends who easily make me laugh out loud. I also remind myself often to lighten up and not take myself or life so seriously.
Any tips on how to develop a sense of humour?
At the end of each day ask your family or friends what their funniest thing was that happened during the day. Sharing these funny moments will get you laughing together in no time. When you are feeling depressed or sad, just plaster a big fake smile on your face and within a few minutes you will start to feel better
To end off, Bronwyn would love to see laughter and fun becoming part of the corporate culture in all companies in South Africa and throughout Africa. When companies really care about the happiness of their employees, they can increase staff productivity and performance leading to improving the bottom line, these are factors that also contribute positively to an organisation’s reputation. Isn’t it funny that something as simple as laughing could be the secret ingredient to take your business’ reputation to the next level, creating a win-win scenario for the company and your colleagues’ general health.
For more information about Reputation Matters, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call +27 (0)11 317 3861 (Jhb) | 021 790 0208 (Cpt). Reputation Matters is also on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters and Twitter @ReputationIsKey

###


Sunday 12 August 2018

The week that was 20180812

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT


My most grateful moment was without a doubt celebrating my amazing Mom's birthday with her last Sunday. My Mom is the most inspiring person I know, provides unconditional support and guidance for all my 'mad' dreams, is always encouraging me to think big, and has the most incredible sense of humour! 

My biggest lesson this week



To have fun! I had entered the Totalsport 10km women's race some time ago; I had not trained nearly enough for it. So, I decided to just have fun. It was a beautiful, clear and crisp morning;  the colours of the mountain and the city were translucent, providing a spectacular backdrop for the run. For the first time in a long time, I truly enjoyed running, even the relentless uphills (although to be fair, those I walked!); got the blood flowing, legs stretched and cobwebs cleared. [Thanks Craig Wilson for the pic!]

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE this week



PODCAST I'M LISTENING TO 

With the opportunity to visit Côte d’Ivoire in September, I realised that I need to brush up on my French; sadly I don't remember too much of my third language French that I had as a matric subject. I am finding this podcast quite helpful.

https://player.fm/1XSeFU #nowplaying 

MY FAVOURITE QUOTE THIS WEEK 

Thursday 9 August 2018

Another Awesome AfriCAN week 20180809

#Africa


Love Letter To Africa by Koleka Putuma.


#Malawi

Rachel Sibande is the founder of M-Hub, Malawi’s first technology hub. It is an incubator for technology startups with a special focus on building young tech entrepreneurs by offering them training, skills development and mentorship. The hub invests its profits in social good programs that build capacities of children, girls and youth in developing technology applications. Ultimately, M-Hub wants to be the prime software solution provider in the nation and beyond, employing skills of young Malawians, shares Sibande. [via Africa.com]

#SouthAfrica


Congratulations to Caster Semenya for smashing the 18-year old 400m national record at the 21st African Athletics Championships in Asaba, Nigeria!

Semenya stopped the clock in a national record of 49.96. 

She now holds national records in the 400m, 800m, 1 000m and 1 500m events. Well done! [via M&G]

#SouthAfrica

Congratulations to Shireen Mentor, a 29-year-old PhD student from the University of Western Cape, who has been named one of the world’s top young scientists, earning a scholarship to study in the USA.
She was one of six South African female scientists nominated by the Academy of Science of South Africa to attend the event. She was chosen and set of earlier this month.
Her research has been focused on understanding addiction, a disease that is rife among the residents of the Cape Flats. It was this that led to her receiving an incredible opportunity to head to the USA. [via Good Things Guy]
#TheGambia

Five Gambians who graduated from The Gambia College have co-authored a book with the Academic of Fine Arts in the University of Helsinki, Finland titled: “Sand and Indigo.” The book has been launched and set to be used at the Department of Fine Arts in the Helsinki University. [via The Point]

If you have a story to share please send it to: africa@reputationmatters.co.za

Wisdom does not come overnight. ~ Somali proverb

Saturday 4 August 2018

The week that was 20180804

Proudest | most grateful moment

Yesterday, Chanell and Nadia facilitated a stakeholder analysis session working with the client to identify key interactions, communication channels, messaging and timeframes.
I am so proud of their innovative and interactive approach, and thrilled with a note received from the client after the session:

Translation: Thank you Reputation Matters!
It was a very successful stakeholder session.
Chanell and Nadia thank you for your innovative approach of guiding us through the process. The outcomes are clearly workable and the whole EMC have bought into it!
___

MAD [renaming it to Awesome AfriCAN, so as not to cause confusion with another NGO called MAD], is still well on track, and the support humbling. The pilot phase is going into its final week next week. Working with Rotary is a phenomenal piece of the puzzle. I am so grateful that Rotary Club of Newlands are prepared to go on this journey with us.

They are managing the funds, a crucial aspect in keeping it all transparent. What is absolutely brilliant about Rotary is their footprint into Africa. An opportunity has come my way to travel to Côte d'Ivoire in September and I'll be sharing the dream with the Club in Abidjan. 

What made me giggle



My favourite quote this week 

Podcast I'm listening to 

Every morning I listen to the BBC's AfricaToday, podcast giving an overview of key happenings on the continent.

I also absolutely love listening to podcasts while driving. 

This week I listened to: 

Has Lance Armstrong Finally Come Clean? by Freakonomics Radio. 

https://player.fm/1sMYhn


Here's to a wonderful week!