This month, Lusaka city celebrates 100 years of existence! To mark this glorious occasion, the Best of Zambia will be sharing stories from across the city that not only bring back fond memories of the city but inspire citizens to greater heights. This first article is a submission by Lusaka Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Lusaka that still stands as a beaming light in the heart of the city.

The beginning
The Lusaka Hotel first opened its doors to guests in 1914. It was initially owned by a Canadian couple Mr. and Mrs. Counsell. During this time Lusaka was experiencing an economic boom. Lusaka’s first hospital was built south of Villa Elizabetha in 1918. In the same year the financial sector saw Standard Bank opening its doors and Barclays followed suit in 1924. This increased the customer base for the Counsells’ Lusaka Hotel.

Some of the guests enjoying Lusaka Hotel’s comfortable rooms were given a unique wakeup call made by the noise from the first plane to fly over Lusaka air space in 1920. And in 1921, the Lusaka Hotel food and beverage service was popular with the workers involved in the flamboyant tree planting project along Cairo Road.

Hotel in troubled waters
In 1926 however, the Lusaka Hotel suffered a setback as a result of the Lusaka floods which caused damage to the drainage system on Cairo Road. The flooding of the city and the Hotel itself may have been among the reasons why the Counsell family decided to sell the hotel that same year. It was snapped up by Lonrho Africa.

The rise and rise of the Lusaka Hotel
As the city of Lusaka grew, the need for a prestigious hotel in town became increasingly apparent. Having secured ownership of the Lusaka Hotel, Lonrho Africa began to upgrade it, adding a floor to make it a two storey building.

The hotel was closed for a year while the renovations were done. In 1927, a new and luxurious “Counsell’s Lusaka Hotel” was opened with much enthusiasm.

The hotel now proudly featured a large centrally positioned tree, the ‘grand tree’, for natural air-conditioning, a spacious Il Bambino dining room, a roof garden and self-contained guest rooms with scenic views along Cairo Road.

The Lusaka Hotel today

The Present
The Lusaka Hotel is now owned and managed by Horizon Holdings who have been at the helm of the hotel’s expansions and restoration.

A recent renovation project includes the construction of a swimming pool to replace the ‘grand tree’, and the refurbishment of all 80 rooms, closely monitored to preserve the character of this historic building. The current management of the hotel has faithfully preserved and maintained this status for the benefit of current and future generations ensuring that the Lusaka Hotel remains an icon in the hospitality industry in Zambia.

Celebrating 100 Years
As the hotel, together with the city of Lusaka, celebrates this centenary, an invitation is extended to all visitors and city dwellers to visit the historic hotel and taste an old favourite dish of the Il Bambino Restaurant “The Oxtail”.

The Lusaka Hotel has a 100 years’ worth of experiences in the hospitality industry and is amongst a rare breed of hotels that have managed to successfully blend antiquity with modernity in terms of both infrastructure and technology. The Lusaka Hotel is looking forward to another 100 years of excellent service!

The post Celebrating 100 years: The Story of Lusaka Hotel appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Chisenga Muyoya, 2013 MILEAD Fellow and Co-Founder of the Asikana Network

This blog celebrates Chisenga Muyoya, Co-Founder of the Asikana Network, who has most recently been named a 2013 MILEAD Fellow (Moremi Initiative Leadership and Empowerment Development Fellow). This means Chisenga is one of 28 young ladies, who have been chosen as Africa’s most promising young women leaders – 25 from across Africa and three from the diaspora. According to the Moremi Initiative website, “MILEAD Fellows were chosen through a highly competitive selection process and criteria based on their outstanding leadership promise, community service accomplishments, and commitment to the advancement of women in Africa.”

This my friends, is something for us to be proud of, and we tip our hat to Chisenga for her hard work and commitment to leadership and technology in Zambia!

Chisenga Muyoya, 2013 MILEAD Fellow and Co-Founder of the Asikana Network in Zambia

2013 MILEAD fellows from across Africa – spot Chisenga in the front row in Zambian colours!

As a young woman striving to make a difference myself, I am drawn to success stories like Chisenga’s, and the recent story of Monica Musonda who was named a Young Global Leader Honouree. There are too many negative stories about Zambia and Africa. One of the things we strive to do at the Best of Zambia, is to share the very many positive stories there are about Zambia, the things we can all be proud of.

Chisenga follows in the footsteps of Memory Malimo, 2010 MILEAD Fellow, and Nachela Chelwa, 2010 MILEAD Fellow, the two other MILEAD Fellow from Zambia. Memory was selected through her work at People’s Process, where she helped to mobilise over 35,000 families in informal settlements across Zambia, to form up the biggest social movement called the Zambia Homeless People’s Federation. Nachela was selected for her work as an urban planning and development specialist. Her work has had an impact on the well-being of children, women and local communities.

Chisenga is currently in Accra, Ghana, as part of the one year fellowship by the Moremi Initiative. The Ghana trip is a three week leadership boot camp. Here Chisenga has the wonderful opportunity to learn more about leadership related to Africa, how to excel in leadership, and issues that impact African women. Chisenga will also have the opportunity to be mentored by experienced women leaders who are committed to supporting the next generation of African women leaders. Chisenga is thankful for a travel grant awarded to her by the Swedish Institute in order for her to attend the program.

After the boot camp, and as part of the MILEAD leadership program, Chisenga will return to Zambia, and implement a project that benefits women and girls in our community. Fellows like Chisenga are supported through career planning, management, and access to opportunities and resources. We are pleased to say that Chisenga has agreed to share her MILEAD Fellow journey with us, and will be telling us more of her story on her return from Ghana. We’re guessing that the project she undertakes in Zambia will be related to Zambian Women in tech – after-all that is what we know Chisenga best for!

Follow Chisenga Muyoya on Twitter and learn more about her passion, the Asikana Network.

The post Chisenga Muyoya – emerging African female leader appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Conservation Lake Tanganyika is a non-profit organisation that works with the community to raise awareness of the importance of conserving both Lake Tanganyika and the adjoining Sumbu National Park (also called Nsumbu National Park). The organisation not only deals with issues of poaching and illegal fishing but also promotes the successful development of the park. This article features the organisation’s efforts in preserving the wildlife of the National Park and the return of elephants thanks to these efforts.

Earth’s last natural habitat?
The Sumbu National Park is the only remaining intact Itigi-Sumbu Thicket habitat in Africa, a unique assemblage of combretum species. Although it makes visual sighting of wildlife extremely difficult, this dense vegetation provides ideal habitat for large herbivores like elephant and buffalo. The impenetrable thicket also offers excellent protection against predators, including the most notorious of all – humans. Even poachers fear to follow large game into “iteshi” for fear of coming upon disgruntled game at close quarters. This allows a measure of natural protection against illegal killing.

The return of the elephant
The Conservation Lake Tanganyika team has increased its efforts to protect this remaining natural habitat and, as a result, a surprising number of large animals have started to emerge more frequently. An estimated 50-60 elephant inhabit Sumbu. For the first time in years, scouts in the field are able to spot elephants regularly coming down to drink in daylight hours and most herds are fairly approachable. (With reduced poaching incidents the habits of large mammals return to normal – exciting confirmation that populations are healthy and growing.)

A joint approach
Resource protection can take many forms, and one of the most efficient and successful approaches is to communicate and share information with local communities. After all prevention is always better than cure. Conservation Lake Tanganyika continues to encourage a sense of community ownership of natural resources by emphasising the importance of protected areas. The aim is to change the people’s mind-sets by sharing information as well as good ideas about conservation from other areas of Zambia.

Eliminating direct threats
Unfortunately there are always the few that threaten the majority. Continued poaching is a problem that is still on-going in many parts of Africa.

Conservation Lake Tanganyika continues to support law enforcement agencies against poaching particularly through ZAWA patrol boats, which help make terrestrial patrols more effective, as well as lake patrols.  The most recent patrol was carried out using a boat equipped with a new 90hp Optimax engine, marine battery and searchlight.  After an initial familiarization operation with ZAWA scouts, Conservation Lake Tanganyika will be conducting a training workshop with selected officers on operating procedures on water, as well as general care and maintenance of the outboard engine, boat and equipment, ensuring the best use of the new equipment.

Play super-hero by donating
Conservation Lake Tanganyika is on a quest to save Lake Tanganyika, Nsumbu National Park, the elephant and other large herbivores in the area. Conservation Lake Tanganyika relies entirely on donations of goods and services. The organisation needs as much help as it can get! Monetary donations go towards conservation and community projects. All donations are made public on the Conservation Lake Tanganyika website unless otherwise requested. Visit the Conservation Lake Tanganyika how you can help page for more information on how you can play a part in this rewarding initiative.

The Best of Zambia is supporting Conservation Lake Tanganyika through the Conservation Lake Tanganyika webpage.

The post Return of the elephant: a conservation initiative appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

@thefestgurus, from left to right, Gwi, Maz, Lo and Zash

@thefestgurus. I noticed that Twitter name from the get go. Location: Africa. Bio: One Continent. Many festivals. And I want to go to every one of them! So I will follow @thefestgurus until my time comes. For now, we got an interview with the four person team.

This blog comes with a warning – it is a very long, but incredibly interesting. It is broken up into four sections:

1. About the Fest Gurus
2. The future of the Fest Gurus
3. Understanding the African Festival scene
4. The challenges, and the future of the African Festival scene

1. About the Fest Gurus

What is the Fest Gurus concept?
It’s an in development travel documentary / reality show that spotlights African culture through its festivals. Hosts, Lo and Maz, travel to African festivals across Africa, interviewing performing artists, festival organisers and attendees, and give you everything they need to know to attend African festivals.

How did the Fest Gurus concept come about?
Via twitter. Maz read ‘OKA’s Guide To Music Festivals In Africa’ and tweeted it would be cool to get paid to travel around Africa, attending festivals, and documenting them. A few minutes later, she got a direct message from Lo – she’d had a similar idea and wanted to collaborate. Two weeks later, Maz was in Harare, Zimbabwe meeting Lo. That same day, they started shooting their pilot episode with Zash and Gwi, Lo’s contacts.

The who’s who of the Fest Gurus: LORRAINE (LO, @lochnation)

• Born in Harare, Zimbabwe to Tanzanian parents, and an intellectual property expert by degree
• Co-host and producer of ‘Off The Wall’ radio show on Zi-fm through which she has interviewed artists like Estelle and Sean Paul
• Blogger at Lochnation where she discusses all things African 

MAZUBA (Maz, @afrosocialite)

• The Zambian in the Fest Gurus team and one half of C1rca1964

• Radio correspondent for Australian based African

  inspired radio station Radio Afro

• Has been featured on an episode of MTV Base Meets Alek Wek, and has interviewed her fair share of big names

NGONIDZASHE CHINHARA (ZASH, @zashcrafted)

• A 27 year old Zimbabwean photographer
• Loves photographing people as they go about their normal routines and playing around with minimal light, “It’s like trying to capture secrets”

GWINYAYI MABIKA (GWI, @MrGwi)

• A 26 year old editor, producer and director – a software consultant by day who puts on his media cape when the bats come out to play
• Zash and Gwi make up Crafted Media who aim to be the visual expression of any thought, idea or feeling you may have

Why did you get involved in the Fest Gurus?

• LO: “Because I believe that cultural industries can contribute to the economic development of Africa.”
• MAZ:  ”As a holder of a bachelors degree in Africana Studies, I am interested in African music, fashion, and art. The Fest Gurus is an avenue for this interest.
• ZASH: “Because the Fest Gurus gives me a chance to show people a world that I love, and invite them in.”
• GWI: “Because I hope African festivals continue to grow and provide a platform for artists to showcase themselves, and their nations.”

The Fest Gurus team is not short of a personal ambition or two…

• LO: “To contribute to the advancement of the arts and culture sector in Zimbabwe, and to see it contribute to the economic and social development of Zimbabwe.”
• MAZ:  ”To one day open a museum and contribute to the preservation of African culture.”
• ZASH: “My ambitions are wrapped up in a camera. So I guess you could say I’m looking to get an Oscar under my belt.”
• GWI: “I want to solve real problems, and empower individuals to solve their own problems.”

We gotta ask, who are your favorite African musicians?

• LO: “My list will always include icons like Oliver Mtukudzi. Favorites from my generation are Victoria Kimani from Kenya, Khuli Chana from South Africa, Tehn Diamond from Zimbabwe, and Temi Dollface from Nigeria”
• MAZ:  ”They change with the times, so for now it’s Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy and Mafikizolo.”
• ZASH: “Oliver Mtukudzi. I grew up listening to him and my Dad and I still fight over his CDs. Of the new breed I love Proverb from South Africa. It’s such intelligent music. I also like Nneka and Asa from Nigeria. They both unique sounds and paint a gorgeous picture of Africa.”
• GWI: “Oliver Mtukudzi, Angelique Kidjo, Khuli Chana, Tumi Molekane, Chiwoneso Maraire, Hugh Masekela”

2. The future of the Fest Gurus

So, tell us about your Go Fund Me campaign

The last day of the campaign is August 13th. The campaign is focused on enabling us to shoot at the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi. We travel, eat and sleep as cheap as possible, but overall you are looking at about $1,000 per person per festival. Consider air tickets, accommodation, festival tickets, food, internal transport and VISA fees (sometimes required) and before you know it, you’ve hit $1,000. We’re hoping people will contribute to our own personal funds so we can make it happen, in terms of travel and accommodation costs. As the Fest Gurus grows we won’t need financial help. But right now we have an idea to raise Africa’s festival profile. Exactly how we are going to do that in funding terms is up to our creativity, and the support of people who catch the vision, and are willing to support us for as little as $5 at a time.

What is you vision for the Fest Gurus? Hold on tight, these are bound to be massive!

• LO: “That we are able to share a story of Africa that everyone can fall in love with. These festivals are more than just entertainment. I want us to contribute to African festivals become bigger and better, and see them mentioned alongside Coachella and Glastonbury.”
• MAZ:  ”Our ultimate goal is to be on network television so we can reach more people. Our short term goals are to shoot as many episodes as we can, to eventually have our own Fest Guru merchandise, and be able to hire Fest reporters. Through the Fest Gurus, I hope Africans in particular, will travel more within the continent to learn about new cultures.”
• ZASH: “I want it to evolve with each episode and show people who can’t attend festivals all about them. It’s also meant to encourage people to support their local talent.”
• GWI: “I see Fest Gurus educating and inspiring, firstly Africans, on what their continent has to offer in terms of the arts, and secondly, the rest of the world of the same. I hope it becomes the Top Gear of Festivals.”

3. Understanding the African Festival scene

Tell us about your experience of HIFA - the Harare International Festival of the Arts? 

HIFA Festival, Zimbabwe brochure

HIFA was an amazing festival experience. It definitely exceeded our expectations. We were there two days and were shooting almost non stop, so I (Maz) only got to see Tehn Diamond and Barefeet Theatre. Both were amazing and received so much support from the crowd. I did get to meet the Noisettes when they stopped by Lo’s radio show (Off The Wall) for ZiFm. I also got to meet and chat to local artists like Take Fizzo, The Monki Nuts, Reverb 7, and Ammara Brown. Maz blogged about her HIFA trip here and here.

In your experience so far, what kind of people attend African festivals?

We’d say lots of local people, and a good mix of people who’d traveled from neighboring countries like Zambia and South Africa. Some journalists even flew in which was a good sign.

The question of affordability always comes up in Africa – of course people who can afford it are more likely to travel to a festival. One of the things the Fest Gurus is trying to do is give people tips on how to attend festivals on a budget. For instance, #FestOpps calls for interns and volunteers for festivals – one free way of getting into a festival. Some festivals give away tickets through online competitions. We share those as we come across them.

We also need to change the perception that festivals are expensive. Some are virtually free, for instance, the upcoming Barefeet Festival (August) in Lusaka, Zambia has lots of free events, and the most expensive ticketed event is priced at about $10.

Are African artists, from the high profile, to the undiscovered, keen to take the festival route?
Yes definitely. Artists like Hope Masike performed at HIFA in Zimbabwe, and at other festivals on the Fire Fest Southern African Route. The Firefest Route included HIFA in Zimbabwe, the Azgo Festival in Mozambique, the BlackMajor festival in South Africa, the Bushfire Festival in Swaziland and the Sakifo Musik Festival in Réunion. All five of these festivals took place between April 30 and June 9.

Blitz the Ambassador is an example of an artist who performs at many festivals from the Mazzawine Festival in Morroco, to Skafest, and Vancouver Island Festival in Canada, etc. Other examples include The Noisettes who’ve played at Lake of Stars, HIFA and the popular festivals in the West. Others include Just A Band from Kenya, FOKN Bois from Ghana and many more. It is expensive for artists to travel, but there are funding options like the South African Music Mobility Fund and the Art Moves Africa Fund. I have friends who are artists that would jump at an opportunity to perform at multiple festivals. It comes down to National Arts Councils and Tourism Boards of African countries to provide funding that could facilitate artist movement.

4. The challenges, and the future of the African Festival scene

What is the likelihood of more African artists attending festivals in the West like, say Glastonbury?
Lately we’ve seen the West embrace the new ‘Afrobeats’, specifically Nigerian artists. Last year, D Banj performed to a sold out crowd at Hackney Weekend. This year Wizkid performed at the Wireless Yahoo Festival and had the whole audience singing lyrics to his hits ‘Pakuromo’ and ‘Don’t Dull’ which is amazing. Spoek Matambo just did the WOMAD Festival with Afrikaan Boy. The list goes on and on and It’s only going to continue. There are also festivals dedicated to African music in the West like The ‘Festival International Nuits D’Afrique‘ (The International Festival of African Nights) in Canada, and which actually started in 1987. Other festivals like this prove that there’s obviously an audience for African artists at festivals.

Talk us about the challenge of expensive inter Africa travel

Africa’s first low cost airline – Fast Jet

It’s not like in the States where you can travel to a different state for a fraction of the cost you’d pay to fly 45 minutes here. For instance, flying to Harare from Lusaka costs over $200, yet a bus ride costs less than $50 for a round trip. But travelling by bus takes more time. It can be grueling, tiring and unpredictable, with long waits at the border. This kind of travel just makes festival travel a hindrance.

The reasons why it’s so much more expensive to travel to attend festivals in Africa, versus the West, is poor road networks, border procedures and air space. We don’t have enough airlines in Africa yet. More competition would result in lower fees for customers. Some airlines have monopoly over locations. Some countries (Zambia included) don’t even have national airlines, so we have to rely on other airlines, and their fees.

But we’ve heard about Fast Jet a new low budget airline with flights as cheap as $20. It just introduced routes to South Africa and Tanzania. That’s exciting. Proflight Zambia also just launched its first international route to Malawi and  announced plans for more international flights. We’re hopeful this will ease the financial strain of travelling in Africa.

thebestofzambia.com is all about putting missing information about Zambia online. So, we feel your pain when you say we can’t look up the information we need about African festivals. What are you doing about it, and what is the solution? 

Fest Gurus would like to be a part of that change. #Festnews is us spreading the word about African festivals through our social media platforms. We share festival line-ups, and reviews. We’re compiling an e-book which will have a festival calendar, a list of websites of African festivals, contact information, where to stay – basically everything you need to know. We think HIVOS is doing it’s part by funding AfriFestNet which provides updates on African festivals in terms of location and timing.

What do you think the future of African Festivals looks like?
Some African countries are realising it’s important to fund the arts and tourism. Some countries have dedicated art ministries and councils, though funding isn’t always there. But it’s unfortunate that some African countries still don’t see the benefit of the arts, and leave it to international agencies to fund most of the festivals. Privately owned companies are sponsoring festivals because they see that their target audiences attend these events. However, we hope these festivals don’t turn into commercially sponsored events with tons of logos.

There’s also the realisation that politics affects festivals. The Festival of the Desert in Mali was negatively affected since conflict broke out there. On the flip side, Somalia was able to move past years of political tension and host it’s first Mogadishu Festival this year. It was headlined by K’naan.

In the future, we see more diverse people travelling to festivals. We see things like live-streaming, and more Firefest routes offering attendees major discounts for attending multiple festivals.

Finally, lets focus on Zambia. Maz, as you come from Zambia, we do not have well known festivals here. Do the Fest Gurus plan to influence the countries you are from, in seeing the value of festivals?

Performance at Amaka Arts Festival, Zambia

Yes, we do plan on influencing our countries in seeing the value of festivals. While I was at HIFA, I was jealous that we don’t have something of the same caliber in Zambia. However, the Barefeet Festival has been happening for a few years now, and continues this year starting from August 24-September 1. I’m excited to be a part of that (the Fest Gurus may attend too). The Amaka Arts Festival had its inaugural debut last year and seems set to continue, as will the Kariba Music Festival, which we hope to attend next year. There’s also the Zambezi River Festival in November and I have heard of the Chikumbi Festival in Southern Province. It’s obviously a matter of proper marketing and funding that would improve the Zambia Festival scene.

And that’s a wrap. Help the Fest Gurus fund their trip to the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi. Note they are also funding it out of their own pockets and your funds will be used wisely – proof will be in the films that will follow.  Watch them develop on the Fest Gurus blog.

The post Advocates of African Festivals – The Fest Gurus appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

thebestofzambia.com is a 2013 World Summit Award nominee!

The World Summit Award examines almost 500 of the world’s best e-content websites and ICT projects from 168 countries. We’re excited to announce that thebestofzambia.com has passed the first round, and has been selected to be one of them!

For this recognition, we have Silumesii to thank

It all began for us on June 27th. We got an email from Silumesii Maboshe of Pencil Case Studios. “I am canvasing the country to submit Zambian applications and content for the World Summit Award. This is a proud moment for me as I’d like to nominate “thebestofzambia.com” in the e-Culture & Tourism category. Would The Best of Zambia approve of this?” What do you think our response was? Apart from a big fat yes, I told Silumesii I was grateful and humbled by his thoughts of us. For the moment, in order to achieve what we do, every member of our team has their heads down. We are thankful for people like Silumesii, who go out of their way to make us aware of opportunities like this. So, Silumesii went on to nominate us, then we completed the further information required for the application, and now, we proudly find ourselves going through to the next round.

Our vision

My, my, we have a big vision! Like many, everything we have done so far has been achieved through a combination of bootstrapping, lucky breaks, almighty risks, personal investment, unexpected blessings, and the support and sideline cheering from some fantastic people. What we have right now, is far from the final picture our team holds firmly in our minds.

Firstly, because we work on the web, our product will never be ‘finished’. It must continuously evolve with changing technologies, target audience needs and culture. Secondly, we are currently working towards our design and development team spending three months reworking the site to bring it up to date. Frankly, this is simply a question of affordability. We will find a way because you have to invest in order to grow. This will be the third major overhaul of the site and the next restructure will include:

• Making the site mobile (cell phone) and tablet friendly
• Providing a space for an online marketplace
• Giving more prominence to events, offers and jobs
• Enhancing the site navigation so website users have a clearer, easier, and more exciting journey of discovery through the site
• Embracing new theories on gamification, attraction marketing and website performance
• A rebrand that will make our image more applicable to other African markets

Now I must stop, before I give away too many inside secrets to the competition! For the moment we are incredibly blessed to have been given the badge of ‘World Summit Award National Nominee 2013′.  This is what Joseph Brown, our CEO had to say about it:

“We believe Africa’s time is now. We know our history, we know our greatness, we know where we are going. Through thebestofzambia.com, we are showing the world that there is more to Africa than what you hear and read about. I want to thank each member of our team. We are ordinary people who are doing incredible things. I want to thank those businesses and service providers without whom we cannot have achieved this recognition. Our promise to you all is we will deliver the best of the web, and tell your story through this website. Being recognised by the World Summit Award is for us only the beginning of the long and glorious journey we are making with the businesses and people we represent.”

The World Summit Award process

Well if that sounded like an OSCAR speech, you wait if we get further! It would be great to proceed through the rounds. If only we had that vision complete when the judges look at our work…. This is what is going to happen next:

1. In the first round of the international competition, an online jury will valuate the ventures, creating a shortlist of 15-20 projects in each of the eight categories (e-Government and open date, e-health and environment, e-learning and science, e-entertainment and games, e-culture and tourism, e-media and journalism, e-business and commerce, e-inclusion and empowerment).
2. After this, in a three-day process in late August, the WSA Grand Jury, consisting of international renowned ICT experts and industry leaders, will meet in Tallinn, Estonia. Jury members come from all continents with backgrounds in the creative industries, telecommunication, advertising, journalism and research, and teaching. They will evaluate the submissions from the nominees that passed the online evaluation, selecting the 40 best products.
3. Finally, the 40 world’s best e-content applications (five products in each of the WSA categories) are selected to present their products in front of an international audience in Colombo, Sri Lanka in October.

4. At the event, an on sight jury will again evaluate the products and select eight overall winners: The WSA Global Champions 2013.

About the World Summit Award

The World Summit Award (WSA) is an initiative of the United Nations World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) organised by the International Center for New Media (ICNM), Salzburg, Austria. It selects and promotes the world’s best e-Content and innovative ICT applications. WSA demonstrates the local diversity and rich creativity of ICT use and is a global hub for everyone who values the crucial importance of local content, to make today’s information society more inclusive.

To conclude, we’ve shed some light on what we are doing in the next website overhaul. We design for the people of Zambia, and the international audience with an interest in Zambia, all of whom are hungry for accurate, up to date information. Do you have any suggestions for what you want to see on the new website?

The post The Best of Zambia nominated for 2013 World Summit Award appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

This week we are excited to introduce our “Fitness Friday” blog series. On selected Fridays, we will be sharing articles that cover the topics of health and fitness. Our first article is a submission by Juanita Pretorius from Riverview Wellness Centre covering a topic we think is an important first step for anyone who wants to get healthy!

I want you to imagine that I came to your house today and we had a wonderful breakfast together. Afterwards we put the dishes aside. We continued catching up, then had a lovely lunch together. Again we put the dishes aside. After spending the afternoon together we had supper together. Once more we put the dishes aside.

Now at the end of the day I come to you with one cup of water and ask you to wash the accumulated dishes from the entire day. Could you do it? With one cup of water?

We cannot even clean our dishes for the day with one cup of water. How do we expect to keep the inside of this wonderful machinery, the human body, functioning with so little water? In one study the risk of colon cancer was reduced by 45% in woman and 32% in men who drank 4-5 glasses of water per day. Two other studies showed a protective effect against rectal cancer of 92% and colon rectal of 42%. It was shown that an intake of 2.5 litres or more of water per day was associated with a 51% reduction in the risk of bladder cancer.

Water intake not only reduces the risk of getting cancer but blood pressure too. One of the manifestations of dehydration is hypertension. As explained by Dr Batmanghelidy in his study, 8-10 glasses of water per day are the minimum requirement.

There is a lot more that can be mentioned about the healing properties of water. If you would like to know more, or if you have a specific problem, the Riverview Wellness Centre would like to encourage you to contact them for assistance and advice. Find these details on our Riverview Wellness Centre webpage.

The post Not feeling well? Are you sick? Or just thirsty? appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Malembeka on the Bulima cenotaph

The 19th and 20th of July 2013 marked this year’s Kwilimuna Cultural Ceremony. It was held at Chipembwe Ceremony Grounds in Ibenga, in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province. 2013 is the sixth year of this annual traditional Zambian harvest festival celebrated by the Bulima people. The Bulima, who are part of the Lamba tribe, gathered with hundreds of well-wishers for this spectacular two day event. In its zeal to promote African festivals, the Best of Zambia was there to record the occasion.

The Bulima chief has the title Chief Malambeka. A permanent cenotaph has been built in the centre of the Chipembwe Ceremony Grounds. It commemorates the last six Bulima chiefs. The brightly painted cenotaph is a four sided step structure. On each step is written the name of one of the chiefs. The large bottom step commemorates Mumpulumba, the next, Lyobeka, then Chandalala, Sukwa and Kalemba. The final top step is named after Nawanda, the current Chieftainess Malembeka.

Each year the ceremony grounds are specially prepared for this annual ceremony. Next to the Bulima cenotaph there is a concrete stage and arena for entertainment. Outside the arena are various stands and booths. The exhibitors’ stands, refreshment booths and fluttering buntings give this event a real ‘country show’ atmosphere. This year people began to assemble early on Day 1. Visitors were entertained by traditional sketches, cultural dancing and music, and other performances. ZANIS (Zambia News and Information Services) also put on big screen shows. By the end of Day 1, a number of stands had been set up, including stands from Seed Co Ltd, Marie Stopes International and MTN.

Throughout the ceremony the master of ceremonies Valentine Mabando made sure everyone was organised, amused and entertained. The programme was interspersed with different dancing shows, drumming and other entertainment. New village headmen and women (‘ba sulutani’) were appointed and installed. There was also a traditional initiation ceremony for a girl newly come of age. Luansobe Secondary School led the singing of the National Anthem in the Lamba language.

Dance troupe getting ready to perform

Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Malembeka arrives at the Kwilimuna Ceremony

Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Malembeka borne on the shoulders of several of her subjects

The Chieftainess alights and entertains the crowd with a royal dance

Royal praises (‘amalumbo’) for the Chieftainess

Arrival of special guests
On Day 2, the last and most important day of the Kwilimuna ceremony, entertainment started early, with traditional music and dancing. A number of distinguished chiefs from other parts of Zambia began to arrive, attending the ceremony as a mark of respect to Chieftainess Malembeka. Other invited guests included Government officials and mayors of nearby cities. The guest of honour was Honourable Mrs Susan Kawandami, Deputy Minister for Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. Later on in the ceremony these special guests presented Chieftainess Malembeka with many assorted gifts, ranging from money, to a very large cooker that was wheeled into the arena.

The royal procession
After the special guests had toured the ceremony grounds, it was time for the royal procession. Amid loud drumming and a lot of excitement, Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Malembeka entered the arena in her royal litter, borne on the shoulders of several of her subjects. She was accompanied by a Bulima dance troupe made up of enthusiastic young girls wearing traditional attire and decorated with body paint. The procession went round the arena three times before it came to a halt in front of the cenotaph.

The Chieftainess alighted and entertained the crowd with a royal dance. She climbed to the top of the cenotaph and was refreshed with munkoyo, a traditional drink made from maize and munkoyo roots. This was followed by royal praises (‘amalumbo’).

Community awards – the merging of tradition with technology
Arguably the climax of the ceremony was the presentation of the newly introduced Community Awards. Each winner was presented with a cup, a certificate and gifts, amidst much cheering and clapping. The winner of the Sukwa Award for the Girl Child (Grade 12) was Cinderella Kasamba. She received a laptop to help with her studies. The winner for the Nawanda Award for Gender Development was Mabel Nampundwe. She received a sparkling new smart phone.

Community awards at the Kwilimuna Traditional Ceremony

Cinderella Kasamba with the laptop she received for her studies

In the keynote address, the guest of honour, the Deputy Minister for Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, commended Her Royal Highness Chieftainess Malembeka for putting on an event that instills traditional values and encourages cultural practices. She also extolled the Community Awards for recognising the positive contribution that particular individuals are making to the local community. This encourages everyone in productive and sustainable farming practices, in health, in promoting gender development, and in valuing their cultural heritage.

As well as giving the local people a sense of identity and heritage, this occasion promotes social and cultural values. It is an interesting and rare illustration of the way 21st century ideas and technology can be used to help roll out traditional activities. I’m thinking of communication skills, organising techniques, an appreciation of other people’s interest in traditional culture, mobile phones, vehicles, cameras and even online promotion. The Bulima people as a group have one foot firmly in their culture and the other firmly in modern day life. They draw on expertise from both worlds to pull off this special event.

The Best of Zambia would like to commend and congratulate Chieftainess Malembeka, her palace officials and the Kwilimuna organising committee for holding the Kwilimuna Cultural Ceremony each year.

The post Kwilimuna 2013 – a Zambian traditional ceremony appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

The group of specially selected Lusaka Global Shapers (without Nkatya Kabwe)

Many will not know it but Sunday the 11th of August 2013 was an exciting day for Lusaka. The first ever group of Lusaka Global Shapers met for the first time. You can read this earlier post to understand how Lusaka Global Shapers came to be, and how these young Zambian leaders were chosen.

On Sunday ten young Zambian go-getters met, swapped numbers and planned the future of Lusaka Global Shapers. Here are the 10 names to watch, the people who were specially selected by a committee made up of leaders in industry in Lusaka, such as senior level managers, a Zambian World Ecomomic Forum affiliate, and a consultant for the UN.

1. Bejoy Nettikadan
2. Chaka Nyathando
3. Chisenga Muyoya
4. Erasmus Mweene
5. Kampamba Shula
6. Kelvin Aongola
7. Mazuba Kapambwe
8. Mutoba Ngoma
9. Nkatya Kabwe
10. Tazilinda Mulenga

Introducing the 10 Lusaka Global Shapers – young Zambian leaders making a difference today!

Bejoy Nettikadan
Bejoy is the founder of NetOne Information Technology and NetOne Data Limited which he started with less than $1,000 capital. Through NetOne Data they established N Data, which is Zambia’s first and only multi-tenant Tier III Data Center facility. He is also focused on skills development in the I.C.T space for youth during their tertiary education.

Chaka Nyathando
Follow @ThePompi

Chaka, aka Pompi, is the founder of Lotahouse which he describes as a production house and creative incubator. He is also well known as one of Zambia’s top, inspirational musicians. Through his productions, Chaka is dedicated to helping people make a living from their God given talents.

Chisenga Muyoya
Follow @MissChissy

Chisenga is one of the co-founders of Asikana Network, an organisation which seeks to empower women in the field of technology. She was also recently recognised as one of 28 young ladies, who have been chosen as Africa’s most promising young women leaders by the Moremi Initiative. She has made it her life’s mission to be an advocate for women’s empowerment and to push beyond discriminatory gender norms.

Erasmus Mweene
Follow @ErasmusMweene

Founder of Youth Activism for Change, Erasmus is passionate about creating decent jobs for young people through Social Entrepreneurship. He and his team are also in the process of creating the Sampa Youth Resource Center, which will empower young people with the business skills and resources they need to start their own businesses.

Kampamba Shula
Follow @MufasaShulizee

A financial consultant, economic researcher and commodity and currency speculator, Kampamba has had his research papers utilised  by US President Obama’s advisors. He has also founded Economeka Capital. Passionate about music, he founded MSTVO, a promotion and marketing company. Kampamba is deeply passionate about helping the less privileged in society. He wants to empower them to achieve their dreams though business mentorship.

Kelvin Aongola
Follow @kellvinace

Kelvin founded Yandapps, a tech start up that provides different businesses with mobile and desktop software. They have created software which is featured on iSchool’s Zedupad and are currently working on mobile health applications. Kelvin aims to empower people to stand up for their economic rights and play an active role in their economies.

Mazuba Kapambwe
Follow @afrosocialite

Mazuba is the co-founder of C1rca 1964, a social media management and content generation firm. Some of their clients have included Barefeet, Bongo Hive and the National Arts Council. She also co-founded Fest Gurus, a television show which shines light on Africa’s festival and art scenes. She serves to promote youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and volunteering within Zambia.

Mutoba Ngoma
Follow @MutobaNgomaMV1

Mutoba is a resourceful man. He founded Tapera Industries Limited which produces eco-friendly soaps and bio-fuels from restaurant and agriculture waste. He also supplies supermarkets with locally grown mushrooms. Mutoba stands for self-sustainability through manufacturing all essential products within country.

Nkatya Kabwe
Follow @Nkatya

Nkatya co-founded The Education Link, a guide to higher education in Zambia, and facilitated the National Youth Forum on the First Draft of the Constitution. Nkatya was also designated as a One Young World Ambassador where he pursues his passion of promoting social entrepreneurship and innovation. (Nkatya Kabwe joined us via skype as he is currently conducting a global internship in San Francisco and will be back in September).

Tazilinda Mulenga
Follow @Tazilinda

While Tazilinda has founded and managed a variety of companies, she considers her biggest achievement when she organised the commemoration of UNESCO’s World Book Day. She is highly motivated to empowering youth through education and increasing the number of libraries and art centers throughout Zambia.

A retrospect of the first Lusaka Global Shapers meeting

Lusaka Global Shapers ice breaker session

Lusaka Global Shapers get to know each other

Shapers get to meet Monica Musonda, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader

Matthew Grollnek, Lusaka Global Shapers Director

Shapers Leadership team – Anja Savic, Holo Hachonda, Monica Musonda and Matthew Grollnek

After mingling, the Global Shapers played a game to get them talking. Their backs adorned names of people affiliated with the World Economic Forum. They did not know the name they were assigned. The group had to treat each other as if they were that person, then guess who they were.

Shapers and Leaders then participated in a speed networking even to help them get to know each other. Monica Musonda, a Young Global Leader as designated by the World Economic Forum, then spoke to the Shapers, giving her account of representing Zambia at the World Economic Forum. Monica encouraged the Lusaka Global Shapers to pull together for the sake of Lusaka.

Matthew Grollnek, Lusaka Global Shapers Director and founder of Startup Junction, then presented the background and purpose of the Global Shapers program. He facilitated a discussion about the expectations and future of the group, giving examples of what other Shaper Hubs have done throughout the world.  The meeting concluded on a high note, with lots of energy and excitement.

Follow @MatthewGrollnek

What happens next

Going forward, the Shapers will meet once a month to build their own leadership skills, and develop and implement ideas that serve to benefit their city. Projects will be decided democratically by the group, but will take into account what skills the group possesses, and how much control they have over the specific issue. In addition, the point of having such accomplished and experienced young minds together is to devise fresh and innovative ideas that have not been tried previously in Lusaka.

We’ll have more from the Lusaka Global Shapers, starting with a 10 part series, that puts the spotlight on each individual young Zambian leader. For the moment, follow the Lusaka Global Shapers on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

This blog is part of a series:

1. Global Shapers Lusaka (from the World Economic Forum)
2. Meet the Lusaka Global Shapers – young Zambian leaders

All photos credited to Pencil Case Studios.

The post Meet the Lusaka Global Shapers – young Zambian leaders appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

The 2013 Barefeet Festival starts this Saturday the 24th of August in Lusaka, Zambia. Roar runs from the 24th — 31st August 2013. This is your definitive guide. Use this guide to plan your 2013 Barefeet Festival experience, with dates, times, venues and detailed event information below. Tomorrow we’ll post a related blog — the story behind Barefeet Theatre in Zambia.

Ticket information

• 6 of the 16 events are free
• All workshops are ZMW30
• Forest Beats and the Lioness music finale are ZMW50
• Purchase a BigFoot all access pass for only ZMW100. Your BigFoot pass will allow entry to all events and workshops!
• WIN a BigFoot all access pass on Twitter! Send a Twitpic of the Barefeet flyer you spot in Lusaka. Remember to mention @BarefeetTheatre to be in with a chance to win!
• Call 0975031900 for tickets or buy them at Manda Hill, outside Game stores.

Throughout the Barefeet Festival events

1. 24-30th August — Street theatre, Free, Pop up clown bombs, various artists, surprise locations around Lusaka. Tenterhooks use clowning and creative play to empower and enrish the lives of vulnerable young people. These clown bombs will be the result of their work in Lusaka where they have been working with children with disabilities and young people who have suffered high levels of abuse and neglect. 100 red nose clowns will clown bomb in surprise locations and bring laughter and fun across the city. 
2. 24-30th August — Street theatre, Free, Pop up theatre, various artists, surprise location around Zambia. From Kaoma to Mansa, Victoria Falls to the Copperbelt, and multiple locations in Lusaka. Over 80 community performances will take place across Zambia.

27th August Barefeet Festival events

1. 14.00-18.00 — Dance and music, Free, Bring it on Zambia, various artists, Lusaka Playhouse. This is the final of the Bring it on Zambia dance off competition. Expect live music, flash mobs, surprise performances and a film screening at dusk. Main even held at Lusaka Playhouse but expect surprise events at surprise locations around Lusaka.

28th August Barefeet Festival events

1. 09.00-12.00 — Workshop, ZMW30,  Acrobatics Workshop, ThisSideUp Australia,  Lusaka Playhouse. Explore the Controlled Falling Project. Begin the journey to realise your bodies ability and potential to wow.
2. 09.00-14.00 — Workshop, ZMW30, Street dance, Most Wanted UK Workshop, Lusaka Playhouse. Learn theur unique choreography and get to perform it at the Barefeet Friday Forest Beats event!
3. 12.00-14.00 — Workshop, ZMW30, Physical storytelling, Crown Troupe Nigeria Workshop, Lusaka Playhouse. Expect dance, drama, music, poetry and visual arts in this creation called Changing Our World
4. 12.00-14.00 — Workshop, ZMW30, Creative Activism, Randy Mclaren Jamaica Youth Theatre, Lusaka Playhouse. Randy Mvlaren is an award winning Jamican performin artist and social activitis. Expect dub poetry which is spoken word over reggae rhythms.
5. 14.30-17.00 — Workshop, ZMW30, Clowning, Tenterhooks Scotland Workshop, Lusaka Playhouse. Tinderhooks visit sick children across Scotland and North East England. This session explores how laughter and play can be a therapeutic to for vulnerable young people and their carers.
6. 14.30-17.00 — Workshop, ZMW30, Participatory Process Performance, Barefeeet Zambia, Lusaka Playhouse. Learn about what Barefoot do and how they do it. Explore how the methodologies of participation, process and performance inspire youth in Zambia. Expect to laugh, lose your shoes and get involved.
7. 19.00 — Theatre, ZMW30, Quest Theatre Mashup, Lusaka Playhouse. The finale of a year long performance. All ten provinces have been twinned, forming five super subgroups. 300 young artists, 6 months, 10 teams, 5 twinned groups, special guest, Randy Mclaren, surprise guests, and 1 winner!

29th August Barefeet Festival events

1. 09.00-17.00 — Theatre, Free, Heroes Youth Festival Performance, NAZDEC. Includes performances from Barefeet kids from Kaoma, Livingstone, Kitwe and Lusaka. The groups will face the panel of judges who will decide which performers, singers, dancers and directors walk away with trophies. Expect performances that are energetic and passionate. 
2. 12.00-17.00 — Exchange, Free, The Funeral, Interactive Innovative Exchange, NAZDEC. One venue. One stage. One funeral. 12 sealed envelopes. 250 participants. 1,000 ideas. Join national and international practitioners for a funeral to bury mediocrity and ask questions in search of creative innovation. Sign up to take part and receive your unique map which will direct your participation at the funeral.
3. 19.00 — Exchange, ZMW30, Poetry Slam Dunc Open Mic, Chit Chat Cafe. Local, national and international poets will present their work. The event will be hosted by artists from Zambia and Nigeria.

30th August Barefeet Festival events

1. 19.00 — Theatre and dance, ZMW50, Forest Beats, Goma Lakes, UNZA. Dance by the lake to the forest beats. The Barefeet kids and international artists take an enchanted journey through a dream world of great lakes, giant forests and fiery landscapes. As you are guided through the forest, expect to meet strange and surprising creatures as over 200 performers enchant you with a mixture of acrobatics, misc, dance and film. Starring ThisSideUp acrobatics (Australia), Tenterhooks (Scotland), Most Wanted (UK), Seka Theatre (Mfuwe), Crown Troupe Africa (Nigeria) and over 300 Barefooters.

31st August Barefeeet Festival events

1. 12.00 — Carnival, Free, Stampede carnival, Manda Hill to UNZA. Carnival of kites and creatures making its way from Manda Hill to UNZA. A day of performance, music, colour, spectacle and fun. Dress up, join in and roar because there are prizes for the best dressed!
2. 14.00 — Carnival, Free, Picnic in the park, Goma Lakes, UNZA. The picnic after the carnival arrives at UNZA
3. 19.00 — Party and music, ZMW50, Lioness music under the stars, Goma Lakes, UNZA. Some of the regions most respected musicians collaborate to create a unique musical event that will bring this years festival to a close. This stunning finale event will blend music, theatrem rhythm, dance and spectacle. Featuring Hope E Masike (Zimbabwe), Pompi, Maureen Lilanda, MC Wabwino, Mutinta, Impact Band and more!

Interact online

• Read more about Barefeet Theatre
• Like Barefeet Theatre on Facebook
• Follow Bareffet Theatre on Twitter
• Watch Barefeet videos on YouTube

Tomorrow we’ll post a related blog — the story behind Barefeet Theatre in Zambia.

The post 2013 Barefeet Festival Zambia — event guide appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Yesterday we published the definitive event guide fir 2013 Barefeet Festival. The festival starts this weekend, Saturday the 24th of August. With all the hype and excitement in the air, we wanted to dig a little deeper. So we interviewed Adam McGuigan, the Artistic Director of Barefeet Theatre to find out more.

How has the Barefeet Festival grown over the years? Tell us a little about the journey so far
It all started when Adam was travelling through Southern Africa and met some artists who had amazing talent in Zambia. They all got along, were inspired as a team, linked up, and that’s how Barefeet was born. Since then, Barfeet has grown quite a bit! The Festival has grown immensely too! The first year we did the festival was in 2006. We did it in the car park, outside the Post Office in town, because we didn’t have money to go inside. We weren’t very sophisticated in those days either! The spirit was incredible though, and we hope that despite getting more ambitious, that spirit has remained the same.

Despite starting out small, we had the support of Mulenga Kapwepwe who is the Chairperson of The National Arts Council, so that was great. Once we had a budget in place and sponsorship, we were able to have local artists perform. Artists like Cactus Agony and Slap Dee delighted the crowds last year.

This year, with the support of our sponsors (Pro flight, Ethiopian Airlines, UNICEF, Inter Continental, HIVOS, British Airways, Civil Society Environmental Society, Manda Hill, The Embassy of Ireland in Zambia) we’re able to also have international artists like Hope Masike from Zimbabwe, Crown Troupe Theatre from Nigeria, This Side Up acrobats from Australia, Randy McLaren from Jamaica, Tenterhooks from Scotland, Most Wanted from the UK and more!

Adam helps the Barefeet team get ready for a performance

Who is behind Barefeet Theatre? It’s takes leadership to make all this happen, so who can we pinpoint success to?
There’s a whole team behind Barefeet Theatre as ‘it takes a village’. The team includes Program Director, Taonga Tembo, Development Coordinator Sian Lamprey, Social Media and Communications Directors Mukuka and Mazuba from C1rca 1964, Grace Banda our Finance Manager, and an incredible team of youth, artists, facilitators and board members. At the helm of the board is the fantastic Lee-Anne Singh.

How many artists, musicians, actors, actresses are involved in this years festival?
Wow, we haven’t even counted! But we have a good mix of local and international performers and artists outside of Barefeet Theatre. The Barefeet Children’s Council will also perform during the festival. There are 25 international artists/directors/collaborators. To host and welcome all this international talent, we have a strong base of National artists who are showing the visitors how its done in Zambia. These include Mutinta, Maureen Lilanda, Pompi, the Mwale Sisters, Impact Band, Scarlet, Seka Theatre and more. We have over 40 Barefeet artists, and over 2000 of the most dynamic emerging artists who are the heart of the whole festival.

Describe the impact you believe Barefeet is having on the people you work with
Most of the acrobats and performers who make up Barefeet are youth who were formerly on the streets. Since joining Barefeet, you can see how much they’ve changed. They are proud, they have higher self -esteem, they are given the chance to perform all over the world. They are seen as leaders and role models by their peers. In terms of the impact we have on the community, in addition to entertaining them, we are teaching them about overcoming social issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention and environmental conservation. There’s so much more to Barefeet than just performing. We sum up our activities with ‘The 5 Toes’:

1. Outreach
2. The Children’s Council members are young activist from 12- 18 years of age who are ambassadors for Barefeet and advocate for a free and just world.
3.  Intervention which involves working in communities.
4.  Barefeet Youth and Arts Festival
5.  Performance Company

So take part in this years Roar Festival!
View the event guide to plan your 2013 Barefeet Festival experience, with dates, times, venues, detailed event information and ticket information.

Interact online

• Read more about Barefeet Theatre
• Like Barefeet Theatre on Facebook
• Follow Bareffet Theatre on Twitter
• Watch Barefeet videos on YouTube

The post 2013 Barefeet Festival in Zambia – from car park performance to 2,000 festival performers appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

In line with our Fitness Friday theme, Food Lover’s Market has volunteered to send in regular information, tips and ideas on how to improve nutritional intake. Food Lover’s are very conscious of the positive effects a healthy, nutritious diet can have on your general wellness therefore this first article will talk about just that – nutrition!

We’ve often heard the saying “You are what you eat” and while this isn’t exactly true, what you eat does have a major effect on your general wellness, as the foods you consume will determine the nutrients your body gets.

What are nutrients you ask?
The nutrients in our diet give us energy and are necessary for our growth and development. Every nutrient has one or more functions, but we need all the nutrients together for our bodies to work properly.

Food and the energy it provides are necessary for life. There are six classes of nutrients that we need in order to stay alive and well. These nutrients are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. We’re sure you hear the word ‘calories’ all the time. We don’t actually eat calories, but we eat food that provides energy measured in calories. A healthy diet gives us the right amount of calories for healthy weight, a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, plenty of water, and adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.

How am I supposed to meet my nutritional needs?
Most people can get all of the nutrients they need from food without having to take supplements. But this requires that you eat wisely, choose less processed foods and eat more fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet provides all the right amounts of energy, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Eating healthy means that you eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.

Another important part of a healthy diet is how nutrient dense your food choices are. When we talk about nutrient density, we mean the amount of nutrients in the food per calorie. By choosing nutrient dense foods you can achieve your nutrient needs without overloading on calories. For example, a baked potato has more nutrients per calorie than potato chips and therefore it is a more nutrient dense food choice.

In the coming months Food Lover’s Market will help you achieve your nutritional goals by partnering with nutritionists to provide you with top class information and advice on your diet. Be sure to keep following the Fitness Friday series.

Visit the Food Lover’s webpage, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

The post Are you really what you eat? Food Lover’s Market explains about nutrition appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

We first knew about Wezi through an email a few months ago in which she introduced herself as an upcoming artist. We get hundreds of similar emails and though we have come across some good content, we are often left unimpressed with the quality of music samples sent in. However, we didn’t want to be critical before we even gave Wezi a chance, so we listened. As soon as we heard her music, we passed it around the office and decided we had stumbled across something promising. We immediately arranged an email interview with our multi-media journalist Nambeye Katebe.

Before we get started, you can watch Wezi’s first single, Ambuya on YouTube

Nambeye: Tell us a bit about yourself, who is Wezi?

Wezi: I am an artistic human being with a heart for people. I am a singer and song writer who was born in Ndola. I am proudly Zambian!

Nambeye: When did you decide to turn your interest in music into a professional career?

Wezi: I decided to pursue music professionally in 2012. This was exactly a year after I completed my secondary school education at Dominican Convent High school.

Nambeye: Is music your full time job?

Wezi: Right now, not only is it my full time job but also my first priority. I have plans to become a poet and painter (in the field of visual arts and graffiti)

Nambeye: How would you define the genre of your music?

Wezi: I call my music “Afro-Soul” because it’s soulful and it’s got a traditional African touch. However, I also do different genres depending on the nature of the song. It can be pop, R&B, Jazz or anything really. In short it’s Zambian music.

Nambeye: Does coming from a Christian background influence the content of your music?

Wezi: In a sense, yes. I was born in a Christian family and my late father, Mr. Mhone, was a pastor and apostle in church. My mother is also a pastor here in Lusaka. I believe in being righteous, honest and brave because of my Christian values.

Nambeye: You recently performed the opening act for sensational South African songbird Zahara. What did this experience mean to you, and what was it like?

Wezi: Zahara’s first visit to Zambia felt like it was divinely made for me. She arrived on my birthday weekend which was an amazing gift. She is down to earth and original, talented and very beautiful. At the time I needed someone to look up to in my journey to take up soul music, and she came at the right time. I have become a better performer from watching her perform. I have become a better singer from hearing her live on stage. From the first time I heard her song “Ndiza” she has been my hero; so this meant a lot to me.

Nambeye: One of your first singles is entitled “Ambuya” which means Grandma. What inspired you to write this deeply soulful song, and is it a reflection of your relationship with your grandmother?

Wezi: As I grew up my Grandmother was the only person I confided in. We had a very close relationship. I felt like a part of me left when she died. I kept dreaming of one last chance to say goodbye, so I could tell her what she meant to me and it was these feelings that inspired me to write that song.

Nambeye: Should we expect an album, and if so when?

Wezi: Yes. I am currently working on my début album. I am taking my time to perfect it as I would like it to appeal not only to the Zambian market but to an international audience as well.

Nambeye: Are there any local artists that you look up to or would like to work with in future?

Wezi: Yes. Zone Fam and Pompi motivate me never to hold back on a chance to make a record. They inspire me with their great music.

Nambeye: Finally. What are your long term goals? Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Wezi: In the next five years I see myself winning international awards and touring across the world, spreading joy and wisdom in the music that I do.

Nambeye: That’s quite a huge vision. We wish you the best!

Rember to:

• Listen to Wezi’s first single Ambuya
• Follow @Wezi_heartsound
• Like Wezi’s page on Facebook

The post Introducing Wezi: A fresh breath of Zambian afro-soul music appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

With Zambia’s just ended co-hosting of the world’s biggest tourism assembly, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO), in Livingstone, we couldn’t have picked a better time to share some fun facts about one of the host towns – Livingstone. Dubbed as the tourism capital of Zambia and home to one of the world’s heritage sites –Victoria Falls – Livingstone offers a mix of culture, adventure and history that is not easily ignored.

The beginning
Livingstone began as a small European settlement at Old Drift, a site on the north bank of the Zambezi River about ten kilometres upriver of the Victoria Falls (now within Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park). The Drift was a crossing place on the Zambezi at its narrowest point, facilitating trade between Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

For centuries, the falls region has been inhabited by the Leya people. Today it is under two traditional rulerships, Chief Mukuni on the eastern side and Chief Sekute on the western side.

Livingstone owes its existence primarily to the Victoria Falls. The town was fittingly named after the first European to visit, name and publicise the Victoria Falls, Dr. David Livingstone. The Scottish missionary and explorer’s journey opened up central Africa to missionaries, hunters, traders and prospectors.

A ferry crossing started business at the Old Drift, nine kilometres above the Victoria Falls. This was soon followed by a fast growing settlement also known as Old Drift. The settlement was badly sited in a low lying and marshy land. Malaria took a heavy toll on the inhabitants.

The discovery of coal deposits at Wankie in Southern Rhodesia and copper deposits in the Zambezi/Congo watershed necessitated the building of a railway and prompted the authorities to find a better site for town.

The new town
In 1904, the railway from Bulawayo reached the Victoria Falls and in 1905 the bridge across  Batoka Gorge joining Northern and Southern Rhodesia. The completion of the bridge was celebrated with a lot of tourism activity which included the first international regatta.

The Old Drift was unhealthy and far from the railway. This led the colonial administration choosing to move to the eastern slope of the sandy ridge, ten kilometres north of the falls, creating a new town. This site, being high and away from the river, was considered healthier. Major Robert Coryndon was the Administrator for North Western Rhodesia at the time, with his capital at Kalomo.

By 1904, Old Drift settlement changed its name to Livingstone after David Livingstone. And this was the name chosen for the new town.  All that is left of Old drift is the cemetery and a few exotic tress. Livingstone, as we know it, was born.

Livingstone milestones
In 1907 Livingstone became the capital of what was then known as the North Western Rhodesia. By that time the town had grown to include two hotels, a restaurant, two mineral water factories, two butcheries, a barbershop, a chemist and four building contractors.

In 1911 Livingstone became the capital of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). But in 1935, the capital was moved to Lusaka. Livingstone retained its tourist capital status though, largely because of its proximity to the Victoria Falls. And it’s because of the falls that Livingstone is now the adventure capital not only of Zambia but of Southern Africa.

It was from Livingstone that Sobek initiated the first ever rafting expedition down the Batoka gorge. Small beginnings for what is becoming one of the world’s biggest white – water attractions. It was from Livingstone that Kiwi Extreme initiated one of the world’s highest commercial bungee jumps off Victoria Falls Bridge.

With canoeing, horse riding, game viewing, cultural dancing, Livingstone Island luncheons, and microlight flights over the falls, the adventure capital crown is well-deserved.

Historical gems
History lovers will find Livingstone historically alive. Many buildings from the first decade of the century are still in use such as the North Western Hotel initially erected in 1907, and upgraded and expanded in 1909. Nanoos, now a supermarket, was built by one of the first settlers at Old Drift, Mopani Clark. Originally the bar was both a bar and a store. St. Andrews church was dedicated in 1911.

The Livingstone museum houses a substantial collection of Doctor Livingstone’s personal effects as well as substantial displays of Zambia’s ethnological and ethnographic heritage. Stone age men frequented the Livingstone area and some of their artefacts are stored in the museum.

The railway museum, housed in the old saw mill side buildings, always proves attractive to Steam Train buffs and casual visitors alike.

With all the tourism activities outlined, the town was declared the tourism capital of Northern Rhodesia in 1936 and it remains so to this day.

This article, originally entitled “History of Livingstone”, is reprinted from a leaflet produced by the Zambia Tourism Board on the recent 20th session of the UNWTO General Assembly held in Livingstone, Zambia, and Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe.

The post The History of Zambia’s Tourist Capital: Livingstone Town appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

The recent Corporate Heelz High Tea event

You can’t really ignore a name like Corporate Heelz can you? Well, we took notice. There was something about this group that made us dig a little deeper. We interviewed Janice Matwi, the business woman behind Corporate Heelz. We found an inspiring leader and an organisation we want to work with. Building the individuals we work with is a key part of our reason for being at the Best of Zambia. We’re excited to partner with Corporate Heelz, and to be able to give the ladies on our team the chance to go to Corporate Heelz events. We believe Corporate Heelz events will give our girls the opportunity to be inspired, to learn and to grow – something we are deeply passionate about.

Sara: Tell us about Janice Matwi. As the driving force behind Corporate Heelz, what has your journey been like so far?

Janice: I am a passionate and focused person. I feel these are the qualities about me that have kept me going whenever I hit rough patches. Corporate Heelz is run by me and two other partners so it’s not all me!

Sara: The story of Corporate Heelz is that it begun as a Blackberry messaging group for friends. Was its beginning a happy accident, or did you have plan to make it into what it is today?

Janice:  Its beginning was a happy accident. I had been procrastinating for a while about starting Corporate Heelz. I had come up with all sorts of reasons why it would not work. It was my friends who gently nudged me in the right direction.

Sara: We are glad your friends cheered you on. The name Corporate Heelz is very suggestive of women doing great things and making an impact. Why did you choose to focus on women?

Janice: We chose to focus on women because there aren’t many platforms for women to network and increase their sphere of influence. Women work and then head home to take care of their families. Men on the other hand have a chance to go to after work networking events. Corporate Heelz was formed to also give women a chance to network in a socially charged environment.

Sara: Do you feel the name “Corporate Heelz” may put off less confident women, who may never come along because they feel they won’t fit in, but who actually need the help and inspiration from other confident women?

Janice: I don’t think so. Corporate Heelz is meant to depict the true picture of women trying to succeed, whether in business, or in a career so it is really speaking to all women. Women have so many things they are juggling whilst trying to climb the ladder. And most of them do it in heelz!

Sara: How would you define your target audience?

Janice: Our target audience is women aged 21-39. We target Zambian women whether they are working moms or entrepreneurs. We are a resource for them to grow themselves. Though we target women, we have had a lot of men following our networks lately!

Sara: How exactly does Corporate Heelz connect and empower like-minded women?

Janice: We have bi-monthly power events where women get together. These are focused on highlighting tools to success. We also have a bi-monthly free online magazine that highlights stories of Zambians achieving success. These stories are meant to show women that it is possible to achieve success with the right tools and most importantly, the right mind-set.

Janice Matwi, Corporate Heelz

Sara: Is Corporate Heelz a private business, or more of a charity support group?

Janice: Corporate Heelz is not profit making at present.  There’s a higher percentage of self-funding and some sponsorship coming in from time to time.

Sara: Corporate Heelz events so far have only been hosted within Lusaka. Can we expect growth in different cities?

Janice: We are currently just in Lusaka, but we have been getting requests from the Copperbelt. We are considering it in our plans for next year.

Sara: Tell us what you aim to achieve with the magazine?

Janice: The aim of the free online magazine is to tell Zambian success stories in our own Zambian voice. We feel that there are not enough success stories being told to inspire women to achieve more. We read a lot of stories from environments that are miles ahead in terms of development, environments that have different cultures that they are so disconnected from our everyday Zambian life. So disconnected in fact, success seem impossible. Our magazine carries content that is meant to inspire by showing that IT IS POSSIBLE. Content aims to enlighten readers by providing tools that will change their way of thinking, positioning them to achieve more, and reach out to others, forming powerful connections and a strong sphere of influence.

Sara: Do you believe Zambian women are making an impact today? What do you think needs to be improved for more women to take up the challenge of going fourth and doing?

Janice: Yes Zambian women are making an impact. But it’s not quite as many women as we would like. More women need to come to the front and add their voice to this revolution of women leaning in towards their dreams and goals. Women need to believe in themselves more, they need to be confident in knowing they are also valuable and able to rise. And we need women to have more meaningful conversations that will build them. These conversations and spheres of influence will then show the value of women helping women to climb the ladder.

Sara: Where do you see yourself in the future?

Janice: Long term we see ourselves becoming the number one women’s networking platform, a resource that builds women. Our core philosophy and mission is creating inspiring, enlightening and powerful connections.  This is what guides all of our operations and plans. We see a future where Corporate Heelz is instrumental in changing laws that will bring about positive change in Zambia.

Sara: How can women join Corporate Heelz and keep up to date with your magazine, events calendar and more?

Janice: Membership is free and open to anyone who is interested. The subscription to the Corporate Heelz magazine is also free. Find out more on Corporate Heelz on the Best of Zambia, and stay connected via our Facebook page and Twitter account.

The post Women of Zambia, from Mums to entrepreneurs, Corporate Heelz is for you appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

We were excited when we caught wind of the Lusaka International Film and Music Festival that started on Friday 30th August and is on till Friday 6th September. The festival is an annual 8 day film platform that showcases primarily African feature films, short films, animation and documentaries and hosts a number of workshops as well as a variety of events that feature musical artistic genres.

We caught up with one of the organizers, Charity Maruta, to get all the details about the festival. This is not something you want to miss!

Who is behind the Lusaka Film & Music Festival?
The Lusaka International Film and Music Festival is a project of the International Video Fair Trust, a not-for-profit Trust based in Harare that is involved in the development of film and appreciation of film in Zambia and the Southern African region.

How long has it been running?
This is the 2nd edition of The Lusaka International Film and Music Festival. The first edition was last year.

What does the festival hope to achieve?
The festival’s main objective is to raise awareness amongst the film going community on current and past global issues and topics. The Festival also creates a space where people can dialogue together about things that matter. Another important mission of the Festival is to contribute to on-going efforts to develop the film and video industry.

What is the Festival programme?
The Film Festival conducts the following programmes:

• The promotion and distribution of African film and cinema. World cinema is also showcased to create a cultural exchange for better understanding between the different people of the world.
• The Film Forum is where the festival organisers screen films for free, and conduct discussions after the film show. This year’s featured film is “Stealing Africa” a documentary film to be screened at the Vice President’s Official Residence. This year’s event includes a panel discussion afterwards.“Stealing Africa” is one of eight feature length films from the Why Poverty Series
• Short Documentary Film Project (SDFP) conducts on the job training for aspiring film makers to encourage aspiring film makers to make documentaries that are for social justice and change.
• Mobile Cinema is where the festival takes edutainment films to high density and peri-urban areas.
• Music Festival is the promotion and distribution of music films on and about the industry as a whole.

How many Zambian films are showcased during this festival?
At the 1st edition of the festival we screened the local film SUWI. SUWI has a high production quality and it has great values. In this year’s festival we are showcasing five local films altogether, and short all-Zambian stories.

What is the process of choosing the films and documentaries that you show during the festival?
A call for film submissions is put out on the Lusaka International Film and Music Festival website and other social media sites, both locally and globally.  Once the theme is decided, the festival looks for specific films and invites the film makers to submit their works. The deadline is usually the 31st July of each year. Then the films go through a selection process and the selection committee releases the final festival list.

How can local film makers be involved?
Local film makers have to produce world class cinema standard films that can travel around the world to international film festivals and compete with other international film. It is all about quality.

Are the events free to the public or is there a cost?
Admission to the screening is ZMW20, and ZMW30 for VIP tickets.

What are the venues for these activities?
The film screenings will be done at Fresh View Cinema at the Manda Hill and Levy Junction Shopping Malls. Interested parties can have a look at the events schedule on our website.

The post The Lusaka International Film and Music Festival appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Seasons come and seasons go.
Some trends become popular and some no.
Otis Redding said a change is gotta come.
But why do you have to take my hashtag Mister President?
Bubblegum.

As is CLEARLY evident, my poetry is pretty pathetic, but I had to express my emotion in some way! Public transport in Zambia is changing. By now, most of you may have noticed that the colour scheme of public buses is changing – from blue and white, to an orange strip/ribbon around the length of the bus, and a secondary colour of choice. Apparently blue and white are the colours of the previous regime. The current Government wish to change that.

Blue is to become orange…

…Government officials are making sure of it! Photo credited to Times of Zambia online

To some of you, this change means nothing. You will step into your air-conditioned cars, you will continue your dusty foot patrols, or you will even hop on the new orange-strip buses, without second thought. But to me, this change is much more than that. As insignificant as it may seem, the ushering in of a new colour scheme means I must say goodbye to my first interactive hashtag – the first idea that ever got me published. Heart wrenching, is it not?

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles is/was a hashtag I used for my tweets and Facebook updates about my misadventures on public transport in Zambia. I’ve heard the funniest stories, the most absurd revelations, and eavesdropped on a number of shocking conversations! I once heard a drunken passenger compare the invention of the aeroplane to the ‘discovery’ of our country’s beloved nsima! It was only right that I shared these little anecdotes with people. Soon enough, other people used the hashtag, sharing their own interesting experiences.

Now there’s a debate about the pros and cons of moba!bible quotes even!#BlueAndWhiteChronicles cc@Benny_blow

— Eugene Kana (@Eug_G4L) August 23, 2013

*straight face* #BlueAndWhiteChronicles @fadedfollies @benny_blow @seventhirty_ pic.twitter.com/ccn1HIrRSe

— Miss McKash (@ChiqqaShanna) April 22, 2013

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. RT @Benny_blow #BlueAndWhiteChronicles whats worse than a guy on the bus smelling like he hasnt bathed in days?

— Zamiwe (@tash1007) May 23, 2012

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles comic strip – credited to and featured in Flip magazine

About a year after the invention of #BlueAndWhiteChronicles, I got published. My friends London Kamwendo, My friends Jarell Thompson, and I put together a comic strip starring a rude, and loud, bus conductor for Flip Magazine. This was meant to be an exciting event. Sadly, I didn’t get credited for that first piece of printed work. Let’s put it down to a slight mix up. The comic strip was a lot of fun to create and it’s definitely an experience I will never forget. And now, unfortunately, #BlueAndWhiteChronicles will be no more. So to say goodbye to my beloved hashtag, I will write a series of posts. This is the first of three. I’ll take pictures of some interesting Blue and Whites along with their stickers and slogans.

Tweet your #BlueAndWhiteChronicles, and you could get published!

To say goodbye I would appreciate it if you shared some of your own #BlueAndWhiteChronicles, your own experiences of public transport in Zambia. Share your quotes and pictures on Twitter. Mention me, @Benny_blow and @TheBestOfZambia, and don’t forget to add the hashtag #BlueAndWhiteChronicles. We’ll pick a few of the best and add them to the next posts.

Tweet #BlueAndWhiteChronicles

I hope this will be as much fun for you as it has been for me.
Send your pictures and tweets and you will see,
#BlueAndWhiteChronicles are a lot of fun.
Here’s a little flavour of what’s to come!
The wheels on the bus go round and round…
Bubblegum.

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles I think this should read DEMOCRACY!

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles ‘Uja Muntu’ – ‘That person’ or ‘That Guy’

#BlueAndWhiteChronicles Rick Ross would be proud!

Tweet your #BlueAndWhiteChronicles pictures and quotes to @Benny_blow and @thebestofzambia

Tweets about “#BlueAndWhiteChronicles”

Benny Blow is an amateur alchemist, blogger and freelance writer. You can read some more of his writing on bennyblow.blogspot.com

The post #BlueAndWhiteChronicles misadventures on public transport in Zambia appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

Welcome to Fitness Friday and the high demands of urban life, where people work around the clock and fail to pay attention to their basic needs of life. In order to cope with stress, most people take to substance use such as coffee, alcohol and cigarettes, creating lifestyle issues such as early burnouts, cardiovascular diseases, repeated stress injuries, urinary, reproductive and digestive problems. We need some kind of stress management.

And it’s not just the body that is affected by stress. Family and relationships suffer too. Today deep psychological issues are becoming very common. Does any of this sound familiar?

This article focuses on lifestyle stress and stress management. Lifestyle stress is a situation where our mind and body believes that it has to be in the state of alert all the time. It recognizes stress as a normal situation. This results in alteration in attention, thought processes and structures (organs of our body) resulting in various health and psychological conditions.

Everyone is striving to live longer, however the quality of life has diminished because we are not taking care of ourselves. We work so hard for our future, careers and families, but then we miss the most important step — working on ourselves. What good is all that money when you’re 60, paying health care bills and don’t have quality of life because of your physical health?

There’s a special drug out on the market today that’s been around for many years that can help cure these symptoms, yet almost everyone is forgetting to take their daily pill. This is one of the most simple, effective prescriptions that we can stick to and it could save you lots of money.  It’s called exercise.

Shakespeare Court Fitness Club

Why not take an extra hour during the day to work on your body so you can enjoy a healthy life, save money on health care and actually live well into your 90s? It’s time to start re-prioritising!

Exercising can leave you breathing easier, as it delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. It benefits your entire cardiovascular system, which means the more your heart and lungs work efficiently, the more energy you’ll have to do the things you love best. It’s that simple.

Remember health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Eating right, exercising, and sleeping well, each play an equal role in the prevention of infections and diseases. A good sense of self, a loving supportive network and the potential for continued personal growth is also important to our overall well-being.

Many of us are not in control of the factors that cause us to become ill, whether they’re genetic, environmental, or something else entirely. But we can reduce the chances of ill health and improve our lives by starting to eat smart* and exercising regularly.

No idea how to start? Shakespeare Court Fitness Club offers you an atmosphere where great network support is possible, with a fantastic opportunity to socialise. The Shakespeare Court Fitness Club runs some simple to follow exercise routines that you can do at home in your bedroom or hotel room if you are constantly travelling. By simply following these workout routines and sticking to a 20-30 minute program, you can easily help to get your body feeling great.

This article was submitted by Shakespeare Court. For more details, visit the Shakespeare Court fitness club.

If you missed previous Fitness Friday blogs, you can view them all here.
*read last week’s Fitness Friday blog for more on eating smart

The post Stress management: How to beat lifestyle stress appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

What is the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
Founded in 1956 by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth achievement award, bringing together practical experiences and life skills to create committed global citizens and equipping young people for life. Over eight million people have participated in the award in over 140 countries and territories. The award is an exciting self-development programme available to all young people aged 14 to 25 worldwide, equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world.

Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition participants in Zambia

The Award’s history in Zambia
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was founded in Zambia in 1989. A strong award programme existed in Zambia in the 1980s under the name “President’s Youth Award” whose Patron was the then Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. Deserving young people received awards from the President on Youth Day.

Although the concept of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was introduced to Zambia in September 1981, it was only in 1989 when the Zambian government decided to integrate it into the President’s Youth Award of Zambia. In 1990, a National Youth Award Committee was elected and operated under the National Youth Development Council (NYDC). In May 1991, a pilot project started with 50 young people. By December 1991, 30 young people had qualified for the Bronze Award. Zambia was given a provisional membership of the International Award Association at the 4th Forum held in November 1991 in Hong Kong.

In 1992, the National Youth Award Committee decided to change the name of the programme in Zambia from President’s Youth Award to National Youth Award Association to avoid possible political misunderstanding. In the mid-1990s, the Award got a new lease of life when private schools began to adopt the Award, reporting directly to the International Secretariat in London in the absence of a National Award Authority.

In late 2008, the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development and the NYDC, with support from the Commonwealth Youth Programme Regional Centre for Africa (CYP) and the International Award Association (IAA) began the process of re-establishing a National Award Authority (NAA). Having a National Award Authority allows the programme to reach more young people from different backgrounds. The National Youth Award Committee is currently serving as the local Secretariat.

Four of the five Zambian Duke of Edinburgh Award ambassadors

More about the Awards
There are three Award levels – bronze, silver and gold. Participants must complete four sections at each Award level: service, skills, physical recreation and adventurous journey. In addition at Gold level, there is also a residential project.

Adventurous journey section
In Zambia, the qualifying Bronze expedition is set in hilly bush around Kundalila Falls. It is a great introduction to what the expeditions are all about and a taster for what’s in store at Silver and Gold level. The notorious Silver qualifying expedition is in the Serenje area and ends up at Chipota Falls. Chengelo School’s Gold participants found undiscovered cave paintings in the Mulungushi Dam area of Zambia. These have since been reported to the National Heritage Conservation Commission. They also found a perfect spot for a potential outdoor centre or tourist facility on the shores of Lake Tanganyika near the magnificent Kalambo Falls.

Residential project (at Gold level)
Students live at a project site for two weeks and participate in all the activities. Students have been involved with street kids projects, orphanages, schools for the physically disabled, medical clinics and rural self-help schemes all over Zambia. For many it is the most meaningful, eye opening and rewarding aspect of the award.

2013 Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards
This year, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award office in Zambia has appointed five ambassadors to help raise, support and upscale the International Award’s profile in Zambia. These ambassadors are Youth Activist Erasmus Mweene, local musician Pompi, Miss Tourism Zambia Winnie-Fredah Kabwe and past participants Olunga Otieno and Esanju Maseka.

How to get involved
Interested people can register with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for Youth – Zambia secretariat situated at the Commonwealth Youth Programme offices at the University of Zambia (UNZA). People are welcome to come on board as participants, volunteers and partners.

The content of this article was provided by Cutting Edge PR, a partner in this year’s Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Cutting Edge PR is providing Public Relations and event management support of the Awards. Like the Cutting Edge PR Facebook page for updates on the awards and visit their webpage to find out more about them.

Don’t miss out on our next post when we introduce Zambia’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 2013 ambassadors.

The post The Duke of Edinburgh International Award for Young People appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what cluster munitions were. Gilbert Nsamba, a member of our team, alerted us to the fact that there was an important event going on in Zambia right now. So we started to dig. The annual meeting of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), the fourth Meeting of State Parties (4MSP), is being held in Lusaka from the 9th to the 13th of September, with over 100 Governments meeting at Lusaka’s New Government Complex.

This is the first ever meeting in Africa, and a great opportunity for Zambia, hot off the heals of UNWTO. Zambia does seem to be on the ball with hosting events like this. Surely these events help to raise Zambia’s profile as open for business, and a potential travel destination. Although I can’t imagine that such visitors get much down time, or glimpse the true beauty of Zambia from a conference room. But of course the influx of all these delegates and their support teams is great for local businesses related to the conferencing sector.

It is not clear how this opportunity came up for Zambia, or why we were chosen to be the first African host. It could be due to the fact that, unlike many other countries, Zambia has never been a producer, user or stockpiler of cluster munitions. As hosts of the event, Foreign Affairs Minister, Wylbur Simuusa, becomes President of the CCM, following Ambassador Steffen Kongstad, from Norway, where 3MSP (the previous Meeting of State Parties) was held.

Understanding cluster munitions
The Action On Armed Violence website describes cluster munitions as, “Large bombs that transform into dozens of smaller sub-munitions when dropped through the air.” According to Wikipedia, ”It is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehicles.” Read more on Wikipedia. They cause significant harm to civilians in two ways.

1. They are used across wide geographic areas and cannot distinguish between civilians and soldiers.

2. They often leave behind dangerous unexploded weaponry which can kill and injure civilians and obstruct development long after a war is over.

Convention of Cluster Munitions, 4MSP takes place in Lusaka, image sourced from Cluster Munition Coalition Facebook page: facebook.com/banclusterbombs

The Convention of Cluster Munitions (CCM) is an international treaty
This treaty prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. 107 states signed the treaty in 2008, after decades of concerns about human suffering caused by cluster munitions. It became binding international law on the 1st of August 2010. Today 112 states have signed the treaty.

In Africa these signatories include 23 state parties, of which Zambia is one, and 19 signatories who have signed, but not ratified the convention. Many African countries have joined the convention except for Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritius, South Sudan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. Read more details here. State parties are legally obliged to help families of those killed by cluster munitions, along with those injured and affected communities. State parties are also making progress with destroying stockpiles and clearing affected land.

Here are some interesting facts from the Action On Armed Violence website:

• Forty-two countries that have used, produced, exported, and/or stockpiled cluster munitions have joined the convention, thereby committing to never engage in those banned activities again.
• Since August 2012, seven signatories have ratified the convention including two countries where cluster munitions have been used (Chad and Iraq) and one stockpiler (Peru).
• Sixteen former producers of cluster munitions have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, thereby foreswearing any future production. Non-signatory Argentina has also stopped production.
• Seventeen countries, mostly in Asia and Europe, continue to produce cluster munitions or reserve the right to produce them in the future. None of these producers are known to have used cluster munitions, except Israel, Russia, and the United States (US).
• Read more facts on use, production, transfer, stockpiling, retention, contamination, clearance, casualties, victim assistance, international cooperation and assistance, national legislation and transparency, assistance with prohibited acts, foreign stockpiling and transit, and disinvestment.

Zambia’s cluster munitions status
The landmine and cluster munition monitor shows Zambia’s journey. Read Zambia’s profile here. In summary, Zambia has been affected by cluster munitions in the past as a result of neighbouring countries using Zambia as a haven in the 1970s and 1980s. Most, if not all of these have been cleared, and Zambia announced it was fully compliant 20 months ahead of schedule in August 2011 (yes you read right, ‘ahead of schedule’)! There are at least 112 Explosive Remnant of War survivors in Zambia and the last was reported in 2009. You can research the status of other countries here.

Current issues
There is a specific call for state parties to join with one voice against non-signatory Syria’s use of cluster munitions. Syria used cluster munitions in 2012 and 2013, causing numerous civilian casualties. More than 110 states have condemned Syria’s cluster munition use, including dozens of states outside the convention. This interesting article reports how activists are condemning both Syria and America for use of cluster bombs. “It makes absolutely no sense to use banned weapons to retaliate for the use of another banned weapon (chemical weapons),” says Sarah Blakemore, Director of the international civil-society campaign. You can read this public letter written on August 28th.

The theme of the 4MSP is universalisation, encouraging as many countries as possible to sign the convention, and take action for the sake of their people. As president of the CCM until 5MSP, Zambia is being implored to encourage other African countries to join. In the SADC region, 14 states have joined the Convention, with just six pending ratification.

Further reading
This is a BIG topic. It seems that lots has been achieved since the Convention became law in 2010. Equally, there seems to be a lot more that needs to be done. Hypocritical actions and political debate continue. I’m proud of Zambia’s leading status. To find out more:

Cluster Munition Coalition

Convention of Cluster Munitions

Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor

Action on Armed Violence

Exchange of views and statements from various countries taking part in 4MSP in Lusaka, Zambia

The post Convention on Cluster Munitions: Over 100 Governments meet in Zambia appeared first on The Best of Zambia.

It’s Fitness Friday again and this week we look at a common ailment suffered by many – peptic ulcers. Our passionate health contributor Juanita Pretorius from Riverview Wellness Centre shares 15 tips on how to treat peptic ulcers.

The official cause of peptic ulcers is unknown. However, it is thought that they are caused by the improper use of the digestive tract. For several decades, we have known that our concept of the cause and treatment of peptic ulcers has been less than ideal. Recently we have begun to understand more about how to treat this disease. Treatment takes place by correcting the improper use of the digestive tract.

Riverview has put together the top 15 suggestions that can help you regain a healthy digestive tract: 

I. Avoid stomach irritants such as spices, alcohol, caffeine, dairy products, over eating, eating too fast etc.

2. Chew food well – chew to a cream before you swallow.

3. Avoid all between-meal eating, putting at least five hours between the end of one meal and the beginning of the next.

4. Do not take antacids as these cause rebound acid formation.

5. Since acid is formed most freely in response to the presence of protein in the stomach, eat a low protein diet.

6. From time to time, fast for twenty-four hours. Drink plenty of room temperature water, and do not fear that you will have pain. Most patients are surprised at the reduction of pain by fasting. Control any pain by hot applications over the painful area.

7. Have a set mealtime – not to be varied by so much as five minutes during the first month.

8. Drink tap water freely between meals. Do not use liquid foods such as soups, juices, milks, or beverages for the first month. Take food in small bites as dry as possible, and chew well.

9. When fasting, take eight to ten charcoal tablets at the beginning of the fast, and once daily for one week.

10. Take one cup of fresh cabbage juice, no more than five minutes from the juicer, at the beginning of breakfast and dinner.

II. Take four to six olives at supper time. Alternatively leave off supper for at least one month.

12. A good cereal to use is millet cooked like oatmeal with unsweetened apple sauce as a topping instead of milk. Millet is soothing to the gastro-intestinal tract.

13. Test yourself for allergies by omitting the ten groups of foods known to cause most food sensitivities:

• Milk
• Coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Corn, wheat, rice and yeast
• Eggs, pork, beef, and fish
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Strawberries and apples
• Peanuts, soy products, and all beans
• Cane sugar, cinnamon, and all spices
• Lettuce, onion, and garlic
• Nuts and seeds

After two weeks begin adding back groups putting at least three days between the re-introduction of food groups.

14. Strictly observe good principles with regard to proper clothing and a healthful body, as chilled extremities cause reduced blood flow to the stomach.

15. Set up a program of vigorous outdoor exercise.

These are tried and tested principles which, if followed, should result in a marked improvement for those suffering from peptic ulcers.

If you missed previous Fitness Friday blogs, you can view them all here.

The post How to treat a peptic ulcer – naturally appeared first on The Best of Zambia.