Dancing to the African Beat

Success and excellence are intrinsically bound – true sustainable progress is never achieved when these two elements are not present. It is widely acknowledged that we live and work in challenging times. While there is little doubt that Africa is on the cusp of great economic development, all the building blocks for our future success are not yet in place. Currently there are many perspectives on how to tackle the socio-economic constraints that are a legacy of Africa’s past in a way that will ensure solid foundations are laid for future development. While a good many theories are postulated and a multitude of views are garnered from experts in the developmental space, the reality is that the progress we all want to see on the continent is going to come, one step at a time. However, as any successful leader in business, government and civil society will tell you. There is no substitute for hard work and commitment.

 

Click here to read the full article.

 

Living the Brand

While it is not unheard of women to spend 20 or more years in one career field it is certainly less commonplace for such women to have been honoured by their peers for their professional achievements during their career. Koo Govender, the Corporate and Marketing and Communications Director at M-Net, is one of the few to enjoy this recognition and, sharing her success story, says it’s all about one’s attitude. “Always have a good attitude for it determines your altitude. My mantra is that life is not only about success but about significance and living your true potential,” says Koo. What has been her recipe for success? “Be open to opportunities, and don’t be afraid to take risks, set goals for yourself and work hard to achieve them but most importantly, never give up,” she advises.

 

Click here to read the full article.

 

Chosen by the Arts

Mentioning the job title of artistic director to someone usually conjures up an image of a dreary job description that entails directing art in a literal sense. This is not true for Tebogo Maboa, artistic director at Lenstwe Arts Projects (LEAP), who, in his 25 years in the industry, still sees his job as a vocation that has been a ‘wonderful journey’ thus far. Tebogo explains that, as artistic director, he is responsible for the conception, development and implementation of the artistic programme for the year. “This entails selecting the finest South African stories. We are currently running a production called Potchefstroom Road in the North West. This is a unique story written by Martin Koboekae,” reveals Tebogo, who, even after many years in the industry, still has his hands as full as on the first day that he started in the arts.

 

Click here to read the full artilce.

 

Legal Aid in Darfur Helps the Vulnerable

Garssila, Sudan—Women and girls continue to suffer from widespread insecurity in the conflict-ridden region of Darfur in Sudan. For 13 years old Aisha, her childhood ended when she was brutally raped by a man while on the way to the market in the small town of Garssila, central Darfur. Unfortunately Aisha’s case is not an isolated one. As law enforcement agencies in Darfur have insufficient resources and incentives to uphold and protect human rights, crisis-affected populations there continue to suffer from arbitrary violence and the deprivation of physical and legal safety. Women and girls face the daily threat of sexual violence. Given the lack of adequate and responsive law enforcement in the region, women in particular are reluctant to seek justice and file complaints against attackers. Access to justice remains challenging for large parts of Darfur’s population due to a deep mistrust among the local population of the very institutions that are tasked with ensuring their safety and security.

 

Click here to read the full article.