Africa by Maya Angelou

"Africa"

Thus she had lain
sugercane sweet
deserts her hair
golden her feet
mountains her breasts
two Niles her tears.
Thus she has lain
Black through the years.

Over the white seas
rime white and cold
brigands ungentled
icicle bold
took her young daughters
sold her strong sons
churched her with Jesus
bled her with guns.
Thus she has lain.

Now she is rising
remember her pain
remember the losses
her screams loud and vain
remember her riches
her history slain
now she is striding
although she has lain.

What will you do to help development??

I ask you, ooh my fellow youths,
what will you do to help develop our continent, our homes, our land, our Africa and our countries?

Have you started or are you fixated in your own while you watch others grieve without success.
I have started by helping bridge the digital divide in developing countries, I have started by donating each month, I have started by giving things that I know I dont need yet another definitely will have use for, I have started by working hard to get the my education so I can go and help my people!!Sometimes people take the word charity in a whole different meaning?? So Today I leave you wanting for you to give me a definition of giving??


What does giving mean to you??

Youths, do we have demons??

I have been away from my favourite site for too long. I know some of you are probably thinking, i've given up. No, no, no not anytime soon!! I want to talk about the demons within us...now don't sit there and say you have none because we all do. The demon I am fighting is called 'LIFE,' you work hard, you plan, your mind is set, you love, you grow, but at the end of the day those you love the most are the ones that come to hurt you, do you feel me, do you get that, do you find it hard to trust? Have you lost one you love, have you lost your unborn? Do you feel me?Oooh demon, why wont you let us be? So tell me, What's you demon??

When Ure Hero Falls

when your hero falls from grace

all fairy tales r uncovered

myths exposed and pain magnified

the greatest pain discovered

u taught me 2 be strong

but im confused 2 c u so weak

u said never 2 give up

and it hurts 2 c u welcome defeat

when ure hero falls so do the stars

and so does the perception of tomorrow

without my hero there is only

me alone 2 deal with my sorrow

your heart ceases 2 work

and your soul is not happy at all

what r u expected 2 do

when ure only hero falls.

But as you sit there thinking of your calamities, do you ever think of those worse than you,

Those with no food, while you complain to not like what you have

Sometimes our preferences lead us to greediness and selfishness

So today I'm gonna leave you with a thought... let the images speak to you

Poverty

Starvation

Poor living

Watching myself die before my eyes, with nothing I can do about it

Conflict took my hands.

And 2Morrow
Today is filled with anger

fueled with hidden hate

scared of being outcast

afraid of common fate

Today is built on tragedies

which no one wants 2 face

nightmares 2 humanities

and morally disgraced

Tonight is filled with rage

violence in the air

children bred with ruthlessness

because no one at home cares

Tonight I lay my head down

but the pressure never stops

knawing at my sanity

content when I am dropped

But 2morrow I c change

a chance 2 build a new

Built on spirit intent of Heart and ideals

based on truth

and tomorrow I wake with second wind

and strong because of pride2 know I fought with all my heart 2 keep my dream alive.

So my advice to my fellow youth , whatever you might go through don't lose HOPE. I know what pain feels like and you may feel like you are alone but in life we all feel pain maybe at different levels but those who stick through the race are the ones who reach te finishing line.

Till next time, I wish you all a pleasant weekend, filled with laughter, and grace.

Your thoughts are mine

I know what you are thinking this girl and her partner have done neglected us. No, Not really everything has been keeping us busy but I know what you are thinking but you've been updating finishing touches well this blog has our hearts and when I write a story I like to put my whole heart into it and my partner has to approve so that you feel what I am feeling as you have been I am sure of that. We are currently working on some stuff that I will be posting soon be patient with us and keep visiting African Youth Vibes.

Yours trully

S and R.

This isn't pretty but it's true

I cry for the leaders who lead us to war,
for innocent ones who die on far shore.
I cry for the cities toppled by hate.
I cry for all nations,
little and great who fight for freedom and peace with a gun,
bury their children when the fighting is done.
Who gave us the power to govern all men?
How many wars do we have to win?
What price must we pay for the freedom of few?






Killing the Future before they've lived Today...

THINK!! THINK!! THINK!!

These adverts speak for themselves so my fellow young people...Don't Die before you've lived...Think twice before you have sex, think twice before you smoke, think twice before you drive in the influence of drink...think twice before you decide to take drugs...think twice before it's too late!!



I think giving your kids knowledge from a young age is very important because they think twice about everything they do!!Knowledge is key...


Isn't this sooo sad...this is the most beautiful little girl ever and she wont be living too long because one of her parents gave her AIDs!!

Beware of AIDs...it's the killer of Africa!!

'Dear Leaders of the World
You have the chance of a lifetime!
At the 2005 World Summit on September 14–16,
we have a golden opportunity to make the world a better place by stepping up efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The process of halving poverty by 2015 has already begun. We urge you to continue the good work. It is time to speed up!'

Donate, so our fellow Africans can be treated!!

Every gun that is made,
Every warship made
Every rocket fired, signifies.
In the final sense.
A theft from those who hunger and are not fed.
those who are cold and not clothed.


Beware of drink driving, don't drive when you are tired, don't drive under the influence of drugs and don't drive too fast!! He could have lived, he was dreaming of becoming a president but now a driver who was driving too fast has taken his dreams away and most of all his life!!

That is what it's doing to your lungs, it's like a bullet shooting to your lungs and destroying it!!

Cancer survival

When you take the focus off yourself, you'll often find that you feel lighter. The burden of constantly seeking your own way and taking it upon yoursekf to fill the voids in your life is lifted. When you seek to be of service, others sense your pure motives. Don't forget to give, it can be anything...you don't have to be rich to give!! So today, I warn my fellow young people THINK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE TO REGRET!!

Sierra Leone Bans Child marriages not Female Genital Mutilation

Sierra Leone’s parliament has passed a child rights bill, which bans under-age weddings but controversially dropped a clause to outlaw female circumcision. The BBC’s Umaru Fofana in Sierra Leone says girls as young as 11 are often married off to wealthy men but this is now banned until they are 18 years old.
However, the press and public were asked to leave parliament during the debate on female genital mutilation. When they were allowed back, the section on FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) had been removed.The local representative of UN children’s agency Unicef said the passing of the bill was the best day for Sierra Leone’s children since the end of the civil war. But campaigners are not happy that FGM was not banned.
Senior MP Alassan Fofana told the BBC that there was a general consensus in parliament not to outlaw FGM. He said that measures had been introduced to control it and pointed out that this was more than previous parliaments had done. “They were afraid to be tagged as calling for a ban on FGM. For a lot of people, this would have cost their political career,” he said.
Last year, a woman from Sierra Leone successfully claimed asylum in the UK on the basis that she feared being forcibly circumcised - a decision condemned by the Sierra Leone government. Up to 90% of women have faced the procedure in the West African country, which sees part or all of the clitoris surgically removed, often resulting in reduced or no sexual feeling.
FGM is practised in many West, North and East African countries. One Sierra Leone girl nevertheless told the BBC that the new law would improve her life.
“I’m more privileged than my mum - she was forced into marriage at an early age. At least I can decide for myself how to live my life without my parents interfering,” she said.

The digital divide in developing and developed countries

The digital divide that currently exists between the developed and developing countries is enormous. Latest World Bank research shows that there are 5 or less computers per 1,000 people in the vast majority of Sub-Saharan African countries. This figure is also applicable to the South Asian sub-continent.

For all those that are in developed countries, imagine a day without a computer let a lone not having a computer at all. With the increase in global communication, you will see computers almost in every house in developed countries, in schools, Internet cafe or having a personal computer (laptop, tablet etc). The dependency in computers has increased compared throughout the years and it has become almost unlivable without them.

Well, this is quite different from developing countries where many people in the developing world have only limited access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
The gap between those who have access,and those who don ’t is known as the digital divide.
This divide is most pronounced between more and less developed economies and includes all aspects of ICT,including phone access,PC ownership and internet usage. Phone access has rapidly increased in the past decade with the spread of mobile phones;around a third of people in the developing world now have access to phones.But PC ownership and Internet usage has risen more slowly, with less than 4 percent of people in Africa using the Internet,compared with 63 percent in the UK.
"A computer can cost the equivalent of up to eight years ’ income for an average person in Bangladesh " It is easy to take access to computers and the internet for granted. We can
sometimes forget how useful email is, or how valuable the internet is as a learning or communication tool. Most office employees would find it difficult to imagine how laborious it would be to record and analyse data if they didn ’t have access to a computer,or how difficult it would be to get a job if they didn ’t know how to use a computer.

My fellow young people why not help with the digital divide by donating a computer that you no longer use to a company that like computer aid who work very hard to bit the digital divide by getting you and companies to donate computers that are sent to schools, companies that wnat to brigde the communication knowledge divide in developing country. Check out www.computeraid.org

YOUTH OF TODAY, IT IS ABOUT NEW VIGOUR, NEW ZEAL, AND NEW SPEED

Boys and Girls today’s world is about youngsters, in terms of fresh energy, ideas and plans to make this world revolve towards brighter future, regardless your ethnic background or religious affiliation. For real it is about fresh focus, hunger to make the difference in life and we all have opportunity to do so.

Calling out the entire youth to set straight your priorities such as Education, insistence on Education because this is the key of today’s world door, so if you really want to get in better get hold of that key…
Embrace your talents because this is the Gods’ gift to you and every one of you have one so utilise it and make it effective.

The bottom line of today’s thought of the day is to encourage all you youngster to enjoy your era in a positive way and utilise all the support and opportunities you get. Remember today’s youngsters are tomorrows’ adults and if you really want to enjoy tomorrow in triumph. it is good to get prepared from today, be ready to share your ideas whenever opportunities arise without holding back, this will pave ways to your great and prosperous future.

“It is better to think through Sunday’s game on Saturday …”

Men who love to look good...

I believe whatever you wear describes who you are. So today think, what do your clothes say about you??

The light hooded top, This is cool for summer too.

For our revolutionary brothers

I love what this says about whoever is wearing it. Build your foundation, stand for what you believe in!!

I like this classy but simple look, it's young and Fresh!!

What to wear this season...Women work it!!

I am for embracing femininity...so girls be funky, don't be afraid to try something new but for this season work these. If you are far away from these shops and have a tailor go make it well I know mine can do wonders!!

Black is always in....This is just soo cute!!

I love the way this dress flaws, it's perfect for the summer and makes you look elegant and beautiful. It's best to work it with up do!!

Bee...is working those shorts. This season make sure you have some in your closet, there is some for everyone. For those with thin to thick legs, ones to enhance your thighs or make you look slim!!Work it, work it!!

Colours and flowers are in and this is a nice bubble dress, works best with the different types of colours for your shoes.

Cute and angelic

For all y'all that know me, know I'm a red fan...and will make you wear red for all my occassions..I think really is as hot as it is..it makes you feel the hotness too!!

NKOSI JOHNSON THE AIDS ACTIVIST 04/FEB/1989-01/JUN/2001

He was born Xolani Nkosi in a slum east of Johannesburg, He never knew his father, His mother Monthlanthla Daphne was HIV positive so she passed the disease to unborn Nkosi, He was born HIV- positive and became a statistic-one of more than 70000 children born HIV-positive every year in South Africa. He survived beyond his second birthday which is unusual for affected babies, the disaease started to sap his mother they were admitted in the hospital,there were he was seen by Gail Johnson and became his foster mother, in 1997 his mother passed away he said in one of his speeches"i really miss my mother but i know she is in heaven".


Nkosi with his foster mother Gail Johnson Nkosi tree

Later that year he won a battle of enrollment in a primary school, the contrversy made him a national figure in the campaign to destigmatize AIDS, and his big moment came in Durban at AIDS international conference he made an imotional speech he said"please help people with AIDS, support them, love them, and care for them".He took the same message to Atlanta GA, he said"it's sad to see so many sick people",he added"i wish everybody in the world would be well"

Nkosi Johnson at the 13th International AIDS conference

At the 13 international Aids conference he made a remakarble speech, he said "Care for us, accept us we are all human beings, we are normal we have hands, we have feet, we can walk, we can talk, we have needs like everyone else,-dont be afraid of us we all the same" .Nelson Mandela described him as "an icon of struggle for life"

Nkosi with Nelson Mandela

Nkosi Johnson died in 01/Jun/2001 at age of 12, he will be remembered as an activist,struggle and survivor against aids, in his last days he said"i'm tired of taking medicine"

Dying Nkosi with his foster mother Gail Johson

RIP

Young people go round and enjoy

I got a request...From a young person who would like to know what is there to do for young people in Tanzania!!

Most people know the famous Sea Cliff Hotel and Village where there are restaurants, saloons, swimming pool, shops, and a super market. Why not pass through and check it out...

How about the next time you visit Bagamoyo which is 30 minutes to 45 minutes away from Dar Es Salaam according to where you start your journey, visit the beautiful Lazy Lagoon:
Lazy Lagoons is the perfect Indian Ocean island retreat, lying in the Zanzibar channel offshore from mainland Bagamoyo.

How to get to Lazy Lagoon:By Road: Lazy Lagoon can be reached by road from Dar es Salaam, a trip of just under an hour. This is followed by a short motor boat trip across the 2km (1.2 miles) stretch of sea to reach the island. Traditional boarding methods and an element of shallow paddling may be required to get to the boat!

By Air: There is an airstrip at Bagamoyo town 7km (4.4 miles)away and you can be met and transferred from here by prior arrangement.

Enjoy swimming and snorkelling; kayaking to the lagoon and mangrove forest, sunset dhow safari to the coral reef, or visit the historical town of Bagamoyo. And this time why not learn a bit about where you are...there is plenty of history in Bagamoyo that will keep you busy for the whole day.

Another beautiful place that you can see from The Slipway the most visited spot by young people especially sundays, where there is music, you can have the best pizza and you can laugh with your friends and meet people. Ok, back to the beautiful island, Bongoyo Island, a wonderful place to relax and soak upthe sun on a weekend. It is only a 40 minute dhow ride from the slipway.

The next time you visit Tanga, why not pass by...Saadani National Park, the only national park i the world that is along the coast. This is where the Bush meets the Beach...

Apart from going round having fun why not go to any Charitable organisation and ask how can I help. You will find yourself busier than ever but at the same time, you will feel good about it.