Exclusive VIDEO Interview with Cameroon's Youngest Female Entrepreneur ETONDE ...

Africa should take advantage of its youth demographic dividend to push young entrepreneurs to contribute to the continent's economic transformation. This has been the subject on every political speech, the seductive magnet in election campaigns, and the chorus in many economic write-ups, but yet finance remains the biggest barrier to entry resulting to a large informal entrepreneurship at the bottom of the African economic pyramid. There is a lot on the WHY? but soo little on the HOW? In Cameroon, the youngest successful female entrepreneur Etonde Martin has made it her mission to see into these challenges and came up with solutions to reducing the barrier to entry. The EMPOWER SUCCESS IN AFRICA team caught up with her and we were delighted to have an exclusive in-depth interview with the brain behind SIPEC empire . Stay Empowered and Happy New Year 2018.

Africa's Wealth Inequality: The rich get richer even as poverty and inequality deepen.

Many wonder why, if Africa is growing, as the “Africa Rising” story claims, large numbers of Africans are still desperate to escape to Europe at great risk to their lives.

Africa is now home to more than 160,000 people with personal fortunes worth in excess of $1m (£642,000), a twofold increase in the number of wealthy individuals since the turn of the century that highlights the problem of deepening inequality as some of the world’s poorest nations register strong economic growth.

The “Africa Rising” story is a tale that is being told virtually everywhere, and which even the Afro-sceptics are gradually coming to terms with.

However, at the same time, it is a story that has its dark side, such as the growing levels of economic inequality that have accompanied Africa’s “rise”.

Africa is the second-most inequitable region in the world, after Latin America. According to a 2012 publication of the African Development Bank, “inequalities have not diminished over time. In 2010, six out of the 10 most unequal countries worldwide were in sub-Saharan Africa, and more specifically in Southern Africa”.

While the rich are getting richer, the poor are wallowing in need, and the backlash of this trend may threaten not only the little progress our continent has made, but our collective sense of humanity and decency which defines Africa’s ubuntu philosophy – of community solidarity, care and responsibility that seeks expression in the phrase, “I am, because we are; and since we are, therefore I am”.

Inequality is not only an economic malaise; it is also a social and political liability to any society. If it is not tamed, it can consume whatever gains that the capitalist system might have accumulated.

Addressing inequality can be a win-win situation both for the powerful and powerless in society. It can create social harmony, mutual trust, and confidence between the haves and have-nots. It is a step towards a collective dream that another world – fairer and just – is possible and desirable for us all!

Dambisa Moyo: For Africa 🌍 to compete with other continents, our leaders MUST be GLOBAL Citizens.

For Africa to compete with other continents, our leaders MUST be GLOBAL Citizens. There is twice as much poorer people in India , China and Brazil , and they don't receive as much aid as Africa does and has had in the past. BUT despite no or little aid China has managed to move 300millions people up the middle class in past 30yrs. WHY not Africa?

Dambisa Moyo  criticizes the well-intentioned Western aid that is delivered to Africa every year, and how this financial aid has in fact made African governments reliant on this income, not only perpetuating the poverty cycle and inhibiting any economic growth and stability, but it hinders the local economy and supports corruption. 

For long I have been inspired and empowered by this woman, however lately after a not-founded critic from Bill Gate against her book... I decided to order one from Amazon. This morning I finished reading it and I must say I am not only full of centric knowledge about reasons for Africa's crippled economic but most of all the words GLOBAL CITIZENS OR CITIZENSHIP now has a whole new meaning to me... 

Moyo Dambisa' s Dead Aid book explains how aid continually hampers Africa’s development and the book provides alternative solutions to economic prosperity like eliminate aid and incorporate the Chinese development strategy which includes heavy focus on trade and investment. It became a New York Times bestseller and went on to be translated into several languages. I recommend it to all interested in Africa's economic prosperity.

Cameroon's Dilemma: - War Between Anglophones and The Oppressive Francophone Government

When a simple teachers' strike degenerates a secessionist protests break out, it is the whole country that trembles on its foundations. The government, which knows better than anyone the fragility of the equilibriums that make Cameroon, decides to employ big means; treating the issue as if the nation's security was under terrorist attack .

On November 21, the army was deployed to Bamenda, the largest city (700,000 inhabitants) in the western English-speaking regions. To disperse the demonstrators and ward off the demons of separatism, the soldiers carried out warning shots. At least one person was killed and a hundred others arrested in the wake.

CAMEROON HOSTED THE FIRST EDITION OF CORPORATE AWARD WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

How have women fared throughout the economy? In other words, women are still struggling to obtain business chief executive leadership roles. There are still many obstacles preventing women from obtaining this leadership level or from keeping them. Reason justified in Cameroon, for the first time initiated Corporate Awards Women in Leadership. This took place on the 8th of December 2016 at Pullman. Hosting over 15 national and international speakers ( Dayo Oladele-Ilori, Terrence Brathwaite, Gundula Bom, Gwendoline Abunaw, Jacqueline Patcha, Patricia Kakou, Clemence Nwonkap, Celina Choi, Caude Panmo, Desiree Tolen, Charlie Teneg, Rachel Hale, Regine Ekwa Ngalle, Bertrand Tiotsop, Roland Kwemain), one can say for the first time, the hypocrite issue on challenges that both 21st century women face were openly discussed in detail, and awareness raised.

HEALTH: *HEART ATTACKS AND DRINKING WARM WATER*

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```This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about Heart Attack's . The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating. For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is very Harmful to have Cold Drink/Water during a meal. Because, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer . It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. Drink one glass of warm water just when you are about to go to bed to avoid clotting of the blood at night to avoid heart attacks or strokes.

A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. ...```

*Please share this article *

AID ACTIVIST IN SOUTH AFRICA DEMANDS TREATMENT FOR ALL

As the world observed Nelson Mandela International Day, thousands of civil rights activists from South Africa and across the world took to the streets of Durban, South Africa, calling for treatment for all while highlighting the disconnect between political promises to end AIDS and the realities on the ground.

ANTI-CHILD MARRIAGE ORDER PASSED INTO LAW BY GAMBIAN PARLIAMENT

 I must say I am supprise at this; specially the the fact that gambia is dominated by the muslem religion.

The Gambian Parliament has passed a law against child marriage two weeks after President Yahya Jammeh verbally prohibited the practice. Child marriage is now punishable by twenty years imprisonment.

“An adult who voluntarily enters into marriage on behalf of a child or who pushes a child into a marriage, helps, encourages or participates in the celebration of any wedding of a child, commits an offense and is liable to imprisonment not exceeding twenty years,” according to a text adopted by the National Assembly on Thursday.

The same document stated that, “an adult who learns about such a marriage proposal and willfully fails to report it commits an offense and is liable to imprisonment for ten years,” AFP reports.

SENEGAL CLEARS 270 CHILD BEGGERS OFF DAKAR STREET IN 15 DAYS

Social welfare officers in Senegal say about 270 children were extracted from the streets of the capital in approximately 15 days since the commencement of efforts to rid the streets of Dakar from the menace of child beggars.

The president, Macky Sall, announced the ‘clear up’ operation during the just ended Eid-ul-Fitr prayers. According to officials, half of the kids taken between June 30 to July 15 were ‘talibes...’. Talibes are children supposed to be under the guidance of Quran teachers but are often sent out (sometimes forcibly) to beg for alms on the streets.


“I have given very firm instructions to the government to stop this unbearable image of abandoned children in the street. It’s not because they are from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds that we should leave them to say thank you in the street,” he said.

Dakar has over 1000 “daara” (Koranic schools) with 54,837 “talibes” out of which it is estimated that over 30,000 were practicing begging, according to an official survey in 2014.

Aside chilkdren who were taken whiles begging on their own, others begging in the company of their parents or guardians, were also targeted by the raids.

After the kids have been taken, they are given temporary stay in a center – with durations lasting from a few hours to several days – the children are then returned to their parents or their Koranic teachers, says Maimouna Balde, leader of the raids.

According to her, in case of recurrence, their guardians or parents will be punished. The operation, still limited to Dakar, will be conducted “as long as there are children in the street,” she said

INTERVIEW: CAMEROONIAN GORETTI ETCHU-EGBE REINVENTS THE DOOR WAY FOR FEMALE IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY

Many years into a career that is seeing her emerge as the queen of the Cameroon box office, Goretti Etchu-Egbe still remembers the African woman she grew up knowing and how it has evolved over the years. Typically portrayed as weak and submissive, they now bore much resemblance to the western women — “women wielding guns,” as the helmer says, with a laugh...