MEET TINEESHA MARI

The talented Somatologist and Henna artist who has given us the opportunity to tell us more about her passion, including the journey of starting her own  business called “A Touch Of Henna SA “ and what Henna & Mehndi  Art  is really all about.

 

 

For Tineesha, coming from an Indian South African family, henna has always been a part of many family celebrations and wedding traditions. She was always intrigued on how something so beautiful can be done by simply using a paste made from the leaves of a plant. After years of daily practice she then began doing henna on others, “from there on her love and passion for the skill has grown till today.”

“I am a professional henna artist and qualified Somatologist. I have been doing henna for the last 12 years in Durban and Johannesburg. I have also travelled to Zambia for events doing henna art. I started learning about henna as a little girl who fell in love with this beautiful form of art .”

“I then  started “A touch of Henna SA” 2 years ago when I moved to Johannesburg from Durban, whilst practicing as a Somatologist at a skin clinic. The demand and love for henna art grew so rapidly that I realised I had to make a choice. Even though I loved my job and loved being in a health science profession, there was something about henna that always tugged at my heart. Art was always my first love and  passion so I decided to follow my heart and take a leap of faith, and go for it.”

Henna or Mehndi is a paste derived from crushed leaves of the henna plant. It is then applied into the skin similar to the technique used to apply icing on a cake.  It is a form of art that takes years of constant daily practice and most of all love. Henna is used for most celebrations in Indian culture. It is a form of adornment for both hands and feet. Designs vary from simple designs to intricate bridal. The tradition of applying henna on the hands and feet of brides started in India when young brides who couldn't afford jewellery would adorn themselves in henna instead. From being a traditional , it has now grown into a popular fashion trend.

 

 

 

“As a henna artist, I have learned that there was a stigma attached to it. This is because, many years ago in India, the job of being a henna artist was done by young girls who weren't highly educated. Thankfully in today's day and age, things have changed drastically.  Henna art is now appreciated and admired as an art form and henna artists are looked to as artists who are blessed with a gift.  When I began practicing professionally as a henna artist, I did wonder what people would think of me leaving my career in a health science profession and deciding to be an artist instead. I then realised that life isn't about that. Life is about doing what you truly love and looking forward to each day because of it.”

        “I always believed that we all have a reason to be here and God has blessed us each with incredible and unique gifts, and this was certainly mine.”

Moving forward, she wants to focus on growing her business over the next five years. “I plan to merge my skills as a Somatologist and a henna artist and introduce a form of henna nail art. I think making women feel beautiful about themselves and their bodies, is one of the best parts of being a Somatologist and a henna artist and I would love to continue to do that.”

 

 

Her advice to young women is simple, “follow your heart. I know it sounds cliché but it's true. Life is way too short to do a job for the sake of it or for pleasing society. Do what YOU love no matter how unusual or out of the box it may be. Nothing in this world is more rewarding than having that joy. Make your first priority a love for what you do and the success and monetary gain will follow.”

"Art and love are the same thing, it's the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you" - Chuck Klosterman

 

 Website : http://www.atouchofhenna.co.za/

 Instagram : atouchofhenna_sa

Email : info@atouchofhenna.co.za

TheLegacyOfTrueBeauty

Features Writer

Malebo Moloto

 

 

INTRODUCING DORCAS GWATA :

#ZIWA BLOGGER NOMINATION 2015

A Zimbabwean born Public Health Specialist and was recently awarded for her work with young people and families involved in gang crime in London. She also works in HIV-Mental Health programs in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Uganda, and has been working on an evaluation program looking at lessons learnt from the Ebola crisis. Her blog Tribal Sands captures embody her work, a passion for grassroots programs, travel, lifestyle and her philanthropy work with children's charities. Her popular blogs 'Domestic Violence in African Diaspora and Notes from an Ebola front line has been published widely. She has also interviewed African designers and community leaders in the diaspora; she aspires to capture everyday lives of everyday people. Dorcas has appeared on a number of media platforms she is a regular African Affairs Analyst for Arise TV, providing specific analysis on current affairs across the continent, focusing on the positive narrative of the African experience.

We took the time to speak to Dorcas Gwata about her experience as being a blogger and some the biggest lessons she has learnt.

Tell us about yourself and what you do

I am a  Zimbabwean Global Health Public Health Specialist and African affairs news analyst. My blog www.tribalsands.com  seeks to drive a positive African narrative and provides a platform for discussions of all things African with particular focus on women development, travel, health and culture. The blog also captures my Global Health experiences in Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and my liaisons with front line health professionals involved in the Ebola crisis as well as my travel experiences around the globe.

When did you start blogging and why?

The blog was born out of a restless and  unsettled feeling that the positive experiences of African lives and in particular African women were not being fully captured on many platforms. The courage, resilience and spirit which embodies Africans even in the depth of suffering and challenges is often missed, and I wanted to provide a platform that reflected just that. I started blogging late at night, after working long hours, totally unpaid, but when you are truly passionate about something, effort is not hard. I often blog during my travels, writing is about vision, taste, smell, and what we hear, I am intrigued by human life and experiences.

What challenges did you face and how did you get over it?

Initially I lacked confidence in writing. There is a level of vulnerability in sharing yourself and your inner depth in the  world that is often so critical and unforgiving. I attended a seminar talk with one of my favorite writers  Ngozi Chimamande Adichie, when I asked her a question about writing in the Diaspora, she replied “You must write about Zimbabwe and Africa, the world needs to hear those stories” and that was it, I was off with no apologies.

How did you feel about being  nominated for the ZIWA  Blogger Awards 2015 ?

I was hugely surprised and flattered to be nominated for the ZIWA Awards. To be listed among such amazing Zimbabwean women was heart-warming and encouraging. Ultimately the winner was Zimbabwe, our country can be proud of its achievements and the women that are doing amazing work in its development.

What motivates you every day?

My mother was a teacher and she very charitable, she took in everyone she felt sorry for which drove us crazy when we were young. She died just after my 21st birthday, it’s her spirit that gets me up every morning. My heart is warmed by the many acts of kindness from friends and strangers, it reminds me that the world is still a wonderful place to live in.

What are some of your other passions?

I am Public Health Specialist with a passion for grassroots programs. African women carry the heaviest burden in terms of health and social outcomes and yet they are also the most innovative and resilient people in our planet. My passion is to advocate for better health outcomes for all Africans with particular focus on African women and children wherever they are. It’s not enough to watch the horrible scenes of Ebola virus wreaking havoc in our continent, or to be complacent in rates of gender violence in women and young girls in Africa, my passion is to make event human count particularly vulnerable groups. I provide analysis on these very issues on African media platforms such as BBC Africa, Arise TV and Resonance Radio, so yes I am doing what I love to do.

What is  your opinion on the  issues  that women are facing today ?

Poverty and gender violence issues are major issues affecting African women and our African cultural practices further complicated  issues. When we educate a young girl we empower her to make informed decisions about her life, including the power to ensure safe sex which can prevent HIV infection. There are aspects of our culture which are incredibly heart-warming , empowering and equally there are aspects of our culture which need modernizing because they disempower women. A true African man is one who can rise above these issues and foster a cultural environment in which women and children can strive.

Advice to Zimbabwean women?

Zimbabwean women are renowned for their confidence and intelligence. When I worked  on our HIV-Psychological Program in Harare, Zimbabwe I meet some of the most humbling yet poor women who reminded  me every day that empowerment is not embedded in wealth and material but in spirit. We need to foster this growth and support it wherever we can.

“There is no Tool  For Development  More Effective  than The empowerment  Of Women”

The Legacy of True Beauty Team

#Feature Writer Malebo Moloto

ZIWA 2015 BLOGGER OF THE YEAR NOMINEE PART 2 : HARRIET MUPUNGU

It was an honour being nominated amongst Top Four Zimbabwe Women Dorcas Gwata, Sakhile Khanye, Kudzai Pasirayi and Harriet Mupungu. Whose efforts have advanced the blogging empowerment of women locally, regionally or internationally. Whether the candidate is working on a small scale or making an impact to others .These ladies still are an inspiration, even if they didn’t win. The fact they have been the top chosen bloggers of the nomination at the “ZIWA Awards 2015”, I wanted to share their achievements as bloggers.

We at The Legacy of True Beauty spoke to Harriet Mupungu about her journey and what some of her other passions are.  Holding a degree in International Development Studies, Harriet is a social commentator, writer and activist who, through her blog, www.barbedhope.com provides a platform for Zimbabweans based in the diaspora to connect and share views. With special interest in issues affecting African women, Harriet is particularly passionate about maternal health and was a producer of Am I Not A Mother?, a film by Hona Media focusing on postnatal depression among Zimbabwean .In addition to her own blog, Harriet has contributed opinion pieces to POVO and Induna Magazines. Harriet has experience within the corporate insurance industry both in Zimbabwe and United Kingdom. — Lets find more about her multi-talented skills and her blogging journey.

Tell us about yourself?  

I am a woman of many labels from being a wife, a mother, an insurance broker, a reader, a wannabe writer and a blogger. Above all, I am a confident and determined woman with huge dreams and aspirations.

When and why did you start blogging?  

I have always wanted to write. My wild imagination was always evident in school essays so I guess I started enjoying expressing myself through written words from an early age. I started my first blog www.barbedhope.com about 2 years ago after getting positive feedback from friends. I had written an opinion piece on the Obama trip to Africa for ‘isthisafrica.com’ and so I thought I would give blogging a go. BarbedHope is my space to rant, applaud and dream about African issues as well as to express my views on what happens in Zimbabwe from a diaspora point of view. I have recently started a blog about food www.everydayharriet.com where I share my homemade cooking and baking chronicles.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced?

I cannot say I have faced any particular challenges through blogging. I started blogging when I had a good social media foundation, especially on Twitter and Facebook. What I would say is that blogging has made me more confident in expressing my opinions.

What motivates you? 

My family.

What are some of your other passions? 

Perhaps one of my biggest passions is to become a published writer – my own book not featured in the publications of others. I am pursuing this passion through blogging and other written work. Hopefully, a book by Harriet Mupungu will hit bookstores soon.

How did it feel being nominated as Blogger of the Year for the ZIWA? 

It is always lovely to be recognized and appreciated for the little efforts we make

Any advice to Zimbabwe Women? 

My advice to all women is for them to know, to value and to never compromise on their worth.

What are some of the hindrances to women succeeding?

Our society has plenty economic, political, social, cultural and religious barriers that continue to hinder the progress in the empowering of women. The greatest is poverty of opportunities. The best way to overcome this is to continue making noise through the right channels until we are heard. Silence is not golden when fighting oppression.

Thank you Harriet 
Follow her on : www.everydayharriet.com 

The Legacy of True Beauty Team

#Features Writer Malebo Moloto

ZIWA 2015 BLOGGER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES PART 1 .

Introducing ZIWA Nominees " Blogger Of The Year award 2015. The two youngest nominees  amongst top five :  Sakhile Khanye and Kudzai Pasirayi . Whose efforts have advanced the blogging empowerment of  young women through fashion ,arts  and poetry .Expressing themselves of what they love and what inspires them .  At The Legacy Of True Beauty we had the opportunity to share their achievements and Challenges as Bloggers  .

Tell us a bit about yourselves?  

Sakhile Khanye is  20 years old who is  currently studying at the University of York St John  and a  TV presenter on Nehanda TV.

Kudzai Pasirayi an ingenious blogger penetrating age, race and religion through publishing posts, articles, books and spoken words on various platforms.  Also, is  a fashion blog, Simply Stylishly Modesty which illustrates the modest woman in the 21^st century, cultural infusion and the rise of new talents mainly African Designers.

When and why did you start blogging?  

Sakhile: I started blogging about 3 years ago because I felt like I wanted to  educate others  through arts  to help other young people like me who want to be singers, actors, etc .i also interview upcoming artists  on my blog so it can also benefit my readers  on how they can bring their dreams to reality within the industry of arts .

Kudzai: I started blogging when I was 16 years old on various topics such as life, purpose and daily motivations on a blog.co.uk. I was really young and ambitious that it took me this far. I love blogging. It is a way of expressing my thoughts and feelings about certain things. To be honest, I just started fashion blogging this year in April and I must say I love it already. Fashion has always been  my thing. Growing up with a mother who makes your clothes really inspired me to blog about fashion. I get to blog about  about a local fashion designers and lots more on fashion .

What have been some of your biggest challenges? 

Kudzai: The  biggest challenge  that I have faced  is when I started blogging ,  trying to get more people to just see what you are doing or at least give comments on the posts. But over the years, I just said to myself as long as I don’t give up and really do what I love, I won’t worry about the rest. At that moment, things started to change, from one viewer to more than 500 viewers and also being part of a blogger community. These days I get to share my ideas with some great bloggers who comment on what I do and also inspire me as well. I feel great as I didn’t give up.

Sakhile: That's a very good question because being a blogger is not easy. You get many people to read your work and obviously some would criticise or try to bring you down. I have personally faced criticism from people but I did not stop , instead I kept pushing and now I’m content with my blogging .

What motivates you? 

Sakhile: God motivates me in everything I do. I am a testimony of His good works.

Kudzai: Breathing and knowing that I have another day to make this world a better place.

What are some of your other passions? 

Kudzai: Wow, what a question. I must say my passion is writing. I have been a writer since 12 and I published my own book  “What Life Teaches Us” you can find it on Amazon.  I believe I couldn’t have been a great blogger if I didn’t love writing on certain topics such as fashion, cuisine or the lessons of life.  Yes I am pursing my passion every day.

Sakhile: When I was growing I always told myself I was going to be a singer or TV presenter and at the moment I'm working with Nehanda TV thanks to Lance Guma and his wife Mrs Mercy Guma for helping me  including  my mentor from day one Vickie Storm.

How did it feel being nominated as Blogger of the Year for the ZIWA Awards? 

Sakhile: I was thrilled to find out I was nominated and also as much as I wanted to win it, the nomination for me it's an amazing achievement because it shows that someone loved your work.

Kudzai: The experience was life changing, I must say.  Some of the kind words I receive from people much older than me just overwhelmed me. I believe the ZIWA Nomination has opened great doors for me.

Any advice to Zimbabwean women?

Kudzai: To all you  Zimbabwean Ladies  be yourself. Stop trying to ditch your background and represent yourself and where you are from. I believe when you are yourself, you will be content with life. You will be able to achieve greater things as you are an original not a copy of what you see on TV .

Last words?

Sakhile: Thank you to everyone who has been supportive   and also for the nomination especially my girls and one last thing to all the ladies don't forget to BE YOUR OWN BOSS!!!.

To Read more about their blogs ,see links below : 

Kudzai Pasirayi

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kudzai_Pasirayi

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kudzai-Pasirayi/e/B00UI50VJ2?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060

https://authorkudzaipasirayi.wordpress.com

https://simplystylishlymodesty.wordpress.com/

Skahile Khanye :

http://missclassique.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

Compiled by :

#TLOTB Features Writter :

 Malebo Moloto 

FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP :

As we end Women’s month , we decided to talk about Female Entrepreneurship . Since the dawn of time, when  women were operating businesses as a way of supplementing income. In many cases, they were trying to avoid poverty or making up for the loss of a spouse. The ventures that these women undertook were not known as entrepreneurial at that time,  many of them usually had to bow to their domestic responsibilities. The term entrepreneur is used to describe individuals who have ideas for products and/or services that they turn into a working business. In earlier times, this term was reserved for men.

Women became more involved in the business world only when the idea of women in business became palatable to the general public.  One major challenge that many women entrepreneurs face is the traditional gender-roles society may still have on women. Entrepreneurship is still considered as a male-dominated field, and it may be difficult to surpass these conventional views.

One woman who has been successful in overcoming some of these challenges is Chiedza Ziyambe who has successfully launched two projects that have taken shape and made  a force to be reckoned within .

As  she shares   her journey in business, some of her biggest lessons and her best moments.

Who is Chiedza?

I am quite an emotional person, I literally cry about everything! Movies with sad endings, sad adverts, a fall out with my sisters -everything! Crying is good though as it releases all sorts of emotional baggage.

Take us through your journey of being an entrepreneur and some of the challenges you faced?

The journey of being an entrepreneur is very challenging and isolating. The process involves having a dream or idea and to birth that vision is time consuming and is filled with quite a lot of setbacks. However, in the process you also develop tenacity, your drive heightens and you develop in many areas unknown to yourself. The challenges range from self-doubt, people not believing in you and doors constantly closing but you still have to remain consistent and push through all these and let your passion lead you.

 Who's your  role model and why? 

A role model is a person who you can look up to and one day you  want to be just like them . For me it was always my mother. She helped set the foundation of who I am.  She taught me how to be a woman, how to enact my strength and femininity but most importantly to never give up no matter what life throws at you. I hope I make her proud. Even though she's no longer with us, I know she is watching.

You have been involved in two very successful projects  the lingerie line and   now you are running UK  Zim Fashion Week. Tell us more about these projects and what you have  learnt?

I love celebrating women in whatever shape or form they come in and as a result I become a patron and sponsor for the Miss Big pageant. The society we live in currently bombards us with innuendos that beauty is exclusive to the skinny. I resent the idea of any woman being made to feel any less because of their size and the Miss Big Is in rebellion to the idea that only skinny people can be in pageants, every woman is beautiful in their own right I believe.

Miss Chii, the lingerie line, is one of my passions, women tend to have their vices such as shoe or bags, and mine is lingerie. I am blessed with voluptuous assets, which led to my struggle to find gorgeous, and well-made lingerie. I then decided to make a lingerie line that is luxurious affordable that caters to all sizes.

After Miss Chii was well received I realized that there was no platform for me to showcase towards the women I wanted to reach. This struggle resonated with me that there were probably other Zimbabwean designers who had created collections but had nowhere to showcase, as most showcasing platforms are quite expensive to be part of. There are some Zimbabwean designers who are of International standard and they now have a platform that celebrates them. For me this quite empowering and I am working tirelessly to ensure that the platform competes with all the other platforms around.

Being the Oldest  sister to four sisters ,how has it kept you  motivated?

It’s been really amazing to have my 4 sisters as my support system, they encourage me and they are also my biggest critics.  There’s also pressure as they look up to me as the oldest so failure is not an option. I want to inspire them to achieve whatever they work towards and thus am constantly pushing myself.

How would you define a powerful women?

A powerful woman is one who knows that her worth is not defined by being validated by other people, her worth is innate and it’s her mission to live a fulfilled life. A powerful woman is one whose struggles are not superficial but she strives to ensure that those around her are empowered. With power comes great responsibility and that responsibility is to uplift other women

And open doors for other women too.

The struggles that an independent woman goes through that being independent has been over rated, your thoughts on this? 

Independence is a vague concept because one can never fully operate in isolation. Along the way we all need that buffer system such as mentors, advisers and family or friends. I prefer the notion of self-sufficiency whilst also acknowledging that it is innately human to be inter-dependent. Independence is indeed overrated. Even feminists have to acknowledge that the female struggle is universal despite of the variations in the struggle. I look up to and am inspired by other women and also hope that I too in return can inspire other women and girls. I choose sisterhood over independence.

What does success mean to you?

Success to me is raising my two boys in a way that will enable them to go into society as grounded humble and productive citizens. It’s knowing that I have been there for those that matter to me in a way that enriches their lives. Success is not monetary to me but it’s in understanding that after all is said and done, how people feel about you, the time you have invested in them will matter more than what you give them.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would be more forgiving towards people. I tend to cut people out of my life permanently without hesitation, especially when I feel there's been a betrayal of trust. I consider everyone in my circle as a friend so when they do something to me that I wouldn't do to them, I get quite upset. I guess I just have stop having high expectations of people, then that way I won't be disappointed.

What was your best moment? 

Holding my sons for the first time, nothing can ever compare to that.

                                                    My Best Success came from the heels of Failure ..

“One thing we learnt from Chiedza Ziyambe , is if you push through that feeling of being scared ,that feeling of taking risk ,really amazing things can happen . Building your business or Brand takes time ,even making profit into the business is a challenge” …Don’t lose hope ,keep striving even if it takes years or months ..

Video Clip coming Soon !!!

TheLegacyOfTrueBeauty

Features Writer

Malebo Moloto