By Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg
South Africa is marketed to the world as Mandela's rainbow nation, where
everyone is proud of their race and heritage. But for some black South
Africans there is such a thing as being too black.
A recent study by the University of Cape Town suggests that one woman in
three in South Africa bleaches her skin. The reasons for this are as
varied as the cultures in this country but most people say they use
skin-lighteners because they want "white skin".
Local musician Nomasonto "Mshoza" Mnisi, now several shades lighter,
says her new skin makes her feel more beautiful and confident.
She has been widely criticised in the local media and social networking
sites for her appearance but the 30-year-old says skin-bleaching is a
personal choice, no different from breast implants or a having nose job.
Studies have found that men are also beginning to bleach their skin
"I've been black and dark-skinned for many years, I wanted to see the
other side. I wanted to see what it would be like to be white and I'm
happy," she says candidly.
Over the past couple of years Ms Mnisi has had several treatments. Each
session can cost around 5,000 rand (£360; $590), she tells the BBC.
Unlike many in the country, she uses high-end products which are
believed to be safer than the creams sold on the black market but they
are by no means risk-free, doctors say.
Costly beauty
Ms Mnisi says she does not understand the criticism about her new appearance.
"Yes, part of it is a self-esteem issue and I have addressed that and I
am happy now. I'm not white inside, I'm not really fluent in English, I
have black kids. I'm a township girl, I've just changed the way I look
on the outside," she says.
The dangers associated with the use of some of these creams include
blood cancers such as leukaemia and cancers of the liver and kidneys, as
well as a severe skin condition called ochronosis, a form of
hyper-pigmentation which causes the skin to turn a dark purple shade,
according to senior researcher at the University of Cape Town, Dr Lester
Davids.
"Very few people in South Africa and Africa know the concentration of
the toxic compounds that are contained in the products on the black
market and that is concerning. We need to do more to educate people
about these dangerous products," says Dr Davids.
He says over the past six years there has been a significant increase in
the number of skin lighteners flooding local markets, some of them
legal and some illegal. This is what prompted their research.
Local dermatologists say they are seeing more and more patients whose
skin has been damaged by years of bleaching - most of the time
irreversibly.
"I'm getting patients from all over Africa needing help with treating
their ochronosis. There is very little we can do to reverse the damage
and yet people are still in denial about the side-effects of these
products," says Dr Noora Moti-Joosub.
In many parts of Africa and Asia, lighter-skinned woman are considered
more beautiful, are believed to be more successful and more likely to
find marriage.
The origin of this belief in Africa is not clear, but researchers have
linked it to Africa's colonial history where white skin was the epitome
of beauty.
Some have also suggested that people from "brown nations" around the world tended to look down upon dark-skinned people.
'I don't like black skin'
The World Health Organization has reported that Nigerians are the
highest users of such products: 77% of Nigerian women use the products
on a regular basis. They are followed by Togo with 59%; South Africa
with 35%; and Mali at 25%.
South Africa banned products containing more than 2% of hydroquinone -
the most common active ingredient in in the 1980s. But it is easy to see
creams and lotions containing the chemical on the stalls here. Some
creams contain harmful steroids and others mercury.
While skin-lightening creams have been used by some South Africans for
many years, they have become more common recently with the influx of
people from countries such as Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo,
where they are even more widespread.
In a bustling African market in the centre of Yeoville in Johannesburg, it is skin lighteners galore.
Walking through this community is like walking through a mini-Africa: you can find someone from any part of the continent here.
I notice that many of the women have uncharacteristically light skin faces while the rest of their bodies are darker.
Some even have scabby burns on their cheeks from the harmful chemicals used to strip the skin of pigmentation.
They don't want to speak openly about why they bleach their skin, or even have their pictures taken.
Psychologists say there are also underlying reasons why people bleach
their skin - but low self-esteem and, to some degree self-hate, are a
common thread.
But skin-lightening is not just a fascination and obsession of women.
Congolese hair stylist Jackson Marcelle says he has been using special
injections to bleach his skin for the past 10 years. Each injection
lasts for six months.
"I pray every day and I ask God, 'God why did you make me black?' I
don't like being black. I don't like black skin," he tells me.
Skin lightening creams are popular in many parts of Africa
Mr Marcelle - known in this busy community as Africa's Michael Jackson -
says his mother used to apply creams on him when he was young in order
to make him appear "less black".
"I like white people. Black people are seen as dangerous; that's why I
don't like being black. People treat me better now because I look like
I'm white," he adds.
Entrenched in the minds of many Africans from a young age is the adage
"if it's white, it's all right", a belief that has chipped away at the
self-esteem of millions.
Until this changes, no amount of official bans or public information
campaigns will stop people risking serious damage to their health in the
pursuit of what they think is beauty.
Source:bbc
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Pope Angelus: may new year be journey to peace
By: Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) In his address to thousands of pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the first Angelus prayer of 2013, Pope Benedict likened the new year to "a journey" and prayed that it may lead on a path to peace "for every person and every family, for each country and for the whole world."
Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of his remarks:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,Happy New Year to all! On this first day of 2013, I would like God’s blessing to be extended to every man and every woman in the world. I do this with the ancient formula contained in Sacred Scripture: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and show thee mercy. The Lord turn his face to you and give you peace "(Numbers 6:24-26).
Such as light and heat from the sun are a blessing to the earth, so the light of God is for humanity, when He shines His face upon it. This happened with the birth of Jesus Christ! God hath shown us the brilliance of His face: at the beginning in a very humble, hidden way - in Bethlehem, only Mary and Joseph and some shepherds were witnesses to this revelation -; but little by little, like the sun from dawn comes to noon, the light of Christ has grown and spread everywhere. Even in the short time of his earthly life, Jesus of Nazareth made the face of God shine in the Holy Land, and then, through the Church animated by his Spirit, extended to all peoples the Gospel of peace. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests" (Lk 2:14). This is the song of the angels at Christmas, and the song of the Christians in every clime, a song from the hearts and lips which passes into concrete actions, actions of love that build dialogue, understanding and reconciliation.
For this, eight days after Christmas, when the Church, like the Virgin Mother Mary, shows the world the infant Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we celebrate the World Day of Peace. Yes, that Child, Who is the Word of God made flesh, came to give men a peace which the world can not give (cf. Jn 14:27). His mission is to break down the "dividing wall of hostility" (Eph 2:14). And when, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He proclaims his "Beatitudes", among them there is also "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Mt 5:9). Who are the peacemakers? They are all those who, day by day, try to overcome evil with good, with the power of truth, with the weapons of prayer and forgiveness, with honest and well done work, with scientific research at the service of life, with the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The peacemakers are many, but they are not loud. As leaven in dough, they raise humanity according to God's plan.In this first Angelus of the new year, we ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, to bless us, like a mother blesses her children who must leave on a trip. A new year is like a journey: with the light and grace of God, may it be a path to peace for every person and every family, for each country and for the whole world.
AFTER THE ANGELUS
Dear brothers and sisters!I share with all the most cordial good wishes for the new year: may it be a really good year, and it will be if we accept in us and among us, the love that Christ has given us. With gratitude I express my best wishes to the President of the Italian Republic and to the entire nation, as well as to other authorities who have sent me greetings.
I renew my affectionate greeting to the young people who came to Rome for the European meeting of the TaizĂ© Community. I express my spiritual closeness to the ecclesial initiatives surrounding this World Day of Peace: I think, in particular, of the national March which took place last night in Lecce (Italy), as well as (this morning’s march) here in Rome, animated by the Community of Sant 'Egidio. I greet the members of the Family Love Movement who remained last night in prayer vigils in St. Peter's Square, in Milan and in L'Aquila. To all I repeat the words of Jesus: "Blessed are the peacemakers"!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Chris Brown arrives with Rihanna for 'African Grammys'
ABIDJAN (AFP)
US rapper Chris Brown arrived with singer Rihanna in the Ivory Coast
city Abidjan on Sunday, when he was due to perform at an African music
awards show.
Brown was billed as the star attraction at the glitzy Kora Awards, dubbed the "African Grammys", that recognise musical achievements from around the continent.
The event was initially set to take place Saturday, but was delayed at the last minute. Organiser Ernest Adjovi initially blamed the delay on Brown missing his flight, but later said heavy rains and other logistical hiccups were behind the postponement.
R&B star Brown landed overnight in Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital. Rihanna, who hails from Barbados, was by his side, wearing dark glasses.
The pair have a tumultuous history, and celebrity watchers obsessed about whether they are an item again after Brown admitted assaulting Rihanna in a case dating back to the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Past Kora ceremonies have been attended by South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela and the late "King of Pop" Michael Jackson.
Brown, whom fans call Breezy, was also slotted to perform at a "Peace for Africa" concert at a stadium in Abidjan on Sunday afternoon.
Artists including the Nigerian duo P-Square, winner of the last top Kora prize in Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou in 2010, will also take part in that event.
The Kora Awards were due to start at 8:30 pm (2030 GMT) at a luxury hotel.
For Ivory Coast, which is still recovering from four months of post-election violence that ended in April 2011 after claiming some 3,000 lives, the event signals a return to normalcy.
But the awards have drawn fire over the price of admission, with tickets costing one million CFA francs (1,500 euros, $2,000) for a seat in the luxury hotel for the ceremony.
Such a sum is far from the reach of this poor west African country, the world's top cocoa producer.
Brown was sentenced to five years probation, a year-long domestic violence programme and 180 days of community labour after pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 2009.
Brown was billed as the star attraction at the glitzy Kora Awards, dubbed the "African Grammys", that recognise musical achievements from around the continent.
The event was initially set to take place Saturday, but was delayed at the last minute. Organiser Ernest Adjovi initially blamed the delay on Brown missing his flight, but later said heavy rains and other logistical hiccups were behind the postponement.
R&B star Brown landed overnight in Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital. Rihanna, who hails from Barbados, was by his side, wearing dark glasses.
The pair have a tumultuous history, and celebrity watchers obsessed about whether they are an item again after Brown admitted assaulting Rihanna in a case dating back to the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Past Kora ceremonies have been attended by South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela and the late "King of Pop" Michael Jackson.
Brown, whom fans call Breezy, was also slotted to perform at a "Peace for Africa" concert at a stadium in Abidjan on Sunday afternoon.
Artists including the Nigerian duo P-Square, winner of the last top Kora prize in Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou in 2010, will also take part in that event.
The Kora Awards were due to start at 8:30 pm (2030 GMT) at a luxury hotel.
For Ivory Coast, which is still recovering from four months of post-election violence that ended in April 2011 after claiming some 3,000 lives, the event signals a return to normalcy.
But the awards have drawn fire over the price of admission, with tickets costing one million CFA francs (1,500 euros, $2,000) for a seat in the luxury hotel for the ceremony.
Such a sum is far from the reach of this poor west African country, the world's top cocoa producer.
Brown was sentenced to five years probation, a year-long domestic violence programme and 180 days of community labour after pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 2009.
Salamu za kuukaribisha mwaka mpya wa 2013 kutoka Dk. Shein
Rais
wa Zanzibar na Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Mapinduzi. Dk Ali Mohamed
Shein,akitoa salamu za kuukaribisha Mwaka mpya wa 2013,kwa wananchi wa
Zanzibar na Watanzania wote kwa ujumla,pia aliwasihi wananchi kuendela
kushirikiana na Serikali yao katika kuendeleza mipando mbali mbali ya maendeleo,na kuwataka kuwa walinzi wa rasilimali pia kuzingatia taratibu za kisheria, kwa kuwa
na elimu bora ya rasilimali hizo.
(Picha na Ramadhan Othman,Ikulu)
China rejects claims of producing fake medicine for Africa
Beijing responds to the Guardian's investigation that around one third of anti-malaria treatments were counterfeit
Malaria and antiretroviral drugs at a medical dispensary in Tanzania. Photograph: Alamy
The official Xinhua news agency said a foreign ministry spokeswoman rejected the accusation, but "called on foreign traders to procure medicines from legitimate companies through standardised channels".
"Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing that the accusations are unfounded, noting that co-operation between the Chinese government and African countries has played an important role in improving the healthcare environment for people in Africa," Xinhua reported on Thursday night.
The Guardian article cited experts and NGO reports as saying that up to a third of anti-malarial drugs in Uganda and Tanzania may be fake or substandard, and that the majority of them are manufactured in China and India. The drugs look identical to real ones, and can only be distinguished with lab testing. Aside from malaria drugs, analysis of antibiotics and contraceptives have also turned up fakes. "Some pills contain no active ingredients, some are partial strength and some the wrong formulation entirely," said the article.
The fake medications have led to deaths, prolonged illness and increased drug resistance in areas of east Africa, the article said.
A Chinese foreign ministry official refused to specify which parts of the Guardian article the ministry disputed. She said that the repudiations were aimed at the question of counterfeit drug exports, not the article specifically.
Counterfeit drugs are an endemic and long-running issue in China. According to official statements, Chinese police seized £113m worth of fake pharmaceuticals this July alone and £19m worth last November. Many ingredients were found to be harmful or toxic.
According to Xinhua, the foreign ministry spokeswoman "stressed that China always attaches great importance to drug safety and resolutely cracks down on the manufacture and sale of counterfeit drugs" and defended Beijing's record of providing healthcare aid to African countries.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/28/china-rejects-fake-medicine-africa
Beware with frauder
They can send to you a scam mail in order to make you attention as winner of the jackpot bingo. Without know the day you play the game, they insist you to give personal information if you give them the steal you money in bank accounts.
Examples of scam mail done:
Attn Winner
You have won ?1,000,000.00 (One Million Pound Sterling) on the MICROSOFT
Internet User Promo held on the 3rd, December 2012 in Manchester.United
Kingdom.Your winning Reference # is: 9788.
Your Email address was picked as the Lucky Internet User for the promo
among (6)other Internet User Worldwide.
To redeem your Cash Prize/Transfer process,Kindly Call the Phone Number
(+44-702-409-7945) of the Promo Manager (Dr.Anthoney James) and contact
him via e-mail below:
Dr.Anthoney James
Tel: +44-702-403-1517
E-mail: msl-james-msl@msn.com
These are your identification numbers:
Batch number....................YM97724MK
Ref number.......................11/01/MSN
Winning number...................9788
You are therefore advice to complete the below information to him for
verification:
1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age :
6.Sex:
7.Country:
8.Mobile Number.:
9.Winning Reference #: 9788
Congratulations,
Windows Live Team
Online Co-ordinator
ANOTHER SAMPLE OF SCAM MAIL FROM FRAUD ER IT CAN BE:
Compliment of the day to you,
Please kindly allow me crave your indulgence in introducing myself; I am Madame
F. Omar Zahid, a 59 years old widow diagnosed of colorectal cancer. I was
lawfully married to Late Mr. Omar Al-Fahad Zahid, who naturally died after a
brief illness. My husband before his death was quite a loving and hard working
person as he was into private engineering practice, but he unfortunately passed
away leaving me all he laboured for his entire life. Our life together as
husband and wife lasted for thirty years without a child and due to our
helpless state of childlessness, my husband and I vowed to uplift the
Less-privilege and helpless orphans as he had great passion for persons who
cannot help themselves due to physical disability or misfortune. One can simply
adduce this to the fact that he actually needed a Child from our marriage,
which unfortunately never came. Most recently, my surgeons admitted to the
medical fact that I've only got limited number of days to live due to the
resurfacing of my cancerous ailment and my battle for survival has been on ever
since I was diagnosed of this deadly disease. What really bothers me the most
is the fact that my cancer surgical doctors have successfully carried out all
possible cancer therapies including cancer chemotherapy and the last one was
called radiation but my state has remained helpless as yet, they have therefore
suggested I be referred to hospice, i.e. cancer intensive medical care unit.
And I'm afraid I may just have to accept the obvious fact that I've only got
little or no chance of survival.
In anticipation of this tragic and quite unfortunate reality that has befallen a
widow like myself, I have decided to make a selfless donation of the entire
funds derived from my late husband's vast estates and investments in capital
market to you and I want you to use this gift of Good-Will which comes from my
husband’s effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans,
destitute, the down-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and
persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially. Our bank recently
estimated the funds to have reached an approximated sum of Twelve million Great
Britain pounds (£12,000,000.00). I've therefore taken what I consider the
biggest decision of my life, to use this money in touching and affecting the
lives of does in dear need of it because that's exactly what I consider true
generosity, you give your all, and yet you feel like it cost you absolutely
nothing. Give and it shall be given to you For whatever measure you deal out to
others, it will be dealt to you in return. I have therefore been touched by the
Almighty to take this kind hearted decision of giving in the spirit of true
selflessness since I do not have any child of my own that will inherit our
wealth, except for little Elizabeth and Diana whom I adopted some years ago
after the death of my husband because I actually needed someone around to show
motherly love and care, they will both clock 5 and 7 this year and are doing
pretty well in their studies because I have made them a Trust-Fund that will be
more than enough to see them through school and thus secure them a very bright
future. I feel so fulfilled each time they both call me "mum", how nice...
I must also have to admit to the fact that my late husband's relatives are
bourgeois and never approved of the idea of him getting married to an English
woman, and I do not want my husband’s hard earned wealth to be misused or
invested into ill perceived ventures, so I want to avoid a situation where this
money will be spent in an ungodly manner, hence my reason for taking this bold
decision. I will die a happier woman when given the full assurance that quite a
reasonable share of my late husband's wealth will be used in turning around the
life of the needy in our society and I would be most grateful if you would find
it in your conscience to help set up and run a charitable home on my behalf. I
am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I can't possibly take any
telephone calls in this regard due to my deteriorating state of health. As soon
as I get a word of acceptance from you I shall immediately provide you with
further instructions on how to secure release of the funds from my bank. I will
also issue you a letter of Authority that will empower you as the original
beneficiary to the funds. My greatest joy is that I lived a life worthy of
emulation. Do please assure me you will be making very good use of the funds in
absolute accordance to my humanitarian wish and though I haven't met with you
in person but the Spirit of God has asked me to go ahead and do this, I
therefore trust and hope you pursue this noble charitable course by reaching
out to the less-privileged once in your locality. May you be granted the much
needed courage to take up this charitable course for the benefit of those in
dare need.
Please kindly get back across to me via my personal email:
madamfloraomar1@sucmail.com or madamfloraomar@zbavitu.net
Kindest Regards,
Madame F. Omar Zahid.
Examples of scam mail done:
Attn Winner
You have won ?1,000,000.00 (One Million Pound Sterling) on the MICROSOFT
Internet User Promo held on the 3rd, December 2012 in Manchester.United
Kingdom.Your winning Reference # is: 9788.
Your Email address was picked as the Lucky Internet User for the promo
among (6)other Internet User Worldwide.
To redeem your Cash Prize/Transfer process,Kindly Call the Phone Number
(+44-702-409-7945) of the Promo Manager (Dr.Anthoney James) and contact
him via e-mail below:
Dr.Anthoney James
Tel: +44-702-403-1517
E-mail: msl-james-msl@msn.com
These are your identification numbers:
Batch number....................YM97724MK
Ref number.......................11/01/MSN
Winning number...................9788
You are therefore advice to complete the below information to him for
verification:
1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age :
6.Sex:
7.Country:
8.Mobile Number.:
9.Winning Reference #: 9788
Congratulations,
Windows Live Team
Online Co-ordinator
ANOTHER SAMPLE OF SCAM MAIL FROM FRAUD ER IT CAN BE:
Compliment of the day to you,
Please kindly allow me crave your indulgence in introducing myself; I am Madame
F. Omar Zahid, a 59 years old widow diagnosed of colorectal cancer. I was
lawfully married to Late Mr. Omar Al-Fahad Zahid, who naturally died after a
brief illness. My husband before his death was quite a loving and hard working
person as he was into private engineering practice, but he unfortunately passed
away leaving me all he laboured for his entire life. Our life together as
husband and wife lasted for thirty years without a child and due to our
helpless state of childlessness, my husband and I vowed to uplift the
Less-privilege and helpless orphans as he had great passion for persons who
cannot help themselves due to physical disability or misfortune. One can simply
adduce this to the fact that he actually needed a Child from our marriage,
which unfortunately never came. Most recently, my surgeons admitted to the
medical fact that I've only got limited number of days to live due to the
resurfacing of my cancerous ailment and my battle for survival has been on ever
since I was diagnosed of this deadly disease. What really bothers me the most
is the fact that my cancer surgical doctors have successfully carried out all
possible cancer therapies including cancer chemotherapy and the last one was
called radiation but my state has remained helpless as yet, they have therefore
suggested I be referred to hospice, i.e. cancer intensive medical care unit.
And I'm afraid I may just have to accept the obvious fact that I've only got
little or no chance of survival.
In anticipation of this tragic and quite unfortunate reality that has befallen a
widow like myself, I have decided to make a selfless donation of the entire
funds derived from my late husband's vast estates and investments in capital
market to you and I want you to use this gift of Good-Will which comes from my
husband’s effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans,
destitute, the down-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and
persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially. Our bank recently
estimated the funds to have reached an approximated sum of Twelve million Great
Britain pounds (£12,000,000.00). I've therefore taken what I consider the
biggest decision of my life, to use this money in touching and affecting the
lives of does in dear need of it because that's exactly what I consider true
generosity, you give your all, and yet you feel like it cost you absolutely
nothing. Give and it shall be given to you For whatever measure you deal out to
others, it will be dealt to you in return. I have therefore been touched by the
Almighty to take this kind hearted decision of giving in the spirit of true
selflessness since I do not have any child of my own that will inherit our
wealth, except for little Elizabeth and Diana whom I adopted some years ago
after the death of my husband because I actually needed someone around to show
motherly love and care, they will both clock 5 and 7 this year and are doing
pretty well in their studies because I have made them a Trust-Fund that will be
more than enough to see them through school and thus secure them a very bright
future. I feel so fulfilled each time they both call me "mum", how nice...
I must also have to admit to the fact that my late husband's relatives are
bourgeois and never approved of the idea of him getting married to an English
woman, and I do not want my husband’s hard earned wealth to be misused or
invested into ill perceived ventures, so I want to avoid a situation where this
money will be spent in an ungodly manner, hence my reason for taking this bold
decision. I will die a happier woman when given the full assurance that quite a
reasonable share of my late husband's wealth will be used in turning around the
life of the needy in our society and I would be most grateful if you would find
it in your conscience to help set up and run a charitable home on my behalf. I
am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I can't possibly take any
telephone calls in this regard due to my deteriorating state of health. As soon
as I get a word of acceptance from you I shall immediately provide you with
further instructions on how to secure release of the funds from my bank. I will
also issue you a letter of Authority that will empower you as the original
beneficiary to the funds. My greatest joy is that I lived a life worthy of
emulation. Do please assure me you will be making very good use of the funds in
absolute accordance to my humanitarian wish and though I haven't met with you
in person but the Spirit of God has asked me to go ahead and do this, I
therefore trust and hope you pursue this noble charitable course by reaching
out to the less-privileged once in your locality. May you be granted the much
needed courage to take up this charitable course for the benefit of those in
dare need.
Please kindly get back across to me via my personal email:
madamfloraomar1@sucmail.com or madamfloraomar@zbavitu.net
Kindest Regards,
Madame F. Omar Zahid.
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