Writer
Rumbidzai Karen Musvosvi
55 stories
Meet Sandra Owusu-Antwi: Founder & CEO of First African-American Luxury Brand Launched in South Korea
Sandra Owusu-Antwi is a Ghanaian-American woman who is the founder and CEO of Mabel Brempong, the first African-American luxury brand to launch in South Korea.
The Perils of a Novice Gardener
I recently started a few gardening projects. I had been toying with the idea of getting into gardening for about a year and got a bunch of videos to help get me started. Before then, I had never really grown anything beyond herbs in a pot.
Don't Sweat the Mishaps
Being a perfectionist has its benefits but it has its pitfalls as well. Wanting things to be perfect may mean you'll miss out on precious moments and opportunities that may never come back around.
DIY Vase
I was recently toying with the idea of making a flower vase and making cute little bouquets to put in the house. I wanted to use us materials I already had and just have a bit of a fun afternoon to myself. I came up with an idea, which would be easy enough and fun to do with kids.
Why You Should Never Lament Over What Once Was
Change is never easy. In fact, it has the tendency to dig up an array of emotions that can be crippling. If you are going through some changes right now and don't know how you'll get through it all in one piece, this is for you.
Rosemary People
Some of the greatest lessons can be taken from nature. Find out the inspirational thought behind this captivating picture!
DIY Avocado & Petroleum Jelly Hair Mask
So a couple months ago, I was watching a YouTube video by QueenyKaay in which she used petroleum jelly as a moisturizer to define her curls.
Beautiful Hearts
Some of the greatest lessons on beauty can be taken from nature. Find out the inspirational thought behind this captivating picture!
Chronicles of a DIYer: Foot Masks
I tend to have really dry feet. Although my heels are not cracked, they have really thick calluses. I looked at foot masks in the store and the price was enough to convince me to try and make a foot mask at home.
Chronicles of a DIYer: Ocra Painting
I was recently looking through different art projects I could do. I took a water colouring class in college and have not really practiced much since the class. The last time I painted anything was in December and that was after several years. So I thought I’d try something fun and simple to kind of get back into it. I found a few suggestions, including one about using okra to p
Chronicles of a DIYer: Avocado & Honey Face Mask
After a couple of late nights, I thought it would be a good idea to help my skin out a bit with a mask.
Fences
The fence in this picture has weakened after years of not being repaired. That which was meant to be protected and fenced in no longer so secure. The grass and other plants are pushing against the fence now.
A New Normal
I took this photo several years ago. This eucalyptus tree used to be outside my parents’ old house. However, with thunderstorms that had brought down other trees in the neighbourhood in the past, this tree was eventually cut down as a precaution.
Wonderfully Wild...
Humans often go to great lengths to tame nature. This bush started out as a tiny plant that was easy to trim and manage. However, as it grew, this became slightly more difficult. If it had been sensitive to – or even conscious of – the gardener’s intent it might have felt hurt. Why doesn’t the gardener accept me as I am? Am I not good enough? It might have even decided to stop
Liza Ngenye’s Remarkable Story of Fighting Cancer at the Age of 21
This is part of the message I sent to my dear friend Liza Ngenye in early 2012 when I found out about her cancer diagnosis. Liza and I had been friends since our mid-teens. We attended the same high school in Kenya, and college in the US.
Same Factors, Different Outcome
In this picture, one tree seems to be dying whilst the other ones around it seem to be flourishing. I am sure that if it could, the tree would give us its reasons for failing to do well. And yet the other trees are probably subjected to the same factors, yet they manage to thrive. It makes me think of the excuses I give for not reaching my goals and being the best version of my
Growing in Kopjes
I wonder how so many trees are able to grow where there are kopjes. The ground is hard and often dry. This is far from what trees need to thrive. Yet instead of blaming the ground they have found themselves in, these trees have laughed in the face of the obstacle and flourished. What an inspiring approach. There is life to be lived…the hard ground and the scarce water will not
The Scent of Beauty
“Personality is to a what perfume is to a flower.” – Charles M. Schwab
The Danger of Comparison
If two people were given the task of getting from Point A to Point B and the first person got there in an hour and the second person took over three hours, what would you conclude about the second person? Is that person slow, unfocused, unfit, or just plain lazy?
Blooming Alone
I wonder what it’s like to bloom when others around you are nowhere near that point. Is it lonely and does it leave you wondering whether you missed some memo? Is it hard to relate to your peers? Or does it perhaps begin to fill you with pride? Do you begin to believe that your earlier arrival is a mark of your superiority?
What it Takes to Bloom
Combating Modern Slavery
I recently watched the Al Jazeera documentary “Nepal’s Slave Girls” which looked at the culture surrounding domestic slavery. Slavery is officially abolished in Nepal, but the practice still continues. Young girls are forced to work in the homes of people to whom their parents, often poor farmers, owe debts. Many of these kamlaris are from the Tharu tribe, which is indigenous t
Clouds and Rainbows
Sometimes, when you are going through a hard time in life, it is hard to see anything positive. It becomes easy to doubt yourself and mistrust God. You feel abandoned and decide to make it on your own. But look closer. God is there. He has not disappeared and He certainly isn't powerless to help you. Your fear, doubt, anger, disillusionment, hurt, etc. have just clouded your vi
Thrive...Even Where You're Unwanted
I really like these succulents. They kind of look like grapes. They also look like they are ready to burst.
Unimaginable Circumstances
Grass is incredibly resilient. You can find it thriving in areas where other plants are struggling just to survive. The interesting thing is that you’ll find people sometimes struggling to keep their lawns alive and yet grass can grow where no one cares for it. To be fair, there are different kinds of grass, which require different levels of care. It is an interesting observati
Overlooked Streams
I like how secretive streams can be. They can often be overlooked, especially when they are near some grand river or rushing waterfall. People do not typically go out of their way and expend physical energy to go see a stream. And yet they play an essential part in forming rivers, waterfalls, seas, and oceans. If you are more of a 'working in the background' person, you can get
Hate Crimes are Everyone's Problem
Hate crimes have been an unfortunate aspect of communities throughout history and continue to plague us today. A hate crime involves a crime that is threatened or committed against a person because of a certain characteristic (race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, etc.). The offender is motivated because he or she holds negative attitudes against a certain community of
Terror and Awe
I am both terrified and in awe of the ocean. As someone who enjoys swimming, the water just calls out to me. When I am feeling particularly brave, I also like snorkeling and getting to see all sorts of sea life.
Your Journey is Your Own
This picture doesn’t quite capture how magnificently tall this tree is. What started out as a seed has now become a towering tree that shows no signs of slowing down. There’s another little tree like it in the yard. It is about my height and I cannot picture it growing to the immense height of the tall tree. Yet, it has shown remarkable progress as well. After all, it is much b
Hard to Believe...
Strange, Me Thinks...
Life is All About Perspective
It's OK to Let Others Shine
Hard Places
Location: Western Cape - Rocky Mountains
Upskirting Should be Illegal Everywhere
It seems like there are countless ways that women are sexually harassed, with perpetrators coming up with sneakier ways of achieving their ends. For example, the disturbing trend known as upskirting. It's a pretty self-explanatory term. It involves taking a picture up a woman’s skirt or dress using a phone or hidden camera. Even girls as young as 10 have experienced this based
Where Clouds Meet the Sun
Bunches of 'Nobodies'
Managing Expectations
Dead Leaves
Low-Maintenance, You Say?
Beyond Capacity
The Little Things
The Power of Consistency
Tackling Sexual Harassment In The Workplace
Over the last few months, several allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct have come forward regarding people like Harvey Weinstein, Ben Affleck, President George H. W. Bush, Louis C. K., James Franco, Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey, and others. In response, the #MeToo movement was born that united women around the world in stating that this abuse of power is not just present
The Force Behind The Waterfall
Me and My Thorns
How Scammers May Be Targeting Your Loved One
According to the American Journal of Public Health, about 5.4 percent of elderly people are scammed each year, though the crime is likely underreported. It's sad that there are people who take advantage of the vulnerability of elderly people who are at the point in their lives where financial recovery is difficult, if not impossible. Part of the vulnerability results from lonel
Financial Abuse: Key Red Flags You Should be Concerned About
Dana* was married to Eric* and had a daughter with him. Eric and his mother would scrutinize Dana’s finances to the extent of examining her food purchases and trying to figure out whether or not she had gotten the most affordable options. As a result, she would visit several supermarkets to find the cheapest prices for everything she needed to buy. Eric made all the financial d
Caregiver Abuse - How to Deal With Mistreatment When Caring for a Loved One
In previous column posts, I discussed elder abuse as well as the burnout that caregivers may experience that might lead them to be neglectful or abusive. In this post, I want to discuss the abuse that caregivers can experience by those who depend on them for care. Caregiving can be a rewarding yet complex relationship filled with a wide range of emotions. Because of its demandi
Elder Abuse
This year the World Health Organization estimated that by 2050, the global population of people aged 60 years and older will more than double to 2 billion from 2015’s 900 million. The elderly are seen as sources of wisdom. Although they are often treated with care and respect, this is not always the case. As vulnerable members of our society, they can unfortunately be targets o
Caregiver Burnout - Signs You May Be Missing
Linda Maureen Raye was a woman who had been struggling to make ends meet and was homeless. Her mother, Yolanda Lorretta Farrell, had been living in a nursing home as she was unable to feed or clothe herself. Linda convinced Yolanda and the home that she could take on the sole responsibility of caring for her mother. Soon, she bought a one-bedroom apartment with her mother’s Soc
Dear Depressed Woman...
You are in a dark place that feels overwhelming. You hope that tomorrow might be different, but nothing seems to change. Every day that passes by has the same monotony as the day before. Every so often, you see glimmers of light through a sunny day, a laughing child, a great concert, an adoring pet, the smell of flowers, and all other little life pleasures. And these moments ma
Online Romance Scams
Anna* was an Austrian woman who had recently divorced her husband and was encouraged by friends to give online dating a try. Within minutes of setting up her profile, she met Benjamin* who suggested they correspond via email instead of through the dating website. Benjamin told Anna he was an American soldier in Iraq, and after a series of emails, revealed that he had a teenage
Bullying in the Workplace
There is a common misconception that bullying ends when one reaches adulthood. What people are less aware of is the bullying that can occur in the workplace. Many child bullies do not outgrow their abusive tendencies and instead transfer them to new settings, such as the workplace. Bullies engage in their behaviour because they feel the need to control and maintain power based
Digital Abuse
When abuse is discussed, people tend to overlook digital abuse. This is form of abuse that is becoming even more prevalent in this technological age. Digital abuse involves using the Internet and/or social media to threaten or monitor a significant other in order to maintain control within the relationship. Digital abuse can be perpetrated on its own or in combination with othe