Category: Lifestyle

{{Pharrell William’s song “Happy” has become a world phenomenon, with numerous countries posting their own versions of the music video on YouTube.

The song seems to be popular not just because of its catchy feel-good tune, infectious chorus and vintage production style, but also its simple, positive lyrics about happiness.}}

Of course, the creation of a Rwandan version had been talked about in local circles for a while, especially when high quality videos were posted by neighbors in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Yet that point in time was too intense and emotionally charged to create such a video, since the people of Rwandan were focused on commemorating the 20th year since the genocide (“Kwibuka 20” in April) and the subsequent Liberation Day (“Kwibohora 20” in June).

By the time July arrived, the atmosphere was more fertile for such an initiative to take hold! And it did…

Sparked by her hands-on experience in living and working in Rwanda and a deep appreciation for the country, American photographer Kimberly Ross was inspired by the positive energy she felt in the country and set the ball rolling to create the official Kigali version of the Happy video when she was in Kigali to photograph the 4th annual KigaliUp music festival.

Her mission: to collaborate with local groups and individuals from her extensive network in Rwanda and to rally a diverse set of people across the city, in order showcase modern-day Kigali and document a dynamic vibe that is not often seen in the global media.

“To me, this is more than just a cover of Pharrell Williams’ music video,” she explains. “It’s an opportunity to show the world a side of Rwanda that defies the many stereotypes tainted by the country’s tragic history.”

Those who still believe the many western media headlines suggesting that “Africa is a dangerous place” or that “Rwanda remains a war-torn country” might be surprised to see the sheer ‘joie-de-vivre’ captured in this video.

With over a thousand people participating in the making of this video – thanks largely to the involvement of KigaliUp (#KigaliUp2014) – it features traditional dance troupes, crews of modern hip-hop dancers, young artists, women’s groups, foreign development workers, school children, and a kaleidoscopic of other random characters of all ages and races, dancing or smiling alongside city monuments, in art galleries, at a music festival, in a popular coffee shop, and in the streets of Kigali.

During the production, other videos shot in Rwanda started popping out on YouTube; but Kimberly and her collaborators decided to still go forward with their version because the aim was to focus on Kigali City rather than the entire country. Plus, it involved a wide range of people, with about a dozen local groups had already mobilized to make it happen as a collective, grassroots project.

Eric ‘Soul’ Kirenga of AFROGROOV, a collaborator on the project, hopes that this video can trigger curiosity and interest in Rwanda. He thinks that, “This video can be a catalyst for a broader discussion on the experience of people living in Rwanda, as well as on the media’s portrayal of Rwanda and even Africa in general.”

As the end-credits roll over extra footage of the cityscape and a sneak peak of a few Kigali neighbourhoods, the text asks the audience “Why are you happy to live in Kigali?” It calls upon the audience to post their responses on the YouTube page and to engage in discussions on the topic within social media outlets using the hashtags #HappyKigali and #Morethanacover.

With over 1,500 views after just 12 hours online (at http://youtu.be/u5h7U5Kxj00), it obvious that the public is currently watching, “liking,” and sharing the video. Yet it will be even more interesting to see how many people actually take the #Morethanacover initiative further.

Could this video provoke a wave of dialogue in social media as well as other initiatives that contribute to an image transformation of the country?

Can we then expect an explosion of cool, bold and creative digital media content and cultural manifestation from the country of the thousands hills? The Happy video team says, of course! It’s up to all of you to prove them right.

{{Announcing the world’s most expensive anything is a surefire way to attract attention, but when the thing is a $3m motor home, questions arise beyond the obvious “Why?” After all, designers create all manner of prototypes, and mythical potentates from Dubai are always rumoured to be buying them.}}

Yet in this case, the factory is up and running and ready to take your deposit money.
The recreational vehicle, or RV, is the eleMMent Palazzo – the capitalisation an allusion to its maker, the Austria-based Marchi Mobile, founded by former trucking magnate Mario Marchi.

This mobile mansion will be built on the chassis of a DAF XF105, a rectilinear semi-truck that is ubiquitous on European highways, with aVolvo engine for easy servicing. That trucking technology is essential, as there will be a hefty payload of marble, rose gold and hubris to haul around once Marchi Mobile locates a buyer for its Leviathan.

The Palazzo’s sweeping lines, a heroic attempt at making a brick appear aerodynamic, were originally penned by Luigi Colani, the irascible eighty-something father of so-called biodynamic industrial design, whose organically bulbous aesthetic has been channelled into vehicles for Fiat, Alfa Romeo and BMW. Colani’s trademarks are still in evidence, but the expanse behind the cab is given over to the client’s every indulgence and whim.

Functionally, the Palazzo has a slide-out room not unlike those found on nicer trucking rigs, but it also offers a “Sky Lounge”, replete with banquette seating that rises out of the body to create a rooftop nightclub, complete with mood-lit canopy, audio system and wet bar. It is essentially a sky bridge, the likes of which might be spotted bobbing off Cannes or in the harbour at the Monaco Grand Prix, making the Palazzo – indisputably and unironically – a land yacht.

Marchi Mobile has produced several custom vehicles atop this platform, including a rolling health clinic and self-contained mobile showrooms. The company expects the bulk of its future commissions to come in its Viva line, a “jet on wheels” concept that brings Gulfstream-calibre finishes down to terra firma.

The world tour of these products will make North American landfall in early 2015. Marchi meanwhile awaits a commission to make the Palazzo a reality, but the company notes it is marketing heavily in Dubai.

{{Angel Uwamahoro 23, is a Rwandan poet and actress currently pursuing her studies in Theatre at Fordham University in New York.}}

In an exclusive with Ni Nyampinga’s Benigne Mugwaneza, the poet discusses her journey from starting off with different acting groups in Kigali and poetry events such as Spoken Word to presenting her poetry at the African Union, Rwandan events such as more recently Kwibohora20 at Amahoro Stadium and also different countries in Africa and Europe.

She hopes to build her own Theatre school here in Rwanda after she completes her studies and bring the art of acting to the people that inspire her the most.

{{The European Union (EU) has announced it will allocate US$618mn of funding from its 11th European Development Fund (EDF) to Rwanda.}}

money-tiz-flickrThe Rwandan government is introducing reforms including revised investment codes and enforcing the use of billing machines.

The EU officials said that the amount will be issued to the east African nation over a period of five years.

Despite Rwanda’s 4.6 per cent growth registered in 2013, the EU will want the country to achieve 11.5 per cent growth by 2018.

Michael Ryan, EU ambassador to Rwanda, stated that although the nation has made substantial progress in sectors aside from agriculture, there is scope for improvement.

President Paul Kagame has expressed his keenness to position Rwanda as an industry and services-based economy instead of an agriculture-driven one.

According to Claver Gatete, minister of finance and economic planning in Rwanda, in order to achieve this and tackle growth impediments, reforms have been put in place in the country.

Some of the reforms include a monthly community service programme called Umuganda, investment code revisions, enforcing the use of billing machines to ensure tax compliance and revising existing tax slabs.

”There is a recovery plan. We will work towards ensuring that impediments are solved by constantly monitoring progress and intervening where necessary,” said the minister.

{africanreview}

{{Miss shannel is a Rwandan artist whose Nakutaka song pushed her to the limelight including other dozen songs.}}

Until recently her love life like anyother single artists has been full of speculations.
However this saturday, the Rwandan songbird got married to a french national at a coloureful wedding ceremony held in Paris France.

Populary known by her stage name Miss Shannel, her true names are Nirere Ruth. Her husband a french national is known as Guillaume Favier.

{{Oh crop tops!!This has been one of this hot summer season’s biggest statement pieces. They are the in-thing, seemingly here to stay. }}

They have made appearance in international events like the Met Gala theme where celebrities like Rihanna and Emma Stone have rocked this fashion trends and looking elegant and sophisticated.

Crop tops are the most divisive trends in fashion and they come in a variety of shapes and length including cropped t-shirts and the waist tied blouse and the best thing about them is that they can be altered to your preferred degree.

So ,really there are endless ways to customize this lasting trend and make it your own.

Today, lots of girls want to wear this sexy trend but most of them do not how to pull it off considering that many think one should have abs to actually pull it off successfully .but hey!that’s not true.

This look is for everyone who loves a bit of fashion edge; for those free weekends and parties, but mostly for those days when you feel so fashion adventurous and want to break the style monotony.

For a rock and roll look, pair it with a cut off jeans and a hot pair of heels.

For a more laid back look, flat sandals and sneakers will create an urban chick look. For a night out with the girls or that perfect date, pair it with a high waist skirt and elegant heels.

Crop tops are not only casual but glamorous and sophisticated too when pulled off correctly.so girl, crop it like it’s hot!!!

{The new way of peeling an orange that saves you time and energy.}

{{Peeling has always been the most tedious part of eating an orange. Digging your fingers into the fruit and removing chunks of peel is messy, time-consuming, and completely inefficient.}}

Luckily, Lifegooroo has found a way to peel your oranges in half the amount of time you spend now. Here are the five easy steps to do this:

1. Get a knife. This is a kind of requirement for this orange-peeling method. A fork isn’t going to work.

2. Slice off a little bit from the bottom and the top of the orange. Don’t cut too close to the middle—you’ll lose too much of the fruit that way.

3. Align your knife so that you are cutting between the natural separation between two orange slices instead of cutting right through one of the slices, mangling it.

4. Cut through the orange until you reach the opposite side of the peel. You don’t have to cut through it and slice the orange in half.

5. Unroll the orange. Starting from where you cut the orange vertically, pull the two halves of the orange away from each other. You should now see a strip of orange slices waiting for you to eat them. Enjoy!

{most usual way. its time consuming }