Category: Lifestyle

Some mistakes are too costly to make if you want to have success in your finances. Having the right financial knowledge can propel you to be successful.

Below are five money mistakes that wouldn’t help your financial life.

1. Never assume you would have more money in future

This is one mistake a lot of people make, but it’s one successful people rarely make. Assuming that you would have more money in future and spending from your so-called future money is like putting yourself in big mess. A lot of people have run into huge debts because they binge on their future money.

2. Don’t take foolish risks

There are risks and calculated risks, but there are also foolish risks. Before entering a new business environment or making a new investment, be sure to have a sound plan and carry out a SWOT analysis (i.e. strength, weakness, opportunity, threat).

Every investment comes with a measure of risk and the potential to lose money. So never take a foolish gamble on money.

3. Never be satisfied with stagnant income

The rich and successful are never satisfied with stagnant income, but a lot of people live on stagnant income and are satisfied with it. Always look for ways to increase your income. Make your money work for you; leaving your money at a standstill or having stagnant income is a huge money mistake you shouldn’t make.

4. Overspending after a sudden increase in income

This is another financial mistake a lot of people make, and it’s one mistake that would leave your finances in ruins. The fact that you have had an increase in income doesn’t mean you would rapidly increase your expenditure. A lot of people make this mistake of increasing their expenditure just after a slight increase in income; at the end of the day, you would only be able to save a lesser amount of money than you previously could. This is the major reason people don’t get richer even though their income has improved. The urge to spend more, eat more, have more fun, buy more luxury items would make your income increment have no impact on your financial health.

5. Living above your means

Living above your means is another common money mistake that people make, and it’s one mistake that would leave your finances in ruins. You can’t be successful if you live above your means; living above your means would make you unable to save and plan your income properly, and worse still, it would leave you in debts.

Successful people avoid these five common money mistakes, and you should avoid them too if you want to be successful.

SOURCE:ELCREMA:5 COMMON MONEY MISTAKES YOU SHOULDN’T MAKE IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL

Up and at ’em! Repeatedly hitting the snooze button to starting out behind schedule can turn a good morning into a “hide beneath the covers” kind of day with quickness. We can change that with a simple few tips:

Stop with the snooze button, already! Get out of bed and get going when the alarm goes off. Though you think hitting snooze gives you an extra few minutes of sleep, all it really does is make you feel groggy.

Jump in the shower. A morning shower can wake you and leave you refreshed, especially if your body wash has a scent that helps energize you. We recommend Kama Sutra Bathing Gel in Wild Clove.

Make a morning plan of action. Plan your day by making a to-do list of things you must handle. Look at the list and prioritize your tasks. Knock out the most dreaded task first; it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and help you plough through the smaller items later in the day.

Eat breakfast. Mom was right: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a nutritionally complete one, with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, gives you energy to start your day and helps you concentrate.

Drink tea instead of coffee. Green tea has antioxidants, plus the caffeine you need to jumpstart your day. If coffee is a must-have, wait an hour or two before having your first cup.
Listen to music. Turn on your favorite songs to help you get motivated for the day.
Push the hydration. Drink a cup or two (about 16 ounces total) of water before leaving for work rev up your metabolism, rehydrate you and flush out toxins.

Get active. Try to get in a workout (even if it’s just 10 minutes) before you leave for the day. Some morning exercise will help you feel focused.

Stay ahead of schedule. Give yourself time to get ready so you don’t feel rushed.

Being afraid of losing someone you love is not an uncommon feeling. Whether you just got into a relationship, or you’ve been in one for a long time, the fear is still present because, let’s face it: you could lose them at any time.

That’s not meant to scare anyone because, honestly, if your relationship is happy and healthy, you really have nothing to fear. Regardless, paranoia has a way of slithering into our brains, and causing us to envision horrifying scenarios where we are no longer with our loved ones.

A story from the trenches

I am *truthfully* the guiltiest of this terrible habit—I just can’t help it! After dating a couple of guys and breaking things off with them, I started dating this guy who was my everything. I pictured us together for the long haul, and we’d even picked out our future children’s names—I know, it’s cliché!

But then one Monday, I sauntered into the house, ready to begin watching a new episode of our favorite TV show, when the unexpected happened: he dumped me! I was in utter shock, to say the least. I almost couldn’t handle it.

Ever since then, I have had this fear that everybody I’m with will just get up and walk away without a second thought. To me, it feels like every person is gearing up to walk out, and I can’t handle the fear of losing them.

Ways to overcome the fear of losing someone you love

I have since realized that I have an irrational fear of losing the one I love. To help combat your deep-seated fear of abandonment, we have put together an abundance of different ways you can overcome that fear easily!

#1 Just relax; it’s natural. The fear of losing someone you love is completely and totally natural. If you have feelings for them at all, then you’re going to be upset if they were to one day walk away from you. This isn’t news to anybody in a relationship.

By realizing that it’s normal for you to have some fear over losing someone you love, you will be able to accept your feelings and work toward moving on. Losing this fear altogether is actually cause for concern, as it usually signifies an even bigger issue, such as a loss of interest in your relationship.

#2 Stop trying to control everything. There are things in your life that are going to happen, whether you want them to or not. You can’t physically stop every person who comes into your life from leaving. They will come, and they will go, without your approval.

So just let things happen. Stop worrying about it all the time and realize that you can’t control their feelings and you can’t control everything they do—no matter how much you might want to. So, just stop. Nobody likes a control freak, anyway!

#3 Get a journal. Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and fears when it comes to losing someone you love may help you overcome that burden. Getting what’s on your mind on paper is a great way to relieve tension and relax a little bit.

It’s also an effective way for you to analyze just how over-the-top your fears are. Seeing your concerns on paper will help you see that maybe you need to tone it down a little bit, and that everything will be alright in the end.

#4 Communicate with your partner. One of the best ways to alleviate the fear of losing your significant other is to simply talk to them about it. If your fear is crushing you that much, then you need to let your partner know how you’re feeling. Maybe they can reassure you, and ease your pain.

I have found that, a lot of the time, there was never any reason for concern. Your partner may even be completely shocked that you’re worrying so much about something so insignificant.

#5 Enjoy your partner! One fantastic way to overcome this feeling is to just enjoy your significant other. Enjoy their company. Enjoy their personality and all the little things that make them tick. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself forgetting about any fears you had about losing them, because you’ll be too wrapped up in affection to care.

#6 Realize that you may be making things worse. It’s true. By worrying so much about losing someone, you may actually be making your current situation worse—or even driving them away. If your mind is so caught up in the idea that they’re going to flee, you might just lead them there yourself.

Once you realize that you’re actually putting the relationship in jeopardy, you may be able to overcome this silly fear rather quickly. As a result of dwelling on the worst possible outcome, you will act differently. Nothing will make the person you love want to leave more than you completely changing your attitude. That’s not who they fell in love with.

#7 Picture your life without them. I know, I know! It’s definitely not something you want to do—especially if that’s your biggest fear. But just hear me out, because it’s the most effective way *for me, anyway* to overcome this fear.

If you can imagine your life without them, and realize that you can go on, you’ll be okay, and everything will work out in the end, it’s so much easier to face the possibility of abandonment. You can face life without them just fine. Taking a few moments to picture it will definitely stop your worrying in its tracks. [Read: 9 important habits you need to learn to feel more independent]

#8 Realize that life will go on either way. Much like picturing your life without them, just realize that your life will go on with or without them. Sure, you would like to have your life continue with them, and it’s a scary thought that they might not be a part of it, but you will continue to live your life either way.

A partner doesn’t define your happiness, and a partner isn’t in control of you. You will live your life the way you want with or without them, and this mindset is definitely something that will help allay your deepest fears. [Read: 11 lessons you need to learn to survive on your own]

#9 Accept that it’s a part of life—and deal with it. This may be a harsh reality, but it’s an honest one. Losing loved ones happens on a daily basis. You’re not alone when it comes to these feelings at all. Life happens whether you want it to or not, and you will have to deal with losing people you love here and there. Loss is a part of life, and will impact you in some way some day. Accepting this reality now will send you on your way to overcoming your fear.

Born in Rwanda, Fathia Uwase, 32, left for Ghana four years ago with fashion on her mind. There, she studied fashion for a year at the Joyce Ababio School of Creative design. After graduation, she established her own brand called Fathia’s Creations.

When she left her home country, the Rwandan fashion scene was still close to non-existent. She could not find the opportunities she needed and quality material to make her clothes. It was thus her love for beautiful aesthetics and fashion that made her travel abroad.

While in Ghana, she realised that the opportunities were plenty making it not so challenging to get involved in fashion. What was challenging for Uwase was to start her own business from scratch, like it would have been in any other field.Even so, she successfully built her simple but classy brand with the help of four local tailors who make her colourful designs, and her creations are now sold in a shop in Ghana. By the end of this year, she also wants to have an online store that is up and running to ship her bright and stunning collections worldwide.

But it is not just about the rest of the world, it is a lot about Rwanda. On her occasional visits to the country, she brings some of her pieces with her that she usually sells to friends. Last year, she was able to organise a 3-days mini exhibition at UTC. Her biggest wish for the coming year is to open a shop in Kigali early 2016, probably in January or February, and get more exposure in Rwanda.
She also wants to take part in more fashion shows. During her last trip to Kigali, she took part in Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show 2015, which was a first for her in Rwanda.

This event was eye-opening for Uwase. The local fashion scene could not have surprised and amazed her in any better way. When she meets fellow Rwandan fashion designers today, she feels proud as they are now daring to engage themselves in the fashion business and create something new.

What she still wishes for the country however, is to see more quality material coming in at lower costs. Uwase realises that her collections are a lot more affordable than the ones made in Rwanda simply because she can take advantage of the fact that Ghana is home to beautiful and affordable African print fabrics.And you know what?

Uwase is not only a talented fashion designer, she is also an exquisite chef. She runs a restaurant in Ghana where she serves mainly East African dishes that she often cooks herself. This lady certainly is full of creativity.

The NewTimes

A third of adults search for answers without trying to remember and 25% immediately forget what they’ve found out

There are fears impatience is triggering ‘digital amnesia,’ which means we rely on the internet for answers but easily forget the information we quickly look up online.

A new study suggests that when faced with a question, over a third of people automatically Google the answer quickly, without trying to come up with the answer themselves.
It also warns that a quarter of people immediately forget the information they have googled – a process which can mean the dissolution of memories and useful information.

The international study, which involved 6,000 international consumers aged 16 and over, was conducted by digital security firm, Kaspersky Lab.

It reveals 36 per cent of people said they Google information before trying to recall the answer themselves, with the percentage rising to 40 per cent for those aged 45 and over.
It’s possible that these users may doubt the accuracy of their memory, or may be impatient to get the correct answer as quickly as possible, the report says.

Similarly, 24 per cent admitted they would forget the online answer after they had used it and this figure rose to 27 per cent among over 45’s surveyed, with 12 per cent assuming the information will always be out there somewhere so there is little point in trying to memorise it.

This urge for the fastest possible access to information, combined with a reluctance to remember it afterwards, has far-reaching implications for both our long-term memories, because a failure to make use of the information stored in our memories can ultimately result in use forgetting it.
‘Our brain appears to strengthen a memory each time we recall it and at the same time forget irrelevant memories that are distracting us,’ said Dr Maria Wimber of the University of Birmingham’s School of Psychology, who was involved with the report.

‘Past research has repeatedly demonstrated that actively recalling information is a very efficient way to create a permanent memory.

‘In contrast, passively repeating information (e.g. by repeatedly looking it up on the internet) does not create a solid, lasting memory trace in the same way.
‘Based on this research, it can be argued that the trend to look up information before even trying to recall it prevents the build-up of long-term memories.

This is not the first report to suggest that Google is rotting our memories.
In a series of tests conducted two years ago, Harvard University researchers found that participants were more likely to recall information if they believed it had been erased from a computer.
Those who thought it was stored were more forgetful, even if explicitly asked to keep the information in mind.

In another experiment, the team asked students to answer trivia questions with or without Google, and then asked them to rate their own intelligence.
They found those who used the internet had a significantly higher view of their own brain power, even compared with individuals who got the questions right through their own knowledge.

‘Using Google gives people the sense that the internet has become part of their own cognitive tool set,’ the researchers concluded.
And rather than sharing information, people are more likely to save it electronically if they want future access to it, rather than relying on someone else’s memory, the researchers found.

Psychologists Daniel Wegner and Adrian Ward, wrote in the journal Scientific American: ‘Our work suggests that we treat the internet much like a human transactive memory partner [a person we share personal details with].

‘We off-load memories to “the cloud” just as readily as we would to a family member, friend or lover.’
‘It seems that the propensity for off-loading information to digital sources is so strong that people are often unable to fix details in their own thoughts when in the presence of a cyberbuddy,’ the researchers added.
‘They said that having the internet ‘undermines the impulse to ensure that some important facts get inscribed into our biological memory banks’.

Source: Dailymail

It’s easy to feel settled in a relationship. But when you cross the line with these 18 habits, there’s a good chance your lover may leave you for it.

Bad habits are aptly named for the fact that they tend to cause problems for ourselves and those around us. While little bad habits like nail biting and chewing with your mouth open can be annoying at the very least, some bad habits can actually have devastating effects on our relationships.
The nature of habits is that they’re repetitive behaviors. One bad act can be forgivable and easy to ignore, but repeatedly doing something disruptive, no matter how small, can put a crack in your relationship that eventually grows with each repetition. More often than not, people only learn how destructive their bad habit can be when the damage is already too glaring to ignore.

What are the bad habits that have the most devastating effects on a relationship?

Here are 18 of the worst ones.

1. Treating your partner like a project. Constantly trying to change your partner and mold them into the person you want them to be is a toxic habit that could destroy your relationship. Think about how you would feel if your partner was doing the same to you. It’s a selfish motive to stay in a relationship with the belief that you can change your partner into someone else.

2. Making your fights public. By neglecting to keep your arguments within a private sphere, you are embarrassing yourself and your partner, in addition to drawing unwanted negative attention onto your relationship. Not only will this not solve whatever it is you’re fighting about, but your partner could become completely repulsed by this childish behavior and decide to leave you.

3. Criticizing close friends and family. Regardless of how irritating family and friends can sometimes be, when you criticize your partner’s friends and family, you are also criticizing your partner. A partner who feels like you are constantly bashing their loved ones may grow to resent you.
These people have been in your partner’s lives for a while and are likely not going anywhere, so you might as well learn to like them or at least tolerate them.

4. Too much PDA. The only people who are fans of public displays of affection are the ones engaging in it. When a couple is ignorantly making out in public, it’s easy to forget that no one else really wants to see you sucking each other’s faces.
Some partners feel the need to be affectionate in public in order to show other people that their partner is taken and in love. However, being insensitive about the people around you can cause your partner to feel conscious and awkward, and possibly even resentful of the unwanted attention from others.

5. Prolonging an argument. Dragging an argument out even longer than it has to be is seriously just a waste of time. This is when you’ve already discussed everything about a prior argument and nothing is left on the table, but your partner constantly wants to rehash it all over again. This is simply unnecessary and doesn’t help the relationship move forward.

6. Holding grudges. People make mistakes, and this is no different in relationships. Holding on to every little mistake your partner has made into an argument. And being unable to forgive will only exhaust your partner and ruin your relationship. When your partner has apologized, and the two of you have talked it through, make sure you forgive them. Otherwise, let the person go if the mistake was too hurtful to move past.

7. Avoiding important conversations. When you know there’s an important issue to be discussed but you avoid it, you are only giving your partner more reasons to feel uneasy about you and the situation in general. Sometimes, if someone doesn’t clear the air, one partner will spend too much time thinking that the other one doesn’t care. This can cause an even bigger blowout, and might even be the kiss of death for your relationship.

8. keeping score of your partner’s mistakes. Relationships aren’t a game, so there’s no need for a scoreboard to tell you how many times you were right. Doing this is a sign that you can’t get over all the times your partner has wronged you, even though the issue has already been resolved and dropped.

9. Comparing your partner to your ex. Sometimes, it can’t be helped, but even then, it shouldn’t be something you would openly do. Constantly comparing your current partner to your ex is a glaring sign that you’re not over your ex.

And if your partner knows that you’re always making mental comparisons, they’ll start to feel like they can’t be allowed to be themselves since the shadow of your oh-so-perfect ex haunts your relationship.

10. Initiating important discussions at the worst possible times. It’s not really an ideal scenario to come home to after a long stressful day at work to a heavy discussion about bills piling up or something equally stressful. Doing this will only serve to stress your partner out even more, which can then turn your discussion

11. Invading their privacy. Everyone’s privacy should be respected. If you feel the need to stalk your partner or invade their privacy, your partner has every right to feel disrespected. Keep in mind that if you sneakily try to look into what your partner is up to due to a lack of trust, you’re also betraying their trust by doing so behind their back.

12. Blowing things out of proportion. There’s no reason to cause a scene if your partner simply left the lights on or forgot to put the toilet seat down. If you always blow up at any little annoyance, your partner will not be able to tell the difference between when you’re just irritated and really upset. Plus, they will start to get tired of trying to placate you for every tiny issue.
13. Letting jealousy override clear judgment. When your jealousy overcomes your rational judgments and causes you to fly off the handle, your partner may resort to keeping secrets from you just to avoid a jealous outburst.

14. Letting yourself go. While it’s fine to sometimes walk around in sweats and a baggy shirt, you should still take the time to look nice for your partner every once in a while. If all your partner ever sees is your unkempt appearance and your general disregard for hygiene, they may start to question why they were even attracted to you in the first place.

15. Needing to be together 24/7. In any relationship, it’s nice to want be around your partner all the time, but not when it’s so suffocating that both of you are practically conjoined at the hip. Having some space in a relationship helps to build a healthy independence and gives your partner time to miss you.

16. Constantly telling white lies. A little white lie about something completely inconsequential is fine from time to time, especially if it’s about something that doesn’t affect your partner in the slightest. However, always telling white lies to avoid an argument will only serve to break your partner’s trust when they find out about your lies.

17. Not saying what’s on your mind. Neglecting to voice your needs and then berating your partner for not meeting them is a horrible habit. This passive aggressive behavior will only make your partner paranoid about not knowing and giving you what you want, and in turn, you’ll end up resenting them even more. It’s a vicious cycle that won’t get you anywhere.

18. Not appreciating your partner. If you always neglect your partner’s need for appreciation and praise, you are starving them of a basic need in a relationship. No one wants to feel taken for granted, and if you never show your partner your appreciation for what they do for you, they may just stop bothering to try to please you.
Bad habits can do more than just annoy your partner. Some of these common slip ups can drive your relationship into the deep end. By recognizing and addressing these toxic behaviors in a relationship, you’ll have a better chance at making your relationship last for the long haul.

Source: Lovepanky.com

Achieving a happy relationship with someone takes more than just a bit of good luck. It requires daily exercise in healthy relationship practices that help build a strong bond between two people. While couples do many things to keep their relationships happy ,communicating for example, the things they don’t do might lend more to their happiness as a couple than you may think.

Everyone aspires to be part of a happy couple. It can be a struggle, but anyone can build a perfect relationship if they just take the time to practice healthy relationship habits. Use the tips below to guide your own relationship to a happier, healthier place.

#1 Don’t complain about your relationship to family or friends. Whether your relationship is a little rocky from time to time or is smooth sailing for the most part, don’t discuss it with outsiders. Involving others in your private matters usually results in negative feedback that’s hardly ever helpful. Instead, talk directly to each other to work through the bumps in the road together.

#2 Don’t compare yourself to others. People who are truly happy accept themselves and others as they are. Comparing yourself or your partner to someone else is unfair and unrealistic. It only leads you to feelings of insecurity about yourself and about your relationship.

#3 Don’t blame your partner for your problems. Understand that it’s you who needs to take responsibility for your own feelings. Don’t blame your partner or wallow in self-pity. Instead, communicate with them and ask for the help you need in rectifying the situation.

#4 Don’t take yourself too seriously. Life is full of ups and downs. To be truly happy, you mustn’t take everything so seriously. Happy couples enjoy life. They date often and laugh a lot. Even when life gets rough, find ways to keep it light if you can.

#5 Don’t criticize. Nobody likes a nag. Criticizing your partner only creates a rift in the relationship that, over time, can tear it apart. Try not to criticize each other, but instead, look for ways to work through irritating situations with sensitivity.

#6 Don’t ignore the financial side of your relationship. Money troubles can stress even the best relationships, so address issues as quickly as possible when they arise. Discuss your financial goals so you can make responsible decisions for a bright future. If money matters are a touchy subject with you, just know that ignoring them can lead to major headaches later on.

#7 Don’t attempt to read your partner’s mind. In many relationships especially long-term ones,couples assume they know what their partners want or need. While you may know your partner better than anyone else, never assume you know all the time.

The key to a happy relationship is communication, and you must communicate well in order to know what the other truly needs and wants. Spell your feelings and desires out explicitly so there are no mistakes or disappointments.

#8 Don’t choose bad timing. There is a right time and a wrong time to share your feelings in order to have your needs met. The wrong time is when your partner is busy or otherwise preoccupied with something else.

When you engage with them during a time like this, chances are that they will not get the importance of what you’re saying, leaving you feeling frustrated and angry. The right time to discuss your feelings is when they aren’t busy. The best way to make sure it’s a good time is simply to ask. “Hey, I’d like to discuss something with you. Is now a good time?”

#9 Don’t obsess about your role in the relationship. Most people have their “role” in a relationship. Some roles are gender-based: Mowing the grass is usually the man’s job, for instance. However, happy couples take on tasks outside their roles in order to get things done when they need to be done, no matter whose job it is. If your partner is the cook in the relationship, but can’t get dinner on the table because she’s working late, step in and get the job done. Have supper waiting for her when she gets home.

#10 Don’t be a Negative Nelly. Rather than pressuring your partner to do what you think they need to do, try encouraging them instead. Be the support and motivation they need to achieve bigger and better things, rather than nagging them to do better.

#11 Don’t look to Hollywood for relationship advice. There’s no doubt celebrity couples are interesting, but never, ever look to them as proper examples of what a happy relationship looks like. Real-life Hollywood couples are usually dysfunctional and end up breaking up soon after getting together. Furthermore, on-screen Hollywood couples are unrealistic portrayals of relationships. Happy couples simply do not base their happiness on these false representations.

#12 Don’t rush your relationship. Never push your relationship to higher levels too quickly. Everyone wants the fairy tale happy ending, but don’t forget to enjoy the journey too.

#13 Don’t expect your relationship to be the answer to your prayers. While a healthy, happy relationship certainly adds to your life, don’t expect it to solve all your problems. It’s nobody else’s responsibility to fix your life. You must do that yourself. Take responsibility for your own feelings and problems to keep them from interfering with the happiness of your relationship.

#14 Don’t expect being a couple to be easy. It is amazing to be in a long-term relationship, but it is rarely easy. View challenges as an opportunity to grow and become stronger as a couple. Being happy together takes effort, but learning as you go gives you the strength you both need to stay together and be truly happy.

#15 Don’t hold back. You never lose out by loving someone. You lose out by holding back and not giving 100% of yourself in your relationship. Being part of a truly happy couple cannot happen until you are able to give someone else the chance to hurt you, while trusting them, at the same time, not to. Being in a happy relationship means you have faith in your partner, and they have faith in you, too.

#16 Don’t keep secrets. Secrets can destroy the strongest relationships. Trust is a delicate thing that’s easily lost, so don’t keep secrets from your partner. Consider keeping secrets as the same thing as lying. Nothing good ever comes from lying.

#17 Don’t hide who you are. If you can’t be yourself around someone you love, you can’t be happy. Happy couples love each other for who they are and are never afraid of being themselves. There’s nothing better than being loved for who you are. On that same note, never feel as if you need to change for anyone. If they can’t accept you for you, you’ll never be happy in the relationship.

#18 Don’t dwell on the past. The past is gone. It can’t be changed. Accept that your partner has a past, and although you may not like it, accept it and move on. Look to the future together and forget about what’s behind you.

#19 Don’t focus on your partner’s flaws. Everyone has them, but don’t focus on your partner’s. When you focus on the good in them, you’ll not notice them anyway. By discovering the good in your partner, you also discover the good in yourself.

#20 Don’t expect anything in return. To maintain a happy relationship, be willing to give but expect nothing in return. Do something special for your partner because you know it will make them happy. When your focus becomes more about giving than gaining, you’ll find yourself becoming truly happy too.

There’s no magic formula, and every person is different. However, these small considerations can take your relationship from down in the dumps to on top of the world,that is, if you pay attention and apply them properly.

Lovepanky

Reuben and Lévi are 27-year-old twins from Rwanda. At the young age of 7, they fled their country because of the genocide. With their family, they drove to the DRC, then flew to Kenya to avoid the carnage that left 800,000 dead in 100 days. After living in Kenya for a while, they emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, and eventually and launched their clothing brand.

From Kigali to the New York Fashion Week

The Uwi twins made their New York Fashion Week debut this year featuring their third collection called I Left My Heart in Africa. The two brothers started their career in the fashion world when they were teenagers. They launched a T-shirt line called R&U Styles that was later picked up by a large deparment store chain in Canada. Instead of going to college, the twins chose to learn by doing and launched their second brand called Uwi Twins in 2014.

“This brand is about inspiring the underdog and with this collection, yeah it is inspired by Africa, but it’s also for anyone who feels like they’re down,” one of them said.

Inspired in the Motherland
In order to prepare for the I Left My Heart in Africa collection, the brothers returned to Africa for the first time in 17 years.

“It was a huge contrast from the last time we were there. We were very fortunate enough to be in a position where we had a lot of opportunities ahead of us and so, when we were designing the collection, we definitely felt very blessed and very humbled,” Levi said in a press conference.

The collection carries an artistic street wear feel. It comprises T-shirts, shorts, but also dressier clothes such as blazers and dresses. Several pieces incorporate details from their personal experiences such as their birth year, 1987, and a photo of them as child refugees.

“We definitely want to be that bridge between North America and Africa when it comes to modern fashion designers,” Reuben said backstage. “With sharing our story, we hope to inspire or spark motivation in young designers and entrepreneurs, or someone who wants to pursue their passion.”