African designer Raif Atelier’s garments graces the cover of Essence magazines on fabulous stars like Jill Scott, India Irie and many more. 

It was my pleasure to take part in a photo shoot featuring pieces from his Spring 2009 collection for women. The dresses I tried on made me feel like a world winning Goddess. From the earth tone colors down to the soft fabrics and African inspired jewelry, I was in touched with a different part of me. Raif Atelier designs are strong…. vibrant and graceful, yes indeed.

His men Spring 2009 collection is of urban royal designed for Kings. His festive denim, pilot leather jackets and smooth linen suits will upgrade any man’s swagger. If you have something else in mind and have any special events to attend Raif costume makes ensembles for both women and men.

For more info on Raif Atelier visit his boutique at 

877 Fulton Street  Brooklyn, NY  (…)

Ending Famine, Simply by Ignoring the Experts

Correction Appended

LILONGWE, Malawi — Malawi hovered for years at the brink of famine. After a disastrous corn harvest in 2005, almost five million of its 13 million people needed emergency food aid.

But this year, a nation that has perennially extended a begging bowl to the world is instead feeding its hungry neighbors. It is selling more corn to the World Food Program of the United Nations than any other country in southern Africa and is exporting hundreds of thousands of tons of corn to Zimbabwe.

In Malawi itself, the prevalence of acute child hunger has fallen sharply. In October, the United Nations Children’s Fund sent three tons of powdered milk, stockpiled here to treat severely malnourished children, to Uganda instead. “We will not be able to use it!” Juan Ortiz-Iruri, Unicef’s deputy representative in Malawi, said jubilantly.

Farmers explain Malawi’s extraordinary

White farmers refuse to vacate land, destroy maize

Chief Reporter Emilia Zindi

SOME white farmers whose land was acquired by the Government for resettlement purposes have reportedly destroyed maize fields belonging to new farmers in Mashonaland West, claiming that the land was theirs.

At least two new farmers who had done dry planting had their germinating maize crop destroyed recently.

It is said that the white farmers are refusing to vacate the land and to recognise the new farmers’ offer letters.

One new farmer, Colonel Tony Kapanga, said he lost over 20 hectares of his maize crop on Wednesday after the former owner of his Chingford Farm in Selous, Mr Colin Cloete, allegedly ploughed the land. He said he also lost billions of dollars worth of fertiliser he had applied to the crop.
Col Kapanga said problems started last year when he was allocated the farm. Mr Cloete allegedly refused to vacate the land(…)