To begin my quest for a better complexion, I did an internet search on “zits” and one of the first links that came up was http://www.zerozits.com, the site for Sage Skin Care.  The articles on the site were written in a straight-talking, matter-of-fact style that appealed to me.  Did you know that many cosmetics contain ingredients that irritate the skin, causing breakouts?  I had no idea, but Sage Skin Care did.  The owner, Barbara Strickland, C.P.E. even has a listing of all of the ingredients that cause skin irritation.  Even Clearasil has some of those bad ingredients.  I threw out my tube of it at once.

In addition to the educational articles, the site offered a free skin analysis.  All I had to do was fill out the survey and they’d give me advice on which products to use.  It felt very scientific, which is something that also appealed to me.  No pushy sales tactics at a crowded cosmetics counter, just an analysis of your needs and recommendations for what starter kit of products would work best.

I’m hooked.  It’s been years since I first started using Sage Skin Care products, and I’m still exclusively using them.  During that time, I’ve had skin care professionals ask me about what I use.  They’ve never heard about Sage Skin Care, and it really surprises me.  Given how effective this skin care line has been for me, I can’t understand how it’s not sold in Sephora or on QVC.  But I kind of like it that way.  There’s something nice about the fact that the owner, Barbara, still wants people to contact her personally.  I would be sad to see that personal touch disappear.

If you’re unhappy with your current skin care regime, don’t have one but might be interested, or even if you’re just curious to try something new, I highly recommend Sage Skin Care. My secret to a clear, healthy, zit-free complexion is now yours.  Enjoy!

As you wander through the virtual pages of All Things Girl and our March/April issue, I hope you are able to pause and savor the lovely pieces that make-up this wonderful ezine. First, our classics and representative of our theme: Writings & Arts. In Writings…. you will find pieces that celebrate the range of emotions we celebrate as women…. I know you’re recognize some faces….and will be thrilled at the discovery of some new talent as well. And what can I say about Arts? Art is again a masterpiece of inspiration, whimsy and the seriousness of being women.

As always, Everything Girl makes me want to sing praises.  There is Part One of our interview with our cover girl, Amy Brownstein  and the talented and amazing Man of the Month, Josh Charles.   We are also blessed with the advice of our Women in Business columnist, Elia Sheldon and we are fortunate to have wise words from a couple of guest columnists. Be sure an grab a fresh cup of coffee when you sit down to read Everything Girl!

If you are inspired to share your talents, submissions are open for future editions of All Things Girl – and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is hanging around in the sky a little bit longer…and the earth is waking from winter’s grip and beginning to embrace Spring.   I hope you celebrate everything about being a woman and tell us all about “on being a girl”.

I know this to be true because every month for the last eight years, I have seen the inspirational contributions made to All Things Girl by our volunteer staff and wonderful contributors. With each issue, I am more and more proud of these women who make me want to be a better person.

Each month, the editors, contributing editors, and columnists coordinate the submissions and pull together their sections and/or pieces.  Melissa and I do a final review of each section and upon my word, Lorissa changes out our cover art and does some coding magic that turns one issue into the next.

Since the end of February, and into the beginning of March, my 100-pound dog has eaten my  homework, keeping me from doing my part of what is necessary for All Things Girl to be prepared to launch.

Seriously, it isn’t really the fault of my sweet Greta.  But life, as it does, has happened all around us and I have been unable to devote the time necessary to properly prepare the “March/April”  issue.  All Things Girl is truly a labor of love.  All of our staff are volunteers, we’ve never charged a subscription fee, and we want to continue to be the best place for women to share the fruits of their creative labors.

I apologize for the delay and hope that all of you truly wonderful readers will forgive me.  

Tune in on March 15th to enjoy the beautiful, feisty, inspirational, sweetness that is “On Being a Girl”.

Not being able to catch Targo has haunted him over the years, especially as Wexford is convinced that Targo has committed other killings.

Rendell builds the Targo character as a strange obsessive loner, who has a natural affinity with animals; in fact he loves animals more than his own children.

Wexford suddenly finds that Targo is not just back in Kingsmarkham but back in his life and then Wexford’s gardener is murdered.

This is Ruth Rendell at her best, telling the compelling story of Targo and that of an Asian family whose daughter, Tamima, goes missing. The Monster in the Box is published by Hutchinson and is available from Amazon and other bookshops. It’s well worth a read and takes you back through time to Wexford’s past.

The Edge of Doom is the first book in a trilogy; published by Vanguard Press and is available from all good bookshops and Amazon. The stories entwine historical facts and legends with new elements that will throw in some surprises.

Elizabeth is a former BBC Mastermind Champion (1974) and retired English Literature teacher. She is involved as a leader in the Girl Guides in her local area, and in the church youth drama group.

This book is suitable for adults and young adults alike and is a thoroughly good read. I hope you enjoy it and do let us know what you think.

The story is set over a twenty four hour period and Dalziel is back at work after recovering from a bomb blast, but is he back to form? He wants to prove to his team that he’s the boss but is Pascoe ready to give back his leadership role?

The story centres round businessman Goldie Gidman and his “business” involvement in the past. A policeman went missing seven years ago and now his wife, Gina Wolfe, wants to remarry another policeman, Mike Purdy. First she has to see if her husband actually died or is he still alive? Mike Purdy calls on his old friend Dalziel to help her out with the investigation.

None of them have any idea what this search will cause. A murderous sister and brother team set out on a mission and a high flying journalist sniffs the hint of a story. Pascoe gets drawn in and wonders at Dalziel’s capabilities, because some of Dalziel’s decisions are questionable.

Reginald Hill crafts believable characters and his books have a number of regulars who develop with each tale he tells. Reading his books is like visiting a familiar place, but this book is one of his best. It has a quick pace and little islands of humour among the action. The plot is more complex than I’ve indicated but describing the twists and turns might ruin the reading of the book.

Midnight Fugue is available from all good bookshops and published by HarperCollins. If you’ve read any good books lately, why not let us know. We’re always looking for book reviews.

You know the ones. When the old critical voices are milling about drinking martinis and eating crab puffs in your head. You try to send them all away with your favorite powerful affirmation, but only a few of them even look up - and one of them turns away and lights a cigarette.

What do you do when no matter what you do, you just feel awful?

Very few success-gurus talk about the bad day, or even the process of following your dreams and the persistence it takes to shift old patterns.

Truth is, sometimes it helps to hear someone be honest about this stuff. Not so that you can indulge in self-pity about how hard you have it. But so that when the bad day strikes, you have some leverage.

So, how do you survive a bad day?

Here’s a few things that might help…

WHAT TO REMEMBER:

1 - The voices do not tell the truth.

They’re just your old voices coming up to feed. Do not feed them. This is what makes them stay. Even if you’re already hooked in, the best way to begin the unhooking is to rest, or to be very kind to you.

2 - This is not who you are.

The voices like to tell you that this depressed person is who you really are and that the rest of the world doesn’t have these same flaws. Not true. This is just a temporary set back. That’s all.

3 - Mochaccinos don’t take the voices away. It just makes them go faster.

Bad Days are not a call to rush out to Starbucks, hoping that if you move faster, it will all go away. If there’s any action that needs to be taken now, it’s probably a nap.

4 - You don’t have to be productive today.

It’s okay to put down your goals and to-dos for one day. You can return to them tomorrow. Today, make it your goal to just get through the day being kind to yourself. Think of it as a sick day. Maybe there’s no PROOF – like a fever. But your insides are sick. Let them heal.

5 - Everything seems worse when you’re tired or hungry.

Eat something yummy. Take a nap. Or go somewhere and sit quietly.

WHAT TO DO:

1 - Stop feeling bad about feeling bad.

If it helps, make today a container. Know that you’re allowed to have this stuff and that nothing horrid is going to happen with this one day of getting thrown off.

2 - Make no decisions.

The late Richard Carlson, author and psychologist, gave this great advice: “Never make decisions when you’re in a low mood.” His belief was that low moods are a natural occurrence and that any low-mood decisions are typically not healthy. Put off all decisions when you’re having a bad day.

3 - Don’t read fashion magazines. Or the news.

4 - Take a 20 minute walk.

Bring a gentle affirmation along with you. On days like this you don’t want to say, “I am master of the universe!!!” On days like this you want to say, “I am loved. I am safe.”

5 - Don’t try to fix yourself today.

No need to rush to the Self-Help section at Borders. Maybe steps you can take toward being healthier in the big picture, but not today. Today, let yourself stop.

6 - Lower your standards.

If you get out of bed, or eat a good healthy meal, be proud. Tomorrow you can have your old high standards back and be productive and evolved and all that. Not today.

7 - Say NO to anything if it’s motivated by the word “should.”

This is a good rule to follow on good days too!

8 - Ask yourself what you feel like doing.

Sometimes the answer to this can be surprising. Maybe you’ll want to begin a fiction audiobook and clean your closet! Maybe you’ll just want a nap.

9 - Don’t do anything destructive.

Don’t overdose on sugar or indulge in alcohol. Don’t call anyone who drains you. It will not make this better.

WHAT TO BE:

Be very, very kind to yourself.

Be the way you would be with someone who is sad or hurting or scared. Because today, you are.

WHAT TO KNOW:

That the victory is not about not having bad days anymore. The victory is that you can get back up after having one.

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 8,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

I’ve heard it.

Sometimes we even joke about it because it’s so common.

I’m talking about the snarky voice in your head that mouths off whenever you think about being a little bolder, a little decadent, or more self-nurturing.

It’s the voice that says, “Who do you think you are?”

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but mine shows up as a group of high school girls.

Their eyes are lined with thick black pencil. They wear concert t-shirts. Their hair is burnt from too many home perms. One of them steps forward and says, with her hands on her hips, “Who do you think you are?” And then she turns to the others and says, “Who does she think she is?” Then they all take an aggressive step forward. (Welcome to an average day at my old high school!)

My friend Joy’s “Who do you think you are?” voices jump in whenever she imagines hanging out on the sofa reading magazines.

A few years ago, I saw Oprah speak. She said that every time she wanted to achieve more, the first voice she heard was “Who do you think you are?”

Every woman I know has her own version of this voice waiting in the wings.

In other words: Stay down, play small, shut up, and don’t embarrass yourself. Don’t even bother because you won’t make it, you don’t deserve it, and everyone knows it, and they’ll all laugh at you when you fail.

So, next time that voice jumps up in your head, here’s what you do:

Answer it.

Really. Who do you think you are?

————-

One time, I was telling a mentor about some fears coming up around a choice I was making.

I said, “…and all the voices in my head are saying, ‘Who do you think you are?’”

And he looked at me and said, “Well? Who do you think you are?”

I smiled and continued with my story.

He cut in.

“No. Stop. I really want to know. Who do you think you are? Tell me right now.”

In a very tiny voice, I told him.

Then he made me say it again in a bigger, stronger voice. And again after that.

He said, “There. Now you have an answer for your voices.”

Now I do this exercise every time those voices arise.

Here’s a tip:

When you answer that question, use language that speaks the truth of your strengths and
values.

In other words, make it authentic.

It’s tempting to recite something that sounds “lofty” or “holy” like, “I am a divine being, living in divine perfection with power and grace.”

Okay, fine.

True as that may be, if that language doesn’t resonate with you, you’ll never feel any bolder, and those high school girls with the black eye pencil will put their cigarettes out on your shoe.

The Co-op of Lack

My theory is that “Who do you think you are?” is actually a Cooperative.

It’s a collective body of voices saying, “Agree with us in the lack that we see! Agree with us that there are no other options! Agree with us that no one has any power over life conditions!”

It’s actually pretty convenient.

It’s convenient to have this world-view because it gives you permission to stay stuck. It never requires that you do anything about it because after all, you’re dealing with a whole world-view!

Think about it.

When you say, “I no longer want to work with this abusive client,” you’re also saying, “AND, I believe there are multitudes of others out there for me.”

When you say, “I’m gonna nap right now, and I’ll be more productive and happier because of it,” you’re also saying, “AND, I believe that there’s more than enough time for me to get my to-do’s done.”

Get it?

Essentially, you’re telling the Co-op that you’ve decided to create a whole new world-view!

Extra Credit Bonus Tip

Let’s be honest.

Most likely there are occasions when you’ve been the one saying, “Who does she think she is?” (Even if it’s only in your head.)

Don’t be ashamed. It simply means that you have more opportunities to shift those old lack mindsets. Usually those mindsets are saying: “I’m feeling small and poor, so she should be small and poor too.” We’ve all caught ourselves doing this.

Even if it’s uncomfortable, you can choose to bless or praise anyone who seems to be taking bigger strides in her life. Then remind yourself again who you think you are, and join her!

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 8,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

Now ten years on my life has completely changed and the children I’m involved with are my own grandchildren. They make me look at the world in a new way. Each has their own gifts and talents, but they all love life and discovering new things.

As the years pass there are also sad times and at this time of the year we remember all those lovely relatives and friends who are no longer here, but the fact that we remember them in a way means that they live on. They are in our thoughts and always will be.

So today is the start of a new year. What will it bring? What will the next ten years bring? Normally I start the year with resolutions that I don’t keep. This morning I was listening to the sports presenter on the BBC who said her resolution for the year was to eat more chocolate. Although it sounds good to me I won’t be making it mine, but I do like the idea of making a resolution that you actually want to do as opposed to one you feel you ought to do.

I ought to eat less chocolate, drink less wine, go on a diet, watch less rubbish on TV, etc… But what I want to do is to get out into the fresh air more and spend less time working at my desk, so my new year’s resolution is going to be to take a walk outside every day. We are lucky enough to live near a canal, so that is likely to become my main walk for busy days and when I have time I’m going to explore other walks. (The picture is of Delamere Forest, which is another of my favourite places.).

Why not tell us what you were doing ten years ago and what you are planning for this year. We’d love to hear. In the meantime I hope you have a very happy healthy year.

All Things Girl debuted in 2001, and in celebration of our 10th Anniversary, we wanted to pay homage to the past by having a Retro Year! Each of our 2010 themes is recycled.  Through the Looking Glass, for example, was the inspiration for our February/March 2005 issue!  Part of the joy in working with the multi-talented women who share with those of us at All Things Girl is seeing how the theme is interpreted.    And we are so glad that you are here with us, celebrating with us!

As you peruse the fabulous little piece of cyberspace we’ve created for you at All Things Girl, I hope you find some inspiration for your personal journey through our pages. First of all, let me point the way to the classic sections of Writings and Arts, which are representative of our theme. Grab a hot cup of tea and spend some time with Writings, where you will find joyful, hopeful and quirky poems and short stories.   And don’t forget our Arts section, which is a truly amazing this month!  Everything Girl is, as always, wonderful. You will find part one of our interview with our cover girl, the amazing Amanda Palmer as well as an interview with the talented singer-songwriter (and January Man of the Moment) Gregory Page.

As always, keep an eye on The Blog. You never know what you might find as the editors and columnists share what’s on their minds.  Look for interviews with inspiring women as well as some fabulous guest posts.

We’re still taking submissions for “Through the Looking Glass” until January 15th. We’ll have a mid-issue update February 1st and will be adding a few items here and there… If you are inspired to share your talents, submissions are open for future editions of All Things Girl – and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

As we embark upon our journey into a new decade, I hope you remember that life is about the journey we experience as we work towards our goals.  Happy New Year, everyone!

All Things Girl launched in 2001 so we are closing in on our 10 year anniversary. 10 Years! Hard to believe. 2010 is going to be a great year for us as we prepare to celebrate this milestone. We’ll be re-visiting past themes and revitalising ATG with a new brand and website. Yep, in celebration of our upcoming anniversary we are going through another entire face-lift. Exciting! Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come with our new logo:

There are 2 main types of diabetes, both causing raised blood sugar levels but other than that, they are quite different conditions. Delayed treatment can be life threatening in the very short term in diabetes type 1, which has sudden onset and in the long term both types 1 and 2 can lead to serious health problems which include heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation if blood glucose levels are not well controlled. In some individuals this is difficult to achieve, i.e. in young children who grow in spurts and can be faddy eaters and people who have other health problems. Please note that Type 2 may go on undetected for up to 10 years as it’s onset is gradual.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Extreme tiredness
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Genital itching/regular episodes of thrush
• Slow healing of wounds

Follow this link for more detailed information: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/Signs_and_symptoms/

Type 1 - Researchers have come up with a number of theories as to why some individuals may be more susceptible to diabetes than others, but what is known for sure is that type 1 diabetes is triggered by a faulty autoimmune response. Normally, when our body is invaded by a virus or infection for example, our autoimmune system springs into action, attacks the virus and sees it off, but sometimes, for reasons unknown, the immune system fails to recognise ‘self’ and attacks the body’s own tissue. In diabetes type 1 it homes in on the Islets of the Langerhans, small groups of insulin producing cells situated in the pancreas, destroying them so causing blood glucose levels to rise. As a result there is greatly increased thirst resulting in a massive output of pale urine as the body attempts to excrete the glucose as quickly as possible. Sudden thirst that cannot be quenched is a major symptom of diabetes type 1, so one must get straight to the doctor or hospital with a urine sample if this happens. If glucose or ketones are found, further tests need be done urgently and treatment started right away if diabetes is confirmed.

Type 1 is always treated by insulin injections. Training will be given to the patient and maybe to their family too (especially if they are a child) before they are discharged from hospital.

The risk factors for type 2

• A close member of your family has type 2 diabetes (parent or brother or sister).
• You’re overweight or if your waist is 31.5 inches or over for women; 35 inches or over for Asian men and 37 inches or over for white and black men.
• You have high blood pressure or you’ve had a heart attack or a stroke.
• You’re a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome and you are overweight.
• You’ve been told you have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting
  glycaemia.
• If you’re a woman and you’ve had gestational diabetes.
• You have severe mental health problems.

The more risk factors that apply to you, then the greater your risk of developing diabetes. Follow this link for more detailed information:-

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/Causes_and_Risk_Factors/

Type 2 is usually treated by diet alone or by diet plus tablets, but sometimes insulin may be needed as time goes by.

There is much international research going about the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Breakthroughs are constantly being made. One such innovation is the insulin pump which is calibrated to infuse tiny amounts of insulin 24/7; it takes blood glucose readings every 5 minutes and alerts the patient if their blood sugar levels are getting too high or too low. Adjustments still have to made if for instance, a meal is missed or extra food is eaten, maybe at a party or special occasion. However, the race is on to produce the first closed loop system, a true artificial pancreas which would respond just like the real thing. Much research is being done by the  International Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to check your nearest one, and you can find chapters in America here - http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=100687

Other organisation which offeruseful information and more are:-

UK

• Diabetes UK  www.diabetes.org

USA

• American Diabetes Association (ADA) http://diabetes.org

Canada

• Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) http://www.diabetes.ca
• Diabète Québec (Quebec Diabetes Association)
  E-mail direction@diabete.qc.ca

Karen Harvey has worked as a complementary therapist in the past and has an ongoing interest in health and wellbeing. She also looks after her small granddaughter who has Type 1 diabetes. She would like to point out that she is not a medically trained doctor and that this article was written to raise awareness not for the purpose of self diagnoses, so if you are feeling unwell in any way it is important to go and see your own doctor.

My name is Shannon Hope. I am a South African born singer-songwriter, pianist, voice artist, and professional dreamer. My music is lyrically-based and intensely honest. Music isn’t something you do, it is something you are, and that is who and what I am. I have never wanted to be or do anything else. I am one of the lucky ones who gets to wake up every day doing what I love with all the passion of a childish dreamer. I have no aspirations for fame or fortune. My dream is to live a life of simple pleasures and wake up every day to write a song and share it.

Photo by: Rogan Ward

Tells about your path to getting to where you are with your business today.

I have always wanted to be a musician but with my experience over the past decade playing in various bands within the South African industry, I didn’t think that dream would ever truly come to fruition, so I worked as an administration manager during the day, with music being very much an “extracurricular activity”. In 2005, my previous band played its last show and I gave up the hope of ever being anything more than a dreamer and quit music altogether. At the beginning of 2008 a friend asked me to back him up for a performance and being on stage again brought me back to life. It was magical. Having not written anything in well over 3 years I started writing again, still with no plans of ever making it a career focus, and by December was in studio recording an album. The album took a mere 5 days to finish and about 2 days into production I realised that I was fooling myself trying to be anything other than this. I released the album, entitled STILL, in April and went fulltime in June, finally taking a chance on me. It has taken me a long time to fully appreciate and understand music as a business and what that implies and entails, and I have taken a very business-minded approach to this project and to myself as an emerging brand. My current plan of action involves touring South Africa extensively to promote the album, with future ambitions for international touring as well. I started my own publishing company with the release of my album for the purpose of copyright and distribution management, and would like to develop that later on as well to publish other artists, but as an independent, self-managed artist I don’t have the extra time to devote to that side of things just yet. I also work as a voice-over artist for film, television and radio, which keeps my voice well-rehearsed and keeps me busy when I’m not touring.

What is your personal “motto” or “mission statement”?

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” This has always been a statement that I’ve been very passionate about, but in all honesty, it took many years before I truly acknowledged the importance of such a powerful challenge and started to take the real risks necessary to pursue who I am and what I want in my life.

Besides your business, what are you passionate about?

It’s very hard not to say music! When I’m not making music or planning the next step in my music career, I’m listening to new artists. I fall in love with new artists and music every day. There is so much new music coming out all the time and so many inspiring artists, and it is always a pleasure to find new artists that challenge and speak to me. At the moment most of my time is devoted to my career, so I don’t have a lot of spare time for much else, and I’m very often away from home on tour so when I am home, I try to spend as much time as I can with friends and family. I like to do something extreme every so often to keep the blood pumping, but with my chosen career I have to be a little more careful than I was in my younger days of rapp jumping and rock climbing, but I will generally jump off or climb up anything. I am passionate about coffee, great films that move me, cooking with reckless abandon, and I love a good session on the dancefloor.

What advice would you give to other women wanting to follow your career path?

Find yourself a strong man to carry your gear! Hehe… Write every day, dream every day, take as many chances as you can. Always be willing to ask questions, and always be willing to make mistakes. Collaborate with as many other musicians as you can, it will challenge and grow you as an artist. Be critical of your work, it’s not always going to be ground-breaking, but the more you write, the more ground-breaking stuff will surface. Toughen up, this can be a soul-destroying industry, but don’t take it personally. Learn to accept praise and encouragement, and try to remember it when things aren’t going your way. If you believe in what you’re doing, don’t stop believing, no matter how impossible things might seem. Looking back over a year or two really helps when things seem insurmountable. Remember where you’ve come from, how you got to where you are, what you’ve sacrificed to get there, and simply appreciate how much you’ve accomplished (even the small stuff). Very often we don’t realise or acknowledge how much we are capable of until we come out of the storm and look back. Hindsight is an amazing tool and looking back at where I’ve come from and what I’ve managed to achieve encourages me to keep going forward.

Pimp yourself! Where can we find you on the web, in bookstores, at the movies, on TV, etc?

Official Website: www.shannonhope.co.za

Purchase S T I L L Online

• iTunes
• Rhythm Online
• Take 2

Purchase S T I L L In Stores:

• Look and Listen (South Africa)

Social networks:

• Facebook
• Myspace
• Twitter

Contact:

•  Join the mailing list: mailinglist@shannonhope.co.za
• Email Shannon Hope directly: shannonhope@rocketmail.com

What question should we have asked, that we didn’t? Now is YOUR opportunity to tell us what we missed!

As a musician and a public figure, I think it’s important to stand for something, to challenge the norm, and to give back when you can, so I’ve been conducting an experiment with the release of my album, combined with an effort to generate support for a charity that I believe in. Retail stores around South Africa tend to price South African music releases lower than international releases, and with this in mind, I set a challenge to my audience to re-evaluate the value of South African music. I sell the album at a base price of ZAR100 but those who feel it’s worth more can set their own purchase price. I donate all additional proceeds collected over and above the base price to POWAR , an organization which aims to provide support and a safe haven for survivors of abuse and rape. So far there has been overwhelming support for this experiment and it seems that the South African public value local releases on a par with international (sometimes higher). It’s also creating awareness for the amazing work that The Jessica Foord Foundation are doing through POWAR around the country, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute in some way to the cause.

Photos by: Rogan Ward