Ida's random thoughts

Questions about Fashion

2011-03-19T05:26:00.001-07:00

Stop by and check your understanding of fashion speak

in reference to: Questions about fashion — Ethnic Supplies (view on Google Sidewiki)

Should NGO's join forces

2011-03-15T12:41:00.001-07:00

An interesting article on why NGOs should join forces in order to be more effective

in reference to: NGOs must form creative alliances to tackle global poverty and injustice | Stephen Hale | Global development | guardian.co.uk (view on Google Sidewiki)

African Women's reproductive health

2011-03-11T10:42:00.001-08:00

What can be done to improve maternal health for women in Africa

in reference to: African women’s reproductive health — Ethnic Supplies (view on Google Sidewiki)

100 Years of International Women’s Day

2011-03-08T15:21:00.001-08:00

Meet the women behind Ethnic Supplies products

in reference to:

"100 Years of International Women’s Day"
- 100 Years of International Women’s Day- Eugenie’s story — Ethnic Supplies (view on Google Sidewiki)

african handicrafts

2011-03-04T11:49:00.001-08:00

a sustainable way out of poverty

in reference to: Ethnic Shop: African Baskets, Handbags, Scarves, Mats, Beads and Jewellery (view on Google Sidewiki)

In whose interest do the NGOs and AID agencies work?

2011-02-10T23:56:00.001-08:00

An interesting article that questions the role of NGOs in international development

in reference to:

"In whose interest do the NGOs and AID agencies work?"
- In whose interest do the NGOs and AID agencies work? | Africa on the Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

Ideas for Valentine's Day

2011-02-07T10:29:00.001-08:00

If you are stuck for ideas of what to get your loved one why not try http://www.africaontheblog.com/be-mine-african-valentine/#disqus_thread

in reference to: Be mine, African Valentine | Africa on the Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

Thieves

2011-02-05T06:17:00.001-08:00

Be ware- the owners of this sight routinely steal posts form other blogs and pass them on as their own

in reference to: Privacy Policy | Investment, Stock News (view on Google Sidewiki)

african totes

2011-02-02T10:39:00.001-08:00

handmade and hand embroidered cotton tote from africa

in reference to: Ethnic Shop: African Baskets, Handbags, Scarves, Mats, Beads and Jewellery (view on Google Sidewiki)

Development – like freedom – cannot be endowed, it must be achieved

2011-01-29T02:30:00.001-08:00

What do you think? have we simply exported what works in West?

in reference to:

"Development – like freedom – cannot be endowed, it must be achieved"
- Development – like freedom – cannot be endowed, it must be achieved | Africa on the Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

The Right Kind of Aid?

2011-01-29T02:28:00.001-08:00

Is there a right kind of Aid?

in reference to:

"The Right Kind of Aid?"
- The Right Kind of Aid? | Africa on the Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

Are Africans in the diaspora real africans

2010-11-17T01:11:00.001-08:00

Discussion on the role of the African diaspora in the development of Africa

in reference to: Are Africans in the Diaspora real Africans — Ethnic Supplies (view on Google Sidewiki)

The voice of Africa, from all over the world

2010-11-04T06:33:00.001-07:00

Interesting conversations about African Affairs

in reference to: Bono Wants a United States Of Africa! | Africa on the Blog (view on Google Sidewiki)

wild silk scarves from Madagascar

2010-09-05T04:44:00.000-07:00

FROM AFRICA WITH LOVE

2010-07-15T03:36:00.001-07:00

Written by people of African heritage- this a space for Africans to tell their stories in their own words and for others to learn about Africa-

in reference to: Africa on the Blog, the voices of Africa from all over the world. Multi author, bloggers with African heritage (view on Google Sidewiki)

February 2009

2009-06-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

Ida's random thoughts: Women and Hats

2009-06-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Ida's random thoughts: Women and Hats

Women and Hats

2009-06-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

I am at the BBC Gardener's World Live at the NEC in Birmingham and I have to say I am having a great time.

However something has left me utterly confused! Women's attitudes towards hats! Ethnic Supplies has superb straw hats handcrafted in Madagascar from Raffia and they come in a range of colours. The best way I can describe them is DRAMATIC!

I love the hats for their drama. I can't remember an exhibition where they failed to draw people to my stand and this week hasn't been any different. Women in particular have been drawn to my stand and said how beautiful the hats are, having seen me wearing one.

For some this has encouraged them to buy, some have simply said not for me but it looks great on you, a good number said " I am not a hat person" and whilst for some the hats brought back bad memories of husbands and boyfriends who ridiculed them when they wore a hat. One woman in particular was almost in tears as she recalled the incident. I put on my killer smile and a gave her a hug as she was visibly upset.

I have to say I met such a man today, when his wife chose a yellow hat, she asked me for my opinion and I told her it looked good on her and her husband sniggered and asked why I wasn't wearing it myself and I said it would clash with what I was wearing that is why I had a more suitable colour on.

The man turned on his wife and said "you heard what the woman said, don't buy something that will not agree with you" But the woman stood her ground and said I would like a hat but perhaps I will chose a colour that is more likely to suit the majority of my clothing and she DID!

I found myself having to reassure more and more women that in fact any woman could wear a hat and it all had to do with confidence/attitude!

A thought crossed my mind, Could I in fact I could be wrong and there is possibly more to it!

I decided to get to the bottom of this thing WOMEN AND HATS. So the next woman that said "ooh No I don't wear hats they don't suit me" I took her aside and asked her why it was that so many women felt they could wear a hat.

She told me it is an English thing, the generation of hat wearing women is gone and that the weather doesn't help, but simply English women don't wear hats although this may change due to climate change!! Hmmm, Maybe she is right I could not pick out any female english friend that wear a hat, but come to think of it nor an African one for that matter

I said I didn't come from a hat wearing tradition either but I had no problem wearing one.

"oh, but you African women ordinarily wear head scarves and things on your heads, which we English women don't do"

Now this I found intriguing as my own African tribe rarely wears head scarves apart from the rare occasion, funeral, bad hair days etc. I thanked the lady for her time as I had lost to will to convince her that it was all a matter of attitude as far as I could see.

I was even more confused by next customer. She bought two prints and looked at me and told me you look amazing in that hat. I can't ever see myself in a hat. I went through the same why is that routine. " oh hats don't agree with she said. Look at how I dress, where exactly would I fit a smart hat? She was African!

Then was a West Indian lady who couldn't decide which colour suited her best she bought two!

By the end of today I was no where near getting to the bottom of why some women love hats and some appear to loath them?

Ladies please enlighten me! I am wrong when I say IT IS A MATTER OF CONFIDENCE?
Is there more to this?

At the Common Wealth Education fund 2007 Fundraising event

2008 Commonwealth Education Fund fundraising event

oooh Remember Her? doesn't she look fab in the Yellow hat?

Suhad showing off the colourfull hats from Ethnic Supplies

Ethnic Supplies: Food distribution in Uganda

2009-03-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Ethnic Supplies: Food distribution in Uganda

Housing Allowances for UK Member’s of Parliament

2009-03-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

I listened to BBC R4’s world at one as the rights and wrongs of MP’s Housing Allowance claims were discussed. The latest culprit is the Work minister Mr McNulty who is said to have claimed in excess of £60000 since 2002 for using his parent’s home that is only 11 miles from the House of Commons!

As I listened I couldn’t help but wonder if some of the rules that apply to those in receipt of Housing benefit (housing allowance mostly for those out of work or low income) would go some way to resolving this issue once and for all.

Why?

If you apply for this type of Housing Allowance you have to provide proof that you liable for rent at the address for which you are claiming.

If you are a parent claiming this allowance you have to prove that household members are not what is referred to as non-dependants (mostly adults that should be at work all things being equal).

The person they were interviewing (I am afraid his name escapes me) seemed to be surprised that an MP should claim a Housing Allowance and yet the House for which he is claiming is his parent’s home.

I did wonder if the MP’s parents are in receipt of Housing Benefit and therefore they would have to declare that their non- dependant son, leaves with them for part of the week. Just a thought

And the other rule of course is which home counts as your principal home. I do wonder whether this is where it goes so wrong for MP’s. Cant’ they tell which home they can and can’t claim a Housing Allowance for?

Other folk would not get away with claiming on two homes, exception is only made in very rare/ exceptional circumstances.

What do you think?

JADE GOODY: Is there such a thing as a useless person?

2009-03-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

An odd question you might think and according to my late grandmother the answer to this question is NO.

My grandmother was an interesting woman and had a real interest in people. Her home was always full of people from all walks of life, mostly refugees from Rwanda.

When she became frail she moved in with us. I remember my brother getting a lecture from Grand ma, who had overheard him describe someone as "useless and a complete waste of space".

"There is no such thing as a a useless person, every person on earth is valuable and useful, Our challenge is to discover that" she told my siblings and I time and time again.

For some reason I have found myself preoccupied with these words recently, as I have followed the news about Jade Goody. I am not a fan Big Brother and that kind of television, so I had no idea who this girl was until the Shilpa Shetty affair, and the effect it had on channel 4, by way of complaints.

I recall asking a friend what the point of Jade Goody is having seen a clip on the news where she appeared to have lost it completely as she "tore" into Shilpa. My friend's response was "she was on Big Brother" Oh Well!

There has been a lot of news about Jade as she battles with terminal cancer, the rights and wrongs of her decisions to sell her story.

However one particular news item about Jade stopped me in tracks.It was reported on ITV news that by agreeing to live out her days in the public, she has encouraged many women to go for a cervical smear test, the numbers of women turning up for these tests have been so great that the NHS and the government jointly could not have achieved them.

And that will be her legacy or the POINT of Jade Goody!

So you see my grandmother was right all along every person is valuable, there is no such a thing as a useless person and our challenge is to discover that in others!

What a civilised way to pass the weekend

2009-03-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic weekend of Jazz, rugby and fashion

Elmbridge fashion show started on 13 and ended on 15 March.
African fashion accessories and ethical clothing from Ethnic Supplies were included and showcased on 14th

We got a fab review from the audience but what I had not anticipated was being asked to be one of the models for Ethnic Supplies. The best thing about this show was local people from all walks of life regardless of age size or colour were given the chance to walk the Catwalk and show case fashion from local Shops.I will post the photos as soon as I get them

Rugby, well what can I say, I don't think the Welsh deserved to win and felt sorry for the Italians who tried so hard.The English/French game, was amazing too, although I found the first part rather dull. The English team looked like a born again team. I have not seen them play so well or certainly score that many points against the French team.

After the Rugby it was time to hit the road to Riverhouse in Walton on Thames where I caught up with Ulla from Denmark and the others for an evening of live jazz. On stage was this man http://www.tonywoods.org/ with his band.

I never thought I would ever enjoy modern jazz as I did. Tony is so talented, he switched between the Sax to the flute to sometthing that looked like a hollowed out bamboo stick and something else that looked like a hollowed out squash.

Really fabulous stuff from these guys and if you can catch them please do. Milo Fell was superb on the drums too, he too had several implements whose names I don't know
but they served to improve the sound.

There had to a downside to this though, and it was the people who came to listen to the jazz but decided to talk amongst themselves for
the duration of the second half, ruining it all for everyone.

I always wondered what these sorts of people have to say to each other that either can't wait of that could not have been said before the show. They irriated Ulla no end and at one point I thought she was going to say something to them

In all all a thoroughly enjoyable weekend

How was your weekend?

IWD

2009-03-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know it is International Women's today http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

The key focus this year as I understand it is the ending og Violence against women. You may have read about Rihanna being battered by Chris Brown
she has apparently forgiven him but the Police and others haven't so chance are taht he may be charged with assault. It be great
if this becomes the norm, as it helps educate those that abuse others in a domestic setting. Incidentally this includes women abusing
other women, and women abusing men.

Elsewhere in the world women are socially and economically excluded and today is also about celebrating the acheivements of women in these areas

Back here in the UK this day is being marked by looking at women's contribution to economic recovery
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/money/article-1160219/Women-possess-potential-create-extra-150-000-new-companies-year-hold-key-recovery.html

Did you also know that the men in some Eastern european countries mark this day by giving the women in their lives a single red rose:-)

Ida Horner
Ethnic Supplies

View my page on Business Fights Poverty >>

Unusual fashion accessories Have you joined LTHT

Ethnic Supplies Blog Sustainable Ways out of Poverty Blog

By TwitterButtons.com

Walking off a Danish pastry on esher common

2009-02-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

I don't know when or how, but at some point in the last year I gave up any form of physical exercise and became unfit in the process. At the end of last year I was losing so many days to colds and coughs that I vowed to do something about it

I signed up to my local gym, and having completed my induction, my "gym routine started this week in earnest and I managed to pack in 3 sessions. I couldn't get to gym on Monday but got there on Tuesday and Wednesday, by Thursday morning everywhere hurt so I stayed way and instead went for a 15 minute walk, before returning on Friday morning.

I had a coffee and a Danish on Saturday before joining the local walking group for a 2 hour hike on Esher common and here are some pics of the landscape along the route we walked.

I have had another 30 minute walk today as i could not face being in the gym. I am not sure how I will fare next week, but I must say I have had a good start

Are you safe at work?

2009-02-17T12:32:00.000-08:00

We all go to work where ever that may be and expect a degree of safety whilst at work in fact most employers will have some kind of insurance
Employer's liability for one, they will also employ an army of health and safety officers depending on how large the company is to ensure
that employees do not injure themselves whilst at work. If they don't they may face all sorts of penalties should any of their employees injure
themselves whilst at work.

can you spot the croc in the grass?

Spare a thought if you will for folk who earn a living as fishermen on Lake Victoria in East Africa
on my last visit, I read about fisherman who whilst out fishing he stumbled into a crocodile

He wrestled with it, screamed and shouted in vain. Eventually he managed to get away and climbed up a
nearby tree but not before the croc had eaten away his left buttock as well as part of his thigh. The man
became permanently disabled, with no insurance cover to compensate him for his injuries.
Although he still had his life he had no way of earning an income to feed his family of 5 and in a country
with no welfare benefits God only knows what his prospects are .

Next time you think a health and safety officer is making a fuss over nothing of consequence count your blessings;-)

Nile crocodiles at the Murchison falls Uganda

Ida Horner
Ethnic Supplies

View my page on Business Fights Poverty >>

Unusual fashion accessories Have you joined LTHT

Ethnic Supplies Blog

By TwitterButtons.com

Could a Mixed Race band teach us something?

2009-02-08T23:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday was an interesting day for me. I was invited to take part in a fundraising event in Aid of the Petrie Museum in London. It is all about things Egyptian.

I was to sell Ethnic Supplies products as part of the Souk, and in the evening Bloomsbury theatre became alive with Sahara Sounds more of the story here http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?op=reply&id=122403&pid=591544

I had never been to a Middle Eastern jazz concert and wasn't sure what to expect.I really loved the music and the atmosphere and the occasional jokes from the band leader had me laughing out loud.

However when I reflected on some of things he said as well as the make of the band I asked myself WHAT LESSONS WE COULD TAKE AWAY.

The band was made up of a men from Syria, Ireland, Palestine and Algeria brought together by the love of music. One of the numbers they played was not in any particular language and as far as I could make out it only contained vowels and accompanied with various instruments.

I did wonder whether agreeing with people from different walks of life, whose language you didn't speak or whose culture you didn't necessarily understand could be achieved with a similar concept.. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW THE WORDS TO SING ALONG..

Realising that we are humans and that is what we have in common, appreciating that a little more perhaps? respecting others for who they are.. do we need to speak the same language for any of that?

What do you think?

Suhad showing off the colourfull hats from Ethnic Supplies

Suhad and I..and those yellow hats

Sauces of Hope

2009-02-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

Just got back from London to support a fellow African woman who was launching her company Sauces of Hope. Agnes Mannah from Zambia, makes Aggy's sauces using authentic African ingridients from Zambia. We had a chance to taste and buy the sauces. The most exciting thing about this business is that for each jar sold a African child in Zambia gets fed for a day. The sauces are behind a project that supports 480 children orphaned by AIDS.

Check them out at http://aggyssauces.com/

What a civilised way to end the week

2009-01-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

The new year is well and truly here and the "really" hard work starts tomorrow. I am not sure how I will cope with that as I can't seem to get anywhere on time at the moment.

This is worrying for me as I have always been particular about time keeping. Have you heard about an expression "African Time"? Having avoided the label of being late all the time and therefore keeping African time, it seems to have caught up with me.

I had planned to join an organised walk on the Polesden Lacey Estate in Effingham Surrey, I looked up the route last night and it transpired that it is one I have done before and therefore if I set off at 10ish I should be on time. I didn't factor in having to scrape the car. I am not sure why as we have had frost the best part of 7 days..

I had a feeling I would be so late that the group I was due to join would have set off without me by the time I got to the meeting place. I considered turning around but didn't on the off chance that I may be able to catch up with them.

I got to the meeting place 8 minutes late and everyone was long gone. I devised my own route, I didn't catch up with the group but instead enjoyed a 45 minute brisk walk.

Here are some pics from my walk

Having done that walk I was so frozen that I needed thawing out!!!, I decided to buy leeks and cream so I could make a potato and leek soup when I got. I popped into Garson's farm shop in Esher and this is the scene that greeted me.

I bought a wheat, egg, and gluten free cake for afternoon coffee with friends who popped in to inspect my DIY skills, LOL..

The soup is made and it is time to sample it..

Boxing Day in Walton on Thames

2008-12-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a great day for walking along the Thames tow path in Walton. Here are some photos from that walk. It is a turelly beautiful village and I am so lucky to call it home

Thoughts on a grey christmas day

2008-12-25T04:50:00.000-08:00

This year's christmas was always going to be a challenge. It is the first since Dad died and it would have been his birthday too. The idea that I would not be able to ring him to wish him a happy xmas and happy birthday did not sink in until last week. I miss the debates we used to have regarding how presents he should have for xmas. I must say he always won.

I didn't plan anything, in fact having only written my Xmas cards very late in the day I left so many people off the least. Two days ago whilst browsing the website of my local authority Elmbridge, I discovered that there is a guided walk on Fairmile common in cobham starting at 11AM.

I thought this was a great way to start the day, so it was today that I got up made calls to friends and family then hit the road to cobham. The organiser has a surprise too, Mulled wine, mince pies and other snacks. I can't tell you how beautiful this part of town is, here are some pics you can see fro yourself.

this is a pond in the middle of the woodland

I love the mix of colours this time of the year

I am now ready for lunch..Merry Xmas

The reluctant turkey farmer

2008-12-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know how, why or when my Uncle David (right) got into rearing free range turkey.

But I all I remember is that he got into in a big way and got so attached to the turkeys that he could not bring himself to sell any of them at Xmas or any other time for that matter. The first time I became aware of hi attachment to the turkeys was when Nigel and I were invited to join him and his family for Christmas in 2004. I asked my Aunt how it was that they were so many turkey roaming the compound. her response your uncle is very fond of them and would not let us have any for Christmas lunch"

Two year's later in 2006 I was back in Uganda and I stayed with them for three weeks. It was during my stay that I became fully aware of uncle David's attachment to the his birds. It was December and various people from the neighbourhood would call around to enquire whether the turkeys were for sale. They would be invited in and offered a cup of tea/beer or soft drink.

A price negotiation would ensue. This was very interesting to watch. My Uncle would ask the person how they had became aware of his turkeys, then he would go into a long song and dance routine about his turkeys, how they well looked after etc and finally ask for such an obscene amount of money for the birds. Mostly people walked away at this stage but some bargained with him until he gave them a sensible price. That year (2006) Christmas was interesting, as my auntie declared that time had come for the family to try the home grown turkeys. My Uncle said absolutely not, unless it was apparent the any of the birds were frail in some way, we would have to buy frozen turkey from the supermarket.

I had to see this for myself so I volunteered to tag along to the supermarket. My auntie had the trolley and she avoided the frozen food section, my uncle walked to it and picked up 2 large frozen turkeys, this was Dec 22. When we got home my auntie instructed the housekeeper to leave the turkey out to defrost as we were to have it for lunch the following day and that what happened.

Around 3PM on 24 December my auntie told my uncle that we Had no turkey for Christmas lunch. My uncle asked what had happened to the frozen turkey and he was informed that we had, had for lunch the previous day and that we had no hope of getting any turkey at the supermarket at this time. You could almost see a sign of resignation on his his face as he agreed that two of his turkeys could be slaughtered for Christmas lunch.

My Auntie found the turkey's toilet routine irritating to say the least as it cost her a few Housekeepers, and because the turkeys were free range they roamed everywhere and ate the entire lawn and my next next in December 2007 there was no lawn to speak of.

My Uncle died during the first week of July this year and I went to see my Auntie in August. The lawn had grown back and I asked how she had managed to stop the birds from munching away at it. She told me that before my uncle died, he had decided that all the turkeys should be sold or slaughtered for food and when they were all gone he brought in a landscape gardener and asked him to lay a new lawn, three months later he died.

there was real feeling of loss and emptiness about the place, I missed my Uncle as much as I missed the noise from the birds.

Merry Christmas all

Some from Havana

2008-12-21T01:10:00.000-08:00

Jan 2008.. Just loved the old cars in Havana, but the fumes these things give offf..phew!!!

this chap was a guest at the Hotel where we were had stopped for lunch. he promptly joined the resident band and broke into a song. I was surprised at how good he was and told him he had missed his vocational calling it turns out that he is an English singer currently passing his days in Butlins and such like.. He was surprised I had never heard of him but happy that my husband knew who he was;-) I still don't who he is

there was a note on this thing in the old town that said MOBILE JUICE DISPENSER..hmmm;-)

view from our apartment

Street entertainers in the old town

Hotel Nacional.. if you are ever in Havana, don't miss whatever you do. A real grand place to dine and stay with a garden to match

Have you joined LTHT
Follow this link for unusual fashion accessories

Ethnic Supplies

View my page on Business Fights Poverty >>

My Year in Pictures

2008-12-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

I wonder who has the right of way here.. I wonder if those pedestrians will make it across!

In search of water.. not sure whether the driver can see through any of the mirrors

Well what can I say about Miss blondie here.. we had to wait on this mountain road for 30minutes whilst she decided whether to get out the way, she is cute though!

17 December 2008

2008-12-18T02:27:00.000-08:00

I am not quite sure what to make of yesterday. I planned a few things to fill the day as I didn’t want to just sit at home feeling sad about losing Dad. Dad was someone who got on with things so to say.

I travelled to Chesham Buckinghamshire for meeting with Neil Fairbrother. This meeting was to explore whether he could edit the recorded material I brought back from my trips to Uganda and Tanzania into something usable. Neil is a pleasant man and I was pleased to meet him. I learned a lot about what is involved in the process but was disappointed to note that due to what is involved the charges are quite high and I therefore had to abandon the whole idea.

I travelled to Esher Surrey for the next thing I had planned to do, which was catch up with Nathalie over lunch. She wasn’t having a particularly good day due to a mix up at her bank. Lunch turned into, evening and when I got to my car in the council’s car park I had a parking penalty on the windscreen.

You can’t imagine how down I felt on realising what had happened. It appeared to me that my efforts to fill my time with constructive things and keep my spirits up were doomed. I went home and had a call from my friend Sarah and my sister Liz.

Liz is great as well as being my sis she is my best friend. We had a heart to heart about how we felt and for the first time we talked about Dad’s death without crying. I had a glass of wine and went to bed!

It is one year since he left

2008-12-17T11:42:00.000-08:00

but it feels like yesterday. Will it get easier at some point? Will xmas ever be enjoyable for our family? Some say I should let go, let his spirit rest.

I sincerely want to, but how can I when I have conversations with him almost everyday and he appears in my dreams too.

I ask myself day in day out whether I will ever be good enough, generous enough to those less fortunate than I am. The man I called Dad was all those things even on his death bed. In his will he made 2 requests of me.. be generours to those less fortuante than you, love and respect your mother.

I will do my best Dad, but it is a huge ASK