FLYafrica Magazine, Issue 14 by Land & Marine Publications Ltd.

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY FLYafrica Touching Africa, Touching The World! ISSUE 14 DISCOVER WEST AFRICA’S BEST BEACH HIDEAWAYS Secret sands PAGE PRESERVING10 THE FOOD OF THE FULANI PAGE DAVID14 AVIDO’S JOURNEY FROM SLUM TO STYLIST COMPETITION WIN A MEAL FOR TWO AT PALM MOMENTS

Contents 1FLYafrica Africa World Airlines (AWA) Head Office - UNA Homes Building 2nd/3rd floor Airport Bypass Road Airport City Road PMB Tel:Accra,CT67Ghana+23324243 8888 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: www.landmarine.comTel:Suffolk6LandAfricaFLYafricawww.flyafricaworld.comawaoffice@flyafricaworld.comMagazineispublishedforWorldAirlinesby:&MarinePublicationsLtdTheSquare,IpswichIP53SL,UnitedKingdom+44(0)1206752902 ADVERTISING: Email: flyafrica@landmarine.org Anita Ottenhof Cell: +233 542 476 370 (WhatsApp) Email: corehospitalitygh@gmail.com Aaron Daunor Cell: +233 24 346 7506 Email: aarondaunor@landmarine.com EDITORIAL: Mark Edwards, Themarkedwards@landmarine.comEditorcontentsandopinionsexpressedinthis publi cation are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publica tion. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in preparing the magazine, the Publisher and Africa World Airlines assume no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies or omissions. All submitted material is accepted on the understanding that the material can be edited, amended or abridged for publication. ©2021 Land & Marine Publications Ltd. Features 10 Future-proofed food Meet the award-winning chef preserving the traditional cuisine of the Fulani tribe 14 From slum to style empire Kenyan fashion designer David Avido has never forgotten his Kibera upbringing 20 Total recall Quick tips on how to improve your memory 22 My Kumasi Laetitia Nzingha Samuel on why so many Americans are following her to the city 26 Mushroom Rocks A trip to a Ghanaian hidden gem 28 Unfinished business The rise of architecture studio Limbo Accra 31 Sand and solitude West Africa’s best beach hideaways 38 Wake up your walls How a gallery wall can brighten blank spaces in your home Regulars 3 Foreword A message from our CEO 4 STARdestination Capital of Nigeria, Abuja 7 AWAnews 18 AWAinterview Meet our new CEO, Zhou Yingli 25 WINafrica Win a meal-for-two at Accra restaurant Palm Moments 34 EATafrica The food service bringing carb-free pizzas and cakes to your door 36 TECHcorner Gifts to get AWA Information 7 AWAnews 41 AWAroutes 42 TRAVELinformation 44 AWAcontacts Subscribe to FLYafrica Email: subscribe@landmarine.org PAGE 31 BEACH HIDEAWAYS West Africa’s best Book online flyafricaworld.com

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new chief executive of AWA and outline some of my goals for what I hope is going to be a very exciting future for the airline and our

Dear passenger, It is my great pleasure to welcome you our cherished customers onboard your flight today with Africa World Airlines (AWA).

3FLYafrica Foreword

Yingli

Welcome LET’S WITHTOGETHERJOURNEYAWA Connect with AWA Facebook www.facebook.com/flyafricaworld Twitter @flyafricaworld Instagram @flyafricaworld Book online flyafricaworld.com

Ipassengers.tookoverin

Just as I am glad that AWA is hosting you on your journey today, I am looking forward to starting my own with the company. I am confident it will be auspicious. Thank you for choosing AWA. Zhou CEO Africa World Airlines

June and it has already become clear to me that AWA is well set in the aviation industry as a cost-efficient operation with welltrained and motivated employees. We have a lot of room to expand. To that end, I have already begun to put measures in place to make AWA the dominant carrier in Ghana, growing our domestic capacity to a 70% market share. Recent initiatives to enhance aircraft frequency to Abuja and bring three daily flights to Lagos are also part of our strategy to capture 60% of the Nigerian market.

of the week,

to make the

to Abuja every

With AWA now flying day we thought we’d turn the spotlight on and give you some ideas on how most your stay

4 Abuja STAR DESTINATION Shutterstock.com/Tayvay

Nigeria’s young capital

EAT: Foodies can certainly get their fill in Abuja. There is a rich street food culture here with plenty of roadside cafés selling local favourite suya –spiced cubes of beef grilled on skewers and served up with fresh tomatoes, onions and fiery local spice yaji.

5FLYafrica

FLIGHTS: AWA now flies daily between Kotoka International Airport in Accra and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. On Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday outgoing flights from Accra are scheduled to leave at 9.45 am and arrive in Abuja at 10.30am with return flights departing Abuja at 1pm and arriving in Accra at 1.45pm. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays outbound Accra flights leave at 7.30pm and arrive at 8.15pm with return flights departing Abuja at 8.45pm and arriving in Accra at 9.15pm.

If your artistic tastes are more contemporary, independent galleries such as Thought Pyramid Art Center and Retro Africa Gallery showcase some of the city’s best young talent. Another arty option is Bwari Pottery Village, where you can see the skilled ceramicists at work and buy the results.

ASO ROCK backdropunmissableAbuja’s

DO: There are plenty of options for retail therapy in Abuja from slick shopping malls such as Banex Plaza and Jabi Lake Mall to bustling outdoor markets like the always-lively Utako Market – great for fresh fruit and vegetables – and The Abuja Art and Craft Village, which is filled with bags, sculptures, masks and jewellery made by local artisans.

SLEEP: A good budget option is the Nordic Hotel, a collection of unique rooms and suites in a calm, leafy setting suffused with Scandinavian style. If you want to go all out, Fraser Suites –named Africa’s best at last year’s Luxury Hotel Awards – has 126 spectacularly appointed rooms.

Families will enjoy a trip to the city’s theme park, Magicland, or the Abuja Children’s Park Zoo, which while rather light on animals is still a fun day out with plenty of picnic space.

If you’ve got the chance to chill, check out Salamander Café with its cushion-strewn sofas, bookstore and shady terrace making for a lovely, laidback breakfast, lunch or dinner. Affluent Abuja also has plenty of fine dining options. Rooftop restaurant Tar Tar has a menu that winningly fuses Asian and Nigerian cuisine while dining at Panache Restaurant, situated within L’eola Suites Boutique Hotel, is a five-star experience.

SEE: You really can’t miss Aso Rock on your trip to Abuja. The 936-metre outcrop of granite is visible wherever you are, looming over the city and providing a dramatic backdrop to the official residence of the Nigerian President, the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. There are organised hikes to the top of the rock for unparalleled views across AnotherAbuja.gigantic feature is Jabi Lake, a 3,200-acre reservoir that is water supply for the city’s residents. It’s also a great spot for boat trips and the neighbouring Jabi Lake Park is the place to go to take in wonderful views across the lake’s tranquil waters. When it was decided that Abuja – located right smack in the centre of Nigeria – would be the country’s new capital just over 50 years ago, a monumental city planning programme was put in place. Check out its many manicured green spaces such as Millennium Park with its footpaths cooled by sprays of water mist and its wealth of ornate architecture with the Abuja National Mosque – opened to the public except during prayer times – a neo-gothic highlight.

Shutterstock.com/photosounds

The landmark interline agreement was set up in May and will also provide passengers with flight connections from the Kenya Airways network to various points in the domestic market and the West African is an important step in AWA’s strategy of providing an extended network of destinations to its cherished passengers through partnerships with similar agreements already in place with South African Airways, Emirates, Brussels Airlines, ASKY Airlines, United Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines. Olawuyi, AWA’s Head of Commercial, said: “Our combined networks will allow our customers the convenience of seamless onward connectivity to and from the Kenya Airways network onto Africa World Airlines’ network. It is imperative that we continue to interlink Africa and allow access within Africa for our passengers.”

7FLYafrica Book online flyafricaworld.com

Theregion.move

AWA teams up with Kenya Airways

Ghanaian

Adedayo

‘Greater connectivity’ Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Julius Thairu added that the growth of air travel in Africa is dependent on partnerships and collaborations that open up the continent. “The agreement between Kenya Airways and Africa World Airlines underpins our commitment to provide greater connectivity and market access in the West African region and across Africa. The future of travel will be drawn from a sustainable, interconnected, and affordable air transport industry in Africa through partnerships and collaboration that drive the growth Africa’s travel industry,” he said. AWA passengers will be able to purchase flights on a single ticket from our hub in Accra to any of Kenya Airways’ 41 international destinations, including London, Amsterdam, Guangzhou, Sharjah, Mumbai and over 25 intra-Africa routes. AWA’s passengers can now enjoy seamless connections to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia thanks to our recent partnership with Kenya Airways.

Shutterstock.com/rarrarorro

suspensionTemporary of flights to Freetown and Monrovia Recent developments within the region and beyond, have necessitated a review of our domestic and regional operations, with particular focus on extended flights to Freetown, in Sierra Leone and Monrovia, in Liberia. Rising fuel prices have resulted in higher than anticipated operating costs on all routes but especially for flights to these two cities. To remain competitive and maintain business sustainability, we are in the process of restructuring our route network to suit our fleet capacity. As a result, we have decided to suspend flights to Freetown and Monrovia for the remainder of this year, effective from September 15. It has been a difficult decision given the attention we pay to serving our cherished customers and business partners in these regions, but it cannot be Customersavoided.withbookings or pre-financed tickets for these routes should kindly contact their booking agents or local Africa World Airlines offices for assistance and additional information. We take this opportunity to express gratitude to all stakeholders who have facilitated our operation to Freetown and Monrovia and greatly appreciate the patience afforded us during our planned temporary absence on these routes.

Congratulations to Ghana’s national football team for becoming the first African country to book their place at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November. Africa World Airlines was honoured to fly the Black Stars to Kumasi for the first leg of their World Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles. We even specially scheduled an extra 11pm flight from Kumasi to get fans back to Accra after the game. That match ended 0-0, but Ghana booked its place in Qatar after the second leg in Abuja, which finished 1-1 with the Black Stars going through on away goals.

8 AWAnews

Thomas Partey scored the vital goal in the match that had been branded the ‘Jollof Derby’. Africa World Airlines would like to offer its congratulations to the team and wish them the best of luck in the World Cup Finals.

Touching Africa, Touching The World! Black Stars fly with AWA to the World Cup

AWA named African and International Airline of the Year Africa World Airlines (AWA) was honoured to be named African Airline of the Year and International Airline of the Year at the Jabamah Travellers Awards held in the Nigerian capital Abuja recently. AWA was presented with its at a ceremony Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja. Both these to and to thank all of for with

we’d like

their unwavering support. We will continue to renew our commitment to providing you with a firstrate travel experience every time you fly

AWA. Connect with us Facebook flyafricaworld Twitter @flyafricaworld Instagram @flyafricaworld Our reliability ratings for July Africa World Airlines is proud to release our operational performance statistics for July 2022, in line with our commitment to transparency. Number of scheduledflights 1,158 rateexecutionSchedule 98% Total twodelayedflightsbeyondhours 14 Flights weatherhoursbeyonddelayedtwodueto 14 Numbers bookedpassengersof 50,662 duedeniedPassengersboardingtooversales 0 Bags delivered on time 99.96% Number of bags checked in 45,615 Passengers can book flights online by visiting flyAfricaWorld.com and using the ‘BOOK’ function. You can then choose your flight, book your seats and select your payment method. AWA offers various methods of payment for customers across the world, including debit/credit card, MTN Mobile Service (Ghana only), Quickteller (Nigeria only) and bank transfer. For detailed information, check out our website. Telephone bookings can be made by calling +233 24 243 8888 Or our toll free number: 0800 200 200 How to book

awards mean a lot

9FLYafrica Book online flyafricaworld.com

awards

our wonderful customers

10 THE OFPROOFEDFUTURE-FOODTHEFULANI SUPERFOOD Preparing fonio in a communityFulani The chef spreading the word on

11FLYafrica

Fulani Test Kitchen and Dine On a Mat (the Fulani traditionally eat from bowls with their hands while sitting cross-legged on floor mats). Here guests are invited to share freshly prepared Fulani favourites such as sun-dried okra soup; lamb cooked in shea butter and served with a nutrient-packed grain called fonio; and wagashi, a sweet but sugar-free cheese fermented in clay pots. With the events available for Nomadic pasturalists the Fulani have migrated across Africa for more than a century, supporting themselves with a mostly plant-based diet supple mented by meat and dairy from the cattle they rear. Chef and entrepre neur Fatmata Binta – who was born into a Fulani community in Freetown, Sierra Leone – believes the ancient lifestyle and its food has much to In June, chef Fatmata Binta became the first African to win the Basque world culinary prize – considered the ‘Nobel of Gastronomy’ – for her efforts to preserve the cuisine and culture of the Fulani, the 20-million-strong nomadic tribe she was born into. Here she tells Mark Edwards why the traditional dishes have much to teach the modern food movement.

bookings worldwide – Dine On A Mat even made an appearance at this year’s Venice Art Biennale – Binta has done much to raise awareness of Fulani culture. Spreading the word is vital to the tribe’s future, she believes. Despite their number, the itinerant Fulani often live a disen franchised existence in their adopted homes, excluded from the rights of citizenship.

Landmark award Binta’s efforts recently saw her become the first African to win the Basque world culinary prize. The pres tigious accolade comes with a mone tary award of EUR 100,000, which the well-travelled chef – who has currently made Ghana her home – is putting towards the setting up of the Fulani Kitchen Foundation on a four-acre site in Daboya in the Savannah Region of north Ghana. While Dine on a Mat is a movable feast, the foundation will be a permanent complex that show cases Fulani culture and provides facilities to cultivate and process the tribe’s food for local and international markets.Overnight guests will be accommo dated in traditional Fulani homes built from scratch from sorghum straw – it makes for welcome cool interiors teach the modern world about sustainable living. To this end she has made it her mission to preserve and share the recipes she grew up with. “I had a desire to understand my cuisine and I wanted to tell food stories that were not being celebrat ed,” she tells me. The Fulani are considered the largest nomadic tribe in the world with more than 20 million dispersed across West Africa and Binta has visited remote communities across Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria to capture the variations of the cuisine.

Fulani favourites These regional subtleties of flavour are reflected in the ever-changing tasting menus she puts together for her globe-trotting pop-up restaurants

12 during the heat of the day – and they will get a revelatory insight into how the tribe produces healthy, tasty food without compromising future genera tions’ ability to do the same.

Zero food waste “My grandmother instilled in me as a child that you are not supposed to drop even a grain of rice because if you do it will cause crying in the rice kingdom,” Binta says. “I still eat with my hands without spilling a drop – it has become an OCD habit – and I believe the care with which the Fulani eat teaches you contentment and patience.”Foniois the rice – it’s actually a whole grain used as a rice substitute – that is valued so highly. It is a staple of Fulani cuisine and Binta sees the superfood that can be harvested in a hurry playing a key part in combatting food insecurity in a world increasingly at the mercy of rising temperatures. “Fonio thrives in dry areas and grows in just eight to 12 weeks,” Binta tells me. “You don’t even need to plough it. It is part of the millet family, and it is gluten-free and has a high protein content as well as containing minerals such as iron, magnesium andBintazinc.”and her team have already begun increasing the distribution network of the grain. The arrival of the Fulani Test Foundation will scale up production with Binta planning to install machinery to grind the grain. Currently, that job is done by hand – a skilled and arduous process that is traditionally performed by the women of the Fulani community. There are clear role divisions between the sexes among the strictly Muslim tribe. Binta says: “The men get up to pray then milk the cows while the women make cheese for breakfast. The men then head to market to sell cattle while the women stay at home crafting calabash (bowls made from the dried husk of the gourd fruit) and weaving baskets.”Withthe Fulani Test Foundation aiming to parade the art and food culture of the tribe, it will be staffed almost exclusively by women – a move Binta hopes will empower them with more financial and spiritual independence. Visiting communities The strict gender roles hint at what prompted Binta to pursue a career outside Fulani society. We meet for this interview in a coffee shop in Accra’s affluent East Legon neigh bourhood and the 37-year-old is the picture of an urban professional with her braided hair and jeans. She admits this look needs to be toned down when she visits the Fulani communities during which time, she also communicates in the indig enous language Fulfulde. However, it becomes clear that while she is keen to preserve many parts of the close-knit Fulani community, there are some elements she has happy not to continue.

WINNERAWARDBinta has achievementshumanitarianherrecognisedbeenforculinaryand

DINE ON A MAT Binta’s modern take on Fulani cuisine

In fact, century-old Fulani cuisine chimes with many of the buzz words of the modern food movement such as gluten free, raw foodism, minimal ism and low-food waste. It is classic farm-to-fork (or should that be fingers?) cuisine. “We can all learn from Fulani cuisine,” Binta says. “The diet is mostly plant-based and most of their ingre dients are sun dried and ready for on the go. When we do cook, we use wild harvested shea butter or ghee. Everything is made from scratch, and nothing goes to waste. “We even sun dry our meat [usually reserved for feasting on special occa sions such as weddings] which means it retains all of its nutrients. Every part of the animal is made use of. We cook with offal and gizzards and even the skin of the animal is used to make shoes.”Binta adds that the no food waste philosophy even extends to Fulani dining etiquette. They eat with their hands, but with an adroitness that ensures all the food ends up in their stomach with not a scrap on the floor.

“I think that should be saved for America.” time when she was not crazy about cooking. The interest began when she was a young girl in Sierra Leone and she still has the scars to prove it as her curiosity to see what her mum was preparing for the family dinner led to her plunging her hands in hot oil and an emergency trip to Freetown hospital. Undeterred, aged eight and living in Guinea she loved assisting her grandmother in her ‘baffa’, the Creole word for a small street restaurant or chop bar. Seeing food bring adults in the village community together she gained a profound respect for its power. Emboldened by the positive

13FLYafrica

For more information on Fulani recipes and the nearest Dine

SUPER SALAD Greens with fonio

In 2020, she found the pop-up project’s international reach curtailed by travel restrictions amid the covid pandemic. In Ghana at the time, she found the enforced stay here brought an “aha moment”. She based herself in Accra and with a Fulani settle ment just an hour’s drive east in the Shai Hills and a far larger community north in Daboya, Ghana has been the inspiration for Dine on a Mat. Just as the increased availability of fonio is showing West Africans there is a homegrown, sustainable alternative to the mass of imported rice, a series of hugely popular Dine On A Mat events in the capital is introducing locals to dishes that are both exotic and quin tessentially African. This, Binta believes, is what dining on the continent should be about.

Still, Binta’s alternate career course owed much to her nomadic Fulani heritage in its globetrotting. Once it was safe to do so, she returned to Freetown where she worked as a TV presenter while also studying international relations. She continued her studies in 2010 in Madrid, Spain, earning extra money by teaching English to other students. When that job unexpectedly fell through, she drew on her love of food and started making sandwiches for students. Binta can’t remember a

“Why do I have to order apple pie in an African restaurant?” she says.

On A Mat events near you, visit @dineonamat and @chef_binta on Instagram reaction to her food in Madrid, she decided to enrol at a culinary school in Kenya, working her way up to chef in some of Nairobi’s finest hotels and restaurants before going it alone with Fulani Test Kitchen.

The Fulani are known for their large families – Binta reckons she has more than 600 cousins – and girls are encouraged to get married in their early teens. When this option was presented to Binta – at this time living with her grandmother in a village in Guinea after the civil war forced her to leave Sierra Leone – her reaction was an unequivocal “no”. Globetrotter

Seeing food bring adults in the village community together she gained a profound respect for its power

RAW FOOD Much of Fulani cuisine, such as its corn, is sun-dried, not cooked

hasn’t always looked so bright. Indeed, there was a time when it looked unlikely he would make it into his teens; just another casualty of the desperate vortex of crime and gang rivalry that so many young people who grow up in ‘Kibra’ – the name Avido and other locals give to Nairobi’s sprawling slum development, Kibera – are sucked into.

needsNairobi’sonbrandendorsedBeyoncé-clothingLookslikeAvido,whythecreativityoflargestslumtobecelebrated

The ‘Kibra kid’ who built his own Kenyan designer David Ochieng, the founder of the

– who made just 235 Kenyan Shillings (US$ 2) a week cleaning clothes for neighbours – could no longer afford to pay for his schooling. For a time Avido would sneak into school on days when he knew there would be no inspectors demanding fees, but soon he stopped going altogether. Feeling targeted on the streets, he retreated to the family home – a one-bed shack with a corrugated iron roof he shared with his mum and his four younger siblings in Kibra’s SilangaAloneneighbourhood.inthehouseand not feeling there was anyone he could share his despair with, Avido says he started “lightening [his] heart” by talking to himself. The words and tears flowed as he

UNISEX The jacketsAvidoLookslikebomber

Kenyan designer David Ochieng – popularly known as Avido – has built a sustainable fashion brand, Lookslike Avido, with his colourful, made-for-movement clothes worn by an international array of A-list clients including Wonder Woman actress Connie Nielsen, US singer Ty Dollar Sign and Jamaican reggae artist Chronixx. Most recently he has been endorsed by musical megastar Beyoncé, who included Lookslike Avido in her Black Parade, a directory that celebrates black-owned enterprises in the creativeAvido’ssector.future

Early years There were few places of sanc tuary from the dangers of the streets. By the time Avido was seven, his father had left the family home and his mother

“Almost all of my friends as a kid were involved in gangs,” Avido says, “and about 70 per cent of them were killed. I was involved a bit by knowing them, but it was not my thing. I was more interested in football and I was a good player, but getting to play for a club that pays is all based on bribery here. Football would not be my escape. I was fit and fast, but you can’t outrun a bullet. The gangs knew about me and they would tell my mum: ‘Your son is next.’”

Fashion empire

Spoken word Avido had no audience in mind when he started talking, but one soon gathered with people taken by the way the charismatic young ster articulated the suffering of slum life. “I remember one person coming up to me and telling me what I was doing was spoken word poetry,” Avido says. “I had never thought of it as a perfor mance before that.” The area was also popular with dancers, who would put on shows for the crowds. Promotional vehicles for big busi nesses would turn up with reps handing out prizes to the best performers.Atoneroadshow, the best dancers were winning packets of a new vitamin-fortified maize meal. Avido had never really danced before, but he practised acrobatics and felt emboldened by his ability to hold a crowd with his spoken word performances. A series of back flips won him screams of delight from the crowds and the maize meal prize, which he took straight home. His family, which often did not know where the next meal was coming from, ate well that evening. In Olympic he found people who thought differently to his friends in Silanga. They were creative and eager to make a positive impact with their lives. Among the new acquaintances were local dancers impressed by Avido’s acrobatic abilities. He soon found himself a member of local troupe the Chopper Dance Crew. They were paid for appear ances at parties, competitions and road shows in the neighbour hood, but with 10 in the crew, each dancer took home a paltry amount. More important than the money, though, to Avido was that he had discovered an outlet for his creativity. Not having school like the others to occupy him during the day, he spent his days putting together a long-term business plan for the crew. Avido knew he wasn’t the best dancer in the crew so he focused his talents on improving their collective look, designing a loosefitting, dance-friendly uniform that would get them noticed. He began hanging around with local tailors, earning their help and advice by doing odd jobs for them. Avido’s mother could see the change that had come over her son and wanted to support it. When her biggest cleaning client announced he was moving away from the area, he gave her a US$ 2 tip. She gave it all to Avido and he knew exactly what to do with it. He says: “I spent 20 cents on transport to get me to Gikomba market [in Nairobi City] where I bought two bed sheets for 60 cents. They were old and had holes in them, but I liked the colour. For another 60 cents, I bought two spools of thread, which left me just enough for a bottle of water and transport home.”Working from his own sketches and with help from the tailors, Avido soon had costumes for the crew and there was enough material left over to make a pair of boxer shorts – a basic item of

Soon these words became a mantra that Avido would recite while out and about. He began to frequent an outdoor area in the Kibra neighbourhood of Olympic, which was a popular place for social gatherings and, crucially, was far enough away from Silanga not to alert any of the criminal gangs who were target ing him to his presence.

FOUNDATION Avido has been passing on his sewing skills to young mothers

I was fit and fast, but you can’t outrun a bullet. The gangs knew about me and they would tell my mum: ‘Your son is next’

15FLYafrica poured out his frustrations at the injustice of his situation.

DETAIL Jackets colourfulhavelinings

Stylist to stars Artists from Kenya’s vibrant urban music scene took to the clothing range’s fusion of street style with traditional African fabrics while international artists who came to Nairobi to perform could often be seen wearing Lookslike Avido creations on stage. Legendary reggae artist Don Carlos was so taken by a custom-designed shirt Avido presented to him he became a brand partner and soon there were collaborations with fellow Jamaicans singer Romain Virgo and world record-holding sprinter Usain Bolt as well as US musician BrunoWithMars.theclothing range now available online and seen on the catwalk at Berlin Fashion Week this international reach continues to grow, but the brand remains a 100 per cent Kibra opera tion – from the colourful fabrics sourced from stalls at the neigh bourhood markets to the sevenstrong team of local tailors Avido heads up. In this way, Avido is supporting the local textile industry, which has to compete with the prevalence of ‘mitumba’ markets selling used clothes from overseas.

Avido has moved out of the family home, but still lives in Kibra. He has built a twobedroom extension to the

16 clothing he had always wanted but been unable to afford –for himself. Avido tells me his mother likes to say she founded Lookslike Avido with her US$ 2 investment. He doesn’t let on, however, whether she briefly regretted the gesture a short time later after coming home to find Avido had taken the curtains in the family home to make a shirt for Handsomehimself.and athletic, Avido proved an eye-catching model for his handmade, one-off clothes and would have people coming up to him to request whether he could make an outfit for them. One of the most influential of these new clients was Ken Okoth. The Kenyan politician, who grew up in Kibra, requested a series of outfits be designed for him and started wearing them to Parliament, becoming an ambassador for the brand. He also gave the designer – who had until then been sewing by hand – a Singer machine to improve the speed and exact ness of his work. With more commissions coming in, Avido worked at home on the machine every day, but come the night when the five children and their mother would use up every spare bit of space in the oneroom shack to sleep, it had to be put outside, secured with dog chains to ensure nobody stole it.

Africa’s largest informal settle ment is ever-present from the moment Avido starts sketching his designs. While the striking conical straw ‘bucket’ hats that have become the designer’s signature look owe a debt to the Orient, Avido says they were inspired by a moment from his childhood when he used one of the woven baskets his grand mother made to keep him dry during a downpour. Such innovation born of necessity is what fuels the unique creativity of Kibra, in Avido’s opinion, and he hopes his clothing reflects that. “I want to show that good clothes can come out of Kibra. That, despite the hardships we have a passion to look good,” he says.

“I like styles that are free on the body,” Avido says.

“I used to dance and jump around a lot, and I valued clothes that let me do that and look good.”

Top student The building demand for his clothes and a new job as a dance instructor meant Avido had the funds to return to school and gain the qualifications needed to pursue higher education. In 2015, he presented a series of costumes he had made to Nairobi’s Buruburu Institute of Fine Arts (BIFA). The impressed judging panel offered him a scholarship – with funds covered by the Maisha Foundation, which supports the education of slum children around the world – to study fashion design. Avido graduated as that year’s top student.Lookslike Avido was launched around the same time. Key looks included customisable bomber jackets with a choice of design and Ankara fabric combinations and Avido’s urban take on the kimono – loose-fitting hooded jackets patterned with gorgeous African prints and contrast black sleeves. These are clothes cut and designed for movement. “I like styles that are free on the body,” Avido says. “I used to dance and jump around a lot, and I valued clothes that let me do that and look good.”

Avido ensured that 20 per cent of the proceeds of every sale he made went to support locals most in need. That money has been invested in projects such as food distribution, sewing workshops for young single mothers and the deaf to give them financial independence; scholarships and school uniforms to high-performing pupils and internships at Lookslike Avido. When the pandemic hit in 2019 there were fears that Covid would spread fast amid Kibra’s cramped living conditions so Avido, in partnership with Uweza Foundation, produced and distributed 25,000 free face masks to residents. This earned Avido the 2020 Uzalendo Presidential Honor in Kenya. The charitable operations were stepped up in 2021 with the establishment of the non-profit Avido Foundation with a young team in place to come up with new ideas for projects to break the cycle of poverty in Kibra. So far, 74 local schoolchildren have received new uniforms handmade by Avido tailors. The if you do, I’ll help you. We are all caught up in the same problem here so what are you doing to get out?” Avido says. He visits many schools in the area and each time he sees a poor, but hardworking pupil there is a pang of recognition. “It is like seeing a younger me,” he says.

Lookslike Avido workshop in Olympic and has converted the living room into a studio where his clothes are on display and available to buy. There is also an upstairs office, which has become a hub for other Kibra creatives such as graffiti artist Banknote, whom Avido collaborated with on a limited edition run of bomber jackets for Germany’s biggest sustainable design festival, ökoRAUSCH.

LOOKSIGNATURE The bucket hat To shop the range, visit lookslikeavido.com For more details on the work of the Avido Foundation, visit avidofoundation.org

Avido is keen to do all he can to showcase the abilities of around him. He says: “People who have never been to Kibra associate it with drugs, abuse and prostitution, but despite all this we also have bright minds, energy, creativity and colour here. I know people who are more talented than me here and I want to give them the opportu nity to show what they can do.”

However, he knows that the settlement in home to many bright kids like him that are not so fortunate. Just as Avido grew up feeling a sense of responsibility to his family as the oldest child in his household, he now feels that duty of care to Kibra.Hesays:

MASKS A LA MODE Getting creative during covid

He is currently putting plans in place to achieve this aim on a grand scale by looking for part ners to help him launch Kibra’s own fashion week in the first half of next year. Giving back to Kibra Avido is grateful that he has now found his own path in life and believes it could only have happened in Kibra. “I’m glad I was born here,” he says. “I’m living the life I wanted to live.”

“I would ask myself: ‘What if I was the first born of all of Kibera?’ I knew I had to do more with my fashion business.” From the start,

Clothing pupils Avido’s early years at school were difficult. He was a bright pupil who was often asked by the teacher to come to the front of the class to solve a problem on the blackboard. However, this brought mortifying embarrass ment as the seat of his trousers was so ragged and worn that the other pupils would fall about laughing, saying they could see his backside. “My self-esteem just got lower and lower. Situations like that can really hurt a child.”

17FLYafrica

Avido sends me pictures of some pupils looking proud in their new uniforms, including one young boy who until recently had been turning up to school in ripped shorts and Wellington boots because that was the only clothes he had. The founda tion is still young and there are many more people to help, but Avido believes its influence is Customers are contrib uting with every garment bought. The Jamaican singer Etana was head-to-toeresplendentinLookslikeAvidoonstageatarecentconcertinNairobiandexplainedherchoiceinatouchingInstagrampost.“It’snotcharity,”shesaid.“It’sstylewithlove.”

The objective is to develop the domestic capacity to 70 per cent market share and 60 per cent market share in Nigeria, allowing AWA to gain a domi nant position in Ghana. Will you be continuing AWA’s drive towards partnering with other airlines to increase the scope of one-ticket travel for passengers here in Ghana?

AWA newIntroducinginterviewourCEO

Can you give us some details on your professional career prior to joining Africa World Airlines? Prior to joining AWA, I spent eight years as the regional manager of Hainan Airlines’ office in Seattle in the US. Prior to that, I spent two years as the general manager of Hainan Airlines’ Zurich office in Switzerland. I have worked for Hainan Airlines, the company that owns the majority of AWA, for 20 years. During that time, I have been sent to numerous foreign locations where I have enjoyed getting to know new people and experiencing various cultures. What most attracted you to your role at AWA?

NEW ROLE Zhou Yingli has been AWA CEO for just a few months

I believe I can make some adjustments with our team, and by doing so, AWA will improve, which is an accomplishment I would be proud of.

The challenges for the avia tion industry in the past couple of years have been unprec edented, but how confident are you that things are improving and that AWA is well placed to takeWeadvantage.chosethe right size of the fleet to fit the market, we have cost-efficient operation control and well-trained engineers. The most important positive factor is that the market potential is huge. Where is your focus in the short term at AWA?

Africa World Airlines (AWA) has a new CEO. Zhou Yingli was welcomed into the top job in June and FLYAfrica was lucky enough to be given a few minutes in Accra amid his busy schedule to find out about his plans for the airline as well as a few personal details.

My focus is to shift some flights from the low-yield market to the high-yield market and increase fuel surcharges and fares to offset the fuel price surge. What new features can AWA passengers look forward to? Are there plans in place for new domestic or international desti nations on the network?

19FLYafrica

Yes, we will continue to partner with international carriers through an interline arrangement so that our customers can fly to cities beyond Accra. Have you made use of a oneticket journey from Kotoka International Airport to a distant destination recently? If so, can you tell us about the experience?

AWA has drawn praise for the standard of its safety and sanitation procedures during the Covid-19 outbreak. How proud are you of the work that has been done and can you share details on how this will develop going forward?

Our company’s culture prioritises safety and we have a special ised crew to ensure our aircraft are thoroughly sanitised. We will strengthen our weaknesses in order to be great in terms of service quality in all areas.

I have been immediately impressed that our engineers can execute the best repairs for our aircraft relying on rudi mentary facilities with simple equipment. What are some of your favourite places in Ghana to explore when you have time for a break? Since arriving in Ghana, I have not travelled anywhere. The truth is I have no idea where to start. I have heard of so many wonderful places in this country and I want to visit some of them as soon as I have the chance. I believe I will begin with our existing domestic destinations. What plans do you have for the growth of AWA’s influence in Africa? I intend to expand our fleet’s capabilities so that we can reach cities in Africa’s central and eastern regions. I also want us to become the pre-eminent airline in West Africa.

So, let’s find out a little more about you away from AWA. How do you like to relax? I like to listen to music. Do you have a morning routine you follow to kick start your day?

Not yet. I plan to do so soon. What is your favourite route among the AWA network and why? Kumasi as it is the most profitable route. AWA is a proudly Ghanaian operation. How impressed have you been with the team since joining?

Every morning when I wake up, I walk up to 6,000 steps. That sets me up for the rest of the day. What is your favourite food and do you like to cook? I don’t really have a favourite food and I don’t like to cook. What makes you laugh? Any joke usually works on me. I intend to expand our fleet’s capabilities so that we can reach cities in Africa’s central and eastern regions. I also want us to become the pre-eminent airline in West Africa.

RISING STAR Zhou has risen through the ranks at Hainan Aifrlines

Improve your sleep

Research has shown that getting a regular seven to eight hours of restful sleep each night helps strengthen our memories. If you are taking on a new skill – such as playing a musical instrument or learning a language – plenty of deep sleep will help link together this new information for use the next day. Prioritise your sleep by putting a night-time routine in place. Useful rules to abide by include no screens after 8pm, not eating or drinking too late and going to bed and waking up at the same time. Get in the gym There are plenty of reasons to recommend regular exercise, but alongside the improvements to your heart health, blood pressure and overall mood, your brain benefits too. Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls learning and memory. If you don’t have time for a full workout, just getting a few 10-minute walks in throughout the day will keep those alertness levels up.

Quick tips on how to improve your memory

20 TOTAL RECALL:

Getting a bit forgetful? If you have the memory of a …oh what’s the word, it just swims around and around in a bowl and isn’t much of a pet…anyway, don’t worry because memory is a skill that can be improved through practice. There are a few things that have been claimed to boost memory, from eating the right foods to doing regular exercise, so here’s some tips you’d do well to remember.

Test yourself

21FLYafrica

Get organised

Our working memory functions best if we keep it organised.

As the brain seeks the required information to retrieve, it all becomes quicker and easier if it knows where it is. At the start of each day, go over your upcoming tasks, step by step, in your mind. Making a mental to-do list stimulates your working memory. Going through the list in order will leave you with a sense of mastery over your day. Stay mentally active The principle of ‘use it or lose it’ applies well to memory. The more mentally active you are the more neurogenesis – the creation of new nerve pathways – takes place and your memory strengthens. So, work that memory muscle. Have regular games of the traditional board game bao, learn a language or take an online course in coding. Make plenty of wonderful memories that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Thinking food Your diet has a strong bearing on your clarity of thought and recall. Food to avoid includes sugars, which have been shown to exacerbate cognitive decline. Alcohol and drugs can also cause mental fogginess and confusion. Instead eat plenty of fatty fish, which is packed with omega 3 fatty acids. About 60 per cent of your brain is made of fat and half of that fat is composed of omega 3 fatty acids which help build brain and nerve cells, essential for learning and memory. Coffee is also a good option for its powerful blend of caffeine and antioxidants. Studies show that three to four cups of coffee a day can help ward off dementia. Berries are another good antioxidant source as is – chocoholics rejoice – flavonoids-filled dark chocolate.

Mnemonicfivempuannumthecouldatappointmenthair5pm,youthinkofAdinkrasymbolwithitstuftsofhair.devicesare another associative tool for remembering information. They work best if you make them personal and add some humour. Come up with a rhyme, song, or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.

When you learn something new – whether it is the driving route to a job you have just started or the names of your new colleagues – testing yourself can help you retain and retrieve that information. Over time, regular self-testing can help improve your long-term memory. Make notes on what you need to learn and ask a friend to quiz you. Flash cards are also a useful tool. Put the question on one side of the card and the answer on the other. When you look at the front “question” side of a flashcard and think of the answer, you are engaging a mental faculty known as active recall, which has been shown to create stronger neuron connections that memory trace. And because flashcards can so easily facilitate repetition, they are the best way to create multiple memory-enhancing recall events. Some research has found that this kind of active recall retrieval practice leads to 150% better retention than passive studying. Make visual connections Albert Einstein said that: “Imagination is more important than knowledge” and his world-changing scientific theories are testament to allowing his imagination to run free and visualise outrageous answers to problems. Similarly, to super charge your memory it is important to get creative. You’ll get good results by linking what you want to remember to something visual. This technique is called mind mapping. For example, say you have a

Q: You now split your time between Kumasi and the US. How does that work? I travel back and forth to Kumasi every couple of months throughout the year. Since we have a home in Kumasi, the trip is relatively inexpen sive for me and my family. My fiancée lives in our Kumasi home with our family in Ghana and he manages our tour and development company within our community. I work remotely so as long as I have an internet connection, I am able to maintain my employment and contracts in the US while I travel. I have always worked remotely and travelled, so the transition was rather easy for me! I honestly prefer to be in Kumasi rather than the US, especially recently. Here I feel at home and much more connected to humanity. I also feel much more connected to nature, especially on the drive between Accra and Kumasi, which we make several times during my visits).

‘Kumerica’ is also linked to the US, particularly through hip-hop culture –based on the way the King and Chiefs dress and their posture. The flashy style African-Americans showcase as a part of hip-hop culture is seen as a shout-out and an ode to the regal culture shown in Kumasi. It is said to have started with an image of Kanye West with chains on that was placed next to a picture of a chief in Kumasi. ‘Kumerica’ is also a way to use Kumasi’s swag to pull rank on the rest of Ghana!

Q: Can you tell me about your role in facilitating the relocation of Americans wanting a new life in Kumasi. I believe you even been involved in developing new housing aimed at the diaspora. After my fiancé Evans and I began building our home in Kumasi near family, some of my friends in Atlanta decided they would also join us. They purchased one plot, then two, then three, and before we knew it more than 20 plots were purchased and the word was spreading via US media

My Kumasi

Social entrepreneur L Nzingha Samuel fell in love with Kumasi and now helps others from the diaspora own property as part of a growing community in Ghana’s second city. Here she talks about the ‘Kumerica’ connection and her favourite places to frequent in her new home.

Q: There have been strong links between Kumasi and the US for some time, leading to the term ‘Kumerica’ to describe some of the cultural cross-fertilisation. What is your take on why this has happened? Many citizens of Kumasi see them selves as the heart and soul of Ghana. The people feel deeply connected to the traditions they continue to uphold - including the stories of the Golden Stool, the Ashanti Kingdom and their chieftaincies. As the heart of the country, they feel very connected to the excellence and opulence reflected in the perception of America.

Kumasi and the United States have some cultural crossover. US rap is not only a major influence on the city’s emerging ‘Kumerica’ music scene but also the ‘bling’ favoured by its stars has its parallels in the ostentatious jewellery the Ghanaian city’s Ashanti tribe wear as a symbol their power. No surprise then when AfricanAmericans from the diaspora look for a city to make their Ghana return to, Kumasi is a popular choice. Helping facilitate that move is Laetitia Nzingha Samuel, who runs E+Z with her fiancé Evans Owusu, a family business that specializes in property development and manage ment. Here she talks about how a new international community has grown in the city and the wealth of delights that await visitors.

Laetitia Samuel

COMMUNITY An increas ing number of KumasiareAmericansmovingto HERITAGE L heritageherhasNzinghatracedGhanaian

Nzingha

Q: What are your family links to Kumasi?

I began travelling to Ghana in 2004, almost 20 years ago on a cultural tour researching the spiritual and blood connections between AfricanAmericans and Africans – specifi cally between Sapelo Island [a stateprotected island in Georgia, which is the permanent home to about 70 full-time residents, many descended from the slaves of Sapelo’s plantations before the Civil War] and Ghana. I learned that my mother’s family traced back to Ghana. As I travelled around Kumasi, I learned my people were Ashanti, of the Akan ethnic group. So, I began visiting for one or two months at a time, living with my my godfather in Kumasi and learning about the traditions and spiritual culture.

There’s a huge choice. We go to Kejetia market to buy fabrics to take to a local tailor to make custom-fitted clothing. We also go to Adum to the vendors and local shops for African fashionable fits. If you want more variety then Kumasi Mall is also a great place to go.

23FLYafrica outlets. The community continues to grow organically and now includes residents from the US, the UK, the Caribbean islands of St Thomas and Jamaica, and Colombia. We assist them in acquiring their plot of land, building their home, and renting it out when they are not present. It has been a labour of love and I discovered a true passion of mine – creating an intentional community. We are also working with state departments in Ghana to also help them secure their official paper work as they visit for longer periods of time. We are looking to truly invest in the area and become active partici pants in the growth and development of Kumasi.

Q: Where would go for a lazy brunch with friends? The Sweet Garden Hotel & Restaurant is in the Danyame Estate, a very nice neighbourhood and you can get

Q: Are there many American-run restaurants, bars, shops etc in Kumasi that you like and where visiting Americans could get some familiar home comforts? Ike’s is run by Ghanaian Americans. It’s a chain with another branch in Georgia. We are working with more restaurateurs in US to open more spots in Kumasi, through our sistercity relationship with Stockbridge, in Georgia.

delicious food there. The Golden Tulip also has great food and the advan tage that you can eat by its amazing pool. For more poolside dining, Momo Pool Bar has great food and cocktails. We also like to grab a coffee and snack in Kumasi Mall.

Q: Where would you recommend visitors go to truly soak up the character of Kumasi and its Asante heritage?

Q: What is shopping like in Kumasi?

Q: And nightlife? What are the clubs you head to? 1991 Lounge & Basement are both excellent lounge bars with lovely cocktails and good music. They are also both located in Kumasi Mall.

CITYSECOND Central Kumasi Daniel Mensah Boafo / Shutterstock.com

Start with Manhyia Palace, the official residence of the Asanti leader, the Asantehene. Then check out the Prempeh II Museum and the Cultural Centre. You can learn more about the traditional clothes the Ashanti wear at The Adinkra Village and Bonwire, a village renowned as the home of kente cloth. Traditional medicine is big here so visit the Medoma Shrine where its chief priest Nana Abass operates.

We assist them in acquiring their plot of land, building their home, and renting it out when they are not present

Ike’s Café again. On Fridays they have a live band and it is a vibe. +2 Pub and Kitchen and Scoreboard are also worth checking out.

Q: Kumasi is a fast-growing and busy city. Where do you go to find places of calm and quiet? We drive out of the city and relax at Lake Bosomtwe. We also go to Rattray Park, which is an ultra-modern recreation park with amusements and some nice green spaces. It also has an amazing restaurant.

Q: How about restaurants? Where would you recommend for some local delicacies? Ike’s Café & Grill is one of my favourite places in all Kumasi. The menu here is full of my West African favourite dishes such as jollof rice, fufu and light soup, diehuo with fried fish and a boiled egg and boiled yams and pepper stew.

Q: Kumasi has a vibrant music scene. Where are some of the best places to go for live music?

One of the most unforgettable experiences revealed to those exploring the forested hills of Aburi is the moment the dense vegetation opens to reveal a spectacular waterfall. There are a couple of beautiful examples within straight forward walking reach of Aburi. The Adom Waterfalls cascade onto a bed of stratified rocks where it forms a clear pool perfect for a refreshing dip. Boti falls is a twin waterfall – claimed as ‘husband and wife’ by locals –located at Boti in Yilo Krobo District and is a true out-of-the-way gem.

4 Nature trails Aburi is criss-crossed with nature trails for intrepid visitors to explore. Local tour companies will provide you with maps to the trails and even a guide if you want. There are trails ideal for hiking, mountain biking and – for the adrenaline junkies – quad bikes.

Botanical gardens

The Aburi Crafts Village is a one-stop shop for all manner of local handicrafts. At the shopping village and exhibition centre located at the Aburi Y Junction you’ll find more than 100 stalls selling handcrafted items such as tradi tional musical instruments, baskets, fabrics, jewellery, antique furniture and bags. It is a real treasure trove of Ghanaian traditional handicrafts. Head for the hills

Now, though it leads the way in preserving global plant diversity with more than several hundred species of plants among its expan sive grounds. For all its history, the gardens have become a selfie spot for the Instagram generation with its avenue of tall palm trees at its entrance a spectacular backdrop for photographs. Once inside, you can truly relax and soak up one of Ghana’s most serene and tranquil experiences.

Waterfalls

Running up that hill OyarifaPark prides itself on the healthy lifestyle it offers its residents with walking and running trails and a swimming pool on-site, however the Aburi Hills have also become one of the most tempting and testing places for people in the capital to get their fitness fix. As dawn breaks on weekend mornings, crowds of people make the most of the cooler temperatures to walk, run or

Here we take a look at a top five of the attractions of this natural paradise within easy reach of OyarifaPark residents. cycle from the Ayi Mensah Police Barrier up to Peduase Lodge. The walk should take around an hour and a half – as long as you don’t get waylaid for too long by the scores of stalls set up to entice exercisers with drinks and snacks – and the views from the top make the effort worthwhile.

5 Crafts Village

Aburi Botanic Garden was officially opened in 1890 and has had many roles over the intervening years, including plant introduction, teaching methods of modern agriculture and even time as a cocoa farm.

For those who want to escape the chaos of the capital, but still live within comfortable commuting distance, OyarifaPark brings a new standard of urban family living to Accra. The gated community of 200 homes is the work of developer IndigoHomes Ghana Ltd, which was also behind the hugely popular AyiMensahPark. Both developments benefit from having the Aburi Hills on their doorstep.

Already, 80% of the homes at OyarifaPark have been sold so the time is now to secure the remaining two, three and four-bedroom town homes. Each has a stylish openplan layout with the latest Bosch kitchen appliances and pristinely appointed bathrooms, including an en-suite to the main bedroom. Visit indigohomes.com for more details.

OyarifaPark

One lucky reader will win a meal for two and a drink each. To be in with a chance of claiming the prize, email your answers to the three questions below along with a picture of you holding FLYafrica 14 while on your AWA flight. Best of luck! awacompetition@landmarine.org competition

FLYafrica

Everything about Accra café Palm Moments is fresh – from the locally sourced ingredients in its healthy meals, juices and smoothies to the music played at its regular music nights with local DJs and singers. At party nights such as Fake Fridays (on Thursdays) crowds spill on to the streets outside the Asylum Down venue, but during the day the leafy, laidback café is a great spot to meet with friends or chill out solo style. FLYafrica is delighted then that Palm Moments has agreed to provide the prize for this issue’s competition.

25FLYafrica

Win a meal for two at Palm Moments

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Closing date is 14th October 2022. Photographs should be sent along with your entry. One entry per person. Entrants must be 18 or over. The winning entry will be selected by Land & Marine Publications Ltd. This competition is not open to employees of Africa World Airlines, Palm Moments or Land & Marine Publications Ltd. WINafrica 1.QUESTIONSWhatisthe name of the huge informal settlement in Nairobi where the Lookslike Avido studio is located? 2. What is the name of the grain known as ‘hungry rice’ which is a staple part of Fulani cuisine? 3. AWA recently flew the Ghana men’s national football team to their recent World Cup qualifying matches. What is the team’s nickname? Book online flyAfricaWorld.com For further information please contact Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com INSPIRING CAPTIVATING INFORMATIVE Multi-platform publishing and design services

EATING OUT Food travellingSelorm’scookedwasonstove

History was made earlier this year when the small commu nity of Wuling hosted a group of campers on a research expedition led by myself and digital marketer Daniel Afunyo of AkdShares. It was an international group with Mamoore and Anke from Belgium, Aisha from England and Janet, Swadika, Nadra and Mormen all from Tamale. For most of them it was most their first time camping in the wild, but they agreed to hike to Wuling of the Upper West region of Ghana and stay for four nights at Mushroom Rock, a seeming ly precarious natural rock formation in which one massive boulder seems to be supported by a far smaller one, giving the impression of a mushroom. Rocks dominate the landscape here and there is an area with a circular arrangement of rocks that provides a peaceful sheltered place I thought would be ideal to set up camp.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mushroom Rock was used as a refuge for people to escape from notorious slave traders Samouri Touri and Babatu. Nowadays, people see the rocks as a holy place and village elders regularly visit to pour libations. There are also hollows in the rocks, which collect rainwater and locals use them to bathe in. The rock also serves as the raw material for tools and weapons for hunting.

Camping in the MushroomRocks

Blogger, tour operator and nature photographer Selorm Sosu recently led an international group on a four-night stay at the remote Mushroom Rocks in Wuling in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Most of the group were novice campers and for the locals it was their first time entertaining guests.

Here, Selorm recounts their adventures.

Arrival at Jirapa We arrived mid-afternoon at the Royal Cosy Hills Resort, aka Jirapa Dubai. Set in around 360 acres with its own wildlife park, this is a four-star luxury safari resort. After an enjoyable meal, we set off for our camping site, which is about 15 minutes’ drive from the Jirapa Dubai.

Camping Day Four Day four was tinged with sadness as it meant the end of the trip. Before we left, we cleaned the whole area. You wouldn’t even know we had been there. Then all that was left was to say our warm goodbyes and return to our respective homes. Selorm organises many more trips like this to Ghana’s more remote corners. For more information, visit @detraveling-_fotografa on Instagram. To read more of his travel blogs, go to detravelingfotografa.wordpress.com

WILD RIDE The

27FLYafrica

Camping Day Three

First Camping Night

Camping Day Two I woke up at 7.30 am to find Nadra had already cooked breakfast for everyone. It fuelled us for a safari with Royal Cosy Hills. Safaris here in the baking hot north of the country take place in the morning from 8.30am to 10.45am and the afternoon from 3pm to The5pm.resort’s safari is the first of its kind in the Upper West part of Ghana and animals to be seen include alpaca, hippo, monkey, bushbuck and zebra. Lunch was waiting for us after the safari and then we relaxed in the afternoon around the resort’s pool. The second night at camp was very special as three elders from the village joined us for a storytelling session. We gathered round our small fire as the elders narrate to us the real history of the community.

Once our tents were set up and allocated, we set about a barbecue. Building a fire in the evening is one of the best things about camping, but we were respectful of our environ ment. We had been told not to make a bonfire as the place is sacred so instead, I set up my gas-powered travelling stove and lit incense. The team were all strangers to each other, so we took the chance to introduce ourselves. I held some burning sage as I told everyone about myself and then passed it on to the next person to say a few words. The whole place was charged with positive energy as we got to socialise. Someone asked me: ‘Don’t you get scared of camping in wild places all by yourself?” I told her no. I said we are all here today to break away the fear of the unknown and have courage that everything is possible. There is always the fear of the unknown and darkness. I thought this was perhaps not the best time to tell them that there were snakes around these parts. At about 11pm, I decided to take a walk around. To my surprise the noise we were making in the chamber of the rock could not be heard outside. You could also not see the light of our fire. It was as though the chamber of the rock contained the sound. We had a great evening. Nadra was grilling meats and vegetables and Daniel cooked up some tilapia. The night was charged with excitement, and we talked and partied long into the early morning.

On day three some local children joined in with us as we climbed the surrounding rocks. We later visited some of the village elders who were gathered under a big tree. After we had exchanged greetings, one of the elders said: “We hear of your expedition at the rock, and we hope it was a successful one.” The elders were excited to host us in their community and hoped we would share with others the beautiful nature of this part of the country. The rest of the day’s activities were all about facing fears. Jirapa Dubai organised a quad biking session for us. We were split up into teams of two – Alpha team, Bravo team and Charley Team – and had to work together on a series of tasks. After that, it was back to the pool again to cool off.

Lunchquadexploredteamonbikes was waiting for us after the safari and then we relaxed in the afternoon around the resort’s pool

BUSINESSUNFINISHED

The rise of Limbo Accra Award-winning architecture design studio Limbo Accra was launched in 2018 with its name derived from an early focus on creating pop-up art galleries and installations in the Ghanaian capital’s wealth of unfinished buildings. It has gone on to create more accessible urban spaces such as the city’s first Skatepark and has also built up an impressive portfolio of private and commercial projects. Here co-founder Dominique Petit-Frère speaks to FLYafrica about designing cities with people in mind.

AryeeOdarteyNiiImage:

Q How has the mission statement of Limbo Accra developed over time? Limbo Accra is an award-winning architecture design studio and was established as a response to the spec ulative urban development happening in Accra and other major West African cities. We are dedicated to architec tural projects, art installations and urban design and always with a focus on the geo-political and environmental implications. Our mission has stayed the same since our inception and that is to address and respond to the urban reality through the practice of architecture, art, and design.

Q: Do most clients give you free rein to come up with your own design or is it a collaborative process? The relationship we develop with all our clients usually stretches beyond the transactional. From the very beginning we have been intentional about this approach as it feels genuine and natural to us as founders. We are very adamant about tailoring our architectural and artistic services specifically to the individual client’s needs and having that guide the design process and its output. How this process specifically unfolds is subjective to the conversation that evolves between us and them. We are currently developing a four-acre private residence for a client in Awukugua, Ghana whose aim is to build a mix-used facility to honour his family’s chieftain legacy

Limbo’s growth into a fully opera tional architectural studio has been organic in the sense that we simply wish to manifest our core design philosophies of legacy, sustainability and accessibility in all our projects. Whether we are approached with a new build or re- adaptive project, we always aim to respond within a sitespecific context. For us, there should always be an alignment with regards to the context of the space, the story it holds and the client’s overall vision.

GALLERY Limbo Accra has repurposed some of Accra’s spacesbuildingsunfinishedasart

Q: How do you decide on what are the right architectural projects for Limbo Accra? Our studio mandate is broken down into three key themes: legacy, sustainability and accessibility. These three mandates guide the way we engage with the various projects presented to us. We don’t want to say that we are selective, but we do prioritise projects that aim to make an artistic and architectural impact within the community we operate in.

29FLYafrica

Q: Are there common themes between your public work repur posing aborted buildings and your commercial and private architectural projects?

THERECLAIMINGCITY Accra’s skateparknew

AccraLimbo©

Q: Can you tell us about an upcoming project you are excited about?

Of course! Through our field of research and our practice in general, we’ve concluded that the urban domains of far too many develop ing cities are simply not built for the general citizen. As both architects and consumers, there is a sense of urgency that allows us to take respon sibility and have influence on the type of development we see taking root.

PEOPLE POWER Limbo buildprojectsAccrahelpasense of community

installation artist Serge Attukwei Clottey, Afro-surrealist painter David Alabo and digital artist Hakeem Adam – also involved. What do you think this adds to your architectural projects? Limbo’s nature is constantly on the move in the sense that our operations are spread between Accra, Copenhagen and New York. We are therefore fundamentally of the belief that we as humans need to unite and come together to exchange ideas and knowledge to respond to the issues we experience in our day and age. Collaboration is central within this philosophy because we all need each other. When we started Limbo in 2018, our whole community of friends and family came together by supporting the local arts and the creative industry. Our key goal with this project is to develop the project on a human scale, guided by the client’s need. We have often seen big property developments become impersonal and that the living conditions get lost in the size of the property or the house itself. With this project, we aim to bridge the two and to create an intimate and personal space. It’s a legacy project – one we hope can pave the road for future developments.

Q: Can you give me an idea of the variety of the architectural projects you have worked on? Are there elements in each one that make them a recognisably Limbo Accra project? While each project is different, it is paramount for our practice that the projects we engage with contribute to a greater story.

TRIBUTE The VirgilfashionremembersskateparkdesignerAbloh

AccraLimbo©

AryeeOdarteyNiiImage:

As a boutique firm, it is the high level of care and impact that makes us unique and attractive to the clients we work with.

At the moment we are expanding our practice in New York and across North America so keep an eye out for Limbo’s impact in the Big Apple!

Q: Limbo Accra projects seem very much collective efforts with a range of West African creatives – such as Limbo’s nature is constantly on the move in the sense that our operations are spread between Accra, Copenhagen and New York

Q: You have been involved in inno vative projects such as the Accra Skatepark that provide much-needed public space in the city. Are you always conscious with your private and commercial projects of how they will interact with the city and its residents?

For more information on Limbo Accra, follow @limboaccra on Instagram or visit limboccra.online

30 to contribute, launch and share the vision – and it’s this exact energy that is the fundamental driving force that we are constantly expanding.

From a pristine strip of sand separating a tranquil lagoon and the rolling Atlantic Ocean to a secret surfing spot, West Africa is home to some truly stunning hidden beach gems. Here are FLYafrica’s picks. hideaways

Butre, Ghana Nearest AWA destination: Takoradi

The small fishing village of Butre is located on a stretch of coastline in the Western Region of Ghana that is blessed with beautiful beaches – check out surf spot Busua and Asemkaw for proof – but its arc of sand hidden from view until a breath-taking reveal by dense woodland is arguably the most spectacular.

31FLYafrica

WEST AFRICA’S BEST BEACH

Historic Butre was also one of the first cities in Ghana formed by inter-European and interAfrican conflict in the 17th century. Today it has a population of around 400 people with most residents mostly from the Ahanta ethnic tribe. Take a trip through the village to learn about the Ahanta people’s culture, traditions, and way of life. If you are feeling fit, a challenging hill hike to the ruins of Fort Batenstein will reward you with panoramic views over the village, the surrounding forest-draped hills and the coastline.

hideaways

Patigi Beach, Nigeria Nearest AWA destination: PatigiAbujais not your average West African beach holiday destination. It is located on the shore of the River Niger rather than the Atlantic Ocean and its coastline is lush and wild with palm trees everywhere. Still, it is a great place to escape and enjoy the Niger’s crystalline waters. Life here is centred around fishing, which has provided the livelihoods for locals for centuries here. You’ll see colourful pirogues head out to set their nets for the day’s catch each day and each year the Pategi Regatta Festival has canoe races on the water and events celebrating the traditions of the local Nupe people in the town.

Keta, Ghana Nearest AWA destination: TheAccrastrip of sand that is home to the historic village of Keta is one of Ghana’s most delicate and dramatic landscapes. The promontory is positioned with the bird-spotter paradise of Keta Lagoon on one side and the rolling waves of the Atlantic on the other. The ocean’s rising waters have caused more than half of the village to be washed away in the last century, but the wonderful beaches of spotless sand remain. There are a number of resorts to choose from, but if you are after remote beauty, head along the promontory until you are almost at the mouth of the River Volta. Here you’ll find the gorgeous Emancipation Beach, a name charged with meaning given Keta’s history as a port for the slave trade and the ruins of Fort Prinzenstein – one of the last colonial forts to stop its slave trading – still standing sentinel on the shrinking coastline.

WEST AFRICA’S BEST BEACH

Shutterstock.com/PlockFabian

33FLYafrica

River Number Two Beach, Sierra Leone, Nearest AWA destination: Freetown

Robertsport, Liberia Nearest AWA destination: Monrovia Liberia has 580km of Atlantic Ocean coastline, much of it consisting of undeveloped paradisiacal beaches that have yet to reach the radar of international tourists. One of the best can be found in the tiny fishing village of Robertsport near the border with Sierra Leone. The nearconstant left-breaking waves that hit the coast attracted a handful of intrepid US surfers in the early 2000s and they passed on their knowhow and some second-hand boards to the locals, creating Liberia’s first surfing scene. There are now a few regular surfing competitions, a surf school and guest houses have popped up among the mango trees and banana groves that fringe the coastline. Even if you are not a surfer, the heavenly beach here that stretches as far as the eye can see is a wonderful place for a wild escape.

While it is only 16km out of Sierra Leone’s bustling capital, Freetown, River Number Two Beach feels like a different world with its tranquil bay sheltering an eye-rubbingly beautiful crescent of golden sand. It is a popular city escape at weekends, but during the week there’ll be few footprints in the sand beyond your own. Facilities are basic, but there is a hut serving up huge prawn kebabs on spicy couscous and the fresh coconuts sold by the easy-going beach sellers make a wonderful dessert.

But, Elizabeth seems to have the answer. “I make what’s known in the keto community as fathead dough to form the crust,” she says. “It is made from almond flour, mozza rella cheese and egg and it makes a deliciously chewy crust with a hint of cheese. It’s the closest you can get

Entrepreneur brings lowcarb treats to your door Lip-smacking pizza, pies and cookies with barely any carbs or sugar? Welcome to the guilt-free treats on offer at Elizabeth Okoro’s keto-friendly food delivery service. Here the Accra foodie tells Mark Edwards how you can still enjoy your favourite comfort foods on your weight loss plan. Ghanaian cuisine is built around starchy staples like fufu dough balls and jollof rice so you would think an eating regime that rules out carbohydrates and sugars would be a hard sell. However, the keto diet has arrived here and it is flourishing.

34 EAT

Social media has helped to spread the word with people sharing stories of the weight loss and increased energy they have experienced on achieving ketosis – the state the body enters after keeping to an intake of less than 20g of carbohydrates a day (approximately the carb content of one standard chocolate chip cookie). With such meagre levels of carbs in the body to turn into glucose for energy, the body turns to an alterna tive source to keep it going – fat. Even the leanest of us has plenty of body fat to spare as fuel and once you are in ketosis – getting 70 to 80 per cent of your calories from fats with the rest from protein with just a splash of carbs – you become a fat-burning machine producing a constant stream of energy that doesn’t suffer the peaks and crashes typical of relying on fast-absorbed carbohydrates.

Among the Ghanaians who have been converted to the keto way is Elizabeth Okoro. The diet first struck her radar when her elder sister – the actress Yvonne Okoro – told her it was the reason for her impressive recent weight loss. Having just returned from a holiday to Italy carrying a few extra pasta pounds, Elizabeth signed up to a local keto-friendly food delivery plan, but while she also started to lose weight she was not that excited by the dishes on offer “The last straw was one lunch that was just sliced cucumbers and sliced onions and hard-boiled eggs,” she says. Side hustle So, the next time the two sisters met up for lunch, Elizabeth, a keen cook and self-confessed foodie, created a keto-friendly lunch that was more to her tastes. It proved so delicious that her proud sister shared it on her Instagram page along with Elizabeth’s contact details. The response was immediate.“Myphone was blowing up,” Elizabeth tells me. “Everybody wanted me to start cooking for them.” Elizabeth was already a name in the Ghanaian food industry, having in 2016 set up Mind Snacks, her own brand of low sugar, additive-free granola, which is available in super markets across the country. The keto food service was initially just intended, she says, as a “side hustle”. Elizabeth experimented with keto versions of her comfort food favourites in the kitchen of her parents’ home in East Legon. “Once I understood the science behind it was easy to come up with meals that fit the macros,” she says. Having attended Ghana International School and gone on to study for her degree at King’s College London University, Elizabeth admits her tastes owe more to Western fast-food culture than Ghanaian cuisine. So, she got busy in her kitchen creating keto twists on pizzas and savoury pies along with a sugar-free desserts that satisfied her sweet tooth. With the pizza the issue was always going to be the crust. A soft, chewy base is the foundation of a great pizza and anyone who has joylessly crunched away on a dusty gluten-free version or one made of ground cauliflower knows how tough it is to improve upon.

SNACKSSTARCHLESS Keto Base GH bagels FOUNDERFOODIE Elizabeth Okoro

Ketoafricaqueen

I turn up on a Friday – along with Tuesday, one of two weekly delivery days – and the garage and fore court are a bustle of activity. Amid a bewitching aroma of sizzling quiches and pizza as well as just-baked bagels and pastries staff ferry just-cooked treats to a team of motorcycle couri ers to deliver to customers across Greater Accra and as far as Tema to the east of the capital.

“The keto diet has really kicked off here,” Elizabeth says. “Ghanaians are becoming more health conscious.”

35FLYafrica to that real pizza taste.”

To explore the Keto Base GH range and make your order on Mondays and Thursdays, visit the Facebook site. To find out more about the Mind Snacks granola range, visit the Instagram site @mindsnacksgh They each arrive to the customer labelled with an exact breakdown of the fat, protein, carb and sugar content

Indeed, for someone like myself who has eaten little beyond salad, steak and lots and lots of cheese since embarking on my keto journey around six months ago, all the Keto Base GH food I try tastes almost sinfully indulgent. Guilt-free treats But, Elizabeth assures me she has checked the macronutrients of every one of her dishes and indeed they each arrive to the customer labelled with an exact breakdown of the fat, protein, carb and sugar content. As for the desserts, Elizabeth uses only keto-approved sweeteners. These, along with the almond flour, are not yet available to buy in Ghana so Elizabeth has to import them. “Keto food is not cheap in Ghana,” she says. Her full-size pizzas range in price between 70 and 85 cedis (US$ 9 to US$11), which is at the expensive end of fast food here, but with just two opportunities each week to have a guilt-free keto treat Elizabeth’s growing network of repeat custom ers believe it’s worth it. Customers make their orders on the Keto Base GH Facebook site on Monday and Thursday for delivery by 11am the next day. The interest has been strong.

I also get to taste test an oven fresh spicy meat, again made soft and buttery by the fat dough. “People love meat pies in Ghana so having a keto option is a crowd pleaser,” Elizabeth says. “We also do a fish version and one with my own take on Cheddar BayTobiscuits.”roundoff my keto feast, I sample a cinnamon roll and an oven-baked chocolate chip ‘brookie’ (part cookie, part brownie). They taste so good, it seems impossible to believe there was no sugar involved in their making.

The range of food available to order is always increasing with Elizabeth continuing to experiment with new ingredients and taste combinations. Recent creations include keto burger buns and avocado cookies and the chef recommends them both. “I won’t put anything on the menu I won’t eat myself.”

Such is the following Elizabeth’s food has generated that one customer based in Tamale has their weekly pizza order flown from Accra – with AWA no less. “We double wrap the pizza and drop it at the airport,” Elizabeth says.

I can vouch for the chewy consist ency and the wonderful flavour as I was fortunate enough to be served a sizzling veggie pizza straight from the woodfired oven when I interview Elizabeth at her parents’ home. Here she has taken over the spacious garage as the operations centre of what has become her latest food business, Keto Base GH.

Here are some useful organising tech gifts for the neat freak in your life or perhaps the more disorganised people you know who could do with a nudge in the right direction.

Price: US$ 145 Where to buy: amazon.com

TECH techOrganisingcornergifts

Kindle Paperwhite

Price: US$ 139 for the 8GB model Where to buy: amazon.com Gear bag

Being a minimalist bookworm is not easy. A voracious reader will soon find books clutter their home and if you carry a paperback with you at all times to read a cheeky chapter or two whenever you have the chance, that book is going to be looking pretty scruffy by the time you reach its final page. So, e-readers are the perfect gift. You can store all your books on the one portable reader, e-editions of books are usually cheaper to purchase and you don’t have to pay at all if you join an online library. The Kindle Paperwhite is a great option with a screen that emits minimal blue light so you can read at bedtime and not disturb your sleep and it is wafer thin, lightweight and waterproof so ideal for travel.

Fastidious folk love a good bag, especially one with plenty of pockets and compartments for keeping their tech gear protected and in place. Crumpler is known for producing lightweight but durable bags (and then giving them some very bizarre names). Its Vegetable from Inside the Mountain bag has a padded laptop sleeve, several additional compartments, an outside zippered pouch and two removable pouches, one of which acts as a soft headphone case.

There are few things in this world that excite an organised person more than a nice digital label maker. Bestow it and just watch them go – soon there will be labels on clothes, bins, boxes, drawers and perhaps even household pets to ensure everything is recorded and in its place. The Dymo LabelManager Pnp distinguishes itself by being able to print on fabric as well. Just connect it via USB to your Mac or PC and it will start producing water-resistant labels in a variety of colours, sizes and designs.

Price: US$ 92 Where to buy: amazon.com Image DYMO, Inc

Cordless Shark Vacuum OK, it’s not the most romantic gift (if Valentine’s Day is coming up, don’t even consider it), but your tidy friend will love a vacuum cleaner that gets every corner of their beloved home clean. The lightweightcordlessandeasy to manoeuvre with its swivel steering. It also has a Hepa filter that traps all dust and allergens for a safe inside the vacuum.

Price: US$ 199 Where to buy: Image ????

37FLYafrica

Price: US$ 112 Where to buy: irislink.com Image IRIS S.A

Label Maker

There is now a range of sleek, small scanners that will get this done. An ideal gift would be the Irisscan, a cool portable mouse with integrated scanner which instantly creates a digital copy of any document placed beneath it – from articles, photos, maps, receipts, business cards and artwork. Just press the scan button on the mouse, swipe in any direction on a paper document and watch text and images appear on your Mac or PC screen.

Sleek document scanner

Organised people might have clean homes, but they also like to have their digital life in order. Paperwork such as receipts, product guarantees, birth certificates and invoices can build up to the extent that individual items become almost impossible to locate when required. Digitising your documents with a scanner means keeping them safe and filed for easy access.

How a gallery wall can brighten blank spaces in your home

A gallery wall of pictures, prints, plaques or photo frames can transform blank walls into your own miniature art gallery. It’s a quick and simple way to add a splash a character to your home so here’s a guide to creating one that truly reflects your personal style

38 ART ATTACK!

of pieces with seemingly no theme at all! If you choose each piece because it means something special to you then you become the theme!

CHOOSE YOUR HOOK What will be your theme?

To make your gallery wall interesting and individual, choose products with different sizes, shapes and textures. Why? Though some gallery walls can look great when only featuring framed prints, playing with sizes, shapes and textures creates a more interesting visual display for the eye. Choose a mixture of prints, wall hangings, mirrors and shelves to make your gallery wall more unique.

Measure your space

Before you start hammering nails into your walls, you need to measure your space to make sure everything

Decide on your theme Does your home already have a general theme, whether rustic or vintage or modern? If so, your gallery wall may well work best continuing the theme. If you have been building a rustic look, choose items that have wooden frames and feature floral prints or woodland scenes. You could even create your own box framed with dried grasses or corn pieces for a unique feel. Alternatively, your gallery wall theme could instead focus on a specific interest of yours. For example, music lovers might theme their gallery wall around their favourite bands, choosing an array of music posters, vinyl records and memorabilia to make their gallery wall showcase their passion. However, some of the best gallery walls are eclectic, with a wide variety

39FLYafrica

THEME Keep to lookharmoniousa

Choose different sizes, shapes and textures

Leave the room then walk back in as if you were viewing your gallery wall for the first time. How does it make you feel?

Stand back and admire your work Now all of your artwork and wall decor has been wall-mounted, take one last look before you put those tools away. Do you like the composition?

To make sure your items end up exactly where you want them, use spot on the Rememberwall.to measure the distance between any hooks so you don’t have to make unnecessary holes in your walls. A spirit level will be useful in avoiding a wonky gallery!

Tips and images provided by online furniture company Melody Maison. Visit melodymaison.co.uk

PASSIONS Choose a look that reflects you

Do you think the overall gallery would look better with something adding or taking away? Leave the room then walk back in as if you were viewing your gallery wall for the first time. How does it make you feel? Don’t forget the great thing about gallery walls is that they can be updated easily, so if you aren’t totally happy, you can always change it at any time! 40

fits! Once that’s done, gather your wall art pieces and lay them on the floor in the order you would like to hang them, making sure they fit within the space you have measured. Does anything look like it doesn’t fit correctly? Play around with your layout until you’ve designed a gallery wall that best displays your favourite artwork. Hang your wall decor You’ll need a measuring tape, hammer, nails and some picture hooks. If you have chosen heavier items like mirrors, we advise using brackets and screws to ensure they are wall mounted securely.

Nigeria’s largest city and the most populous in Africa. Major financial centre and home to one of Africa’s biggest ports.

TakoradiTakoradiAirport

TamaleTamaleAirport Capital of Ghana’s Northern Region and hub for administra tive and commercial activities.

GHANA

LIBERIA

flyafricaworld.com

41FLYafrica

Port town combined with Sekondi to form Sekondi-Takoradi, capital of the Western Region.

Explore West Africa with Africa WorldAWAAirlinesroutes online

LungiFreetownInternational Airport Capital of Sierra Leone and the country’s economic, financial, cultural and political centre.

Capital of Nigeria and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Administrative and political centre of Nigeria.

NIGERIA

RobertsMonroviaInternational

SIERRA LEONE

Lagos Tamale Kumasi Freetown Monrovia Takoradi Abuja

InternationalMurtalaLagosMuhammedAirport

InternationalNnamdiAbujaAzikiweAirport

Airport Capital and most populous city of Liberia with more than 1 million inhabitants.

KumasiKumasiInternational Airport Located in Ashanti Region and one of Ghana’s biggest metropolitan areas with a population of 2.07 million.

Book

KotokaAccraInternational Airport Capital city of Ghana with an estimated population of 2.27 million. Economic and administrative hub for Greater Accra region and home to Ghana’s government administration.

TRAVELallowances

UMs are only allowed to travel on non-stop or sameplaneAWAservices.doesnot accept responsibility for a UM’s actions. The parent/guardian agrees to hold AWA blame less for any injuries to UM caused by or out of UM’s own negligence.Shouldthe UM’s flight be disrupted or should the guard ian or parent fail to meet the UM on arrival, AWA is author ized to take necessary and reasonable action under the circumstances. In the case of the latter, the parent/guardian agrees to reimburse AWA for any expenses incurred. Infants toddlersand AWA requires all children under two years old to be seated on the lap of an adult over 15 years of age. However, a passenger may choose to purchase a seat for the infant as long as there is a proper child restraint device. Only one child is permitted to sit on an adult’s lap. An addi tional seat must be purchased if one adult is travelling with twoAWAinfants.recommends that a child over 20 kg in weight should use a seat for a safer and more comfortable flight.

Hand luggage

3. Make sure you have the correct identification for check-in, such as a voter’s ID card, National Health Insurance card, driver’s licence or any form of government identification before you travel on AWA’s domestic routes and a valid passport on regional routes. A visa is required for non-ECOWAS passport holders. Without a valid physical government-issued ID you will not be checked in.

information

42 minorsUnaccompanied

1. Arrive at the airport at least two hours before the flight’s departure time and no later than 40 minutes before the flight’s departure time.

Children aged five to 12 must travel as an unaccompanied minor (UM) on AWA. Only children mature enough to travel with limited supervision are allowed to travel as a UM.

Baggage

Before your flight

AWA ground staff will assist the UM with check-in, transfers andOnceboarding.onboard, a flight attendant with observe and/ or communicate with the UM periodically.Theparent/guardian receiv ing the UM should arrive at the gate 30 minutes prior to scheduled arrival and present valid photo ID to an AWA representative. AWA will not release a UM to anyone other than the designated parent/ guardian.AWAreserves the right to transport UMs on flights that may have been diverted or cancelled due to weather or operational disruptions. Domestic Regional Checked baggage 23 kg 23 kg

Details of parent/guardian receiving a UM at final destination must be provided by a parent/guardian during reservation.Proofofage such as a valid passport, birth certificate or National Health Insurance card must be presented at check-in.

2. If you are a special needs passenger, arrive at the airport in ample time to allow the airport staff to process documents.

One piece up to 5 kg and 1 handbag/laptop bag Excess baggage GHS 5/kg US$ 3/kg

4. Check that your bags are within the correct weight and size limits for your product class (see table below).

5. Check your seat assignment, which will be given to you at the airport. During your flight 6. Pay close attention to the safety procedures outlined by the cabin crew and take note of your nearest exit. Enjoy complimentary snacks on selected flights. Sit back, relax and enjoy FLYafrica magazine!

Fleet information Embraer ERJ-145LR

Transport of wheelchairs or other assistance devices for personal use at no charge, in addition to enplaning and deplaning. Attention should be brought to AWA representa tives of the person’s condition upon ticket purchase. suitable seat. Passengers with disabilities are not permitted to sit in the emergency exit rows. Receipt of checked-in wheelchair or other assistance device upon disembarking or at baggage claim. AWA is not insured, permit ted or equipped for staff to carry any passenger who is unable to assist himself or herself onboard an AWA aircraft, even if he or she is able to walk but needs a trained and accredited bearer. AWA is not equipped to transport medical oxygen or other hazardous materials and/ or contained gas either in the passenger cabin or as cargo/ baggage.AWAis not equipped to transport passengers who require stretchers, incubators, respirators or other devices that may rely on aircraft power supply.

progressing without complica tions and stating the expected deliveryExpectantdate.mothers more than 34 weeks pregnant are not permitted to fly with AWA. For pregnancies less than 28 weeks, passengers should possess an ante-natal card/ book stating the duration of pregnancy at the date of travel. delivery, provided that she has a certificate from her obstetri cian stating she is fit to fly. Babies under 14 days old are not permitted to fly.

Pregnant women Expectant mothers are permitted to fly until the 28th week of pregnancy without a medical certificate. From the 28th to the 34th week of pregnancy, an expectant mother is required to provide a medical certifi cate from her obstetrician stating that the pregnancy is

43FLYafrica

Maximum speed: Mach 0.78 Number of aircraft: 8

Passengers with reduced mobility AWA provides assistance to passengers with special needs during the reservation process, check-in, during the flight and at final destination. AWA will ensure provision of the following:Transport of passengers with disabilities of any kind unless there is a specific safety-related regulation that requires us not to do so.

Length: 29.87 m / 98 ft 0 in Height: 6.76 m / 22 ft 2 in Wingspan: 20.04 m / 65 ft 9 in Capacity: 50 passengers Engines: Rolls Royce AE 3007-A1 Turbofans Range: 2,870 km

Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 (Daily)

Tel: +234 9085267693

Lungi International Airport Tel: +232 79 630 107

Town Office 21/23 Siaka Stevens Street Tel: +232 79 630 103; +232 88 852 773

Connect with AWA Facebook www.facebook.com/flyafricaworld Twitter @flyafricaworld Instagram @flyafricaworld Book online flyafricaworld.com

AirportLagosOffice T2-029, Terminal 2 Murtala Ikeja,InternationalMuhammedAirport,Lagos hours 06:00 20:00 (Daily) Charters charters@flyafricaworld.com

Opening hours 06:00 - 17:30 (Daily) Town Office Tamale

Tel: +234 704342713 +234 7043427132 Email: sales.lagos@flyafricaworld.com Opening

(Saturdays and Public Holidays) Tel: +233 30

AirportMonroviaOffice

Opening hours 08:00 - 16:00 (Daily)

Town Office Ground floor Asmar building, Adjacent Royal Grand hotel,15th street, Tubman boulevard, sinkor Tel: +231 77 044 4400 +231 77 545 0010 +231 77 044 4433 Email: sales@air-mc.com

AirportFreetownOffice

Opening hours: 09:00 - 17:00 ( Monday to 10:00Friday)-13:00 (Saturday)

Opening hours: 09.00-17.00 (Monday to Saturday)

Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday09:00Friday)-14:00 297 4919

Tel: +234 90 9558 0924 +234 90 9558 0987 +234 90 9558 0960 Email: comabuja.sales@flyafricaworld.

Town Office No 5 Usuma Close (off Gana MaitamaStreet, District,Abuja,FCT.)

Accra – Head Office UNA Homes Building 2nd/3rd floor Airport Bypass Road Airport City Road PMB Accra,CT67Ghana Tel: +233 24 243 8888 +233 30 701 2024 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: awaoffice@flyafricaworld.com Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 (Monday to Friday) AirportKumasiOffice Opening hours 05:00 - 20:00 (Daily) Tel: +233 30 297 4918 AirportTakoradiOffice Opening hours 06:00 - 18:00 (Monday to 07:00Friday)- 17:00 (Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Sunday) Tel: +233 57 770 2854 Local OfficesAWAcontacts Get in touch Email Contacts Concerns concerns@flyafricaworld.com

Opening Hours 08:00-17:00 (Monday to 09:30-16:00Friday) (Saturday)

Roberts International Airport, Lower Margibi County, Monrovia, Liberia Tel: +231 888 434 421

Regional Offices

Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Daily)

AirportAbuja Office Public Airport,NnamdiTerminalConcourse,CAzikiweInternational

ChurchoppositeHospitalTeachingRoad,OlaCathedral

AirportTamaleOffice