Issuu

Sure

Education

Inspiration

Determination

Gen Z–Teen Spirit

ForTeen

what is sky ? what is sky?

What Sets SKY Girls Apart?

SKY is a sisterhood of teenage girls all across Botswana. Becoming a SKY Girl means taking the pledge to deﬁne your Sures (things you love) and Shapos (things you don’t need in your life)

We are not swayed by peer pressure, instead, we make choices that are true to ourselves and we stick to them. Whatever our Sures and Shapos are, we stand by them, because those choices deﬁne us, and make each one of us unique. To become a SKY Girl you need to take the pledge and live by it.

SKY PLEDGE

I pledge to be true to myself and what I believe in. To be who I am, not who someone else thinks I should be. I will say Sure Ka Yone to the things that I am all about – like standing up for my friends and following my dreams. I will say Shapo Ka Yone to the things I am good without – like smoking and backstabbing. I will make choices that are true to me.

I will follow my skyline. I pledge to ﬁnd my SKY.

How do I take the pledge?

Inbox us on our FACEBOOK page @skygirlsbw and send us your details.

Name:

Surname: Date of birth:

School:

Location:

3 Sures:

3 Shapos:

Where can I find SKY?

You can ﬁnd us on FACEBOOK, Instagram, and YouTube @skygirlsbw. Catch our weekly radio show SKY Live on RB2 every Saturday at 12:30pm. Our magazine comes out every 4 months and we drop it off at schools. Check out our YouTube show The Mix – like, comment, share and subscribe to get a chance to win our brand new merchandise.

Editor’s Note

i SKY Fam and welcome to the ﬁrst SKY Magazine of 2021. 2020 was a rough year but it's in the past now, and 2021 is your year. OUR YEAR. We are Gen Z, and we are here to shine. We’re reaching for good grades, great motivation and the urge to keep learning ― manifesting this for everyone! But we don’t forget to have fun along the way, we're still teens right? Fun is what we know best. #GEN Z, the most elite generation.

Get some insight on the great content we have for you in this issue! SKY is gonna ﬁll you up on some real life stories of great people who have gotten past tough situations. Fought a tough battle too? Maybe you can relate. We have features on young karate twins! Yes, anything is possible and of course we also have the best GEN Z trends available for you! We feature chapter II of our brand new superhero comic, Yaya The Powerful, where you the reader chooses the ending. I can’t wait to see what ending you chose for the last edition!

Ko SKY re sure ka living our life to the fullest and living up to what we believe in. Re sure ka having great style and being you. Re shapo ka bad aura and not standing up for what we believe in. It doesn't matter the age.You are powerful and we hope this magazine issue gives you that realization. You're unstoppable.

This is your girl Gaone from the SKY Anthem and The Mix - powered by SKY Girls BW! Season 2 coming through on YouTube, subscribe to never miss an episode. sbwl, Re Sure Ka Yone :)

Lots of love,

Gaone Pheto

The team

DID YOU KNOW? Antarctica is the largest desert in the world (‘desert’ just means it doesn’t rain much there)

What’s unique about

What is Gen Z? Gen Z, or ‘Generation Z’ is the name for everyone born between 1997-2010. Meaning every current SKY Girl is a member of Gen Z! So… how are we different from all the other generations that came before us? What makes us special? Why are we so awesome? SKY Girl Gamuchirai investigates…

We are Connected!

We are the ﬁrst generation that doesn’t remember payphones. We don’t remember a time when YouTube was buﬀering every 30 seconds. That makes us extremely lucky. Lucky to be born in the years of WhatsApp, Facebook, WeChat, Skype… You name it. We have it. And we know how to use it. These days, most of us are better at typing on a phone than writing with a pen.

We are Tolerant!

Gen Z is more globally aware than other generations. Social media has enabled Gen Z to connect with its peers across the word. The likes of Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook have connected us, meaning we are able to recognize and accept diversity despite subdivisions based on ethnicity, religious beliefs and economic status. Members of the majority stand for the rights of minorities through initiatives like Pads for Our Girls and BlackLivesMatter. This empathy that we have is called ‘radical inclusivity’.

We are Curious!

Our love for social media has rendered newspapers useless. It has been a drastic transition from paper to paperless. You’re welcome trees! But our demands for truth and transparency have not been quelled, and nor has our curiosity. The “why?” questions we asked as kids are not going anywhere. In fact, they are here to stay. Sorry Mom!

We are Cultured!

The love of music, series and movies is strong with Gen Z. Artists like Sha Sha, Megan Thee Stallion and Daniel Caesar have made their way onto many playlists in the past year, as if to make one universal playlist. Despite the inﬂux of new artists; lil money, lil sugar, lil spice, Gen Z holds a great appreciation for classics too ―Tina Turner, the Spice Girls, TLC. We even recycled retro and disco fashion trends like ﬂared jeans, crop tops and silk scarves…. except for that chunky belt and jean combo. Yikes. As a result, we bridge the gap between Generation Alpha and Millennials.

We are Hustlers!

Generation Z is ﬁnancially focused. In the words of Jessie J “It’s all about the money money money.” We are entrepreneurial. Billie Eilish is 19 years old. Andiswa Selepe is 17 years old. Elsa Majimbo is 19 years old. These ladies are trailblazers. They are making waves. We believe we are never too young to make ‘money moves.’ Never too young to make waves. Never too young to make an impact in the world. Just ask Elaine (21 years old) renowned for her platinum extended playlist, “Elements!”

Some people have said that a future with Gen Z in charge will be in shambles. But the opposite is proving to be true. In the wake of a global pandemic, Gen Z has proven to be resourceful, innovative and virtually unstoppable. LITERALLY! Time and time again, Generation Z has risen to the challenges of life and we will continue to.

Teenager Teenager Teenager The Highs and Lows of Being a

This issue of SKY Magazine is all about celebrating being a teen in 2021. So, for our covergirl competition we asked you to tell us some of the best and some of the most diﬃcult things about being a teenager in today’s world.

Our winner was Rejoyce Reﬁlwe Masopa, aged 15, from Oodi. She appeared on the cover of the magazine along with her friends Tshego, Thato and Gorata. Enjoy her article!

The Top 3 Challenges we Face as Teenagers

1Body Image Issues

During the transition from childhood to adulthood, while our bodies are morphing into new shapes and sizes, we struggle to come to terms with our bodies and get comfortable inside our own skins. The cherubic face is gone and you are just there looking at a stranger in the mirror; gawky, gangly, and unfamiliar. Well with me, the discontentment with my body does not cause me to excessively exercise or make me sick, but the ongoing feeling that my body is "not right" still really crushes me.

SKY Says: Avoid comparing your changing body to anyone else’s, they are not you. Try to focus on what you LIKE about your body - don’t invest energy thinking about what you don’t like!

2

Fitting In

Teens want to be accepted but today they face more and more pressure to be part of the crowd. Fitting in might mean having the latest phone or the ‘coolest’ tee or hanging out with the top dogs. l remember how l used to follow around macheki ke batla go nna ditsala le bone so that I can be recognised as well ke tshwane le bone. All l wanted was to belong to a well-known crew ya macheki mme ne go pala and no cap this really stressed me big time.

SKY Says: Most teens feel a strong need to fit in. Know what you stand for, to avoid changing to fit in with people whose values don’t align with your own. And be kind to other teens – they are probably just trying to fit in with you as well!

3 Self-Esteem

I see beautiful girls and women all the time. l look up to models, celebs and even strangers for their sense of fashion and beauty. Despite it being great to appreciate other women, it can be challenging for me to have a high self-esteem because l feel like l live in a world of extremely beautiful people. Sometimes l even try to be who I’m not just so l can boost my self-esteem.

SKY Says: The people you see on Instagram are not examples of ‘normal’ women – they choose the best photo out of 100, they have expensive makeup, they often edit their photos. It’s destructive to compare yourself to them. Meanwhile, there are girls looking at you thinking you’re beautiful. Know that.

Gorata Khutswane, 16

Ke Sure Ka

Peer

The Top 3 Best Things About

Being Teenagers

An Excuse To Try Different Things

Teen years come with exploration opportunities. It is absolutely acceptable for teens to change their hairdo or fashion style whenever they feel like because after all, we have to try it all before we ﬁnd one that depicts our true selves. Sometimes exploring can be fun.

SKY Says: This is deﬁnitely one of the best things about teenagers! Just remember to set your own boundaries – know what you’re happy to experiment with (e.g. hobbies, hairstyles) and what you refuse to experiment with (e.g. smoking, stealing).

Room For Mistakes

What's great about being a teenager is that you have more room to make mistakes. Chances are that you won't be penalized for not knowing better because you haven't yet fully developed common sense. Therefore, l think adolescence is a learning experience which can be viewed as practice before one is launched into the real world of his/her own.

SKY Says: So true! As long as you reﬂect and learn something from every new experience, it’s never truly a ‘mistake’.

Ke Shapo Ka

Ke Sure Ka

Positive energy

Modimo

Good friends

Ke Shapo Ka

Bad influencers

Negative thoughts

Smoking & alcohol

Rejoyce Refilwe Masopa, 15

Ke Sure Ka

Academic excellence

Music,

Chasing my dreams

Ke Shapo Ka

Procrastination

Negative vibes

Smoking

Easier Access To Information

Having access to any information you need anywhere, just a few clicks away, is awesome. l can’t imagine having to look through a huge book to ﬁnd some information l need. Life without Google and YouTube must have been hard back then especially when it comes to schoolwork. On top of academic purposes, l can have any information l need, even to skip the awkward talk about sex with parents. It's actually a relief!

SKY Says: This is deﬁnitely one of the best things about being a member of Gen Z. If you learn to avoid the negative aspects of technology (like getting hooked on comparing yourself to others on Instagram), access to technology can take you far in life :)

Thato Gaselesego, 15

Things We Are About In 2021

Re Sure Ka

1. Honesty

2. Good Grades

3. Positive Vibes

4. Inner Peace

5. Cultivating Good Friendships

6. Staying Focused on our Goals

Girls can do anything! This year we’re not listening to anyone who wants to limit us from reaching our full potential. We’re dreaming bigger than before and we’re gonna prove to everyone that girls run the world! It’s time we take charge of our lives and not let anyone hold us back. You wanna be a tech developer, an engineer, a pilot, a CEO, or President one day? It’s time to write that down and make a plan on how you’re gonna achieve that. Some of these dreams are long term and every step you take from now on matters. Stay disciplined and focused. Don’t hold yourself back. Take up space. Be heard. Be bold!

8. Mental Health

9. Letting Go

10. Accomplishing Goals

11. Asking For Help When You Need It

12. Prioritisation & Organisation

13. Family

14. Patience

15. Laughter

16. Exploring new things — RISKS!!!!!!

17. Women Supporting Women — Girls Supporting Girls

It’s 2021!

So let’s get the lowdown on what we are about this year, and what we’re not about Ohkkrr. Re sure ka eng? Re shapo ka eng? Let’s get it!

18. Taking Care of our Friends

It’s a shame when our friends are in trouble or they get bullied or harassed and we’re not there for them. SKY is a sistahood and this year we wanna make sure each and every girl knows that we are here for each other. You can be there for your girlfriends at school, in the streets, online, everywhere. Create a support system with your friends and be there for one another. We’ve gotten messages from girls who get sexually harassed at parties – we need to stick together to make sure our friends don’t become victims. It’s OK to have fun, but we need to be safe, and if we feel like our friends aren’t capable of saying no or taking care of themselves, we have to step up and take care of them. Don’t leave your friends to become victims.

19. Rest

20. Body Positivity

21. Taking Up Space (anywhere and everywhere)

ReShapoKa Re Shapo Ka 21

Things We Are Not About In 2021

1. Drama

2. Failing

3. Bullying

4. Lying

5. Holding on to Toxic Relationships

6. Selfishness

7. Giving up

8. Comparison

9. Stealing

10. Procrastination

11. Self-doubt

Let’s create a safe online space for each other. Bullying in any form is not OK. Cyber bullying is another form of harassment but online. Directly attacking someone online, making fun of them, spreading lies or rumors about them, posting their images and laughing about them with your other friends―this is not OK. If you are a bully online you need to stop. You’re aﬀecting someone else’s mental health and breaking their spirit. You’re bringing someone down and that only reﬂects on the kind of person you are.

If you are bullied online, know that it’s not a reﬂection of you but of them. Report those accounts. Social media platforms all have an option where you can report accounts and state the type of harassment they’re doing. Their account can be suspended or deleted.

Share with your other friends to get help reporting the bully. Then block them so that they can’t continue harassing you. You can also go on private mode so that no one you don’t follow can interact with you. If you are a bystander and notice an account harassing someone else, report their account. Don’t just sit there and do nothing. They won’t know you reported them but you might just save a life. Re shapo ka bullying

13. Cheating

14. Jealousy

15. Over-thinking

16. Body Shaming

17. Slut Shaming

18. Smoking

Be it cigarettes or hubbly, re shapo ka tsone. We don’t need any type of tobacco in our lives, it just doesn’t beneﬁt us in any way. It only brings stress, bad skin and poor health. So why would we want to get hooked on something gross like that? As SKY Girls we are proud to say re shapo ka smoking in all forms, and re shapo ka peer pressure. Re sure ka cleanliness and self-conﬁdence. Turn to page 20 to check out some of the biggest myths about hubbly and to get the facts!

19. Breaking Promises

20. Avoiding Important Conversations 21. Complaining All The Time

Questions

Your Inbox Answered

We receive so many advice questions from SKY Girls in our inbox and sometimes we need your help responding and helping each other out! Maybe you might be going through the same thing? Maybe you know someone who is! Here are a few words of wisdom from some of our sisters. We hope this might help xoxo

"I'm concerned about my friend. she's sad all the time, she skips meals at school, her mood has really changed and last term she failed her favourite subjects. She told me she feels depressed and I don't know how to help her. "

Kitsiso Chaar Ramatlhodi

Hazel Batshwentse

It happened to me a while ago, ﬁrst you have to know the cause of her behaviour neh! And if you make her remember all the good memories she had/yall has together she might get better and if possible you can take her to her favourite restaurant. Ion know if she has to hear this but pliz tell her “let yourself oﬀ the hook, forgive yourselg for your past mistakes and it’s ok to move on, everyday is a blank page, write your own story” she might need to hear it.

Hope she gets better xox

It takes all of a person’s self-respect and wellbeing to be free to express themselves. It’s hard to tell people how you feel because we can no longer trust anyone these days, as we are living in a different world. We fear to be emotionally traumatised and looked down upon. But I can help a friend by advising them to take a stand and know what she’s worth. She should first have a talk with herself and question herself about what makes her who she is, and the people around her. Dear sister it hurts to fight feelings. I advise you to trust your inner being and know what’s your worth. Love yourself and let fear out of you, and I promise you’ll find your missing parts, like a puzzle you will feel beautiful again.

Thusi Serehetse

First of all you have to know what’s the cause of the problem then talk to her about the problem. If you can’t help her with the solution to the problem take her for a counselling appointment beacuase the more she keeps that depression the more she damages her body. Try to take her out maybe for a coﬀee or something you can aﬀord to buy for her so that she can be happy and be open to you and tell you what’s her problem. And she should learn to forgive herself and continue with life.

"I'm single! My 2 best friends have boyfriends, its all mjolo everywhere i turn, koore go monate guys and I always feel left out. I don't think i'm ready for a relationship right now but the pressure is on. Ke feel'a gore ke miss'a out on nice things. Should I ﬁnd a boyfriend?"

Sego Chere

Mark these words “I dont think I’m ready for a relationship” the fact that you are not ready don’t get in a relationship just stay single and follow your heart.

l.e.a.n.o_m

First get to know yourself moghel. If you know and understand yourself. Know what you want becuase you want it not because other people have it, at the end of the day, it’s your life and it’s only you who can control it.

Kay Waga Tshireletso

If you’re not ready, then you’re not ready. AI once attended this working gotwe if you think of getting in a relationship then think of all the things that come with it. Mjolo comes with a whole lot of expectations and demands. Are you ready for sex? Are you ready for a heartbreak? Are you willing to sacriﬁce your study time for mjolo?

Ounah Suzie

I think you should sit down and talk to her, like try to make her understand as her friend and yes if you think about it she might no listen to your advice so try taking help from the guidance and counselling teacher so that you can both talk to her. Maybe when someone with experience and knowledge...someone older talks to her she might understand.

Reﬁlwe Fiﬁ Kay Makwati

Well bbe gal just be honest with her ok bcuz if she still considers you a friend she will listen to you.

dimplecakes_

"Plis help. I think I'm losing ma frrwend. She don't wanna hang out out with me these days a re kea bora bcoz I'm not interested in her new friends. I spotted them after school smoking, ke ha a re ene she's just having fun. How do I help her without pushing her away?"

Hi Baby girl, I’ve been in multiple similiar situations but unlike you, I wasn’t wise enought to realize the problem isn’t me...you see we’re young and nobody is permanent at our age. It is sad and disappointing at times but it;s time you fround friends that appreciate andvalue friendship as much as you do. Don’t forget to live up to what you value...do not even lower your standards and try to ﬁt in with the “unboring crowd” move on and be the best version of yourself and as for your friend?? She’ll probably be back once she sees you make it in life, and I’m sure by then you’ll know what to do.

True Life Stories

My Story

I was Raped by my Cousin, and it Destroyed Me

By: Anonymous SKY Girl

Kesureka Girlpower Keshapoka Sexualabuse

It all started on a Friday night when I visited him at his house for a sleepover. I woke up in the middle of the night, naked, but I knew that I was in my PJ's when I went to bed. I didn't say anything but I was wondering gore what happened. I wanted to tell my mom but I didn't, because I wasn’t sure of what exactly happened.

The second time, I caught him touching me sexually and undressing me. I went to the bathroom and cried, then called my mom to come pick me up, but she asked me why because it was around 2am. I hung up and slept in the bathroom. Later the same day, around 11am, my mom came and she had forgotten that I called her so she didn't ask me anything. I didn't say anything to her. I think because I was 13 at that time, the reason I didn't tell anyone is because I was fearful and I was scared that people wouldn’t believe me. Three months later, I went back to his house for a sleepover. This time around he went to sleep ﬁrst so I thought nothing would happen.

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was him on top of me and he was like "ohh so tsogile" and I told him to get off me. He told me not to be scared and that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. Eventually he finished and I rushed to the bathroom. I couldn't walk so I bathed and cried, then called my mom and she was there in a few minutes. I told her everything. She fought with her sister and then she took me to the hospital.

I got tested for HIV and I was negative, I also got tested to check whether I was pregnant or not and I wasn't pregnant. My mom's sister started hating me and said I was trying to destroy her son’s life.

My mom asked me not to report this to the police just to keep peace among the family. I was so broken and hurt.

What I would say to a SKY girl who has experienced the same thing is please ﬁnd somebody to talk to. Even if they won’t believe you, ﬁnd someone who does believe you. Tell your truth and let God do the rest.

SKY Says:

Every girl has the right to feel safe. Every girl has the right to live a life free from abuse. Every girl should be believed when they tell people about a crime committed against them. Every girl has the right to tell the police about a crime committed against them. Know that this is not your fault, the person who sexually abuses anyone is the one at fault. Reach out, speak to someone. Don’t try to go through this alone. If you know someone who has been through this make sure you believe them when they open up to you, be there for them and let them know they are not alone.

Any SKY Girl who has experienced assault of any kind can contact Botswana GBV prevention & support on 74264081 (WhatsApp available). They have a youth friendly clinic that can assist with counselling and can also help report your case. You have nothing to feel ashamed about. Reach out to them. They are there to help you. We love you SKY Girl.

mentalhealth

D Lets talk about our 6

epression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia...that’s just a tip of the iceberg. Did you know that there are over 200 classiﬁed forms of mental illnesses? Yeah I was shocked too.

So, mental illnesses are just basically a wide range of problems with many symptoms and causes and we have seven different types which we’ll talk about in this article.

Anxiety Disorder - a group of mental disorders characterised by signiﬁcant feelings of anxiety (a worry about future events) and fear. It could be caused by chemical imbalances, trauma or inherited. Symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness or sudden overwhelming fear. Treatment methods include psychotherapy and medication. ‘Fun fact’- women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety.

Depression - a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest and can interfere with our daily functioning. This could be caused by early childhood trauma, illnesses, substance misuse or genetics. Symptoms include feelings of emptiness and suicidal thoughts. Medication, light therapy and other forms of therapy are effective treatments depending on the type of depression.

Bipolar disorder - causes extreme mood shifts ranging from mania to depression. A sudden change from being joyful to being irritable is one of the major symptoms and could be caused by genetics. Treatments include medication and psychotherapy.

Eating disorders - range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits to develop characterised by constant weight ﬂuctuations and/or chronic dieting. There may be need for medical care and monitoring when ‘curing’ this disorder.

failure to relate to people with a number of treatments including CBT, DBT, CAT and MBT.

Post-traumatic stress disordercondition triggered by a terrifying event causing ﬂashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety. Usually happens due to a traumatic experience and disturbing thoughts, feelings and dreams related to the thoughts but the effects can be reduced through counselling and/or medication.

1 7 2 3 4 5

Personality disorders - type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning and behaving mainly caused by unstable or chaotic family life, bullying/ exclusion or abuse and could be distinguished by excessive mood swings or a

Psychotic disorder - severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions including delusions and/or hallucinations caused by extreme stress, substance abuse or physical stress. Antipsychotics can be used to help subside the effects.

GETTING HELP

“Trauma is not your fault but healing is your responsibility.” Accepting that you need help with either understanding or dealing with your thoughts and emotions is important. Lucky for you there are a number of organisations willing to assist you. Speak to a friend, family member or guidance counsellor about your feelings. Approach a clinic or mental health organisations (e.g. Valor mental health foundationyou could check out their facebook page for more info). Know that you are not alone. If you know a friend struggling with their mental health, don’t let them suffer alone, reach out and involve them in your life. Check on them. If you are struggling, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Many people go through this and it’s OK to reach out and seek help. You are not a burden.

…in the last edition of Yaya the Powerful, our heroine Yaya met her ancestors and discovered she had SUPER POWERS! We asked you to choose her superhero name and costume. Find out what happens next, on…

So Zee, it’s decided.

I am… Superfro!

Iyoh! Yaya, I love it! We should go on an adventure tsa bo superman yaana! What should we start with?

And so, Yaya used her superpowers for the very first time…

She used her power of attraction to get nice things

ancestors,

She used her power of superspeed to bake a cake in 1 minute

And she used her power of flight to go on holiday. Sbwl vacation

Eish, you’re right, I’m sorry. Come on Zee, it’s time to go home and start acting like a real superhero!

Meanwhile, in a secret hideout on the hills…

Have you heard about the new superhero in town? Who does she think she is? Nxla!

Ao ngwanaka, this is not how all your other super-ancestors used their powers!

You are missing the HERO part of superhero, gal!

You know Spots… I think I’m going to have to give this girl a test. Re bone gore what she’s really made of…

But her

Naledi and Dipuo, had been watching the whole time.

It’s

00:09

Now YOU choose what happens! Every issue, vote on what Yaya should do next on the skygirlsbw Facebook page! So, for her first real superhero mission, what do you think Yaya should do to stay true to herself? Should she save her dad, save the kids or try to save both but risk saving neither… Have your say over on Facebook now!

sky nation help me decide what i should do!

Yaya’s father is falling from a construction site and there’s a bomb in a primary school bus! What should Yaya do?

B) save the kids

A) save her dad C)

At SKY, we believe knowledge is power! The more we know, the more we are capable of. So this magazine issue, we are addressing some common harmful myths that a lot of teenagers might have heard. Let’s look at some of the top myths surrounding Sex, Covid and Smoking #GetTheFacts

MYTH: COVID IS JUST THE SAME AS FLU

FACT: Covid has similar symptoms as the ﬂu. But it’s much worse because it’s brand new, so no one in the whole world had immunity to it when it started. That means it spread through the world really quickly, compared to a ﬂu which spreads much more slowly because some people are already immune to it. Also, we don’t know yet what long-term damage might be caused in people who have Covid so it’s worse in that way too.

MYTH: YOU CAN CURE COVID YOURSELF AT HOME

FACT: There’s actually no CURE for Covid. The best thing is prevention (mask, sanitise, distance and eventually get a vaccine!) but if someone does contract Covid they can’t cure it at home. We can only treat the symptoms, meaning if you have a sore throat you can drink hot lemon and honey, or if you have a headache you can drink headache pills. But there is nothing you can do at home to ‘kill’ Covid, or to ‘cure’ it.

MYTH: COVID ONLY AFFECTS OLD AND SICK PEOPLE

FACT: Anyone can contract Covid. Unfortunately nobody has natural immunity which is why we are all at risk. It is true that older people and people who are already sick are more likely to get very ill with Covid. But it is ALL of our responsibility to not contract it. If you’re young and healthy, you might not have any symptoms but you could pass it onto someone older, like your grandparents, or someone else you care about, and they could become very ill.

MYTH:

TEEN GIRLS WHO BECOME PREGNANT ARE IRRESPONSIBLE

FACT: We have heard some crazy theories, like sperm can travel at night if you just sleep in a bed with a boy, or you can get pregnant from sitting on a dirty toilet seat, or kissing a lot. No! There is only one way to fall pregnant and that is for a male and a female to have sex. Of course, a pregnancy doesn’t always happen but if she is ‘of reproductive age’ (any time after you start your period and before you stop your periods when you are old), it is possible.

FACT: A teen girl becomes pregnant for different reasons. She might have been pressured by her boyfriend, or someone else. She might have used birth control (e.g. a condom) but been unlucky and it didn’t work. We don’t know someone’s situation so re shapo ka judgement. One thing we do know is that pregnant teen girls deserve love and support, it’s not their fault. Also – we don’t usually hear the father of the baby being called irresponsible, do we? Seems kind of unfair!

MYTH: YOU HAVE TO HAVE SEX WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND IF YOU WANT TO KEEP

Any guy who pressures you to have sex with him (or to do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing) doesn’t deserve you. It is wrong to pressure someone like that. If he tells you he wants you to ‘prove your love’, tell him he should believe your WORDS. If you are not ready for that kind of thing, you both have the option of waiting, or ending the relationship. Pressure is not an option. Trust us, there are lots of great boys out there who are respectful and would never pressure you!

FACT: Everyone knows there’s tobacco in cigarettes right? But did you know that hubbly (also known as hookah or pipe) also contains tobacco? Some people think it’s just ﬂavour or smoke but actually the main thing put inside and smoked is tobacco. Some people add different things too (including drugs sometimes, so be careful!) but if someone tries a hubbly, they are deﬁnitely smoking tobacco. BTW, e-cigarettes and vapes also have tobacco. They’re all in the same app group.

MYTH: HUBBLY ISN’T BAD FOR YOU

Because hubbly contains tobacco, it is just as harmful as cigarettes. It has all the same chemicals in – the ones that make your skin dull, make your throat hurt and put you at risk of cancer and other diseases. No matter how innocent it seems, hubbly is bad for you in every way. It’s basically like sharing one huge cigarette between a group of people. You wouldn’t share a lollipop with a big group of people (eww), you wouldn’t do it with a cigarette (double eww) so deﬁnitely don’t do it with a

MYTH: SMOKING RELIEVES

There is a common myth that smoking tobacco (e.g. cigarettes or hubbly) helps to relieve stress you might be experiencing in your life. But actually it just adds more stress because of the addictive chemicals. Then when you don’t smoke you will become stressed and your body will crave smoking again to relieve that NEW stress. But it doesn’t help the original stress at all. Rather ﬁnd a way to relieve that original stress in a healthy, productive and effective way!

by Gamuchirai Tsara

Have you ever woken up with a dull pain on your forehead and a small bump to accompany it? Acne, our common enemy. We need to unite against the evil forces of whiteheads, blackheads and more. Here are 5 easy steps to do just that.

Re sure ka washing your face twice a day

Washing your face is incredibly important in order to reduce sebum and dead skin cell build up in your pores. I recommend washing your face before school and before you sleep to keep that skin ﬂawless and supple. Okuuuurrrrr!

Re sure ka moisturising

Moisturise. Moisturise. Moisturise. Lotion, sunscreen and lip-gloss are your BFFs in this #skingoaljourney. Moisturise your skin after every wash to prevent cracked skin. You don’t want your skin to be looking all ashy, do you?”

Re sure ka water

2 litres. That’s your goal every day. 2 litres. Why? Because dehydration will have your skin looking dry, ﬂaky and tight, like a snake’s skin. Ewwwwww… Peznally, I use a period tracking app (called Flo) to keep count of how much water I drink every day and it really helps. 2 3 1

pimples are natural, but we need to take care of our skin too.

DID YOU KNOW? The word “hundred” comes from the old Norse term, “hundrath”, which actually means 120 and not 100

Letter to my 14 year old self

KE SURE KA

Self love Ambition Self con dence

KE SHAPO KA Smoking

‘Pull her down’ syndrome

Negative peer pressure

Dear Rea,

ReaKopiisatheCEOofEsse personality,Media,aformerBTVTV andGabzFM artist,radiohost.She’savoiceover creator.MC,anddigitalcontent #REAonline#REAonAir#REAonTV #REAeverywhere#REAonStage

You would say “I’m going to create and host my own TV talk show.” You didn’t know how or when you would even start the process but all you knew was that you loved this thing called TV and you wanted to make it for the rest of your life.

I remember the time you went to your mom and told her how pretty Meagan Good is, and your mom could sense your low self-esteem, how you felt you weren’t as pretty as her. She looked you in the face and said, “You’re so beautiful, naturally so.” And that stuck with you. Ever since then, you’ve never doubted your own beauty regardless of who is next to you.

I know that your parents’ divorce really did a number on you. Time and time again you would have thoughts to take your own life. But God is faithful. You felt misunderstood, unloved, unwanted and uncared for. You felt unnoticed by your parents and the repercussions of their decisions. Then you found Jesus, and He told you that “He knew you, he knead you in your mother’s womb.” And you ﬁnally found a belonging in God.

Being a teenager comes with battling with self-esteem issues and ﬁguring out what you want. I’m so glad you didn’t allow peer pressure to get to you. Saying no to things you didn’t really want, like alcohol and smoking. Deciding to focus on school, getting good grades and working on your passion, television. The time you take investing in watching YouTube videos of how to be articulate, how to be conﬁdent and how to interview will reward you years from now.

REA, you are so precious. God-ordained and very much meant to be in this world and take up space. I love you and I GET you.

Quotes to brighten your day

You’d be a fool not to take me as I am [extracted from As I Am]

- H.E.R

People will appreciate who you are when you're naturally being who you are.

- Ari Lennox

I try never to compare myself to other people. I just think this is who I am. You are happier when you think that way.

- Jesy Nelson [from Little Mix]

I’m louder and bigger with my curls. There’s power in them.

- Yara Shahidi

- Pearl Thusi You are going to be the future. I’m passing the baton over to you

SKY Anthem lyrics

Verse 1: Dato Seiko

Dreams too big, too big

Aiming for the stars

Gonna paint the city pink, city pink

Paint my sky

There is nothing I can not achieve

if I put my mind to it to it

And there is nothing better than living in the moment living in the moment

Verse 2: Gaone Pheto

Got the dreams on a platinum

Pretty little Queen

You can write your own anthem

Chorus: Khoisan

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

Verse 3: Han C

Be the best they ever seen

Bring those shadows to their knees

All I see is green

Gonna make sure that I win

Ain't no going back

Get myself awards now

Get my name on boards

My own lil kingdom

ggrrr

A gona ope yo ka nkgatakakang

Talk to the hand, ha o mpata kgang

Ke sure nna shapo ka wena

Tonkonkwane? o ta sala wena

Ga nkitla ineela

Le fatshe le nthanogela

Ke tlo ikamogela

Ke tlo ikamogela ooh ke tlo ikamogela!

Verse 4: Jordan

Unstoppable you know it

Too powerful so show it

Remarkable

You’re beautiful oohh

DID YOU KNOW? In a room of 23 people there’s a 50% chance that two people have the same birthday

A re ‘O mookodi mma wee, mma wee’ choss!! Turn up the volume and sing along to the SKY Anthem using the correct lyrics! Kana we know re ikopella hela… learn the lyrics and send us your favourite lines. Enjoy!! xo

Stay true to yourself

Fearless strong

Conﬁdence go rock it

Trail blazer no stopping you

Chorus: Khoisan

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

My sky

Sky

My sky has no limit

Kare ba mpoleletse, kare ba mpoleletse

My sky

Sky

My sky has no limit

Kare ba mpoleletse, kare ba mpoleletse

Maikutlo a sirelediweng

Let's go and have fun chest out

Snapchat, skateboarding with conﬁdence

Sing and dancing SKY Girls

girlie let's go Ya mahn!

O se e agele mosakoo

O se e nnele lekgotlaa

Ooh yes giant

Just wanna be me giant

Ooh yes giant

Just wanna be me giant

Khoisan: Chorus

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

O Mookodi Mma wee Mma Wee

Ntsha pelo pelaelo

Ntsha pelo pelaeo

Helelee Helelee

My sky Sky

My sky has no limit

Kare ba mpoleletse, kare ba mpoleletse

My sky

Sky

My sky has no limit

Kare ba mpoleletse, kare ba mpoleletse

The Karate TWINS

Onkemetse and Tshegofatso Chepete, AKA the Chepete Twins or ‘Double Trouble’ are two young women from Shoshong in Central District. They are 20-year-old twins and they are karate masters! When we heard about these young women we thought we HAD to feature them in SKY Magazine. So, over to Onks and Tshego to learn a bit about their passion for karate.

We both started karate in 2012, after we fell in love with it after constantly being at the dojo watching friends and other students train at the session. After developing an interest we joined them and began to train at Kagiso Karate Club, which we are still members up until now.

Our journey was never a walk in the park but staying true to ourselves and our values came in handy. The first tournament we attended was the national team selection in 2012. We came 2nd and 3rd in our first tournament and that on its own was an inspiration to continue and learn more about the sport and become one of the best. After this we made a pact to become better and improve in each tournament we attended, and from then on we always made sure we brought something back home in the form of a medal (gold medals only!). We had to face each other at first as we were in the same category and had to fight each other, but we always made sure that we both make it to the final and face each other for gold.

Even though we always wanted to do the best in both our categories, in 2016 only one of us made it to the national team, and that was Onkemetse. Then the following year, 2017, Tshegofatso also made it to the team and we did our best at international level and brought medals for our country. Just last year one of us was awarded with the most prestigious award at the FNB BOTESSA sports awards being the Sportsperson of the year award after getting the Best Female Player of the year 2019/2020 award. We were both nominated for it but Onkemetse came at the top – that’s the only problem with being twins, we’re not allowed to share our medals!

The challenges we have faced so far are mainly issues of ﬁnance. Karate demands one to invest a lot of money in order to meet

Tshego

Ke sure ka Success, fashion & sisterhood

Ke shapo ka

Negative vibes & fake friends

Ke sure ka Success Happiness, Hashion & family.

Ke shapo ka

Drinking & smoking, Partying

Negative vibes or energy

Onks

standards to compete, starting with buying attire and equipment. Our advice to SKY Girls would be that determination and self-belief is the answer to achieving what you want. Not forgetting hard work and getting rid of anything that brings negative energy or vibes into your life. Always surround yourself with positive people or people who help you grow and not people who try to pull you down. Always believe in yourself, stay true to your values, principles and standards and never listen to anyone that tells you that what you want to do is impossible, rather tell them with God everything is possible.

The same goes for those who try to pursue something that is said to be done by men only. Do it, and succeed in that to show them that you're a woman who did what many thought you couldn't do. We have made it this far only by staying true to ourselves and living up to our sures and shapos.

DID YOU KNOW? “Forty” is the only number that is spelt with letters arranged in alphabetical order Most mathematical symbols weren’t invented until the 16th century. Before that, equations were written in words

By Gamuchirai Tsara

Athleisure

Check out Skai Jackson arriving at Dancing With The Stars Studio in Los Angeles. Looking cute in a monochromatic lavender ﬁt. A pair of cycling shorts and matching long-sleeve top and a pair of white Converse. WORK IT GIRL!

We saw it on the trends forecast on page 26, we’ve seen it in the streets. Now let’s check out the diﬀerent ways to enjoy athleisure, the dopeass combination of athletic and leisure-wear. sbwl!

Remember High School Musical? Remember Gabriella? Well, there she is… sorry… there is Vanessa Hudgens. Ankle-length tights? Check. Sports bra? Check. Small bag? Check. Mask? Check. Dog? Check. There you have it folks 5/5.

Beyonce’s Ivy Park was a top hit in 2020 and Hailey Bieber shows this with ease. Yes, we like unicolor ﬁts, but here at SKY we love pops of colour and colour-blocking even more. Our resident fashionistas rated this get-up a solid 5/5.

This unique ﬁt screams “Therefore I Am.”

Billie Eilish’s style has always been unique and edgy, and this purple and white combo is no exception. The baggy hoodie was a lockdown fave with a comfy pair of sweatpants.

Pearl Thusi is a Queen on and off her new Netﬂix show. The hair? On Fleek. Beauty? Unmatched. Talent? Incomparable. The ﬁt? Cute and simple

SWEATPANTS & SWEATSHIRTS! The only highlight of that 3-month long lockdown. Marsai Martin is decked out in this matching grey hoodie and joggers and we are here for it. This has me feeling Blackish? Mixedish? Grownish? More like Homeish.

Goddess Box Braids

These boho braids have a curly twist which makes them stand out. This is a Gen Z trend which allows us to truly express ourselves without saying much.

gen z

Fluffy and colourful slip-ons

Comfort is key and these colourful “slides” are a must-have. They are perfect for going to the mall with friends or simply chilling at home. The colourful slides are a huge trend as they are a way of expressing how bold you are. They are normally paired with a simple look and essentially become the “main” point of focus in an outﬁt.

Y2K Handbags

“Y2K” stands for the “year 2000” and right now we are getting a lot of fashion inspo from that era, with a modern touch of course. These Y2K handbags are trending due to their half-mooned shape and iconic traits. They were previously known as the “IT BAG”, but now they are back with a new name and since we never got to experience it in the early 2000s, we are loving and rocking it!

Netflix

We love Netﬂix because it brings a whole world of entertainment right to our screens, and we can binge watch all we want!. Currently watching: Bridgerton, and To All The Boys: Always and Forever.

trends

Miniature Bags

Some call them “micro bags”. These bags are for Gen Z who want to look casual but with a modern and classy look. They have been trending and continue to because of how cute they are. Also, we get away with having these bags because lip gloss ﬁts perfectly in them!

TikTok

The ultimate game-changer in producing hilarious and shareable video content. Having a TikTok account is a must-have! And don’t forget to check out the SKY Anthem TikTok challenge and learn the dance!

Local Music

Music never goes out of style, but for Gen Z right now we are loving the success some of our peers are having. On our playlists right now: Wedu Majingo, Katso Busang, Flyboi Que, Dato Seiko and Jordan MoOzy.

Clout Glasses

The best accessory to complement any look. Clout glasses are a trend because they usually have a lot of colour and being able to choose a colour allows us to show our individuality. Also, we will always appreciate sunglasses especially in the hot Bots climate.

Athleisure Fashion

Casual, comfortable but stylish. This is what Gen Z is about and these minimalistic looks capture this. The casual nature of generation Z is often looked down upon, but this is because we are aware that our joy and peace come ﬁrst; we are not afraid to be who we truly are. Sometimes this means wanting to look casual in leggings, sweats or biker shorts. One thing you can always count on though is that we will always look great.

THANK YOU all for sending us pictures of yourselves with SKY drip. If you spot yourself on our ‘SKY Spotted’ pages, you win limited edition SKY merch! So send us your photos with SKY Magazine, your wristband or ANYTHING SKY for the chance to appear on these pages :)

S ky SPOTTED

SKY Scopes

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

You may feel as though everyone around you has it all together and you may ﬁnd yourself doubting yourself. DON’T, you are on the right track. Trust the process and the power within you. This 2021 is yours so make the best out of it.

ARIES

(Mar 21 - Apr 19)

You are not into the ‘traditional’ way of doing things. This is a good thing because you will start to see your creative side prospering. Take advantage of the social connections you have to collaborate and you will see great things happening.

TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20)

You are headstrong and you know what you want. This is who you are, but in this season, take your time when making big decisions so that you are sure of what exactly you want to do. Be it the subjects to study or how best to divide your time. You will see this paying off during the year.

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 20)

You might need to go on an adventure just to get your thoughts aligned with what you truly want. Whatever you face in this season, remember to stay true to yourself and what you want. Your desires matter. You matter.

CANCER (Jun 20 - Jul 22)

Your conﬁdence is starting to grow in ways that will shock other people. Mme hela, o ska wara. As you continue to live conﬁdently and boldly, your friends and family will also emulate that and thank you for truly being yourself.

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22)

All the goals you have been working on tirelessly are about to become a reality. You should know that there are people around you who are willing to help you. It’s OK to ask for help. All you need to do is believe in your goals and voice them out. You got this!

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 21)

Your life is on a path that you should trust. Everything you are doing will beneﬁt you in the future, so continue living loud and being your true self. Re sure ka wena!!

VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 21)

It’s time for you to take a chance and start something you’ve always wanted to do. Don’t let fear get in the way of your light shining through. Just prepare yourself to share your talents with the world because the world needs you sis. The trick is to start!

LIBRA (Sept 22 - Oct 23)

Don’t lose your focus in this season. You need to constantly remind yourself that you deserve kindness. You need to show yourself this kindness, then you will see other people doing the same. You are worthy of love, joy, peace and success. Believe that!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21)

Communication is key in all areas. Don’t be afraid to let your voice be heard- your opinions are valid. Le wena wa itse gore you are meant for greatness. Don’t let fear stand in your way, especially in this season.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

Remember to speak kindly to yourself and about yourself. Bo “Amme ke tlaa kgona?” are not needed. This is important for you as you step into your best self.

Puzzles and Games Puzzles and Games

Who is your celebrity best friend?

What’s your personality?

A) Introverted & Sweet

B) Mysterious & Daring

C) Trendy & Fashionable

D) Cool & Conﬁdent

What’s your favourite thing to do?

A) Camping

B) Quad biking

C) Shopping

D) Netﬂix

What’s your favourite song?

A) Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo

B) Therefore I am - Billy Eilish

C) Dynamite - BTS

D) You got it - VEDO

What’s your favourite thing to eat?

A) Chocolate cake

B) Wing & rib

C) Wafﬂes

D) Pizza

The first 3 words you see will define your 2021 the most!

My 2021 Charm

Yogurt Cheesecake Homemade

Hi SKY Girls,

I’m Barati and I’m excited to share with you my favorite thing to bake with my sisters and cousin during the holidays. I chose to send this recipe because it's my favourite and I felt like sharing it with SKY Girls so they can try it out. Here are the easy steps to making your own cheesecake at home.

Ingredients:

1 litre plain yoghurt

1 400ml tin condensed milk

200g lemon cream biscuits

1 lemon

½ cup sugar

½ cup mixed berries

Method:

Step 1: Crush lemon cream biscuits into a bowl

Step 2: Microwave/heat them for 30 sec then pour into a baking pan

Step 3: In a separate bowl, add plain yogurt and 1 tin of condensed milk

Step 4: Mix the 2 and heat for 3 minutes on low heat in the microwave

Step 5: Pour the mixture on top of the biscuits in the baking pan then smoothen it

Step 7: In a separate pan, add ½ cup of sugar, mixed berries, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and water, then cook until its thick

Step 8: Drizzle it on top of the other mixture and refrigerate for 4 hours or till the top layer is set.

Other recommendations I have that can work with the recipe are peach slices, strawberry and any biscuits like tennis biscuits. You can get the ingredients at Spar or Choppies or any supermarket ‘cause they are aﬀordable.