The healthier lifestyle magazine for Africans ISSUE 22 - AUTUMN 2019

GIVE HIV FREE THE FINGER COPY TESTING IS NOW EASIER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN ESSENTIAL LISTENING SMART Podcasts you FINANCES shouldn’t miss Fast track to financial independence

Celebrating DOPE BLACK DADS PLUS with HEALTH. BOOKS. BEAUTY Marvyn Harrison CONTENTS Dear Readers, AUTUMN 2019

Welcome to the latest issue of . 04 CULTURE Introducing 7 inspirational podcasts With Winter just around the corner, here at mambo HQ we’ve unpacked our jumpers and fired up the radiators 06 CULTURE The uproar about ready to see us through the cold months ahead. In this the new Ariel issue of we’ll be meeting the father behind Dope Black Dads, the incredible project that is 08 PEOPLE Marvyn Harrison on supporting and empowering black dads here and abroad. Dope Black Dads

BEAUTY We’re getting ready for a busy National HIV Testing Week. In this issue, 10 Hyperpigmentation we’ll take a look at the celebs and influencers that are making Testing specialist Dr. Rattan Week even bigger this year, getting more people testing regularly, the earlier the better. Testing is more important than ever, as recent figures 12 HEALTH Testing for HIV has from Public Health show that rates of late diagnosis in our never been easier community are still too high, with 54% of black Africans getting their diagnosis late, often after damage has been done to the body’s immune 19 BOOKS Booker Prize winner system. We’re telling everyone that this can be avoided by testing regularly Bernardine Evaristo and getting onto treatment straightaway if the result is positive. 22 MONEY Tips towards financial Our resident reporter Lateefah Jean-Baptiste investigates how hyper- independence pigmentation is a problem for many black women of colour and gets some tips from specialist Dr.Vanita Rattan. And it’s not Christmas yet, but 24 ASK THE EXPERTS Our experts answer it might feel like it as we give you some amazing recommendations for your dilemmas the best podcasts from black brits broadcasting today. 26 HEALTH Raising awareness In Ask the Experts, our team of health experts, medics and community of Sickle Cell figures provide solutions to your problems. If you need advice, or some help with a problem, please get in touch and our experts will respond to you. 28 SUPPORT Help and support addresses Happy reading and from all of us at mambo, we wish you a very happy festive season. 30 AFRICAN ROUND-UP News from across the PHOTOGRAPH THOMAS KNIGHTS continent

Taku Mukiwa

© Terrence Higgins Trust November 2019 Registered office: 314-320 Gray’s In Road, YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE! WC1X 8DP. We would like to know what you think of magazine. Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered If you have any questions about this resource, or would like charity in England and Wales (reg. no. information on the evidence used to produce it, please email 288527) and in (SC039986). Company reg. no. 1778149. A company @tht.org.uk Alternatively, you could write to: limited by guarantee. The Editor, magazine, Terrence Higgins Trust, 314-320 Gray’s Inn Road, London, WC1X 8DP. Cover photo courtesy of Sarpong Photography

AUTUMN 2019 03 7 PODCASTS BY BLACK BRITS THAT YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO

Podcasts offer the opportunity for people whose voices are often unheard to have a platform to share their stories.

A podcast is a series of digital audio files which someone can download free to listen to, usually on their mobile phones. You can now find people listening to podcast episodes on their travels, in the gym and even whilst at work.

Here are just some podcasts by black Brits that we think you TOUCHLINE FRACAS curated this podcast alongside events. Kelechi also runs a pole should be locked into. her agency. The podcast features fitness studio in Peckham called Football lovers - this one’s for interviews with everyone from Kelechnekoff, so yes she is a you. Join the guys as they have freelancers to business owners woman of many talents! a good chat about all things on how they use social media • Available to listen to on Soundcloud. football related. From racism in to their benefit. If you want to sports to match overviews and know more about how you can THE RECEIPTS PODCAST DISUNOMICS IN GOOD COMPANY deadline days. The podcast gives use social media to boost your RICE AT HOME football fanatics the chance career and build your brand then Ever wondered what would The main aim of this podcast This one’s for all the inspiring to eavesdrop on gripping this is definitely one for you. The name of the podcast alone happen if your group chat is to make economics relevant, girl bosses and future female debates from all corners of the • On Apple and Soundcloud. invokes memories of your mum was being spied on? That’s relatable and entertaining to CEOs. In Good Company is a footballing world. telling you there is food at the best way to describe the everyone. From the property podcast for working women, • Available to listen to on Apple, home. Rice At Home is hosted unapologetic tone of The ladder to entrepreneurship, hosted by Otegha Uwagba. Soundcloud and Spotify. SAY YOUR MIND by Ama, Travis, and Michael. We Receipt Podcast. Hosted by Tolly Disunomics covers it all. You Full of practical advice, fresh all know that managing your T, Milena and Audrey. They are might find yourself really ideas, and interviews with smart, If you follow Kelechi Okafor personal finances is not easy. willing to talk about anything intrigued by topics that you’d successful women. From editors PUDS&CO on Twitter then you know that Join the guys as they embark from relationships to awkward usually never pay any mind to – to authors and entrepreneurs - she is the epitome of an on an unconventional journey to situationships to pop culture. You and that’s the beauty of listening it’s an essential listen for working Puds&Co is actually the name of unapologetic black woman. become financially free in their can expect unadulterated girl to this podcast. women of all levels. a social-first marketing agency. Say Your Mind is hosted by 30s. talk with no filter. • Available to listen to on Apple, • Available to listen to on Apple and The founder of the agency and Kelechi who offers her take • Available to listen to on Apple, • Available exclusively on Spotify. Soundcloud and Spotify. Spotify. host Elizabeth Puddicombe on current social and cultural Soundcloud and Spotify.

04 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 05 o o o o o

o o #NotMyAriel: o o THE LITTLE MERMAID o o o CAN BE WHATEVER COLOUR SHE WANTS TO BE BY LATEEFAH JEAN-BAPTISTE

This summer, it was announced that singer/actress Halle o Bailey will be playing the lead role Ariel in the live action remake of The Little Mermaid.

For those who don’t know, Halle Bailey is ½ of the RnB music duo Chloe x Halle. If the soulful voices of the two sisters aren’t enough to win you over, then the fact that they have been co-signed by Beyoncé should definitely do the trick. In an age bursting with remakes, the movie came as no surprise. But what was surprising, was to see the racist outbursts of those upset that mermaid Ariel was being played by a black actress. The uproar turned into a trending Twitter hashtag #NotMyAriel, with tweets ludicrously claiming that Ariel was white due to science. ‘My opinion on why mermaids are white is that they live so deep o underwater that sunlight hardly reaches them. Other sensible o o tweets pointed out the obvious, that mermaids can be any colour o they want to be – they’re not actually real. o o ‘If you’re a racist, you’re probably justifying your complaints o about The Little Mermaid being black by saying “It’s not realistic’. ‘Please Please remember, Mermaids of any ethnicity, singing crabs, talking fish and handsome, caring men don’t exist.’ The hashtag remember, revealed something important about race and representation in mermaids of Hollywood. For years white Americans have been privileged to Photograph by Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock see themselves reflected in everything from tv to film. For years, any ethnicity, Disney and Pixar characters were always white by default. In fact, Disney created 49 films from 1937-2009 before delivering singing crabs, their first black princess Tiana in The Princess and the Frog. Young talking fish black girls watched an entire catalogue of films never seeing themselves. and handsome, With all this going on Halle still managed to keep it classy. o At the Variety Power of Young Hollywood event Bailey said: ‘I’m caring men just grateful. I don’t pay attention to the negativity; I just feel like this role is something bigger than me. And it’s going to be don’t exist.’ o o beautiful. I’m just so excited to be a part of it.’ o 06 AUTUMN 2019 ONCE YOU HAD THE IDEA, HOW DOPE BLACK DADS: DID YOU MAKE IT A REALITY? It was all organic and still is. We started as a group and the SUPPORTING conversations were so rich that we put them in a podcast to deep dive without filters. Now it’s a BLACK FATHERS multi-national platform.

Sarpong Photography WHAT MAKES A DOPE BLACK On Father’s Day last year, a London dad DAD? decided to create a WhatsApp group with For me, it’s black dads who are open to challenging their all of the positive black fathers he knew standing as a man and father. It’s MARVYN’S TOP TIPS FOR BLACK FATHERS - at the time 23 dads in London, New an uncomfortable process and York and South Africa - to wish them being brave enough to enter it is • what we are looking for. CONSIDER PSYCHOTHERAPY - BE OPEN TO YOU a Happy Father’s Day ‘Thank you’ and WHAT NARRATIVE OF NOT BEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT AND EXPLORE ‘Congratulations’ for their positive influence BLACK DADS WOULD YOU LIKE • TO HEAR MORE OF in their child’s lives and changing the SELF CARE IS ESSENTIAL - HAVE A LIST OF THINGS IN THE MEDIA? YOU CAN DO TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF perception of black men for the better. Why people in difficult socio- • economical backgrounds find it CHALLENGE HOW AND WHY YOU PARENT harder to be present and positive THE WAY YOU DO ow, Dope Black Dads has grown to dads, not just as simple as black • become a community of knowledge equals absent. More visions of WORK ON KEEPING YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER Nsharing and support to hundreds of fathers that are not extraordinary, AT ALL COSTS black fathers directly and thousands globally just a black dad living because through their digital ‘safe spaces’ content, that’s the types of dads I know. including a new podcast. WHAT HAS BEEN THE ’S TAKU MUKIWA RESPONSE TO DBDS? SPOKE TO THE FOUNDER, Fantastic from all corners of by our community and much of HOW DO PEOPLE INVOLVE? MARVYN HARRISON. society, I really thank every the financial burden has been Through our Facebook group, contributor – it needs held by us. We need support from that will be the main space for us TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF everyone to do one small businesses, wider community and going forward as we can serve a I am a married father of thing for us to sustain it. the public sector. larger global community. two currently working in HAVE YOU FACED WHAT DO THE MEN WHO ARE WHAT’S NEXT FOR DBDS? advertising and I am the ANY CHALLENGES PART OF YOUR NETWORK Our focus is collecting more founder of Dope Black AND HOW HAVE VALUE THE MOST ABOUT DBDS? fathers and providing more Dads. YOU GOT The ability to share unfiltered services for them to grow. WHY DID YOU START AROUND THEM? talk about anything which affects BY THE WAY WHO’S YOUR DOPE BLACK DADS? Funding is difficult, us and that allows us to grow in FOOTBALL TEAM? Mainly because I was lonely we are crowd funded different ways. Arsenal, when they win. LOL. as a father and wanted to build a community of like-minded people who would have empathy with my lived experience. Being a father is tough www.dopeblackdads.com + The Dope Black Dads podcast on BBC Sounds and no man should do it in isolation. each week + Twitter @dopeblackdads + facebook.com/dopeblackdads/

08 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 09 Hyperpigmentation is a problem for many black women of colour. Find out what happened when ‘s Lateefah Jean-Baptiste sat down to speak to hyperpigmentation specialist Dr. Vanita Rattan. A SOLID SKIN CARE REGIME

• Wash your face in the morning with a gentle facial wash, no harsh acids or scrubs. Many peo- DEALING WITH ple think if they use scrubs, they can scrub away the dark marks. But this is only temporary, and HYPERPIGMENTATION in the long run you’re actually making it worse. After you’ve here is nothing more hyperpigmentation a lot worse. ‘A lot of the women washed your face, use a frustrating that going to As a woman of colour, your skin moisturiser and SPF lotion, then Tbed with spot-free skin, and can’t afford to burn, so if you’re I see use treatments you can apply your make-up. then waking up in the morning getting any sort of treatment or to find a huge spot on your face. product that makes your skin feel that target these • Stay clear from TCA peels, as But what makes this even more like it’s stinging or burning, try to areas but were they tend to burn the skin. Also frustrating is knowing that when avoid at all costs.’ be careful with lasers as they the swelling goes down, you’re created for caucasian can burn the skin and lead to going to be left with a scar. As a woman of colour, the last pigmentation. thing you want is your scarring to skin, which is a big This is a scenario that get darker. There are many tricks no-no. As our skin • Some acids are good and many women of colour in and tips online that claim to help some acids bad. Vitamin C, particular can relate to. get rid of hyperpigmentation has a higher level of salicylic acids and hyaluronic These scars are referred quickly. With so many self- acids (in diluted forms) are all to as hyperpigmentation. proclaimed skincare gurus online melanin, women of great ingredients to incorporate Hyperpigmentation is caused by it can be hard to know who you in your skin care products, as

colour such as myself photo: Wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock.com an over-production of melanin, should be listening to. However, they can lessen the appearance which is common amongst women the best way to deal with need to very careful of dark patches. of colour. hyperpigmentation is to have a solid morning skincare regime. when targeting our ‘Stay away from laser treatments dark patches.’ and high percentage glycolic It’s important to note that peels,’ says hyperpigmentation hyperpigmentation does not skincare specialist Dr. Vanita just refer to acne scaring. Many ‘The best advice I can offer Rattan. people experience dark patches anyone is to do your research. ‘For many women of colour of skin particularly around the What works for your favourite these treatments can actually eyes, knees, elbows and inner Youtubers or celebrities might burn your skin, and make your thigh area. not necessarily work for you.’

DEALING WITH HYPERPIGMENTATION: Stay away from treatments that can potentially burn your skin + wear SPF + avoid harsh scrubs

10 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 11 QUICK HIV FACT QUICK HIV FACT SARAH MULINDWA #1 SEXUAL HEALTH NURSE You don’t have to Late diagnosis, #2 E4’S THE SEX CLINIC visit a doctor or Making a cup of clinic to get tea takes longer tested, nowadays a unique than it does to get you can do it in results from some your own home. problem for rapid HIV tests which give you people of results in a minute. black African ethnicity

remains a big TESTING FOR HIV HAS Late diagnosis of HIV problem in the UK with 43% of people NEVER BEEN EASIER. diagnosed in 2018 having been diagnosed You can test at a sexual health late. A late diagnosis means that by the clinic, at your GP, or even in time that someone finds out that they have your own home. Yet many of us HIV they might have had it on average find out we have the virus after it between three to five years without know- has started to seriously damage ing. By this point, it would have started the immune system. doing some serious damage to the immune system and they could have passed it on ‘Getting tested at first may unknowingly. appear to be scary,’ says Sarah Mulindwa, Sexual health Nurse The problem of late diagnosis is particu- on E4’s The Sex Clinic. ‘But it’s larly high amongst people of black African important to remember that ethnicity. In 2018, 54% of black African knowing your status is a lot men and women diagnosed with HIV were better than not knowing. If you diagnosed late. don’t know your status, this can Testing for HIV is free, not only have an impact on your Sarah says, ‘Not testing is not going to QUICK HIV FACT health, but can also put your stop you from being HIV positive, but what partner(s) at risk unintentionally.’ it can do is delay treatment. Recent stats #3 have proven that black African commu- You can live a long Photograph by Thomas Knights confidential and easier Sarah is just one of the celebs nities still have a worrying number of late healthy life with and influencers who are getting diagnoses which we know is not good at HIV – get tested, the message out this National all. know your status, than ever… so now is the HIV Testing Week: that we need and if you test to change this by inviting every- Late diagnosis means that you’ve tested positive, treatment one to join thousands of people positive for HIV after the virus has already keeps you healthy perfect time to do it to ‘Give HIV the finger’. After all, started to damage your immune system, and prevents a finger-prick test is all it takes. this is what we want to avoid. Which is illness. why the sooner you get tested and get on treatment the better.

12 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 13 QUICK HIV FACT Charity is from Zambia and #5 lives in London, having moved Treating HIV can be to England in 1995. Charity was as simple and easy diagnosed with HIV in 2003 as taking a couple of pills a day – and on effective treatment you can’t pass on HIV to “I’m more than proud others. to use my story GIVING LATE DIAGNOSIS THE FINGER to bust myths” (PRICK TEST) WHAT’S UNDETECTABLE? ‘I was so confident that I was okay, but what SMADE THE FACTS GIVING HIV THE FINGER Late diagnosis is totally made me go and have a test was my friend avoidable through regular HIV • If someone is on who found out she was HIV positive. When I

All photography by Thomas Knights testing. When we talk about effective HIV treatment found out I was too, my initial reaction was doing something ‘regularly’, it can and has an ‘undetectable I’m dead. That’s all I thought of. I said that’s mean different things to different viral load’ they cannot it, I’m dead and I just burst out in tears. people. The recommendation from pass on HIV. I started treatment straightaway. Public Health England is that black African men and women should have a • The viral load is the ‘Now I’m living well and I’m healthier regular HIV and STI screen if having sex amount of HIV measured than ever because I’m being monitored. without condoms with new or casual in a blood test – most Black African people like me are more partners. This means at least once a clinics in the UK classify affected by HIV but knowledge among year, and more if you have multiple undetectable as being my community remains low, which is partners. below 20 copies/ml. something I’m keen to change. I’ve been described as having ‘AIDS’, which isn’t the • The PARTNER study case – HIV and AIDS are two different TREATMENT WORKS AND…IT’S FREE! looked at 888 gay and things and I’m living well with HIV. straight couples (and HIV treatment works. With treatment, 58,000 sex acts) where ‘I’m very comfortable. Other women living someone with HIV can expect to live a one partner was HIV with HIV really inspired me. I’d say “I want long and healthy life. The earlier you positive and on effective to be like that one”. I think it was also find out you have HIV, the earlier you treatment and one was through volunteering and doing stuff with QUICK HIV FACT can access treatment. HIV negative. There were charitable organisations that made me #4 no transmissions of HIV come out of my comfort zone. It takes only six Besides keeping you healthy, HIV where the HIV positive months of being treatment has the advantage of partner has an undetect- QUICK HIV FACT ‘I’m more than proud to use my story to on treatment also reducing the level of virus in able viral load. #6 bust myths and shout loud and proud that your body to an ‘undetectable level, effective treatment means I can’t pass to become Be proud of testing called ‘undetectable viral load’. When on HIV. There’s no reason to treat me or undetectable and • It takes up to six months for HIV – remember, someone is undetectable, it means they anyone else living with HIV any differently.’ unable to pass on of treatment to become you’re keeping cannot pass on HIV to anyone else. HIV. undetectable. yourself and your partner healthy.

14 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 15 QUICK HIV FACT

#7 QUICK HIV FACT Some people can HOW TO GET TESTED live for many years Pick the best way for you from the many choices, #9 Nobody needs to without showing any most are free and all are quick and confidential. obvious symptoms know your HIV test result. You choose that they have HIV. who you tell. Testing is the only way to know SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC OR YOUR GP for sure. At startswithme.org.uk you can find where to get tested. Use the ‘where to test’ finder to get the nearest place for you to test .

TEST YOURSELF When testing yourself you have two options:

A = READ OWN RESULTS Do a finger-prick test where you get to see the result within a few minutes. You can get buy a self testing kit in some high street pharmacies and sometimes they are freely available from

Head over to Terrence Higgins Trust’s website: tht.org.uk

startswithme.org.uk B = POSTAL TEST to find out where to If you live in England you may be eligible to test locally or order a free postal test where you take a sample and send it off to a lab, who will then to order your free contact you with your result: freetesting.HIV self-sampling test.

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY QUICK HIV FACT Photograph by Thomas Knights ORGANISATION #8 Don’t be late – 54% In many areas there are local community of black African people had a late LUCIAN MSAMATI, ACTOR organisations that provide free HIV tests. Go to diagnosis in 2018. page 28 for a list of some of the organisations If you test early GIVING HIV THE FINGER that offer tests in different parts of the country. and get onto treatment you can live as long and healthy a life as anyone else.

16 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 17 BOOKER PRIZE WINNER 2019 BERNARDINE EVARISTO

Photograph by Jenny Scott courtesy of Bevaristo.com Photograph by Jenny Scott courtesy ‘We black British women know that if we don’t write ourselves into literature, no one else will.’

he Booker Prize is awarded each year for the best original novel written in the English Tlanguage and published in the United Kingdom. The winner of the Booker is generally assured international success, together with a £50,000 cheque.

However, this year wasn’t without controversy. The judges decided to shake the table and break In October, history was made the rules by awarding not one, but two authors the when Bernardine Evaristo took prize. On the 15 October, it was announced that both Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo home the Booker Prize, one of had been jointly awarded the Booker.

the most prestigious awards for Evaristo became the first black woman to win a any author to receive. Booker Prize. reported that almost 6,000 copies of her novel Girl, Woman, Other sold finds out more. in the week after her win.

AUTUMN 2019 19 PROFILE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BERNARDINE EVARISTO

• Bernardine Evaristo is the Anglo- Nigerian award-winning author of seven other books of fiction and verse fiction that explore aspects of the African diaspora: past, present, real, imagined.

• She writes short fiction, reviews, essays, drama and writing for BBC radio. • She is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London and Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature.

• She was made an MBE in 2009. • She is an advocate for the inclusion of Evaristo won the Jerwood writers and artists of colour, co-founding Fiction Uncovered Prize for the Brunel University African Poetry Prize her portrayal of an older gay, and Britain’s first black women’s theatre British-Caribbean man company, Theatre of Black Women, amongst many others.

www.bevaristo.com

Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives of twelve Unsworth were jointly awarded the prize for their different characters – mostly women, black and novels The English Patient and Sacred Hunger. British. Each character tells the stories of their personal families, friends and lovers, across the One of the judges on the panel Afua Hirsh, author country and through the years. In the words of the of best selling novel Bri(tish) believes the panel’s prize winning author: ‘We black British women made the right choice. Atwood’s follow-up to know that if we don’t write ourselves into literature, The Handmaids Tale was highly anticipated, and no one else will’. according to reviews didn’t disappoint.

However, many took to Twitter to share their Evaristo’s win is an inspiration to the new frustration that the first black woman to win the generation of aspiring black female authors. prize had to share her limelight. Some called the Seeing her grace as prize winner was a decision for a joint prize winner ‘lazy’. clear message to all black female writers, in her It’s not the first time the judges have bent the rules. words: ‘I hope that honour doesn’t last too long. I In 1992, authors Michael Ondaatje and Barry hope other people come forward now.’

20 AUTUMN 2019 We all dream of financial independence, but how do we achieve it? finds out KEN’S BACKGROUND how to make the dream a reality from the Ken and his wife Mary became financially founder of TheHumblePenny.com and independent aged 34, and FinancialJoyAcademy.com, Ken Okoroafor. now help others to do the same. Ken, a first-generation immigrant to the UK, has spent the last 12 years in the City in HOW TO FAST TRACK YOUR senior executive roles, whilst also investing and building businesses. Ken is a Chartered JOURNEY TO FINANCIAL Accountant (ACA) and holds an MBA from the University of INDEPENDENCE Cambridge. As the New Year approaches, many of us will have money “ Setting goals around resolutions to save more, to stop borrowing, or to get out of debt. your finances is a good But often our resolutions tend to disappear before we’ve made YOUR SKILLSET way to stay motivated and see change.” change. Here are the top tips to help you fast track your journey 7. FOCUS ON PERSONAL 8. GET COACHING DEVELOPMENT Don’t be afraid to ask people to to financial independence in 2020. Improve your abilities – read coach you. Instead of scanning books, take risks and try new the internet for answers, find the KEN’S RECOMMENDS YOUR TOOLSET things, get new qualifications, use person with the answer. Often, it’s • FREE 10-day the internet for learning, and seek inexpensive or free. “Practical Money” job challenges and promotions. thehumblepenny.com/MYM- 1. KNOW YOUR NET WORTH 3. DECIDE ON A SAVINGS RATE 5. MANAGE CASH FLOW free Your net worth is a snapshot of If saving money isn’t painful, then The number one reason why • Financial Independence- your current financial position – you’re not saving enough! Start people get into money trouble YOUR MINDSET FIRESuperPower.com like a financial selfie. It shows you saving with a percentage you’re is the inability to manage cash • Online Academy: everything you own and owe. happy with (we started at 20% flow. Cash flow is the inflow and 9. SET GOALS 11. DIVERSIFY YOUR INCOME FinancialJoyAcademy.com of our disposable income) and outflow of cash in your life. Setting goals is a good way to Diversifying your income 2. BUDGET CONSISTENTLY try and increase by 1% a month. Track your expenses and budget. stay motivated and see change. reduces the risk that can come A budget lets you plan It will be difficult initially, but This can be earning, saving and from one income stream being CONTACT KEN distributing your income. You you’ll be surprised how easily 6. MAKE YOUR MONEY GROW investing more. If you have debt, affected, such as losing your ON HIS BLOG AT could save, invest or use it to pay you’ll get used to trying to beat Learning to invest is a skill, set goals to clear it. job or becoming ill. Building an thehumblepenny.com expenses such as debt, living your previous savings rate. needing knowledge and a emergency fund can also help. YOUTUBE: cost etc. Setting a budget is particular mindset. Learn 10. SPEND LESS THAN YOU “The Humble Penny” one thing, doing it consistently 4. USE CASH MORE more about a Passive EARN 12. EARN MORE MONEY INSTAGRAM: is quite another. Budgeting If you’re currently in debt and see Investing strategy at www. Before debt became easily Earn more as a priority. Whether @thehumblepenny consistently helps ensure you live things getting worse, spend cash SuperSimpleInvesting.com available, people spent within it’s through your job or other side TWITTER: within your means and avoid only. This helps give you more their means (only their income). interests. @thehumblepenny taking on debt. of a focus on what you have or Have no spend months or cut your EMAIL: don’t have. credit cards up. [email protected]

22 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 23 ‘I’ve been going through a really rough ASK THE EXPERTS patch. I’m finding it hard to focus…’ Do you have a health or lifestyle-related problem that’s troubling you? Mental Health Specialist Dorcas Gwata and Terrence Higgins Trust’s Medical Director Dr Michael Brady can help you find answers. Email your problem to the editor: @tht.org.uk Dear Most people feel anxious at times. It’s particularly common to I’ve been going through a really experience some anxiety while rough patch. I’m finding it hard coping with stressful events or Dear like gonorrhoea without knowing to focus at work and keep changes, especially if they could it. They can still pass them on feeling anxious. I used to really have a big impact on your life. I think my partner might have and can still get ill from them in enjoy my job but a few days If anxiety is stopping you living had sex with another woman the future. this last month I’ve phoned in your life as fully as you want to and I’m now worried that I need sick as I couldn’t face going in. and you are finding it hard to go to get tested at the clinic. I To give you peace of mind, it’s I don’t seem to want to go out about your everyday life or do haven’t noticed any symptoms. also recommended that you get and see my friends much either. things you enjoy, then it’s time to I cannot bring it up, never mind an HIV test. Testing is easy, free I feel too embarrassed to talk to get some help. ask if he’s using condoms. and confidential. It’s better to anyone about it and don’t know NISSI test early as the sooner someone what to do. It can be difficult to talk about with HIV starts treatment, the JOSEPH your feelings with friends or DEAR NISSI, better it is for their health. family. It’s common to feel I’m sorry to hear you are Treatment can also reduce the DEAR JOSEPH, worried about upsetting people concerned about your health. amount of HIV in the body to You’ve already made the first you care about, and feel nervous Getting a test for sexually levels at which HIV cannot be step to getting yourself back on about what people will think, transmitted infections (STIs) can passed on. On treatment, people track – that’s getting in touch. or how it might affect your save you a lot of worry. Most STIs can live long healthy lives. Find Remember, you are not alone relationships. But if you can talk can be cured with medication out how and where to test at and many people face problems to someone close to you then and those that can’t can be startswithme.org.uk with their mental health, like that would be a good place to managed. But to manage or cure anxiety or feeling low or start. your STI you need to know you If you feel you would like some depressed. have it. The earlier it is treated support in your relationship you You may find it easier to the easier it will be to treat and can contact Relate.org.uk, who You shouldn’t ever feel approach a professional like the less long term damage it will offer counselling and advice. embarrassed about talking your GP and explain how you cause. about how you are feeling. are feeling. They will be able to I hope you get all the support I wish you luck for the future. As with your physical body, if help you get support and give and help you need to get back Unfortunately, just because you something isn’t right then you you advice about what’s best on track. don’t have symptoms doesn’t Best wishes might visit the doctor or mention for you. mean you’re in the clear. Many DR MICHAEL it to a friend or family member. Best wishes, people carry sexual infections The same goes for your mental You can also get some DORCAS health, and sometimes we all information and advice from need to do a bit of adjustment Mind. Their Helpline is open ‘…my partner might have had sex with another or self-care and to ask another 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday person for some support and (except for bank holidays): woman and I’m now worried…’ advice. 0300 123 3393 (you can also text 86463).

24 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 25 DO YOU THINK ENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESS THE SOUND OF SICKLE SICKLE CELL IN THE COMMUNITY? Yes and no. I don’t think many WHY ONE MAN IS RAISING people are educating the younger generation about the AWARENESS OF SICKLE CELL condition. Sickle cell could drastically reduce if people were DISEASE educated even a little about how it’s brought about. A new campaign to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and encourage more black blood donors THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OTHER ORGANISATIONS WHO HAVE to come forward was launched in London in TRIED TO RAISE AWARENESS, WHAT MAKES TSS STAND OUT? August this year. talks to Chris Abdullahi, That’s a very good question! I the 25-year old account manager making it happen. think there are a couple of things we are doing differently. We’re making the most of social media. We have created a groupchat WHAT MADE YOU START UP THE receiving treatment for this, I also had a sickle with over 50 people with sickle SOUND OF SICKLE (TSS)? crises in my chest which led to bronchopneumonia cell exchanging and supporting I wanted to start up #TSS for which made my left lung collapse, putting me in a one another. On the other hand, multiple reasons, but the main critical and life-threatening condition. we have our awareness and reason was, that when I was education pieces like our KYT growing up I had met no one with WHAT’S BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES events that we do quarterly, a sickle cell. If it could happen to YOU’VE FACED LIVING WITH SICKLE CELL? simple event that lets attendees me then I’m sure it’s happening to Trying to be like everyone else. You want to be find out their blood type and millions of others and I wanted able to go to parties, participate in sports like educates them on sickle cell. to stop that. I wanted to create everyone else, but even something as small as We’re a pretty multifaceted team. a community where no one felt going for a swim is very risky. It’s like living in a very like they were suffering alone or large box, you know you are restricted and there WHAT’S COMING UP THAT YOU suffering in silence. are some boundaries you shouldn’t cross for your WANT TO TELL OUR READERS own benefit. of Chris Abdullahi Photograph courtesy ABOUT? COULD YOU SHARE WITH US We have two things coming ONE OF YOUR EXPERIENCES WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST up. First, we have our next KYT DEALING WITH A CRISIS? MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT SICKLE event which is taking place on In secondary school I had the CELL? November 17th and then our worst crises of my life. What Where do I begin, there’s always the same one of #FaceOfSickle campaign which started out as a simple stomach “Really you have sickle cell? You don’t have yellow launches in December on all of ache grew into stomach ulcers eyes”. The most common misconception is that all our social media channels. Follow and the eventual removal of my people who have sickle cell have yellow eyes and #TSS on all social channels to stay gallbladder because of gall that we are all sickly looking. up to date with our campaigns Find out more and how you can donate blood at stones. While I was in hospital @TSSUK_ www.blood.co.uk

26 AUTUMN 2019 AUTUMN 2019 27 OUR HIV PREVENTION ENGLAND PARTNERS. POSITIVE EAST Telephone: 0121 237 5700 They also provide HIV testing services. is proud to be part of the HIV Prevention England partnership which is working Positive East offers support for Website: www.umbrellahealth.co.uk Telephone: 0800 328 3508 individuals and communities Website: www.eddystone.org.uk MILTON KEYNES hard to stop HIV in the UK. There are many organisations that offer help and advice as well affected by HIV in east London. YORKSHIRE as free confidential HIV testing in communities across England. Find one near to you: Services include information, advice, STASS support and HIV testing. STaSS delivers free, confidential and BHA Telephone: 020 7791 2855 inclusive support services to people Providing one-to-one information and Website: www.positiveeast.org.uk living with and affected by HIV. advice, support and advocacy, HIV They also provide HIV testing. testing, support groups, community NATIONAL CORBY AFRICA ADVOCACY FOUNDATION Telephone: 01908 282 185 engagement and training in Leeds. MANCHESTER SUNRISE FAMILY SUPPORT Africa Advocacy Foundation provides Website: www.stass.org.uk Telephone: 01132 449 767 TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST Sunrise Family Support provides information, advice and support BHA Email: [email protected] NEWCASTLE OR NORTH EAST Providing advice, support and HIV testing every Monday at Great groups to people living with HIV as Providing sexual health and HIV Website: www.leedsskyline.org.uk information to people who are Oakley Medical Centre and monthly well as HIV testing. prevention services for BME MESMAC NEWCASTLE AND SHINE and www.thebha.org.uk living with or affected by HIV or support groups. Telephone: 020 8698 4473 communities in Manchester, Bolton, Providing HIV testing to BAME concerned about their sexual Telephone: 07908 710 493 or 07590 Website: www.a-af.org Trafford, Stockport, Tameside, communities in Newcastle upon Tyne. THE BRUNSWICK CENTRE health. 925 137 Rochdale, Salford and Oldham. Telephone: 0191 233 1333 The Brunswick Centre provides Telephone: THT Direct 0808 802 Email: [email protected] EMBRACE UK Telephone: 0845 450 4247 Email: [email protected] or sexual health and HIV services across 1221 (Freephone) Embrace UK is a support centre for Email: [email protected] [email protected] Calderdale & Kirklees. This includes DERBYSHIRE Email: [email protected] migrant communities. It provides Website: www.thebha.org.uk support for people living with or NOTTINGHAM Website: www.tht.org.uk 97C WELL FOR LIFE (FORMERLY information, advice and guidance affected by HIV, as well as DERBYSHIRE POSITIVE SUPPORT) on welfare benefits, housing, GEORGE HOUSE TRUST AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL information, advice and HIV testing. CHIVA 97C WELL FOR LIFE Community Health immigration, education, training and George House Trust is a voluntary DEVELOPMENT (AISD) Telephone: CHIVA delivers projects for children Hub provides information and advice health-related issues such as HIV/AIDS organisation providing information, The African Institute for Social Kirklees: 01484 469 691 and young people growing up with services to promote the physical, and mental health. advice and support to people living Development (AISD) is a volunteer Calderdale: 01422 341 764 HIV. CHIVA also hosts a website mental and emotional health of Telephone: 020 8801 9224 with HIV. African-led community organisation Website: of resources, for young people, people living with or affected by HIV. Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0161 274 4499 providing information, advice and www.thebrunswickcentre.org.uk families and professionals, and HIV Telephone: 01332 204020 Website: www.embraceuk.org Email: [email protected] support groups for people living with education for professionals Email: [email protected] Website: www.ght.org.uk HIV as well as HIV testing. YORKSHIRE MESMAC Telephone: 0117 9055149 Website: www.wflderby.org THE METRO CENTRE Telephone: 01158 540 516 Yorkshire MESMAC is one of the Website: www.chiva.org.uk The Metro Centre provides Email: [email protected] oldest and largest sexual health LIVERPOOL OR NORTH WEST MIDLANDS information, advice and support Website: organisations in the country. POSITIVELY UK SAHIR HOUSE services to people living with HIV EAST MIDLANDS SEXUAL HEALTH www.africaninstitute.org.uk They provide information, counselling, Positively UK provides peer-led Offering HIV support, prevention, and HIV testing. (FORMERLY LASS) HIV testing and support to individuals SOUTH WEST support, advocacy and information and training across Telephone: 020 8305 5000 Provides a range of services for and community groups. information to women, men and Merseyside. Increasing HIV Email: [email protected] people living with or affected by HIV THE EDDYSTONE TRUST Telephone: 01132 444 209 young people living with HIV to help knowledge, HIV testing, reducing Website: in the East Midlands. Includes The Eddystone Trust is an Email: [email protected] them manage any aspect of their stigma and campaigning for HIV www.metrocentreonline.org information, advice and support for independent organisation providing Website: www.mesmac.co.uk diagnosis, care and life with HIV. positive people’s rights. people living with HIV as well information and support for anyone Telephone: 020 7713 0444 Telephone: 0151 237 3989 NAZ PROJECT LONDON as testing. affected by HIV across the south west. Website: www.positivelyuk.org Website: www.sahir.org.uk Providing sexual health, HIV Website: prevention and support services eastmidlandssexualhealth.org.uk LONDON to black and minority ethnic Email: alastairh@eastmidlandssexu- ACTION PLUS FOUNDATION communities in London. These include alhealth.org.uk Action Plus Foundation provides information and support groups for FREE RESOURCES support to people living with or people living with HIV and HIV testing. UMBRELLA affected by HIV. Telephone: 020 8741 1879 Umbrella provides free and Order National HIV Testing Week Telephone: 07791 191 010 Email: [email protected] confidential sexual health services in Website: Website: www.naz.org.uk Birmingham and Solihull. These include resources from: www.actionplusfoundation.org all types of contraception as well as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) www.hperesources.org.uk and HIV testing and treatment.

28 AUTUMN 2019 2019 AUTUMNAUTUMN 2019 2019 29

mambo_support_VW.indd 28 05-11-19 23:07 mambo_support_VW.indd 29 05-11-19 23:09