FREE UK’s first African & African-Caribbean Family Magazine FORwww.forfamilies.uk FAMILIESIssue #2 2019 WIN FREE Premium Nigerian Food Getting your man PREGNANT Find the right A-LEVEL provider - see inside FREE UK’s first African & African-Caribbean Family Magazine FOwww.forfamilies.ukR FAMILIESIssue #2 2019 WIN FREE Premium Nigerian Food Getting your man PREGNANT Find the right A-LEVEL provider - see inside A TINY piece of engraved ochre was found in Blombos Cave in South Africa Image by Dr. Christopher Henshilwood SCIENTISTS believe that Africa is the The piece is carved with a pattern of We would like to welcome home to the world’s first artwork. Two tiny crossed lines, showing that humans had a you to the second issue of pieces of engraved ochre( see one piece capacity for abstract thought, and the use above) are the oldest works of art ever of symbols, tens of thousands of years ago. For Families Magazine. discovered. The art work was found in Blombos Cave in We hope you find this issue South Africa. Scientists have dated the uplifting, engaging and piece to around 77,000-years ago. entertaining. www.forfamilies.uk DANCERS from the Paraiso School of Samba float at the Notting Hill Carnival, London. CONTENTS Image by Clive Chilvers Exclusive Interview CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL season in the UK is well underway Erzumah Managing Editor Ackerson Sundjata Keita Aim High #16 Fostering Services Contributors Jacqui Gordon Foster a child Mark Todd Art & Design Foster Change their life forever! Nigel Roberts to Marketing Network Timi Okuneye Adopt ➢ No experience needed For Families Office Contact #24 Tel 075139 86488 Email Full training and [email protected] [email protected] support provided Sagoo Studios Limehouse Town Hall 646 Commercial Road London E14 7HA Our dedicated carers For Families Magazine is part of a long term receive a generous initiative to improve the life-chances of African and African-Caribbean families in the UK Win weekly allowance Premium Nigerian Groceries Call for an informal chat: #63 020 3744 4522 ‘Give them tools today to Email:of [email protected] build a brighter tomorrow' #2 www.forfamilies.uk www.forfamilies.uk #3 ¢ DYING FOR A BABY Foster African and African-Caribbean women are more likely for to die in pregnancy than white women Bromley in the UK DEATHS DURING pregnancy are on the rise again. Medical Can YOU keep these siblings together? researchers believe that the increase can be accounted for by a hike in obesity rates and increase in the age of 0208 461 7701 Help a Child expectant mothers. Some 225 women died during www.bromley.gov.uk/fostering Smile Again or just after pregnancy between 2014 and 2016. WOMEN who are aged 40 or over have three times the risk of dying during or after pregnancy Image by Andrae Ricketts Heart disease remains the Women who are aged 40 or leading cause of women dying over have three times the risk during pregnancy or up to six of dying during or after weeks after giving birth. pregnancy compared to Can I still breastfeed Could you provide a women in their early 20s and stable home and a Maternal suicide is the fifth although cancer in pregnancy when I go back where children and carers matter sense of belonging for Childhood most common cause of is uncommon, women and to work? women’s deaths during their doctors and midwives a child from a black First pregnancy and its immediate need to be aware that it can or ethnic minority aftermath, but is the leading happen. background? healing cause of death over the first year after pregnancy a recent The report also found that I can help Do you have a spare you answer hurt report found. black women are five times that room? and Asian women two times minds “It is time to start challenging more likely to die as a result of our assumptions when faced complications in pregnancy with women with more than white women. Experts complex health issues. Blood are calling for urgent research iTF clots, particularly venous and action to understand INTEGRATED thromboembolisms, remain these disparities. THERAPEUTIC the biggest cause of death Change lives and create FOSTERING during pregnancy. These clots “We know from the women are particularly a problem who come to our helpline and among the overweight, and those whom we work with that a rewarding career as At Childhood First, integrated Therapeutic Fostering the risks also rise with age, ” there is poor care throughout we provide professional and academic training to the authors of The fifth the maternity service, our foster carers. MBRRACE-UK collaboration’s particularly for those women The support available is of a high standard and annual report Saving Lives, from black and ethnic minority a foster carer in 2017 Improving Mothers’ Care. backgrounds, where we know The Baby Buddy app will answer quality and is not time limited. there is institutional racism in your personal questions about your Call today We offer a best competitive rate of pay to our carer’s The report highlights the risk many wards from obstetricians pregnancy, birth and beyond. as testimony of our appreciation and their of blood clots, particularly and midwives,” says Recommended by significance to the delivery of our service. among women who are Association for Improvements health professionals and parents 020 3397 3332 overweight or obese, and in the Maternity Services Download the award winning FREE app on: [email protected] If you would like to discuss fostering, emphasises the importance of responding to the report’s awareness of symptoms, such findings. Unit 3, Office Village,4 Romford Road please contact: [email protected] as leg or buttock pain and Stratford, London E15 4EA or telephone: 02079287388 and ask for Liz Fleet. breathlessness even in early bestbeginnings.org.uk/baby-buddy pregnancy. Best Beginnings is a Registered Charity No. 1120054 #4 www.forfamilies.uk www.forfamilies.uk #5 ALBINO PEOPLE ARE BEING HUNTED FOR WITCHCRAFT RITUALS East Africa is the global centre for crimes against people with albinism.TheUnited Nations is attempting to turn this situation around PEOPLE LIVING with albinism largest city in Tanzania. But taken from her home in The joint action plan focuses EMMANUEL FESTO RUTEMA is a are being hunted for their body albino people are still being Malawi. on ensuring accountability as 13-year-old albino boy from Tanzania, posing for a portrait with parts. Some people mistakenly attacked on the island. The two-year-old disappeared well as support for victims. believe that if they get hold of Criminals attack PWA then The plan aims to use legal and a soft toy that he says makes him on the night of 3April 2016, feel safe at night albino body parts then they will escape by canoes to from her home in Chiziya policy frameworks to deter automatically become rich. neighbouring islands where village, Kasungu District. practices of witchcraft and REUTERS/Carlo Allegri In 2017, there were 206 they disappear. Whitney’s mum alerted the trafficking in body parts. people living with albinism “People with albinism continue neighbours and they set about Ms. Ero stressed that persons killed in Africa and a further to live in a very fragile searching for the toddler, but with albinism also face 366 people attacked. situation, as the root causes of Whitney was nowhere to be significant barriers restricting The campaigning organisation the attacks against them found. The mother reported their equal participation in Under The Same Sun also remain rampant, and the her missing daughter to the society, impacting their rights found that attacks on albino effects over a decade of police. to enjoy physical and mental people included; rape, violations have taken their On 15 April, baby Whitney’s health and their ability to mutilations, violence, and toll,” says Ms Ikponwosa Ero, skull, teeth and the clothes access adequate health care, attempted abductions. the UN independent expert on she had been wearing were education, social services, the enjoyment of human rights discovered in a nearby village. legal protection, and redress Albinism affects the production by persons with albinism, at for abuses. of melanin, the pigment that The police arrested Whitney’s the end of her 11-day visit to To go a long with the action colours skin, hair and eyes. It's Tanzania. father and another man for her a lifelong condition, but it disappearance and murder. plan, the UN General Ms. Ero, however, praised the Assembly has designated 13 doesn't get worse over time. "My childhood memories are a People with albinism have a government of Tanzania for its June as the International work to tackle the issue. mixed bag of the pain that Albinism Awareness Day to reduced amount of melanin, or society can cause when they no melanin at all. This can Some progress on tackling draw attention to the stigma don't understand a condition, and violence that persons with affect their colouring and their mistaken beliefs that body but also the power a family eyesight. Albinism is caused parts of people with albinism albinism everywhere in the can have when they choose to world face. by faulty genes that a child have value in witchcraft love a child unconditionally," inherits from their parents, practice is being made in says Ms Ero who also lives As long as there’s massive states the NHS website. urban areas but not in rural with albinism. income inequality across East It is believed that one in areas. Body parts can fetch Africa, people with albinism over £7,000 in a region where Albino people are living under will get very little succour from 20,000 people live with constant fear.