MAMA BENZ

Mama Benz Magazine is an modern magazine focused on the promotion and empowerement of women, African and afro-descendant women.

MAMA BENZ

EDITOR’S LETTER • Because they are worth it!

Defustel NDJOKO A Camerounian hero, helping young women in rural areas • AFTER TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD TO ADVANCE HIS BRILLIANT CAREER IN FASHION, DEFUSTEL NDJOKO CHOSE TO GO BACK TO HIS ROOTS IN CAMEROON TO INCREASE EFFORTS TO EDUCATE YOUNG GIRLS. A NOBLE CAUSE…

CONGO: Thérèse IZAY KIRONGOZI is solving the issue of traffic jams using robots. • AN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER FROM THE HIGHER INSTITUTE OF APPLIED TECHNIQUES (L’INSTITUT SUPÉRIEUR DES TECHNIQUES APPLIQUÉES (ISTA) THÉRÈSE IZAY KIRONGOZI IS AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, NOTABLY IN THE FIELD OF ROAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY.

Success Story Chimamanda N’GOZI ADICHIE carrying the torch for feminism in Africa • HERS IS A VOICE THAT HAS BECOME WELL-KNOWN THROUGHOUT AFRICA. A WELL-KNOWN AND ENGAGED AUTHOR, SHE CHOOSES TO USE HER PEN AS A TOOL TO DEFEND INJUSTICES, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, TO SPEAK UP IN THE NAME OF WOMEN WHO ARE SO OFTEN MARGINALIZED IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.

Grand Dossier: INCURSION into the HEART of MODELING in AFRICA

Dossier: MODELING IN AFRICA, behind the scenes, entrapping, pimping • IN AFRICA, THE PROBLEM THAT PULLS THE PROFESSION DOWNHILL IS NOT ONLY THE REMUNERATION OF MODELS. THE SECTOR IS ALSO PLAGUED BY “CODES”, TRAPS, PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT VERY CHRISTIAN…

Dossier: FIVE AFRICAN MODELS moving the lines • 25.4% OF THE MODELS THAT WERE ENGAGED IN SPRING SHOWS IN NEW YORK, PARIS, LONDON AND MILAN WERE NOT WHITE IN 2017. ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE THE FASHION SPOT, A REFERENCE IN THE FASHION WORLD, AMONG THESE NON-WHITE MODELS, 10.3% WERE BLACK. IF THIS BREAKTHROUGH WAS POSSIBLE IN THE VERY SELECTIVE FASHION SCENE, IT IS BECAUSE KATOUCHA NIANE AND FATIM SIDIBÉ, AMONG OTHERS, HAVE PAVED THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE NEW GENERATION. HERE ARE FIVE MODELS FROM THE CONTINENT THAT STIR THE LINES.

Dossier: HOW MUCH do MODELS MAKE in AFRICA? • ALTHOUGH POPULAR IN MAGAZINES AND ON PODIUMS, MODELS ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT STILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE A LIVING ON THE SALARY THEY EARN. FASHION SHOW FUNDING IS MOSTLY DERISORY, OFTEN ALMOST NON-EXISTENT…

Dossier: African FASHION: A MANNEQUIN’S CAREER POST-MODELING, a complicated obstacle course • IT MAY NOT COME OFF AS AN OBVIOUS FACT, BUT BEING A MODEL ISN’T ALL FUN AND GAMES. MODELING CAREERS ARE OFTEN SCATTERED, AND THEY OFTEN WORK IN SURPRISINGLY INFORMAL, SOMETIMES SURREAL CONDITIONS. RETIREMENT OFTEN SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR MANY PROFESSIONAL MODELS. ONLY A FEW INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONAL MODELS MANAGE TO TAKE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE GAME…

Côte d’Ivoire: Tiguidanke CAMARA A famous model retrains in GOLD & DIAMOND MINES • IVORIAN TIGUIDANKE CAMARA SWITCHED DRESSES AND PODIUM GLITTER FOR GOLD-MINING BOOTS. SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO OWN A MINING COMPANY IN WEST AFRICA.

Here are the FIVE most INFLUENTIAL WOMEN ON THE CONTINENT • AFRICA: NOT ONLY DO THEY REPRESENT WHAT NOWADAYS ARE SUCCESS STORIES ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. THEIR REACH EXTENDS FAR BEYOND! THEY GRADUALLY CLIMBED THE MANY LEVELS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DOMAIN AND MANAGED TO CLIMB TO A POSITION WHERE THEIR VOICE HAS A VAST INFLUENCE.

REINE DOMINIQUE NTONE a respected Camerounian astronaut • FOLLOWING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOURNEY THROUGH ACADEMIA, REINE DOMINIQUE NTONE JOINED NASA, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST RESPECTED AMERICAN AGENCIES IN THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, SPACE, AND AERONAUTICS RESEARCH. SHE HAS RECENTLY PROVEN HER WORTH ONCE AGAIN BY CONTRIBUTING TO ONE OF THE AGENCY’S RECENT PROJECTS. READ ON FOR AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY…

CONGO: Who is DENISE NYAKEU...