Living African

Dear listeners, this week - we will be talking about “Living with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis”. We will be having Anna Arrey on this episode(11) to discuss her journey with this disease, raise awareness, and share the lessons learned through battling this disease with you. So firstly, what is Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?

 

Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple. The thyroid produces hormones that help regulate many functions in the body. An autoimmune disorder is an illness caused by the immune system attacking healthy tissues. In Hashimoto's disease, immune-system cells lead to the death of the thyroid's hormone-producing cells. The disease usually results in a decline in hormone production (hypothyroidism).

 

It is our hope that by the end of this conversation – you learn something new, become more aware of this disease through Anna's experience, and equip yourself with knowledge you or a loved one may need.

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Anna Arrey

[03:00 – 40:00] Anna Shares Her Journey 

• Life growing up in Cameroon
• Getting diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis 
• The impact of the diagnosis on her life
• Getting a wrong diagnosis in Cameroon
• Traveling to India for treatment
• Spending three months in India

[40:00 – 1:10:24] Further Diagnosis & Treatment

• Finding alternative medicine
• The impact support groups had on her
• Linking up with foreign doctors
• Dealing with insensitive words from the community 
• The importance of having a support system
• We must show more empathy and less judgment
• How to get in touch with Anna

[1:10:00 – 1:09:00] Final Words

• Anna's final words
• Anyoh’s final words

 

Tweetable Quotes

“I've learned that if you put God at the center of your life, he's going to be there for you. I am a testimony of God's grace.” - Anna Arrey

 

“I'm going to use the opportunity to give a huge shout-out to those Uncles and Aunties and family members that step up for the other family members and take the role of a parent to other family members who are definitely not their children – directly or biologically. So, I just want to give a shout-out to your [Anna's] uncle and auntie and tell them that, we really appreciate them here at Living African Podcast for everything that they have done for you.” - Anyoh Fombad

 

“I don't let anybody stress me. I walk away from shitty people – negative and toxic people. If I find out you are a toxic person, trust me. I won’t even say good morning.” - Anna Arrey

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected].

Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

In episode 9, Kiali shared her “baby loss” story with us and now she is back to share that of “battling infertility” after losing her baby and trying to conceive again. Infertility is often a silent struggle and women who are struggling to conceive report feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and loss of control.

 

Despite the prevalence of infertility, the majority of infertile women do not share their stories with family or friends, thus increasing their psychological vulnerability. The inability to reproduce naturally can cause feelings of shame, guilt, and low self-esteem. These negative feelings may lead to varying degrees of depression, anxiety, distress, and a poor quality of life.

 

Therefore, it is our hope that Kiali’s story will encourage other women and empower our community to keep encouraging such conversations.

 

Meet Our Guest:

 

Kiali J. Garrett is an MBA with a Finance & Accounting background, and she manages large-scale projects for a living. Best known for her positivity, and managerial and leadership skills, she has worked across a broad range of industries including Banking, Hospitality, Automobile and Telecommunications, and Healthcare IT. She is an entrepreneur and founder of PeaceSteps, an organization for a cause that seeks to promote global peace. Kia also runs a style blog (www.classandasmile.com), a platform on which she expresses herself and a plinth she uses to influence, inspire, and empower women across the globe. She is a people person with a positive mindset, and she enjoys discovering new places, immersing herself in different cultures, and engrossing in adrenaline-rush adventures.

Contact Kiali: 

Instagram: @classandasmile

Facebook: Kia Kia

E-mail: [email protected]

Get Kiali’s book on amazon, better world books, and thriftbooks.

Website: www.classandasmile.com

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Kiali Garrett

[03:00 – 40:00] Kiali Shares Her Journey 

• Trying to have another baby two years after loss
• Getting diagnosed with idiopathic infertility
• The impact of the diagnosis on her life
• Going through the IVF procedure two times
• Having miscarriages 
• Getting pregnant unaware
• Safely carrying to term and delivery 

[40:00 – 1:10:24] Lessons & Words of Encouragement

• The power in vulnerability
• Why we need to share our experiences
• Dealing with insensitive words from the community 
• The importance of having a support system
• We must show more empathy and less judgment
• How to purchase Kiali’s book
• How to get in touch with Kiali 

[1:10:00 – 1:15:00] Final Words

• Kiali's final words
• Anyoh’s final words

 

Tweetable Quotes

“Be compassionate. You never know what people are going through. Just don't assume that because people got married in December so by September, they should be having a baby. And then after that, you start asking them – Oh, where's the baby? When are you guys gonna have kids? Don't do that because you have no idea what this couple is going through.” - Kiali Garrett

 

“Be there for your spouse and support your spouse. Try to recognize that he's on the journey with you and that he's trying to have a baby as well – most importantly, with you. So you need to try to be considerate, if you need to run errands for him, go out and do it. Just don't sit there and throw everything at him.” -  Kiali Garrett

“When I got pregnant I was told by doctors and friends that sometimes when you're so stressed, your body is not a  friendly environment so it expels and can’t harbor a pregnancy. But I think being calm, and being less stressed, and trying not to stress yourself will help you a lot.” - Kiali Garrett

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected].

Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

There is no greater worry for a parent than losing a baby. A baby's death is particularly distressing since it is frequently unexpected and goes against the natural order of life, in which the baby is expected to precede their parents. The emotional trauma of losing a baby can result in a variety of psychological and physiological issues, including sadness, anxiety, stress-related cognitive and physical symptoms, marital issues, an increased risk of suicide, pain, and guilt.

 

All of these concerns can last a long time after a baby dies, and they can lead to a documented psychiatric condition like complicated grief disorder, which has many symptoms that are comparable to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

Today, we will be having Kia Tumban on #Episode9 to discuss how she has and is “Surviving Baby Loss”. The goal of having this conversation is to share some key points with any dealing with a loss and how we as a community can be of help to each other during those times. Hope this episode positively impacts you as I did to us during the recording.

 

Meet Our Guest:

 

Kiali J. Garrett is an MBA with a Finance & Accounting background, and she manages large-scale projects for a living. Best known for her positivity, and managerial and leadership skills, she has worked across a broad range of industries including Banking, Hospitality, Automobile and Telecommunications, and Healthcare IT. She is an entrepreneur and founder of PeaceSteps, an organization for a cause that seeks to promote global peace. Kia also runs a style blog (www.classandasmile.com), a platform on which she expresses herself and a plinth she uses to influence, inspire, and empower women across the globe. She is a people person with a positive mindset, and she enjoys discovering new places, immersing herself in different cultures, and engrossing in adrenaline-rush adventures.

Contact Kiali: 

Website: www.classandasmile.com

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Kiali Garrett

[03:00 – 40:00] Kiali's Pregnancy & Diagnosis With Placenta Abruption

• She had a risk-free pregnancy
• Getting diagnosed 
• What is placenta abruption?
• Going to Surgery & Delivery
• Losing a baby & the aftermath 

[40:00 – 1:09:13] 

• The healing process
• Dealing with insensitive words from the community 
• Sharing the lessons learned
• Kiali's book on "Baby Loss"
• How to get in touch with Kiali 

[1:10:00 – 1:15:00] Final Words

• Kiali's final words
• Anyoh’s final words

 

Tweetable Quotes

“I choose to focus on the good and not the bad because I realized that where my focus goes, energy flows! So I decided to focus on some of the things that I have that maybe other people don't necessarily have, feeling gratitude.” - Kiali Garrett

 

“I learned that the fathers of these babies, they're hurt too. Regardless of whether they carry the pregnancy or not, regardless of whether they went through a C-section or not, they’re hurt! We need to be there for them as our spouses or partners, brothers or sisters, we need to be there for them. You need to check on them. Don't only send flowers to your sister, send flowers to your brother-in-law as well.” -  Kiali Garrett

“I feel like as a community, we should also tend to attend to the men because the men as well are going through a lot. Whether the baby is here or not, the men also feel that impact because they're also the closest wants to you, and it's also their child, it's a man's child as well so we shouldn't neglect their mental health.” - Anyoh Fombad

“I remember when I was going through my journey, I was listening to a lot of people with a positive mindset and it helped me get out of those dark days that I was in to find some light. So I encourage you to share this knowledge with everyone around you so you can help them in one way or the other.” - Kiali Garrett

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected].

Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

This week - in honor of Pride Month, we will be having Leon Mopecha to discuss “Their Life As A Nonbinary African” on episode 8. Though my discussion with Leon will be focused on their life and experience as a trans person, we will also be addressing the negative outlook, stereotypes, and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community in our community.

 

In many African countries, homosexuality is still taboo, with society holding conservative views on gender identities and roles. This translates into a considerably high level of intolerance and discrimination towards LGBTQ people.

 

To overcome these issues faced by the LGBYQ+ community in our African Community, we hope that this conversation is better received than last year when we had this same discussion.  All we ask for is more tolerance and respect towards the LGBTQ+ community and that you learn and unlearn a couple of things from listening to this episode.

 

Meet Our Guest:

 

Leon Mopecha (they/them) is a nonbinary creator and educator from Cameroon, living in the United States. They use gender-neutral they/them pronouns. Leon majored in Communications with a minor in Anthropology from Widener University. Their biggest passions are linguistics, immigration and travel, intercultural communication, filmmaking, animation, and literature. In all of these fields, Leon likes to apply their unique perspective as an individual from a very diverse background, speaking on how to make media more inclusive and truly representative of society, raising awareness about previously erased or suppressed histories, and encouraging literacy and multilingualism in youth and adults.

 

Contact Leon: 

Instagram: @leon_thelion

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Leon Mopecha

[03:00 – 10:00] Anyoh Addresses Our Audience On LGBQT+

• The reactions from last year’s episodes on LGBTQ+
• Why we need to have these conversations

[10:00 – 50:00] Getting To Know Leon 

• Leon’s upbringing and how it impacted their gender identity
• Going through sexual abuse 
• Leon’s struggles with gender identity
• Dealing with family reactions, gossip, and discrimination from the community.
• How family members have changed their views and the support they offer now
• Addressing Discrimination & Promoting Love
• Leon’s ‘coming out’ story and how the family received it

[50:00 – 1:10:00] Transitioning & Dealing With New Realities

• The transition process and how Leon dealt with it
• Body changes, hormone changes, and Leon’s priority
• Learning how to live in America as a Trans-Black Man
• Dating life
• What we need to learn & unlearn 

[1:10:00 – 1:15:00] Final Words

• The need for respect and tolerance
• Leon’s final words
• Anyoh’s final words

 

Tweetable Quotes

“You may not support the members of the LGBTQ community, but I would plead with you to just respect them as humans first because we are human beings first before anything.” - Anyoh Fombad

 

“What people advocate for when they advocate for LGBTQ+ rights – we're advocating not that everybody needs to suddenly become bisexual, but that there needs to be an acknowledgment that there are multiple kinds of sexuality and there are multiple kinds of gender identities.” - Leon Mopecha

 

“There are more than enough examples of people that are members of the queer community of the LGBTQ plus community, that have family, jobs, are famous or successful, are scholars, activists, advocates, you know, firefighters, police, whatever, they're in every profession, all over the world, every culture, without exception.” - Leon Mopecha

 

“My last call is just for us to show empathy, regardless of who we're dealing with; whether they're members of LGBTQ plus community or whatever community. As human beings first, it is our duty to show respect and empathy for one another.” - Anyoh Fombad

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected].

Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

Most of my life-long friendships were built in boarding school back home in Cameroon. If you went to boarding school in Africa, you probably spent 9 months out of 12 with about 15-30 other students in a large hall filled with bunk beds and called dormitories. Life was hard, challenging, and fun, but most importantly, the values and relationships that were achieved cannot be quantified.

 

Sometimes, I look back and reminisce about my 7 years of life in boarding school either with friends or in my solitude. So, I decided to call up a few of my friends to share some of their fondest memories while they were in boarding school. This, indeed, was such a fun episode for me and to say I felt nostalgic is an understatement. I hope you do too!

 

Info on Sharon’s Business:

Sharon Nyamboli 

NPN: #8205748

Phone number: (240) 535 6870

Email: [email protected] 

 

 

Info on Antoinette’s Business: 

Antoinette Njombua-Fombad 

Website: https://www.healloveandgrow.com/

Facebook: @healloveandgrow

Instagram: @w_i_t_h_i_n

Brainz Magazine Executive writer 2021-2022: https://www.brainzmagazine.com/executive-contributor/antoinette-njombua-fombad

 

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 10:00] Introduction

•  Explaining the topic for discussion
•  A typical day in the life of an  African boarding school student

 

[10:00 – 30:00] Discussion Between Anyoh & Abermo

•  Abermo shares his boarding school experience
•  How boarding school instilled the value of discipline in them
•  Abermo shares one of his unforgettable days in boarding school 
•  How our parents and boarding school taught them to be independent

 

[30:00 – 45:00] Discussion Between Anyoh & Antoinette

•  Antoinette shares her boarding school experiences
•  Antoinette compares her mixed-sex school experience with her same-sex boarding school experience
•  Preparing for house feast & holidays
•  The positive impact of boarding school
•  How to support Antoinette’s business

 

[45:00 – 1:10:00] Discussion Between Anyoh & Sharon

• Sharon shares her boarding school experience
• How boarding school shaped her into womanhood
• Going through puberty in boarding school
•  Boarding shaped Sharon’s faith and helped her build friendships
•  How to support Sharon’s business

 

[1:10:00 – 1:14:00] Final Discussions

•  Anyoh’s last words

 

Tweetable Quotes

“I think it's boarding school that taught us how to be very independent. Because think about the schedules - like at 5:30 in the morning, we wake up. Now they even have 7-8-year-old kids waking up and going through all of that at a very young age so, by 10, 12 years old, you're gonna be so independent and so resistant to stress or too hard life that you can only go onwards.”- Anyoh Fombad

 

“The best part about [an all-girls boarding school] is that it grows your womanhood. It really does create sisterhood, it helps you to appreciate your fellow woman, and it just grows you and helps you focus on things that are naturally feminine.” - Antoinette F

 

“A lot of Africans tend to do well in the United States because you have to be disciplined to do certain things at certain times. In fact, the system itself puts you in a situation where you have to be at work at a certain time, you have to be able to be back home, cook, do certain things, and go to sleep at a certain time. That discipline is something that we grew up harnessing [in boarding school] as little kids.” - Abermo M

"Boarding school helped shape me into the woman that I am today. Many of the friends that I have are folks that I met in boarding school. I have friends that I have made along the way [in life after boarding school], but those relationships are not as strong as the ones that I made in Boarding school.” - Sharon N

 

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast: You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected].

 

Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. Connect with host, Anyoh: You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

This week, we talk about an evolved African man’s outlook on matrimony. Of course, this isn’t to say that all African men think this way, but to encourage them to work hard at personal development to a point of changing the common narrative about marriage, which is typically built on patriarchal principles.

 

African men often do not get vulnerable, so it is pretty refreshing to have this conversation with one of our own! Nonetheless, this message is directed to every man from every race. Vulnerability is power and I hope we see that through the words of our guest this week. 

Meet Our Guest:

 

Edmund Ade is a Certified Financial Planner and member of the Financial Planning Institute of South Africa. He currently runs a financial planning and private wealth management practice at Nedbank Private Wealth South Africa. Edmund is also an independent corporate finance adviser, advising and executing capital raising mandates, and an entrepreneur/investor with interests in several start-ups in agribusiness, fintech, healthcare, real estate,  procurement & distribution.

 

Contact Edmund: 

65 Satara Avenue, Gallo Manor, Sandton, South Africa

Cell +27 (0)83 843 7918 

Email: [email protected]

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Edmund Ade

[03:00 – 20:00] A Long-distance Relationship that Ultimately Led to Marriage

• Reconnecting with his ex-wife (then girlfriend) while in the UK for education. 
• Starting a long-distance relationship
• Relocating from the UK to be with her in South Africa after their marriage
• The start of something beautiful
• Challenging some stereotypes he faced for moving to South Africa

[20:00 – 45:00]  Marital Challenges

• Moments he second-guessed himself
• Starting a business that didn’t meet expectations early enough
• How poor communication affected his marriage
• The separation and moving to a new country
• The need for therapy and counseling 

[45:00 – 1:10:00] The Divorce & Its Aftermath

• The divorce proceedings and custody
• Dealing with the stereotypes that come with being a divorcee
• How education and training as a social researcher helped him go through the divorce

[1:10:00 – 1:26:00] Lessons

• Learning how to communicate
• The need to check our mental health before going into a marriage
• Things Edmund will do differently if he should marry again
• Edmund’s final words
• Anyoh's final words

 

Tweetable Quotes

 

“I feel like our community does not understand what it means that personal growth. Personal growth involves so many different things and it needs to be deliberate. Thus, being deliberate about seeking counsel when you need to, seeking a mentor when you need to, talking to a lot of people, and doing a lot of reading. Thankfully, there's a lot of resources on the internet, so read about human psychology and understand things like empathy.” - Edmund Ade

 

“One of the things that I've learned which I think we must start to normalize as a society is the whole idea of mental health and emotional maturity, because these are important to know how humans interact with each other. So, people need to find ways to do some kind of mental health check because we do a lot of other [medical] checks, so why not a mental health check?.” - Edmund Ade

 

“There are certain mindsets with which we get into relationships, and they ultimately create dysfunctional relationships. I think our way of growing up or upbringing doesn't give us the opportunities to be better human beings and to be able to relate better. I think we brushed a lot of things under the carpet because of so many different kinds of stereotypes. So today, I'm hoping to maybe challenge some of those mindsets and ultimately be able to get people to think about a few things which will challenge/change their mindsets, or at least force them to question some things before they get into marriage.” - Edmund Ade

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast:

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more.

 

Connect with host, Anyoh:

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

Hello listeners, as we continue our conversation on mental health to honor #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, our focus this week is on Postpartum Depression.

 

Postpartum Depression(PPD) is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that happens after childbirth. This mental health disorder affects women AND men in our community but it seems to be under-reported due to the stereotypical outlook on those who go through it, as well as the dismissive approach our culture seems to take towards such topics. 

To break this stereotype, sensitize our people, and encourage those going through this ordeal, Baoline and Agbor Eyong are here to talk about their experience with postpartum depression after the birth of their second child.

 

Meet Our Guest:

 

Baoline and Agbor Eyong are a Cameroonian couple living in the state of California, who went through one of the most trying moments of their marriage when Baoline suddenly experienced severe postpartum depression after having their second child. Join us and listen to their story, learn from them, and use the information to equip ourselves.

 

Contact Baoline and Agbor: [email protected]

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guests - Baoline and Agbor Eyong

[03:00 – 25:00] Baoline Shares Her Experience With Postpartum Depression

• How it all began
• Some of the symptoms Boaline had
• Getting diagnosed with PPD
• Not knowing about PPD
• The support from friends and family

[25:00 – 45:00]  Agbor Shares His Experience with Helping His Wife Fight PPD

• He was unaware of what PPD is and how serious it was getting 
• His own personal experience with PPD 
• The support from family and friends
• Relocating his family to California
• How he hit rock bottom
• The recovery process 

[45:00 – 1:01:40] Coping Mechanisms & Lessons Learned

• You will need the support of your village
• The kids are affected by what the parents go through so talk to them about it
• Avoid negativity and cultivate positive thoughts
• Baoline and Agbor Eyong's final words
• Anyoh's final words

Tweetable Quotes

“I think the first step is talking about it. Like when you have it, share it with people. Because the bottom line is people will not know what you're going through if you don't tell them. Let them know you’re going through postpartum depression even if they're clueless because the people that I told, even though they were clueless, they were able to Google or research it, and then they knew how to help me.” - Baoline Eyong

 

“You need to actively make that decision to get over it. Because putting it behind or under the rug, It's just going to sit there until one day you will find yourself in a situation that will give you PTSD and it would be like a flashback; like a ‘Deja Vu, and then you'll be surprised by the way you react to it. This shows that you never really got over it.” - Anyoh Fombad

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com  for more resources and to learn more.

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

Welcome to the month of May; the Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, we will in part focus on mental health awareness. In our African community, most people living with mental illness (particularly when severe) are frequently stigmatized, shunned, and outcasted, making it difficult for people to express any mental health concerns. This has to change and it starts with creating awareness and having these uncomfortable conversations.

 

So in this episode, we have a familiar name from Season 1 - Patience Abonge. Her episode on Season 1 was one of the most listened to, and reviewed as her story touched many and brought forth the awareness of why we need to keep asking our loved ones the “Are you okay?” question, but this time, with intention and genuine interest to know what they’re going through mentally.

 

Meet Our Guest

 

Patience is a support worker who advocates for mental health in our community. She has suffered from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. She is here to speak more about her recent relapse and her goal is to use her story to motivate and inspire others while emphasizing the need to continue having these conversations. 

 

Contact Patience:

Tiktok: @patienceabonge8

Facebook: Patience Abonge

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Patience Abonge

[03:00 – 25:00] Patience Shares Her Relapse Story

• Why she relapsed
• The amount of time spent at the health facility
• The effect of lack of support

[25:00 – 45:00]  Recovery & How We All Can Help People Dealing With Mental Issues

• What steps and procedures worked for Patience 
• Ask people how to help them
• Getting professional help
• Talking to people who have experienced similar mental health issues
• Patience's recovery so far

[45:00 – 52:00] Addressing Important Issues

• Patience's advice on how to approach mental health disorders
• Patience's final words
• Anyoh's final words

Tweetable Quotes

“First of all, you have to identify the reasons or the causes of your mental health issues because you alone will know what the trigger is. Are you in financial difficulty? Are you unhappy in a relationship? Are you suffering from childhood trauma? Are you suffering from a loss? When you identify what the cause is then you can find a solution.” - Patience Abonge

 

“Seek help from professionals or people with experience in mental health-related issues because people with experience would know exactly what you’re going through and how to help you go through this difficult phase of your life.”  - Patience Abonge

 

“Asking me to be positive in such difficult times is not what I need. Ask me how you can help me, what you can do for me or support me with. Don’t come in thinking you know what am going through and you have a solution or suggestion when you haven’t spoken to me yet.” - Patience Abonge

 

“The worst thing that could ever happen, which tends to relatively be common in our African community is that a lot of people use a mental illness against the patient's going through it. Whenever the patient has a concern or an issue they want to have a conversation about, people presume they’re having an episode or a relapse and that’s so insensitive” - Anyoh Fombad

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com  for more resources and to learn more.

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

The topic of fibroids will be one thing that we will never stop talking about because raising awareness is very necessary. This time around, we will dive deep into a personal experience of one of our sisters on her quest to get rid of 100 fibroids.

 

By age 50, nearly two-thirds of women experience uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous tumors that grow in the uterus and range from pea to football-sized and even larger. Data from Michigan Medicine shows that “Nearly a quarter of Black women between 18 and 30 have fibroids compared to about 6% of white women, according to some national estimates. By age 35, that number increases to 60%. Black women are also two to three times more likely to have recurring fibroids or suffer from complications.”

 

This data shows that women in our communities are disproportionately affected by fibroids and for that reason, there is a dire need for more education and discussion on this topic to help raise awareness and sensitize our community. Be inspired!

 

Meet Our Guest

Our guest for this episode is Hilda Ngelo. Hilda was born in Cameroon and is an IT Change Partner, Creative Director of Ndià  Mangye, and Editor-in-Chief at Mammypi  FashionTV. 

 

Hilda shares with us her journey with fibroids, which has been such a difficult one to say the least, but she came out stronger than ever and survived a surgery, which took out 100 fibroids from her body. Hilda’s story doesn’t only depict the strength of a woman, but her ability to bear it all and never lose hope! 

 

Be inspired by Hilda’s story just as we are!

 

Contact Hilda:

Facebook: Hilda Ngelo and/or Mammy Pi

Instagram: @mammypi

 

Watch Hilda’s Story on BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00151j8

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Hilda Ngelo

[03:00 – 25:00] Hilda Narrates Her Experience With Fibroids

• Early signs of fibroid
• First diagnosis and surgery
• Health complications after surgery
• A shocking second diagnosis
• More fibroids found in a 3D scan

[25:00 – 50:00] Second Surgery & Recovery

• More health complications and difficulties
• The risks of surgery
• The series of events that led to the surgery
• Having faith and staying cheerful through it all
• Hilda's recovery so far

[50:00 – 01:05:00] Addressing Important Issues

• The need for more education and sensitization
• Our women need to be courageous and ask a lot of questions
• We need to stop dismissing the concerns of others

[01:30:00 – 01:09:03] Final Advice

• Hilda's advice to women
• Hilda's final words
• Anyoh's final words

Quotes

“I think clinicians should be able to listen to patients and provide accurate information to them. And if the patient doesn't understand, get somebody that can understand that information and break it down to the patient in a language that they better understand.” — Hilda Ngelo

 

“Please speak up, speak to somebody you trust. Find somebody in your circle that you trust. And if there's nobody, please do reach out because I'm here to listen, I'm here to help, and advise you.” — Hilda Ngelo 

“In a different world like in the western world as a whole, A lot of black or African women go through so much but they are so afraid to ask the right questions because they think the doctor or health professional won’t give them a chance to ask those [questions] or meet them with aggression as they have experienced back home [in Africa].” — Anyoh Fombad

 

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com  for more resources and to learn more.

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

Life in the 40s to 60s was nothing compared to current times. For my Grandad(Dr. Wilfred Asombang), then a young man trying to find a meaning for his existence, it wasn’t any different.

 

I brought him on this week’s episode to discuss his life’s story and share the lessons he learned along the way, which led to success and a legacy for us his grandchildren. I hope this episode gives you more clarity about life and offers you some answers to some of the struggles you may be facing.

 

MEET THE GUEST:

Dr. Wilfred Wasi Asombang was born in Cameroon (Achah Quarter, Mbengwi Village, Meta, Momo Division). Dr. Asombang beat all odds to fulfill his dreams of going to school in various parts of the world making him the first in his family and one of the very few citizens with advanced education at the time. His education includes the following:

Basel  Mission Primary School, Mbengwi; Ahmadiya College, Aggege, Lagos, Nigeria; London University Advanced Level GCE Certificate through Rapid Results College correspondence tuition; B.Com (Hons) Degree, University of Poona, Maharastra, India; MBA and MSc (Agecon) degrees from the University of Minnesota pre-MBA and the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, including an internship at the IBRD/World Bank, Washington D.C. USA; and   1988 Ph.D. (Econs) degree, University of Wales, Aberystwyth campus, Wales, UK. 

During his professional years, Dr. Asombang had several publications and was a member of several professional societies. He worked for prominent international organizations like the African Union and United Nations. Presently, as a United Nations retiree, he is a Freelance Consultant on Capacity Building for Economic Growth & Development; Strategic Human Resources Management, and Regional Cooperation and Integration.

 

Things You Will Learn in This Episode: 

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guest - Dr. Wilfred Asombang

[03:00 – 25:00] Grandad talks about his humble beginnings

• Life in rural Cameroon
• His upbringing and education
• His struggle to pursue education in Cameroon and Nigeria
• Gaining Scholarships & Studying in United States 

[25:00 – 01:00:00] Work Life & Career Progression

• Getting into the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) & United Nations (UN)
• Moving across African countries
• Lecturing in Namibia & Cameroon
• Humanitarian Work & Service to Others

[01:00:00 – 01:30:00] Challenges experienced and lessons learnt

• Studying in Wales for a PhD
• Work in several Departments of the UN
• How to progress in your career
• The importance of hard work and integrity

[01:30:00 – 01:45:00] Final Advice

• Life lessons from Grandad
• Advice to the younger generation
• Importance of women empowerment
• Why we need to be more tolerant and accepting
• Final words from Grandad
• Final words from Anyoh

 

Tweetable Quotes:

 

“My late father brought me up with the mindset that I need to work hard before I think of pleasure. He emphasized hard work before pleasure – it was like his motto and this is how he put it: "my son, the first thing in life is work. So, work hard on your own.” — Dr. Wilfred Asombang

“On racism in America during my studies, I didn't even realize it but it was the academic advisor who pointed out that this was a problem. The problem was that I was the only black person in the MBA classrooms and those who handled the academic records were 100% white people. Unfortunately, most of them had never spoken to a black man and so when I entered the office, they all ran away - they disappeared.” — Dr. Wilfred Asombang

“And then we must also accept the fact that every human being has ideas, so they must be given the opportunity to express themselves. So if you have a family, you must know that everyone in the family has ideas that can contribute to the well being of their family so they must be allowed to express those ideas and possibly turn them into realities.” — Dr. Wilfred Asombang

“We must accept that change is unstoppable, that change is necessary, and  so we all need to contribute to that change.” — Dr. Wilfred Asombang

“You should know that everyone, whether a man or a woman, is a breadwinner! Yes, we must move away from the point where we used to say that men are the breadwinners - no! The women are serving, working, and creating stuff so we say everyone is a breadwinner, and everyone has to start with self-employment.” — Dr. Wilfred Asombang

 

LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you!

 

Connect with Living African Podcast

You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com  for more resources and to learn more.

You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).