NIGHT FALL

Only one-quarter of women reliably experience orgasm during intercourse—no matter how long it lasts, no matter what size the man's penis, and no matter how the woman feels about the man or the relationship.

According to 33 comprehensive studies, only half of women sometimes have orgasms during intercourse. About 20 percent seldom have orgasms during intercourse and about 5 percent never have orgasms, period.

In other words, intercourse is not the key to most women's sexual satisfaction. Whilst intercourse is central to reproductive sex, intercourse is not the essence of lovemaking. This begs the question: What makes many lovers feel deeply connected between the sheets?

Guest on the line: Dr Miriam Khan – Medical Doctor and Sexual Health Specialist

Prior to 2020, Mandela Day was traditionally celebrated by staff dedicating 67 minutes of their time to initiatives that involved action to inspire change. While the Covid-19 pandemic prevents corporates from having staff physically at various sites, Corporate Social Responsibility agency MAMAs Alliance says that there are many other options for corporates wanting to make a difference.

MAMAs Alliance prioritises the empowerment and upliftment of vulnerable youth and children across South Africa. MAMAs Alliance has a network of 2 200 members, across 37 independent autonomous NGOs and operating from 75 predominantly rural sites. The Alliance aims to reduce hunger and malnutrition, increasing access to education and ECD centres and the provision of shelter and nurturing environments.

Guest on the line: German More – Fundraising Consultant - MAMAS Alliance

Guest on the line: Ruby Motaung - Director –TREE

Africa is struggling to meet its vaccination targets for reasons that aren't as simple as they might seem. The Africa Union has worked mainly through its Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to acquire Covid-19 vaccines for the continent.

The World Health Organization calculates that Africa has administered only 2% of the global Covid-19 vaccine jabs. Our next guest saw that developing countries were struggling to curb the challenges and risks associated with counterfeit medications imported from China, India, and Pakistan. He started on a bold mission to construct a pharmaceutical plant in Ghana with the purpose of building the continent’s capacity to make its own vaccines.

Guest on the line: Dr. Michael Obeng - Director of MiKO Plastic and MiKO Surgery Center

About 20% of births in South Africa are the result of unplanned or unintended pregnancies. One way to reduce the rate is for men to have a vasectomy. However, the uptake of vasectomies is low both locally and on the continent. In the past year, the number of performed vasectomies recorded halved from 1,391 in 2019 to only 639 were performed in 2020.

In many parts of the world, family planning is still considered a woman’s responsibility. There is also a knowledge gap about the vasectomy procedure as a family planning method in several African countries.  Another major reason for this is the cultural belief that a man’s fertility belongs to the community as a whole. As a result, men who go for vasectomies risk stigma and contempt. Should men be held socially responsible for their reproductive role in society?

Guest on the line: Dr Prithy Ramlachan – Medical Doctor and Director of Newkwa Medical Centre for Health and Wellness

When you wake up in the morning, what gets you out of bed? What's your drive?

The Japanese concept of Ikigai is all about discovering what sparks your soul and leading life with purpose. This concept is centred on embracing five pillars: starting small, accepting self, connecting with others and the planet, finding joy in little things, and being present.

These principles have helped the residents of Okinawa, Japan to have consistently lived to see their 100th birthday and have the highest number of female centurions in the world.

Guest on the line: Billy Selekane - Author, Inspirational Keynote Speaker and Organizational Effectiveness Specialist.

Going green, being sustainable, being kind and supporting local - these are all the buzzwords that more and more people are striving to live by. One of the easiest ways for farmers to prove that they are sustainable and adhering to good animal welfare practices, is via trusted food labelling.

Our next guest tells us more about how A Greener World (AGW) certification guarantees a farmer’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices and makes it easy for sophisticated consumers to trust - and choose - their products.

Guest on the line: Tozie Zokufa - Executive Director of A Greener World SA

In the past year, we have been surrounded by change and it is the one thing that has the most dramatic impact on our lives. Change can come into our lives as a result of a crisis, as a result of choice or just by chance. There is no avoiding change as it will find you, challenge you and force you to reconsider how to live your life. Fortunately, there are ways to adapt to change, and even to take advantage of it.

We are all faced with having to make a choice – how do we make the best of that change?  

Guest on the line: Coach Mathawe Matsapola - Life coach, seasoned Journalist, Inspirational Speaker and Entrepreneur

As many as half a million more children than expected have dropped out of school during the pandemic. According to the Department of Basic Education, there were approximately 13 million children in Grades 1 to 12 in South Africa.

When comparing household and learner attendance patterns of the 2018 General Household Survey, our next guest said that the Department estimates that 650,000 to 750,000 children aged 7 to 17 years old were not attending school by May 2021. This is an increase of approximately 400,000 to 500,000 when compared to pre-pandemic times and a decline in the attendance rate amongst this age group from 98% in 2018 to 94% in May 2021.

Learner dropout rates are now at the highest rate they have been since household surveys started to monitor it in 2002. School attendance is at the lowest level it has been in 20 years, the report says.

Guest on the line: Nompumelelo Mohohlwane – Deputy Director: Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Department of Basic Education

Guest on the line: Sanele Gamede – Author, Strategic Youth Life and Career Coach and PhD candidate at University of Kwa-Zulu Natal

The key to reaching your long-term financial goals is to ensure that the occasional crisis does not derail your plans. If someone doesn’t have this emergency fund to draw on, they would either take on debt or dip into their retirement savings upon retrenchment, both of which are detrimental to one’s long-term finances. Today, we look at what tools can be used to ensure short-term and medium-term financial wellness.

As part of National Savings Month, the aim is to cultivate a culture of savings and making the public aware of the importance of financial health. This year’s focus is on bringing savings in your language.

Guest: Tony Buys – Financial Advisor

Guest on the line: Aida Coertse, Spiritual Master Coach