Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A GUIDE FOR LIVING IN 2011

HEALTH

Drink plenty of water

Eat breakfast like a King,lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar

Eat more food that grows ON trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured IN plants.

Live with the 3 E's-- Energy, Enthuasiasm and Empathy.

Make time to pray

Play more games & Read more books than you did in 2010

Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day

Sleep at least 7 hours

Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

PERSONALITY

Dont campare your life to others. You have no idea what their journery is all about

Dont have negative thoughts on things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

Dont over do. Keep your limits.

Dont take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Dont waste your precious energy on gossip.

Dream more while you are awake

Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

Forget issues of the past. Dont remind your partner of his/her mistakes in the past,that will ruin your present happiness.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Dont hate others.

Make peace with your past so it wont spoil the present.

No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

Smile and laugh more.

You dont have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...


SOCIETY

Call your family often

Each day give something good to others

Forgive everyone for everything.

Spend time with people over the age of 70, and under the age of 6.

Try to make at least three people smile each day

What others people think of you is none of your business

Your job wont take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

LIFE

Do the right things!

Ged rid of anything that is isnt useful, beautiful, or joyful.

GOD heals everything.

However good or bad a situation is,it will change

No matter how you feel,get up, dress up,and show up

The best is yet to come...

When you awake alive in the morning, Thank GOD for it.

Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Commitment to giving

Oprah wanted to bring Christmas to the children of South Africa. She planned one month's worth of celebrations for 50,000 kids. This was a life altering trip for her.

She said she's paying back for a kind act to her when she was young. On christmas, as she was crying because she had no dolls, two women knocked on her door and gave her two dolls.

One small act of kindness stayed with her all through these years.Her good work has played an important part in the success of her talk show. While she was there she got to share 29 meals with her strongest, living,mentor, Nelson Mandela made her feel strengthened, deepened,broadened and more loving and forgiving.

Creating an experience and giving power to the staff is what surged Starbucks.

Starbucks from a single location coffee shop in 1971 has now more than 11,500 non-franchised locations worldwide, annual sales of more than $600 million and has been rated as one of the best Fortune 100 companies to work. Since 1992, its stock has grown 5000 per cent its success is based on its progressive corporate culture and passing its values to all employees or 'partners' as they are known in the company.

The average cost of coffee at Starbucks is $3! A concept that was unthinkable some time back. The lions share comes from its core business of coffee- retail sales,music,gift packs. Their success criteria- belief in their product and creation of experience for the customer. Yes with the current crisis they have been hit just like everyone else. However their growth compared to where they started is still huge.

Microsoft opted for gift of health by paying for healthy living seminars for its employees as well as gym fees. By so doing it saves $2 on sick leave savings for every $1 spent.

The gift of sight is what Lens Crafters did in donating 5 milliong glasses since 1988 to the less priveleged- a 'gift of sight' The company is regarded as one of the best
companies to work in.

The Gucci slogan is 'Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten'.

The more you give to your staff( guidance,motivation,encouragement and respect); the better they perfom. By retaining good people you save a lot of time and resources looking for new people and training them.

Leader servant approach is the new leadership paradigm, which makes employees feel valued. This in turn improves their productivity. By creating and enabling enviroment for young people, you increase their productivity and your profitabiliy.

By giving your customers good service and respect, you win their loyalty. The lifetime value of their loyalty is enormous. Exceeding customer expectations require completely satisfied customers and not just satisfied customers. Completely satisfied customers create extraordinaly results for the business not only in terms of their contribution but also in the from of what they tell others. When you keep your committment and trust with your financier, the better terms you get. The more time you spend on introspection, reflection and balance the better you perform.

The more you give, the more you create!

All the above examples create a win-win for both the giver and the receiver. Therein lies the power of Giving! The power to Give is inside all of you. Giving comes from within. We are born with a gift, which is within each one of us .This gift has been given to us to make a positive difference. The burning desire lies within all of us.

There is still a big need for giving! According to a UN study, every human being could be given food, shelter, sanitation, education, and comfortable life for no more money than an annual golf membership would cost or one third of money spent on cigarettes.

Mohammed Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh says, ' Poverty is not created by poor people. It has been produced by our failure to create institutions to support human capabilities.' Within a decade of his work,half the people have risen above poverty line.

Richness is not defined by how much you have,but rathen how much you give.

The Afghan families I met had nothing yet they would offer dry fruits to a guest-a mehman as they would call them. In this act of kindness they felt like a 'maharaja'a King.

The more you give, the more you tap your creativity, innovation, passion, ingenuity and potential. YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU! I know you have an inherent desire to give and make a positive difference.

As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain, I will come back to serve- Dalai Lama.


This article is reproduced from The Citizen, Tanzanian Daily;8th of June,2011

WAKENYA WATUFUNIKA!! SIYO MBAYA!

Eti jamaa yangu mmoja alinishangaa kwa kunywa maziwa ya Brookside dairy, yatokayo Kenya. Eti nipendelee viwanda vya nyumbani, hivyo ninywe Tanga Fresh. Nyumbani wapi? Nani kasema utakapo ni Tanzania? Ni ushamba huo.

ebu fikiria mimi muhaya ningekuwa nakula matoke tu, hapa Dar Es Salaam, je, mlima mpunga angepata wapi soko? ebu fikiria ningeamua kula samaki wa ziwa victoria tu,maharage ya Mbeya angenunua nani?

Na nani aliyetudanganya na hii dhana ya mipaka ya nchi? Miaka 200 iliyopita hatukuwa na Kenya, Uganda, wala Tanzania kama tunavyoziona hizi nchi sasa. Leo hii naambiwa ninywe maziwa ya Tanga fresh, kwanini?

Ni mtu huyo huyo ananiyeshangaa mimi kunywa maziwa ya Brookside, anaye shabikia Machester United na kushindwa kutaja 'line up' ya Simba, vijana wa Msimbazi.

Hii ni Dunia ya utandawazi, ambayo mwandishi Thomas Friedman, anaiita 'Flat World'.Mimi kama mteja natakiwa ninunue kitu roho yangu inapenda bila kipingamizi chochote. Hiyo ndiyo faida ya utandawazi.

Na nchi zilizokumbatia utandawazi zimefanikiwa sana. Angalia Marekani, ambapo vipaji kutoka India ( software), africa ( sanaa),China ( bidhaa zote) nk vinaiweka Marekani hapo ilipo sasa.

Hii ni dunia ya wingi, ( abundance) na hatutaweza kuishi hapa Duniani kama tutakuwa ni viumbe tunaotaka kujifungia na raslimali zetu tulizonazo. Kama kuna ardhi tugawe tu, kama kuna ajira tugawe tu, kama kuna walaji tuwaruhusu wananunue bidhaa za nje bila kipingamizi.

Serikali inachoweza kufanya ni ubunifu, na umakini wa kunufaika kutokana na bidhaa, ujuzi( skills) na mitaji kutoka nje. Serikali iliyo makini itatoza kodi na kutoendekeza misamaha ya kodi kwa wageni wanaokuja nchini kwetu.Serikali iliyo makini itaendelea kutoa motisha kwa viwanda vya maziwa vya hapa nchini ili vishindane na Brookside kutoka Kenya. Je kuna ubaya gani kwa kabaila kutoka Kenya akichukua ardhi na kulima halafu akapewa masharti kuwa mazao asilimia kubwa auze Tanzania? Si bora kuliko kukaa na mapori yasiyolimwa?

Tafakari, Chukua hatua.

HUWEZI KUONA MSITU UNAPOKUA MSITUNI; UTAONA MITI TU

Ni lini ulikunywa maji kutoka bombani, (kutoka bomba la dawasco), ni lini ulikunywa maziwa? Ni lini uliumwa na kuitiwa gari la wagonjwa (ambulance)? Ni lini ulilala hapa jijini Dar Es Salaam bila kutumia chandarua? Ni lini ulipanda daladala na kukuta hakuna mtu aliyesimama?

Maswali ni mengi, mengi sana; na inapofika mahala tunapokuwa kwenye lindi la dhiki na shida na tukaona kawaida, au tunapopotezea, tunajizidishia ujinga ndani ya vichwa vyetu.Kizazi hiki cha nyoka, hiki kizazi kilichozaliwa miaka 80 na 90 ni kizazi kilichojikuta kwenye msitu na huku hakijui kuwa kipo kwenye msitu. Anayegundua kuwa kijana huyu yupo msituni ni yule aliyeishi miaka ya 60 na 70 ambapo enzi hizo hatukuwa na misitu.

Ni sisi wenye miaka 40 na kuendelea tuliyeonja maji ya bombani, ni sisi tulisoma shule za msingi za serikali na leo tunafanya kazi kwa umakini maofisini. Ni sisi ambao hatukuishi na matenki ya maji darini, ambapo sasa inaonekana kuwa ndiyo ustaarabu. Ni sisi ambao Baba zetu walifaidi barabara za lami kwa kuendesha 'bito'( vokswageni) na kuyapitisha yale magari madogo kwenye lami zilisheheni jijini Dar-Es-Salaam. Ni sisi tuliyefaidi treni ya reli ya kati kutoka Dar kwenda mikoani.

Leo hii kijana anayeanza kazi, hana upeo wa kumuuliza diwani wake, barabara ya lami iko wapi? yeye anachowaza ni kutafuna rushwa na kununua prado.

Tafakari, chukua hatua.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Friday, June 3, 2011

HARUSI ZA KIAFRIKA: NANI KASEMA HATUNA UBUNIFU?

Nani kasema hatuna ubunifu? Nani kasema watanzania hawana kitu cha kujivunia.

kwa kipindi kifupi nilichokaa Tanzania baada ya kuishi Uingereza takribani miaka tisa nimegundua kuwa watanzania ili suala la kuchangishana na kusherehekea harusi ni la kwetu, halipo Ulaya. Made in Tanzania.

Lina faida? Nyingi tu, na ninawabeza wanaochoka na kudai kuwa ni uchomaji wa pesa, eti tunachangishana mno na kuchoma pesa kwa siku moja. Kwanini tusifanye hivyo? Je, nyie mnaotushangaa hamjui siye ni matajiri.

Watanzania tunaoishi mijini, hasa Dar Es Salaam tuna mtazamo wa mashambani ambalo nalo si jambo baya, ni zuri tu, na hapo ndipo inapopendeza tunaleta mapokeo ya kijijini mjini na kufanya sherehe za harusi ziwe za kula, kunywa, na kusaza. Si ndiyo ilivyo kijijini? Ndiyo bwana ndivyo tulivyolelewa. Kwa miye mwenyeji wa Kagera, kule kwetu enzi zile ndizi hazijaingiliwa na wadudu, tulikuwa tunatengeneza pombe nyingi sana, kunywa, kula matoke mpaka kuvimbiwa. Watanzania/waafrika kwa ujumla ni watu wa kusaza bwana.

Sasa tunapokuja mijini, pesa ni ngumu, ni ngumu kwa mtu mmoja kuitisha pombe na kufurahisha mamia ya watu, na hapo ndipo unapokuja umuhimu wa kuchangishana katika kusherehesha harusi ya Bwana na Bibi harusi.

Na hata mipangilio mizima ya harusi inaonyesha ubunifu mkubwa. Kuna Mwenyekiti, katibu, mweka hazina( huyu anaaminika tu kwa uaminifu wake) na inapokaribia siku ya harusi, kamati zinaundwa; kama vile kamati ya vinjwaji, kamati ya ulinzi, kamati ya chakula, floor manager, nk.

wajumbe wa kamati huwa wanafanya kazi kwa uadilifu mkubwa na bidii kubwa hili kufanikisha siku yenyewe na kwa kweli wanastahili sifa maana hakuna mishahara, na kujitoa kwa ukweli na hakika siku ya mwisho Bwana na Bi Harusi wanakuwa wamesaidiwa na marafiki na ndugu wa ukweli.

Suala la kufahamiana je, waingereza wanaita 'contacts'. Hapa mjini kama nyie mlio ulaya hamjui kufahamiana ndio mwendo murua. Hapa bila kujua mtu, maisha hayasongi mbele. Sasa kwenye vikao vya harusi, na tu 'deal' tudogo tudogo na hata madeal makubwa ndipo yanapofanyika. Kwa kipindi kifupi nilichohudhuria vikao vya harusi nimeweza kupata marafiki wengi wanaonipa fursa mbalimbali za kuyamudu maisha ya Dar. Business cards zitatolewa, namba za simu mtapeana, na hata mchumba unaweza kumpata kwenye hivi vikao kwa wale ambao bado hawajaoa. Vikao vya harusi navyo ni 'business forum' hisiyo rasmi, lakini ya kibongo bongo.

Muhimu zaidi ni hili suala la kupigana tough, waingereza wanasema 'scratch my back, I will scratch yours. Unapomchangia mtu harusi leo hatakusahau, huwezi kujua kesho utakwenda pale hospitali ya muhimbili na matatizo ya ngiri na utamkuta dactari ndio yule yule uliemchangia harusi yake, bingo, umepata matibabu.

Ingawa naupigia upatu utaratibu huu, ningependelea tuweke vionjo ya kimagharibi ili kupendezesha na kufanikisha huu ubunifu wetu. Swali linanijia kichwani, mbona serikali yetu haioni hiki kama kiwanda na kukitoza kodi?? Michango ya harusi inatengeneza pesa, kwanini isitozwe kodi na manufaa ya maendeleo ya watanzania wote?

Najua wameanza kutoza ushuru wenye kumbi za harusi, ndio ni vyema kabisa. Je hisingekuwa vyema tukaenda mbali zaidi na kutoza ushuru vikao vya harusi?? labda michango ya harusi ndio 'Toyota' yetu? Nani kasema watanzania hatuna bidhaa.

Tufike mahali labda tuseme harusi inayozidi bajeti ya million kumi itozwe kodi asilimia fulani!!! je, haiwezekani unapoenda kutoa 'order' ya keki, ukalipishwa VAT?(value added tax). Pesa zinazopatikana kutokana na michango ya harusi inaweza kusaidia utengenezaji wa barabara, ujenzi wa zahanati na hata kujenga mashule. Ni pesa inayozunguka humu ndani kwa ndani ambayo mamlaka ya Kodi haijaing'amua bado.

Msinichukie jamani, nami natamani nasi tuwe na bidaa za kujivunia zinazoweza kutozeka kodi.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

TUKIWEKEZA KWENYE KUPENDANA,MATATIZO YOTE YATAISHA

Sipendi waafrika tunavyoyachukulia matatizo yetu, inaonekana hata wanasiasa wanachukulia matatizo kama mtaji wa kisiasa, na hata wafanyabiashara wanachukulia matatizo kama mtaji wa kujijazia mali.Wasomi nao wanachukulia matatizo kama mwanya wa kujikimu na kujilimbikizia mali. Haya yote yangeonekana kuwa historia kama tungewekeza wote kama waafrika kati jambo moja muhimu. Kupendana, au kwa kiingereza LOVE.

Kwanini tuna Ukimwi? kwanini watoto wetu hawajui kusoma na kuandika? kwanini ugonjwa wa malaria tunashindwa kuutokomeza?

Jibu ni moja, HATUPENDANI!!! Matatizo yetu yanatokana na siye wenyewe kushindwa kugawana kwa haki bin haki mali zetu ( resources) na hivyo kupelekea kukaribisha mabalaha kibao. Rhonda Byne katika kitabu chake 'Secrets' anaandika kuwa kila ugonjwa unaanza na mawazo potofu,( negative thoughts).Mchukulie Mzazi mzembe anayetoka kazini saa tisa mchana na kuelekea baa mpaka saa nane usiku; mzembe huyu anafika nyumbani wakati mke wake na watoto wameshalala. Tujiulize, ana upendo huyu kwa familia yake? Je, watoto wake wakikosa muongozo wa Baba na kuishia kuwa watoto wa mitaani ni nani wa kulaumiwa? Je tutegemee watoto waliolelewa na Baba mwenye mawazo hasi wataibuka kuwa viongozi wa kesho wenye mawazo chanya?

Sisi wazazi hata kama tukichoma pesa zetu zote kupeleka watoto kwenye shule zenye ada ya vyuo vikuu, bila ya kuwa na ukaribu na watoto wetu tunakaribisha jamii duni hisiyokuwa na mwelekeo imara. Tunatengeneza wezi wa dot.com,( matapeli wa kimataifa walioenda shule), tunatengeneza wala rushwa, tunatengeneza wavuta bangi na madawa ya kulevya, na tunatengeneza kizazi kisichokuwa na maadili.

Watoto kupata elimu bora ni jambo moja, lakini watoto kuwa na maadili ni jambo lingine ambalo naona linapotea kila kukicha. Leo hii upendo, uaminifu na uungwana unapotea kwa kasi kubwa. Hata makanisani na misikitini kila mtu anakula kwenye dawati lake.Nani atamfunga paka kengele?

Kwa mwendo huu tunafikiri UKIMWI tutautokomeza wakati waganga wataalam wakubwa tuliowasomesha kwa taabu wanaacha kutibia malaria na kukimbilia kwenye mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali yanayofadhiliwa na watu wa Marekani? je, utawalaumu wakati tangia watoto hawakufundishwa kupendana na wazazi wao? Kwani hatufahamu kuwa kinga zetu zinafifia sana mgonjwa wa malaria anaposhindwa kutibiwa? Je inaingia akilini tunaposhindwa kusisitiza usafi wa kawaida kabisa na kupeleka nguvu kwenye gonjwa la ukimwi?

Tafakari, Chukua hatua.