In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is a town where people live slowly, like the river that flows through it. I was born and raised in this simple place, which was filled with the love of a close-knit community and the bright colours of nature’s gifts. But as I got older, I realized that if I wanted to reach my goals and make a future for myself, I had to leave my dear town and make a hard trip to Kinshasa, the country’s capital.

It wasn’t easy for me to decide to leave my town behind. Situations and goals brought me to the point where I had to take a leap of faith. Like many people before me, I was drawn to the capital city, which was said to be where dreams became real. Still, the trip was full of uncertainty, fear, and longing for the simple life in the village. The hardest part of the process was leaving my family and neighbourhood behind. Their love and support had been the foundations of my life, and the thought of leaving them broke my heart. The town was the place where my dreams started to grow, and the ties I made there are a part of who I am.

Still, I moved forward because I had a strong desire for chance and improvement. I wanted to get out of my village, where I was poor and didn’t have much. I wanted to see the world beyond my village. I knew that the capital city held the key to the door of opportunities, where my dreams could take off like the birds flying high above the village fields.

On the way to Kinshasa, I had to deal with a lot of hard things that tried my strength. The rough roads, dangerous terrain, and uncertain weather were like the problems that country life had always had. But these problems came with the hope of a better future, which gave me the strength to keep going.

Kinshasa is a large city with many different cultures, languages, and possibilities. The city was full of energy and movement that I had never seen or felt before. It was scary and exciting at the same time, because the noise of the city was so different from the quiet of my town.

As I looked for work in the city, I found it to be both friendly and uninterested. Even though there were more job possibilities, the competition was tough and it wasn’t easy to get a job. Rejection became something I was used to, and sometimes I was tempted to go back to the country, where life was simpler.

But it was during these hard times that I learned how strong and flexible I really was. Kinshasa, with its busy streets and crowded markets, taught me how to survive and make do with what I had. This melting pot of events was where I learned new things and got better at what I already knew.

As the days turned into weeks and then months, the city slowly wrapped its arms around me and turned into a second home. The confusion of the city, which used to be too much to handle, turned into a soothing background hum, and the strange faces became friends and confidants. The pulse of Kinshasa became one with mine, and I started to enjoy the unique pace of city life.

Now that I look back, I can see that moving from a town to a city was more than just a change of place. It was also a change of spirit. My choice to leave my town in search of a better life was an ode to hope and a tribute to strength. It taught me how important it is to accept change, even when it seems scary, and how strong you can be when you step out of your comfort zone.

As I stand in the middle of Kinshasa’s busy streets, I’m thankful for the trip that brought me here. The city has given me the chance to learn, grow, and find out more about myself. But my heart is still tied to the town where I grew up and learned the ideals that continue to guide me.

The trip from country to city is not just mine; it is also the story of a lot of other people who have had the courage to follow their dreams beyond where they were born. It shows how strong the human spirit is and how hope keeps us moving forward even when things don’t go as planned.

The town and the city are two colourful pieces in the puzzle of life. Each offers its own experiences and lessons. Together, they show how the Congolese people have grown, how different they are, and how strong they are. As I continue to make my way in Kinshasa, the main city of Congo, the knowledge and love of my village will always be a part of me.

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House-hunting in Nigeria as a lady has to be the most daunting, physically and mentally draining experience ever. This is simply because most landlords do not like renting their houses to women, and all their reasons are annoying and awfully too generalised. However, my housing agent, Kola, says I should not blame these landlords because they have had their fair share of experiences with ladies.

The last two months have been quite challenging for me. The most common question I got was “What of your husband?”. Although the first time a landlady asked me that question, I thought she was merely concerned and naive, me went: “Oh, I’m not married yet, I still need to work some more” I didn’t add that I needed to run my master’s degree program, and so I need money, and to get the money I have to work.

I remember she showed me the small stall in front of the house that belonged to her while saying something about working-class women intimidating prospective suitors. She also mentioned that I might be unable to keep up with the rent payment, so I needed a man to help me. So Shocking! Wow! I remembered leaving the house, unsuccessfully renting the apartment, as I tried to think of which man was in my life and wondered if I had made a mistake by rejecting guys who had previously asked to be my boyfriend or marry me.

“You haven’t seen anything yet, “my colleague at the factory, Tina, said after I recounted my previous experience to her. Kola called me yesterday after work to check out an apartment in the boys’ quarter of a Chief. When he told me the Chief was my tribesman, I felt he would be happy to have me as his tenant. Some people tend to favour others because they are from the same tribe. So I quickly left work, asking Tina to cover up for me. I got there to meet Chief, the landlord and Kola whispered to me that Chief’s wife was a stout-looking woman with too much makeup on her face in a corner of the house. She did not join our conversation with her husband. I was shown the boys’ quarter, and I liked it so much that I offered to make a transfer at that moment. Trust my tribespeople, the Chief wanted cash. I promised to bring it the following day. I was so elated that I dashed Kola’s two thousand naira note. Suddenly on my way home, a car parked very near me and the stout-looking woman I met at Chief’s place came down to speak with me. Her English was incorrect, and because she mixed Igbo with it, I could pick out the point in what she said. Chief said he was no longer giving the apartment to me as someone else had paid for it. And when I asked why, she muttered some incoherent words, “Ashawo…. snatching my husband….” on and on she went till she drove off. I was so shocked. She called me Ashawo, a prostitute who wanted to snatch her husband.” I felt my cheeks wet with tears right on the road.

“Obviously, her husband never sent her. She just never wanted you.” I agree with Tina. The woman practically dragged the “women supporting women” statement in the mud. I did not bother to plead with the Chief. I knew if I eventually stayed in that house, I would face trouble from Chief’s wife every day, and at the end of it all, I was somewhat grateful.

I badly wanted to stop staying at the staff quarters in the factory. Some old baldies (my work supervisors) at the factory would not let me be. They assumed that every lady who stayed alone should be ready to have multiple relationships, and because I did not want to get into trouble with any of them, I wanted to leave the quarters.

A prayer was answered when I found a one-room apartment in a face-me-I-face-you house. It was not the kind of house you’d be proud to bring your work friends to, nor was it a place where you could peacefully nap in the afternoon. The only thing I was grateful for was that the old landlady did not ask to see my husband, but I got a long list of uncomfortable rules and regulations that I had to keep while staying in the house. I also had to put up with sharing a bathroom and toilet with six other people, mostly married women and their children. It felt better.

Story by Abiodun Ayomide

Facebook: Abiodun Olayinka

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If you are like me then you are probably overall the articles, social media posts and talks about living a healthier life. And whilst I for one am not one for telling anyone they need to change. I can say that when it comes to our health, we can all do better. Not just for things like losing weight but also for overall health. Personally, I’ve been really inspired to get healthier.

With an active toddler, a busy social life, and not one but three jobs, I feel I need to pay particular attention to my health to keep up with all of it. Have good mental health and be able to climb the five flights of stairs to our apartment. And whilst I currently am not in my best health with a tooth abscess and on antibiotics. I am still trying to implement some of these healthier habits throughout my days and weeks.

1. Drink more water: We all know that drinking water is good for you and as hard as it can be, one of the ways I like to up my water intake is by starting my day with a glass of lemon water in the morning. And ending it with a glass of water in the evenings. Throughout the day (when I remember, I like to carry around my glass water bottle with me that reminds me to hydrate.
2. Move your body: Whilst moving your body every day can seem impossible. It is necessary. Moving your body does not have to mean doing an intense cardio session or hitting the gym. It can be as simple as taking a walk or even doing some sort of yoga or stretching.
3. Eating more fruit and vegetables: As a mom with a toddler. I often find that the best way to get my toddler to implement healthy behaviour’s in her diet and food choices is by doing the same. This means snacking on peas instead of chips. Eating lots of fruit and making all of this tasty by adding vegetables like spinach to my smoothies, or reaching for an apple instead of a biscuit when I find myself needing a midday snack. Again how far you take this is up to you. And you do not always have to take the healthier option. The name of the game is balance and accountability.
4. Get more sleep: As a struggling insomniac, I can tell you now how hard this is for me. But I do n-know that when I sleep more, I feel better and can be more productive throughout my day. Aiming for quality sleep is just as important as quantity, which means ensuring your room is comfortable, clean and electronics free for better sleep.
5. Connect with loved ones: With so much being thrown our way the past few years, one of the best ways to take care of our health is by talking to loved ones. I know that it can feel like you are being a burden when sharing struggles with those you love. But trust me when I say that it is well worth it. And it is better than getting into a mental funk that is hard to pull yourself from. So whether it’s sending funny memes or calling a friend in the morning. Or my personal favourite, getting in cuddles with my daughter every night. I always make sure to find ways to connect with those I love.

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Growing up in a township it pained my heart to see how parents degraded their children because their dreams were taking longer than they should to be fulfilled. Siblings turned against each other. Parents became enemies and aunts and uncles sometimes made comparisons. All because one of the children who has become financially independent and is seen as better than the one who is still at University or still trying to build him/herself up. Others are being reminded how old they are and where they should be in life. You find that these individuals are not just sitting around doing nothing. They are really trying but life isn’t giving them the chance.

When I was still a little girl my dream was to stay at my parents’ house until I got married. After I finished high school I decided to pursue a degree in business and management. Unfortunately, everything changed when my dream took longer than it should. Some of my friends got learner-ships immediately after high school and they got permanent posts at the end of it. Some got married and others became slay queens in the process and I was still just a university student .

As time passed by from one year to the next I started to feel as if I was becoming a burden to those I considered my pillars. Remember I am still at home, studying, no part-time job or anything so I had to ask for everything. On the other, I was not getting any younger, so some of the things were becoming uncomfortable to ask for. Furthermore things that are being said about me compared to my friends made me feel useless and I ended up doubting my decision of furthering my education.

I became bitter and ended up believing that my friends were better than me because they could do it all by themselves. I started to find ways to survive without being too dependent especially financially on my family. However, what I was making was not even enough to cover my transport fare which made me feel like I was moving around in a circle. 

Life is a journey and it is said that ‘the journey of thousand miles begins with one step’. I had to remind myself that choosing education over anything else is part of the journey that will benefit me in the long run. I considered moving out often but I knew I could not pay for rent. Patience and endurance was my only option. I had to endure all the negativity and pains of being degraded by those close to me to survive. I promised myself that there is no testimony without a test. This was my time to stay focused until things worked out..

For me staying home ended up hurting my relationship with my loved ones. But for someone else it may mean the opposite. What ever your choice, all that matters is that you are financially able to take care of yourself before moving out. Because whilst the idea of moving into your own place can sound nice. It also costs a lot. And making sure you are stable enough before making a decision is important.

Also if possible talk to your parents and family members often about where you are going. What you want to do and how long you anticipate it taking. This may help remind them that you do have a path and plan. And lastly find ways to contribute at home. This can mean doing chores or baby sitting younger siblings so that even if you are unable to financially contribute, you are bringing something to the family.  

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