by Tadiwa Tandy
As Africans, our legacies are often littered with trauma. This trauma can lead to feelings of exhaustion, frustration and hopelessness. Usually, we think, ‘But what can I do?’ Actioning against an unjust system takes bravery and helping hands. This is the first step. Let’s take it.
Holistic wellness is a multidimensional, individualised approach to wellness with the goal of healing. But what does that mean? And how can it help you?
At Kurapa Moyo we specialise in holistic wellness contextualised for the African woman. With the African woman in mind, we aim to provide you with the tools you need to cultivate a life worth living.
Oftentimes our vision of wellness means Pilates Princesses, matcha lattes, and monthly facials. While this is definitely a life worth living it’s only part of the picture. Our physical wellness does not encompass overall wellness. But it’s as good of a place as any to start.
Physical wellness comprises an awareness of how you care for your body and how your body functions regularly. Noting down any changes throughout your menstrual cycle and making adjustments is a part of physical wellness. Speaking of menstrual cycles - here’s a post we wrote on nutrition, period poops and cravings by registered dietitian Thandeka Angela.
Our bodies are constantly changing as women. Fostering healthy habits to accommodate those changes is a part of cultivating improved physical wellness.
20% of reproductive- age women are diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. As the leading cause of infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome causes an imbalance in our hormones leading to irregular periods. Shockingly, the majority of women go undiagnosed.
Without a cure, management strategies include healthy habits and exercise.
Because ‘healthy’ looks different for everyone, we created a food, health and wellness guide to get you started.
Now that we’ve dealt with the outside, let's deal with the inside.
In African communities, our poor mental health is generally ignored until our illness is passed down through shared experiences linked to trauma and oppression. Learn more about generational trauma here.
Mental health is the culmination of our social, emotional, and psychological experiences, our goal at Kurapa Moyo is for African women to go beyond their collective trauma.
Linked to physical wellness, mental health changes over time. At Kurapa Moyo our purpose is to help push that change in a positive direction.
As a part of our efforts, we ran the Creative Transcendence Huddle led by our founder Anne-Sharlene Murapa. Eleven women over the course of three months gathered together to begin sharing a collective joy.
Oppression is the absence of choice. How we deal with our emotions can negatively impact our quality of life and take a toll on our psychological well-being.
You may be just a girl but you deserve so much more. By sharing in our collective joy, we build our circles and increase our choices.
Let us know if you would like to be a part of our next learning circle💜.
Ubuntu is a South African word linked to relational well-being. Loosely translated it means, ‘I am what I am because of who we all are.’
Our relationships are more than just the ones we have with our partners or children. Relationships encompass co-workers, family, neighbours, and friends. HECK, it even includes us! Our relationships provide a mirror through which we get to know ourselves and others.
We are heavily intertwined with the community that surrounds us. We are a means of connection. The tribe we build around us is a living and breathing entity that meets our needs regularly (if we do our job right).
So how can we improve our relational wellness? Through concerted effort.
Improve your relationship with your tribe while hitting those physical wellness goals by connecting with a long-time friend over a hot girl walk. Bring your tribe in. Get to know new people and influence your community through wellness.
In honour of South African Women’s Month, we would like to lend a helping hand. During this month we will be hosting a webinar exploring the impact gender-based violence and economic hardships have on women’s development and well-being.
Sign up to our newsletter for more information.
Africa has some of the worst unemployment rates in the world.
Quality of life is the opinion or perception of our lives relative to our context and goals. As we said oppression is the absence of choice. African women are graduating from universities at alarming rates but we lack the platforms to exercise our potential. This is a negative contributor to our overall quality of life.
Professional growth incorporates strategies used to pivot your career trajectory. These include qualities, skills and adjustments you could make to improve your career prospects.
Regardless of your employment status, it is never a waste of time to learn a new skill. And with the advent of the internet, we can learn for free! Some of the most sought-after skills simply require an internet connection. GIRLS WHO CODE, ANYONE?
Volunteerism and networking also form part of the FREE and POWERFUL tools you can use to get your foot in the door.
Not to mention our Wellness 4 the Girlies Program which includes career guidance and support networks for adolescent girls between the ages of 15-18😉
Because the girlies are not world-renowned for their finance skills, we want to spotlight financial literacy as a part of holistic wellness.
By positioning financial literacy as a skill capable of being learnt even by our most avid Girl Math advocates, Kurapa Moyo wants you to have your matcha latte and drink it too.
A neglected area of wellness, financial literacy has the potential to change our lives and secure us a more stable financial future.
Financial literacy embodies personal financial management. It discusses how we spend, save invest, borrow and budget for our PERSONAL needs.
Black Girl Finance manages a buzzing platform on Instagram offering digestible financial literacy information for black girls.
With our tools you don't have to marry a rich man, you can be one.
By focusing on these interconnected dimensions of wellness, we empower women to transcend their collective trauma and build stronger, more fulfilling lives. Together, we can take the first steps toward a brighter, healthier future. Join us in this journey of holistic wellness and become a part of our vibrant community where African women thrive.
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