Volume 1 Issue 2

www.empowerghananow.org

mpower Ghana Now is a non-partisan and a non profit organization with the sole purpose of educat-ing Ghanaians, both at home and in the Diaspora of their freedoms, as well as shedding light on the abuses of power and the remedy for the correction of such abuses with reference to the constitu-tion. This will be done through leadership development and public policy programs.

Who we are: A dedicated group of volunteers from different backgrounds, who have come together in an effort to enlight-en the populace on the basic tenets of democracy in respect to the law and the constitution.

What we do: Advocating government accountability. Giving voice to the voiceless through advocacy and awareness.

How we do it: Tackling ongoing issues on poor governance and unfair practices in Ghana through media platforms ( print & radio) and social networks (facebook etc.). This will be done according to the dictates of the law and the constitution. On some issues, redress may be sought through the courts.

AKWAABA

FAMILY

MAGAZINE

VOL. 1 ISSUE 2

SUMMER 2014

LIFESTYLE

6 | LIFE WELL LIVED Love could be hard, because there are few people who naturally love. Start loving and transform your life for good!

10 | The Ghanaian African Woman - Getting Back to Basics?

23 | What to do if You Find Yourself in a Sexless Marriage It’s like a vicious cycle, and this only increases the lack of trust, the awkwardness and the subsequent distancing.

HEALTH & FINTNESS

8 | Health Benefits of Yoga

8 | Simple Steps to Improve Sleep

FAITH

9 | Let There be Light You have tried to do it your way; try the Jesus way too and see what happens.

FEATURE

14 | In Focus: Sound, Rhythm and Culture The beautiful thing about internet radio, because we do a lot of analytics work to understand the mar-ket segments and tailor programming to offer value.

EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIP

16 | Go to College Free!

18 | Who Is Eligible For Student Loan Forgiveness?

ENTERTAINMENT

19 | LUPITA SHINES BRIGHT "When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."

20 | Family FUN—20 Must do Summer Time Activities

22 | How Anansi Came to America SPORTS

11 | Black Stars – The Odds of Winning in Brazil: Can the Ghana’s Black Stars win against the odds, data-driven match analysis, and Bloomberg Sports projections?

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO

BALANCING ACT

Children are a blessing and every opportunity to share our hopes and dreams with them should be precious moments we may never get back.

The pursuit of their own dreams will inextricably be linked to how they had been nurtured.

They will carry our faces, smiles, world views and ideas. They will carry our values also into the community around us, and into a world we cannot possibly fathom.

PUBLISHER

Nana Yaw Anobah

EDITOR

Eric Amoako Edmonds

PARENTING EDITOR

Priscilla Koranteng

ADVERTISING / SALES MANAGER Nicholas Anobah Patricia Kumah

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kwasi Awortwi

CONTRIBUTORS

Barima Asare Evelyn Mensah Martin Ackah Kofi Quansah

Akwaaba Family Magazine is a quarterly magazine published by Akwaaba News Network. The magazine is distributed free through libraries, community center, African markets, local churches, advertisers, and family –oriented businesses in the United States. We invite you to visit us on the web at www.akwaabafamilymagazine.com for upcoming events, resource lists and many more. Be sure to sign up for our free e-newsletter. Any reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the written permis-sion from the publisher. For advertising rates and details, look in the advertis-ing section of our website, or contact our sales & advertising representatives directly with an email to adsales@akwaabafamilymagazine.com

Resetting Family Values

T echnology changes at a dizzying pace in America. It is no different in Ghana, and that is what our world has gradually turned into. In what has be-come a quick fix society with a new generation

growing up with a microwave mentality, family values are falling aside. We want everything, faster and faster, and miss the chance to give life our best effort.

Children were previously the victims to the unfortunate phenomenon of emulating everything they saw around them. That was a long time ago; now its their parents who are taking every opportunity to redefine themselves, and copying everything they see on television. The hairstyles may change, fashion trends could evolve, but it is my humble plea that family values ought not fall victim to the same tendencies.

More than ever, our community desperately needs parents whose self-worth are not been tied to assets and career, but to the most important investment in life, our chil-dren's future.

Children are a blessing and every opportunity to share our hopes and dreams with them should be precious mo-ments we may never get back. The pursuit of their own dreams will inextricably be linked to how they had been nurtured. They will carry our faces, smiles, world views and ideas. They will carry our values also into the commu-nity around us, and into a world we cannot possibly fath-om.

As we go through our days as fast as we could to keep pace with technology and social trends, it is important that family values do not become a casualty of our race to nowhere.

In the end, what will matter most will not be the mirage of the fleeting life which conveniently cluttered our lives, and made us lose sight of what is most important.

Until next time, take care of yourself and each other.

Eric Amoako Edmonds Editor@akwaabafamilymagazine.com

FROM THE EDITOR

By Priscilla Koranteng

W hen you sow a seed of love, it blooms and becomes that wonderful reminder to you and all around

you how beautiful this life can be.

Just as love fills your heart with joy and peace and the need to do more in life, when you sow a seed of hate, it creeps into your heart and soul and it destroys you from the inside out without you real-izing. Hatred destroys your imagination and any positive thing that you could have dreamed of or done for yourself.

While love gives you the energy to pursue your dream because you are focused on doing good and being the best you can be. Love also brings good people into your life in the process, as you continue to sow the seed.

I can’t tell you how many times someone has shared with me how their simple act of kindness and love shown towards oth-ers in the past, resulted in a good deed they later received from strangers or the same people they were kind to.

Lets face it, to love is difficult, because it requires you to be patient , forgiving and tolerant – which is hard for most human beings.

The scope of love is also bigger- it knows no boundaries, it cuts across oceans, languages, ethnicity, color, sex, wealth, etc.

Love could be hard at times, because there are few people who naturally love and only a few who will ride along with you in your cause.

Hatred is easy for people (even though most would not admit it)- its usually more targeted towards a group, a per-son or self and it is usually a result of a major event or occurrence or something of historical significance to the person or a group.

Additionally, when it comes to hatred, there are people who are waiting to join your cause, there are people who are waiting to hear the next nasty thing you have to say about someone and they will gladly lend you their ear so you can say more.

There are people who are bitter and want to spread that around and would gladly contribute towards your cause as well.

Before you know it, you would have built a coalition of haters and that is the coa-lition that will also destroy your very being and in the end, hinder your pro-gress for good.

Remember, love takes time, patience and perseverance and it needs to be cultivated in order for it to stand.

Love resurrects- it brings life to people and it resurrects your imagination to do more good. Hatred kills your ability to get things done because you are busy think-ing about others’ demise and looking for the next bad thing that could happen, instead of focusing on yourself.

If efforts to discuss the problems are too uncomfortable, frustrating or going nowhere, seeing a couples’ therapist may very well shed some light on the problems.

Continued on page 18

T here are plenty of benefits of having your teeth white as

snow: it helps you to make a better first impression, makes you look younger and boosts your confidence. Let me share with you some simple tips that will help you to make your

teeth whiter and, therefore, your smile brighter

1. Color of your food is important.

Cut back on dark drinks such as coffee, cola, black tea or red wine. Those drinks not only stain your teeth, but also can weaken them over time. If you anyway love those drinks, try to use a straw while drinking them, to have less contact with your white teeth.

2. What you eat affects your teeth.

Avoid (or try to eat rarely) certain foods because they can change the color of your teeth, such as: soy sauce, ketchup and almost all acidic foods and drinks (lemons, candies,

sodas…) Instead, eat more nuts, whole grains, fruits and vege-tables rich in fiber and, of course, our best friend is water.

3. Brush your teeth regularly.

One of the main reasons of all teeth’ problems and stains is bacteria. In order to keep your mouth healthy and your teeth white – brush them regularly.

4. Brush your teeth the “right” way.

Avoid brushing your teeth too hard, not to scrub off the enamel. It’s very important to brush your teeth the right way.

Try to spend two minutes bushing your teeth. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but try it, put a timer and you will understand that this is longer that your usual brushing time.

Finish by rinsing with either water or your mouthwash. Floss your teeth at least once a day. Remember to smile!

5. Baking soda for white teeth.

Baking soda is a good DIY remedy for getting white teeth, but it’s not an everyday solution to brush your teeth with and it’s not even recommended if your teeth are sensitive. How to use it? First, squeeze your usual

Continued on page 21

TIPS TO GET

WHITE TEETH 7

Mimi Jola “AKWAABA NKOMO” Mondays 7 - 10pm

www.akwaabaradio.com

reating a positive family culture is more of a science than it is an art. A Ghanaian family living in Ghana, while

they face their own set of challenges, will live in a completely different world than their counterparts in America. In a country with such complex social, economic and moral diversity, raising a family in America requires a careful approach to instill values, embrace traditions, support ambitions and pur-sue dreams. I stand corrected, but there is often no one right way of accomplishing this, but there certainly are many wrong ways of doing so.

At a recent event in Washington D.C., I met a young girl who had been born in Texas and lived in America all her life. I asked her where she was from and she told me she was from Baghdad, Iraq. That was where her parents were born, and everyone in her lineage had come from. That same afternoon, I met another young girl who I found them particularly intriguing because she wore traditional Ghanaian kente cloth wristbands and necklaces.

Whether you came from a poor village in Ghana or struggled for decades cleaning toilets in America, the most important fact remains you have done all that work to give your family a life they otherwise would not have. Those are stories worth sharing, and noth-ing to sneer at. I have come to find that families with stronger connections and unity tend to be those who families learn from surround-ings and past, but don’t discard their own. The family will have the foremost respon-sibility of helping children find their identi-ty; it is a bit more complex than picking the country with the best soccer team or technological advances to call your own. America will continue to live up to the “melting pot” epithet in the coming years. Take a closer look at the “melting” pot and you will quickly discover that not every-thing in the pot is worth a taste. That is the complex task of raising a fami-ly in America, but the joy in our children’s lives makes it worth the journey.

By Kofi Amoako

Balancing Act How children see themselves, their community and family is often largely influenced by what they see and hear from their parents.

I asked where she was from and she was quick to say “America”, with a puz-zled look in her face. How dare I ask where she was from? Neither answer is probably wrong. I un-derstand both. The truth is a person’s sense of belonging or heritage defines their worldview and a host of other so-cial characteristics. The long term implications are many, and I may end up using all the pages in this magazine writing on this subject. How children see themselves, their com-munity and family is often largely influ-enced by their parents. Before external influences infiltrate a child’s mind, parents have an extraordi-nary opportunity to shape their families as they would like. It is amazing how many stories we can remember that have shaped your family and your children. If we ignore those and scramble to rec-reate new memories with children, we will soon find out that our children live in an America where others celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and a host of cultural festivals, and our children wonder how they got lost in the shuffle.

y dear friend, the bible says in Genesis 1:3-4:

3 Then God said, “Let there be light, “and

there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness”.

This scripture tells us that in the begin-ning, the earth was completely without form, it was void and there was total darkness. However God appeared and spoke light into being and bible says light appeared. I have realized and believe that darkness has no source; you cannot turn on a switch to bring darkness. Darkness is the absence of light. Light, on the other hand has a source, you flip a switch and a bulb turns on. The same way in our lives, we are origi-nally in darkness, the mere fact that you are a descendant of Adam makes you a sinner and thus in darkness. It is only when we choose to “turn on the light” that we come out of darkness, so the question is how do we turn on the switch to bring light into our lives? First, you ought to admit that you are in total darkness and thus you need light to come into your life. You then seek the source of light who is God through His son Jesus Christ – For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever be-lieves in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

16 In the same way, let your light shine[b] before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. – Mathew 15:14-16 Beloved, as you read this piece, it is my prayer that you will invite the savior to come into your life to introduce His light in your situation. I challenge you to try this God I am talk-ing about if you don’t already know Him; He yearns and wills to be a part of your life. You have tried to do it your way; try the Jesus way too and see what happens. God bless you and enjoy!

By Nana Yaw Barimah

After you find Him, invite Him to come into your life and He will come, for He says He stands at the door of your heart knocking, if only you will open and let Him in, He will come in and dwell with you.

As the Lord comes into your life, His light is turned on and you will begin to realize that all the confusion, delay and chaos (darkness) in your life will give way for order to take place, the Lord will then begin to order your steps and re-arrange everything as He originally planned it.

Not only that, you will also begin to posi-tively affect the lives of others for the good book again says: 14

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bas-ket,[a] but rather on a lamp stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.

www.trailstothestream.com

T o be modest is to show propriety in speech, dress, or behavior; lacking pretentiousness (The Free Dictionary). To others, it is about being reserved, humble, simple, or even timid (the last I have a

problem with!). I recall with nostalgia how the people of old, and for that matter Ghanaians lived simply. From their dwell-ings to clothing to the way of worshipping, and developing relationships. Modest, right?

Those days are gone and for good! We live in a new age with its complexities.

At times fraught with uncertainties epitomic of a labyrinth. Yet, some of us prefer this complex world and life to that of old, not forgetting that there are others who know no oth-er except that which they live in now.

These are modern times—and modernity has led to changes in how we dress, talk, work, virtually everything,

involving the old as well as the young, men as well as wom-en! Not rare, however, you hear our men decrying the “modern” Ghanaian woman for having lost her cultural herit-age—(identity, virtues/values).

The men who express dissatisfaction, disapprov-al, even disgust are our own brothers, husbands, lovers, sons, friends. Not too long ago, and for the second time if my memory serves me right, one of our men openly ques-tioned why ladies have taken to becoming everything “Western” particularly with our hair, nails, and make up. Ac-cording to him, his non-Ghanaian female colleagues at work always want to find out why “his women prefer donning their hair rather than our own. Why do they want to become like us?”

Sad, yes, sad! And like me, I think you expect him to defend us, isn’t it? Sorry, he doesn’t.

Continued on page 23

By Evelyn Mensah

The soccer landscape is a lot less lop-sided than it used to be decades ago when Karl Heinz Rummenigge was the de facto MVP and Germany won the cup before the game even began.

Those days are long gone. In the months leading to Brazil 2014, you will be hard-pressed to find a squad which is completely healthy and have no gaps in the starting 11.

The seemingly indomitable Germans will find a way to split points where neces-sary and win the winnable games, just as they have always done.

The likes of Lam, Podolsky and Ozil makes the Germans a group favorite, but that doesn’t make them unbeatable by any means. Portugal is the interest-ing one. Take away the glamor and glitz of Ronaldo and you have Portugal just turned into Paraguay.

A team that is traditionally been funda-mentally sound, a few questions still

remain in their defensive line, yet the world will be too transfixed on Ronaldo’s flash and fashion to worry about the rest of the Portuguese squad. The USA is the tricky one. The country desperately wants to succeed on soc-cer’s biggest stage to prove to the 300 million people living within its borders that soccer is here to stay.

In 2 successive world cups, they had been sent home by Ghana, so there is a lot of motivation – understandably so – to at least win that game, even if that’s the only one. Jurgen Klinsman knows it’s a tall order for the USA to squeak out of Group G alive, but the Americans as latching on to hope with what will be Landon Donovan’s last ride. Defense, a position that once calmed the nerves of Black Stars fans has turned into a mishmash of hopefuls.

Continued on page 21

Ghana Black Stars The Odds of Winning in Brazil

By Kofi Quansah

G hana’s Black Stars have-n’t set foot in Rio yet, and the predictions are al-ready flying in from all over the world.

For every fan who is optimistic the coun-try will shake off its soccer ghosts that has haunted them since Suarez’ infamous handball 4 years ago, there are 2 more who can’t imagine a scenario where Gha-na actually slides past Portugal, and USA.

In every statistical analysis, the game against Germany is a guaranteed loss; the Ghana Black Stars might as well save themselves the headache and not go to the stadium.

Bloomberg Sports, a firm in Europe that provides the most accurate data-driven match analysis, as well as projections and in-depth analysis for all the major leagues in Europe, says the World Cup in Brazil will be Ghana’s worst-ever showing in the global tournament.

Their predictions are based on 100,000 simulations for every game throughout the tournament.

In a Group G, aptly marked as the “Group of Death”, conventional wisdom leads me to believe that Ghana has a 25% chance of making it out of the group stages. 25% gives the Black Stars and equal chance as Germany, Portugal and the USA.

Symptoms and Risks of Fatigue If you are tired, you are more prone to mood chang-es, loss of energy and appetite, headaches, and a lack of motivation and concentration. In addition, fatigue can hurt your job productivity or create a safety hazard. Fatigue can also contribute to de-pression, anxiety, high blood pressure and diabe-tes.

Get Better Sleep Make it a priority to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Keep a regular sleep schedule—even on weekends. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, sufficiently dark and a comfortable tempera-ture. Try activities that help you relax before bed, such as reading or listening to relaxing music.

Adopt Healthy Habits Eat nutritiously and avoid big meals right before bed. Exercise regularly, but also not close to bed-

time. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed, and avoid nicotine altogether.

For a Quick Energy Boost Eat a snack with complex carbohydrates and pro-tein, like an energy bar or half a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread. Take a short walk. Try to vary your day or routine when you start feeling tired. Have a mini-meditation.

How to Find Your Perfect Gym

All gyms are not created equal. While most gyms provide the same set of essential services, there are many important differences in specialization and availability.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a gym that’s right for you:

MATCH YOUR GOALS

A gym that specializes in lots of muscle sculpting equipment isn’t going to help much if you are trying to lose weight and start a cardio program.

Before signing a contract, seriously consider your fit-ness goals and what services you need to achieve them.

LOCATION, MONEY, TIME

The best gyms in the world aren’t going to help you if they are too out-of-the-way for to you to travel to them regularly, or if they are only open when you’re unable to work out. It also won’t help if getting a membership is beyond what you can reasonably af-ford.

Finding a gym that is both convenient and affordable for you will go a long way towards helping you meet your fitness goals.

Do you struggle to get a good night’s sleep? This year, take the opportunity to learn healthy habits to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.

The Daily Sudoku by Andrew Stuart

Enter numbers in the squares so that each row, col-umn and the boxes with the same color contains all

the numbers 1 to 9. Best of luck!

with Esther Kyeremateng

It’s no secret that you can eat for less money by making your meals instead of dining out. But did you know you can also save money through smart shopping?

Set aside a certain amount of money each week or pay period and do go not over what you budget.

Consider buying a gift card from the grocery store you go to most often as a way of reinforcing your limit.

Make a grocery list before going to the store, using coupons and advertised sales.

Stick to your list and avoid impulse buys. Opt for the cheaper store brands for most items; in most cases you’re not sacrificing quality.

Buy whole, in-season fruits and vegetables (not pre-cut or pack-aged) for maximum produce sav-ings.

Opt for dried beans over canned - they are among the cheapest, healthiest items you can pur-chase. Never go shopping on an empty stomach.

Make fewer trips to the grocery store by cooking large batches of food and freezing the extra portions.

There is a fine line between broadcasting and playing music on radio; a line that is often blurred by many enthusiastic entre-preneurs seeking to cut their teeth in me-dia. The mass media hopefuls fall by the wayside after week or month into their first Podcast. Others soon discover the challenges of media broadcasting are landscape is more sophisticated than they otherwise antici-pated. The radio business is a fascinating avenue to entertain, educate and connect people from all walks of life.

For entrepreneurs who are able to nurture ideas into reputable and widely recognized media venture, the joy of sharing their culture with a global community makes the long journey to success a worthy adven-ture.

Our senior editor sat down with Akwaaba Radio CEO Nana Yaw Ano-bah for this issue’s In Focus to discuss the impact of technology and culture on the business of ra-dio and entertaining the African community in the United states. In Focus (IF): I like to start with a rather pointed question, do your see yourself as a DJ or entrepreneur? Nana Yaw Anobah (NYA): Thank you for the interview. I am in entrepreneur who uses the art of music and the technology available to communicate. Obviously my passion is creating the platform and the business environment to make this possi-ble, and reach audiences in different parts of the world.

has to be transferred through one medi-um or the other, and the receivers on the other end need to understand and appre-ciate the message. So, just like in any other business, you need a defined tar-get audience, need a clear long term strategy, and have to dedicate time and resources to it. At least those or some of my opinions.

IF: what about internet radio attracted you to launch Akwaaba radio?

NYA: Streaming technology es-sentially allows certain media such as video, audio and other multimedia to be transmitted via the internet.

The idea being, once the technol-ogy is in place, and is sustaina-ble and professional, the music delivery becomes a little more dynamic in the sense that a lis-tener can enjoy at their conven-ience, on computers, phones, or any mobile platform, in real time.

The misconception is that you have to sit by a computer to lis-ten to streaming radio. It was this flexibility that at-tracted me to this, instead of building a traditional radio sta-tion, with all the requirements and restrictions that comes along with it.

IF: It sounds like something you studied. NYA: well, like any business, you can’t just dive in and hope the pieces fit to-gether. I have always loved music. From back in Ghana as a young boy,

In Focus Sound, Rhythm and Culture IF: I heard you say 2 years ago that you believe that streaming technology is the wave of the future, is that still true?

NYA: Yes I still strongly believe so. I think, however, unless other forms of media that competes in order to not be extinct, traditional radio found its com-plement with online platforms.

The starting point and investment may seem a little different but ultimately the same core principles apply.

IF: Which principles? NYA: maybe principle is not the right word. It’s the overriding philosophy that for communication to be effective, someone needs to say something, the meaning

I wanted to do something with music. I am a big technology guy also, and that I studied for many years, so it was a good fit. I think when Podcast first came along was when I got hooked, because lis-tening to one station, and playback another at a later time. The biggest advantage over conventional radio is the array of choices to select from, all kinds of music genres and so there’s something for every generation.

IF: Why the name Akwaaba? NYA: Akwaaba is the Ashanti word for “Welcome”. We wanted to share cul-tures and connect a world through music and radio entertainment. In that sense, we would be bringing a piece of culture to people doorstep every minute and welcome the rest of the world into ours.

IF: So you grew up in Ghana NYA: Yes I did.

IF: That leads me to my next question. What are your future plans? NYA: Good question but that’s a secret tucked away in the strategy box. We have a team of professional broadcast-ers and passionate journalists so they all come to the table with something unique. Our big differentiator is a management strategists who are always thinking about exciting opportunities and nego-tiation investments for the long term.

IF: Tell me about your audiences. How did you find them? NYA: Organic for the most part. I come from the old school way of doing busi-ness, and I was trained to believe that if you build a good product, the audi-ences will come.

IF: Do you want your children to follow in your footsteps? NYA: What I want more than anything is for my children - and truly children in the Gha-na community as a whole - to have the opportunity challenge themselves.

I want their minds be exposed to different things they can become, so that whether they are teachers, doctors, business peo-ple, or whatever they choose, they can learn from our examples. If we do our job well, our children can use our achievements - no matter how small - as stepping stones to even bigger goals.

IF: What are some advice you have for aspiring business people? NYA: Take the time to do your homework. Also get 1 or 2 strategic thinkers in your corner. I really believe that there are smart people, or even knowledgeable people, but when it comes to business, you need thinkers who can transform ideas into something tangi-ble. IF: Thank you for your time NYA: The pleasure mine. Thank you also.

In my case if you showcase a good product and the audiences see the val-ue in every program, every presentation and event, the quality of advertisers, the rest spreads like wildfire.

The truth is, in business, oftentimes the best marketing campaigns are word of mouth, and unintended foot soldiers who tell people about Akwaaba Radio. We do some backend promotions and sponsor community events as well, there is a cumulative effect of actions that puts our name out there IF: So can you know who listens to you at all times. NYA: Absolutely. That is what I find to be the beautiful thing about internet radio, because we do a lot of analytics work to understand the market seg-ments and tailor programming to offer value.

It also very critical for our advertisers that we know who understand the mar-ket out there, because the business side of Akwaaba Radio works to connect ad spots to the right listen-ers.

IF: For entrepreneurs like you, how do you balance family and career? NYA: In my humble opinion, it comes down to setting clear priorities. I think much of what we all do, are probably useful in some sense and contribute to happiness or some fulfillment of a per-sonal goal. But it is critical to understand that nothing substitutes for family. It may sound cliché but it helps when you make every decision with your family in mind, you sleep much better at night.

F or many, college is a dream that can’t come true without a little or a lot of financial assistance.

Luckily, there are ample scholarships available to help students fund their education. While receiving enough financial aid to go to college for free is reserved for those require substantial financial aid, there are plenty of organizations offer-ing scholarships any individual who requires financial aid- from a small fi-nancial boost to a full ride. The follow-ing resources are some great ways to get scholarships:+ Finding Financial Aid and Free Scholar-ships There are several different routes to take to get financial assistance with college. Need-based scholarships exist to help those who simply cannot afford it, while merit-based scholarships and grants are designed to reward stu-dents for exemplary skill in a certain area. Federal Aid The first step in applying for a need-based scholarship is to fill out a FAFSA application. The Free Application for Federal Stu-dent Aid is a program through the De-partment of Education that can pay a substantial chunk of your college costs. State-Level Assistance Check with your state to see if they offer any financial assistance, as well. Many states have a lottery scholarship to assist graduating high school sen-iors with a certain grade point average.

Charities and Private Companies Thanks to the Internet, it is much easier to find and apply for scholarships offered by private companies and charities. Web-sites such as FastWeb let you browse through different categories of scholar-ships, enter contests, and provide tools to help. If you are trying to find merit scholar-ships for any hobbies or interests you have, this is the best place to look. Be warned, however, that any website that charges a fee to access scholarship ap-plications is a scam. How to Stand Out When Applying for Free Scholarships When you’re applying for scholarships and grants, it may seem like there isn’t much you can do to stand out.

However, there are lots of little things that will make your application truly shine.

Continued on page 22

By John Chen

The conditions vary by state, so re-search yours to make sure you’re on track to qualify for these valuable scholarships. University Scholarships You can also find scholarships by visit-ing the websites of the schools you’re considering attending. Most have aid available within each department, as well as school wide. These scholarships are usually very competitive, so apply early and do your best.

Employer Programs There are a lot of companies that offer scholarships for employees and their children. Look into family members’ employers to see if they have any existing pro-grammers if they’d like to start one with you! Tuition reimbursement is another bene-fit that some companies offer their employees to assist in furthering their education.

Y oga is a mind and body practice with origins in ancient Indian philosophy. Like other meditative movement practices used for health purposes, various styles of yoga typically combine physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation or

relaxation. In the United States, yoga is the sixth-most commonly used comple-mentary health practice, according to a 2007 National Health Inter-view Survey, and is generally considered safe for most healthy people when practiced under the guidance of a trained instructor. In addition to being a fun and relaxing pastime, yoga has been linked to the fol-lowing: Stress Reduction A number of studies have shown that yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety, and people who practice yoga regularly frequently self-report they are sleeping better and experiencing lower levels of stress. Yoga practice has been demonstrated to reduce the levels of cortisol—the stress hormone. Most yoga classes end with a savasana, or relaxation pose. Improved Fitness Practicing yoga can lead to improved balance, flexibility, range of mo-tion and strength. These gains mean practitioners are less likely to injure themselves performing other physical tasks. Management of Pain and Chronic Conditions If you’re already injured or suffering from chronic illness, research shows that yoga postures, meditation or a combination of the two can reduce pain for people who have cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases, hypertension, arthritis, back and neck pain and oth-er chronic conditions. Yoga can also help reduce risk factors for devel-oping chronic diseases, such as heart disease and high blood pres-sure.

DID YOU KNOW?

You don’t need to skip sweets to stay healthy.

Look for treats that have no trans fats, less than 12 grams of sugar and are under 100 calories.

Ideas include squeezable yogurt, low-fat and low-sugar pudding, sugar-free gelatin and a square of dark chocolate.

Health Benefits of Yoga

Continued from page 6 –Life Well Lived

thinking about others’ demise and looking for the next bad thing that could happen, instead of focusing on yourself.

Here are a few basic tips See life as a journey and begin to identify those things that

will help you become a more loving person along your journey- remember it takes time.

Make it a goal to transform yourself into a more loving per-son inside out and see how that love will manifest positively to you and to others. Let go of hatred and bitterness and you will liberate yourself. Yes, I completely understand that you were hurt by that person or you simply do not want to see that person happy- But here is the bad news, you have placed yourself in bondage. Until you release that feeling or that sentiment that bothers you so much, you will be block-ing a lot of good that you can do for yourself and a lot of good that can come to you.

As you transform yourself into a more loving person, you will quickly realize how much time you will gain on your hands, to accomplish some good for yourself and others

When people are being negative around you, you have the

power to shut them down- over time, you will drive out the negative forces that perpetuate hatred.

Be happy for yourself and others alike- love yourself first, know that you can be the best that you want to be. And if someone gets to where you want to be, instead of hating, just know that you too can get there if you try hard enough

If you have a hard time accepting and loving people, you may want to speak to professionals who can help you sort out the root cause of your bitterness

You will also have to rely on your faith and seek divine help for peace and love in your life

The question today is; are you sowing a seed of love or hatred? Think positive, stop hating, start loving and see your life turn around for good.

our eligibility for student loan forgiveness depends on the type of student loan in question.

If you have a federal Stafford loan, you may be able to get all or part of your loan forgiven through certain types of volunteer work, public service, military service or medical practice.

By volunteering through AmeriCorps or Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), you can receive up to $4,725 toward your Stafford loans.

Another option for Stafford Loan for-giveness is the Army National Guard's Student Loan Repayment Program, which can help you earn up to $10,000 toward loans.

Law school graduates may earn Stafford Loan forgiveness by working in a public interest or nonprofit position.

By volunteering with the Peace Corps, 15% of your Perkins Loan balance will be forgiven for each year of service.

As a full-time elementary or second-ary school teacher in a low-income com-munity, you can have 15% of your Per-kins Loan forgiven for years one and two of employment, 20% in years three and four, and the remaining 30% in year five.

Stafford or Perkins loans may also be forgiven if you teach an understaffed subject such as math, science, or spe-cial education or work in a school in a low-income neighborhood.

The 12 Years a Slave star took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, beating out big names Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, June Squibb and Sally Hawkins, for her portrayal of Patsey, a fa-vored but abused slave in the Steve McQueen-directed drama.

"Yes! Thank you to the Academy for this incredible recognition. It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's.

And so I want to salute the spirit of Patsey for her guidance, and for Solomon, thank you for telling her story and your own," the ac-tress said.

"Steve McQueen, you charge everything that you fashion with a breath of your own spirit. Thank you so much for putting me in this position," Nyong'o continued as she began to get emotional on stage. "This has been the joy of my life. I'm certain that the dead are standing about you and watching and they're grateful and so am I. Chiwetel, thank you for your fearlessness and how deeply you went into telling Solomon's story. Michael Fassbender, thank you so much, you were my rock...I want to thank my family for your training and the Yale school of drama. My friends. My brother Junior sitting by my side."

The list of thank-you's continued, although Lupita noticeably left out costar Brad Pitt (gasp!), but clearly emotions were running high, so we're sure it was an accident. Nyong'o concluded, "When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."

Family

Family

Family

FUNFUNFUN

1||| Find the closest beach, pool, lake, or swimming hole in your town and post up there at least once a week.

2||| Take a road trip that sees you travel through at least three different states to get to your destination.

3||| Buy four tickets to an amusement park and invite three random friends to accompany you.

4||| Take a cheat day and stuff your face with anything and eve-rything that you can get your hands on at a neighborhood BBQ.

5||| Go outside and dance on a warm day during a summer downpour.

6||| Drive with all four of your windows down—or, if you're lucky enough to have a convertible, your top dropped!—blasting DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith's "Summertime."

7||| Play hooky from work one day and sit outside at the park on a blanket all day with a good book.

8||| Go somewhere exotic for Memorial Day Weekend. 9||| Snatch up a pair of tickets to the hottest concert of the

summer (Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj, anyone?!) and

ask your best friend to tag along. 10||| Go and see fireworks. As often as you possibly can!

11||| Try out one outdoor activity—mountain climbing, white-water rafting, and hiking all come to mind—that you never thought you'd try.

12||| Attend a party that features a safe bonfire setup. 13||| Try drinking a summer cocktail that you've never tried

before. 14||| Grab one of your most adventurous friends, rent a pair

of Jet-Skis for an afternoon, and go hit the water for a few hours.

15||| Watch the sunset with someone you really care about. 16||| Take your dad, your uncle, your brother, or one of your

best guy (or girl!) friends out to see a Major League Soccer game.

17||| Join that sports league that you've always dreamed about joining when you "get more time" (no time like the present!).

18|||Skip hitting a fast-food joint and pack a picnic lunch for you and a co-worker to enjoy one day.

19||| See every blockbuster movie that there is to see in theaters.

20||| Take a cruise or stay home and find 20 more summer activities to do before Labor Day hits!

20 Must Do 20 Must Do 20 Must Do Summer Time Activities Summer Time Activities Summer Time Activities

Continued from page 11— Black Stars There is Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Jona-than Mensah (not the John Mensah from 2010), Baba Rahman, Harrison Afful, Jeff Schulpp, John Boye, Isaac Vorsah, Jerry Akaminko and Rashid Sumaila. Throw in Emmanuel Addoquaye Pappoe, Habib Mohammed, Hans Adu-Sarpei, Masa-hudu Alhassan, Baba Abdul Rahman, Harri-son Afful, and David Addy, and the back group adds up to one big question mark. Goalkeeping, - a task previously uncontest-ed for crowd favorite Richard “Olele” King

Continued from page 7—White Teeth

toothpaste on the toothbrush, top it up with a small amount of braking soda and start brushing, as usual.

6) The logical solution to get white teeth – try a whitening kit. There are plenty of good solutions on the market. The big choice is always great! But the number one bestseller about which the whole internet is raving - Crest 3d White Pro-fessional Effects Teeth Whitening Strips.

7) Important to know, that without balanced and healthy diet is impossible to have white teeth. For example calcium can only be absorbed into our body with the help of vitamin D, which comes with the food and is synthesized by the body with the sun light. So, let’s start to care about our beauty (and even about our white teeth) from within by eating healthy and feeling happy!

What are your tips and secrets to get white teeth? Please, share your thoughts in the comment’s section. Stay beautiful!

son - is now up for grabs, - with Adam Kwarasey, Daniel Agyei, Fatua Dauda and Stephen Adams. This is where the light at the end of the tunnel turns into an oncoming train fast approaching. Still, the games are played on a soccer pitch, with every team having a fair shot at winning on any given day. If Ghana wins Group G, I will no more sur-prise as I would be if USA loses all three group games. If Ghana is ousted, however, all interest in the world cup goes downhill for me.

On the bright side, if - or should I say when – Ghana emerges out of the “Group of Death” alive, their chances of beating any-one in the knockout stages dramatically improve. I am not a statistician so I won’t put any numbers on it, but on second thought, the numbers are useless anyway. June 2014 can’t come soon enough, but Coach Kwesi Appiah insists his team is well prepared and ready to rock the world again. It’s one thing “rocking” the world, what the world is waiting for is an African team actu-ally “winning” the World Cup.

By Michael Auld

A nanse walked for many miles into the bush un-til he came upon some fresh tracks of a wart-hog. He followed the tracks deep into the grassland. Sometime later he saw

signs which indicated that the warthog was not too far away. His mouth began to water. His stomach started to grum-ble. He dreamed of sinking his teeth into juicy roasted meat.

Upon reaching a patch of tall grass, Ananse saw the wart-hog lying on its side. The warthog had been killed by someone else. However, there was nobody around to claim it.

"Ah, I wonder who was so kind to leave this meat for me? Maybe it was my father Nyame the Sky God. Nyame must have seen that his son was tired and hungry", Ananse thought to himself. "He took pity on me and struck the beast down with his lightening so that I would not have to do the hard work of killing it. I must thank Nyame." Ananse said. Without giving thanks to Nyame, he quickly picked Continued on page 26

Continued from page 16 — Go to College for Free Write a cover letter for each application that shows personali-ty and enthusiasm. Many applicants skimp on their letters, giving you an immediate ad-vantage. Use a spell-checker and have a friend (or two, or three, or four) proof-read your letters, essays, and applications. When you’re filling out a lot of applications, you may not catch the same errors a pair of fresh eyes would. Read the directions before you start your application and again before you submit it. You don’t want to lose a potential scholarship because you forgot to include something minor, or you used the wrong color of ink.

Using these tips and resources effectively will help increase your scholar-ship-earning potential. With a bit of effort and a little luck, you’re on your way to a free or affordable college education.

Continued from page 10 - The Ghanaian

And I wonder if he ever would. His public decry of how Ghanaian/African ladies have changed almost always suggest that he actually thinks we want to become like his western female friends.

Have we truly become Westernized from the hair on our head to our ten toes? Do we actually like to become like our brother’s female colleagues? Can we become like them? My answer to all three questions is NO! But I don’t know about you!

I can cite a great number of such instances when Ghana-ian men think the women have become westernized (how chauvinistic of them, go ahead and say it!), though, that’s what most of them believe and say.

Do we go back to the days of “opportulala” or “watchman yere” (ask my St. Monica’s Training College sisters)? What in our heritage do we need to go back to?

“Ghanaian/African ladies should appear as natural as pos-sible,” says the men—whatever that means! What is modesty to you? Does modesty apply to only women? and very importantly; What do men expect of women in their dressing, speech, and behavior?

T he longer a couple goes without being intimate, the more ambivalence they will feel. It’s like a vicious cycle, and this only increases the lack of trust, the awkwardness and the subsequent distancing.

Resistance to talking about the problems and to exploring ways to be intimate only puts greater stress on the relationship. If your marriage is suffering from a lack of sex, consider these tips to help get the intimacy back into your relationship.

1. Rule out medical problems. First, it’s necessary to medically rule out physical causes such as side effects of chronic illness or medications as well as age-related issues. Continued on page 26

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Continued from page 22—Ananse up some dry sticks and made a fire. Soon the warthog was roast-ing. Before the roasted meat had time to cool, Ananse began to eat. He did not stop eating until he had eaten almost all of the meat, except for a piece of the foot.

Suddenly, Osebo the Leopard appeared out of the bushes carrying some firewood, a large gourd filled with water, and a cooking pot. He looked around for the warthog that he had killed.

It was gone.

However, in its place was Anansi the Spider, stuffed and pleased. The story continues when Osebo pursues Ananse who hides out in a medicine bag around the neck of a captive woman on her wretched march into slavery. Ananse is unwittingly trans-ported on to a slave ship bound for the Spanish Americas. During his perilous journey in the hold of the ship, he has an en-counter with Nyame. Anansi pleads with Nyame to return him home to Asanti.

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However, Nyame has another plan for Ananse "I am sending you some-where, Ananse, but not to Asanti. You must go with these captives to the place called the New World." Nyame said.

"But, Nyame... These people are slaves! I did not have anything to do with them being

here. They were the ones who brought me here. It is their misfortune to fall into the hands of the

slave traders.

Oh, Nyame, punish the people who deal in slavery... But send me back to my people." Ananse pleaded.

Ananse was not sent back to Asanti. Instead, he ended up in the New World. He arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 against his will. There he became "The Comforter of the Enslaved".

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Continued from page 23—Sexless

Sexual problems in marriage can also be related to incompatibility in sex drives. The contributing factors are not insurmountable.

2. Think about counseling : A sexless mar-riage is usually a sign of more serious prob-lems in the relationship—lack of trust, unre-solved anger, deep resentment, one partner having an affair or with one foot emotionally out of the marriage.

If efforts to discuss the problems are too uncomfortable, frustrating or going nowhere, seeing a couples’ therapist may very well shed some light on the problems.

3. Know each other’s needs : Compatibility of goals—both inside and outside the bed-room—is important, as well as the freedom to talk about what the partners both need and want. For some couples, control and withholding sex is one way to have the up-per hand. If other problems in the relation-ship aren’t attended to, the anger and hurt take away the desire to be close or even try to make it work.

4. Consider gender differences : Another con-tributing factor can be the hard wiring differ-ences that surface between men and women around a lot of issues—communication, sup-port, problem solving and, yes, sex too.

Men often view sex as the intimacy in a rela-tionship and making love is when they feel closest to their partner.

Women, on the other hand, need to feel the intimacy before opening themselves up emo-tionally. It takes some understanding of these dynamics and a willingness to work together so both partners can feel loved and satisfied.

Credit: Huffingtonpost