Growing And Maintaining An Afro!

Taking Care Of Natural/Chemical Free Hair

I am a big fan of natural hair, by natural I mean Afro hair that is free from relaxers. I have kept my hair natural for a long time now and I absolutely love it. Have no intentions whatsoever to put relaxer in the hair. I have people within my circles who often wonder how I take care of my hair and how I have managed to maintain my hair natural and chemical free for such a long time now. So to answer some of the questions and also reach out to other people I don’t get to interact with on a daily basis, I am going to share with you some of my Hair-Care tips. On this entry I am going to focus on natural hair tips for those with hair that is chemical free or are considering going that route.

First and foremost I want to dismiss the allegory that black people’s hair doesn’t grow. Black people’s hair does grow but the growth varies depending on how one takes care of the hair, and it is usually very curly. This is just a personal observation, based on personal experience. While considering hair-care products, it is very important to understand your hair type and learn what works best for your hair. Different people have different experiences and different products that work best for them. So know what works for you!

For now, I am going to focus on the general hair care, oils, shampoos, conditioners...I will touch on other issues on hair care in my next entries!

After moisturizing with Easy Waves Pink Oil Moisturizer with Mineral Oil

 General Hair Care

Moisturizers: Try to avoid products that mineral oils and petro oils as they have a tendency of drying your hair and they do block moisture from penetrating into the hair shafts. Instead, do try more organic oils such as Coconut, Jojoba and Almond oils. I have also found natural Shea Butter to be very good to my hair, so it is another option. Petro oils or petroleum do not moisturize the hair but they make the hair greasy instead. What you need is a moisturizer or oil that seals in the moisture and ensures the hair stays healthy.

If you can afford you can try using Moroccan Oil, Grape Seed, Olive Oil or Jojoba oil straight from the bottles, there are very good to the hair. It is important to keep the ends of the hair moisturized to avoid split ends.

Deep Conditioning from the Roots using Easy Waves Biological Conditioner with Jojoba Oil

Shampooing: Some shampoos are very harsh to the hair and sculp. Instead of leaving the hair moisturized (which is very essential) they do strip off all the natural hair oils, leaving the hair supper dry. When shampooing the hair, try to use mild hair shampoos, sulfate-free or organic ones. Also, diluting the shampoo with water (ratio of 1:4), 1 shampoo and 4 water does help. If your hair is not really dirty, you could alternatively use Hair Conditioner in place of shampoo.

While washing the hair, try avoiding rubbing the hair vigorously as that will make your hair very tangled. And when drying the hair with a towel, do not rub but pat-dry it. Rubbing the hair with a towel will cause friction between the hair strands and that can result in split ends and the hair breaking.

Easy Waves Hair Care Range that I use

I have used a wide range of products for my hair and sometimes I do a lot of mix and matching. But at the moment, I have been loyal to Easy Waves products. I really like their Pink Moisturizing lotion. It really leaves my hair soft and shiny but not greasy!

My hair length (in February '14) after blow drying; (I do not recommend frequent use of heat)

Heat: Heat is very bad for the hair, even if you are to use serum/heat protector, excess heat damages the hair. After shampooing your hair, consider air drying instead of blow drying.

Showing hair length after air drying (left) and after blow-drying (right)

Combing/Brushing the hair:  A comb with wide tooth is usually more preferable. Small tooth combs do pull and break your hair, and makes it snap off. You don’t want that to happen to your hair. The goal is to make the hair grow as much as possible without a lot of breaking. 

Trims: Try having a trim every other 4 months, especially if you leave your hair out for most of the time. do not confuse a trim and a cut. A cut is chopping off a huge chunk of the hair (you certainly do not want to go that way) and a trim is just clipping off the end of the hair to remove damaged/dead ends. A trim leaves your hair more healthier. 

Head scarf: when you are going to bed, I recommend that you make use of silk scarves and also consider investing in silk and satin pillows. They not only protect provide a peaceful atmosphere for your hair but they are also known for preventing acne as they tend to carry less bacteria.

An up-do! This was in November '13, the Afro has grown bigger

Hair Clips/Rubber Bands: In general rubber bands are not good for hair, especially those very tiny and thin bands that usually pull some of your hair out when you try removing them. Instead, using thicker cotton/velvet bands or non metal hair clips to pin up your hair. Avoid pulling your hair too tight as this will result in your hair being pulled off the roots and can damage your hair line.

In the next blog, I will be talking about different weave hairstyles, and the focus will be on the ones that I have worn, (synthetics, protein, fiber, human hair etc)…and will try to give you detailed feedback. If you have your own hair tips to share feel free to give feedback.

Women History Month

International Women's Day On Tuesday the 12th of March, I will be giving a speech at Dominican Convent School in Harare as part of U.S. Embassy Harare Women History Month program. The theme is "Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science,Technology, Engineering. Many thanks to US Embassy Harare for considering me as one of the speakers to tour schools & do some mentorship, career guidance, motivation & sharing personal experiences. Thank you Rebecca Zeigler Mano for recommending me. I cannot express how elated I am to be part of this initiative. With fellow women of African Diaspora Mentoring our young women is very important in helping them realize their fullest potential. The world is a stage in which everyone has a huge & important role to play; I am glad to be playing my part no matter how small. Happy International Women's Day,remember March is Women History Month,lets continue to inspire & breaking new ground!

Life After being an "American Graduate"...Brain Gain vs Brain Drain

Brain Gain vs Brain Drain…My reflection on the discussion we had today with Honorable Minister of Youth Development Indigenization and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere…. Zimbabweans in the Diaspora are you willing to come back home for good? If not what is stopping you? If yes, what are your expectations? Hope most of you my friends in USA will share your contributions. Today, Youths who are part of the Diaspora community, we had a meeting/discussion with Honorable Minister of Youth Development Indigenization and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere to address various issues core to our hearts in a quest to bridge the gap and accommodate youths in the Diaspora in the progressive building of our beloved Zimbabwe.

On my graduation day tiri "Happi Happi Happi" Once based in USA and now back in Zimbabwe, I am glad to be home and serving my community with the various roles I play and certain leadership positions allotted to me. I however do have my concerns that discourage me sometimes and make me question the reason why I left USA in the first place. A couple of us in the Diaspora have actually been strategizing, trying to tackle the question of how Zimbabwe can maximize the Diaspora potential. And how our knowledge we acquired in Diaspora can be beneficial to the Zimbabwean community. I am a qualified Chemist, but the fact that getting a job as a Chemist is like looking for a lost coin in an ocean is very dishearten & it is the reason why I look elsewhere outside Zimbabwe where I can offer my services & can feel productive (rather than sitting at home because no one is even willing to accommodate me or consider me for even a non-paid internship).

To those who attended the Harvard Africa Business Conference in Boston, USA in 2011; the discussion today is very much correlated to the discussion we had with Deputy Prime Minister Professor A.Mutambara when He requested to have a meeting with all Zimbos who were at Harvard that weekend. So much was said by the D.P.M Professor A.Mutambara that left us the Youths who were in attendance very excited and very hopeful in our dream of coming back home and build our empires there. It’s just sad that for some of us, the network we thought we had built didn’t extend beyond Harvard, it ended when the meeting ended there in Boston. With that said, It is in my hope that everything that transpired today will be a huge contribution to greater things to come and greater networks/. My question to the Honorable Minister (even though I feel he didn’t give me a satisfying answer) was, What is the government doing to engage the Diasporian community to ensure it remains connected to Zimbabwe and ready to participate when the situations allow, also how willing is the Government to engage individuals who may have ideas on how to increase participation of the Diaspora in the now? A friend also shares the same sentiments with me on this concern. I am yet to find a respond to this question. ….but when all is said & done, I would like to comment Harare Youth Council for putting this together, ( Acie Lumumba, Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, Innocent Katsande, James Pande & those I didn’t tag). May this be the beginning of greater things to come & an inspiration to Youths like myself who are doubting their relevance in the Zimbabwean community to keep pressing on & working hard in building our beloved nation. Let’s stay true to our purpose without dabbling in anything outside the scope of our mission. The future of the Zimbabwe we aspire to see is all in our hands. I was very much delighted by the fact that despite our political affiliation, faculty or geographical locations…the youth in attendance of this discussion do share the same hopes and aspirations, a hope to build a better Zimbabwe…and it is in my anticipation that shared vision will be a unifying force to inspire us to progress forward with hope and determination.

All Smiles at St Giles,story of my life from different lenses...

A memo on my day at St Giles Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Harare

“God puts us on certain positions of influence for a reason, and whatever He assigns us to do He equips us with adequate power and wisdom to execute it. With so much that I have achieved, there is so much I can learn each day. To my family, friends and workmates..Um just Ruvimbo, a daughter, a friend an acquaintance but to them I am more than the aforementioned.…”

What started as a noble visit to St Giles Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Harare turned to be such a valuable experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. When I left home today to spend my day at St Giles, I wasn’t aware of the great hospitality that was waiting ahead of me. I arrived there around 10.30am during the hour long interlude that the children have every Thursday between 10.30am and 11.30am where the children interact and do various enriching activities. Upon my arrival, I immediately joined the staff and amazing children in their break room where we broke into songs, a bit of dancing, mixing and just to get to know each other. (And for the record, even in my not so good voice I was made to sing infront of everyone..thanks to Mr Ticha Muzavazi for the prank, um not so bad after all).

What touched my heart the most is how much talent and passion these children have. They can sing, play instruments such as the mbira, hosho and ngoma; and they play them with so much perfection despite the fact that some of them are visually impaired, have challenges in perfect speech or hearing. What I witnessed today is that, talent has no boundaries and no limitation can stop you from realizing your goal so long as you have the passion. The children are also amazing composers, they performed some of the songs they composed and I was left speechless.

From this visit, I realized that we don’t need millions of dollars to make a difference. I went there today just as Ruvimbo, with no huge donations to give but I went there with an open and warm heart full of love…and in return, I received the love back in million folds. It made me realize that it’s not the material things that count but our time, love, dedication and passion can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. It was brought to my attention that the school, is also in need of things like stationary, toys, snacks for the children, carpets, curtains to mention but just a few. So my plea to the cooperate world and individuals like you and me is to join hands and be a movement that will go out of the ordinary to make sure we bring a smile on these children. If I made a difference as an individual by just a mere visit, what more could you and me achieve if we join hands as a team?

When I left St Giles School by the end of the day, I was already brainstorming things I can do using my current position of influence to effect the kind of change I aspire to see. As an individual who is good at sports like swimming, tennis, track and also very good at drawing and sewing and also a Chemist; I pledge to make use of my God given talents by volunteering every Thursday of my time in Zimbabwe, sharing my area of expertise with the children and passing my knowledge for the greater good.

But my question to you is…What is it that you can do? If you truly think you can come through and join me on this project that I have officially adopted, feel free to get in touch with me and we can exchange Ideas on how we can best move forward for the greater good. It will not be easy but it will be done with utmost perfection. How do you play your part in making a difference in building a nation that you are proud of?

Get up today, play your part by inspiring new ways. Start with small projects and keep on building step by step bearing in mind that every step does take us closer and closer to the future. Inspire new ways that will help build a better future that we are all proud of. My challenge to you is leave a sound legacy for generations to come.

The goal is all about leaving this world a better place than we left it. A better you, A better Me, A better Zimbabwe..Together we can do it, let’s start action now. Trust me; every little bit does count like a drop of water in an ocean.

With that I say, stay in peace and love…spread the word and share with the world! Be Inspired!

Story by, Ruvimbo Violet Katiyo Holds B.A Chemistry from Berea College,KY USA; Current Miss Zimbabwe 2nd Princess; Miss Zimbabwe-USA 2nd Princess 2011; Plan International Ambassador; E.P.G Fellow More pictures below...

This is my story, what is yours....?

I consider youths as citizens that are full of energy and have inconceivably high levels of creativity and are full of fervor. Give them a platform to express themselves and they will surprise you with their vast talents and their ability to change their communities for the better.



For that reason, I do take youth mentorship seriously as a critical tool in bridging the knowledge gap between people from all walks of life, generations and various social circles. With the support and mutual partnership from Plan-Zimbabwe, I have already embarked on a nationwide mentorship program in Zimbabwe. Our first project with Plan-International was in Epworth, Harare where we spend our Saturday (June 2nd) with High school girls who have huge and amazing dreams. In attendance besides me, were doctors, nurses, accountants, engineers who took time to give some career guidance and motivational speaking to the girls. Most of these accomplished individuals who came to support the initiative are people who braved through their challenging upbringings and created lemonade out of lemons.



The launch was a success and we intend to expand to other remote areas around Zimbabwe. In line with Plan-International’s “Because I Am A Girl Campaign”, it is in my vision as an advocate and ambassador, to encourage other youths especially girls to reach their fullest potential amidst any form of adversity. Youths are at the center of my heart because they are very instrumental in shaping the future of any society. It is therefore very crucial to empower them with the right resources to become valuable assets to the nation of Zimbabwe and be effectual global citizens.



Take for instance this scenario I came across with recently…..

“Imagine if you were a young girl growing up in the rural areas and the most remote part of the country where globalization is just a word; don’t have access to internet, electricity and educational facilities and resources. And if you ever had access to education, you will have to walk 15 kilometers to school and another 15 kilometers back, with no food to eat during break time and no food for lunch. The only meal you know is a bowl of mealie-meal porridge without sugar that you take early in the morning and a plate of Sadza with green vegetables at night probably prepared without any cooking oil. Every day before you go to school you have to make sure that you fetch water from the river and pen the cattle; and after school, you have to go and work in the irrigation sites to earn a few dollars to survive on. Yet despite all that, you still dream big and have high aspirations for your future. And still remain adamant that your dreams will come true one day and will be able to take yourself out of poverty.”



These are some of the cases I experience in my work and inspire me a lot to keep on pushing forward amidst harsh conditions. I however wonder, if you were a young girl growing up in such circumstances, how would you overcome your circumstances and try to change your life for the better? I believe our environment does play a huge role in our development and has an influence on how far we go in life. Hence, unless we have had an opportunity to get exposed to what’s possible in life and have been taught about the value of education, equipped with the right resources to empower us, to believe in ourselves from a young age and have been encouraged to reach our fullest potential with the right support system; the changing of our circumstances for the better may require a huge huge huge abragada kind of miracle!



If you have been blessed with all resources to allow you inherit a prosperous future, do develop a keen eye that looks around to see where help is needed and act on it. As youths, we have the duty and mandate to serve our communities to the best of our abilities and make sure we leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. Change begins with us as individuals and it’s up to us to make an effort and be the change we aspire to see in our communities. If we all could advocate for the importance of education and strive to leave our communities a little better than we met, we will be able to effect change and create a sturdy foundation that allows individuals to develop, maintain peace and craft sustainable value for themselves. It is not an easy task but we can do it if we have a sense of strong will & conviction.



Those who grew up in the rural areas or under challenging circumstances, and have made it in life; do have the duty and mandate to go and give back to the communities they grew up in and motivate the youths there to keep dreaming big. If they made it coming from such an environment anyone else can make it too. We all have a greater responsibility to ensure that we prevent future generations from being trapped in perpetual ignorance. If we keep hope alive, the future looks bright. Let’s keep the fight and dreaming big!

Choosing A Lifetime Partner

Social and Counseling Day at St Pauls Highfields

Today I was invited as a guest speaker at the Social and Counseling day, St Pauls Highfields Harare under the theme:

“Make a Choice, Get up and Go…” Joshua 24:15, Micah 2:10 & Deut 1:6-8”

The event was being organized by the Anglican Youth Association of Harare. Some of the guests included Mrs Avril Dhlamini, Rev Fr B.C Gwashero and Pastor Rupere. When I got a phone call from Mrs Dhlamini requesting me to go I was a bit hesitant. Coming from a very long and hectic working week, I was planning to dodge the invitation so that I will allow myself to sleep in and take some much needed rest. But when I woke up this morning, I told myself that I must go regardless how tired I was & indeed, I don’t regret the decision; If there is one person who benefited the most from this event, it was me.

I had an opportunity to interact with the youths and get to know them and did a bit of mentorship and motivational speaking. Fr Gwashero had the following words to share with the youths:

Fr Gwashero –Choosing a lifetime partner

In whatever we do, it is important to know what we stand for and be clear with what we want out of your lives. It is important to acquire wisdom from God and make it our daily bread. Principles of choosing a life partner are crucial and they have a huge effect in determining our future. As we move from the primary stage to secondary stage in life, we need to understand the responsibilities that come with adulthood. As a Christian it’s crucial to try living a mistake free life by all means. When it comes to marriage, note that marriage is a sacrament and it is a covenant that should never be broken. Once you decide to marry someone, make sure it goes according to God’s will and that you don’t regret the decision. Once you say I do on your wedding day, know it’s a sacrament that gets to be sealed in Heaven and should not be broken. It is not a heat and run situation like in a game of cricket.

Here are the seven principles that should guide us in the process of choosing a life partner


1.Do not marry a non believer who will compromise your faith.2 Corinthians6 vs 16-18. Light and darkness should never mix. Ask yourself is the person you call your girlfriend or boyfriend challenges your faith to keep growing? Does he/she inspire you to be a better person and make you keep growing in Christ? Does she stand in the values of God? If not, you may have to reconsider. If you meet a non believer, no matter how handsome or pretty or attractive they maybe, if they refuse to go in the line of God ask them why they don’t like God. If you can’t change them, then its best you change your route and leave them alone but keep on praying for them that maybe one day they will see the light. Don’t ever ignore the important fundamentals and the red flags. Don’t be deceived by the looks alone or physical aspects. Know that courtship and dating is like examination time, don’t ignore the fundamentals!

2.Do not get married when you are too young. Marriage is for adults, who can make deep-seated decisions. Getting married and starting a family comes with a lot of responsibilities that require a lot of dedication and commitment. Getting married while in your teens is highly discouraged. If you marry while too young, chances of getting divorce are high as well.

3.Do not marry based instant feelings of lust. Marriage is more that the physical appearance of someone and satisfying immediate feelings. There should be more substance, something that will still hold you together even when all the good looks are gone.

4.Sexual intercourse is designed for those who are married. There should be clear understanding that marriage is a fusion of cultural, mental, physical, intellectual, social and sexual connection between a couple. You should be able to relate with your partner in all aspects of the fore mentioned. You should be able to bond with whoever you wish to marry. If you start occupying your mind with sexual desires while still dating, it corrupts your mind and will lead you into temptation and the urge to indulge in sex with your partner. And this is not favorable in the eyes of God.


5.Do not get married under pressure. Internal and external pressures are both included here. Never get married from self induced thoughts like “I am ugly, I may never find anyone else who will love me as much, or I am too old now, if I wait any longer no one is going to marry me”. Never allow yourself to succumb to pressure, wait on God’s time; it is the best. Do not marry because your family is putting you under pressure and all your friends have families. If you are not ready and if God is telling you otherwise, be patient and listen to His voice.

6.Do not get married as a status symbol because it is like building a castle on sand, the foundation is not strong and is bound to crumple. Everyone was created different by God and have a different calling, so if everyone around you is married and has a family; stand strong in your faith knowing that at the right time, God makes everything work for the good!


7.You should marry someone you have thoroughly taken time to know and understand. Don’t be blinded by love at first sight. Take time to know your potential partner, what they like and what they don’t like. Always be assertive and know what you want, know yourself and what you stand for. Ask yourself what you want out of your relationship and make sure you don’t compromise. You may never fully understand a person but do get to know the fundamentals & see if you can tolerate them or not before you say yes to marriage. Do not marry someone you have known for less than a year, spend time together and get to know each other. Above all be responsible and take care of yourself.

Re-Invent Yourself

It occurred to me that what might have been of significant importance a year ago could be totally irrelevant and tacky a year on. But if we choose to be blind and “be down for the count” of this inner shift, we could find ourselves still living by values we have long outgrown. You see, in life there simply comes a time when we are no longer happy with things that used to give us joy, it could be a career, a home, the town we live, or our own relationships. Things start getting craggy & the people in our lives no longer understand us and we no longer understand them. What used to be tolerable is suddenly unbearable such as a venomous relationship. The outcome of this could lead to despondency, restiveness, inner conflict and a life that is somewhat superficial and one-dimensional. We find ourselves being angry at the wrong people and hurting the feelings of those around us;who actually care because we fail to take care of the problem that lye deep within us and keep on allowing our past to haunt us.

Don’t wait too long to take action, it’s your life and you live it once so you better make it count. Remember there is more to life than being stuck in a pathetically abusive relationship. And by abusive it’s not only corporal abuse um talking about; poignant abuse does count as well. Don’t be stuck or caught “having forty winks”; love yourself enough to walk out and move on with your life. All human beings do grow and when we have outgrown our present circumstances, it could be time to move on or better still it could be time for reinvention.

Personally, I have taken some re-invention journeys in my life from career changes, to relocation to self-employment to ending toxic relationships. As long as your re-invention is a blessing to yourself and those around you, I say GO FOR IT. If the rhythm of life changes beat, it could be the perfect time to seek some re-inventions. Don’t be stuck in abusive relationships, there is more to life than someone foot stomping you. Keep your head up and move on. You deserve the best out of your life so perhaps it’s time to do something about it, Some Re-Invention On The Move!
You are Beautiful; God created you in His Image so love yourself and take care of yourself. Even when you feel hopeless in your situation, remember God cares, His grace is sufficient enough to see you through any obstacle.

Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I have the power to face all conditions through the power Christ gives me”