Taaluma ya uandishi wa habari imesababisha nipende kusoma majarida mbalimbali, magazeti, magazeti tando(blog) na habari katika mitandao ili mradi kutaka kufahamu mambo yanayoendelea ndani na nje ya nchi.
Wakati natii kiu yangu ya habari mwaka jana, nilifungua mtandao wa gazeti tando hapa nchini, nikakutana na habari kuhusu kijana wa Kitanzania, Julius Reuben anayefanya kazi za mitindo nchini Uingereza. Habari hiyo ilinivutia na nilitamani kufahamu habari zake kwa undani na ikiwezekana nimwandike katika gazeti letu la HabariLeo Jumapili kwenye jarida letu la Nyota.
Jarida hili huandika habari mbalimbali za burudani na lina kurasa mbili maalumu kwa ajili ya makala ya mtu ambaye amefanikiwa katika shughuli zake au kujipatia umaarufu kwa ajili ya jambo fulani linaloweza kuwa mfano kwa jamii. Kwa kuwa katika habari hiyo ilikuwapo anuani ya tovuti ya kijana huyo, niliamua kuwasiliana naye kwa kumwandikia ujumbe, nikajitambulisha na kumweleza nia yangu.
Baada ya siku chache alinijibu akinieleza yuko tayari lakini aliniahidi kuwa angenitafuta, hata hivyo tangu wakati huo hatukuwasiliana na nilisahau kabisa kama niliwahi kuwasiliana na Reuben. Mwishoni mwa mwezi uliopita, alinipigia simu ya ofisini akanieleza kuwa yuko tayari kwa mahojiano lakini kwa kuwa yuko mbali, njia rahisi kuwasiliana naye ni kumtumia maswali na yeye ajibu kwa njia ya mtandao.
Dhamira ya kuwasiliana naye ilikuwa ni kuwafahamisha Watanzania kuhusu kijana Mtanzania anayeiwakilisha nchi kupitia sanaa na namna alivyofanikiwa katika fani ya mitindo wakati ni mwanamume kwa kuwa mara nyingi tumezoea akinadada wa Kitanzania ndio hujihusisha na masuala ya mitindo na urembo.
Reuben anasema aliondoka Tanzania miaka 12 iliyopita baada ya familia yake kwenda kuishi London, Uingereza na sasa ni muda mrefu tangu alipoondoka nyumbani (Tanzania). “Ukweli mara nyingi sikuwa nikiishi Tanzania, nimekuwa nikitembea sehemu mbalimbali… sehemu kubwa ya elimu nilipata nchini Kenya na muda mwingi wa mapumziko ya likizo nilikuwa nikisafiri,” anasema.
Baada ya kumaliza masomo yake, mwanamitindo huyo mwenyeji wa Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro, aliamua kwenda kujiunga na familia yake ambao tayari walikuwa raia wa Uingereza lakini pia alikuwa na ndoto ama lengo la kutafuta maisha bora. Kama ilivyo kwa binadamu wengine, Reuben pia alikuwa na ndoto ya kuwa na fani fulani au kufanya kazi fulani. Alitamani kuwa padre lakini kumbe majaliwa yake yalikuwa katika fani ya mitindo.
“Wakati tukiwa Tanzania, mama yangu alikuwa akifanya maonyesho ya mitindo katika miji mbalimbali nchini, mara kwa mara alikuwa akibuni nguo za watoto na alikuwa akinivalisha mimi, kaka yangu na binamu yetu. Baada ya kuzivaa tulipita katika majukwaa ya mitindo kuzionyesha,” anasema. Reuben anasema kipindi hicho mama yake ambaye anamtaja kwa jina la Angel B, alikuwa akimiliki kampuni ya Angel Fashion ya Dar es Salaam.
Anasema, mama yake alilazimika kuacha shughuli zake hizo baada ya mtoto wake wa kike (dada yake Reuben ambaye hakutaka kumtaja jina) kuumwa, akaenda katika nchi mbalimbali kutafuta tiba ya binti yake huyo na kwa bahati mbaya hakufanikiwa na hivi sasa binti huyo ni mlemavu. Mama wa mwanamitindo huyo hivi sasa anafanya biashara ya kutengeneza na kupamba nywele, na ana biashara zingine pamoja na kumtunza binti yake huyo.
Pamoja na kuwa na ndoto ya kuwa padre kijana huyo anasema watu wengine waligundua kipaji chake cha kuwa mwana mitindo: “uwanamitindo haikuwa ndoto yangu, nilitaka kuwa padre, lakini kama watu wanavyosema unachoona katika macho yako sio wanachoona ndani yako watu wengine... wakati nikiwa shule walipokuwa wanafanya maonyesho ya mavazi, walikuwa wakiniomba nishiriki lakini muda mwingi nilikuwa nikikataa.”
Reuben anasema mpaka wakati anakwenda London, alikuwa na mtazamo wa kuwa padre lakini mambo yalibadilika baada ya kushirikishwa katika utafutaji wa wanamitindo ndipo alipopata dhana ya kujaribu shughuli za mitindo. “Niliamua kushiriki katika utafutaji wa wanamitindo hapa London, nikafikiria labda naweza kufanikiwa kuwa mwanamitindo…kwa hiyo ilikuwa bahati yangu, kama unavyoona nimefanikiwa,” anasema.
Reuben anasema kuthubutu kumemwezesha kupata matunda yanayoonekana sasa ikiwa ni pamoja na kufanya kazi zinazompatia kipato cha kuendesha maisha yake na kukaa na watu ambao hakuwahi kufikiria katika maisha yake angeweza kuwa nao karibu. Akizungumzia masuala ya lugha iwapo ni tatizo au changamoto kwa Watanzania au hata kwake kijana huyo anasema, “mimi sijawahi kuleta upuuzi kwenye lugha...kama unatumia lugha yako ya pili, siku zote utakuwa na matatizo ya kutofautisha neno kwa neno.
“Hatuna tofauti na nchi nyingine, kitu ninachoweza kufikiria kuhusu lugha yetu ni linganifu, yenye amani hasa kama unatoka Tanzania lakini Kingereza ni kinyume chake na hivyo tunapata ugumu kutamka baadhi ya maneno lakini sio mbaya kama inavyoelezwa.” Kijana huyo anasema hajasahau asili yake hivyo bado anaikumbuka lugha ya Kiswahili.
“Bado nakumbuka Kiswahili, ingawa kuna kipindi tulikuwa hatuzungumzi lugha hiyo kabisa lakini tangu bibi yangu asisitize tuitumie hivi sasa tunazungumza sana tunapokutana katika sikukuu za kifamilia, chakula cha usiku na tunapokuwa matembezini,” anasema. Reuben hivi sasa hayuko katika masomo yoyote, anasema baada ya kumaliza kidato cha sita aliamua kuchukua mafunzo ya sanaa za maonyesho na akatunukiwa stashahada ya juu.
Anasema, kama mipango yake itakwenda kama alivyokusudia ana mpango wa kuchukua shahada ya kwanza ya fani hiyo. Kijana huyo anasema anafikiria kuja kuwekeza nyumbani (Tanzania) ingawa amesikia vitu vingi tofauti, vibaya na vizuri. “Ndio nina mpango huo (kuwekeza nchini) lakini nimekuwa nikisikia vitu vingi tofauti lakini itabidi nije kujionea mwenyewe… siku zote kuna changamoto sehemu yoyote nitakayokuwa lakini hiyo haiwezi kunizuia kutimiza malengo yangu,” anasema.
Akielezea namna Watanzania wanavyoishi Uingereza, Reuben anabainisha kuwa baadhi ya Watanzania huishi pamoja kama familia na baadhi huishi wenyewe huku wengine wakiwa wamefika huko kwa njia zao binafsi lakini wote kwa pamoja wakiwa na mkakati wa kutimiza malengo yao katika maisha. Mwanamitindo huyo anasema angependa kusaidia vijana wengine wa Kitanzania wenye ndoto ya fani hiyo lakini anasema wengi ambao amekuwa akiwasiliana nao kwa njia ya barua pepe wanaweza kufanya kazi ya matangazo zaidi kuliko mitindo.
Reuben anasema yeye hushughulika na wanamitindo wa kiwango cha juu (high fashion models) ambao hawawezi kufanya kazi za matangazo ambazo hufanywa na watu ambao ni watanashati na warembo lakini katika tovuti yake kuna kampuni za uwakala wa wanamitindo ambao ni watanashati na warembo wenye vigezo vinavyotakiwa anaweza kuzitumia hizo kampuni. Anakiri kuna tofauti kati ya wanamitindo wa Tanzania na wale wa nchi za magharibi na kwa mujibu wa meelezo yake, Tanzania imefunikwa na nchi nyingine za Afrika Mashariki.
Anaongeza kuwa wanachotakiwa kufanya ni kutafuta sura inayoitambulisha Tanzania ambayo itawawakilisha Watanzania na si wanamitindo kwa ajili ya matangazo ya biashara. “Ngoja nikufafanulie vizuri, wanamitindo wa matangazo ya biashara ni warembo na watanashati ambao mvuto wao hauwatofautishi na watanashati wengine , baadhi yao ni wale wanaoshinda mataji ya urembo na utanashati.
“Wanaotakiwa katika fani hii ni wenye kiwango cha juu wanatakiwa kuwa wasichana wenye sura zenye mvuto unaofanana na mvulana, na mvulana mwenye mvuto unaofanana na msichana…sio wazuri wala wabaya ila wanavutia kutazama, huwa wanawaita ‘sculptured’ (wa kuchonga),” anasema.
Kuhusu sifa zao Reuben anasema kuwa kwa msichana kutoka Afrika Mashariki basi anatakiwa kuwa na kifua saizi 34, kiuno saizi 24 nyonga (hips) saizi 34 na si zaidi ya hapo wakati urefu anatakiwa kuwa si chini ya futi tano na inchi nane ( 5"8). Anasema, wavulana wanatakiwa kuwa na kifua saizi 38-40, kiuno saizi 30-32 wakati urefu ni futi 6 hadi futi sita na inchi mbili (6"2 ) na si zaidi au chini ya hapo.
“Sisi Watanzania tuna tatizo la utambulisho (kama nimeweka sawa). Unajua Msudan, Msomali, Mkenya, Muethiopia na mara nyingine Mganda unapomwona unaweza kutambua anakotoka…lakini sio Mtanzania, mara nyingi huwa wanatuchanganya na watu wengine kutoka nchi nyingine. “…hata mimi mara kwa mara wanafanya kosa kunitambua kwa sababu hatuna sura yenye nguvu ya kutuwakilisha kimataifa.
Watu wengi wananifahamu kuwa ni mwanamitindo wa Ufaransa, hilo ndio jambo baya,” anasema. Mwanamitindo huyo anasema, “tuna wasichana na wavulana ambao wanaweza kutuwakilisha vizuri lakini hawapewi nafasi kwa sababu ya udanganyifu nchini…wako tayari kumpa nafasi mtoto kutoka familia ya kitajiri kuliko mtoto kutoka familia masikini sana.”
Reuben ambaye ana umri wa miaka 24, nywele nyeusi, macho ya kahawia, urefu wa futi sita na inchi sita, kifua saizi 38, kiuno saizi 30 na nyonga saizi 38 anasema hajaoa ila ana wazo hilo na kuongeza kuwa, “familia bado, nahitaji miaka mingine zaidi.” Mwanamitindo huyo aliyezaliwa nchini Tanzania aligunduliwa na Kampuni ya wanamitindo ya Flair Model Agency ya nchini Uingereza ambapo hivi sasa ndio makazi yake.
Mambo anayopenda Reuben ni kupanda farasi, mpira wa kikapu, mitindo, muziki na familia. Maonyesho ya mavazi aliyoshiriki hivi karibuni ni pamoja na London Fashion Week, La Dolce Vita Fashion Week na AFW 2008 lakini pia hivi karibuni alionekana katika vipindi vya televisheni vya Holby City, Hotel Babylon na MI High wakati ameshiriki katika filamu How To Lose Friends and Alienate People na Run Fat Boy Ru, pia hivi karibuni ameshiriki katika mchezo wa kuigiza wa Dust na video ya Last Night A DJ Saved My Life. Huyo ndiye Julius Reuben kijana aliyetamani kufanya kazi ya Mungu lakini akajikuta akidondokea katika majukwaa ya mitindo akipeperusha bendera ya Tanzania nchini Uingereza.
Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean gestures as he leaves the electoral office after submitting the paperwork to run for president of Haiti in the next elections in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
He also hit back at critics of his own personal finances, including allegations over his use of post-quake charity funds and the revelation he personally owes $2.1 million in back taxes to the United States.
"We can provide a way to get (Haitians) out of the mess they're in. And the way that that's going to happen (is) education, job creation and investment for Haiti," Jean said in the wide-ranging interview Thursday evening.
He spoke in a Port-au-Prince hotel room as aides, his wife and 5-year-old daughter looked on.
The Haitian-born, Brooklyn-raised singer is attempting a difficult and potentially dicey transformation: From multimillionaire international recording artist to leader of one of the world's poorest and most dysfunctional countries — and doing so through a pivotal and difficult election.
Among the best known figures in his native country, Jean — who left as a child — speaks American-accented Creole to crowds and New York-accented English at home. His estimated annual income of up to $18 million is more than 13,000 times more than the average Haitian sees in a year — assuming that person even has a job.
If he wins the presidency, the ex-Fugee frontman said he would encourage donors to invest heavily in education. He also endorsed the economic vision promoted by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the U.N. special envoy who is in Haiti this week. Those plans include creating jobs in the garment export industry, boosting tourism and building the capacity of Haitian farmers to reduce the nation's chronic dependence on imports.
"President Clinton is focusing on the garment industry and all that. I think that's great. But also agriculture is involved," Jean said. "We can work both components at the same time."
Among other potential investment targets he mentioned mining, an industry whose ramping up amid the rising price of gold and other minerals has sparked controversy in the neighboring Dominican Republic.
Jean's leap from entertainer to prospective head-of-state is also leading to some interesting transitional moments. After previously listing his age as 37, as a candidate he suddenly jumped to 40 years old. On Thursday he traded his urban hip-hop style for a dark suit, better to hide the rubble dust and handprints as he crowd-surfed to open his rally.
The worldwide attention that his presidential bid attracts also means scrutiny and criticism — turning the campaign into what Jean called a "combat sport." He responded directly Thursday to a revelation published this week on the U.S.-based website The Smoking Gun concerning his unpaid U.S. taxes.
"First of all, owing $2.1 million to the IRS shows you how much money Wyclef Jean makes a year," he said, pledging to publish an accounting of his finances online and to repay the money he owes.
The singer also fumed when aides told him that actor Sean Penn, who has been managing an earthquake-survivor camp in the Haitian capital since the spring, had accused Jean of not spending enough time in Haiti after the quake and misappropriating $400,000 of the $9 million his charity, Yele Haiti, raised after the disaster.
"I just want Sean Penn to fully understand I am a Haitian, born in Haiti and I've been coming to my country ever since (I was) a child," he said. "He might just want to pick up the phone and meet, so he fully understands the man."
Jean stepped down from his chairmanship of Yele on Thursday ahead of his run for office. The organization has been accused of pre-quake financial improprieties that benefited the singer.
Before campaigning can begin, Jean must be cleared to run by Haiti's eight-member provisional electoral council. Among the requirements he must fulfill are proving he has never renounced his Haitian citizenship by holding another — namely, U.S. — passport; and that he has been a resident of Haiti for the last five years — which by most accounts he has not.
The campaign will argue that Jean's status as a Haitian ambassador-at-large, a post he was awarded in 2007, exempts him from having not spent more time in the country of late.
If approval comes, Haiti's particular brand of Byzantine and often brutal politics will really begin. Jean's charisma and popularity in Port-au-Prince's vast slums could draw comparisons — some favorable, others not — to the popular but divisive former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was flown into African exile aboard a U.S. plane during a bloody 2004 rebellion.
On Thursday, Jean took the stage at his rally as supporters sang a traditional pro-Aristide song, replacing the exiled leader's name with Jean's. Asked what prompted that particular tune, Jean replied he hadn't picked it.
The singer ultimately sees himself as an advocate for Haiti's struggling youth. Officially running under the banner of the Viv Ansanm party — whose name means "live together" — Jean is more heavily promoting his youth movement called "Fas a Fas," meaning face-to-face.
"Even if I lose, I win," he said. "It gives us an opportunity to be a voice to speak to government about what happens."
RÉSUMÉ: The most commercial model of her time, Cindy has appeared on more than 400 magazine covers (Cindy got her first Vogue cover in the 80's, which prompted her to move to New York from Chicago.) Cindy starred alongside William Baldwin in 1995 movie "Fair Game" (it bombed.) Did TV documentary show called "Sex with Cindy Crawford" for ABC (it also bombed.) Cindy was in a series of Pepsi commercials in the late 90s. She hosted MTV show 'House of Style' for 6 years. Modelled for Versace and has an Ellen Tracy ad campaign. Has seven calenders and two exercise videos which have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Owns own company: Crawdaddy Inc. which only deals with managing her career. She will have a lead role in 'Baywatch', which is scheduled to become a movie. Has her own jewelry line. 
Cindy been spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics since she was 23. She made $3 million per year through her Revlon contract for 20 days of work per year. Her contract ended at the end of the year 2000 and she has been replaced by a younger spokesmodel. "It's a new era. We're moving with the times and we need a new face to reflect that." says a Revlon spokesperson for the New York Post. 
HOME: Cindy has an apartment in New York City's Upper East Side and a $1.8 million Spanish-style mansion in Brentwood, California. Has cottages in Westchester, New York and a beach house in Malibu, Cottages. She lives in the same New York City apartment as Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Winona Ryder.