By Michael Kachitsa Cocoa and other chocolate products are enjoyed by billions of people around the globe, but surprisingly few people know the history of the confection. In fact, cocoa has appeared in different cultures worldwide for hundreds of years. Cocoa was first developed as a crop in many ancient South American cultures, with the Aztecs and Mayans being the most well-known of these indigenous populations. Researchers have found evidence of cocoa-based food dating back several thousand years. The modern word “chocolate” stems from two words in Nahuatl, the language spoken by many native groups: chocolatl, which translated literally means “hot water,” and cacahuatl, which referred to a bitter beverage made with cocoa that was shared during religious ceremonies. The cacao bean was so significant to the local cultures that it was used as a currency in trade, given to warriors as a post-battle reward, and served at royal feasts. When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the New World and began the process of invading, colonizing, and ultimately destroying the native cultures, they also discovered the value of the local cacao crop. However, they brought their own innovation to the appropriated drink—the addition of sugar and spices to sweeten the bitter cocoa. After that point, chocolate became wildly popular amongst the Spanish, who kept the production method a secret from other Europeans for almost 100 years after their discovery. The Spanish could not hold onto their secret forever, and chocolate quickly spread across the rest of western Europe. Chocolate—then still exclusively in the form of a drink—appeared in France, and then England, in royal courts and special “chocolate houses” that served the social elite. Hot chocolate was hailed by the upper classes as both delicious and healthy, and cocoa ultimately gained the reputation of being an aphrodisiac. The exclusivity of chocolate was ultimately diminished by the onset of the Industrial Revolution, when steam-powered machines made the production of cocoa powder significantly quicker and more affordable. Solid chocolate hit the market and found wild success by 1850, due to the discovery by Joseph Fry that adding cacao butter to the cocoa powder formed a solid mass. Sixty years later, the art of creating chocolate confections with flavored filling—referred to as pralines by their Belgian inventor, Jean Neuhaus II—went public. From there, the chocolate and cocoa industry exploded in popularity and quickly spread around the world. Throughout its centuries-long evolution, one factor has remained consistent and cocoa has attracted devotees worldwide. Today, over 4.5 million tons of cocoa beans are consumed annually around the globe, in everything from drinks to candy bars. It’s safe to say that the ancient Mesoamericans who pioneered the crop could never have imagined the popularity cocoa would someday experience.
Author: Michael Kachitsa
Josephine Marie Godwyll
Michael Kachitsa A Ghanaian entrepreneur, Josephine Marie Godwyll, is among eight entrepreneurs from sub-Saharan Africa, to be awarded funding to harness the engineering and business skills of their organizations to help tackle the spread of COVID-19. A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra said the funding was initiated by the Royal Academy of Engineering in early April as the rapid transmission of COVID-19 gripped countries around the world. The initiative is with the support of the UK Government’s funding through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and Project CARE (COVID Africa Rapid Entrepreneurs). It said the Academy already works extensively with engineers across sub-Saharan Africa, and the new initiative was an extension of the partnership supporting small and medium engineering businesses to re-focus their work to help address the challenges of COVID-19. It noted that the Project CARE initiative means that Young at Heart Ghana, run by Josephine Marie Godwyll and her team, are able to support children across Ghana to continue to learn remotely and safely despite COVID-19. Commenting on Madam Godwyll’s success, Mr Iain Walker, British High Commissioner to Ghana said: “Project CARE has rightly recognised the agile and important contribution Josephine and her team at Young at Heart Ghana have made to the country’s education system. “Their innovative work supplements the efforts of the Ministry of Education, to ensure that children across Ghana continue to access quality and vital education despite the restrictions and difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” The statement said more than 50 people applied for funding through Project CARE, and only eight were chosen to receive funding including entrepreneurs from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as well as Ghana.Each of the successful candidates received £5,000 to support them in scaling up their COVID response.
The Development of African Football
By Michael Kachitsa Association football is the most popular sport in South Africa, followed by rugby union and cricket. The governing body is the South African Football Association (SAFA). The country’s top league is the South African Premier Division, while the main cup competitions are the Nedbank Cup, Telkom Knockout, and the MTN 8 Cup. Football first arrived in South Africa through colonialism in the late nineteenth century, as the game was popular among British soldiers. From the earliest days of the sport in South Africa until the end of apartheid, organised football was affected by the country’s system of racial segregation. The all-white Football Association of South Africa (FASA), was formed in 1892, while the South African Indian Football Association (SAIFA), the South African Bantu Football Association (SABFA) and the South African Coloured Football Association (SACFA) were founded in 1903, 1933 and 1936 respectively. In 1903 the SAFA re-affiliated with English The Football Association after the Second Boer War between the British Empire and the Boer state. There was a plan to play a tournament held in Argentina, with South Africa and Fulham as guest teams, but it was not carried out. Nevertheless, South Africa traveled to South America in 1906 to play a series of friendly matches there. South Africa played a total of 12 matches in South America, winning 11 with 60 goals scored and only 7 conceded. Some of the rivals were Belgrano A.C., Argentina national team, a Liga Rosarina combined, Estudiantes (BA) and Quilmes. The only team that could beat South Africa was Argentine Alumni by 1–0 at Sociedad Sportiva stadium of Buenos Aires, on 24 June, although the South African would take revenge on 22 July, defeating Alumni by 2–0. The players were exclusively white, civil servants, government employees, bankers and civil engineers. Seven of the 15 players were born in South Africa and 8 originated from England and Scotland. South Africa was one of four African nations to attend FIFA’s 1953 congress, at which the four demanded, and won, representation on the FIFA executive committee. Thus the four nations (South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan) founded the Confederation of African Football in 1956, and the South African representative, Fred Fell, sat at the first meeting as a founding member. It soon became clear however that South Africa’s constitution prohibited racially mixed teams from competitive sport and so they could only send either an all-black side or an all-white side to the planned 1957 African Cup of Nations. This was unacceptable to the other members of the Confederation and South Africa were disqualified from the competition, however some sources say that they withdrew voluntarily.
Recipe for Pumpkins
By Michael Kachitsa Ingredients Method Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the top off the pumpkin or squash and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits but keep the seeds for another time (see our pumpkin seed recipe ideas). Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well. Roast in the centre of the oven for 45 mins or until tender, with the ‘lid’ on the side. Meanwhile, rinse the wild rice well and cook following pack instructions, then spread out on a baking tray to cool. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and apple, then squeeze over ½ the lemon juice to stop them discolouring. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then, once the seeds begin to pop, stir in ½ the garlic and the fennel. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then mix through the apple, pecans and lemon zest. Remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the the cooked rice, then stir in the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning. Pack the mixture into the cooked pumpkin and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until everything is piping hot. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the tahini, the rest of the garlic and enough water to make a dressing. Serve the pumpkin in the middle of the table, topped with pomegranate seeds and the dressing. Source – BBC Good Food
Why its Important to Drink Water
By Michael Kachitsa Water is an essential nutrient and plays a key role in the human body. We can survive up to several weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Every system in the body, from cells and tissues, to vital organs requires water to function. Water carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain. Water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other substances. Water flushes out toxins and waste. Water helps to regulate body temperature. Water acts as a lubricant for joints and muscles. Water makes up on average 60% of an adult’s body weight, from 31 % in bones to 83% in lungs. The human body cannot store water. Every day we are constantly losing water though breathing, sweating and through the release of urine and faeces. Ensuring that lost fluids are replenished in a timely manner and that our bodies are correctly hydrated is essential for good health and for the body to operate. In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released its Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Water, which provides us with clear recommendations on the amount of water men and women should be drinking per day, depending on their age. This Opinion has also paved the way for the issuing of national guidelines for the daily intake of water. Source – EFBW
The History of Borussia Dortmund
By Michael Kachitsa Dortmund was founded in 1909, by a group of eighteen youths unhappy with the local chaplain’s treatment of their church-sponsored football team. Being a relatively small club, Dortmund’s ambitions were moderate to start with. The club barely avoided bankruptcy in 1929, and being an anti-Nazi oriented club during the Third Reich regime certainly didn’t help matters. Their first taste of silverware came in the mid-50s, with two consecutive national titles in 1956 and 1957. Having proved themselves by winning the last German national championship ever held (1963), Dortmund were among the sixteen clubs invited to play in the newly-formed Bundesliga. In general, the 60s were a fruitful period for the club, which claimed its first DFB-Pokal in 1965 and its first and only Cup Winners’ Cup the following year. This would be their last trophy for a while, as the next three decades were fraught with continual financial troubles. The loss of Hitzfeld to Bayern Munich after the Champions League victory was a tough pill to swallow, but their financial troubles would prove an even greater hindrance. After Dortmund became the only German football club to enter the stock market at the turn of the millennium, their shares had started falling and the club found itself deeply in debt. The Bundesliga title in 2002 was not enough to turn the tide, and the club had to resort to selling their best players in order to survive. As a result of a sponsorship deal with an insurance company, Westfalenstadion would in 2005 change name to Signal Iduna Park for a limited time (until 2021). After a couple of miserable seasons, Jürgen Klopp’s arrival in 2008 would set them back on the road to greatness. Under his leadership, Dortmund would prove to be the only true challenger to Bayern; their reignited rivalry was the main talking point of German football in the years that followed. During Klopp’s seven years at the helm, Dortmund claimed two more Bundesliga titles (2011 and 2012) and their third DFB-Pokal (2012), but lost to Bayern in the 2013 Champions League final. Even with the club winning its second DFB-Pokal in 1989, the future wasn’t looking too bright. Their fortunes would finally change with the hiring of Ottmar Hitzfeld in 1992; with the genius strategist in charge, Dortmund soared to the top of German football. After winning two consecutive Bundesliga titles in 1995 and 1996, Dortmund set off to conquer the rest of Europe. In 1997, they advanced to the Champions League finals, where they handily defeated the favored Juventus 3-1.
Malawian Fish Recipe
By Michael Kachitsa In Malawi, barbecued fish is served with Nsima – a Malawian staple traditionally made from maize flour. It becomes quite firm after cooking and is traditionally served as a kind of large patty cake. Malawians generally eat with their hands so this texture makes it easy to break off bits. Main Ingredients: 1 whole 500-600 g fish (snapper or bream work well)1 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp chilli saucejuice of half a lemon1 red chilli, finely choppedsmall handful of coriander, roughly torn Instructions: Place fish in deep oval dish and pour over chilli sauce, olive oil and lemon juice. Rub marinade in to both sides of the fish and cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. 30 minutes before you want to cook the fish, place four cups of vegetable stock in a saucepan and heat until lukewarm. Slowly sprinkle over the maize flour in ½ cup batches using a whisk to stir quickly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens to a thick porridge-like consistency. Stir through butter, cover and set aside. Once finished marinating, remove fish from fridge, place on large sheet of aluminum foil and pour over any excess marinade remaining in the dish. Wrap fish up in to a parcel making sure to fold up any edges upwards in order to keep the marinade locked in. Place foil parcel on the grill part of the barbecue on medium heat and cook for around 5-10 minutes each side with the hood down (this could vary slightly depending on your barbecue). While fish is cooking place onions, ginger and oil in a deep pan or wok and cook until just softened (not limp). Add greens and pour over water, continuously stirring the mixture until water absorbed. Add chopped tomato and stir through until just heated. Salt to taste and garnish with edible flowers (optional). Remove fish from barbecue, slide on serving platter being careful to keep the fish in tact and garnish with chopped coriander and fresh chilli. Serve immediately with sides. Source – SBS
The Success of Charlette N’Guessan – Young Lady in Tech Business
By Michael Kachitsa Charlette N’Guessan is the first woman to win the prestigious prize since it was established in 2014, and the first winner from Ghana. The prize was awarded for BACE API, which uses facial recognition to verify identities remotely. N’Guessan and her team decided to go ahead with the project in 2018, after they discovered that Ghanaian banks have a significant problem with identity fraud and cybercrime. Their research estimated that approximately $400m is spent every year by Ghanaian financial institutions to identify their customers. “Online identity fraud is a huge problem, especially in Africa, because the growth of online businesses and the enthusiastic embracing of new technologies on the continent have not been matched by an equivalent commitment to cybersecurity,” N’Guessan told E&T. “As software engineers and data scientists, we wanted to bring our contribution by building a solution that can help people to feel safe while using online services across Africa. Since day one, the goal has always been the same: fight against online identity fraud.” BACE API is aimed at financial institutions and other industries which rely on identify verification when offering services. In partnership with a data controller which deals with government-issued ID, it has access to Ghanaian passports and other documentation which it uses during its verification process. The software uses a phone or computer’s built-in camera and requires no specialised hardware. BACE API uses live images or short videos taken on cameras to detect whether the image is of a real person or a photo of an existing image. It is already being used by two financial institutions to verify customers’ identities, and being tested on an event platform to confirm registration of attendees. During the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged as a viable alternative to in-person identify verification processes used by most businesses, allowing them to authenticate new customers without ever meeting face-to-face.
Boy millionaire started business from bedroom while studying for his Exams
By Michael Kachitsa At first glance, Akshay Ruparelia from Harrow, North East London is your regular, ambitious 21-year-old. But take a look at his CV, and the young entrepreneur, who is now worth an estimated £18million, is on a mission to transform the property market. Ruparelia, who was the youngest person on the Sunday Times Rich List last year, is the founder of Doorsteps.co.uk, the “Uber” of the property world, which he started from his bedroom at just 17. The managing director, who completed college in 2016 with a string of A*s, now says it’s high time Britain changed its archaic grading system to make way for the next generation of “young, bright, well-rounded” business leaders. He says the world needs to learn to welcome talent – beyond the traditional pen to paper method. Ruparelia’s own company, Doorsteps wants to become Britain’s biggest estate agent, offering homeowners fixed, fair and affordable pricing. It was set up at just 17 after Ruparelia managed the sale of his family home. Inspired, he raised almost £400,000 with investors via Crowdcube in return for just over 3% of his business. He combined this with a £7,000 loan from relatives, which enabled him to launch Doorsteps outside of his four walls. Source – The Mirror
The history of Old Trafford
By Michael Kachitsa The Old Trafford stadium, commonly known as “The Theatre of Dreams,” was originally opened on February 19, 1910 with a capacity of approximately 80,000. During the Second World War, Old Trafford was used by the military as a depot, and on March 11, 1941 was heavily damaged by a German bombing raid. The stadium was rebuilt following the war and reopened on August 24, 1949. The addition of floodlighting, permitting evening matches, was completed in 1957 and a project to cover the stands with roofs was completed in 1959. After a series of additions during the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, capacity at Old Trafford reached 56,385 in 1985. The conversion of the stadium to an all-seater reduced capacity to approximately 44,000 by 1992, the lowest in its history. Thereafter, we began to expand capacity throughout the stadium, bringing capacity to approximately 58,000 by 1996, approximately 68,000 by 2000, and approximately 76,000 in 2006. Current capacity at Old Trafford is 75,454. In the late 1940s, we returned to on-field success, winning the FA Cup in 1948 and finishing within the top four league positions during each of the first five seasons immediately following the Second World War. During the 1950s, we continued our on-field success under the leadership of manager Sir Matt Busby, who built a popular and famous team based on youth players known as the “Busby Babes.” In February 1958, an airplane crash resulted in the death of eight of our first team players. Global support and tributes followed this disaster as Busby galvanized the team around such popular players as George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. Rebuilding of the club culminated with a victory in the 1968 European Cup final, becoming the first English club to win this title. In 1986, our club appointed Sir Alex Ferguson as manager. In 1990, we won the FA Cup and began a period of success that has continued until the present day. Since 1992, we have won the Premier League 13 times. In total, we have won a record 20 English League titles, a record 12 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 3 European Champions Cups and 1 FIFA Club World Cup, making us one of the most successful clubs in England.