By Black Diamonds on January 9, 2017
Education, inspiration, leadership, South Africa, Women
Arts & Culture, Book review

Zubeida Jaffer writes a beautiful account of the story of a singularly determined young girl who sets out to improve her lot in life through education. It is a story one hears a lot today but when you set it in the context of the late 1880s, you realise what a truly special woman Charlotte more…
By Black Diamonds on May 20, 2015
90 Plein Street, Actor, Ambition, Business, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, inspiration, Thabo Afitlhile, youth
Diamonds, Inspiration

Black Diamonds speaks to a man who has pursued every avenue that his talents have offered him. A Future Leader and Force to be reckoned with, indeed! BD: From what we have read about you, it seems you have accomplished a lot already in your life, so we are really curious to know how old more…
By Black Diamonds on March 30, 2015
Africans going global, Chasing dreams, Going big, inspiration, the Daily Show, Trevor Noah, Turning Ideas into action, Zakes Mda
Inspiration

Africans are getting noticed. They are making their mark felt with every passing year and the news that Trevor Noah is set to take over as the new host of the Daily Show is massive. We are not talking about an African who left his country at the age of three here. This is a more…
By Black Diamonds on February 2, 2015
Africa, Big Ideas, Business, Entrepreneurship, inspiration, William Kamkwamba
Inspiration

I read this very interesting article in the New York Times on Europe’s young entrepreneurs, which I suggest you read before continuing: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/business/international/europes-young-entrepreneurs.html?ref=technology&_r=0 The easy answer to the title question of this piece is of course we need government. They create the enabling environment for businesses to operate in and so on and so forth. more…
By Black Diamonds on January 26, 2015
Equality, inspiration, justice
Inspiration

I was privileged enough to spend two days flying the length and breadth of the Eastern Cape in a helicopter. We had several highlights, the scariest being running away from a storm and desperately flying towards a patch of sunshine through which we bolted to safety. The most jaw dropping though was the sheer force more…
By Black Diamonds on December 5, 2014
inspiration, motivation, poverty
Inspiration

It does not matter where you come from, a village in Africa or a slum in Latin America. You have the makings of a super star. Life is about choices. Despite the vicious cycle in poor communities that lock entire generations in to violent feuds, escape is possible. It is telling that both Benni McCarthy more…
By Black Diamonds on November 24, 2014
All of Me Tour 2014, Dreams, inspiration, John Legend, John Legends route to fame, Passion
Inspiration

Two songs in to his last concert on the Johannesburg leg of his concert, John Legend continues flirting with the women in the crowd, but this time with a story that touches every soul in the huge dome. He talks about how he started out, how he played piano on Lauryn Hill’s seminal album, The more…
By Black Diamonds on November 18, 2014
dreaming, goals, inspiration, life, lifeskills, success, taking action
Inspiration

In our last article our concluding paragraph exhorted you to act on your ideas. The cliché about the grave yard being the richest place in the world is metaphorically true. We all have different versions of the definition of success and successful people but we can all agree that hip hop artist Jay-Z is very more…
By Black Diamonds on October 1, 2014
action, inspiration, motivation, Passion, take the plunge
Inspiration

“We will be better and braver if we engage and inquire than if we indulge in the idle fancy that we already know.” – Plato Living in Africa is a paradox. On the one hand, we are blessed with great weather, abundant land and the comfort of family around us. On the other, we live in more…