Royal Arnold Mabika Recently, I had the chance to talk with Royal Arnold Mabika , a talented marathon runner who has traveled from Zimbabwe to Dubai and back again. Royal is in Zimbabwe to train for the upcoming BMW Berlin Marathon , and his experiences overseas have shaped his goals and dreams for the future. Royal decided to return to Zimbabwe because he wanted better training conditions. The heat in the Middle East made it hard for him to prepare properly for races. “Honde Valley was the perfect place for me to come back to,” he shared. This region offers him the cool temperatures and serene environment he needs for marathon training. Honde Valley is special to Royal for many reasons. It has beautiful, quiet landscapes and a good altitude, which helps him build strength as a runner. He enjoys long runs without being distracted by traffic or crowds. “I can run deep into the Eastern Highlands and not meet a single person,” he said, highlighting how peaceful it is there. Bungee J

Honde Valley, Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe   Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Running Loop , where I dive deep into the world of running, exploring its many facets and the stories that inspire us runners. I’m your host, Linda Mhako, and today, we have an extraordinary guest joining us. Royal Arnold Mabika, a passionate long-distance runner and dedicated sports advocate. Royal's remarkable journey has taken him from the breathtaking landscapes of Zimbabwe to the vibrant streets of Dubai and back again. Today, we’ll explore his inspiring return to Zimbabwe and training in Honde Valley, a hidden gem that he believes holds immense potential for both elite training and tourism. With the highly anticipated BMW Berlin Marathon on the horizon, Royal will share how his experiences abroad have profoundly shaped his outlook on running and the unique beauty of Zimbabwe's natural environment. We'll also discuss his vision for positioning Honde Valley as a premier running destin

Solar powered community borehole donated by Doctors without Borders In the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, local residents have grown tired of waiting for the government to provide them with safe and reliable drinking water. For over a decade, the city council has failed to fulfill this basic need, leaving many households with undrinkable water. The City of Harare council has been rationing water  for three or more days in a week , communities in Harare are now taking matters into their own hands.  Residents are pooling their resources to fund the drilling and installation of boreholes and water systems in their neighborhoods. One community in the Glen-view area provides a prime example. Neighbors on a particular street have agreed to each contribute $150 towards the project. This initial funding allows them to hire companies to drill boreholes and set up solar-powered pumps to bring the water directly into their homes.   "The water actually is undrinkable, and some organizations ha

  Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash Cheryl Walter , University of Hull The new strain of the mpox virus is spreading quickly along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is “ the most dangerous yet ”, says the World Health Organization. The current outbreak has been driven by sexual transmission but there is evidence this strain can also be passed on through close skin-to-skin contact. Those now being infected include schoolchildren, healthcare workers and entire households. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda –- previously unaffected by mpox – have reported cases since mid-July 2024. Meanwhile, in South Africa, an outbreak has killed three people so far. Border authorities are screening travellers into and out of the country. Virologist Cheryl Walter explains the history of mpox, the symptoms and why we should be worried about virulent virus mutations. What are the symptoms? Symptoms of mpox start off being quite vagu

© MMA  Sunday's fight is crucial for Nigeria's Israel Adesanya, as he seeks to reclaim his lost glory after his defeat to Sean Strickland. He faces Dricus du Plessis of South Africa, who took the middleweight belt from Sean Strickland at the beginning of the year. Meanwhile, Adesanya returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly 12 months. If he defeats Du Plessis on Sunday, Adesanya will become only the second three-time champion in UFC history, alongside Randy Couture.  This grudge match has been intensifying, with Adesanya visibly infuriated by Du Plessis during their last pre-match presser. Du Plessis touched a nerve when he asked, "Are you taking the servants with you when you're going back?" This was in response to Adesanya's statement: "On Tuesday, I'm going back to Nigeria. I think Friday I'm going to South Africa, and then the next week I'm going back to New Zealand. I am a child of the earth, and when I take this belt, I'm

[Image Credit: https://zikoko.com]   There was an uproar  on X.com when an X.com user using the handle @OneJoblessBoy posted a TikTok video of Kenyan comedian Elsa Majimbo criticizing the African cultural expectation of supporting extended family members. Her remarks sparked widespread debate across the platform, highlighting the complexities of family responsibilities in African societies.  Remittances have long been a cornerstone of economic survival for many African families. According to the World Bank : "Remittances are a lifeline to low- and middle-income countries and an effective way to alleviate poverty because they go directly to families.."  The act of sending money isn’t merely a financial transaction; it embodies deep-rooted cultural values of family, community solidarity, and responsibility. However, the narrative presented by Elsa Majimbo rejected these values in favor of a more individualistic approach, leading to significant debate online. The C