Fashionista and book-worm

Kemi Kalikawe is a young Tanzanian designer and owner of NALEDI, a company that deals in interior design, fashion, and event planning based in Dar es Salaam.

She discusses her love for the written word and how reading has helped her groom and sharpen her skills and talents in one of the fastest growing industries in the country.

Do you remember when you first started reading?

It all started when I was in school back in Botswana; we had to read school books, though by then I had very little interest in what I was doing.

I took it as just part of my lessons. But with time all that changed because as a I grew up, my interest in books grew as well. So I started reading novels but later on as I was growing I lost interest in novels and I focused more on other kind of books such as self help books, psychology and business books.

What book have you read that just changed your outlook on life?

Yes, there is one, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The book taught me a lot of things but mostly it taught me that I can do or be anything that I want to be in life so long as I put my mind into it and also if you do good things then the world will come to your aid.

If you could write a book today what would you write about?

I would write about Possibilities; that everything is possible in life and that positive thinking can get you anywhere you want to go in life so long as you set your mind into it.

Is there any way we can create a reading culture in our country?

Yes there is and that can start at the family level. We all know that teachers have their role to play for our children’s learning process in school, but at the end of the day parents have the major responsibility to develop that reading culture when their children are still young.

Though it’s not a guarantee, once they implant that reading attitude it can grow as the child becomes older.

Whenever parents have time they should make efforts to read out for their children, sometimes going a step further by creating a small competition between your children that will be an enough effort and good start.

As a fashion designer, what book has helped you in your career?

There are quite a number of fashion books, but there is one book I remember giving me a more perspective on my career. It was a book called Fashion Merchandising by Virginia Grose. That book taught me a lot about fashions, but mostly how to do fashion in a more business sense.

Many people need quiet time and being alone for reading, how do you find time?

Yes it’s true; but I have always tried to take advantage of the technological advancements we have today. I have a busy schedule but that hasn’t stopped me reading some books online.

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