Jumapili, 29 Septemba 2013

Worthy to be read by graduates


3 Ways You May Be Throwing Money Away Without Realizing It - By Geoff William

You aren't a dimwit. You're just stressed.
According to a recent study published in Science magazine, if you're poor and mismanage your money, you may be very capable of making good financial decisions. But you're trapped in a vicious circle: The inevitable problems that come with being poor are likely affecting your judgment, which means you're making bad decisions, which end up making you even more poor.
With that in mind, if you're financially struggling - or know someone who is - here are three ways people end up throwing money away when making common financial decisions: buying a house, buying a car and investing in a retirement plan. They're all generally good ideas, of course, but just because you're doing something smart doesn't mean you're doing it right.
Stretching to take out a mortgage. Few personal finance experts will say it's stupid to buy a house - but they will tell you that you can buy one too early in life, before you're financially ready. Many people also buy too big of a house.
"I can't tell you how many people I've seen get swept up in the romantic notion that they need to own a home or that they need to own a more expensive home, only to later regret it when they end up with a beautiful place but no money," says Scott Halliwell, a certified financial planner with USAA, a national financial services company based in San Antonio that mostly serves military members and their families.
Halliwell says too many people try to buy a house before they've learned to budget. These red flags, he says, should alert you that you aren't financially ready: if you don't yet have an emergency fund, you can't save up for a sizable down payment (20 percent is standard) or you're trying to find another way to buy a house, such as taking on a high interest rate in place of having that down payment.
He has a point, especially considering that a house comes not only with a monthly mortgage that you'll likely be paying for the next 30 years - but also homeowners insurance, yard maintenance, appliances and furniture to buy and the inevitable home repairs. Most lenders say your house payment shouldn't be more than 30 percent of your income, so if you're searching for a way to buy a house that is going to be, say, 40 or 50 percent of your income, you might want to do some serious reconsidering.
Halliwell adds: "We always talk about how much money someone can save if they just stop drinking fancy coffee. The truth is, coffee doesn't do anywhere near the damage this move can."
Buying a too-expensive car. If you're not paying attention, the car you're buying may not seem all that expensive. The auto finance manager may suggest that instead of three years, you pay for six, and that $531 monthly payment for an $18,000 car decreases to $282, obscuring the fact that you'll end up paying far more in the long run, especially if you aren't getting a good interest rate.
For instance, if your car's interest rate is around 4 percent, which is average these days, paying the loan over six years instead of three means you'll pay $1,145 more just in interest. That might be worth it for the lower payments. But let's say you have bad credit and you're paying a high interest rate. Buying an $18,000 car at 18 percent (a typical interest rate if your credit score is, say, 550 and you're buying a used car) and paying it over three years means you'll shell out approximately $5,000 just in interest. Spreading the loan over six years means your interest alone will climb to $11,000. Your $18,000 car is actually a $29,000 car.
Of course, it can be easy to rush into buying a car, especially if your current vehicle is on life support. But not only should you make use of the many monthly loan payment calculators for car-buying on the Web, remember to research how a new or new-to-you car will affect your insurance and your auto's gas mileage.
"We're certainly a nation in love with automobiles, and I'm right there with the crowd," Halliwell says. "Even so, I'm forever amazed at the number of $40,000 to $50,000 cars and trucks I see on the road every day. The payments on those loans are huge by average financial standards, and the cars are often worth thousands less than the purchase price within days of buying them."
Many experts suggest ensuring that the car you buy is no more than 1/10th of your gross annual income. So if you make $70,000 a year, you shouldn't buy more than a $7,000 car. Even if that doesn't seem realistic, it's a good blueprint to try to follow. After all, six years is a long time to lock yourself into paying for a car, which depreciates the moment it is driven off the lot.
"I regularly get questions from people about what they can do to fix their auto loan situation when only three years into their six-year loan term, their circumstances change and they can no longer afford the payment," Halliwell says. "Unfortunately, in many cases, they owe thousands more on the loan than the vehicle is worth, so they're often stuck."
Withdrawing money from your retirement plan for anything other than retirement.Yes, times are still tough for some people, but short of dredging up money to save your house from going into foreclosure or raising ransom money for a kidnapper, most financial gurus will tell you to stay away from your 401(k) or individual retirement account.
"Too many people take money out of a qualified plan or IRA to pay for everyday expenses. The Department of Labor has a word for this: 'leakage,'" says Kenn Tacchino, professor of taxation and financial planning at Widener University in Chester, Penn.
How devastating can it be? Tacchino says that when he is in the classroom, he offers his students this example:
"A 25-year-old is getting married and he wants to buy a $5,000 engagement ring. He is in the 28 percent marginal bracket and he will pay a 10 percent penalty to take the money from his IRA. He will need to take out $8,064 to buy the ring and pay the taxes. He throws caution to the wind and takes out the $8,064. Five thousand goes to buy the ring, and $3,064 goes to taxes. Had he kept the money and earned an 8 percent rate of return, he would have had over $195,000 at 65 for retirement. That's quite a ring!"

Ijumaa, 27 Septemba 2013

Have you ever been kicked out of job - no experience?


Job seekers are always second guessing their level of experience and often wonder if it's good enough to get them hired for the job they want. 

Last week I was working with one of my Accelerate students, James. He's looking to get hired in a management role, but he's a little light on the experience side and he asked how he could overcome the question he's expecting to get in his next job interview, 

"You may not have enough experience for this job." 

We've all heard that before, right? 

Here's what I told him: 

Not having enough experience is just an objection. And you need to overcome that objection. You do this by demonstrating transferable skills. Transferable skills are skills that you already have that crossover into a different skill set. 

It's kind of like saying, "Since I used to do [blank] in my last job, here is how I can do [blank] for you in this job. 

You need to connect the dots for them and show them why you are qualified. 

Since you are light on management experience, maybe in your last job, you managed a small project with just a couple of people. Maybe you weren't even the manager, maybe you were just a team leader, or maybe you were just a regular employee who took on the added responsibility of managing a small project. 

It might be something so small that it's not even worth mentioning, but experience is experience. 

So in a case like this you would want to talk about the management experience you do have. You don't have to share all the details of the project, just the key points that demonstrate your management skills. 

You want to give them examples that show you were able to guide and lead your team to a successful completion of a project. And a team could be two or more people. 

The more examples you have, the better your chances are of overcoming their objections.
 
Register now for Accelerate 

-Don to Samson

Jumamosi, 21 Septemba 2013

Try to practice one among the following for you to be successful


9    Beliefs of Remarkably Successful People
By Jeff Haden | Inc – Fri, Sep 20, 2013
I'm fortunate enough to know a number of remarkably successful people. Regardless of industry or profession, they all share the same perspectives and beliefs.
And they act on those beliefs:
1. Time doesn't fill me. I fill time.
Deadlines and time frames establish parameters, but typically not in a good way. The average person who is given two weeks to complete a task will instinctively adjust his effort so it actually takes two weeks.
Forget deadlines, at least as a way to manage your activity. Tasks should only take as long as they need to take. Do everything as quickly and effectively as you can. Then use your "free" time to get other things done just as quickly and effectively.
Average people allow time to impose its will on them; remarkable people impose their will on their time.
2. The people around me are the people I chose.
Some of your employees drive you nuts. Some of your customers are obnoxious. Some of your friends are selfish, all-about-me jerks.
You chose them. If the people around you make you unhappy it's not their fault. It's your fault. They're in your professional or personal life because you drew them to you--and you let them remain.
Think about the type of people you want to work with. Think about the types of customers you would enjoy serving. Think about the friends you want to have.
Then change what you do so you can start attracting those people. Hardworking people want to work with hardworking people. Kind people like to associate with kind people. Remarkable employees want to work for remarkable bosses.
Successful people are naturally drawn to successful people.
3. I have never paid my dues.
Dues aren't paid, past tense. Dues get paid, each and every day. The only real measure of your value is the tangible contribution you make on a daily basis.
No matter what you've done or accomplished in the past, you're never too good to roll up your sleeves, get dirty, and do the grunt work.  No job is ever too menial, no task ever too unskilled or boring.
Remarkably successful people never feel entitled--except to the fruits of their labor.
4. Experience is irrelevant. Accomplishments are everything.
You have "10 years in the Web design business." Whoopee. I don't care how long you've been doing what you do. Years of service indicate nothing; you could be the worst 10-year programmer in the world.
I care about what you've done: how many sites you've created, how many back-end systems you've installed, how many customer-specific applications you've developed (and what kind)... all that matters is what you've done.
Successful people don't need to describe themselves using hyperbolic adjectives like passionate, innovative, driven, etc. They can just describe, hopefully in a humble way, what they've done.
5. Failure is something I accomplish; it doesn't just happen to me.
Ask people why they have been successful. Their answers will be filled with personal pronouns: I, me, and the sometimes too occasional we.
Ask them why they failed. Most will revert to childhood and instinctively distance themselves, like the kid who says, "My toy got broken..." instead of, "I broke my toy."
They'll say the economy tanked. They'll say the market wasn't ready. They'll say their suppliers couldn't keep up.
They'll say it was someone or something else.
And by distancing themselves, they don't learn from their failures.
Occasionally something completely outside your control will cause you to fail. Most of the time, though, it's you. And that's okay. Every successful person has failed. Numerous times. Most of them have failed a lot more often than you. That's why they're successful now.
Embrace every failure: Own it, learn from it, and take full responsibility for making sure that next time, things will turn out differently.
6. Volunteers always win.
Whenever you raise your hand you wind up being asked to do more.
That's great. Doing more is an opportunity: to learn, to impress, to gain skills, to build new relationships--to do something more than you would otherwise been able to do.
Success is based on action. The more you volunteer, the more you get to act. Successful people step forward to create opportunities.
Remarkably successful people sprint forward.
7. As long as I'm paid well, it's all good.
Specialization is good. Focus is good. Finding a niche is good.
Generating revenue is great.
Anything a customer will pay you a reasonable price to do--as long as it isn't unethical, immoral, or illegal--is something you should do. Your customers want you to deliver outside your normal territory? If they'll pay you for it, fine. They want you to add services you don't normally include? If they'll pay you for it, fine. The customer wants you to perform some relatively manual labor and you're a high-tech shop? Shut up, roll 'em up, do the work, and get paid.
Only do what you want to do and you might build an okay business. Be willing to do what customers want you to do and you can build a successful business.
Be willing to do even more and you can build a remarkable business.
And speaking of customers...
8. People who pay me always have the right to tell me what to do.
Get over your cocky, pretentious, I-must-be-free-to-express-my-individuality self. Be that way on your own time.
The people who pay you, whether customers or employers, earn the right to dictate what you do and how you do it--sometimes down to the last detail.
Instead of complaining, work to align what you like to do with what the people who pay you want you to do.
Then you turn issues like control and micro-management into non-issues.
9. The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland.
Everyone says they go the extra mile. Almost no one actually does. Most people who go there think, "Wait... no one else is here... why am I doing this?" and leave, never to return.
That's why the extra mile is such a lonely place.
That's also why the extra mile is a place filled with opportunities.
Be early. Stay late. Make the extra phone call. Send the extra email. Do the extra research. Help a customer unload or unpack a shipment. Don't wait to be asked; offer. Don't just tell employees what to do--show them what to do and work beside them.
Every time you do something, think of one extra thing you can do--especially if other people aren't doing that one thing. Sure, it's hard.
But that's what will make you different.
And over time, that's what will make you incredibly successful.

Jumanne, 17 Septemba 2013

Kwa ninyi mlio Dar, Volunteer hapa...


Envaya now makes it easier for you to interact with community initiatives in East Africa.
Below is a list of the organizations on Envaya requesting volunteers.
  
Note: All volunteer opportunities are submitted and coordinated by the organizations listed below, not by Envaya itself. Envaya does not verify the accuracy of these volunteer opportunities.
September 4
Counseling and Family Life Organization (CAFLO) - CAFLO welcomes volunteers wanting to gain experience working in Community Social Work and Fundraising. Volunteers with the following skills are needed: – Social work Counseling Entrepreneurship Business Development Project Management Training and... Read more
July 6
UMOJA WA WAZEE NA MAENDELEO TANZANIA - Wazee wana uhitaji mkubwa wakusaidika hivyo tunatoa rai kwa watu mbalimbali wenye mapenzi mema na wazee wajitolee kushirikiana nasi katika kukamilisha malengo yetu katika changamoto zinazotukabili katika masuala ya afya, elimu, wataalamu wakuandika miradi na taaluma yoyote ambayo unadhani kuja kwako kwetu inaweza... Read more
June 27
TANZANIA ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT FOR DISABLED COMMUNITY - Our organization like to welcome all local and international volunteers,and the position which available are :-
May 22
POVERTY FIGHTING TANZANIA - PFT is humbly inviting volunteers from all over the world to regardless of their age,gender,Education level to work with our projects in – 1.VICOBA projects,where the duties will be supporting the establishment of VICOBA groups for youth,especially those who completed their studies and they are not employed in both formal and... Read more
March 10
Mohispac Foundation - Volunteer in Mohispac Foundation Tanzania – East Africa – www.mohispacfoundationtz.org – We are looking for volunteers to contribute their time and skills in:... Read more
February 24
Tanzania National Network of Girls and Young Women Affected and Living with HIV/AIDS - We need volunteers in oour organization to support in proposal writting concerning young people issues
February 11
Continental Youth Watch Development Organization - Volunteers opportunity: – We are currently inviting volunters' applications and CVs for candidates suitable in following areas: – Project planning & design technicians - 4 positions Monitoring & evaluations - 6 positions... Read more
February 6
Advancement for Small and Microenterprises Development in Tanzania (ASMET) - ASMET requires volunteers in the following positions: – 1. Fundraising Expert (Based in Dar es Salaam) – 2. Field Officers (Based in Dar es Salaam and Moshi) – Community VITOVU Community facilitators – 3. Administrator/ Community ICT Centre Admnistrator (Based in Dar es...Read more
December 30, 2012
national network of Tanzania women with HIV/AIDS (NETWO) - ANATAKIWA MRATIBU AU MENEJA AMBAYE ANAUJUZI WA KUANDIKA MICHANGANUO KWA MIRADI INAYOHUSU WANAWAKE, ILI KUWAJENGEA UWEZO WANAWAKE WANACHAMA, HAPA JIJINI DAR ES SALAAM
December 24, 2012
Shake Hands Youth Organization - SHAKE HANDS YOUTH ORGANIZATION'S HEADQUARTERS' OFFICE. – INVITATION OR A REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS FROM AMERICA,EUROPE,ASIA AND AFRICA CONTINENTS WHO ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE WI

Jumapili, 15 Septemba 2013

Even in scholarship, volunteering is very crucial, fill in this form...


Office Use Only -
Offer status: Office Use Only -
SI Number:
   

Transform Together Scholarships
Application Form 2013/14

Your application for the Transform Together Scholarships should be sent by post or email to the address below with, or following your application for a 2013/14 course at Sheffield Hallam University.   Please complete the white boxes with your information.

Postgraduate students only must have achieved a minimum 2.1 or equivalent in your honours degree and must meet the minimum course entry requirements. Please attach transcripts to scholarship applications.

Following the guidelines will be part of the criteria when we assess your application. Please check these on: www.shu.ac.uk/international/scholarships-bursaries/transform.html

Post:  International Development, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, 20 Furnival Street, Sheffield S1 1WB (UK)
Email: ias@shu.ac.uk

If you are completing this form by hand please use BLOCK CAPITALS for all sections.

Personal Details

Surname/Family Name:
First name:
Sheffield Hallam University Identifier: We cannot process your application without this. This number is on your offer letter.  If you applied for a course over 2 weeks ago and are yet to receive this please contact directadmissions@shu.ac.uk for an update of your status, and forward to ias@shu.ac.uk as soon as possible.

Home country: Date of Birth (DD/MM/YY):              
Full Address for Correspondence:
Telephone Number: Email:
Course Applied For:

Course Start date:

Qualifications
      Panel Notes       Office Use Only
Highest Qualification & Qualification mark/score/CGPA:


Date of IELTS test or equivalent English Language exam undertaken & score:


Academic Distinction/Prizes won:

Publications published:
Professional Record:

Dates:
Country:
Name of Employer:
Main Responsibilities:

Professional Qualifications:



Experience
    Panel Notes       Office Use Only
Voluntary activity/unpaid work:
(please list dates, organisation, achievements)

Benefits you have brought to your home country/community, during your career to date:

Future Career plans:

Please list any further information i.e. languages spoken.  We also need a brief description about your career to date, and how you envisage that your study at Sheffield Hallam University will help you with any future career plans.

Please complete this section in no more than 150 words:

Ijumaa, 13 Septemba 2013

Wale walioko Kagera/Bukoba, mnatafutwa kujitolea/Volunteering


HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
– P.O.BOX 274 MULEBA TANZANIA +255 769 02 91 70 E-mail:mutta.sylivand@yahoo.com– Website: ... Read more
August 5
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY MULEBA
The project is located in located in Muleba District Tanzania – The legal owner of the building and properties is the organization; YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY(YODESO) ... Read more
June 17
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY MULEBA
Administration team – Director/organization supervisor : Suleiman edward Billy – Secretary: Rashid Issa Rashid ... Read more
June 17
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY MULEBA
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
I WAS IMPRESSED WITH JAMES ANDREA BUSINESS OF COURSE IAM IMPRSSED TO VISIT THIS SITE FROM TANZANIA
June 13
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER updated its Home page.
1.Promote ecotourism within Lake Victoria shores and Islands. – 2.Create awereness on cultural heritage. – 3.Promote marketing on the use of natural medicine. – 4.Encourage research on the use of natural medicine. ... Read more
June 13
Major Alliance Education Centre
Major Alliance Education Centre
MAEC has been developing, enhancing and harmonizing networks, partnerships and cooperation among the government departments, other existing NGOs, individuals and the community members at large. This seeks to develop co management and smooth running of the organization and its projects inclusive. – Either... Read more
June 8
Major Alliance Education Centre
MAEC’s mission is to provide necessary care and support to community members in their efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic, drug abuse, hunger and poverty with much emphasis to marginalized groups in the society particularly youth, women and children. – THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION ’ – The following are... Read more
June 8
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
1.Promote ecotourism within Lake Victoria shores and Islands. – 2.Create awereness on cultural heritage. – 3.Promote marketing on the use of natural medicine. – 4.Encourage research on the use of natural medicine. ... Read more
May 18
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
Executive Director:Dr.Sylivand M.Mugere – Medical advisor:Simon Rukokerwa. – Others: – Candida Kinoni : Field Assistant.
May 18
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
– P.O.BOX 274 MULEBA TANZANIA +255 769 02 91 70 E-mail:mutta.sylivand@yahoo.com– Website: ... Read more
May 18
HURUMA NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER
The idea came in 1995 when the initiator reviewed the work and duties of his grand father;Omwami Nshubileki Kahyoza who was the health advisor of chief Kahigi in Kihanja. – Nshubileki became famous and customary a tradittional healer serving chiefs in both Bukoba and Karagwe. – The initiator having by then establish his... Read more
May 18

BIHARAMULO ORIGINATING SOCIO - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
KIKUNDI CHA VIJANA CHA GREEN MARKET BAADA YA KUKAMILISHA ZOEZI LA UTUNDIKAJI MIZINGA
May 10
BIHARAMULO ORIGINATING SOCIO - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
ACTIVITITY # 01 EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT AND PROMOTION – - Promoting good governance and anti-corruption in operational activities – - Constitutional reforms agenda – - Policy analysis and... Read more
May 10
BIHARAMULO ORIGINATING SOCIO - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
BIHARAMULO ORIGINATING SOCIO – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION – (BOSEDA) – P.O.BOX 45, Tel: 028 222 3539,+2557565 818 97 Email: boseda2005@yahoo.com,... Read more
April 13
BIHARAMULO ORIGINATING SOCIO - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
BOSEDA is non- governmental organization, growing organization which committed to working in rural areas around Biharamulo District and covered in all wards and a member of civil society organization which brought together in their interested and committed to working in reduction of poverty, education and democratization. From this aspect...