Afrika Design: Creative Tour of Africa afrikadesign

What’s the difference between a dentist and a dental technologist? It’s not their smile 🤣
In this episode, we meet Melanie Walch—founder of Simba Smile Limited. She is a dental technologist with experience in several CAD CAM laboratories in Nairobi, where she extensively developed her capacity and expertise in CAD CAM systems. She shares her thoughts on digitization of the medical sector, specifically dentistry.
She argues that complete digitization of the medical field should take center stage as our health is the most important aspect of our lives. She shares vital knowledge on how oral health impacts our overall wellbeing. From physical to mental wellbeing, tune in to find out your oral health is more important that you may think.
This is the 24th episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Instagram: @ simbasmile
Website: Simbadent
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/melanie-walch

In this episode, we are joined by Ladouce Nadabha who is one of the co-founders of The Art Carte—which is a lifestyle brand that blends art and functionality to create unique stationery, greeting cards and home goods; inspired by nature and culture. She works with her sister Nadine.
Ladouce tells us what it takes to go global. Are there specific tools or platforms? Do I have to go digital? Where do I find these opportunities? These are some of the questions you may be asking yourself. Tune In to find out how to transcend the local market.
This is the 23rd episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Instagram: @ the.art.carte
Website: The Art Carte
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/going-global

36 days of action featuring 36 concerts in 6 continents with Yo-Yo Ma.
In this episode, we discuss The Bach Project that featured the legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma— an event that would explore how culture connects us. Yo-Yo began this journey across the world in 2018, however, it was interrupted by the pandemic in 2020. We are joined by Peter Holmes à Court who is the Senior Convener at Afrika House, the team that facilitated the project in Nairobi.
Peter breaks down what they did to host Yo-Yo Ma in Kenya but also turning that performance into a festival that went beyond its original scope. He also shares the motivations of the teams that brought the project together including the artists that created the posters for the project. Find out how Nairobi ended up being the final stop of the tour. 
This is the 22nd episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Instagram: @ afrika.housekenya
Website: Afrika House
               The Bach Project
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/the-bach-project

In this episode, we meet Nyandia Kamawe— a fine arts graduate with a specialty in graphic design. She is the founder of MokoMaya which deals with products that are hand-made. The name MokoMaya comes from kikuyu Moko: hands and Maya: these. So, ‘these hands.’
She talks us through her journey from Kenya to Atlanta and back. The shares the different perspectives and challenges of being a designer in these places, how she has overcome her doubts, and how she learned to trust the journey. She encourages us to trust in the experiences we have had no matter how insignificant they may seem at the time. These experiences will pay off. It’s never too late.
This is the 21st episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Instagram: @ _mokomaya
LinkedIn: Nyandia Kamawe
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/nyandia-kamawe

In this episode, we are joined by Gift Kyansimire and Derrick Kinyeki from Inkspace Bureau. They are the only Stop Motion studio in Kenya responsible for the film—The Big Sad Nairobi. The film is about a goat that personifies human interactions and emotions while trying to become a better person. This film was first showcase at the Nairobi Design Festival.
They take us through the process of how they made the film and what drives them to use stop motion in storytelling. According to Gift, it is vital to use what you have available to you rather than waiting to get expensive equipment and tools that you might think are needed to tell a story.
This is the 20th episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Inkspace Bureau IG: @inkspace_bureau
IG: Gift Kyansimire aka zordfiles
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/inkspace-bureau

“Do what you love and you never have to work a day in your life.”
This week we meet Brian Omolo, a self-employed illustrator and artist who is determined to make design not feel like work. He walks us through his journey of how his work has evolved from just drawing and painting on paper but also his shift to digital where he was able to further develop the quality of his designs and better yet, increase his reach.
He is also a lecturer at ADMI, Africa Digital Media Institute, working primarily in the design department teaching a variety of units that prepare students for the world of Art and Design. He teaches the importance of trying different things, being organized, and ensuring the creation of an environment where people feel comfortable to contribute.
If you work with layers, do you name them?
This is the 19th episode under the ‘Shifting Narratives’ program supported by the British Council SSA Arts.
*For the best experience, please use a headset/earphones.
Instagram: @obrianstudio
LinkedIn: Brian Omolo
Music by: Ngalah Oreyo (@ngalah_oreyo) and Mercy Barno (@merc.b_)
For the full episode transcript: https://www.afrika.design/brian-omolo