Valentine’s Day is almost here, and let’s be real – it’s practically a Hallmark holiday wrapped in chocolates, flowers, and candlelit dinners. No matter how much we try to dodge it, we can’t escape the reminder that love is in the air. And while we’re all wrapped up in celebrating the love we share with partners, friends, and family, there’s one kind of love that often gets shoved in the backseat, and that’s self-love.

It’s the one we often forget to shower with the same enthusiasm. But honestly, if you don’t love yourself first, how can anyone else?

In a world where everyone’s relationship status is practically flashing in neon lights, it’s easy to get sucked into the idea that being in a relationship is the ultimate goal. That finding “the one” is the magic ticket to happiness. We’ve all been sold this story that being with someone else is what completes us, like we’re some sort of puzzle missing that one last piece.

But here’s the plot twist: the real secret to happiness isn’t about someone else – it’s about what’s already inside you.

This Valentine’s Day, why not give yourself a little extra love? Temu is an affordable way to shop for all the goodies that bring your self-care vision to life. Temu is known for offering quality products at competitive prices by cutting out middlemen and their markups. Since its U.S. launch in September 2022, the direct-from-factory marketplace has expanded to 90 markets worldwide, becoming one of the most visited e-commerce sites and a top Apple recommended app of 2024. From candles to journals, and everything in between, you’ll find a wide range of quality products to create a space that celebrates you. After all, self-love isn’t just a feeling – it’s something you can nurture with every choice you make.

The secret ingredient

In a world where the hustle never stops, self-care has gone from a nice-to-have to an absolute must. It’s not just some trendy buzzword. It isn’t selfish, it’s vital.

Ladies, show yourselves some love with a pampering routine. Unwind with a refreshing cooling gel eye mask to soothe tired eyes, followed by a mani-pedi to give those nails some much-needed attention. Treat your feet to a relaxing soak with essential oils, and complete your at-home spa experience with a gift basket filled with delightful treats

Men, remember self-care is for you, too. Prioritise your well-being with a dedicated grooming routine. A grooming essentials kit provides everything you need for a polished look, from trimming tools to skincare must-haves.

It’s about taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, because how can you pour from an empty cup?

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated

Self-care doesn’t have to mean expensive spa days or hours spent meditating  (though if that’s your thing, go for it!). It’s really about checking in with yourself and taking small steps to nurture your well-being. It’s about being intentional in the way you care for your mind, body, and spirit.

Here are a few simple self-care practices to try this Valentine’s Day (and beyond):

1. Take time for yourself

Whether it’s 10 minutes with a cup of tea or an hour curled up with your favourite book, make sure to carve out time for yourself. Moments of solitude are where you can recharge and reconnect with your inner peace.

2. Move your body

Exercise is a game-changer. It doesn’t have to be a full-on workout session; the key is finding something that feels good to you. Whether it’s a leisurely walk in the park, a calming yoga flow, or even dancing around your living room like nobody’s watching – just move!

3. Set boundaries

One of the most loving things you can do for yourself is set boundaries. Protect your time, energy, and peace by learning to say no when necessary. You don’t have to please everyone. Your well-being is worth protecting.

4. Practice gratitude

Take a few moments each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for. Gratitude shifts your perspective and helps you focus on the positive in your life.

5. Invest in your growth

Whether it’s diving into a new hobby, enrolling in an online course, or simply taking a moment to reflect on your goals, doing things that light you up and challenge your mind will leave you feeling empowered and oh-so-fulfilled.

And here’s a little pro tip: a self-care daily planner from online marketplaces like Temu is like having your own personal cheerleader, waving pom-poms every time you make time for yourself. It helps you carve out those precious moments, inspires you to be mindful, and gently reminds you that your well-being deserves the spotlight. With a trusty planner by your side, self-care goes from a random afterthought to a fun daily ritual.

Go on, fall in love with yourself

This Valentine’s Day (and beyond), focus on nurturing the most important relationship you’ll ever have: the one with yourself. You are the star of your own life, and you absolutely deserve to put your happiness and well-being front and center.

Self-care is about showing up for yourself, being kind to your soul, and making choices that set you up for long-term happiness. When you do that, not only will you feel amazing, but your relationships  (romantic or otherwise)  will thrive because you’re coming from a place of strength, self-love, and authenticity.

So, go on, give yourself the love you deserve.

By Zama Ndlovu

Positive social impact is often only associated with governments or NGOs, organisations which are doing good without the motivation of profit or brand. However, fintechs are oftentimes uniquely positioned to solve social issues through providing access to services, improved user experience and education.

Using various fintech products, consumers can gain a better understanding of their financial situation. Products like savings pots, investment platforms and as well access to loans can all lead to financial freedom for those without it.

In developing countries, fintechs are particularly responsible for social impact as there are often wider gaps to fill. Many communities are underbanked, which limits their access to other formal financial services such as savings, insurance and formal loans, ultimately limiting them to expensive informal products if that. Additionally, in some markets, policymakers are prioritising digitisation of payments to ease the implementation of a number of their policy objectives such as financial surveillance and lowering the cost of printing money. Fintechs can provide e-money products and facilitate digital transactions more cheaply than traditional players because of their leaner operating models.

Although not all companies will prioritise people over product or profit, in 2025, the world’s leading fintech companies will play a vital role in solving key societal issues and increasing global financial inclusion.

What sets a truly ‘fintech for good’ company apart from the rest?

Fintechs have the power to do good, but for a company to label itself ‘for good,’ this must be a key business priority. For many companies, social responsibility can feel like a ‘tick-box’ exercise to improve public perception. However, in a truly socially responsible fintech, the drive to improve lives and solve real-world problems is at the core of its business model, playing a role in every aspect of decision-making.

From planning and product design to branding and strategy, every part of a socially responsible fintech’s strategy should be driven by its overall mission to solve a meaningful problem for individuals and businesses.

At some stages, this will require tough decisions. For example, if a company wants to reach individuals in underserved or unserved rural communities, it must offer affordable and user-friendly products to facilitate financial inclusion. Although this may initially make a dent in profits as the products are cheaper, in the long run, the company will have a better social impact and will be suitable for a greater number of consumers. On the other hand, the company must make decisions it cannot make today because if it doesn’t consider profitability at all, it will not be sustainable in the long run.

 What challenges will fintechs need to overcome to have a positive social impact?

Fintech leaders who are determined to do good must consistently focus on bringing the right people along on their journey. They can do this by highlighting the long-term benefits of creating ethical products with social impact, fostering financial inclusion and sustained awareness.

Creating socially responsible products can be challenging, as different stakeholders often have their own priorities and prejudices which shape their personal goals, but when everyone is truly brought in on the common mission, finding each other in decision-making is easier.

Nevertheless, when it comes to dealing with investors and board members, fintech leaders must balance their social impact ambitions with profitability, useability and affordability, to essentially ensure that their products can survive in a competitive market.

Zama Ndlovu is the Group Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing at Onafriq

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

On January 29, 2025, within rapidly geopolitical changes in West African region, three landlocked countries namely Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, members of the newly created Alliance of Sahel States (AES), declared their withdrawal from the most influential bloc – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The first implication was that 2025 marks the 50th year of the establishment of ECOWAS. Undoubtedly, it will simultaneously remain in history of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as the period of their exit from the 50-year-old regional bloc, established by the Treaty of Lagos in May 1975.

Perhaps, ECOWAS has been fractured with uncertain future. On the other side, the AES will seemingly grow in strength as republics of Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Ghana and Senegal have shown signs of unswerving support for the newly-created security organisation in the region. Despite broader criticisms and emerging challenges, AES has the capacity to forge expected integration and to tackle existing diverse obstacles while navigating further for strategic external collaboration.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) was established on September 16, 2023 with the signing of the Liptako-Gourma Charter by the States of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. These three countries share the cross-border region of West Africa and the Sahel called “Liptako-Gourma” from which it derives the symbolic name of the Charter. It is a collective defense bloc aimed at countering any military intervention or any external threat including terrorism and with the ambition of economic integration.

Since last year, the AES has focused on structuring projects in the fields of energy, infrastructure, transport and food security. The trio aims to create an economic and monetary union, as well as its own currency which should be based on the natural resources of the member countries in the Confederation.

The collective initiatives undeniably are at the formative stage, fostering consciousness on structuring operations and functional directions notwithstanding the multiple roadblocks from ECOWAS. That however, worthy to indicate here that particular concern emerging from different regional organisations and the African Union underscores the rising assertiveness of AES.

At a glance, Burkina Faso is a driving force, while Mali and Niger have, in practical sense, shown the pathways for evolutionary influence as well as shaping a codified dynamism to hold the alliance in form towards achieving its primary security objectives and economic development aspirations.

For over a year, their joint effective strategy has been working, and the collective divorce from ECOWAS late January 2025 was an irreversible factor, that was based on the fact that ECOWAS has unprecedented weaknesses, combined with historical record-breaking failure in its mandate to maintain regional security.

In short, the rising insecurity situation has undermined regional cooperation, set the stage for dissatisfaction among the member states. With the sudden withdrawal from the 15-member ECOWAS, it is understandable Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have attained the collective independence, and prepared to form this new forward-looking regional partnership bloc popularly referred to AES.

ECOWAS and African Union’s Reactions

Reactions from both the ECOWAS and African Union (AU) were ‘business as usual’ characterized by official administrative statements. Late January after the three French-speaking West African States officially exited, the Peacekeeping and Regional Security Commission of ECOWAS said the remaining members tentatively had agreed to ‘keep ECOWAS doors open’ by recognizing national passports and identity bearing the bloc’s logo from the countries, to continue trade under existing regional agreement, and to continue diplomatic cooperation with the countries.

The statement noted that the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger from ECOWAS has become effective on 29th January 2025. While the Regional Security Commission has set up a structure to facilitate discussions on these modalities with each of the three countries, its official statement categorically noted the following:

1. a) recognize National passports and identity cards bearing ECOWAS logo held by the citizens of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, until further notice.
2. b) continue to treat goods and services coming from the three countries in accordance with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and investment policy.
3. c) allow citizens of the three affected countries to continue to enjoy the right of visa free movement, residence and establishment in accordance with the ECOWAS protocols until further notice.
4. d) provide full support and cooperation to ECOWAS officials from the three countries in the course of their assignments for the Community.

In addition to above-mentioned developments, the Political, Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) headquartered in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, has also expressed high-level concern over the deteriorating standing of ECOWAS as a regional bloc and the security situation in West Africa region.

The AU, of course, raised an unequivocal condemnation of the final decision and withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS. But factually, the AU’s reaction was distinctively similar, in terms of administrative and bureaucratic wording of the official statement, mostly for the sake of filling in the space, under-estimated the long-term repercussions and impact on the developments in the region.

Reaffirming solidarity by the African Union with ECOWAS in enforcing its mandate and high-lightening the importance durable peace, security, and sustainable development as enshrined or stipulated in the documents. The AU employed such phrases as ‘respecting the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity’ contained their established documents of ECOWAS.

Endowed Natural Resources

In any case, understanding economic potentiality and sustainability is crucial at this stage.  The economic potential is huge, as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger put together holds tremendous untapped resources.

According to various sources, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger territorially share borders together and are landlocked countries in West Africa, in the Sahel region. They are geographically bio-diverse, which includes plentiful reserves of gold, manganese, copper and limestone, and other invaluable natural resources. The land mass is huge for traditional agriculture, but public infrastructures are poorly developed across the region of their location. Predominantly, the system of state governance combined with gross lack of finance are the main obstacles to sustaining development.

As known in these African countries, the French adopted a form of indirect rule, allowing existing native structures to continue to exist within the colonial framework of governance. But now reawakening to the neo-colonial administration and opaque system of government control have a significant impact on current political development. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, to some considerable extent have the human capital.

The 2024 estimates of population have revealed that Burkina Faso has 22.5 million, Mali which is the eighth-largest country in Africa, has approximately 21.9 million people while Niger has 26.5 million. The UN Development Program Report (2024) ranked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as the Sahel countries with the lowest category of development index in the world.

The future growth may only be sustained by the exploitation of natural resources and that must necessarily be tied to the development of the economy, building infrastructure and focus on reducing poverty in these French-speaking West African countries.

Future Economic Implications

AES has the capacity and commitment to address development shortfalls. Several development initiatives were already taken in this direction to stimulate the economic sectors, particularly in the priority areas of agriculture, livestock, health, and energy infrastructure.

Burkina Faso currently stepping efforts in agricultural sector, while Mali and Niger restructuring roles of foreign players in exploiting mineral resources suc as gold and uranium. This allows greater economic and political autonomy in order to strengthen their sovereignty. Perhaps, they will further have the opportunity to pursue more economic policies in line with the existing realities dictated by the political environment and to bolster aspirations of maintaining stability across their landlocked region.

Obviously, the AES is getting oriented towards multi-polarity, which is intended to be a more inclusive and concerted approach, where different countries and regions work together to find common solutions. By pursuing the principles of the multipolarity, world, the AES could engage in pragmatic win-win partnerships to advance their interests for the purposes of economic development and growth, and stability.

The AES collective pledge further requires making collaborative efforts and, in a systematic manner, work towards sustainable development, find better chances for practical solutions to existing economic deficiencies. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have to adopt strategic positions, first, in West Africa, and generally in Africa.