Ms Hildah Mulenga Speaks To The Fashion Police

1)For those not familiar with you who are you and what do you do?

My  name is Hildah Mulenga the Director of a UK  registered charity called Mumba Children's Project and promoter of Miss Malaika UK 'Beauty of African Origin' 

2)What word best describe you as a person?

Down to earth person and can relate to people of all standards

3)Their are so many charities out there what make yours any different?

Our charity is very close to heart in that it is a small charity with no overheads and what is donated is received by the intended recepients, from the donor to the disadvantaged children, the youth and the women. Our charity is operated in the villages where there is abject poverty. We have a centre called Mumba Day care centre in rural Mpongwe village where children come every morning to learn, play, and eat one square meal a day before they go back to their various homes. The idea is not separate them from their families but to offer them an opportunity of a better future while maintaining family ties. Most of the children are orphans looked after by their old grandmothers who have absolutely no means of supporting these children materially, financially but there for the children's emotional support and maintaining their family ties.

Future plans are a full fledged school up to secondary, a health center as we already promote the homebased care team within the 'Kabya' community as the nearest services like the mission hospital, government schools an shops are a good 10kilometers away.

So we need every support we can get out there

4)Tell us in a few words the history of your charity?

The idea of forming a charity started after losing one of my children a son called Mumba Brian Mulenga in a tragic accident, putting the tragedy into something positive to benefit the underpriviledged. Losing a child at the tender age of thirteen left a very traumatic gap in one's life and it does not get any easier as time passes. So to put a loss into something positive the charity was formed called Mumba Children's Project and Miss Malaika UK became 'a child' of the charity to offer the youth in the diaspora keep links with their roots and do something positive in their lives be it here in the UK or world wide

5)Is this charity only for the children in africa or is it world wide as kids are in need world wide?

The charity is for the underpriviledged children meaning it is not limited to Zambian children only but worldwide. Under Miss Malaika every delegate that participates identifies their own line of charity that they want to undertake and the organisation acts as a platform to realise the potential of every candidate.

A child in the western world has a totally different form of suffering as to those in the developing world so identifying what a child's needs are at the point of us assisting plays a pivotal role in our assistance. 

6)Do you think your a true representation of a today's woman if yes/no explain

I feel i am a true inspiration and representation of a today's woman in that I am a career woman with a full time job, a mother, a wife and an active charity campaigner, knowing how to balance all these attributes without neglecting the other and still have time to yourself.

7)Name one thing you just cant leave the house without?

I can not leave my house without my lip gloss as people will always look at your face when identifying you and always ready to listen to you and i feel my lips are a shining true representation of me.

8)How can anyone from the other side of the world learn more about you and what you stand for?

Our activities are well documented in whatever we do and transparency has got us to where we are. We are on facebook as Mumba Children's project, twitter and Linked in and our website is undergoing a redevelopment and will soon be up for everyone to follow and read up on all our activities. 

9)Describe your fashion sense?

A true compatriot will always theme her dressing according to occassion so my fashion sense  goes with the occassion but otherwise very smart casual

10)If you had the power to change one thing in this world what would it be and why?

One thing i would love to change would be to let governments especially in the third world provide just basic needs to their citizens: housing,clean water, atleast able to afford basic foods, proper medical facilities and basic education to every child. These are fundamental to ones's well being

11)What music would bring you on the dance floor to shake your booty?

I am a traditional but modern woman so African music gives me back the groove and some pop music too Alexandra Burke gets me on the dance floor in a flash

12)Do you think enough is being done toward to assist 3 world countries?

Yes and no. Yes the help is done and you can see some improvement but you hear of most of this donated fund ending up in people's pockets and there is a chain of people to pay before the theintended recepients get it.

So if smaller charities could also be given enough grants to do most of the projects instead of giving it to governments there would be a remarkable improvement in the societies.

My other worry is there are some very rich people in the third world that do not want to share with the under priviledged. Should we leave this to the west only? We should cultivate the culture of giving us people in the diaspora too. If you can afford to change your wardrobe every season then there are charities like us that collect second hand clothing and give it to the under priviledged. Let us know and we will come and collect -you will be doing your bit by clearing your wardrobe to give room to your new wardrobe

13)If you was given £1 million pounds to give to 3 charities which ones would you give to and why?

I would give it  to under priviledged children's charities and children's hospitals. Children are very vulnerable in that they are helpless and cannot fend for themselves. The children's hospitals so children can access better services and reduce mortality rate and thirdly i would give it to Breast and cervical cancer charities for more research in how to combat the dreaded cancers and also offer support to the cancer victims/survivors

14)How can we learn if a charity is real or fake?

A charity should be properly registered, transparent and invite everyone to come and see what they do and participate in the charity's activities. They should show exactly what they do if not then it is a fake.

15)If you were to walk the red carpet at an event which designer would you love to wear and why?

Kosibah designs he knows how to sculpt every woman's figure in his gowns secondly it would be Stella's designs in Africa her work is bespoke, authentic hand done sequins and beads in her designs is her speciality.

16)If you had to prepare a meal for the Fashion Police Reporters what would you prepare for them?

Grilled spicy chicken with greens and mealie pap called 'nsima' with gravy and desert would be fresh mangoes and water melon to wash your palates

17)If you was given 2 tickets to attend any event in the uk which 2 would you be attending and why?

It will have to be a Leona Lewis concert her modulated voice is out of this world and she is down to earth with a good personality

Secondly it would be Dancing on Ice -the skill of mixing skating and dancing at the same time just does it for me and keeps me glued to the chair watching.

18)What makes a man a true gentleman in your own words?

A man who can never lay a finger on the woman, a true confidante who will not betray your emotions and 'keeps the toilet seat down'

19)What are a few things you see some women do that is just not lady like?

-Who in their right minds wants to show their bits to public it is unpalatable we all have them so cover up and you will still look sexy 

-Chewing gum in public and oh no asking for lip gloss from a friend!

20)What are your thoughts on the Fashion Police News Report Blog?

Have always been a 'secret admirer of Professor's' work so the Fashion police blog  just is worth visiting and reading as it keeps you in shape on what /what not to do or wear. 

21)Any last words to our blog

Be real and true to yourself people will respect you for that. Politeness and being respectful never killed anyone. Thanks for featuring me.

Hildah Mulenga

Director of Mumba Children's project