Faiza Salima aka Faiza Fabz is a multi-hyphenate Ugandan Media personality. She is a TV and radio host although currently on the radio, a digital influencer, PR professional, writer, event host and baker.
Faiza Fabz put her foot into the media industry after landing a magazine writing job at sixteen. A few years down the road, she is one of the most outstanding talents in the industry currently hosting the primetime show ‘D’Mighty Breakfast’ on KFM, one of the leading radio stations in Uganda.
Faiza says she is primarily driven by passion and desires to have a voice that influences change .
“It’s not by mistake that I found myself in the line of the work that I do. Everything contributes something to my work and purpose and I love it.”
Checkout her ‘ 21 Questions with GLIM!
- What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen recently?
This is a funny one. I read a blog article written about me saying my networth is 57million shillings ( laughs). That was just so crazy. I kept wondering how they add up these numbers, where they even get these numbers from, was it guesswork? (laughs) but it was so funny and quite interesting. - What would people be surprised to know about you?
Many people think that morning show radio presenters are always like automatically up by 4:00 am, but I am not a morning person. I will fight with my alarm clock but will wake up because I love my job, I am ambitious and a go-getter so I make things happen. - Growing up, what did you want to be?
I was like every other kid. I wanted to be a doctor because they had popularized certain professions like doctors, lawyers and pilots. But when I reached high school, I realized chemistry was not a piece of cake (laughs), then at some point, I thought I would be a lawyer because I’m passionate about giving people a voice and fighting for them. But when I started writing, I developed a love for media and what I do right now. Being a story maker is something so big, so impactful and life-changing.
Faiza Fabz - How did you get into media?
I started writing for a High School and Community magazine at sixteen, and it got me interested in the media world. Along the way, I ended up doing a PR job for an agency and an events company. It was through this job that I met TV producers who introduced me to TV. While working on TV, I developed an interest in radio but wasn’t so confident about it because I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for it. However, I later decided to give it a try and when I did a voice test, the producer told me ‘you’re made for radio’. This gave me a boost of confidence to go forward. Next, I went to one of the radio stations and asked for an internship opportunity, so I could learn from them. They agreed. I juggled this with presenting a show on Urban TV. While at Urban, an opportunity came my way, they needed a sit-in presenter at their radio station, XFM. I joined XFM as a sit-in presenter but eventually stayed on as a host of the morning show, which I did for three years before moving recently to KFM. - What do you love most about radio?
I love the fact that we connect with people more closely. People don’t watch you, but they hear what you’re saying, converse with you, engage with you and even share their personal experiences. I can’t tell you how many times I have had people text me via my DMs and want to continue the conversation off-air because they feel they have connected with you about something. That gives purpose to my work and I know that at the end of the day, I am contributing something out there. - What impact do you hope to create with radio?
I want to have a voice that influences change for example if I see a social injustice taking place in a particular place, I want to get people’s attention to call out for justice and influence authorities out there to take action.Faiza Fabz - If you could switch places with one person in Uganda, who would it be and why?
I would want to be Miria Matembe. We can all say we support women and want them to thrive but the people who are walking the talk, I would want to know how they are doing it. So I would like to see how she works and has such a powerful voice that tries as much as possible to represent women out there. - What app can you not live without?
I can’t do without my social media apps, which range from Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter and TikTok. I use them every single day because they help me connect with people who listen to me. I also use notes and MS word for prepping. - What social media accounts are you currently following religiously?
The accounts that I follow religiously are news accounts, due to the nature of my work that requires me to stay updated about everything happening across the world. - What is on your bucket list?
I don’t have a bucket list, but the one thing I would want to accomplish this year is to put up my food blog that is in the works. I’m also creating visual work for women on finances and working to get a physical location for my bakery.
- What is your secret to feeling and looking good?
Good food (laughs). I believe having a good plate of good food can lift your spirits. I come from a family of cooks, for us food is like art as well. The other thing I can also say is meditation. Sometimes the things that are breaking us down are our thoughts and because we also keep running away from them, we keep prolonging issues. It’s good to get away from the noise, get immersed in your thoughts, and then work on yourself so that when you get up tomorrow, you feel much lighter and better.
Faiza Fabz - What does your beauty routine look like?
For a long time, I didn’t have a skin routine, but would look at other women and be like ‘oh my God, they have such beautiful skin, how are they doing it?’ I didn’t care about my skin then and developed a lot of pimples. It worsened until I went to a skin clinic and saw a dermatologist. We came up with an excellent skin routine, that includes an acne control cleanser and a moisturizing cream with sunscreen. Many of us take lightly how bad the sun can affect our skin. So every day I do some moisturizer and sunscreen, a facial cleanser and also a facial at least once every month. - What are the wardrobe staples you think every woman should own?
A nice trench coat; there’s a way a trench coat and good shoes kind of cover up even on a bad day and make you look good. The second would be a nice pair of heels. Funny I am not a person who wears heels a lot, but I understand the impact of a good pair of heels on an outfit. You should also definitely have a good pair of blue jeans. Jeans are the one thing that every woman of any size looks great in. - Who is your fashion inspiration?
Anita Beryl is a fashion designer but if you follow her closely, you will notice that she’s not just a fashion designer, but is someone who is empowering women as well and is thriving. When you see women like her thriving, growing, and empowering other women, it’s so life-changing.Faiza Fabz - Who is currently on your African playlist?
My top five include; I have ‘Mr. Man’ by Fave, ‘You’ by Omah Lay, ‘Ojuju’ by Oxlade, ‘Tewekweka’ by Joshua Baraka and ‘Mazze Okwetegereza’ by Maro, Radio and Weasel. - What is on your current watch list?
I am currently watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 4, I know people have watched it already and will be surprised but I just started watching it. I am watching ‘Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta’ season 7. I am a sucker for African American reality TV shows, they are so good. There’s also a short Kenyan movie called ‘The Morning After’ on my watchlist. I have watched it more than three times, it’s good. - What is the one place you would love to visit in Africa and why?
I want to visit Egypt this particular year. I think it is a beautiful country. The other place would be Nigeria. Nigeria has thriving and very interesting citizens. It’s not even a tourist destination, but the culture itself is so unique. - What is the most interesting trend you are following right now?
Women in leadership. More women are slowly taking over top management in companies, including in government institutions, which is something that makes me proud. I recently attended a conference for women in business and listening to these women and how they are taking over businesses and thriving as well was very inspiring for me.Faiza Fabz - What are the three things that have improved the quality of your life?
One; believing more in myself because I realized self-doubt is one of the things that pulls many people down and doesn’t allow them to grow. Two, surrounding myself with people who directly help with my career development. Along the way, I have met and connected with the people who have connected me to opportunities, and jobs and given me so much to learn from. Three; distancing myself from drama, I don’t engage in social media drama however much someone trolls me because it is useless, it takes so much from me, but it doesn’t do anything for the other person at the same time. - What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
It is only you who can always be there for yourself, so it is only you that you can fully rely on. That is the one thing that I had to learn the hard way. If you rely on people, you are going to be disappointed. - What is the most Ugandan thing about you?
I love chapatti, and also bargain quite a lot (laughs).
