May 25, 2023

South Africa’s “Oasis (Reach for Your Dreams)” Receives Recognition from UNAOC-BMW Group’s Intercultural Innovation Hub

BERLIN, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2023 / South African organization “Oasis: `Reach For Your Dreams`” is one of ten global grassroots recognized by the prestigious Intercultural Innovation Hub, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group, implemented with the support of Accenture, during a ceremony held in Berlin, Germany.

Selected for their project “Community Street Football/Netball”, the organization leverages the role of sport to help youth who have fallen through the gaps within society, and have either dropped out of school or have become involved in gang-related activities, by supporting their reintegration into society and empowering them to lead positive and self-sufficient lives. The programme engages participants in street football events, while uplifting young people by instilling them with life skills based on the values inherent to sports, such as team spirit, fair play, respect, and conflict management.

“We are honored to receive the support of the Intercultural Innovation Hub in addressing the challenges of the youth in our communities, and providing alternative solutions for their positive growth,” said Clifford Martinus, Founder of “Oasis `Reach For Your Dreams`”.

Every year, the Intercultural Innovation Hub supports grassroots initiatives that promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, thereby contributing to peace, cultural diversity, and more inclusive societies. This year, the Ceremony was chaired by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the High Representative for UNAOC, and Ms. Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director.

Through the Intercultural Innovation Hub, Oasis `Reach For Your Dreams` will receive a financial grant, as well as one year of capacity-building and mentorship support from UNAOC, the BMW Group, and Accenture to help strengthen the “Community Street Football/Netball” project and its contribution towards a more inclusive society. This model of collaboration between the United Nations and the private sector creates a more profound impact, as partners provide their respective expertise to ensure the sustainable growth of each supported project.

Learn more about the project:

https://interculturalinnovation.org/oasis-reach-for-your-dreams-community-street-football-netball/

Media Inquiries:

– Milena Pighi, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, BMW Group, Milena.PA.Pighi@bmw.de
– Alessandro Girola, Programming Coordinator, UNAOC, alessandrog@unops.org

SOURCE: United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

May 25, 2023

High Cases Of Stunted Growth Worry Health Experts

A worrying trend of children with stunted growth is creeping in Meru County, raising concerns over the value of food that parents feed their children.

According to data by Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS), shows that about 25 per cent of children under the age of five in Meru County, face stunted growth problem.

Meru ranked fourth after Kilifi, where 37 per cent of children are stunted, West Pokot (34 per cent) and Samburu (31 percent).

Stunting is described as low height for age. It can be managed for children below the age of two years.

Ms Hellen Ringera, head of Nutrition in Meru County, notes that the trend is worrying since stunting is known to affect cognitive performance of a child in their adulthood.

She pointed out that on average 188,000 children in the region are stunted due to poor feeding habits.

‘If the stunting is not reversed before the age of two years, the child cannot achieve their full potential in life,’ she said.

The nutritionist said the high cases of stunting have been linked to poor feeding and low uptake of antenatal and post-natal care among mothers.

‘Many mothers feed their children with one type of food. In this county for instance, mothers give their children mashed potatoes and bananas, which are all carbohydrates. We encourage mothers to ensure a child’s food includes proteins, vitamins and other minerals,’ she said.

She challenged families to establish kitchen gardens and rear small stock such as chicken, rabbits and goats to diversify their children’s diet.

Ms Ringera also attributed the feeding inadequacies to the high percentage of teenage mothers in the County.

The KDHS report indicated that 24 per cent of women aged 15-19 have ever been pregnant in Meru.

The survey showed that only 45 per cent of women go for the recommended four antenatal care visits during pregnancy.

‘In most cases, teenage mothers do not seek antenatal care where advice on taking care of the unborn child starts. The teenagers also lack knowledge and skills on parenting,’ she explained.

According to Ms Ringera, Igembe North has the highest cases of stunting followed by Igembe Central, Tigania East and Tigania West as well as Buuri East.

‘You also find that the affected areas have challenges of food insecurity. We are intensifying community education and Vitamin A supplementation to address the challenge. More resources are needed to reach out to mothers with education on child feeding.’

She said the County intends to reduce stunting to below 10 percent by 2027.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 25, 2023

PS Mueke Takes Over Livestock Docket

The newly posted Livestock PS Jonathan Mueke has taken over from the outgoing PS Harry Kimtai who has since moved to the State Department for Medical Services.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony at Kilimo house, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi welcomed Mueke to the ministry and assured him of his support.

‘Here we work very closely like equals, there is no one who is bigger than the other and we freely walk into each other’s office, which nurtures team work,’ said Linturi.

The CS commended Kimtai for the good work that he had done at the ministry, which has laid a proper foundation for the incoming PS.

‘I am available to give the necessary support and I believe if we carry on with the normal business of consultation and compromise, there will not be any problems and we don’t expect any,’ said Linturi.

He said that the incoming PS having been a deputy governor in Nairobi has the requisite experience to manage the department and drive it forward.

On his part, Mueke said that he looks forward to working with CS Linturi and other staff at the ministry in aligning their priorities with the government’s Bottom up Economic Transformation Agenda.

‘I have had meetings with the teams here and they have appraised me on where the priorities are and we are here to execute them,’ said Mueke.

‘I have moved from the Ministry of Sports where I was used to wearing track suits and now I have come to the Ministry of Agriculture, where I will be putting on gumboots and lab coats and I am very excited about the new assignment,’ said Mueke, who previously served at the State Department Of Sports And The Arts in the same capacity.

On his part, Kimtai said that he had been at the State Department for Livestock Development for the last five years and they have worked very closely with its officers in supporting the ministry in various programmes.

‘I want to assure my incoming colleague that this team that I am leaving behind is one that delivers on its mandate,’ said the PS.

Kimtai called on the team at the State Department for Livestock to accord the same support that they gave him to the new PS at the department.

‘I will be heading to the Ministry of Health as the PS for the State Department for Medical Services. My office is just a walking distance and in case of any consultation, I know I still have the institutional memory of the department and I will pass it through to my colleague whenever he needs me,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 25, 2023

NCIA Urges SMEs To Utilize Dispute Resolution Mechanisms To Solve Conflicts

Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA) in collaboration with Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) have encouraged Small and Medium Enterprises to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution, whenever faced with conflicts.

NCIA, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Registrar Lawrence Muiruri said Kenya is making strides in promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and supporting international arbitration infrastructure to enable entrepreneurs solve disputes through mediation and arbitration among others.

‘Every business encounters disputes and when they arise there’s always silence from stakeholders, and entrepreneurs on what decision to take,’ said Muiruri, while emphasizing that businesses do not exist to resolve conflict but exist to make profit.

The CEO was speaking during a stakeholder workshop organized by NCIA to sensitize small and medium enterprises on Alternative Dispute Resolution held at a Nairobi hotel.

The workshop aims to resolve commercial disputes arising from different stakeholders and advocate for creation of favorable trade and investment environment that favour enterprise expansion.

It also seeks to focus and support Small and Medium Enterprises and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises which are key elements to the country’s economy.

Muiruri announced that NCIA offers a neutral venue for the conduct of international arbitration with commitment to providing institutional support to the arbitral process for domestic arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution such as mediation.

He added that the organization also offers training and accreditation programs that educate and inform the public on ADR mechanisms which cover arbitration practices, procedures and award writings by promoting faster, reliable, less official and flexible measures compared to litigation.

In his address, the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Nyangweso said the organization is working closely with NCIA in ensuring effective and fair business practices to conflict resolutions such as negotiation, meditation, arbitration, cooperative law and online dispute resolution.

Nyangweso stated that KNCCI has guidelines and case studies in place for business stakeholders to navigate easily which he noted promotes, coordinates and protects commercial and industrial interests.

He emphasized the need to create demand for SMEs as most entrepreneurs often lack resources to navigate the complex level landscapes and stated that it is crucial for entrepreneurs to acquire necessary skills to resolve disputes.

The CEO said they will continue engaging business communities through capacity building and sensitize stakeholders to understand arbitration as a key initiative when trading with business partners.

He added that embracing fair business practices and ethical standards will facilitate and improve the SMEs industry.

‘We engage multiple ways to support issues in trade and resolve them amicably through education and training by providing initiatives and services to all SMEs,’ said Nyangweso.

NCIA plans to host the Nairobi Arbitration Week on September 18th to 25th this year.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 25, 2023

No Money Will Be Lost In Housing Project, Says CS Njeru

Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru has said no Kenyan will lose their money through the affordable housing projects, including the proposed 3% deductions.

Njeru said that all funds will be accounted for and will create a long-term financing mechanism for housing in the country ensuring every Kenyan has a decent home.

He urged everyone to support the deductions as they are meant to help the majority of the Kenya population.

The CS, who spoke in Kirinyaga during a visit to the Kerugoya affordable housing project site, said the government is committed to prudent management of the fund.

He said Kenyans who lacked financial muscles have been shunned by financial institutions and therefore have no chance of owning a home.

Njeru said that the housing projects will significantly increase employment opportunities for Kenyans as they are expected to provide both skilled and unskilled labor during the construction phases.

‘We are requesting, in line with the President William Ruto’s directive, that when it comes to labour, the contractor gets local people and uses local materials. We also encourage local Jua Kali artisans to come up and provide as many components as possible,’ said the Cabinet Secretary.

The CS said that the affordable housing project has 69 standardized components for uniformity and that so far 36,000 units are already under construction.

Kirinyaga Deputy Governor David Githanda said that the County Government had identified more land across the county for the consecutive phases of the affordable housing project.

The county government projects to have at least 1,000 low-cost housing units. The first phase of the project in Kirinyaga will consist of 100 units after which the second phase will commence.

Githanda said the county government was pleased to note that the contractor had committed to complete construction of the houses within eight months and not one years as projected earlier.

Source: Kenya News Agency

May 25, 2023

Land Governance Identified As Key In Mitigating Climate Change

Researchers, academicians and senior government officials have said that evidence based research and proper land management are key in mitigating adverse effects of climate change in the country.

The researchers said that the recent prolonged drought and floods that had affected over 5 million people in the country causing loss of livelihoods and acute food security can be addressed through evidence based research that gives effective solutions.

The researchers, academicians and the government officials were speaking during the 2nd, Regional Research Conference on Land and Natural Resources themed ‘Responding to Climate Change through Land Governance in the Region’ held at the Kenya School of Government, Nairobi.

The two-day conference aims to generate policy recommendations to support mainstreaming of climate action and access progress on carbon trading in the region, as well as collate, synthesize and share knowledge related to Land governance and climate change adaptation, mitigation, capacity building and technology with relevant stakeholder among others.

In concurrence, the Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu said his ministry was implementing the school for carbon offset project to reduce greenhouse emissions in learning institutions.

The CS who made the remarks at the conference in a speech read on his behalf by the Principal Secretary for Basic Education Dr. Belio Kipsang said the climate focused project will contribute towards the realization of Kenya’s nationally determined contribution of reducing emission by 32 percent by 2030.

‘Under this programme we have piloted steam cookers in six schools; Kwale Boys High School, Kwale Girls High School, St. John’s Kaloleni High School, Madogo High School, Garissa High School and Nairobi School,’ announced Machogu.

According to UNICEF’s recent studies, if only 16 percent of high school pupils in high and middle income countries received climate change education, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by approximately 19 gigatons by 2050.

The CS noted that the effects of climate change has been felt in the education sector in both Kenya and the region, adding that severe weather events such as floods often destroy infrastructure and learning materials thereby interfering with the school calendar and attendance by learners due to closure of schools.

‘These severe weather events of floods and drought lead to emergency displacement of persons and forces nomadic communities to move in search of food, water and pasture,’ he stated.

He singled out malnourishment, parental involvement in the education of their children, reduction of household incomes and changing of domestic work patterns in search of water, and increased burden from weather related diseases as some of the factors that undermine school attendance.

Machogu at the same time announced that his ministry was finalizing on the draft Kenya Education Climate Change Strategy 2023-2027, which constitutes the ministry’s action plan for the next four years besides implementing other programmes among them the Schools for Circular Economy Initiative, which aims to set up three schools per county as recycling centres.

The CS said the education ministry is set to plant 35 million trees, and to generate 200 million seedlings across the country.

The Chairman National Lands Commission (NLC) Mr. Gerishom Otachi said the Commission will use the recommendations from the conference to relook and review processes and procedures in land allocation, monitor and oversight land use planning and for valuation and compulsory land acquisition among others.

‘It is our desire that through this conference, we shall find a way through which the programme prioritizes issues of land governance as an ingredient towards successful climate change mitigation and adaptation,’ he emphasized.

He noted that since climate change is a result of human induced factors, land governance can be identified as one of the underpinning critical catalysts that influences the human induced factors.

Source: Kenya News Agency