The hustle and bustle of the big city can cause stress. This stress can manifest itself in weird ways including signals, which may be difficult to understand. Let me attempt to decipher some of them.

The magic finger
A signal used by many Kenyan drivers especially those driving matatus. Commonly used to mean ‘I am going there’. When this finger is displayed, all other drivers must immediately stop and let the fingerer through regardless of pre existing traffic rules.

Flashing car lights
Commonly used by people driving on the wrong side of road. These cars are often moving towards you at 100km/h.
This signal is regularly used to mean ‘I am an idiot driving on the wrong side of the road’ or ‘Look at me! Look at me! No brain!’

The blank stare
Often used by security guards and front office staff.
This is a tricky one. Uses depend on location. If at a supermarket or office entrance, it could mean ‘ open your boot for a security check’ or ‘we are closed’. Inside an office, this signal either means ‘I am on my lunch break’ or ‘how can I help you?’

The kissy lips
Used to save user from the tiresome task of using their voice. Direction of the lips determines whether this signal is used to spite or to give instruction. Where lips are puckered up in frontward motion and followed by a ‘mscheew!’ sound, an irate or sarcastic mood may be presumed. Where lips are puckered up in a side ways motion, then directional instructions may be assumed.

What other signals do you think we should add to this list?

On 28th October, 2011, I will pay homage to Mama Wangari Maathai, and to her determination to make the world a more peaceful, healthier place.

On 28th October, 2011, I will honour Mama Wangari Maathai by doing that which she loved most; planting trees.

On 28th October, 2011, I will begin to work to restore Kenya’s forest cover, not for me, but for my children and my children’s children.

On 28th October, 2011, I will take a moment to appreciate the social, communal, environmental and economic benefits of forest cover.

On 28th October:

I will Unite and embrace the diversity that is Kenya.
I will Plant and replenish our lost forest cover.
I will Nurture and ensure the survival of our natural heritage.

On 28th October, 2011, I will do the best I can because, I am The Humming Bird.

Did you know that for many girls in Kenya, sanitary pads are an unaffordable luxury?

Many girls miss many days of school because without pads, their monthly periods immobilise them. Others resort to recycling disposable pads or using handkerchiefs, or tissues or pieces of mattress.

As if this is not bad enough,even where they can get their hands on disposable pads, some girls do not have panties to hold the pads in place!

With availability of sanitary pads and panties, young girls all over Kenya can attend school every day and restore their dignity.

The Iddi Achieng Trust is working with the PadBank, a NairobiVIP Parties initiative, to collect pads for young girls in Kenya. The trust has already secured 8068 panties from Maridadi.

Through the Great PnP Blast Concert in Nairobi, sanitary pads will be collected to match the panties. The event will be held at Alliance Francaise on Friday, 30th September, 2011 from 7pm.

Iddi Achieng will perform at this concert. There will also be performances from Makadem, Asali, Judith Bwire, and Kevo among others. The event will be MC’eed by Phelix Odiwuor (Jalang’o) and Jacquey Nyaminde (Wilbroda).

All you have to do to support this cause is show up with a pack of pads and enjoy great music! You can also buy pads and panties at the door.

Support this cause on twitter using #PadBank

You can read more about this cause on VibeWeekly and on Beauty Cocoon.

Kenya's Women's fifteens national team lifts the 2011 Elgon Cup

There is an aura of complacency surrounding women’s rugby in Kenya. It is now time to take steps to move it to the next level.

Development of women’s rugby in Kenya has to become a matter of national concern. I want to be able to read about the girls’ rugby competition at the national secondary schools games. I want to read about a women’s rugby clubs league and I want that league to consist of more than three teams. I want to hear about a women’s university rugby league. I want to hear about Kenya hosting an international women’s tournament attended by teams other than Uganda.

When we do get to watch the girls and women’s teams play, we all remark about how well they play, how experienced they have become, how much exposure they need to get. Talk is great. But it needs to be backed up by actions.

Women’s rugby in Kenya does need more exposure and awareness. This means that we need to create opportunities for more games and tournaments for both local and international teams.

The women’s game needs to get local partners to assist in financing and supporting women’s rugby in Kenya. The arguments for how women’s rugby needs to be seen to be performing before corporates can come on board, and how women’s rugby cannot perform without funding are chicken and egg stories, which do not help the situation.

Perhaps Kenyan rugby should focus on appealing to philanthropic corporates other than those that only focus on immediate returns on investment. We can no longer look at women’s rugby as a product, which has to be packaged to suit possible investors. Consider the milestones that women’s rugby in Kenya has made thus far, the lives that it has affected, the ethos that it promotes amongst the players and then think of the kind of people or corporates that we want to help to promote the women’s game.

In 2009, I served as Team Manager for the women’s national team. During this time, I watched the players exhibit a great love for the game by diligently attending training sessions throughout the year for two competitive fixtures, in the Elgon Cup, which are sometimes uncertain. This year for example, the return leg in Uganda was dropped and the Elgon Cup had already been awarded to Kenya until it was announced that the Uganda leg was back on.

During the 2010 Safari Sevens tournament, local women’s teams were scheduled to play a game at about 9 or 10am on the final day of the tournament. The timing for the game was moved up to 8am and this was not properly communicated to the team. On arrival 8am, the women’s teams were informed that they had arrived late for their game and that they would not be allowed to take the pitch because the day’s schedule was extremely tight.

This was very unfortunate because the women had gone out of their way to invite friends and family to show up and watch them play at the Safari Sevens, which is a big deal. What was even more unfortunate was that although the women’s fixture had been cancelled because of a tight schedule, there was still enough time in the programme to have scantily dressed women run onto the pitch and dance for close to five minutes, three different times!

During my time on the Rugby Super Series committee, and particularly as Tournament Director in 2009, it took extra effort to get the women’s game to be played in the afternoon in front of fans. An early morning game might have made it easier to plan the day’s fixtures, but it would have meant that the women played to empty stands.

Despite the odds being against them the women’s rugby fraternity continues to tirelessly contribute to the growth of rugby in Kenya. Coach Sammy Kemmey, Assistant Coach Pritt Nyandatt, physiotherapist George Omondi and Team Manager Yvonno Makwali work endlessly to keep player morale up.

Members of the women’s rugby fraternity have been instrumental in running mini rugby programmes in Kenya. Also, some of the players perform administrative roles at the Kenya Rugby Union and others are IRB certified rugby referees.

Recently, it was announced that three sub unions; Western, Universities and Coast, had been formed by the Kenya Rugby Union. I hope that these sub unions have specifically included in their mandate, development of the women’s game.

We now have a director in charge of women’s rugby. This is a step in the right direction. It is also great to see that Pritt Nyandat, assistant coach for the national women’s rugby team, is part of a recently constituted National Squads Management and Elite Performance Sub Committee. I do hope that there are immediate plans for proactive engagement of the Union in development of the women’s game. I also hope that eventually, the KRU will appreciate the growth of women’s rugby in Kenya and allow the game to be governed by a separate body; Kenya Women’s Rugby Union perhaps?

Rugby clubs in Kenya also have their part to play in developing women’s rugby in the country. They can do this most effectively by creating a women’s section within the club membership and subjecting them to the same conditions as male players. This would give clubs extra members and with it, extra income from membership fees. Having women in the clubs will also increase the publicity of the club and improve chances of getting those elusive sponsorships and grants.

Finally, women rugby players in Kenya need to get out there and force the world to see them. Play hard and fight for what’s rightfully yours. You’ve earned it.

Everyday, millions of Kenyans go hungry. Three square meals a day has for a long time been a luxury to many.

National and international press constantly report on the drought that is tormenting Kenyans; threatening the survival of families.

Hunger brings with it malnourished children and malnourished nursing mothers. It brings with it widows, widowers and orphans.

Children drop out of school because learning is impossible when you are going hungry for days at a time.

Resource based conflict becomes inevitable as Kenyans scramble for the little resources available.

As we take ownership of Kenyan sports champions, so must we take ownership of this problem faced by our brothers and sisters.

Kenyans are dying of hunger! Let us rally together and do something about it.

Did you know that for 250 Kenya Shillings, you can feed a Kenyan?

Let one and all arise
With hearts both strong and true…

Join Kenyans on twitter as they help the Kenya Red Cross to feed hungry Kenyans. Donate a minumum of 250 Kenya shillings. If just 10,000 Kenyans do this, we will raise 2.5 million Kenya Shillings for starving Kenyans.

To donate money in Kenya by MPESA, go to the ‘Safaricom’ menu on your phone and select ‘M-PESA’

Select Pay Bill from your M-PESA menu
Enter ‘Business No.- Input ‘10,000‘
Enter the account No- Leave blank and select OK
Enter the amount you wish to send and confirm your PIN.
You and the recipient will receive an SMS confirming the transaction

Show your support for this initiative on twitter using #FeedKe

Feed a Kenyan today!

This information was originally posted on this facebook event page.

Vincent Asa Mutai Rob caught a chronic lung infection in May 2007 that not only claimed his left lung, but has also subjected him to seven (7) major thoracic surgeries, persistent respiratory system discomfort and pain.

He remains unwell and in need of urgent medical attention despite all the surgeries and the numerous prolonged hospital admissions. The current condition is called Persistent BronchoPleural Fistula post Pneumonectomy with Empyema and due to this; he now suffers great respiratory discomfort including difficulty in breathing, occasional shortness of breath, persistent cough, inability to lie on his right side, constrained physical activity, fatigue and chest pains. He also has a wound called an Eloesser Window below his left arm to facilitate drainage of pus from the pleural cavity where the left lung was. His remaining right lung remains at risk of similar damage due to the existing communication with the infected left chest cavity. Signs of this damage have been noted in latest CT scans and X-Rays.

Doctors and hospitals here in Kenya do not seem to have a forthcoming solution to his medical condition. He has been subjected to seven major thoracic surgeries since August 2008 and all have been unsuccessful. In total, he has been admitted fourteen (14) times at Nairobi Hospital (9 admissions), Aga Khan University Hospital (2 admissions) Coptic Hospital (1admission) and Kenyatta National Hospital (2 admissions) and he is yet to recover. To date, the medical expenses incurred locally due to his condition range above KSh 9 million of which a big portion has been fully settled. Thanks to his family, friends, well wishers and insurance companies.

Due to the escalating costs and lack of a clear solution to his medical condition here in the country, opinions of experienced doctors abroad have been sought. These doctors agree the condition is complicated, but they do have a solution to the problem due to their exposure, experience and access to advanced medical technology required to resolve Vincent’s medical complication.

The biggest hurdle to obtaining the help of these overseas doctors is obviously financial. The condition to date has claimed a significant portion of Vincent’s family’s resources and is now unable to raise the required finances for this treatment abroad. The cheapest option based on the cost estimates received from hospitals in the countries abroad (Israel, Egypt, UK, India, USA and Belgium) is India with a quote of Ksh2.5 Million inclusive of travel arrangements.

We are therefore making this humble appeal to you friends, family members, well wishers, yes you too……. to come and support Vincent obtain this urgent medical attention abroad and help him get back his physical health again. Thank you in advance and God bless you as you accept to contribute to this worthy cause.

You can make your contributions to:

Kenya Commercial Bank
A/C Name: Vincent Asa Mutai Rob
A/C No: 1128068443
Branch: Kipande House

For people living outside Kenya, KCB’s Swift Code is KCBLKENX or
Moneygram: Vincent Asa Mutai Rob. ID No. 23734962

MPesa A/C: 0721352639
Airtel /ZAP: 0734352639

Important dates

Committee meets every Wednesdays at 1730HRs at All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
July 14th – Aug 3rd – Virtual Harambee, collection of any contributions and taking of pledges
Aug 3rd – Major Harambee in Nairobi and actualisation of pledges
Aug 8th – Vince flies to India for treatment

Watch as Vince explains his illness.

1. Make cabbage juice
2. Use them as bowling balls. You can use empty wine bottles for bowling pins
3. Have a karate challenge and see who can split one cabbage into two pieces with their bare hands
4. Compare it to the size of your head, just because you can.
5. Play spin the bottle. If you’re it, take a bite of the cabbage
6. Cut it in half and paint it grey. Voila! The human brain.
7. Can’t afford a halloween pumpkin? Curve a cabbage.
8. Ground the kids and make them paint the globe on it.

What other cool stuff can one do with cabbages?

Photo by mentalacrobatics

Youth Initiatives-Kenya, or YIKE as it is more commonly known, is a non-profit organisation whose vision is to create a society in which the youth are able to facilitate their development. Registered in 2003, YIKE started as the brainchild of Pamela and Nynke who at the time were both doing their masters in Community Development and were interested in interacting with Kenyan youth to find out what contribution they were making to their country.
Read the full article here.

On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm many Kenyans united to sing all three verses of our beautiful and powerful National Anthem.

1pm, 1 nation, 1 people, 1 anthem, united in 1 prayer for 1 Kenya

We had no agenda other than to sing the national anthem and to unite with other Kenyans to do so. We wanted to show that there is more that unites us than divides us as Kenyans. We wanted to celebrate our Kenya and celebrate each other.
We wanted Kenyans to take a few minutes to appreciate the message that was passed on by the anthem; to understand the pledge that they were making to Kenya by singing the anthem.

Justice be our shield and defender…

Nchi yetu ya Kenya tunayoipenda tuwe tayari kuilinda…

Natujenge taifa letu…ndio wajibu wetu

let all with one accord, in common bond united

Kila siku tuwe na shukrani..

Every bit of our national anthem speaks to a situation in our country. If you are Kenyan and claim this as your national anthem, then surely you can use this anthem as your call to action.

Based in Nairobi, I cannot claim to know exactly what problems the people in Mandera or Lamu or Budalangi are facing and how to solve them. Following Kenya28Feb, I cannot claim to have a way forward for them. The people in Mandera, Lamu and Budalangi have voices and the capacity to outline their own problems and outline solutions for those problems. I can only encourage and support them as they stand and do something to make their situation better.

Imagine a Kenya where people all over the country took a stand and decided what issues they needed tackled in their communities and how to tackle them. Imagine a Kenya where a leader rose from amidst the issues facing his or her community, who is not running for political office, but whose agenda is to help his or her fellow Kenyans address their problems and deal with them conclusively.

We can no longer sit and wait for our government to intervene. They have proven that they have a different agenda. Kenya belongs to us. Let us do something to help ourselves. Just like no problem is too small, no solution is too small. You may not be able to begin a trash collection company or a ‘keep your city clean’ campaign yourself, but you can definitely pick up that piece of paper thrown on the ground by someone who does not respect the environment they live in. If two more people join you and then ten more then fifty more, soon you’re all looking for a more sustainable solution to cleaning up you neighbourhood.

Build this our nation together..

So what next for Kenya28Feb? It is up to you. Who are you waiting for to solve your problems? Kenyans have begun initiative to assist IDPs, to promote civic education, to promote reconciliation, to get accounts for their CDF… What are you doing?

Amkeni ndugu zetu
Tufanye sote bidii

See more Kenya28Feb videos here.

Record a video telling Kenya why you support Kenya28Feb and send it to unite@28feb.co.ke for upload onto the official Kenya28Feb YouTube channel.

Alternatively, upload it onto your YouTube channel and use the tag Kenya28Feb