March 2018 – Wangeci Kanyeki Lyf

In Healthy LYF

It’s World Cancer Day

March 19, 2018 No Comments In Healthy LYF

Celebrating DORIS MAYOLI a cancer survivor and the founder of Twakutukuza Trust. By WANGECI WANYEKI.

In September 2005, after being diagnosed with Stage IIIB cancer, Doris Mayoli, Founder of Twakutukuza Trust, and her family went through the motions – shock, denial, acceptance, searching for information, and getting treatment. After four rounds of chemotherapy, Doris had a lumpectomy to remove the tumor as well as some diseased lymph nodes in her armpit. She underwent five more sessions of chemo, 35 days of radiotherapy and 5
years of Tamoxifen. The first obvious sign of the treatment was hair loss. Soon after, my nails, the palms of my hands, and the soles of my feet turned black.’ Doris narrates.

My skin tone also darkened during chemotherapy. Towards the end of the radiotherapy treatment, the skin around my scar (the site of the treatment) burned and blistered. I had to keep the skin moisturized and used a burn ointment to treat the burns. Sometimes my scars feel tight and I have to do a bit of stretching and massaging to keep the skin supple,’ she adds. Doris is now a proper skincare regime champion. ‘I am keen on moisturizing my entire body and using protective sunscreen. I drink a lot of water daily and I try to eat healthy by including greens and fruit in every meal.’Fourteen years later, Doris has turned her painful experience into purpose. Through Twakutukuza Trust which she founded, she provides emotional, physical, and financial support to people who are regime champions. ‘I am keen on moisturizing my entire body and using protective sunscreen.

I drink a lot of water daily and I try to eat healthy by including greens and fruit in every meal.’ Fourteen years later, Doris has turned her painful experience into purpose. Through Twakutukuza Trust which she founded, she provides emotional, physical, and financial support to people who have been diagnosed with cancer. ‘We look for ways to make their journey easier through counseling, demystifying doctor reports, home or hospital visits, and organizing events to celebrate them.

Through the Twakutukuza Concerts, we raise funds that we contribute towards the treatment of those who cannot afford it.

In TravelLYF

Chef Knut’s Mind to Plate Art by Chef Knut

March 19, 2018 No Comments In TravelLYF

It’s a lazy weekday, if there is even such a thing. You know, those days when your head knows there is work to be done but your body is dragging its feet to actualize the goals. I am sitting on the terrace of Executive Residency by Best Western at Riverside Drive Nairobi. It’s a lazy weekday, if there is even such a thing. You know, those days when your head knows there is work to be done but your body is dragging its feet to actualize the goals. I am sitting on the terrace of Executive Residency by Best Western at Riverside Drive Nairobi.

Chef Knut Stanceslaus Mate is in the Kitchen, he is preparing one of his signature Grove T-Bone steak and he invites me into his ‘sacred’ usually out of bound ‘staff only’ kitchen to see him cooking. His unusual name ‘Knut’ is because in the year he was born, his dad won a treasury position the Kenya national union of teachers (Knut) elections in Kakamega, explains the Chef.

Watching Chef Knut, prepare the food is a therapeutic art. The steak meat is marinated at 8 degrees centigrade to ensure food safety. The marinade is a mixture of vinegar, olive oil, light soy source ginger, garlic and rosemary. “I bat the meat to tenderise it, then soak inside the marinade for 15 minutes,” says Chef Knut.

Meanwhile, the vegetables are blanched in hot water beginning with the long cooking baby corn, then the carrots, cauliflower and broccolli. The veggies are then blast chilled which is a method of cooling food quickly to a lower temperature in a safe way and also ensures that the veggies are crunchy and not overcooked.

There is intentionality in this kitchen about hygiene, the chefs are all wearing masks in the kitchen, “no touching of masks is allowed and chefs shower after every 4 hours” says Chef Knut. Crockery and cutlery are disinfected using Suma Dis (D4), a disinfectant suitable for food contact surfaces and guests eat in shifts to control the number of people seating in the restaurant. Tables are arranged diagonally to allow for adequate social distancing.

The aroma from the T-bone on the griddle catches my attention. It’s been sitting there for 3 – 4 minutes undisturbed and covered so as to retain its juices, explains the multi-talented chef. Did I mention that he is also a scriptwriter and choreographer? So he not only creates ‘mind to plate food art’ but he also finds art expression on theatrical stages and has won several awards in drama, poetry and traditional dance choreography.

Meanwhile, the fondant potatoes are peeled and blanched for 7 – 10 minutes in hot water that has garlic, ginger, salt and turmeric to season and give a yellow tinge colour. This is followed by a 4-5 minute deep fry to a golden brown colour and seasoned with salt before drying them.

The plating of the food is ready. Chef lays the prepared food beginning with the vegetables, proteins then the starch, subtle reminder of the the portion priorities one should take. Tiger marked, cherry tomatoes that were grilled alongside the steak provide stunning colour contrast to the food and a cream sauce provides a finishing touch.

Recipe

The Grove T-bone steak

Ingredients.

T-bone steak 250g

Marination.

Olive oil 50ml

Lemon juice 50ml

Garlic 10g

Ginger 5g

Light soy sauce 15ml.

Vegetables

Carrots 30g

Cauliflower 30g

Broccoli 30g

Bay marrow 20g

Garlic 5g

Red onions 15g

Starch

Fondant baked potatoes 120g

Procedure

Weigh all the ingredients and label
Whisk together the marination ingredients for the T-Bone steak.
Bat and marinate the steak for 15 minutes
Cut and wash the vegetable with saline water for 5minutes and blanch all the vegetables.
Peel and cut the potatoes in fondant shapes and bake at 180degrees for 20 minutes on a buttered rack.
Grill the steak and toss the vegetables
Correct seasoning and serve.

In Healthy LYF

Life after Breast Cancer

March 19, 2018 No Comments In Healthy LYF

In 2008, wife and mother Wambui Gitonga underwent a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The surgery and subsequent chemo- and radiation therapy took a huge toll on her appearance, health and mood.
‘My nails turned black, I also had black hands and feet, even my tongue turned black,’ says Wambui.
‘I lost all my hair and eyebrows. The treatment also left the skin around my scars extremely dry and I needed moisturising every two hours to get rid of the patchy, white appearance.’
Wambui says she also felt extremely self-conscious about her scars and the hollow dent in her chest where her breast used to be. ‘I didn’t want to wear low-cut tops or a swimming costume. I felt incomplete.’ Fortunately, throughout her ordeal, her husband, David Gitonga Ndungu, stood by her. ‘At no point did my husband’s attitude or non-verbal language show that I was less of person. He stood by me through my darkest mood swings.’
In 2011, Wambui underwent reconstruction surgery, where doctors removed skin from her back shoulder
to create a flap on her chest for a prosthetic. It made Wambui much happier.

Today, 10 years after her first diagnosis, the mother of two boys is cancer free and beaming with health and vitality.
‘I’m proud of my scars,’ she says. ‘They are a reference point in my life, a visible landmark that I got through tough season in my life and came out stronger.’ She now chooses to do things differently. ‘I told myself that I won’t be careless, I will be carefree. I donot postpone the things I can say or do today. I need to tell of God’s
goodness in the land of the living.’ Wambui stays healthy by following a balanced diet and by exercising regularly. She plays golf twice a week
at Limuru Country Club. ‘This helps me to exercise in the fresh air and to de-stress. Golf is especially useful in exercising my arm where the lymph nodes were removed so that it doesn’t get lymphedema.’
Wambui, in partnership with the Women4Cancer organisation, holds regular golf tournaments in Kenya to raise funds for awareness, prevention and treatment of breast cancer. But she has even bigger dreams: she plans to travel theworld, win golfing tournaments and spread her positive message.
‘I want my life to make sense – especially for those going through a similar breast cancer experience,’ she says.
‘Don’t hold onto a breast that will kill you. If doctors recommend a mastectomy, do it so it does notspread. And remember — there is life after a mastectomy, and there is marriage after a mastectomy.’

In TravelLYF

LOVE NAIROBI FESTIVAL – Luis Palau Association launches a one-of-a-kind festival in the city under the sun

March 19, 2018 No Comments In TravelLYF

Palau Festival to take place in Nairobi, World evangelist Andrew Palau joins hundreds of churches to bring a message of unity, hope, and love to Nairobi. Over a thousand people attended the launch event and unveiling announcement of the LOVE NAIROBI FESTIVAL, spearheaded by the Luis Palau Association.

The event, held at Nairobi Baptist Church on Tuesday 7th March 2023, was attended by Andrew Palau, evangelist at the Luis Palau Association, as well as hundreds of church leaders including Canon Dr. Sammy Wainaina (ACK), Rev. Dr. Edward Ngaira (Office of the First Lady), Bishop Karita Mbagara (CITAM), Bishop Dr. Samuel Munai (PEFA), and Rev. Dr. Nelson Makanda (EAK) amongst many others.

Following successful festivals in fifteen capital cities in Africa, world-renowned evangelist Andrew Palau will partner with over 50 different churches, bishops, and denominations to bring the acclaimed LOVE NAIROBI Festival to Kenya for the first time.

Speaking at the launch event, “We are believing God for a historic work in East Africa”, Palau said. “He has directly called us to be his ambassadors there.”

Previous festivals have been successfully held in African cities such as Cape Town, Kigali, Addis, Cairo, Kampala, Yamoussoukro and a host of others. The LOVE Nairobi Festival which is set to take place from 15th – 17th September 2023, will be a three-day family-friendly event that will be held at the University of Nairobi grounds, and is projected to attract close to fifty thousand people per day in a significant evangelistic effort.

L-R Bishop Calisto Odede – Presiding Bishop CITAM, Andrew Palau – Luis Palau Association and Rev. Dr. Nelson Makanda – General Secretary of Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK).

L-R Andrew Palau of Luis Palau Association, Rev. Dr. Nelson Makanda – General Secretary of Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), Bishop Kepha Omae – Presiding Bishop Redeemed Gospel Church.

Throughout the week prior to the festival, volunteers from business, civic, and faith leaders are collaborating with the Palau team to stage the event, and will work together with local ministries to in community outreach events such as medical clinics, prison outreach, school outreach and orphanage outreach, all with a message of hope.

Additionally, throughout the months leading up to the festival, Palau and several ministry partners will hold conferences for pastors and training in friendship evangelism.

“We are equipping and building capacity of local church leaders by offering training in pastoral enrichment conferences and friendship evangelism and are growing,” says Operations Director Anton Myburgh.

The festival will feature renowned gospel artists. Previous festival events have hosted gospel artists such as Nicole C. Mullen, Don Moen and Papa San, and the LOVE NAIROBI Festival is set to feature many of East Africa’s top recording and performing Gospel artists as well as celebrated international guest musicians. The three-day family-friendly festival will feature action sports, fun children’s programs, BMX and FMX riders who perform amazing stunts and share their motivational and transformational stories.

NAIROBI: According to statistics of the Metro Area, the population of Kenya in 2022 was 5,119,000, a 4% increase from 2021 and UN Medium variant projects a bulging youth population will increase from 47 million in 2015 to 115 million by 2065. Cities can be places of influence of culture but cities can also be centres where morality is corrupted, especially due to pressure on natural resources such as environmental degradation, civil conflict, increased migration and rising poverty. The church, however, can change the destiny of a city and a nation.

“I am humbled and honoured to be God’s messenger at this critical time in the nation’s history,” Palau said.

ANDREW PALAU. For more than 25 years Andrew Palau has played a key role in the ministry of the Luis Palau Association, and has been instrumental in building the festival model for citywide outreach and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to hundreds of thousands around the world. His festivals have brought him in partnership with thousands of churches across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, and the United States of America. A regular contributor to national publications and a favorite speaker at conferences and gatherings around the world, his weekly radio broadcasts are heard by millions of people around the world.

For more information contact info@lovenairobifestival.org

Facebook – @lovenairobifestival

Instagram – @lovenairobi_festival

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

It is good to see the different church denominations in Kenya rally together for a good cause and the Anglican Church of Kenya supports the Love Nairobi Festival because it is holistic and factors in different demographics including business community, women in society, prison outreach, children and youth activities. Cities can be places of prosperity but can also be places of great wickedness and moral perversion because of the economic and political powers. Cities are gateways to a nation, when a city is redeemed, the economic, political and social benefits extend beyond the city into the region and internationally quote by

The Very Reverend Canon Dr. Sammy Wainaina, Provost – All Saints Cathedral

The Church in Kenya is coming together as one voice to spread the wave of love in Nairobi for our people who yearn for a sense of unity and hope. Quote by Bishop Karita Mbagara – Deputy Presiding Bishop, CITAM.

We are throwing a party in the city of Nairobi to give hope to our young people and give them access to an abundant life quote by Evangelist Andrew Palau.

In Business LYF

Afri – Plastics Challenge Awards

March 19, 2018 No Comments In Business LYF

Five Kenyan Start-ups Collect kshs 330M at Continent-wide Plastics Innovation Challenge
Chemolex – £750,000,

Mega Gas – £500,000,

Ukwenza VR £250,000

Baus Taka Enterprise £250,000 (woman-led)

EcoCoCo Homecare £250,000 (woman-led)

17 March Nairobi, Kenya….Kenya scored big at the inaugural Afri-Plastics Summit & Awards ceremony when 5 out of a total 9 start-ups scooped £2M as part of the Afri-Plastics Challenge, a continent-wide plastics innovation challenge worth £4.1M.

The awards were the culmination of a four-year initiative designed by Challenge Works and funded by Global Affairs Canada to recognize trailblazing innovators that are tackling the global plastics problem and protecting the ocean. Out of the 9 shortlisted start-ups, five were women-led, and two from Kenya winning a total of £500,000, demonstrating the role women play in designing sustainable innovative solutions that benefit communities.

Speaking at the Awards ceremony, Principal Secretary, State Department of Environment & Climate Change Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno, said “In Kenya, 37,000 metric tonnes of plastic get into the Indian ocean annually causing devastating disruption in our marine ecosystem.

He added, “As a Ministry, we have invested heavily in both policies and law enforcement to win the fight against plastic pollution. We have banned the manufacturing, retailing, distribution and importation of plastic carrier and flat bags for commercial or household use since 2017; in 2019 we also prohibited their use in protected areas.”

“To guide the country’s transition to a green growth and circular economy pathway, we implemented the Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (2016-2030), as well as The Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022. These investments have strengthened Kenya’s position globally as an environmental steward and we are excited to see that other African countries have taken similar commitments against plastics,” he explained.

Christopher Thornley, Canada’s High Commissioner in Nairobi said: “Plastic pollution is an issue that affects everyone. Plastics that make their way into the marine ecosystem are just as damaging whether they originated in Mombasa or Montreal, Lagos or London. The winners of the Afri-Plastics Challenge show there is a way forward for establishing a successful circular economy for plastic waste, with innovations capable of changing how we all use and dispose of plastic – not only in Africa but around the world.”

Jonathan Slater, International Development Director, Challenge Works said: “During this groundbreaking Afri-Plastic Summit and Awards we have brought together leaders, innovators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from all corners of the African continent with the aim to foster collaboration and develop innovative, sustainable solutions to tackle plastic pollution in Africa and beyond.”

He concluded, “We are also incredibly grateful to all the partners that made the Afri-plastics Challenge a success, the initiative provided a unique opportunity to create lasting change and forge a sustainable, plastic-free future for Africa. We are proud of all the innovators who participated and look forward to seeing the impact that those who won more than £4 million will have; from doubling recycling rates to providing new sources of income for families, pioneering companies converting invasive plants in Lake Victoria into biodegradable materials and businesses creating affordable cooking gas from trash.”

Winners of the Afri-Plastic Challenge are:

£1 million was awarded to Togo’s Green Industry Plast (GIP-TOGO) – a recycling business that helps households earn a living through waste plastic collection. GIP-TOGO then sorts, shreds, cleans and bags the shredded plastic to be used again, including in ecological paving slabs.
Kenya’s Chemolex won £750,000 to scale production of Biopactic, a biodegradable alternative to plastic made from invasive water hyacinths that grow aggressively in Lake Victoria. The next generation material can completely replace single use plastic in food and product packaging – not only reducing plastic pollution, but dealing with an invasive plant impacting Kenya’s marine ecosystem too.
£500,000 was won by Mega Gas in Kenya which converts waste plastic into affordable cooking gas for people living on less than US$1 a day. It uses a thermal cracking process that creates no emissions, residue or pollution to turn plastic pollution, such as polythene, into a fuel for rural families.
Chanja Datti (Nigeria) – awarded £750,000 –a woman-led business based in Abuja, it converts collected recyclable waste into commercially viable products. It collects, sorts and bails plastic before selling it on to manufacturers.
EcoCoCo Homecare (Kenya) – awarded £250,000 – a woman-led that has developed alternatives to plastic homeware products that use fibres from coconut husks left over from coconut oil production, including scouring pads, scrubbing brushes and brooms.
Toto Safi (Rwanda) – awarded £100,000 – a a woman-led diapers-on-demand service which makes sustainable cloth diapers a realistic alternative to single-use plastic-based nappies. Through its app, parents can order clean and sterilised nappies at an affordable cost, while used nappies are taken away to be cleaned.
Catharina Natang (Cameroon) – awarded £250,000 – a woman-led business training fashion designers in Africa to make sustainable choices in the textiles they use and understand plant-based alternatives to polymer-based materials.
Ukwenza VR (Kenya) – awarded £250,000 – uses virtual reality to explain the journey of a piece of plastic after it is dumped, including the damage it does to local environments, to persuade people to make different choices around plastic consumption and disposal.
Baus Taka Enterprise (Kenya) – awarded £250,000 – a woman-led business that developed a mobile app to encourage people to segregate their plastic waste – through competitions it offers cash rewards and points that can be redeemed for medical services in partnership with health clinics.

The successful innovations developed through the Afri-Plastics Challenge have paved the way to revolutionise Africa’s approach to reducing reliance on plastic. They are also supporting the empowerment of women and girls by creating economic opportunities for women. 60% of entries that made it to the final 40 were women-led.

Innovators focussed on recycling solutions reported a 113% increase in monthly collecting and processing during the prize. In the long-term, the development and scaling of the innovators’ solutions will lead to the creation of new, sustainable local enterprises, creating alternatives to single-use plastics and improving collection and processing of waste.

About the Afri-Plastics Challenge

The Afri-Plastics Challenge, run by innovation prize experts Challenge Works, is scaling solutions to the scourge of plastic pollution in sub-Saharan Africa thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. The challenge comprises three strands to take on the problem on multiple fronts.

Strand 1 – Accelerating Growth – rewarding innovative solutions to managing plastic waste after it has been used and discarded (i.e. downstream solutions). Total prize money of £2.25 million.
Strand 2 – Creating Solutions – rewarding innovative solutions to reducing the volume of plastic in packaging and other products before it is used (i.e. upstream solutions). Total Prize money of £1.1 million.
Strand 3 – Promoting Change – rewarding creative campaigns and projects to influence behaviour change among individuals and communities to promote sustainable consumption around plastic. Total prize money of £750,000.

About Challenge Works

For a decade, Challenge Works has established itself as a global leader in designing and delivering high-impact challenge prizes that incentivise cutting-edge innovation for social good. We are a social enterprise founded by the UK’s innovation agency Nesta. In the last 10 years, we have run more than 80 prizes, distributed £84 million in funding and engaged with 12,000 innovators.

Challenge prizes champion open innovation through competition. We specify a problem that needs solving, but not what the solution should be. We offer large cash incentives to encourage diverse innovators to apply their ingenuity to solving the problem. The most promising solutions are rewarded with seed funding and expert capacity building support, so that they can prove their impact and effectiveness. The first or best innovation to solve the problem wins. This approach levels the playing field for unknown and previously untested innovators so that the best ideas, no matter their origin, are brought to bear on the most difficult of global challenges.

Visit us at challengeworks.org

In TravelLYF

Msambweni: Home of Moringa superfoods

March 19, 2018 No Comments In TravelLYF

A 2017 trip to Msambweni reminded me of the joys of domestic tourism. Located about 55.6km south of Mombasa, this Kenyan coastal town in Kwale Constituency is home to the Digo people with an approximate population of 11,985 as per the Kenyan cities 2013 report.

The Msambweni Beach House, sitting on a ten acre ocean front land was my location of stay. Domestic flights landing at the Ukundi Airstrip ease the journey to this otherwise remote town. A gentleman in a Swahili kanzu and sandles welcomes and offers me a desperately needed, refreshingly, cold passion juice. He speaks to me in polished coastal Kiswahili which throws my urbanised Kiswahili scrambling for appropriate words to reciprocate his greetings. Clearly I am in a coastal town where I always initially battle with dress code – torn between conforming to cultural attire of women covering their heads or freeing my spirit to obey the hot- humid weather and change into shorts and a sleeveless top.

Proprietor, Frederik Vanderhoeven takes me for a tour around the property. He says he runs the Msambweni Beach House hotel with alot of ‘roho safi na mapenzi’ which loosely translated means pure heart and with plenty of love. Built in 2006, the Msambweni Beach House has 11 guestrooms which majestically display an architectural style that harmoniously blends Morrocan, Greek and Lamu culture. The plentiful use of white on most of the walls on the premises psychologically wades off the coastal heat waves. An outstanding feature about this beach house is a swimming pool that penetrates right into the lounge reception area, giving it a breathtaking cool effect. My field of eye vision from the reception seat shows three sets of blue that lie horizontally on each other: The swimming pool blue, the ocean blue and the open sky blue skies. Three private villas separate from the main house have their own swimming pool and Jacuzzis overlooking the sea. The rooms and villas have unpredictable out-of-the box construction concepts each having a unique character of its own yet held together by the Lamu-Morrocan theme.

Meanwhile, I am served Moringa tea which apparently is made from a medicinal tree grown on a neighbouring organic plantation. Co-Founder of the ME Moringa farm, Ms Jeanne Yockbag mixes hot water with tea, demonstrating how to make a nutritiously power- packed cup of tea. By day two my body is re-energised and I do not slump into the slumber effect that hot coastal towns seem to have on me. ‘The Moringa tree or ‘tree of life’ as it is sometimes called is a plant packed with 90+ re-energising immune building nutrients, 13 vitamins, 10 minerals and nine amino acids which restore the body’s natural balance and vitality. In the oral tradition of Ayurverda, Moringa is known to comprise approximately 539 compounds capable of preventing over 300 diseases,’ says Jeanne Yockbag.

A 2017 trip to Msambweni reminded me of the joys of domestic tourism. Located about 55.6km south of Mombasa, this Kenyan coastal town in Kwale Constituency is home to the Digo people with an approximate population of 11,985 as per the Kenyan cities 2013 report.

The Msambweni Beach House, sitting on a ten acre ocean front land was my location of stay. Domestic flights landing at the Ukundi Airstrip ease the journey to this otherwise remote town. A gentleman in a Swahili kanzu and sandles welcomes and offers me a desperately needed, refreshingly, cold passion juice. He speaks to me in polished coastal Kiswahili which throws my urbanised Kiswahili scrambling for appropriate words to reciprocate his greetings. Clearly I am in a coastal town where I always initially battle with dress code – torn between conforming to cultural attire of women covering their heads or freeing my spirit to obey the hot- humid weather and change into shorts and a sleeveless top.

Proprietor, Frederik Vanderhoeven takes me for a tour around the property. He says he runs the Msambweni Beach House hotel with alot of ‘roho safi na mapenzi’ which loosely translated means pure heart and with plenty of love. Built in 2006, the Msambweni Beach House has 11 guestrooms which majestically display an architectural style that harmoniously blends Morrocan, Greek and Lamu culture. The plentiful use of white on most of the walls on the premises psychologically wades off the coastal heat waves. An outstanding feature about this beach house is a swimming pool that penetrates right into the lounge reception area, giving it a breathtaking cool effect. My field of eye vision from the reception seat shows three sets of blue that lie horizontally on each other: The swimming pool blue, the ocean blue and the open sky blue skies. Three private villas separate from the main house have their own swimming pool and Jacuzzis overlooking the sea. The rooms and villas have unpredictable out-of-the box construction concepts each having a unique character of its own yet held together by the Lamu-Morrocan theme.

Meanwhile, I am served Moringa tea which apparently is made from a medicinal tree grown on a neighbouring organic plantation. Co-Founder of the ME Moringa farm, Ms Jeanne Yockbag mixes hot water with tea, demonstrating how to make a nutritiously power- packed cup of tea. By day two my body is re-energised and I do not slump into the slumber effect that hot coastal towns seem to have on me. ‘The Moringa tree or ‘tree of life’ as it is sometimes called is a plant packed with 90+ re-energising immune building nutrients, 13 vitamins, 10 minerals and nine amino acids which restore the body’s natural balance and vitality. In the oral tradition of Ayurverda, Moringa is known to comprise approximately 539 compounds capable of preventing over 300 diseases,’ says Jeanne Yockbag.

In Featured

“Celebrating 7 Years of Impact: Villgro Africa Invests Over $2 Million in African Healthcare Startups!”

March 19, 2018 No Comments In Featured

L-R Peter Awin CoFounder & CEO Cow Tibe Ghana, Habtamu Abafoge Founder Simbona Africa, Ethiopia and Dr Robert Karanja CoFounder and Chief Innovation Officer at Villgro Africa, flip through the 7 Years of Impact investment Report highlighting Villgro’s input into 50 healthcare startups in Africa

Villgro Africa has made a significant impact on the healthcare sector in Kenya and Africa by investing in startups with the potential to create positive change and drive growth.

Opportunities for African and local investors to fund promising startups include a Biotech Innovation Hub and a $30 million fund

Nairobi 2 March 2023…Villgro Africa has invested over $2 million in 53 African healthcare startups over the last seven years. Now present in 10 African countries, and plans to set up a Biotech Innovation Hub, Villgro’s goal of transforming 30 million lives in Africa by 2030 is slowly becoming a reality.

According to Villgro’s 2015-2022 Impact Report which was launched at the 2023 Sankalp Africa Summit, over $2,146,401 committed since inception, have been well distributed to 53 health startups. Out of these startups, 36 are Kenyan and have received the lion’s share of the incubator’s investments accounting for $1,317,087.

Ethiopia has also been a country to watch with Villgro investing in leading health startups such as Simbona Africa, ($ 65,000 in 2017), Kaffabio, BioTech $20,000, and Lucy Enset $ 20,000 in 2021.

A deliberate effort to ensure gender inclusion in Villgro’s impact investment work, saw Ghana’s women-led healthcare enterprises receive up to $50,000 invested as follows; GAPhealth $20,000, Corporate Health Ghana $15,000, MOCHcare $10,000 and Binyoh for $5,000.

Wilfred Njagi, CEO and Co-Founder, Villgro Africa said, “Since inception, Villgro Africa has enabled access to healthcare to those at the bottom of the pyramid. In the past seven years, Villgro has steadily invested seed funding in social enterprises with homegrown solutions that solve Africa’s healthcare and lifestyle dilemmas. To date, these enterprises have generated revenues of over $5.2 million, generated 540 jobs and touched more than 2 million lives.”

“As we continue to scale, we are excited about the launch of a Biotech Innovation Hub that will create shared value by leveraging Africa’s genetic diversity to accelerate the development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for the control and elimination of poverty-related diseases, rare diseases, neglected tropical diseases and NCDs,” explained Wilfred.

Dr. Robert Karanja, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Villgro Africa said that local manufacturing in the healthcare sector presents an opportunity for startups and investors.

“With Africa’s population projected to hit 1.6 Billion people by 2030, coupled with a rising middle-income population, and the emergence of the double burden of disease due to lifestyle related diseases, investment in the healthcare sector is a no-brainer. Going forward, local sources of funding will be needed. Reduced international funding would allow African governments, corporates, and others to invest in the start-up ecosystem.”

To kick-start local investment into the sector, Villgro Africa has set its eyes on launching an Incubator-Fund Platform in partnership with Jaza Rift Fund, with a target fund size of $30 million, aimed at supporting startups graduating from the incubator.

This decision is informed by reports that estimate Africa’s healthcare market will be worth $259 billion by 2030; Africa will present 14% of health and wellbeing business opportunities, only second to North America which currently holds 21% of the opportunities.

L-R Habtamu Abafoge Founder Simbona, Villgro Africa CoFounders Dr Robert Karanja Chief Innovation officer and Wilfred Njagi CEO JPG.JPG

Rob Beyer, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman added, “As we celebrate 7 years of growth and impact, we are incredibly grateful for a pipeline of quality companies, for funders who believe in the vision, our board members and mentors who freely give of their time and expertise and our clients who entrust their plans to our team.

Appreciating Villgro Africa’s partners, Wilfred said, “While most of Villgro’s strength has been in increasing equitable access to health care, especially to the most vulnerable groups, it is through our partners that we can attribute the last seven years of success.”

He concluded, “We sincerely thank all our stakeholders and partners who have walked this journey of transforming Africa’s Healthcare sector with us; AUDA NEPAD, Johnson & Johnson Foundation, AI4D (funded by IDRC & SIDA), Boehringer Ingelheim Social Engagement (BISE), among others. With all the support we have garnered to-date, we strongly believe that Villgro Africa is well positioned in mobilizing startup capital and technical assistance to where it’s most needed – to transform 30 million lives in Africa by 2030.”

In Healthy LYF

Healing through helping others heal

March 16, 2018 No Comments In Healthy LYF

When Nyawira Kibuka got pregnant on her 30th birthday, she worked at a professional service firm where she was required to dress in a presentable manner as her job involved meeting clients and making presentations to executives. Her dilemma, like most pregnant women, will attest to, was finding appropriate clothing to wear to the office. With physiological changes during pregnancy, it can be quite a challenge stepping out in confidence as pregnancy clothes are next to impossible to get.

“A major designer store in town did not change their stock throughout my pregnancy. So, many pregnant women are forced to shop for maternity wear at the second-hand market, where sometimes, the clothes are faded, a button is missing, and it is an uphill task to get an outfit that fits.

“I asked myself, is this was what pregnant women have to go through? That sparked an idea of starting a business that would provide decent maternity wear for pregnant women. This would
go miles to reduce their frustration,” said Nyawira. After the birth of their daughter, Nyawira’s husband, Lucas Kibuka Maranga gave her Sh50,000 to purchase her first consignment
and mentored her on managing a business, including how to price the items. Nyawira then sent an SMS to all her phonebook contacts and within a short time the
stock had cleared.
“This was clear proof that there was a demand for trendy maternity wear and my husband, hence, coined the business name Trendy Mums,” she said.

GROWING BUSINESS

In 2010, Nyawira registered the company with an aim of providing fashionable quality maternity wear for mums who wanted to remain trendy during their pregnancy, breastfeeding season, and beyond.

In School LYF

Kenya at the early stages of preparing students for future jobs.

March 16, 2018 No Comments In School LYF

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 3 – Kenya is at the early stages of preparing students for jobs that will be in demand in the future.

Diamond Junior School Director Janet Mulei says future career paths need students with necessary skills to tackle emerging opportunities that include artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, non-humanoid robotics and encryption.

“These skills are set to drive future growth across industries as diverse as health, education, marketing and agriculture among others,” Mulei says.

She says students need to learn these new technologies early enough and be adept with them.

“Virtually every country in the world is working towards a digital economy. As this new economy evolves, special skills like computer programming are needed,” she explained.

Several studies have assessed the effect of learning code on primary school children – usually between the ages of six and 13. In each case, the findings show that it is beneficial to children, irrespective of their career path later on in life.

“Coding is just another language, and children are known to learn new languages faster than older people. So starting young is a good idea. Several countries – including Australia, Finland, Italy, and England – have developed coding curricula for children between the ages of five and 16 years,” she added.

In 2016, Kenya launched the nationwide rollout of its Digital Literacy Programme in primary schools and has to date distributed over one million devices to more than 19,000 public primary schools across the country.

According to the ICT Authority, about 91,000 teachers have been trained to deliver the digital learning content and more than 89.2 percent of all the public primary schools have been supplied with the devices.

At the same time, teachers across the country’s public primary schools have reported increased student alertness, boosted school attendance, and increased school admissions, according to the ICT Authority.

Coderina, a youth-focused not-for-profit organization that works to promote and enable innovation and creativity in STEM skills across Nigeria and Africa is gradually rolling out robotics and coding training in 30 schools in Kenya.

The students get to participate in FIRST (For inspiration and recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO league which is an international tournament in more than 100 countries that seeks to inspire students to build skills in hands-on learning possibilities, creativity, collaboration, and fun.

“At our school, we are intentional about integrating ICT with learning because it affects every aspect of our life and deliberately equips our students with skills and opportunities that strengthen 21^st century required skills. Our children will need to thrive in communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to enable them to thrive in their personal lives and their careers,” she noted.

Some of the STEM subjects included in Diamond Junior’s curriculum are Robotics, Coding, Lego Education and the children begin with these subjects from as early as 5 – 6 years.

“In 2019 Diamond Junior School was awarded the GESS Education award in Dubai for best use of digital Learning in the classroom,” says Mulei.

In Healthy LYF

Let it not be a death sentence

March 16, 2018 No Comments In Healthy LYF

Every two hours in Kenya, every single day, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. To put that in perspective, between the time you have breakfast at 7 am and 10 o’clock tea, two women will have died due to pregnancy-related complications. According to the National Alliance Secretary of Health, an estimated 5,000 women in Kenya die annually during pregnancy or delivery. Other statistics indicate a higher number of up to 8000 deaths annually.