NAIROBI, (KENYA)- The diaspora side event of the Sustainable Blue Economy took place on Monday at the Taifa Hall, University of Nairobi, bringing together delegates from different parts of the world with common interest in identifying the role of the global diaspora for international development and international solidarity. 

Delegates from different organisations gave their observations, challenges and ideas towards creating a sustainable Blue Economy while putting into consideration the role of the diaspora.

Michael Pillinger, Chief of Mission of IOM Kenya while giving his speech said the Global Diaspora plays a huge role in creating a Sustainable Blue Economy.

"The direct and indirect roles of the diaspora in developing a sustainable blue economy cannot be underestimated," he said.

"The Diaspora incredibly contributes to the development and growth of Kenya's national economy."

Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ababu Namwamba while giving the government position, said Kenya is proud to have more productive members of the diaspora.

"We are pleased to see Kenyans abroad taking advantage of the fora we have had and increasing their investments back home," he says.

Amadou Cisse, the Interim Executive Director, African Institute for Remittances (AIR) says the African Diaspora has set specific goals on the contribution to the Blue Economy that aims to improve investments. The goals include support to organisations that protect oceans and marine resources.

"At the community level, we have activities that should be supported and I think the diaspora will help in those activities."

In summary, the panelists highlighted the role f the global diaspora in harnessing the Blue Economy through investments thus improved remittances to various countries.

The historic Diaspora has more than 100 million people all over the world -Prof Paul Tiyambe Zaleza, vice-chancellor of USIU.

And this week, The Chamwada Report presents an in-depth analysis of the Blue Economy Conference but with special focus on the role of the diaspora.

On the show, which aired Thursday on KTN News at 8.30pm, Alex Chamwada spoke with various leaders of organizations and state agencies. The show highlighted the special role of the diaspora, the opportunities in the sector and how the skills in the diaspora can be put to bear in creating a sustainable blue economy.

 

Now that you are here…

Do you have a story to share, event to be covered, promotion/campaign to run? Please get in touch with Chams Media Digital via info@chamsmedia.com or call/WhatsApp +254 719 256 713/+254 722 584 045

 

ELDORET- This week's Chamwada Report show focuses on the role of alumni groups in various learning institutions but with a special focus on Moi University. The institution boasts of a rich population of alumni group that joined the university in 1988 and graduated in 1992.

They then came together courtesy of an idea from two or three people but the number has since grown to about 300 registered members  out of the 1000 students who graduated in that year.  Chams Media Chief Executive Officer, Alex Chamwada who joined the university in 1992, is also a member of that group.

Also Read

• How this Kenyan rose from being a sales agent to a hotelier in Botswana
• Why the diaspora is key to creating sustainable development

In this report, we feature former comrades of Moi University who share their past experiences at the university which has now developed into a more modern, tech-savvy institution. And many of them had just turned 50 years off age!

The event was full of pomp and colour and was officiated  by former vice chancellor Prof. Shellemiah Okoth Kenya, who was the second vice chancellor at Moi University between 1988 and 1994.

Watch more about the alumni groups, how they are formed and why they are an integral part of the society.

 

Many might not be aware of how this medical condition comes into being. Others may not even know of its existence. All in all, it is necessary to be aware of the causes and preventive measures of Spinabifida and Hydrocephalus. This week, Elijah Mwangi of CHAMS media educates us on these medical conditions with discussions with experts as well as victims of the same.

Dr. Emmanuel Wegoye, a neurosurgeon of Bethany Kids Children’s Center at Kijabe Hospital explains that spinabifida is a back defect whose exact cause is unknown. He explains however that there is a strong association with a deficiency of folic acid in our diets. A pregnant mother requires a lot of folic acid so that the chances of the child being born with the condition become slim. Apart from that, spinabifida has also been connected with genetic correlation.

Spinabifida can be repaired only through a surgery where a child is inside the mother’s womb and this is only possible in developed countries which have the resources required. Since Kenya is still developing and thus lacks the expertise, surgeons can only perform the surgery within 48hours after birth.

Hydrocephalus on the other hand is the accumulation of water in the head. For children below three years, as the water accumulates so does the head grow since the pressure in the brain is high. When you look at a child with spinabifida, because the back is somewhat connected to the brain, most children with this condition end up struggling with hydrocephalus as well.

About 2km from the Children’s center in Kijabe Hospital, the CHAMS media team meets up with Edna Chepkemoi who is preparing to take her child who has the hydrocephalus condition to hospital. She is from Baringo but in order to be in Kijabe on time, she has to camp here at the House of Hope.

The House of Hope is a place where mothers come with their children for accommodation as their children are treated at the Kijabe hospital before it is too late. Juliana, the manager of House of Hope explains that one time a mother lost her child while on the way coming to Kijabe hospital for treatment and this was her inspiration.

Edna has been making these trips to the hospital for years and finally they are paying off. She explains that since their first trip in 2014, her child is making progress. She insists on proper diet in order to manage hydrocephalus i.e. foods rich in iron.

Experts on the other hand argue that the best way to deal with hydrocephalus is looking for preventing rather than curative measures; and when preventive measures fail, then treatment at birth should be immediate.

 

"If the doctor had discovered earlier, my child would not have become this way," says Edna.

 

According to the World Health Organization, if the maternal intake of folic acid can be increased around the time of conception, the risk of the occurrence of the neurotube defects may be decreased by 60-70%.  For this reason, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an international organization driven by the vision of a world without malnutrition, has been keen on calls for fortification i.e. adding micro nutrients such as folic acid in foodstuffs.

 

“Women of reproductive age should eat a balanced diet including food rich in folic acid,” says Felistus Mutambi, fortification coordinator (GAIN).

 

 

 

 

Billy, a data manager at Kijabe hospital is a success story of this medical condition. He finally outgrew the condition after several surgeries and all he can do now is be grateful to God. He advises that for any parent who gives birth to a disabled child whatsoever, the first step is acceptance. Afterwards, all a parent can do is her part and leave the rest to God.

Julius Mwiti, Director of Bethany Kids, Africa agrees that there is hope and that awareness needs to be created in all children facilities so people can know that care is available and these children need to be taken to the hospital at the earliest time possible.

It is no secret that the threat to Kenya’s major water catchment areas is on the increase each year. This week on The Chamwada Report, we focus on the Elgon 4*4 challenge, an event that was created to create sensitization of this plight through sports tourism.

This is a four wheel drive competition that takes place at Chepkitale region of Mount Elgon, Bungoma County each year.  It is usually a three day period where persons with motor vehicles converge at Laboot primary school and get to enjoy themselves during the three day race.

Charles Mulupi, one of the founders of the 039 Explorers explains how the event came into being. “While on a camping trip along the mountain, we came to a place where there was a lot of destruction. As we went further on, we realized that higher up the mountain was such a beautiful scenery- we could not understand the disconnection,” he says. “It dawned on us that the rate of destruction in this mountain was so much that if we did not act, we would not have a mountain in the years to come.”

The 039 Explorers therefore rose to the challenge and in 2016 organized the first ever Elgon 4*4 challenge with an aim of sensitizing the public on the menace. The event that only began with 6 people now has grown tremendously and accommodates persons from different parts of the country.

The qualifications for a person to be included in the race are just a few. “As long as one has a four wheel drive that is of good condition, then he is good to go,” explains Juma Musakali, a lecturer at Moi University who was part of the race.

Kellum Chendai, the chairman 039 explorers explains that the need for this race is not only to prevent deforestation but also to save wildlife. “When we conserve the environment we save the elephants as well as other animals of Mt Elgon,” he explains.

Many theories have been drawn, the major one being that the people who reside in this water catchment area are the cause of the problem. However, the Ogiek community beg to differ. Matrine Chepkemei, a resident of Mt Elgon explains that since they began living there, their community protects the environment.

 

Laban Kiprotich seconds this by explaining that contrary to what people believe, the area where the Ogiek community resides has been much conserved. The directors of the 039 Explorers agree with them saying that the Ogiek community are born conservationists.

All this leads to the question now lingering in the air, ‘Who is to blame for the deforestation?’ The community as well as the 039 Explorers believe that Kenya Forest Service is partly to blame.

KFS are said to be encouraging people to have land for tilling where they can plant trees in and this, according to Laban Kiprotich, causes the land to become bear. Encroachment as well as illegal logging are now major challenges being faced within the forest. In addition, the remedy of replacing indigenous trees with exotic trees is not helpful at all.

Thanks to the event, even the county government of Bungoma has now become supportive. Residents are now making conservation of trees an initiative as a result of the awareness the 4*4 challenge has created.

According to the organizers, there is a hope for better days to come for Mt Elgon as long as this event continues to grow and change people’s perspectives.

On Sunday the 28^th October 2018, Kenya Airways finally launched its maiden flight into the US airspace. And CHAMS media team was part of this journey and managed to capture the various interesting moments experienced during the whole trip to and fro.

This report captured the experiences in both KQ002 to John F. Kennedy International Airport and KQ003 to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Related Story: Meet the veteran pilot who's flown KQ planes since 1978

The historic take-off finally became a reality with a nearly full flight with the chief guest being the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Monica Juma. Also on board were KQ CEO Sebastian Mikosz, US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec, 3 senators and 8 members of National Assembly and many other celebrities and business people.

Also Read: Filmmakers on what it takes to produce an award-winning movie

According to the CS Foreign Affairs, the timing of the flight is great where one leaves in the evening and arrives in New York in the morning.

Everything about the flight proved to be interesting starting from the food and who actually handled it. This is celebrated chef Kiran Jethwa who was preparing meals for the business class. He explains that all of the produce he uses comes from Kenya.

“The inspiration here is to take Kenyan food and give it a contemporary taste,” he said. “We are on Kenya Airways, 30000ft above the ground, it’s all about Kenya.”

 

Apart from the lip-smacking meals on board, Alex Chamwada, CEO CHAMS media also got a chance to converse with KQ CEO and US Ambassador.

 

 

They both agreed that this flight was significant in creating opportunities for Kenya to trade and relate with the US.

 

Other persons on board also managed to express their delight and explain to CHAMS media team just how much this flight had been a thrill. Among them were the hosts of Capital FM Breakfast show; Amina Abdi and Maqbul Mohammed who agreed that the trip had been fantastic and that they had eaten to their fill.

Other celebrities also on board were Simon Kabu and his wife, the CEO and MD Bonfire Adventures, Robert Nyasimi, CEO RENTCO East Africa Ltd, winners of various awards among many other people. Richard Quest, CNN International anchor and reporter was also a part of the flight.

By the time the journey came to a halt at John F. Kennedy International Airport, everyone was delighted.

During the return flight back to Kenya, the feeling of amazement and excitement was still in the air. Passengers still agree that this is one of the best things that has happened to Kenya after a long while now. From over 24hrs on air to 15hrs or less, this is the best thing anyone could ever ask for.

By the time the flight landed back to JKIA, the captain had surprised everyone on board by announcing that it was one hour ahead of schedule. Thanks to this new development, there now exists an everyday flight to and from New York. This flight was one of a kind.

Finally, the captains who made both trips possible invited everyone to be on board in the flights to come! Indeed, this is a great opening for Kenya.

After doing a total of 29 hours of flight in the historical Kenya Airways direct flight to New York and back, Chams Media team led by founder and chief executive officer Alex Chamwada are back with great stories and experiences to share.

It was a milestone for Chams Media to be part of the media team that covered every minute of the inaugural flight, from the moment it took off at the JKIA on Sunday, to when it landed at JFK.

Part of the team led by camera maven David Amateshe that left Nairobi earlier for New York captured the smooth landing of the plane at JF Kennedy international airport on Monday morning.

Also Read:

• Meet the veteran pilot who flew Kenya Airways flight to New York
• What KQ's nonstop flights to New York means for Kenya
• How Kenyans in South Africa celebrated this year's Mashujaa Day

Also on the show will be exclusive interviews on and out of the plane as Kenyans and other passengers shared their experiences flying for the first time in Kenya Airways nonstop flight to New York. Alex Chamwada also talks to some of the stakeholders that made the historical flight possible.

Prior to this historical flight, Alex Chamwada through Chams Media presented on KTN News channel, an in-depth preview of what the flight means for Kenya.

In the report, we had exclusive interviews with Kenya Airways CEO Sebastian Mikosz, KCAA director general Capt. Gilbert Kibe, Cabinet Secretary for tourism Najib Balala, among others as he also visited the Boeing headquarters in Seattle City, Washington State.

Chams Media was founded in 2014 and has seen a tremendous growth catapulted by its quality independent production of unique, inspiring and informative content under the Chamwada Report and Daring Abroad shows which air on for KTN and KTN News Channels.

This has been the major talk in town; the major development that has just landed in Kenya today. From 2 days with five stop overs in the 60s to 15 hours non-stop; what does this mean for Kenya?

Today, the Chamwada Report focuses on what the Kenya Airways nonstop flight from Kenya to New York means to us as a country.

It was in 1960, mid-September when Fredrick Okacha at the age of 22 who is now a Psychology professor, flew to New York on the JF Kennedy cum Tom Mboya Scholarship airlift.

"We arrived in New York after 2 days at around midnight,” he says. Through the eyes of the 80 year old professor, one can get a feel of how things changed a great deal.

The Kenya Airways team all agree that this will be a huge step for Kenya. Robert Godec, the US Ambassador to Kenya says that this will make travelling easier from Kenya to New York. The Kenya Airways chairman, Michael Joseph, insists that this is a symbol of our return to the great heights that we inspire to reach in the near future.

This major development that Kenya has made leads us to one key question; what are the steps that Kenya had to make in order to achieve this.

“A lot of work has been done, effort has been put and sacrifices made by various stakeholders,” James Macharia, cabinet secretary, transport, explains. Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the regulator of the country’s airspace, has been at the center of making these steps.

According to the authority’s Director General, Capt. Gilert Kibe explains what the US federation was looking for. Apparently, there were four steps that took place in order to ensure that Kenya ran a safe, efficient and secure civil aviation oversight system

According to Jonny Andersen, the MD, Kenya Airport Authority, the Jomo Kenyatta Airport is a safe place where they are always coming up with measures to ensure it remains just that for the passengers.

In Seattle city, Washington State in the US, is the headquarters of Boeing commercial airplanes; the source of the 787 Dreamliner planes.

These planes are preferred for nonstop flights such as the one to New York. The CHAMS media team visited here in an effort to get the feel of what it would be like for those taking this nonstop flight.

All this just shows how much Kenya’s tourism sector is going to benefit by the end of the day. Najib Balala, Cabinet secretary tourism, believes that since the US is our main source market, there will be a 20% increase or more into our economy.

This flight has been the blessing everyone has been hoping for. Businessmen have already taken this opportunity to make something out of it. Java House for example, East Africa’s largest coffee chain, will serve its coffee on board.

Apart from that, those on board the most talked about flight will receive a special amenities bag made by Sandstorm Kenya, based in Karen, Nairobi.

For Kenya, this is going to be the blessing we have all been praying for. It is the opportunity for economic growth that will ensure our country develops to greater heights even in the near future. Thus, by the end of the day, it is quite clear that as a country, Kenya is going places!

Over the years, Kenya has been identified as a hotbed of talent and innovation and this has been confirmed to be true from all the developments and achievements that the country has made. Among these achievements is the growth within the film industry.

Needless to say, Kenyans nowadays are frequenting the cinemas for a taste of local creations made by resilient filmmakers.

The industry has a buzz around it, with new content being developed each and every single day, a clear indication that the country is developing rapidly.

The Chamwada Report focused on resilient filmmakers in Kenya today. Considering that it is the Kalasha International awards season, this show could not come at a better time.

On 1st September this year, Kenyan filmmakers bagged six awards out of the 8 categories they had been nominated for at the Africa’s biggest Film stage ‘Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA)’ in Nigeria.

Dennis Maina is one of the filmmakers who scooped an award for the category of Best Documentary award for his documentary ‘The Flesh Business.’

He explains that his story was motivated by the plight that women are faced with that leads to them opting to sell their bodies. Thanks to his story, the women featured even went back to school and stopped what they had been indulging in.

Phoebe Ruguru is yet another producer of a film that won three awards during the AMVCA i.e. 1800hrs.  Thanks to an inspiration that Kevin Njue, their playwright, had, they made the film come to life. The film took the market by storm as it related to what a common Kenyan citizen can go through.

What all these film makers agree is that for the film industry to grow, several policies must be adhered to. In order to come up with a film, there exists challenges that all these filmmakers agree they have been faced with. Albert Kimani, former actor of Tahidi High agrees that before, the pay was meager.

However, there have been strides within the industry and thus as at now, people are earning huge sums of money thanks to the film industry.

All these film makers explain that there indeed is potential within the industry.  However, why would they believe that the government is holding them back?

KFCB chief executive Dr. Ezekiel Mutua who has been at the centre of shaping the Kenyan film industry says that what is killing the industry is simple: 'multiplicity of licenses.'

However, it is clear that the future of the film industry is not bleak. As long as the private and public sector invest in the industry, then the value in so doing will be noticed.

Still in the spirit of promoting film industry in Kenya, Alex Chamwada, the CEO of Chams Media, was nominated for the category of Best Host in a TV show during the Kalasha Film and TV awards.  The story that made him get nominated is the story on Drone Regulation in Kenya.

Knowing that you, our viewers, always look forward to watching his shows i.e. The Chamwada Report and Daring Abroad, this is the time to support him.

To vote click on the link:

https://goo.gl/forms/pMoXl6NwyoKBND2a2

That being said, let us support the film industry by watching our local content!

The Chamwada Report this week focuses on Kenyan film. To celebrate the resilience of Kenyan filmmakers and highlight the challenges the industry is facing as well as the role of consumers and the government.

The theme of the show is in line with the great success of Kenyan filmmakers who were feted on 1st September 2018 when they bagged 6 awards in the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards AMVCA ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Kenyan film industry was nominated in eight categories including the best overall film in Africa which Kenya won.

“I think we did very well because we were competing in eight categories including the best overall film,” said David Maina, a Kenyan creative content developer.

“And it was the first time as a country that we got so much attention and we made our footprint in Africa.”

Kenya bagged big awards including the best overall movie (Phoebe Ruguru) and best indigenous language movie (Sanka Hemi) for Supa Modo, among others.

In the show today, Elijah Mwangi sits down with some of the filmmakers who open up to share the stories behind their success, the challenges and why Kenyans have begun to consume more locally produced content.

Phoebe Ruguru, a film director, says challenges in this industry start from pre-production preparations where finances are needed to fund a particular project as investors question the financial viability of the same. So what are they doing?

The filmmakers say it is high time the industry was seen as a business as opposed to just an entertainment alone where passion is not enough.

But despite all the challenges, the Kenyan film industry is on a positive trajectory. It has grown in leaps and bounds as Kenyans begin to consume local content. The show discusses some of the factors that have promoted the demand for local movies and how these finances help bolster the industry.

“I would call it a revolution happening in terms of how Kenyans are receiving Kenyan content irrespective of the challenges that might be there,” said Kevin Njue, a Kenyan film producer.

Ezekiel Mutua from the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), also discusses the role of government in harnessing the potential of Kenyan film. He says the industry, like any other, demands for equal treatment.

“We understand what is killing the industry is the multiplication of licenses, you get one from KFCB, and then you are asked for another, yet a lawyer with a national license can represent a client anywhere...treat filmmakers equally,” he told The Chamwada Report.

Catch more interesting and informative interviews on The Chamwada Report show tonight on KTN News channel at 8:30pm brought to you by Elijah Mwangi.
You can also join the conversation via our digital platforms using the hash tag #ResilientFilmMakers.

ONGATA RONGAI- In Kenya today, poultry farming has grown to be recognized as a financial boost in the lives of farmers. However, many issues to do with the poultry industry standards have been raised over the years due to the increased rate of poultry farming in Kenya.

One wonders whether these standards are being upheld by the many poultry farmers in existence today.

On The Chamwada Report program this week, we continued the series on better care of animals, this time with focus on chicken. And we base our story on two farmers in Ongata Rongai; the first being Margaret Wambua, a resident of Kandisi in Ongata Rongai.

She quit formal employment and decided to venture fully into poultry farming. She has been doing this for four years now.

Also Read: How to take good care of a dog, man's best friend

“I started with 200 chicken using a startup capital of Ksh. 60000,” she says, “Now, I have a total of 1700 broilers.”

DISEASE CONTROL

Disease control is key during chicken rearing; that is why there is need to have a foot bag at the entrance of a poultry farm. More so, a chicken’s room should be built up to three feet tall where there should be a wire mesh till the roof top.

If these standards are not met, the results of the yields will be quite poor and many losses will be experienced.

Caroline Ndung’u is another poultry farmer within Rongai. She started in 2015 where she only had chicken they used for household consumption.

Later on, thanks to good advice by a friend, she got a farm and started keeping 300 layers. With time, she got 300 broilers and from this, she grew to handle up to 6000 broilers.

ANIMAL PROTECTION

Experts claim that Kenya is headed in the right direction when it comes to adhering to policies and standards on poultry. However, there is still room for improvement.

Dr.Victor Oyamo, World Animal Protection Manager in charge of animals and farming claims we are not very far from the best performing countries in the globe.

“My assessment is that we are not very far from the rest of the globe… we are almost where the industry is supposed to be.”

Just like any other animal, chicken must be taken care of. They also have rights and freedoms that ought to be followed at all times. Questions on feeds, feed prices, vaccination, right market and diseases these poultry encounter are very important to observe.

Related Story: Hydroponic farming- how to grow crops without using soil

What ought to be used sparingly and only when needed is antibiotics. Many poultry farmers misuse antibiotics on these birds and it is wrong.

Dr. Joshua Onono, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi explains that animal handling is very much necessary.

“Even when you transport these birds poorly, when you will take them to slaughter, the quality of the meat will be poor and thus won’t fetch the higher price,” he explains.
By the end of the day, one should understand that how you handle a bird will determine how it handles you!

 

Lavender Amunga contributed to this review. You can reach her via lavenderamunga@gmail.com