45 subjects with 50 messages.
The AfricaNews articles of Peris
Meru: Fear still present among displaced
Most of the victims and potential witnesses in the Kenya's 2007 post election violence, have started expressing their fear of revenge come the next general elections in the year 2012. The Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) who fled in Meru for safety, said they are still looking for a peaceful place since Meru is also not safe for them come 2012. - Speaking to Voices Of Africa in an exclusive interview, some of the IDPs also said that their lives would be in danger if they ever gave any evidence of the perpetrators. This happened just after the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo visited Kenya two months ago and appointed some of his staff to investigate th…Solar-powered phones make life easier
Access to mobile phone in rural Kenya was recently made cheaper and more attractive for the low-income peasants. Safaricom Company has introduced solar-powered mobile phones that not only cost little money but also put an end to long journeys and waiting time for electrical charging. - An average electricity-powered phone costs around Ksh 2,500 but the newly introduced, solar-powered ones cost only around Ksh 2,000. Moreover, instead of paying Ksh20 every two or three days to charge the battery, the owner of the solar phone will make no extra expenses on the phone. Also, they are reachable in the night, as they no longer have to switch their phones off to spare energy.
Safaricom introduce…Meru: School gets administration block
The staff of the Ndekero primary school in Meru, Kenya has now a brand new administration block thanks to the funding by a Dutch charity, Mesics. The founder, Dirk Kamp, who recently inaugurated the block, has involved himself in uplifting education and other revenue-generating projects for the last eleven years. - This latest developments follows the completion of schools, which certainly and greatly contribute to the government’s effort to provide free education for all. A Ndekero primary school official said that these efforts by Mesics have borne their fruits, as better results are being booked by the children.Kenya: Charity announces new hospital plans
Due to lack of clean water or good sanitation people living in Ruiri, Meru, Kenya are at high risk of falling ill. The current and growing crisis faced by most families here, is poverty which means not enough money to provide the basic needs. And for a family in Ruiri money to cater for their health needs is the biggest problem since there's no health center around. - The closest health centre is St. Theresa which is 12km away .This can only be reached in a very crowded public service vehicle(matatu) through uncomfortable and rough roads.
The Mesics Foundation with its offices in The Netherlands and has been funding several projects in Kenya, has now proposed to address the matter by esta…Foundation stone laid for Meru hospital
It was known that a hospital was going to come, but these were only words until a few days ago, when Dirk Kamp, a Dutch philanthropist laid down the foundation stone for the hospital. Kamp is the founder of Mesics, a charity whose presence in Meru, Kenya, has changed the lives of many. - Meru inhabitants are relieved. In a few months, they will not have to travel distances. Pregnant women will walk and other urgent cases will be handled more quickly. This mobile report shows the foundation stone ceremonyMeru: Demands for tents high as Christmas comes
Christmas is still a month away but private people and organizations in Meru, Kenya, are rushing to book tents and chairs for their parties. In fact, the mode in which people organize parties in Meru has really improved due to the introduction of tents and chairs business. Tents are mostly used when the event is conducted in open air to prevent people from direct sunlight, rains and strong winds thus making people calm until the end of the ceremony. - The business was started by a group of women with the aid of MESICS, a charity based in Holland through the women department in the Catholic Church(Meru Diocese) led by Sr.Gemma Kathure. The group consisting of 100 has tremendously increased th…Meru: Info campaign underway as Swine Flu hits
Swine flu viruses have been recently reported in Meru,Kenya for the last 2 months. According to the area District Disease Surveillance Coordinator(DDSC) Mr. David Gitonga,the disease was first reported on 21 September and those in boarding primary and secondary schools are at high risk . - The coordinator said that out of the 22 specimen taken from 3 different schools last month,11 turned positive hence being a threat to parents and teachers. The virus is believed to spread very fast in the region especially in the clustered areas. David said that they are trying to educate the public on the virus by offering various booklets on H1N1 and introduction of health education in schools.
̵…Needy Kenyans receive seeds and fertilizer
Farmers in Meru and surrounding areas are receiving seeds and fertilizers to start their farming season after months of drought and food insecurity. This move is part of the government’s decision to reduce reliance on international donations by enhancing local food production. - For the past 2 years, there was a food decline mainly due to low production of food crops owing to the disruption of Agricultural activities during post election chaos, unfavorable weather and high cost of Agricultural inputs particularly seeds and fertilizer. Also the failure of short rains last year and this year has resulted to an acute food shortage especially maize.
As a first step the Government has s…Just a male and a female to start business
Pig rearing in rural Kenya is a profitable business even in these times of financial crisis. These animals seem to be resistant and very practical, as they eat whatever they are offered. On the other side, they sell well and, once one has a male and a female, they reproduce quickly. - According to Mutiria one of the pig farmers Meru, Kenya, among the challenges that the current food and financial crises have caused food shortages. This mobile report shows Mutiria in his farm.Kenya: How museum guard turned tree planter
Born in Barragu village, Gatimbi division, Imenti central District in Meru Kenya, John was working in Meru museum before he resigned after he was accused of being a witch due to his courageous act of catching snakes, chameleons and later taking them to the museum. It's due to his great interest of taking reptiles to the museum that he landed for a job in the museum as a guard and it is for the same reason that he had quit that job some years later. - After calling it off as a museum guard, John had a passion of indulging in tree,flower and fruit planting for sale to up keep his family's needs. He then started working tirelessly on his 21/2 acres piece of land by preparing tree, flower and fr…Primary school raises hopes in Meru
The extent to which education has expanded in Meru, Kenya , is amply demonstrated by the number of schools constructed by Dirk Kam the president of Mesics Foundation with its offices in the Netherlands. Mesics, which is an abbreviation of Mens Sana In Corpore Sano means 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. - Despite involving itself in funding women projects across Meru,the foundation has also uplifted men projects like establishment of primary schools, petrol stations among others. By construction of learning institutions, the foundation has so far raised the level of literacy hence fighting poverty and immorality in the area. Schools are now made available to residents without hustling and …Microcredit changes lives in rural Kenya
Microcredit in Meru, Kenya, is one of the projects funded by Mesics Foundation, a charity based in the Netherlands, aiming at promoting women who have already indulged in various income-generating projects but are financially unstable. This project also aims at encouraging Meru women to work an extra mile and be self reliance thus stabilizing their basic needs independently. - The foreign aid that comes through sister Gemma Kathure also the coordinating sister in the women department in the Catholic Church Meru Diocese,has boosted Meru residents to a higher level especially a time like now other parts of the country are facing starvation. Due to adequate water supply in the area, a tremendo…Peasants relieved as hospital comes nearer
The Nazareth Sisters in Meru Kenya,are proposing to address the issue of health problems faced by residents through establishment of a health center in Ruiri. The clinic which is hoped to be constructed on a piece of land owned by the Nazareth Sisters is aiming at promoting improved standard of living for the local community through a healthy lifestyle and effective disease management. - Climate change, economic crisis and lack of access to education are today's phrases to account for most African problems. In areas like Ruiri in Meru Kenya, these are facts of daily living and NOT mere words. Severe drought and famine have led to crop failures and death of livestock which in turn have led to…Meru: Maize mill fosters food security
Food security has been fostered in the last three years in Meru, Kenya following the installation of a maze mill that has contributed to the lowering of prices, while generating jobs and incomes for locals. Saint Catherine Catholic Women Association millers and hullers was started by a group of 200 women, in the year 2006 with an aim of producing the cheapest and healthiest maize meal products in the Meru region. - According to the group’s chairperson Christine Muriungi, these women started the construction in the year 2005 with at least Ksh 70,000. Through the Catholic church, especially the women department led by sister Gemma Kathure, the group was sponsored by MESICS, a charity bas…Kenya: Bush fire as soil fertilizer
Bush fires in rural Kenya are still common especially during the sunny season. The belief is that fire and ashes fertilize the soil pending the next season. That practice has been going on for ages but no awareness campaign has so far been conducted to encourage or discourage that practice. - This mobile report shows more about bush fires in MeruKenya: Protecting soils against erosion
Many Kenyans in rural area have undertaken to protect their fields against erosions that take soils away and leave only infertile rocks behind. Beside tree planting, pitches have become a popular practice, especially in the Meru area. - In this mobile report, farmers explain more about that practice.Tree planting in rural Kenya
Trees are mainly used in rural Kenya for construction and carpentry. However in recent years, trees have proven to have other values. Locals have understood that their water resources are better protected when the place is covered with trees. - Rainfall run-off forested land much slowly than on the cleared land. Trees help in improving the climate also. If planted in dry areas, they protect soil from wind erosion, increase the amount of rainfall, prevent excessive evaporation from bare land and also add moisture to the atmosphere thus modifying humidity conditions. Trees are also very pleasant for picnic walks and other out door activities and if they are associated with lakes the y make exc…Kenya: Firewood still most used for cooking
At least 95 percent of Kenyans living in the rural areas use wood as the major source of fuel in cooking, heating and also providing light. However the proportion of wood used as fuel differs very much in different parts of the world depending on other availability of other types of fuel. African continent consumes lot of timber and wood as domestic fuel. - This is partly because a lot of developing countries enable many people to use kerosene, gas or electricity rather than wood as a major domestic fuel. Other countries have ample supplies of coal and gas hence using very little timber for fuel. European countries, North America and Japan use little wood for fuel though the pattern is not u…Radio batteries in rural Kenya
Many Kenyans rely batteries to operation that radio transistors and it is not always easy to buy new cells. It is a common practice to recharge once or three times dry cells by laying then outside under the sun. When they are completely flat, they simply thrown away into the pit, like other ordinary household wastes. - Normally, these cells are not meant to be recharged and after use they are supposed to be disposed away. There is still no better way of disposal given by the producer to the consumer on how to dispose their dry cells after use .So what the consumer does when the dry cells have no more power is recharging the cells under direct sunlight and re-using them once again.
If the…Kenya: Vice President warns media
Kenya's vice president honorable Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has with due respect begged the media people to stop talking ill of their leaders and instead cover interesting and helpful news to the public. Little did he know that news is bad news Speaking in Mitunguu catholic church in Meru during a fund raising ceremony, Kalonzo accused the media for criticizing the 10th parliament instead of adding some encouragement. - He said that the media is too much on the negative side while lot of good things are happening in Kenya. The vice president was in the company of the area member of parliament and also the minister for Energy Honorable Kiraitu Murungi,his neighbouring MP Silas Muriuki and other …Peris: End of Training testimonial
I joined the Voices of Africa mobile reporting project in October 2008.Since then my life have never been the same again. In the project i have learnt how approach people for interviews,how to make videos and also how to write reports. - Through voices of Africa also i was able to fly to the Netherlands not for fun but to attend a Global Media Forum in Bonn,Germany. In the forum i got a chance to interact with my colleagues from Ghana ,Cameroon and other world wide reporters. THANK YOU TO THE VOICES OF AFRICA FOR GIVING ME THIS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY!!Preventing conflicts using media
The Deutsche Welle (DW) Global Media Forum kicked off on 3rd- 5th June 2009 in Bonn, Germany for a second time after its invention last year. The Deutsche Welle Managing Director Mr. Erik Betterman officially opened the conference. The main theme of the forum was conflict prevention in the multimedia age. - How can the media personalities, reporters, broadcasters, newscasters and camera crews use their training techniques in preventing violence and fights amongst our communities, countries, continents and in the whole world. In the conference centre, journalists through various discussions tried to come up with solutions to challenges most of the media organizations face in their day to day …Peris Wairimu: This is where I come from
I was born not far from Meru, central Kenya, and that is where I grew up and received my education. That is where I am reporting from. - This report shows you my house, my parents and the primary school I attended.
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