Mojatu berkhire magazine b027

Berkshire connected

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Mental Health: Let’s Talk About It Sudanese Reading Community Heartburn: Causes & Relief Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Is she worthy the prize?

Utulivu AGM & 2017 Annual Report: p12-15

HELP & ACTIONS

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Female GenitalFacts Mutilation

FGM – FACTS, HELP & ACTIONS

Ed

Hell Hist • FGM is any procedure that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital insp organs for non-medical reasons. rece • FGM has been illegal in England and Wales since 1985.

Mon is p • FGM is a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls.

Tran Facts enco • bloo • FGM is any procedure that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital •organs FGMfor is Non-Islamic, against the teachings of Islam and brings Islam into disrepute. of th non-medical reasons.

FGM putting theinhealth ofand ourWales daughters, sisters, mothers and wives at great risk. othe • •FGM hasisbeen illegal England since 1985. of ‘I • •FGM is a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls.

A lo • • Over 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM cele orga • •FGM is Non-Islamic, against the teachings of Islam and brings Islam into disrepute.

10,000 girls aged under 15 who have migrated to England and Wales are likely to have undergone F toge • •FGM is putting the about health 200 of ournew daughters, mothers and wives at great risk.

Statistics show cases asisters, year are recorded in Nottingham including childrenand un Afric • Farm • Over 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM brin • 10,000 girls aged under 15 who have migrated to England and Wales are likely to have undergone FGM. pho drew • Statistics show about 200 new cases a year are recorded in Nottingham including children under 18 Are you concerned a girl or woman is at risk or need support?

Afric In th Van Join the Community FGM Steering Group: Contact us Help telli Are For youemotional concerned&a peer girl orsupport woman for is at risk or need support? join the FGM Survivor’s club: Contact survivors in Nottingham, Wayu Refer survivors needing medical attention to FGM medical specialist in Nottingham: Contact usDo Join the Community FGM Steering Group: Contact us avai Drop in sessions at at Mojatu Offices 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR: Contact us thei For emotional & peer support for survivors in Nottingham, join the FGM Survivor’s club: Contact us on h Call survivors 0808 028 350 for a 24/7attention anonymous helpline or email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk Refer needing medical to FGMFGM medical specialist in Nottingham: Contact us you CallinNottingham Council Children and Road, Families Direct: 0115 876 Contact 4800 us peo Drop sessions at atCity Mojatu Offices 167 Alfreton Nottingham, NG7 3JR: hosti Call 0808 350 for 24/7ifanonymous FGMhappened helpline or email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk Ring the028 police ona999 FGM has just or about to happen We Call Nottingham City Council Children and Families Direct: 0115 876 4800 supp Ring the police on 999 if FGM has just happened or about to happen Serv imp

Help

Actions

To help end FGM and support survivors, join one of our campaigns or projects Actions FGM Club • Volunteer with us To help•end FGMSurvivors and support survivors, join one of our campaigns or projects FGM Steering Group • •FGM Survivors Club

• ‘Adopt • Volunteer with usa tree’ project

• •FGM Steering Group of Change FGM Champions

• ‘Adopt•a Donate tree’ project to support our work

• •FGM Champions of Change Request for training

• Donate support our • toFundraise towork support our work • Fundraise to support our work

• Request for training

For more information, contact Mojatu Foundation

For more information, contact Mojatu Foundation Phone: 01158457009 Mobile: 07794372214 Phone: 01158457009 Mobile: 07794372214 Email: valentine@mojatu.com Website: www.mojatufoundation.org Email: valentine@mojatu.com Website: www.mojatufoundation.org

Vale Ema

Ed

Editor Editor’s Welcome

Hello and welcome to our special Black History issue MO26. the HelloMonth and welcome to We theshare latest al inspirational stories ofMojatu two unsung heroes issue of Berkshire Magazine, recently recognised Black History the first in 2018,during B027.the This bumper Month 5). Mojatu issue 2017(P4 covers &contents onFoundation mental is health, partneringcommunity with the NHS Blood and groups in Transplant to raise awareness and ReadingDonation and the great work of encourage more blackgroup. peopleRead to donate Utulivu Women’s all about the work the blood this black groups history Month.

See details community are doing in addressing mental ute. ofhealth th the upcoming event on8.28This October(P6).

Do noton miss out on in pages 4 to includes issues female upcoming Black History eventsin include theyou screening genital mutilation (FGM)Month and ways which can risk. other ofparticipate ‘I am Not Your

by Communities Inc wellbeing (P6- 13). of our inNegro’ the mental health and See the community excellent work Utulivu Women A communities. lot of exciting summer outreach, engagement, has been doing their annualevents reportand and photos celebrations and through health promotion activities all from page to 15. Ellenbrought Johnsonmany Sirleaf, the former organised in the12community diverse people ndergone FGM. thisofyear president Liberian hasfocussing been awarded the Mo Ibrahim together mainly on celebrating diversity prize.

Is18 she worth it… read it all in pages 18-19? enabling community integration (p14-20).

The annual childrenand under African Farm Festival (formally known as Kenya in the With our media and journalism work, by Day Anthony Farm)

by Mojatu Foundation bigger better this year Wafula and Mendi Njonjowas asks, is itand time to rethink bringing over 700 people together(p15-17). philanthropy journalism in East Africa? Check out also . photos exciting Hysonand Green Cultural Festival Your from usualthedish of food health article is which also drew artists far asand Denmark (P19) and theburning inaugural 18 served in from pagesas20-21 we explore those African Cornerofatheartburn the Nottingham questions withCarnival(P20). the 11 foods that can heartburn?

In cause this issue we cover an interview with Cameron Thibos and We alsoKisuule feature stories of local businesses andthrough community Vanessa on countering xenophobia storygroups including Greenarch Services telling(P21).

In our Health and FoodBusiness section we share 22(GBS), Simple : Contact usVictor by Asentha; Kararwa Leukaemia Trust Ways to Get and Healthier With Kevin Minimum Effort(P24-25).

by Veronica Kararwa, whoseand aimjobis opportunities to Educate not forget to check out training ontact usDo(KKLT) and Create Awareness of Blood Cancers including available in the city(P27-30). Nottinghamshire Police opened ct us their Sickle Cell Anaemia and encourage black and recruitment in September 2017. See morepeople information other minority groups to register on the bone marrow on how you can get involved and contact them(p28-29).

Have uk registers in UK as these groups are underrepresented. you ever considered becoming a firefighter, a chance to save people’s lives?

Nottinghamshire & Rescuecontents Service will There are lots more fun and Fire informative andbe hosting a series awareness days in will Nottingham(P32). we not only believe that you enjoy the magazine youtowill alsoallbeour able to give readers, us feedback on your Webut wish thank esteemed advertisers and views andforhow we can serve better. supporters yourbest engagement and you support over the years!

Serving our communities, sharing inspirational stories and Happy Reading! Cecily Mwaniki important information is one of the things we pride ourselves in!

Managing Editor: Mojatu magazines Valentine Nkoyo - Managing Editor: Mojatu magazines Email: news@mojatu.com Email: valentine@mojatu.com

Editorial

Editorial

Group Editor: Frank Kamau – frank@mojatu.com Managing Editor: info@cmnetwork.co.uk Graphic Design: Robert Borbely Contributors: Kris Gunnars | Cecily Mwaniki | Jammie Koroma | Mary Juan Pierino | Valentine Nkoyo | Lilian Mshila | Simon Allison | Wafula IT / Social Media: Daniel Ibinimion Photos: Robert Borbely Accounts: John Gordon - accounts@mojatu.com Admin: Penny Cooper - penny@mojatu.com Sales & Marketing / Community Engagement: Abdoulie Jah - jah@mojatu.com Kevin Price - kevin.price@mojatu.com Edwin Ubah - eddy@mojatu.com

Contents News & Sports Mental Health: Let’s Talk About It............................. 4-5 Mental Health First Aid Champion........................... 6-7 Mental Health legal protection..................................... 8 An analysis of the Tackling FGM Initiative report... 7

Community Another Powerful Women’s Group..................... 10-11 Positive Parenting: The Role of a Mother.................11 Utulivu Women’s Group Annual Report............ 12-15 Reading Sudanese Community .......................... 16-17 Is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf worthy $5M prize?...... 18-19

Arts & Culture Philanthropy journalism in East Africa............... 21-22

Health & Food 11 foods that can cause heartburn..................... 22-23

Business & Finance Greenarch Business Services........................................24 Out Of Bitter Lemons Comes Lemonade.................25

Education & Career What is it about writing?................................................26

Cover

Mary Juan Pierino

Mojatu Foundation Disclaimer The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors, omissions, nor can we accept responsibility for the advertisements or editorial contributions.

News & Comments: news@mojatu.com Non Executive Directors / Trustees: Finance: Angela Wathoni - angela@mojatu.com Marketing: Dr. Tabani Ndlovu - sales@mojatu.com Getting the magazine Online @ www.mojatu.com/magazines Subscription @ £24 per year including postage subs@mojatu.com Address: Utulivu Women’s Group, 555 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 8NXT 0118 907 2534 | 0785 9063643 | 07516 962992 Facebook: www.facebook.com/mojatu Twitter: www.twitter.com/mojatumagazine Printers: Mojatu Publications

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News & Sports

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Mental Health: Let’s Talk About It. - By Cecily Mwaniki According to t he U.K . su rge o n ge n e ra l (1999), ment al healt h is th e su cce ssfu l p er fo r mance of m e nta l fu n c tio n , result ing in pro du c tive a c tiv itie s, fulfilling relat ionsh ips with o th e r p eo ple, and prov id in g th e a bil it y to adapt to c h a n ge a n d co p e wit h adver sit y.

Acco rd in g to t he Wo rld Hea l th O rga n iz atio n ( WHO), ment al h e a l th in cl u d e s “subjec t ive we l l -b e in g, p e rce ive d se l f- e ffic a c y, autono my, co m p e te n ce, inte r- ge n e ratio n a l dep endence, and se l f-a c tu a l iz atio n of o n e’s intellec t ual and e m o tio n a l p o te ntia l, a m o n g o th e rs. Th e WHO fur t her st ate s th at th e we l l -b e in g o f a n in d iv id u a l is enco mpassed in th e re a l iz atio n o f th e ir a bil itie s, coping wit h no r m a l stre sse s o f l ife, pro d u c tive wo rk and cont r ibut ion to th e ir co m m u n it y. Howeve r, Cu l tu ra l differences, subjec t ive ass e ssm e nts, a n d co m p e tin g pro fe ssio n a l t heor ies all affec t how “menta l h e a l th” is d e fin e d.

The term mental illness refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders—health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behaviour associated with distress or impaired functioning. A person struggling with their mental health may experience this because of stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, death of a loved one, suicidal thoughts, grief, addiction, ADHD, various mood disorders, or other mental illnesses of varying degrees, as well as learning disabilities.

What does this mean to our communities?

A community is a group of people who share something. That something may be religion, culture, government or any combination of the three.

Below are some of the responses given by a group of volunteers in our diverse communities who contribute their advice based on their experience living with or caring for someone with mental health.

1. “Mental Illness Awareness means recognizing that mental illness is as real as any physical illness.”

2. “It means recognizing that mental illness affects not only the individual, but everyone from friends and families to entire communities, no matter how big or small.”

3. “It means educating people on what mental illness means, how to prevent it, and to remove the stigma about it.’’

4. “To be sensitive and knowledgeable about brain diseases. To advocate for mental health by being against stigma and prejudice.”

5. “Mental illness awareness means bringing down the walls of stigma by sharing our experiences, stories, and truths. It means educating others on what mental illness REALLY is, and helping those with illnesses know they are not alone.”

6. “Mental health awareness means that we’re not only acknowledging that mental health is important, but we’re talking about it, putting it out there so that people who feel too much can get the help they need too.”

7. “Awareness is the acceptance and understanding of something, in part or whole. It means learning about mental illness and being familiar with the vernacular of the movement. It means accepting the medical nature of it and not asking that people ‘get over it,’ when the solution is much more complex. At its finest, awareness also involves advocacy.”

8. “It means teaching others about what it really means to have a mental illness. It’s more than what you see on the news and how it’s portrayed in the media.”

9. “Mental illness awareness for me is being comfortable talking about my mental health without the fear of being judged for it. It’s less stigma and less hatred towards those with mental illness.”

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Berkshire connected 10. “It means the knowledge that mental disorders are not illusions formed by one’s brain due to boredom or lack of personality. It means the understanding of the fact that depression is difficult to conquer. It means the ability to appreciate the effort of living and caring. It means all of those things and better, yet it means the difficulty of faking a smile and going through the day without complaining.”

11. “Educating people to reduce stigma and improve quality of life for those with mental illness and their families.”

12. “I have always believed the meaning of stigma is the lack of understanding of the unknown. With making it more aware will lessen the fear people have of Mental Health Diseases.”

13. “It means to educate myself to the extent that I can separate the person from the illness.”

14. “Mental illness awareness means acceptance and love rather than judgement and shame; it means an end to the stigma and the beginning of hope.”

According to the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition, the word “communities” has been used in the English language since the 14th century to refer to groups of people within a district who share characteristics and a sense of identity. As such, they always work together to ensure the safe and welfare of each other—this is what we would call their wellbeing. The concept of community has also now expanded to include virtual communities, which are defined as groups of people who interact via communication media rather than face-to-face.

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Communities are known to have always worked together for their wellbeing including mental health. For example, in the mid-19th century, William Sweetser was the first to coin the term “mental hygiene”, which can be seen as the precursor to contemporary approaches to work on promoting positive mental health. Isaac Ray, one of the founders and the fourth president of the American Psychiatric Association, further defined mental hygiene as “the art of preserving the mind against all incidents and influences calculated to deteriorate its qualities, impair its energies, or derange its movements.

Another key important figure in the development of ‘mental hygiene’ movement was Dorothea Dix (1802–1887). Dix was a school teacher who endeavoured throughout her life to help people with mental disorders, and to bring to light the deplorable conditions into which they were put.

Before this movement, it was not uncommon that people affected by mental illness in the 19th century would be considerably neglected, often left alone in deplorable conditions, barely even having sufficient clothing.

Today we see our communities carry on the ‘mental hygiene’ work started all those years ago in many different ways and as we have heard the responses from the volunteers of our diverse communities, it is important that they are well supported to better promote the mental hygiene of our communities.

One of the ways to support their work is equipping them with the right trainings and one that has been highly recommended is the Mental Health First Aid which Berkshire Health Foundation Trust (BHFT) can provide. Please contact Cecily.mwaniki@berkshire. nhs.uk for how to access it.

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News & Sports

Adult MHFA Be A Mental Health First Aid Champion For Our Communities’ Wellbeing.

Sometimes first aid is not a bandage, CPR or calling 999, sometimes first aid is ‘YOU’. Mental Health First Aid is as important as physical Health First Aid. Just remember, you may be someone’s only chance. As Physical First Aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, Mental Health First Aid is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved.

It therefore prevents mental ill health, helps in crisis, promotes wellness. The following are four good reasons to become a Mental Health First Aider.

Be Prepared: When Mental Health crisis happens, know what to do Mental Health is common; 1in 5 adults in any given year will experience mental ill health.

You Can Help; People with mental ill health often suffer alone.

You Care; Be there for a friend, family member, or a colleague.

Please see the leaflet below on how to become a MHFA champion to ensure our communities’ wellbeing.

Mental Health First Aid starts with you

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Learn more at mhfaengland.org

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What is Mental Health First Aid? Berkshire connected Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised course What is Mental Health training First Aid? which teaches people how to spot the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)illishealth an signs and symptoms of mental internationally recognised course and provide help on a first training aid basis. which teaches people how to spot the MHFA won’t teach you to be a illtherapist, signs and symptoms of mental health but just like physical first will teach and provide help on a firstaid, aiditbasis. you to listen, reassure and respond, even MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, in a crisis. but just like physical first aid, it will teach Adult everyone you toMHFA listen, courses reassureare andfor respond, even aged 16 upwards.

Every MHFA course is in a crisis. delivered by a quality assured instructor Adult MHFA courses for everyone who has attended ourare Instructor Training aged 16 upwards.

EverybyMHFA course is programme accredited the Royal delivered a quality assured Society forbyPublic Health, and instructor is trained who haspeople attended Instructor Training to keep safeour and supported while programme accredited by the Royal they learn.

Society for Public Health, and is trained to keepwill people safe and supported while What I learn? they learn.

Learning takes place through a mix of group activities, What will I learn?presentations and discussions. What you learn will depend Learning takesof place through a mix on the length course you attend: of group activities, presentations and discussions.

What you learn willAiders depend Two Day - Mental Health First on the length of course you attend: A practical skills and awareness course designed to give you: Two Day - Mental Health First Aiders − A deeperskills understanding of mental A practical and awareness course health and theyou: factors that can affect designed to give people’s wellbeing, including your own − A deeper understanding of mental − health Practical skills spot the and and theto factors thattriggers can affect signs of mental health issues people’s wellbeing, including your own − to to step in,the reassure and − Confidence Practical skills spot triggers and support a person in distress signs of mental health issues

− skills such − Enhanced Confidenceinterpersonal to step in, reassure andas non-judgemental support a person listening in distress − to help someone − Knowledge Enhanced interpersonal skills recover such as their health by guiding them non-judgemental listening to appropriate support − Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to appropriate support

MHFA England™ © 2017 MHFA. All rights reserved.

MHFA England™ © 2017 MHFA. All rights reserved.

One Day - MHFA Champions 7 News & Sports An awareness and skills course which will teach you to: One Day - MHFA Champions − andwhich symptoms AnRecognise awarenessthe andmain skillssigns course will of common mental health issues teach you to: − initial − Provide Recognise thesupport main signs and symptoms common mental healthappropriate issues − of Guide a person towards professional help − Provide initial support − − −

Be mindful of your own wellbeing Guide a person towards appropriate professional help Develop an understanding of how you create and maintain a healthier − can Be mindful of your own wellbeing workforce or community − Develop an understanding of how you can create and maintain Half Day - MHFA Aware a healthier or community Anworkforce introductory course designed to increase mental health awareness Halfgive Dayan - MHFA Aware of how to and understanding An introductory course look after wellbeing anddesigned challengetostigma. increase mental health awareness When you your course and give ancomplete understanding of howyou to will get a certificate of attendance look after wellbeing and challenge and stigma. an MHFA manual to keep and refer to When youyou complete your course you whenever need it. will get a certificate of attendance and an MHFA to keep and refer to How will manual attending an MHFA whenever you need it. course help?

Research evaluation How willand attending an shows MHFAthat taking part in an MHFA course: course help? − Raises awareness and mental Research and evaluation shows that taking health literacy part in an MHFA course: − stigma around mental ill health − Reduces Raises awareness and mental − health Boostsliteracy knowledge and confidence in dealing mental health issues − Reduceswith stigma around mental ill health − Boosts Promotes early intervention which in − knowledge and confidence enables recovery dealing with mental health issues − Promotes early intervention which To learn more or book a course, enables recovery please contact: To learn more or book a course, cecily.mwaniki@berkshire.nhs.uk please contact: cecily.mwaniki@berkshire.nhs.uk

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News & Sports

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Why focus on mental health service provision and legal protection of those at risk?- by Valentine Nkoyo Following our work and support for FGM survivors and affected communities in Nottingham and beyond, we have continued to come across the complex issues affecting survivors. Even though each survivor’s story is different and are affected differently, there are key issues that continue to be reported. Key issues include, difficulty accessing appropriate services that respond to their specific needs, fear for the safety of their children, stress/ depression and other forms of mental health issues and access to further studies or training opportunities among others.

Following one to one meetings and discussions with survivors and members of the Community FGM Steering Group, two key issues were chosen to be addressed today- mental health service provision and legal protection for girls and women at risk.

I will now share some of the accounts shared by survivors and their concerns. No real names will be used to protect the identity of the survivors.

Survivor A. “I was cut at the age of 9, this is the worst thing that could ever happen to a child like me and I still remember everything that happened that morning.

After healing, part of me thought that was the end of it.

When I became pregnant, that was the start of a painful journey. I did not know where to go for help. When I was taken in to deliver, I was in pain for more than three days and nights as the baby could not come out easily and the nurses did not know much on how to deal with the issue. This led to other complications with back pain and stomach pains that I still experience.

Survivor B. “As a survivor myself, I do understand fully how survivors are affected both physically, emotionally and psychologically……think of the painful memories of what happened. This is the fear of any mother with female children wanting to protect them. If the trauma is not handled well and appropriate support offered, this leads to serious mental illness. Based on my own experience, I believe survivors need adequate and culturally sensitive support, reassurance, motivation and encouragement to overcome the traumatic impact of FGM. I believe this will go a long way to reassure us as survivors and give us the confidence to think of the brighter side of life” Survivor C. “As a survivor, I believe every child matters and it is everybody’s responsibility to protect

them from FGM. Legal protection should be given to children and women at risk irrespective of their colour, believe, background or immigration status. I do not understand why people say they fear to offend another culture- FGM is a form of child abuse and is a serious safeguarding issue. Our children should be protected”.

Survivor D. “I worry every day about my daughter, sometimes I feel so hopeless and lost. I may protect my daughter myself, but I don’t know what could happen to her if we ever get send back home as this could still be done to her. I have done everything I could to prove I am a survivor and that my daughters are at risk. But, every time I find a letter at home, I fear for the worst that it could be telling me it’s time to go back to my country of origin. The stress that this brings to me is too much to cope with” Survivor E. “The problem is, we still find it hard to talk about FGM even with our men and family members as it is seen as a taboo. Many of us suffer in silence because of the stigma and also lack of understanding from those we think could help. I have had bad experiences accessing services where I was asked questions in a very insensitive way… …“why did you do this to yourself”. This made me very upset and I felt I was being judged even before any support was offered. I hated going back to access the same services for a long time as it made me feel angry that someone supposed to support me would think I did this to myself. Knowing what I know now, I must insist on how important it is for professionals working with FGM survivors to be culturally competent and have a strong understanding of FGM and the way that various identities can affect how women understand and relate to their experiences of FGM” Following the Tackling FGM Initiative (TFGMI): 20102016 funded by Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls; the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation; Trust for London; Comic Relief; and Kering Corporate Foundation, a final report was compiled.

The report gave a detailed analysis of tackling FGM by working closely with survivors and affected communities. The report also acknowledges the complex mental health needs of survivors and provides best practice for mental health service providers.

Mojatu Foundation is a member of the Tackling FGM Initiative.

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News & Sports

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An analysis of the Tackling FGM Initiative report

by Mental Health Today

FGM survivors with complex mental health needs may be slipping through the support net provided by frontline services, a report has claimed.

The final evaluation report in the £2.8 million, 6-year Tackling FGM Initiative (TFGMI) hailed the programme’s contribution to understanding the links between mental health, FGM and prevention efforts, but called for research to understand whether current service provision meets the complex needs of survivors.

The TFGMI funded a range of community-based organisations in about 40 local authorities to explore and develop best practice in preventing FGM; with several of the organisations developing projects to meet the mental health and emotional needs of survivors.

In the final TFGMI evaluation report it said: “The TFGMI as a whole has arguably made a real contribution to understanding the links between mental health, emotional support and FGM. Current evidence suggests that there is often a strong mental health need and that there needs to be better support linking women into care if they have complex mental health needs.

“Several projects have included ‘pre-work’ where women develop an understanding of mental health services before attempts are made to link them into care. The referrals often come through outreach and not from other frontline services. This strongly suggests that there is a strong need to build on these models of care for women affected by FGM.” The report highlighted three organisations working with the mental health needs of FGM survivors – the Dahlia Project in north London, NESTAC in Rochdale, and ECYPS in Enfield – and concluded that, while the government has recognised that FGM survivors may have complex psychological needs, more investigation is needed to assess whether these needs are being met.

The report was launched alongside TFGMI’s Communities Tackling FGM in the UK: Best Practice Guide. The guide identified the following best practice for mental health service providers: • Mental health and emotional support as well as counselling should be provided in multiple languages • Individuals providing mental health and emotional

support as well as counselling should be culturally competent and have a strong understanding of FGM and the way that various identities – e.g. gender, race, ethnicity, migration history – can affect how women understand and relate to their experiences of FGM • Individuals providing mental health and emotional health support as well as counselling should be adequately trained to provide these interventions.

They should have the relevant qualifications to enable them to take on this work • Prior to providing mental health and emotional support organisations should have established referral pathways including to accessing specialist physical health support and to intensive psychotherapy • In order to meet the needs of individual women an intake assessment that asks about language, route of migration and risk and needs assessment, among others, is essential • It is important to provide holistic support services; including the provision of practical support with issues women are facing e.g. housing, immigration etc.

The report warns that lack of funding remains the single greatest threat to the government’s ambition of ending FGM in the UK. “Even in areas where local authorities, public health colleagues, police and others highly valued FGMI partners, when asked about future funding intentions it was not evident that funding needs had even been considered,” the report said.

“This may be because of the lack of clarity on where FGM ‘sits’ and who should be funding it (local authorities, Health and Well-being Boards, public health or clinical commissioning groups), as well as the impact of the cuts of local budgets.” https://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/fgm-survivorswith-complex-mental-health-needs-may-be-slippingthrough-support-net-report-claims.aspx

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10 Community

ANOTHER POWERFUL WOMEN’S GROUP IN READING On the 13/03/16 Women with Vision Community Group in Reading was born, following a BBC INSIDE OUT PROGRAMME ON “Breaking the taboo” of FGM. A strong reason for a community (largely Sierra Leoneans) to come together, assess our needs & brainstorm ideas to tackle gender specific Issues in our community.

At this initial meeting the name ‘Women with Vision’ (WwV) was identified, this was based on our selfassessment: aims and objectives of the group, and so far, it’s living up to its name.

We meet once a month with a vision to raise awareness and educate women in the community to understand these issues and the legislations that underpin them.

The group is targeted at women and girls age 16 and over from ethnic minority groups in and around the Reading community.

It’s Vision is to create a safe & friendly environment to socially meet, network, reflect, debrief, share experiences, ideas, discuss and plan events around cultural and gender related issues.

Topics such as FGM, Gender based Violence, early /

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Berkshire connected forced marriages, child labour, human trafficking, equality & diversity, Hate Crime, health talks etc. are discussed.

We input into other community activities, share information, empower and support each other individually and collectively.

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together to bridge these existing gaps. In so doing, we foster a very good community relationship, improve on one’s quality of life, social values, facilitate our integration and positive contribution into our society.

We are open to share, connect and learn from others.

Contacts: Jammie Koroma on 07737038629

We aspire change in our community by bringing women

Positive Parenting: The Role of a Mother I made millions shoplifting: Who to blame?

It was on the morning of Wednesday 21st February 2018 while getting on with my morning routine I realised that though I was supposed to go out, I could not as I was under the weather.

To pass time, I decided to watch the telly. And as I turned on the television, I caught in This Morning Program, a lady in her 50s claiming to have a new lease of life having made millions shoplifting. I thought to myself, here is a good story to listen to.

She narrated the reasons behind her bad choices stating that it was triggered by the poverty and lack of choices in her childhood.

“One day my mother had only one egg to divide among us, her nine children. She did not know what to do with the one egg and who to give it to out of the nine. So, I started stealing food for the family, then clothes for herself and for my siblings and then for the people who bought stolen goods. Things escalated further when I started receiving

requests to steal £400 worth of goods from Next Store and get paid £200.”

Over the years she went to prison five times before she reformed herself.

“After I got children I made up my mind. I thought, ‘I don’t want them to know what I have being doing’. I did not want them to find out or even go to prison. So I made a choice to transform my life and though it is not all smooth sailing, life is better and more predictable.”

Oh, really, Mother tell them the truth it is wrong because they can go to prison for that, it is bad behaviour after all. They may not like it, but they will know the truth. Let them know you made mistakes that you would not want them to make themselves.

This takes me back to the one egg issue and the choices we make.

I remember the 1950s, 60s, and 70s when though life was getting better, it was still hard to make enough money for food. I could cook vegetables and poached eggs, which I mushed and added to the vegetables. My daughter had started bringing home stolen food and goods but I declined to accept it and ordered her to take it back or bin it.

This sent a strong message, that was/ is wrong to steal.

The girl who made millions stealing also found it easy to continue stealing because her mother was not willing to act early and stop this from happening. The mother is to blame for accepting the stolen goods as this legitimised a wrong behaviour in the daughter. However, the daughter has learnt well and early that to prevent her children from becoming thieves, and end this cycle in the family, she should stop herself from this practice and ensure her children do not get into it either.

Written by Mary Juan Pierino.

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12 Community

UTULIVU WOMEN’S GROUP Annual Report 2016-17

By Lillian Mshila, group’s secretary.

From The Chair

Utulivu AGM 2017 Background Utulivu is a Kiswahili word meaning ‘PATIENCE’.

Utulivu continues to actively participate in the community activities that promote the most passionate objectives of the various groups we engage with. This includes but not limited to: • • • • •

Positive integration into the wider community Promoting healthy and wealthy living (wellbeing) Promoting cultural awareness Empowerment of women and young people Providing volunteering opportunities.

Our Motto has always been and remains ‘We will never let it go until our good gets better and out better gets best’. This has always been the motivation behind what we do despite the pressure on the resources, and it is always a great achievement to us when we witness the accomplishment of the above by individuals as well as groups. We see ourselves as the catalyst of the change we want to see in the self, individual families and the wider community. We also continue to believe in and actually now see the reality of the saying that ‘Coming Together is a beginning, Keeping Together is Progress, and Working Together is Success. The achievement of the ‘Queen’s Award’ for Voluntary Service in 2011 has remained a positive experience of how much we can achieve together.

Utulivu continues to work with women and young people, with the support of the men from the BAME communities. We also welcome people from all backgrounds as long as they are keen to engage in the work we do in the community.

It has been an eventful year where a lot has taken place despite the resources constraints. This has been greatly due to partnership work and the work of our very committed trustees. Thanks to the trustees who have led from the front in ensuring that Utulivu meets its objectives and beyond. They have shown real commitment as they sacrificed their time and energy besides their busy d ay jobs and families hence the success of the great work you are reading about in this report, and from what you hear in the presentations at the AGM. We’ve had no paid worker since the beginning of our financial year in June 2016 following the end of John Turay’s contract and the lack of success in securing funding to sustain that post despite concerted efforts.

We continue to fundraise with the hope of reinstating the Coordinator’s post which helped us achieve so much in the one year. We are also appealing for volunteers to come and join our very committed team as we believe in together achieving more.

Overview Despite the financial constraints and limited resources we still managed to host five very successful conferences that have brought both the voluntary and the statutory bodies work closely together to address issue that direct affect the communities. This includes; • • • • •

Annual Conference in July 2016 World Mental Health Awareness Day in October 2016 UN Zero Tolerance FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) Day in February 2017 International Women’s’ Day in March 2017 The Dementia Conference in May 2017

Alongside the conferences, we also ran the following monthly sessions which were well attended, achieved good outcomes, and received positive feedback from participants.

• •

‘Knowing You, Knowing Me’ ‘Family Matters’ programme

Thanks to Reading Borough Council through the Community Learning that the ‘Family Matters’ programme continues this year.

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Meet the Team

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Cecily Mwaniki

Esther Onduso

Borne Sengwayo Chair

Lillian Mshila

Below are some of the pictures from the above events and activities.

Community

Josephine Kihika

Anale Khoza

Thelma Kier

Lorna Obure Treasurer

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14 Community

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Tha who obj • • • Gardening Project

Individual Achievements:

We also provided access to the allotment for people needing fresh air, time and space to think whilst keeping busy in the great outdoors. The project was able to educate children and that potato chips and vegetables do not originate from Tesco Supermarket but from the garden.

We have been empowered and encouraged by the success of our members who have individually achieved most of the things we promote as a group – hard work and self-determination.

•

• Asenath Faida completed her Doctorate programme at the University of Reading in July 2017 (She and her husband Victor Nkwo have also opened a Community Internet Café and safe space to retreat – ‘The Green Arch’ at George Street, Reading)

•

• Lillian Mshila completed he Masters’ Degree in Safeguarding • Florence Makinde gained her Fellowship with the University of West London, and is now Senior Lecturer at the University of London.

• Cecily Mwaniki received the Writer of the Year award from African Women in Europe group in Berlin; Germany in October 2017. (She launched her 8th book in July).

• Dr Esther Onduso recently completed her Doctorate in Gender Studies. She has gone to Tanzania this year twice to volunteer on the much needed work of promoting wellbeing in the community.

Rose Centre, Reading Opened in September 2017.

• Thelma Kier followed her passion for flower arranging and went on to do training course. She now helps with providing flowers when needed for our events and activities.

• Josephine Kihika, now leading on our educational programme is now doing the cookery programme to further her catering career.

• Lorna Obure achieved her MBA

•

• •

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Above are just a few of the Utulivu members who made significant achievements during the year. A good number of the women we engage have felt empowered and are considering learning a new skill or furthering their careers in one way or the other and we continue to support them up to do so.

Going Forward

Acknowledgements:

Some Valuable Feedback from These Events & Activities

Thank you to our kind funders and the well-wishers who supported both financially and in kind to meet our objectives. These were:

• “It is not common to have NHS Directors attend our meetings. It was good to see two of them today”

• Wates Foundation who funded a one year part-time post which finished in May this year.

We will carry on with the projects as we believe that these wellbeing programmes will not only encourage but also empower women and the community to have a voice and better manage their wellbeing and welfare.

• “Young people should be encouraged to attend” • “Repeat on a Saturday and evening to reach more people in our community”

• Awards For all who supported the ‘Knowing You; Knowing Me’ project

• Networking was great”

• Reading Borough Council through New Directions who supported our ‘Family Matters’ Educational programme

• “More awareness of mental health will be good”

the ved work

• Reading Lions Club who supported our annual conference.

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• Early Charity

• Rosa Fund • Our members’ contribution especially during the conferences and trips out.

• Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (BHFT-NHS)

• “Promote the event more widely” • “Much bigger venue will help” • “Hearing from the various speakers different organisations was good”

from the

• “Personal mental health experiences made me feel I am not alone--- and that people care.”

• “As a member of UTULIVU Women Group, I have come to appreciate the enlightenment in my life. I have learnt a lot including learning how to go about to achieve a better education with struggles in my life as a young parent.

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In Conclusion OUR GRATITUDE: We don’t want to take for granted the remarkable success Utulivu women’s group has experienced over the years and more especially 2016/2017. This has been due to sacrificial efforts of volunteers, partners (ACRE, RBC, NHS, Police among others), funders, individual members and everyone else who has been involved in the work of Utulivu and without your efforts much will have not been achieved. Hence ABIG THANK YOU to everyone for supporting us as Utulivu Women to continue “striving to making our good better and our better best”.

OUR SUCCESS: Our mission of integrating women and children to the wider community has continued to move from strength to strength despite the enormous challenges Utulivu has invariably experienced by many voluntary organisations due to funding cuts from the government and many groups having to chase the same pot of money. Even so Utulivu was able to engage in successful FGM conference, annual conference, gardening projects, Woman-2-Woman workshops and community champion trip to parliament last week just to mention a few. No doubt this has led to empowered individuals especially women, stronger families and wealthier communities. We will continue to achieve greater success if we continue to walk out of our comfort zones as community catalysts.

OUR BETTER TOMORROW: Our BEST tomorrow, our BRIGHT tomorrow and our BETTER tomorrow is in our hands.

It depends on YOU and ME. It depends on UTULIVU and YOUR organisations efforts. Let us all pull together and strengthen each other. Our Success and Wellbeing is JUST a step away. We have come too far to retreat- hence: Forward ever and Backward never- should be our daily mantra.

For a full end of year report, please visit www.utulivu.co.uk | email: utulivucoordinator@live.co.uk or call 07828307997. Thanks to UTULIVU!! God bless you all.”

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16 Community

Reading Sudanese Community

The Reading Sudanese Community (RSC) was established in the late seventies, early eighties by the first wave of Sudanese students coming to study at the University of Reading as a Sudanese Students Society within the University of Reading. With the number of Sudanese students increasing at the University and some starting families after they finished their studies and settling in Reading, a need to form a community group in the town to cater for their needs rose culminating in the formation of the Sudanese Community (Society) in Reading. Its main objectives were; • To improve integration between Sudanese diaspora in Reading and the wider Reading community • To bring together all people from Sudan living in Reading for the purpose of mutual support and assistance • To organize cultural, educational and social events, classes and activities to meet the needs and improve the quality of life of all members.

• To raise standards and aspirations of Sudanese immigrants and making them well-informed of their rights, duties and how to meet their obligations in the United Kingdom.

• To recognize and celebrate the

many different faiths followed by the people from Sudan • To establish contact with all groups and agencies involved in the provision of services, aid and assistance to Sudanese diaspora in the UK • To improve mental health and well-being reduce social isolation amongst Sudanese diaspora in Reading by connecting them with other services and partner organisations • To familiarize the British people with Sudanese culture.

• To help Sudanese refugees as and when the need arises.

The annual general meeting is held every two years, in which elections are held to vote in a management committee of 9 -11 members that must submit the community’s official report and accounts. We believe in democracy and transparency for all as a community. We organise and finance festivals and national events such as the Independence Day and religious occasions such as Eid celebrations all geared towards coming together to connect and learn from each other as well as teach our children the values of our community.

Below are some photos during some of the events and activities.

The Women and Family office hosts frequent events such as the Mother’s Day, training sessions/courses for women in different fields Above are a few of the many ways that we keep our presence in the community. We work with different services including the police, the council and the health.

Through this, we effectively meet the objectives under which as a group we came together and still work together.

Contacts: Osman Mansour; 07482726222 OR Azza Elhag; 0779691814

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18 Community

IS ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF WORTHY THE $5 MILLION IBRAHIM PRIZE? - By Simon Allison

To the world, she’s a glowing leader, but Liberians may disagree that their former president was ‘exceptional’.

Finally, after a three-year drought, the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership has a winner: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first-ever female head of state and, until recently, the president of Liberia.

‘Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took the helm of Liberia when it was completely destroyed by civil war and led a process of reconciliation that focused on building a nation and its democratic institutions. Throughout her two terms in office, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Liberia. Such a journey cannot be without some shortcomings and, today, Liberia continues to face many challenges.

‘Nevertheless, during her 12 years in office, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf laid the foundations on which Liberia can now build,’ said Salim Ahmed Salim, the former Tanzanian prime minister who is also chair of the Ibrahim Prize Committee.

The Ibrahim Prize is awarded to a former African executive head of state who left office in the past three years, was democratically elected, served his or her constitutionally mandated term and – most importantly – demonstrated exceptional leadership along the way. It has not been awarded since 2014, when Namibia’s Hifikepunye Pohamba received the commendation – an award described at the time as ‘debatable’ by the Institute for Security Studies’ (ISS) Liesl Louw-Vaudran.

This is not the first major honour to be bestowed upon Johnson Sirleaf. In 2011 she was among three women awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in the ‘non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work’, according to the citation.

But Johnson Sirleaf’s Nobel Prize was not without its critics. Most notably, a year after the award, fellow 2011 prize winner Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian civil society activist, said she felt compelled to speak out against the president’s record in office. ‘You’re as bad as being an accomplice

for things that are happening in the country if you don’t speak up,’ she said.

Gbowee said Johnson Sirleaf’s government was rife with nepotism, with family and friends of the president pushed into senior positions. These included her son, Robert Sirleaf, who was then head of the state oil firm; and her stepson Fumba Sirleaf, who ran the National Security Agency. Gbowee also criticised the then president’s record on poverty reduction, arguing that the gap between rich and poor had increased on Johnson Sirleaf’s watch.

Gbowee is not the only Liberian to question Johnson Sirleaf’s leadership credentials. In fact, so contentious is her legacy that even her allies were wary of accepting her endorsement in last year’s presidential election, for fear that it might harm their chances.

As Foreign Policy reported: ‘So disliked is she that on the eve of Liberia’s October 10 general election, her own vice president, Joseph Boakai – who is vying with 19 other candidates to succeed her – has tried to distance himself from Sirleaf on the campaign trail. “If you park a race car in the garage for 12 years, it gets rusty,” Boakai said at a recent presidential debate.’

Not that it helped Boakai: long-time opposition leader George Weah won the election, and has now taken over as president.

Johnson Sirleaf assumed power in Liberia in 2006, in the aftermath of a long and bloody civil war. This background has come to define her presidency. In the eyes of many, especially the international community, the mere fact that she was able to prevent a return to conflict is enough of an achievement. But her critics are not so sure that this is enough to warrant the adulation she receives from the international community – of which the Ibrahim Prize, with its promise to reward only ‘exceptional leadership’, is the latest symptom.

‘Her legacy is marked by shades of grey,’ said Fonteh Akum, a senior researcher at the ISS. ‘Obviously the baseline expectation with electing a post-war president is to prevent a relapse into conflict. With the help of the international community, and especially the United Nations troops deployed

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Berkshire connected in Liberia for almost the duration of her tenure, she did what she was expected to do. But an exceptional leader would have done more.’

Akum highlights several flaws in her government – for one, the failure to sustain significant economic growth, which now hovers at less than 3%, although this was complicated by sluggish global commodity prices and the Ebola outbreak. He also lists the endemic nepotism and corruption that characterised her administration, as well as her reluctance to decentralise government functions, concentrating power in the presidency.

Ebola in particular challenged her governance credentials: although she deserves credit for ultimately defeating the epidemic, it was Liberia’s poor health system that allowed it to flourish.

It is also worth remembering that in 2009, Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission – established to examine abuses committed during the civil war – recommended that Johnson Sirleaf be banned from politics for her early support of former president Charles Taylor. Taylor was subsequently convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal.

It is these issues that have defined her legacy in Liberia itself, argues Akum – in contrast to her glowing reputation outside the country. ‘There is a stark difference between how Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is perceived by Liberians and by the international community. The international community has a way in which they uphold her, as Africa’s first female president, who led the country out of civil war. But when you talk to Liberians, they are a lot more critical

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and expected a lot more from her.’

Not that Johnson Sirleaf’s legacy is necessarily set in stone. The Ibrahim Prize comes with a cash bonus in excess of $5 million. This gives the former president the financial freedom to determine the shape and nature of her post-presidency contribution. How she conducts herself now that she’s out of the political spotlight may ultimately say more about her leadership and values than her two terms in office.

Johnson Sirleaf may not be quite as ‘exceptional’ as the award of the prestigious Ibrahim Prize may suggest. But it’s not too late for her to try.

Simon Allison is ISS Consultant. Originally published in Institute for Security Studies (ISS) website – www. issafrica.org Disclaimer: Simon Allison worked as Communications Officer for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation from 20092011.

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20 Arts & Culture

Time to rethink philanthropy journalism in East Africa

By Anthony Wafula and Mendi Njonjo

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Journalists in Kenya protesting against muzzling of the media.

If we consider that journalism is about freely exchanging information based on news, views or ideas, then the context within which journalism is practised matters. In East Africa this context is challenging.

Intimidation and harassment of journalists is rife. Critical media outlets are being shut down on flimsy grounds and others starved of government advertisement.

Punitive media laws targeting journalists and media outlets have been enacted. Poor organization among journalists and feeble selfregulation attempts haven’t helped the situation.

In essence, this context has contributed to an increasingly weak media where ‘survival journalism’ is taking root.

Self-censorship, pandering to commercial and political interests, the sacking of critical journalists and closure of media outlets continue to undermine the existence of an independent and free media in the region.

We hold that a conducive working environment, an enabling legal and policy environment, and support for freedom of expression are some

of the prerequisite conditions for great journalism.

These conditions are not mutually exclusive for those supporting media development in Kenya.

A 2006 BBC World Service Trust panAfrican research report on the African Media Development Initiative outlines sector-wide approaches in Kenya, though documentation on their effectiveness is scant.

In 2008, a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-Kenya commissioned Kenya Media sector analysis report suggests that, though holistic approaches might have been in evidence at the time of the World Service Trust report, they had been abandoned two years later.

Kenya Media Sector Analysis paints a picture of media development initiatives dedicated to ‘capacity building programmes for media as part of core programme support for civic education on gender, governance, democracy, human rights, HIV/AIDS and other health issues, livelihoods, security, and sector reforms’.

This is despite the report’s observation that Kenya’s media sector is ‘characterized by serious and chronic system-wide challenges

that require effective, coordinated and systemic approaches’. In our view, the approaches cited in the CIDA report haven’t been effective due to their short-term nature and have largely dwelt on two aspects within the media ecosystem – professionalism and content production.

Philanthropists thus need to question whether such shortterm approaches are responsive to the East Africa context and the extent to which such support enhances a sustainable media ecosystem.

Sustainable media ecosystems in our view include strong, independent, professional media and media institutions, vibrant journalists’ associations, media training institutions, media and journalism regulatory bodies, and a supportive government.

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Berkshire connected Such ecosystems exhibit pluralism in content, ownership and constituency, and demonstrate ethical behaviour standards and practices as well as professional quality journalism.

In our context, a sustainable media ecosystem is desirable.

Journalists need to feel safe and free to ply their trade. Close collaboration with governments in the region to guarantee a conducive environment for journalists is mandatory. We need to pay attention to the quality of journalism being practised by working closely with journalists, editors, media owners, media training institutions and media regulatory agencies.

Principally, we need to support alternative media outlets to disseminate critical media content, especially where media capture by political and commercial interests is as pervasive as it is in East Africa.

This has generally been on account of ownership. For instance in Kenya, a 2012 Internews study on media ownership established that politicians and their associates own or have controlling stakes in a large number of media outlets in Kenya.

Mojatu in Parliament

issues affecting specific media ecosystems, and the desire to influence media content and advocate for specific issues – civic education on gender, governance, democracy, human rights, HIV/AIDS and other health issues, livelihoods, security, and sector reforms.

Success in this approach is seen from the number of articles published and the number of journalists trained. The sustainability of such initiatives is never on the cards, leading us to believe that such efforts are short-term in nature.

Though useful, this kind of support is geared towards developing a media adept at articulating such issues and strengthening only one aspect of the media system.

In Kenya, considerable investments have been dedicated to the training of journalists to become better subject matter specialists – data, science, health and investigative journalists.

Other philanthropists have focused on supporting the establishment of media outlets, especially community media in Kenya, while others have focused on the safety and protection of journalists.

This ownership largely increases the extent of political influence in those outlets’ management and content.

This is prevalent in registered community media outlets especially where such politicians assure the financing of such stations.

Commercial interests, on the other hand, ensure that ‘negative content’ on large corporates is censored.

Corporates have been known to pull advertisements from media houses that run ‘negative’ content, hence further limiting their independence.

Unfortunately, based on our experience with philanthropists, a holistic approach to media development seems to be the one least desired by most of them, largely due to limited resources, inadequate knowledge of key

A snapshot of newspapers in Kenya Though well meaning, these efforts are mostly short-term in nature, opportunistic, disjointed, at times duplicate other efforts and in some instances don’t reflect an understanding of the root challenges facing the media ecosystem especially in Kenya.

For instance, it is not unusual to find one journalist being trained by five different organizations in data, health or science

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journalism. Rarely does one find a coordinated effort to ensure that media houses and not just the individual journalist have a better grasp of cutting-edge issues in such subjects.

Consequently, we have noted an over-supply of low-quality training for journalists and an under-supply of support to smaller media players, together with a lack of sustainability of media development initiatives in Kenya. It is our contention that philanthropists need to start paying attention to the aspects of the media ecosystem where their support can be most effective.

Having implemented sector-wide media development programmes in Kenya and Tanzania we have learned that philanthropybacked journalism that solely focuses on one aspect of the media ecosystem is unlikely to be effective in the long run since addressing the structural issues facing the sector takes a long time and requires more resources.

Although at times successful, support to ‘quality media content production’ is often unsustainable, especially in a fast-changing media context. Thus, support to journalism and media in general is meaningful when philanthropists collaborate to support a long-term sustainable media ecosystem.

Anthony Wafula is regional programme manager, transparency, accountability and freedom of expression, Hivos Hub East Africa.

Email awafula@hivos.org Mendi Njonjo is regional director, Hivos Hub East Africa. Email mnjonjo@hivos.org This article

by Anthony Wafula and Mendi Njonjo was originally published

by Alliance magazine on 5 December 2017. The original article can be found here. For more philanthropy and social investment coverage, please visit www.alliancemagazine.org.

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22 Health & Food

11 foods that can cause heartburn - By: Ashleigh Boadi Heartburn (also known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease) is usually described as an unpleasant burning sensation in the lower chest area. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid finds its way into the oesophagus which is the tube which delivers food to your stomach.

In normal cases, stomach acid should not be able to escape into the oesophagus due to the lower oesophageal sphincter; which acts as a barrier that only opens when you swallow or burp. However, in the case of people who experience heart burn, their lower oesophageal sphincter muscle is weakened which increases the chances of stomach acid escaping into the oesophagus.

HIGH-FAT FOODS Foods with large amounts of fat usually cause heartburn; this also includes healthy foods such as avocados and nuts, these high fat foods essentially cause heartburn in 2 ways. Firstly, they can cause the relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter, this will allow stomach acid to escape into the oesophagus which therefore causes heartburn. Secondly, these foods trigger the release of the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK). The release of this hormone also relaxes the muscle barrier and encourages food to remain in the stomach for a longer period of time so that it can be digested better which consequently increases the risk of acid reflux and heartburn Bottom Line: High-fat foods can cause heartburn due to the relaxing of the lower oesophageal sphincter (barrier between oesophagus and stomach).

Additionally, the consummation of these foods release the hormone CCK which also relaxes this barrier and allows food to remain in the stomach for longer increases the chances of heartburn.

SALT Salt and salty foods may put you at risk of heartburn because it may increase reflux. A study showed that people who added salt to their meals had a 70% higher risk of reflux than those who never added salt.

The study also found that people who ate salty food at least 3 times a week had a 50% chance of having a reflux than those who never ate salted foods.

Bottom Line: Consuming table salt and salty foods can increase your chances of heartburn.

MINT The common consensus about mints is that they soothe the digestive system but one study found that high doses of spearmint were linked with acid reflux symptoms which cause heartburn by irritating the lining of the oesophagus. An additional study which

assess over 500 people concluded that those who consumed peppermint tea on a daily basis had twice the risk of heartburn. However, there isn’t a widespread of evidence that links mint and heartburn together.

Bottom Line: Peppermint and spearmint may cause heartburn although there is not a large amount of evidence to support this.

CITRUS JUICES Citrus juices may trigger heartburn symptoms, a study of 382 people with heartburn deduced that 67% of participants experienced heartburn after consuming orange juice. Furthermore, an additional study which assess 400 people who experienced heartburn; found out that 73% experienced heartburn after drinking orange or grapefruit juice. Hence, the amount of acid in citrus juices may cause heartburn symptoms.

Although, it is not explicit how citrus juices actually cause heartburn.

Bottom Line: Citrus Juices like orange and grapefruit are likely to cause heartburn however it is unclear how this process occurs.

MILK Milk is often thought to alleviate heartburn’ instead, specifically whole milk increases stomach acid which is a risk factor for heartburn. A study of around 400 people was conducted and around on 38% people reported heartburn symptoms.

Scientists have argued that it is the fat content of the milk that causes heartburn.

Bottom Line: whole milk can cause heart burn due to the fat content CHOCOLATE Similar to high-fat foods, chocolate can also relax the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) which allows stomach acid to escape into the oesophagus and cause heartburn. Moreover, chocolate is made out of

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Berkshire connected coca which contains serotonin which, again, relaxes the oesophageal sphincter muscle. Finally, chocolate contains compounds of theobromine and caffeine which additionally causes the relaxation of the sphincter muscle.

Bottom Line: Chocolate contains a high amount of fat, serotonin and other naturally occurring compounds which cause the relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter which results in heartburn.

SPICY FOODS Spicy foods contain capsaicin which may slow down the rate of digestion. This means that food will remain in the stomach for a longer period of time which increases the chances of heartburn. A study showed that consuming chili powder slowed down the rate of digestion. Also, spicy foods can irritate an already inflamed oesophagus which worsens heartburn symptoms.

Bottom Line: The compound capsaicin which is found in spicy foods slows down the rate of digestion and spicy foods can irritate the oesophagus which can worsen symptoms of heartburn.

ONIONS

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Bottom Line: Alcohol may relax LES, increase stomach acid and damage the lining of the oesophagus.

These are all determinants that increase the chances of heartburn.

COFFEE The caffeine within coffee is likely to cause people to experience heartburn as it relaxes the lower oesophageal sphincter. Some studies however have considered the effects of caffeine alone and discovered that it may not trigger heartburn symptoms; if these results are true, then other compounds found in coffee are to blame for heartburn symptoms. Nonetheless, other studies have not found a link between coffee and reflux symptoms. Overall, it comes down to your own experience, if coffee gives you heartburn then it is highly advised that you avoid it, if not, then there is no reason for you to stop consumption.

Bottom Line: Coffee causes some people to experience heartburn because of the ability of caffeine to relax the lower oesophageal sphincter. Although, they is insufficient evidence to support the idea that coffee intake and heartburn are strongly correlated.

SODAS AND CARBONATED BEVERAGES

Onions, especially raw onions, are a typical trigger of heartburn as the cause the LES to relax which leads to acid reflux and symptoms of heartburn. In one study, people with heartburn were given a plain hamburger to eat in one day. They also had to eat an identical burger with onions on another day. The burger with onions drastically worsened their heartburn symptoms compared to the burger with no onions. Onions also have a high sources of fermentable fibre which may cause belching (burping) which can intensify acid reflux symptoms.

Research shows that fizzy drinks relax the muscle barrier between the stomach and the oesophagus and also increase the acidity of the stomach acid.

These increase the chances of heartburn. One study involved scientists observing the sleeping patterns of over 15,000 people and found that approximately 25% experienced heartburn during the night time. A further study also found similar results about nighttime heartburn being strongly correlated to drinking carbonate drinks. Finally, another study discovered that people who consumed carbonated drinks had a 69% greater chance of developing reflux symptoms.

Bottom Line: Onions relax the LES which cause acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Furthermore, onion have high amounts of fermentable fibre which promotes acid reflux symptoms.

Bottom Line: Soda may cause heartburn as it relaxes the lower oesophageal sphincter which makes it easier for stomach acid to reach the oesophagus.

ALCOHOL Regular to excessive alcohol use may cause heartburn symptoms in multiple ways. It can relax the LES which triggers heartburn. Additionally, wine and beer can increase the presence of stomach acid in the stomach which can increase the risk of heartburn. Finally, alcohol can damage the lining of the oesophagus which eventually makes it more sensitive to stomach acid.

CONCLUSION Many foods cause heartburn by relaxing the lower oesophageal sphincter. If you experience heartburn on a regular basis then it would be advised that you keep food diary or try and keep some of these foods out of your diet.

By Ryan Raman, MS, RD (NZ) – Originally published in Authority Nutrition - www.healthline.com

mojatu.com

24 Business & Finance

GREENARCH BUSINESS SERVICES (GBS) LAUNCHES NEW SERVICES Greenarch Business Services (GBS) plans to undertake to trade in merchandise and offer space for tutorial support, training, and internet access. The business premises provide a safe space in the neighbourhood and surrounding areas of Battle Ward in Reading West, providing meeting/training rooms for hire, hot desk facilities, and developing consultancy services in local economic and community capacity development.

The Founder of GBS; Mr. Besong Victor Nkwo is a graduate of Economics and Politics who has had the opportunity to work in the private, public and voluntary sectors. At the start of Victor’s working life, he worked in Retails Finance and Sales, in Contracts Management and Customer Services, then for a long time in the Voluntary and Community Development sectors. Victor became unemployed in April 2010, and due to family reasons retrained in Health and Social Care to be able to work locally to care for his son who was suffering from severe mental ill-health. During the period of unemployment, Victor volunteered with the Alliance for Cohesion and racial equality (ACRE) as a community engagement officer. This opportunity enabled him to identify gaps in the local economy to extend and improve the reach of employment support service to disadvantaged people. The absence of a neutral safe space for Black and Ethnic minority people in Reading is evident among local people. So, when GBS premises became available, it presented the opportunity to seize to employ skills and experiences he acquired in his career and unemployment to address gaps identified to enhance others.

On the other hand, Victor’s wife Asenath Silong is a teacher by profession with extensive experience at the tertiary level in Nigeria. She is a mother of three and has recently rounded up her Ph.D. in Livelihoods (International Development and Applied Economics) at the University of Reading. Asenath is passionate about empowering women and enhancing the economic and social well-being of families. Her thoughts on the GBS has been born through her volunteer experiences in the community as a researcher and a facilitator of a wellbeing project in Reading. Her experiences, skills/knowledge, professional and academic achievements provide the business with excellent management, support and growth potential.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES •

Internet cafe’ (internet access, printing, photocopying, scanning, and typing)

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Room hire for training and meetings, and events management

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Hot-desk facilities

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Skills-based training (in security, health and social care, catering, and supporting people with learning needs such as in Maths, English, research, personal development coaching and employment/enterprise development support.

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Berkshire connected

Business & Finance

25

OUT OF BITTER LEMONS COMES LEMONADE

By Veronica Kararwa

My name is Veronica Kararwa, founder of Kevin Kararwa Leukaemia Trust (KKLT). KKLT was founded soon after the death of my son Kevin Kararwa; a remarkable and charismatic 24yr old young man who lost his battle against Leukaemia after failing to obtain a bone marrow donor.

Kevin was 22 years old when he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). After undergoing intensive chemotherapy treatment, the only thing that could save his life was a bone marrow match. Unfortunately he could not get a donor, simply because there are no potential stem cell donors from the black community on the register.

Bone marrow donors goes with ethnicity, meaning a black can only match black, Caucasian to Caucasian etc. Sadly there was no one of his ethnicity to save his life.

Kevin’s death wish was that no one, young or old, should go through a similar ordeal, and so as family and friends, we decided to honour and push his legacy, by forming the KKLT. KKLT mission, vision and objectives are as follows:MISSION To save lives VISION Establish a National Stem Cell Register In East Africa AIMS & OBJECTIVES To Educate and Create Awareness of Blood Cancers including Sickle Cell Anaemia and encourage black people and other minority groups to register on the bone marrow registers in UK as these groups are underrepresented.

As well as dedicating my life to the above cause, I also help and coach people who for one reason or other have found themselves stuck in life and or undergoing depression. I help them take back control of their lives by assisting them identify their strengths and resolve their mental, physical and emotional conflicts, thereby enabling them release their potential and live a life worth living. This way they can contribute to their communities and society and make the world a better place to live in.

To enable me do this, I have created an empowering model that I use with my clients. This model has 10 keys that I teach and coach clients to unlock the power and potential within. The Model was borne out of my personal and professional experiences.

By profession, am a Mental Health Practitioner, a trained Dialectical Behaviour Therapist (DBT) and a life coach. I have worked as a mental health practitioner in NHS for 12years in various roles and with different client groups. After years of working in the NHS, I have observed that the medical model approach is largely used; and sometimes unnecessarily.

A Medical Model Treatment Approach on its own cannot address problems of a psychological nature and their causes. This is because it is incapable and limited in dealing with and healing of the personal inner experiences, emotional conflicts and turmoil that causes depression. In order to address these inner emotional tensions and experiences, (which are unique to each person), a whole-person treatment approach is required, hence the need for alternative methods and models of treatment.

For KKLT please go to: www.kkltrust.org For Veronica Kararwa Depression Coach go to: www.veronica-kararwa.com

mojatu.com

26 Education & Careerv

WHAT IS IT ABOUT WRITING? My name is Valentine Nkoyo and I have always been curios why my friend and mentor Cecily Mwaniki writes books year after year in what appears to be effortless style. Late last year when she launched her ninth book which earned her the ‘Writer of the Year ‘Award from the African Women In Europe, I had a privilege of interviewing her eager to know what she gets from writing that keeps her doing it. This is what Cecily had to say.

Writing a book to build your personal brand is a formula that works. But, there’s more to writing a book than just building your personal brand! Here are some of the other benefits gained from writing a book: Skills. The skills you master writing a book are transferable to all types of written projects, i.e., articles, blog posts, email, new business proposals, podcasts, reports, speeches, and videos. You’ll be better able to choose titles and headlines, organize your ideas, and express them as concisely as possible. You’ll also be able to evaluate your own work and know what to look for when self-editing.

and publishing process contains multiple alternatives, options, and opportunities to work with others, you may find yourself discovering options and alternatives elsewhere in your business and professional life. More important, since editing and revising are essential to writing a book, you may find yourself less impatient when your first attempts in other areas don’t come out perfect.

Tools. Writing a book provides an opportunity to master important new tools for mind mapping, project management, and time management. These tools are at the core of entrepreneurial success, but, until now, you may have been too busy to discover them. After writing your book, you may find that your previous dislike of writing was actually based on a lack of familiarity with capabilities built into your word-processing software and not knowing what types of resources are available for leveraging your time.

Confidence. Your life changes when you hold a book in your hand with your name on the title. When you hold your book in your hand, you’ve beaten the odds! Studies show that 85% of people in business want to write a book, but only 5% succeed. Your book is tangible proof that you not only are an expert in your field, but you also know how to harness your energies and finish all types of projects.

Discipline. Writing a book is likely to change the way you view other large projects. Your writing and publishing experience will help you develop healthy work habits, such as chunking large projects into smaller, bite-sized tasks, and taking consistent daily action during short, scheduled working sessions.

The next time a large project appears on the horizon, you’ll be more likely to analyze what needs to be done and establish a workflow that starts early and avoids stressful and wasteful “deadline madness.”

Content. Writing a book helps you create better marketing content and a stronger author platform. As you write your book, you’re also creating content you can share as articles, blog posts, podcasts, speeches, teleseminars, and webinars. Sharing your content early also generates feedback that builds interest in your book and helps you write a better book.

Perspective. Writing a book is likely to change your perspective towards your abilities and the way you interact with others. Because each step of the writing

Curiosity. Perhaps the most important benefit is the heightened curiosity you’re likely to experience in your everyday business life. You may finding yourself reading more, and listening more critically, as you become more open to new ideas and more analytical. You may surprise yourself by considering possibilities for new articles and follow-up books. You may look forward to new writing challenges, like bog posts, follow-up titles, and speeches, curious about how they’re going to turn out when you start to write.

Cecily concluded by saying.. ‘’Ultimately, the best reason I write is that it helps me recognize writing is not merely a way to share my ideas with others, but also the best way to discover ideas and connections lurking in my brain. It is a great way of learning for me too’’.

Here is the prestigious ‘Writer of The Year 2017’ Award to Cecily by the African Women in Europe. June the 30th 2018 will see the launch of the African Women in Europe book to mark their 10 years anniversary at a conference in Amsterdam and Cecily has greatly contributed to it. I can’t wait to witness its launch and read.

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Berkshire connected

WHY JOIN US

As a member, you will help us build an inclusive, healthy and resilient communities that are better able to overcome their social, environmental economic and challenges.

Farmeco brings together likeminded people to meet the following aims and objectives being: • Widen involvement in agroforestry and environmental matters • Development of an economically sustainable organisation • Increase accessibility to healthier fresh food produce • Enhance community participation and engagement • Community capacity building

category

YOUR IMPACT

As a member, you will help us build an inclusive, healthy and resilient communities that are better able to overcome their social, environmental economic and challenges.

You will have an opportunity help FCC to ensure farming is: • Economically viable • A custodian of the countryside • Helping to reduce the carbon foot print • Providing increased opportunities for training and learning • Helping grow people and communities in confidence and skills for life

@ farmecoNG13 @ farmecodavid @ fccnotts

n i o J VISIT THE FARM AT:

Farmeco Community Care Limited, Home Farm, off Lodge Lane, Screveton, Nottingham, NG13 8JL Contact David Rose M: 07855252151 E: david@farmeco.co.uk | W: www.farmeco.co.uk

Nottingham’s Nottingham’sAnniversary: Anniversary: 1st 1stUK UKCity Cityof ofZero ZeroTolerance Toleranceto toFGM FGM

28 THE category MAASAI

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