OKSH Newsletter 1 2014

1:

OKSH NEWSLETTER January-June 2014

Kenyan professionals in Germany Meet students in first ever event of its kind hosted by OKSH in Frankfurt on the 24th of May 2014.

James Shikwati Speaks on the trend topic of China s involvement in Africa. Can china deliver a winwin?

OKSHs Tête-à-tête with the leader of one of the leading African think tanks…

#OKSH on Air OKSH makes a debut on Radio Podcast Links Inside…

Also Inside…

Innovation by Steve Odhiambo, Diaspora conference, Upcoming events and much more…

Strategy Weekend Read about OKSHs inaugural strategy weekend held in January. The when where and the why…

2: Dear Readers, Yet another issue of our organisation’s Newsletter has been released, offering a chance to review various activities that we have carried out during the last six months. We are proud of our success and achievements until now. These achievements offer us the strength to continue volunteering our time and efforts into OKSH´s vision.

Our work has continued to be focused on bringing Kenyan Students together to share a platform for their ideas, exchange information, seek advice and spend time together as we strive for academic excellence and foster participation in our community. Through our interactions this year, we have felt a sense of understanding and the belonging. We have experienced a further growth in the number of members in our organization, which continues to help us reach many more of the students around Hessen.

Beginning the year with our first ever Strategy-weekend in Grävenwiesbach, we had the opportunity to outline events, and Projects for 2014, allowing us to start early in time with all the preparations. A key highlight from this meeting which we successfully pulled through due to this early planning session in January is the Meet Kenyan Professionals in Germany #MKPG2014 event which we held on the 24th of May in Frankfurt. I take this opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in making this first ever networking event in the Rhein-main region amongst Students and Professionals a success.

I note with gratitude that many Kenyan students identify themselves much more with OKSH and I would like to encourage you all to take a step forward and join the Board and the different working committees in combining efforts to achieve our goals. This was also the encouragement from our Ambassador H.E. Ken Osinde, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to Germany, as we met him during the Kenya Diaspora conference in May. Finally, I take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board members and all members who have continued to support me during my time as chairman of the Organisation. It is through your support that we have been able to achieve all this. As I step down from the Board, I would like to encourage you to continue supporting the Board in its duties and activities. Let us remain true to our mission and vision as we are guided by our slogan: Beyond Borders.

I wish you an enjoyable reading.

Sydney Odhiambo Outgoing Chairman

3: James Shikwati speaks in Frankfurt >

Events this year a list of events we have taken part in or held so far in 2014 January ZIAF Lecture Strategy Weekend

James Shikwati Poses for a picture with members of OKSH who attended his lecture

February OKSH end of semester Cookout 100 80 60

Ost

40

West

20

A F R A S O____ Lecture Series.

0

Dr. John Njenga Karugia from the Frankfurt University will be holding a lecture titled “Africans in China: Memory, Identity and Social Relations” on 17th July starting 1800hrs at the Konfuzius Institut in Frankfurt. Entry is 3€ James Shikwati 3

James Shikwati was the guest speaker at this year´s ZIAF Lecture on the 28th of January, an annual lecture that seeks to bring influential personalities from African countries to speak at the Frankfurt University. OKSH was graced with the chance to meet and Greet Mr. Shikwati after his interesting lecture on China-Africa relations. Mr. Shikwati weighed the advantages and risks of Chinese presence in African countries, and gave his opinion on the questions of the public. The lecture was well attended, and Mr. Shikwati kept his listeners sitting on the edges of their seats with his engaging talk.

Strategy Weekend 4

Nord

1.

Qrtl.

OKSH Vodcasts 6

4.

Qrtl.

May FH FFM International Day Kenya diaspora Conference #MKPG2014 June TU Meet & Move Jugendkirchentag Darmstadt

Innovation 6

Diaspora Conference 5

MKPG2014 7

Meet&Move2014 10

3.

Qrtl.

March Dancing around the World Tutor intl. TUD

CONTENTS Cookout 5

2.

Qrtl.

OKSH Podcasts 11

4:

Strategy is the name of the Game Strategy Weekend In January, members of the organization converged in Grävenwiesbach, located in the Taunus hills around Frankfurt for the longest AGM in OKSHs History. The aim was to reflect on our progress and to plan 2014 & to participate in teambuilding activities. Our projects, budget, committees and activities were discussed and planned to ensure that they roll out smoothly during the year. An Auditor visited us for vetting and consultation. Members also took part in various team building activities led by a coach.

The SW is set to take place annually.

Support our work Do you like what OKSH is doing? Then Donate/Sponsor us to support our activities OKSH e.V IBAN 04508501500000747556 BIC HELADEF1DAS

A member talks about his perspective on the organization during SW. Members during a teambuilding session.

5: OKSH CookOUT 23.02.2014 What better way to end then semester than to cook up and eat some nice food?

OKSH teamed up with students from the FDH in Frankfurt Industriehof did just that! We cooked Kenyan food in teams and ate together to commemorate the end of the winter term!

Dancing around the World 03.03.2013 When the Tutor international Team at the TU Darmstadt called, we answered! It was an invitation to dance!

Ambassador meets students privately at Diaspora Conference in Frankfurt.

> Students from the Friedrich Dessauer Wohnheim are Shown how to knead the Chapati Dough (Continuation Dancing around the world)

Various nationalities attended the event held in Darmstadt and they were expected to dance to a song of their choice, as long as it was unique and from their home countries.

OKSH joined in the fun with a troupe of dancers who even met beforehand to practice!

OKSH Chairman Sydney Odhiambo was invited to speak about the situation of Kenyan students in Germany during the Diaspora conference in Frankfurt on the 10th of May. The ambassador held a closed meeting with students before the conference, allowing them to ask him questions directly and clarifying these.

Picture kenya.de

source/More

details:

www.embassy-of-

6: UKO WAPI?

Innovation

by Steve Odhiambo

< Entrepreneur Steve Odhiambo (purple sweater) is flanked by friends and relatives during the award ceremony of an innovation competition (TU Ideenwettbewerb) at the TU Darmstadt in January. He emerged top 7 of 94) with his geolocation software which digitalizes address data from Kenya and eventually sub Saharan Africa. This innovation is seen as a vital step towards an e-commerce industry in Kenya and East Africa. He has since pitched his innovation to venture investors in the Rhine main Region. Man to Watch!

Read More: http://www.highest.tudarmstadt.de/highest/navigation_details_highest_58624.de.jsp

FH International Day On the 8th of May, OKSH were at the FH Frankfurt taking part in the international day. We had a stand where we were selling food and informing people of our work!

WATCH a HD Vodcast of the Event here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au 3TdK1DMUo

Do something!

OKSH also “did something” by participating at this year’s TU Was, a Forum for students groups to present themselves to students and interact with other groups WATCH a HD Vodcast of this event here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ex gLg_Y_Qs

7:

8:

#MKPG2014

Top Left; The MKPG Speakers have dinner with the OKSH Board. The rest of the pictures are impressions from the Event on the 24th of May2014 at the ESG Hall at the Westend Campus of Goethe University Frankfurt. More pictures/Vodcasts on www.oksh-ev.de.

9:

Cover Story

Meeting Kenyan Professionals in Germany The disconnection between kenyans studying and kenyans working in Germany serves as the biggest motivation to arrange a rendezvous that brings together the two parties.

On the 24.05.2014 the MKPG2014 event took place at the ESG hall at the university campus of the Frankfurt University. In Essence, it was a career day for students, alumnus and professionals from all over Germany. Six speakers working in various fields in the German labor market were invited to speak to students and alumnus about their careers, and the routes they took to get there. In addition three workshops were prepared in order to encourage the attendees to discuss in smaller groups on pertinent issues in regard to starting ones career in Germany or after repatriation.

The meeting was a success by all accounts, professionals from over 14 companies and students from over 15 institutions across the country attended. It was a positive note with which to start a long future of networking and cooperation between Kenyan students and Professionals in Germany, a much needed boost for kenyan students.

Read the full review, see all pictures watch all Vodcasts on www.oksh-ev.de

10: Meet and Move 2014 The organisation of kenyan students in Hesse e.V for the third time participated at the annual Sports and Cultural event of the TU Darmstadt, the TU Meet and Move. OKSH's place at the international corner of the event has been reaffirmed over the years as the kenyan food and activites at our stand in the last three years continue to draw a considerable amount of interest.

The weather was very favourable at midday when the event kicked off. At our stand we sold kenyan food. The swahili Teller(Pilau with beans in coconut tomato sauce and Chapati) was the clear favourite. Also on offer were Chapati with Chai Masala and Samosas.

Many were interested in kenyan cuisine and conversations ensued between OKSH members and members of the public and other students regarding the food, histor(ies) and culture(s) of Kenya.

Money back This year at the stand, Guests had the oppurtunity to get a total of one Euro back if they named ten african Countries and their respective Capital Cities. A map of the Continent and the flags of the respective African Countries were presented to the onlookers and they were welcome to join the Trivia and acquire a discount on the Food on sale at the OKSH Stand.

From top to bottom; an OKSH member presents a Swahili teller to a customer, OKSH members serving food during the event. The crowd that accumulated in front of our stand during the event

11:

 ’

 # .

 ’

#

12: #OKSH on Air OKSHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sydney Odhiambo and Eric Otieno were featured on the evening Programme of AudioMax Darmstadt FM on the 11th of February this year, Where they got a chance to introduce OKSH. OKSHs Cyrus Kebande was also featured on Mkenya Ujerumani Radio on 23.05.2014 where he talked about the MKPG2014 event

Audiomax http://audiomax-campusradio.de/ audiomax-270-kenianischerstudierendenverein/ Mkenya Radio http://mkenyaujerumani.de/mkenya-radio/

Organisation of Kenyan Students in Hesse e.V Sitz und Registergericht/Domicile and Court of Registry: Darmstadt, VR-Nr. I Register No.: 83 081 Karolinenplatz 5 64325 Darmstadt www.oksh-ev.de info@oksh-ev.de Editorial Team: Eric Otieno, Sydney Odhiambo, Ivan Kibet Design/Layout & Concept; Eric Otieno Pictures; Kiplimo Kibet Pictures (Ivan Kibet) unless otherwise indicated All Rights Reserved.

We would like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support, we cherish the fact that you believe in our efforts.

We also thank all the individuals who, though unseen, do contribute immensely to the workings of OKSH e.V. We wish everyone an enjoyable summer! @_otieno

Imprint