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LOCAL
‘Never Walk Alone’ donates over 4,000 leather shoes
The non-profit project initiated by MTC’s Tim Ekandjo in 2021 has raised around N$2.3 million since August last year. The Never Walk Alone project has visited the Hardap, Omaheke, Erongo and Kavango East regions and handed out leather shoes to vulnerable children. The goal is for every child to receive a pair of shoes annually. Shilongo Leather Works, a Namibian owned leather manufacturer, made the 4,475 pairs of leather shoes that have been gifted to date. “While we are proud of this achievement, we know we still have a long way to go. There are over 70,000 barefooted children across the country, waiting and hoping for their turn,” says Beverley Naris, the project's marketing and logistics officer.
Source: The Namibian
Renowned ‘Safari Guide of the Year’ award goes to Etoshabased Cameron Pearce
South African national Cameron Pearce, who is currently based at Ongava Nature Reserve near Etosha, has scooped the Field Guide’s Association of South Africa’s annual Safari Guide award. He is the current managing and chief instructor of Ongava’s guide training and development, and holds a long list of qualifications including marine, culture and bird guiding. Trails for the award were held in the second half of June and the five finalists competed in categories ranging from guided walks to game drives, photographic safaris, tracking, birding and even rifle handling. This award brings recognition to the calibre of safari guides in Namibia.
Source: Field Guides Association of South Africa
AFRICA
Karate classes are empowering people with albinism in Tanzania
It is estimated that in Tanzania 1 in 1,400 people have albinism. People with this condition are subjected to daily discrimination, often motivated by myths and superstition. In an effort to minimise attacks, mutilation and murder of people with albinism, Jerome Mgahama began a program teaching martial arts to individuals with albinism. He was inspired after teaching children with albinism karate, and seeing first-hand the confidence boost it gives them. Jerome quickly realised he would need more instructors to expand the program, and began offering free, long-term training to adults with albinism who will in turn become karate teachers themselves. Jerome sees a major change in his students’ conduct in daily life since learning martial arts.
Source: Al Jazeera
Solar-powered cold storage is reducing food waste in Nigeria
40% of food in Nigeria goes to waste before it even reaches consumers. This is largely due to a lack of cold storage keeping food items fresh at the markets where they are sold. With this in mind Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu founded ColdHubs. By using solar power instead of diesel generators, the company prevents one million kilograms of CO 2 v from entering the atmosphere each year, while simultaneously helping farmers and retailers double the earnings they would otherwise get from nearly spoiled produce. According to the UN, food waste accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so finding solutions to reduce waste could be vital in the fight against climate change.
Source: CNN
THE WORLD
EU Greenhouse gas emissions at their lowest since 1990
According to official European Union data, greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were at 34% of the 1.94 billion tons of CO 2 recorded in the base year of 1990. Before the pandemic, the EU’s emissions had already been reduced by 26%, and the EU achieved the target of 20% before lockdowns began to affect emissions. Key drivers of lowering the emissions include the growing use of renewable energy sources and improvements in energy efficiency. European winters have also become warmer and require less in-door heating. The EU’s substantial greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 dropped by 11% compared to 2019.
Source: Good News Network
FDA approves first alopecia drug helping patients restore hair growth
Alopecia areata is a disfiguring skin disease whereby the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in partial or complete hair loss. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the very first treatment for alopecia areata. The once-daily pill goes by the name Olumiant and trials have proven to be successful in one in three patients with severe alopecia. Half of the group had no scalp hair before the treatment, resulting in 80% more scalp hair coverage. Olumiant consists of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, which has previously been used for rheumatoid arthritis, and is further being tested for other skin disease treatment including eczema and vitiligo, granuloma annulare and erosive lichen planus.
Source: Good News Network