Flying High

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PR I N S T 1 ED O ITU UC V TE AT E N

Vol. Y6A no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

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Vol. 6 no. 2

L e a r n i ng fo r a b e t t e r l i fe

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I wanted to be a pilot after high school and I was determined to achieve this goal at all costs.

I tried the Kenya School of Flying at Wilson Airport, but their tuition fee was too high for me. I therefore chose to start with aeronautical engineering. A cousin suggested I try Kenya Polytechnic for a course. I did the 3-year course from 2000 to 2003. Out of a class of 45 students, only 22 finished the course.

I was the only girl. A lot of hard work and sacrifice contributed to my success.

What would it feel like to be servicing a big aeroplane? You would have to be responsible and trustworthy. The lives of the passengers travelling in it would depend on you.

Can you accept the challenge?

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Every day, I would wake up at 4 a.m. on and study. I would also have group k reducti isaster ris d in d e lv discussions with my vo classmates. I don’t ity - get in commIunhave ever read so much azinards) r think u o y in ces (h ning t munity fa FindouAs ter happe s my life! an aeronautical engineer, a disaster? your com erability) is s d er e g a an f s u yo (vuln u (capacity nces o • what d a h uld affect c disasters n ca co e o ey i th th ab t e I learned how to repair, maintain o outand c ch n d p u u m to d u w le r re o • h ity is ab ic e elp to sment communFor attachment, can r You can h service aeroplanes. vol lone r wa hat your ity asses • w o c a p cyc flict a c 3 d n con ter ps I was lucky to be selected by KLM cro Wa rability a e ln ake u and is an v , fire thquarol Njoki s aeronautical e d l isa r ma ctu Hazar ear ught e in the d Royal Dutch Airlines. ani ase stru ls, d damag fra hoo dro ise

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Vol. 6 no. 2

CREDITS Publisher Jacaranda Designs Ltd Technical Advisers Experts from our sponsors Executive Director Susan Scull-Carvalho Creative Director Peta Meyer Art Director Katherine Moir Senior Editor Helen van Houten Writers Clare Barasa, Charles Bodo, Lee Diani, Peta Meyer, Katherine Moir, Sarah Radoli, Susan Scull-Carvalho, Julia Wanjeri Graphic Designers Samuel Gachie, Grace King’ori, Mbula Makaa-Kinuthia, Katherine Mamai Artists Cyrus Gathigo, Bella Kilonzo, Gabriel Maithya, Katherine Moir, Harrison Muriuki, Martin Ngugi, Benjamin Ondiege, Nkrumah Ondiek, Celestine Wamiru Photographs Charles Bodo, Boto, Ophelia Cherry, Dan Colcer, Glenna Gordon, Juan Hurtado, Sarah Radoli, Forest & Kim Starr, Dinesh Valke, Julia Wanjeri, IRIN, Tagant, VSF, World Resources Institute, www.DavidDennisPhotos.com, www.irinnews.org, www.sxc.hu, www.wikipedia.org Contacts info@youngafricanexpress.net subscription@youngafricanexpress.net marketing@youngafricanexpress.net website: www.youngafricanexpress.net Printed in Nairobi, Kenya Jacaranda Designs Ltd PO Box 1202–00606 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 374-4737 Fax: +254 (0)20 374-9171 Cell: +254 (0)722 667747 Email: info@jacaranda-africa.com Copyright© Jacaranda Designs Ltd 2011 Young African Express is published by Jacaranda Designs Ltd, under a registered trademark.

All rights reserved.

While every attempt has been made to verify all facts, instructions and procedures, the publisher claims indemnity against results of any nature whatsoever arising from the application/s thereof.

Readers are encouraged to contribute. They must include a self-addressed envelope if they want their materials returned; we cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. The editor reserves the right to alter materials in any way deemed necessary. Young African Express is not responsible for unsolicited material. All articles and material submitted must bear the contributor’s name if they are to be used by Young African Express. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers of Young African Express.

Thank you for “adopting a school” by sponsoring subscriptions for others.

AgriFRESH Kenya Ltd • Braeburn School • Nicky Blundell Brown • James Finlay (Kenya) Ltd • Hopcraft family • Kitengela Glass • Diocese of Lodwar • Malewa Ranching Initiative • Nairobi Pentecostal • Ole Moi Yoi family • Tara Consultants • VVOB education for development

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

EXPRESSIONS

Using my brain to use what I learn? I like it!

What about you?

Dear Readers, As you start reading this new Young African Express issue, I hope you’re feeling well and excited too. Thanks for sending us your ideas, stories, letters and drawings. We like to learn from you!

In this issue, you’ll find a new story series about leadership, the technology of using computers to make maps, and guides on how to read and use maps. There’s also plenty of interesting knowledge, interviews, puzzles and much more—all meant to get you thinking. We particularly want you to grow smart by using what you learn.

Stretching your mind is what makes learning meaningful!

Thinking involves asking questions, gathering information, looking closely at how something works, and figuring out why it functions that way. Stretching your thinking means to experiment or try to make a change happen, and then examining why it did or did not change. You might invent a new solution for a problem you have seen—like how to capture

rainwater and store it for later use. Or maybe you’ll think about how to use the wind to create energy.

Thinking is what leads us to discover new and better ways of solving the problems around us. Thinking and using what you learn to build or invent something useful is great fun and exciting! It will make you feel good too.

Let us know how you’re using what you learn.

Share with us what you discover or create so we can let others learn from you too. We’ll print your news in our next issues of the Young African Express!

SMS 0722-667747 or 0733-960757, write to PO Box 1202 - 00606 Nairobi, email info@YoungAfricanExpress.net, or visit our Facebook page.

We say…

We make choices every day, some good and some not so good. Have you thought about how you make choices? We asked some children how they choose their friends.

William Koome.

Class 7, Hospital Hill Primary School. 13 years old.

Hobbies: Swimming, basketball To choose a friend, you have to know about the person and if their character is good, you accept them; if bad, you do not. People with good characters like school, are not naughty and are good influences. With my friends, I play football and basketball.

Suleiman Mohammed. Class 8, Highridge Primary School. 13 years old. Hobbies: Football, revising and watching movies I choose friends who have the same values as me, like being willing to help each other to discuss difficult questions. Also, some are my friends because we have a history—we joined Class One at the same time, in the same school and we also go to the mosque together.

Esther Nyambura. Class 8, Hospital Hill Primary School.

13 years old. Hobbies: Swimming, reading novels I like active people and those who are loyal and there when you need them. I have 5 friends and all of them are girls. We swim together at school.

Maxwell Kiprotich. Class 7, Riara Springs Academy. 11 years old. Hobbies: Playing football and drawing I tend to make friends with people I share the same hobbies with. Since I love drawing, I like people who can draw. We compete on who can draw better!

Mercy Wairimu.

Class 8, Moi Avenue Primary School. 13 years old.

Hobbies: Singing, dancing I choose my friends according to their behaviour. We also like the same things. Other people can lead you to bad choices.

My current friends help me with schoolwork and share when I need anything.

Ferdinand Moraa. Class 8, Moi Avenue Primary School.

13 years old. Hobbies: Acting, reciting poems I go for friends who can be trusted. Best friends trust each other to keep their secrets. I would not wish any harm on my friends, and I would stand up to protect them. Bad friends betray you by revealing your secrets to others.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Fly high continued from page 1

completed my course. In this maledominated industry, the feeling was that the work could only be handled by men. But I was able to prove those beliefs wrong. I did my work well and impressed my employers. There were times when I would have to carry heavy equipment or I would have to stand for hours on end. But I loved my job and did it without complaining. I worked with KLM for 2 years.

Instrument panel of the Slingsby Firefly, used by the British Army as a military trainer until 2010. Caroline specialises in the electronic systems (avionics) of aeroplanes.

I wanted to upgrade my skills and went to Britain in 2006 to study further. I am now graded “Engineer”— an aeronautical engineer with a higher level of skills.

BOARD

Bulletin

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I am currently working with the British Army. I handle the electronic parts of the plane. To qualify for the British Army, one has to be physically fit. Imagine running almost 13 kilometres, carrying a 30-kilo load on your back! Can you do that?

you want something, you will find ways of getting it. Both girls and boys can do anything if they have the will power, perseverance and patience. I encourage girls not to fear challenges. There are no subjects, careers or jobs that are just for boys.

You have to be good in maths, physics, chemistry and geography if you want to be a pilot or aeronautical engineer.

Be focused. If you set your mind on something you will get it.

I am still determined to be a pilot. When on leave, I have flying lessons. When I finish my lessons and get certified, I will be both an aeronautical engineer and a pilot. For me, the sky is not the limit. I plan to go higher than the sky! Never give yourself limitations in life!

”

*Aeronautical engineers repair, service and maintain aeroplanes. *Pilots fly aeroplanes from one destination to another.

My advice to you is that where there is a will, there is a way. If

Drought and me What is drought like for children in Isiolo County?

ost people in Isiolo County are pastoralists, keeping cattle, sheep, goats, camels and donkeys. They have to cope with a harsh climate, outbreaks of livestock disease and unreliable water sources, while new settlements are rapidly growing.

VSF asked 3 children at Ngaramara Primary School about their experience of drought. They revealed that drought affects their livestock, their families and their education.

Vol. 6 no. 2

EXPRESSIONS

Our livestock

“The harsh drought has killed some of our animals and the remaining ones are weak.”

“I go to school late because of looking for water.”

Our families

ICRD drawing competition We bring you another work of art from the Improved Community Response to Drought (ICRD) project’s competition.

“The animals that survive have no market.”

“Drought makes my parents stressed over the animals’ survival and ourselves.”

“My parents move with the animals and I stay with our neighbour or with relatives.”

Our schooling

“There is no money for school fees since most of our animals died and we can’t sell the remaining ones.”

Muhamed Abdinoor illustrates his dream of a good place to live—look for the school, dispensary, homes, hens and goats. Muhamed, 10, is at Diff Primary School, Wajir District, Kenya.

“Since there is a shortage of water, there is no water for cooking or cleaning school uniforms. Sometimes I have to go to school when I have not eaten, in a dirty uniform and without having bathed.”

Children at Ngaramara Primary School, Isiolo District, share their views.

“I drop out of school during drought because my parents are pastoralists. I move with them but come back when it rains.”

We want to hear from you! Write to Young African Express at PO Box 1202 - 00606 Nairobi, email info@YoungAfricanExpress.net Attention Educators: Follow the colour band at the top of each page for curriculum links Expressions: English language and literacy Staying Healthy: Health, hygiene and nutrition Practical Science: Maths, science and technology

Our World: Civil society, social sciences and human rights Business and careers Going Green: Agroforestry, home gardens and environmental conservation Critical thinking, puzzles and brainteasers

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Vol. 6 no. 2

staying healthy

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Poor diet Among older children like Francis, the more common nutritional deficiencies involve shortages of vitamin, minerals or protein. We need a balanced diet to avoid nutritional deficiencies.

Vitamin deficiency In the playground one day, Musa noticed that his friend Francis got tired really fast. He also noticed that Francis was not attentive in class.

F

rancis was lethargic—physically slow and mentally dull. He was tired and ill, because he was not eating well. Older children who have a poor diet are likely to grow slowly and, like Francis, have little energy to play, study or do physical work.

Francis had a nutritional deficiency.

There are 5 main types of nutritional deficiency. Two, marasmus and kwashiorkor, are forms of malnutrition, which are more common in babies and young children, especially in famine areas.

Why is it important to brush your teeth? Taking care of them helps prevent plaque, which is a clear film of bacteria that sticks to them.

A

fter you eat, bacteria go crazy over the sugar on your teeth, like ants at a picnic. The bacteria break it down into acids that eat away tooth enamel, causing holes called cavities.

Plaque also causes gingivitis or gum disease, which can make your gums red, swollen and sore. Your gums are those soft pink tissues in your mouth that hold your teeth in place.

If you don’t take care of your teeth, cavities and unhealthy gums will make your mouth very, very sore. Eating meals will be difficult. You could even lose your teeth.

Vitamins are essential for normal growth and development. Common deficiencies include insufficient vitamin B12, vitamin C and vitamin E. Symptoms include increased bouts of illness from colds and flu, dry skin and hair, poor eyesight, receding gums, weak teeth and weak nails.

Common mineral deficiencies include lack of zinc, iron and magnesium.

Symptoms include dry skin and hair, low immunity, lack of coordination, hair loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, and weak bones and nails.

Protein deficiency

Every cell in the human body contains protein. It is a major part of the skin, muscles, organs and glands. Protein is important for growth and development during childhood, adolescence and pregnancy.

Protein deficiency is extremely common.

Mineral It varies in how deficiency severe it is. Symptoms Just like vitamins, include weak nails, minerals help your constipation, muscle body grow, develop wasting that causes Eat a balanced diet to avo and stay healthy. The weakness, hair loss and id nutritional deficiencies. body uses minerals to reduced blood pressure. perform many different Serious symptoms are functions such as building strong bones stunted growth, fluid retention, skin rashes and transmitting nerve impulses. and loss of coordination.

How do we brush our teeth?

Procedure:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, after your meals.

• Use a medium soft toothbrush with a small head.

• Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

• Use short strokes with gentle pressure.

• Start with the upper and lower molars (back teeth), using a circular motion.

Focus most of the brushing on those molars because we chew mainly with them and that is where most decay occurs in children.

Parts of a tooth. A healthy tooth like this one has no plaque, no cavities and is held by healthy gums.

Brush for 3 minutes, brushing for the first 2 on the upper and lower molars.

You will need 1 minute on the inside and outside of the front teeth.

• Rinse thoroughly, swishing the water around in your mouth.

• Rinsing your mouth 3 times helps get rid of all the toothpaste along with bits of food or anything else that might be still hanging around.

• It takes 3 minutes to clear your • It is important to change your mouth of plaque and toothbrush at least every 3 months.

Ouch! The bacteria that cling to other dental problems. plaque cause your mouth to produce acids. The acids have eaten away at No toothbrush, toothpaste or water? Chew a twig! Trees the enamel of this tooth, making a like mswaki (salt bush), eucalyptus and neem have antiseptic hole, or cavity, and the inside of the properties that protect the teeth. Chew the end of the tooth is beginning to decay. If the twig and then brush with it. Cut off the end after each use cavity is not seen to, the decay will and avoid brushing hard as you can damage your gums. reach the nerve endings—and the pain will begin.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

DISEASES

Meningitis

What are the symptoms?

Meningitis symptoms usually appear within 2-4 days after infection. The early symptoms are vague and may be mistaken for flu—however, once a person starts feeling ill, the disease will progress fast.

The killer disease that doesn’t have to be Two-year-old Charlie had been playing with the neighbour’s little boy but was getting feverish and irritable. Mum brought him home and he refused lunch. Instead he seemed drowsy, so Mum put him to bed for his afternoon nap.

Later, when Charlie didn’t wake up at the usual time, Mum went to check. The boy definitely had a fever. She could feel the heat coming from his body before she even touched him. She picked him up but little Charlie didn’t awake—his body was stiff, his neck and back were arched, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Luckily their neighbour had a car. Mum ran next door with the unconscious boy in her arms, and together they rushed the baby to hospital.

Charlie had meningitis.

At the hospital he was treated with antibiotics and recovered in a few weeks. The neighbour’s baby had been vaccinated so did not get sick at all. Both boys were lucky—meningitis in children can lead to long-term health problems or even death.

What is meningitis?

M

eningitis is an inflammation of the meninges—the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord1. It can be caused by a bacteria or a virus, or be the after-effect of an ear infection or head injury. Like certain types of flu, meningitis can sometime occur in epidemics, making a lot of people sick at the same time.

Bacterial meningitis is much more serious than viral meningitis, which infects grown-ups more than children and has symptoms similar to a bad case of flu.

How does meningitis spread?

The bacteria that cause meningitis are passed from person to person through respiratory secretions—for example, through sneezing, coughing, kissing, or not washing hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

These bacteria are quite common in our environment but don’t usually make us sick because our immune system2 can resist them. Young children have a higher risk of infection because their immune system is not fully developed.

jab ngitis—get the free Prevent menimen in Kenyan is Hib vaccination ingitis, The most severe form of by especially in children, is caused b e typ ia the Haemophilus influenz (Hib) bacteriu m.

can be Fortunately this killer meningitis which ion, prevente d by the Hib vaccinat inst aga ions is available just like vaccinat ases other serious childhood dise such as measles and diphtheria. The

government hospitals.

Not every parent realises how serious meningitis can be, or how it. a simple vaccination can prevent a or ngs sibli r nge If you have you baby in the family, make sure the adults in your family know abo ut the vaccination!

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Symptoms in children and adults

Symptoms in children and adults fever

headache

stiff neck/ joint pain

rash that does not fade when pressed

fever

headache

stiff neck/ joint pain

rash that does not fade when pressed

nausea/ vomiting

drowsiness/ confusion

dislike of bright lights

fits/ convulsions

Babies and young children cannot tell

nausea/ vomiting you

drowsiness/ dislike of fits/ Symptoms babies brightand lights convulsions howconfusion theyinfeel.

Look outtoddlers for the

symptoms below.

Symptoms in babies and toddlers fever

high-pitched, moaning cry/ whimpering

vomiting/ refusal to eat

cries when touched or handled

fever

high-pitched, moaning cry/ whimpering

vomiting/ refusal to eat

cries when touched or handled

lethargic, hard to wake

arched back or neck

blank expression

pale, blotchy skin

lethargic, hard to wake

arched back or neck

blank expression

pale, blotchy skin

They may also • be irritable and refuse to eat • be lethargic and difficult to wake • have fits or jerky body movements In young babies, the fontanelle (the soft spot at the top of the head) may bulge outwards. If you think a baby is ill, seek medical treatment urgently.

The same good hygiene habits that prevent coughs and colds can also prevent serious diseases like meningitis. Stay away from coughing, sneezing people and wash your hands often, especially before eating and after going to the toilet.

1 Spinal cord—a thick cord of nerves running through the spine that connects all the nerves in the body with the brain 2 Immune system—the body’s system for spotting possible dangers (like bacteria and viruses) and fighting them

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

hiv & you and other body fluids—semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. But before you panic, let me tell you more about how this can happen.

Dear Counsellor

When a schoolmate fell and cut her hand, I cleaned it for her. Now I’ve been told that I shouldn’t touch other people’s blood because of HIV and I’m worried. I don’t know if she has HIV but I don’t want to get it!

Please help me.

Teresia, 15

Dear Teresia

Thanks for asking for help instead of worrying silently. It is possible to get HIV from an infected person’s blood

HIV can be transmitted if the blood of someone with HIV comes into contact with a cut or graze on another person, or through infected blood used in a blood transfusion. If you are cleaning or dressing someone’s wound, wear surgical gloves or cover your hands with plastic wrap or plastic bags, whether or not the person has HIV. Blood donated for blood transfusions is carefully screened for HIV so there is little chance of being infected this way. Infected blood is most commonly transmitted through needles shared by intravenous drug users.

The chances of being infected when cleaning a wound are low and your schoolmate quite likely does not have HIV. However, I recommend that you have an HIV test to put your mind at rest.

there’s that new girl. shall we ask her to join us?

Dear Counsellor

My friends and I would like to know how to prevent HIV. We have been told to avoid sex but how can we do that our whole lives?

Dennis, 14

Dear Dennis

You are being realistic in thinking that you will have sex one day. I hope that you will wait until you are older and in a serious relationship because abstinence (avoiding sex) is one of the best ways to prevent HIV infection.

But there are other ways.

Practise safe sex—wear a condom. Be faithful to one person—having multiple partners increases your chances of infection. Circumcised men have less chance of infection than those who are not circumcised, so you may want to consider circumcision before you become sexually active.

Read my letter to Teresia to learn more about preventing infection from blood, and keep safe.

she’s hiv positive? woo-hoo! she must be hot stuff! what?

better not, i heard she’s hiv positive.

Story by Peta Meyer Art by Bella Kilonzo

but she doesn’t look sick. are you sure she has hiv?

hiv is spread by sex, right? our girl must have been sleeping around ... naughty, naughty!

come on guys, even i know that you can’t tell if someone has hiv from the way they look ...

... maybe she isn’t hiv positive after all. we shouldn’t spread rumours.

poor girl, what a lot of stigma she has to deal with!

all the same, i don’t want her sitting next to me …

that’s right. and it’s unfair to assume she’s promiscuous. anyone can get hiv, through no fault of their own. besides ...

TALK ABOUT IT!

tell you what, if she can’t sit next to us, then i will go sit next to her!

all nuru’s friends seem to have preconceived ideas about hiv. how come nuru does not share their concerns?

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

bodyworks

Curly, straight or wavy?

What causes ingrown hair?

What’s your hair type?

Do you ever wonder how your hair grows and why everyone’s hair is different?

H

air is made up of a protein (keratin) that grows from a hair follicle. The hair fibre is actually a cuticle, constructed in the same way as your fingernail and toenail cuticles. The follicle, which is located deep in the skin, is attached to a tiny sebaceous gland (a gland that secretes an oily or fatty substance) and muscle fibre. Hair grows when the follicle collects and bundles old cells. The sebaceous gland and muscle fibre push the bundles up through the skin in a root sheath. This sheath has 2 layers, an internal and an external layer. The external layer contains RNA that gives the hair its colour and texture. The internal layer contains the hair fibre. skin oil gland hair shaft

root of hair blood vessels papilla

People’s hair grows differently, depending on factors such as age, weight, metabolism, hormones, ethnicity and medications.

Our hair colour varies because each person has a different amount of melanin, the black or brown pigment that is naturally present in skin, hair and eyes. The more melanin you have,

the darker your hair. We get grey or white hair when our bodies produce less melanin.

How straight, wavy or curly your hair is depends on the shape of the hair follicles in your scalp. Curly hair grows from flat follicles, wavy hair from oval follicles and straight hair from round follicles.

You get ingrown hair when the sharp tip of a hair curls back and grows sideways into the skin and causes a pimple.

Ingrown hair is a very common skin condition after puberty.

Ingrown hairs tend to occur in areas with hair trapped under skin coarse hairs.

Though medically harmless, ingrown hairs may lead to scarring of the affected area, discoloration of the skin or skin infection.

Hair that is cut short and close to the skin creates a sharp tip that can more easily pierce the skin to cause an ingrown hair. Shaving with a blade that is too close to the skin is its major cause.

Other causes

• Skin suffering from lack of moisture

• Oil that is stuck in the hair follicle straight

wavy

curly

spiral coiled

• Build-up of dead skin cells in the pores and on the surface of the skin • Coarse, curly hair growing in a curved hair follicle

Each hair goes through 3 growth phases The active growth phase lasts for several years. During this phase, our hair has a lot of melanin. Cells in the root divide fast. They are bundled and added to the hair shaft. The length of this phase varies from person to person and is based on the location on the body and your individual genetics. Hair on the head grows approximately 12.5 mm every month; 85% of your hair is in this stage. At the end of the phase, the follicle moves to the next phase.

7

The regressive phase lasts about 2 weeks, during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. About 3-4% of our hair is in this phase.

The resting phase lasts for 5–6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and a new one begins to form. About 10–13% of our hair is in this phase. The average person loses about 100 hairs each day.

Things you never knew about hair

The only parts of your body not covered by any sort of hair are your palms, the soles of your feet and your lips.

Hair is strong! A single hair can support 100 g of weight. A whole head of hair twisted together can support the weight of 2 elephants.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hairs, so eat your sukuma and beans!

Vol. 6 no. 2

Emotion al ab

F

m

t en

Bullying,

e

sad. He hoped Maisha would now be feeling better.

But today Maisha was coming back and things were going to be back to normal. Maisha had missed so much school because her father had died.

Richard thought that was really

But Maisha seemed different. She tried to smile, but didn’t look happy.

Richard had a lot to tell her, but she didn’t seem to be listening. Maisha barely talked.

”

How people grieve

When someone dies, you and others who loved that person will feel differently for a while. You might cry, feel angry, or confused. Sometimes you may feel like being alone. These feelings are normal.

Talking about your feelings will help you feel better and less alone. If you can’t talk to your family, talk to a friend or a teacher. Try to help out around the house. Doing a few extra chores will make things easier for your family. It may help take your mind off your sadness. It may be hard to believe that things will get better. They will but it will take time.

If you lose a parent, you will never forget your mum or dad, but your painful feelings will slowly fade.

LOOK, IT’S DALMA, THE TEACHER’S PET.

violence, d ef il

Today is going to be great,” thought Richard. His friend Maisha had been absent from school for the last week. Without her, the walk home had been lonely.

Sexual abuse in schools

R

achel goes to a school near home. She is an average student but tries hard. One afternoon as she studies alone in the classroom, a teacher comes in. He sits down next to her to see what she’s doing then starts stroking her arm. “You are a very beautiful girl,” he says. “Can I be your friend? I can help you improve your marks.”

Fortunately Rachel has heard about teachers abusing pupils and knows that her teacher’s offer of “friendship” means sex! She rushes out of the classroom and runs home to tell her parents.

Teachers are not allowed to have a sexual relationship with pupils—it is an abuse of their authority and against the law.

By Peta Meyer and Martin Ngugi K. YOU KNOW HOW SHE GETS SUCH GOOD MARKS … ?

YEAH, SHE LETS MR KARANJA LOOK DOWN HER BLOUSE!

GIRLS, WHY ARE YOU TELLING SUCH LIES ABOUT DALMA?!

YOUR REMARKS ARE HURTFUL AND UNTRUE. YOU MUST BE JEALOUS! JEALOUS? ME? OH NO, NO WAY! I’M NOT …

THAT … THAT’S NOT TRUE! THEY FEEL INSECURE, SO THEY TRY TO MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL BIG BY PUTTING OTHERS DOWN!

!iolence nto ov e, child abus e, rap

.

Say

e, us

.M .G

Dealing with grief

“

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

LIVING RIGHT

al xu Se

8

OH FIONA, WE’RE JUST HAVING FUN …

WELL, DALMA IS TEACHER’S PET—HOW ELSE CAN SHE BE TOP IN MATHS?

YES, BULLIES ARE OFTEN JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO DO BETTER THAN THEY DO.

THAT’S BECAUSE MY OLDER BROTHER HELPS ME. BESIDES, I LIKE MATHS. I CAN HELP YOU, IF YOU LIKE.

Sexual abuse is never the victim’s fault. Speak to your parent or guardian. Tell them exactly what happened. With their help report the teacher to the school management.

After investigation, appropriate action should be taken against the teacher for the good of the other children.

Never keep such a story to yourself; it only encourages the abuser to molest more girls.

REALLY? CAN YOU HELP ME TOO?

I’M SORRY WE TEASED YOU ...

OF COURSE. WE CAN STUDY TOGETHER!

Unfortunately many girls do not report such approaches. It is difficult to talk about abuse when someone you respect, like a teacher, is responsible. The victim tends to blame herself—is it my fault? Did I do something to encourage it?

• Childline Kenya 116 -One Hotline • Liverpool VCT One-2 121 11 22 0800 Uganda • Action for Children 00 111 222 08 or 3 33 0800 111 ) 152243 (51 a • ANPPCAN-Tanzani

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

Human rights

S

olo, Simo and Stevo meet at their usual base on the weekend, to catch up. Solo, as always, never lacks a tale to tell, and on this particular day, he has the most fascinating story about Salma, the new girl in his class at college.

Minutes later, a police car screeches to a halt just next to them. Four men jump out of the car, identify themselves as police officers and order the 3 friends to lie down. Solo, Simo and Stevo drop to the ground and “bang! bang! bang!” they are shot dead. The police claim that the 3 friends were part of a notorious gang.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, a woman has been robbed of her mobile phone. Her screams attract a crowd of people, who grab a man standing close to her. Ignoring his protests of innocence, they start beating and kicking him.

Do these stories sound familiar? Do you know that regardless of whether someone has been caught red-handed committing a crime or is believed to be a criminal, he or she has a right to a fair trial?

DO THE

H G I T R

It is easy to take facilities that are open to all for granted—until we need them.

Yes, everyone has the right be presumed innocent until proven guilty through a public trial in which the accused are given time and resources to defend themselves. Hence, police shooting, just like mob justice, is a violation of human rights. It is illegal.

As stated in the new constitution, a fair trial includes the right • to be told the reason for the arrest • to be allowed enough time and

THING

Yet we all know what it is like when others leave a public facility in a mess.

facilities to prepare and answer one’s case • to speak with a lawyer or any other person who can assist • to be released on bond before trial, unless there is a good reason for not doing so • for the case to take the shortest time possible—an arrested person must be taken to court not later than 24 hours from the moment of arrest

Take care of public facilities

Let’s care for such amenities as though we were going to be the next to use them ...

… And while we use them, let’s respect others by behaving well, too.

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Vol. 6 no. 2

our world

1

How much do you know about Kenya’s geography?

The maps on these pages are GIS maps—find out more about them on page 20. Each map has a different focus but they all relate to each other.

Map

1

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Sources: Cities (SoK and ILRI 2000), water bodies (FAO 2000a), permanent and intermittent rivers (NIMA 1997), 250-meter Digital Elevation Model (SoK, JICA, and ILRI 1996), and major drainage areas (MoWD and JICA 1992a).

10

Physical geography, major drainage areas and rivers

A relief map shows mountains, valleys and other differences in elevation, or altitude, using shading rather than contour lines. Here you can see the topography (physical features) of Kenya, rising from sea level to the highest point, Mount Kenya.

About 67% of Kenya lies below 900 m, shown green in the map. Highlands above 1200 m, shown in darker brown, make up about 23% of the country. The Great Rift Valley, stretching north-south from the Ethiopian border at Lake Turkana down to Tanzania, splits the highlands into a western and eastern part.

The map also shows the distribution of surface water in Kenya. About 1.9% of Kenya is covered by water. Lake Victoria, Lake Turkana, Lake Naivasha and Lake Baringo are the 4 largest inland water bodies. Most permanent rivers are found in the highlands, with intermittent rivers (shown by dashed lines) in the arid and semi-arid rangelands.

Major drainage area boundaries

ELEVATION (meters)

High : 4,786 Low : -24 WATER BODIES AND RIVERS Permanent rivers Intermittent rivers Water bodies

Map quest

• Find the Rift Valley on the map. Is it level?

• Does topography affect the direction in which rivers drain?

• Where do the Tana River and the Athi River originate?

Map

2

2

Major ecosystem types

The predominant ecosystems are bushland and woodland (36% of Kenya) and savanna and grassland (39%).

Croplands cover about 19% of the country. Forests occur mainly in the mountain ranges and along parts of the coastal belt. A small percentage of land is naturally bare of vegetation. Kenya’s lakes, rivers, and other water bodies are also important ecosystems. Urban ecosystems are areas where buildings and streets are the main features.

Map quest

• Compare this map with map 3. Do you see any links between water, altitude and ecosystems?

• Ecosystems change when humans clear land for settlements and for farming. Which of the ecosystems in the map do you think will have changed since 2000?

Sources: Cities (SoK and ILRI 2000), water bodies (FAO 2000), and major ecosystem types (FAO 2000).

In an ecosystem, the living organisms and the environment interact with one another. This map illustrates the major ecosystem types in Kenya as they were in 2000.

Five “water towers” and selected upper watersheds

A water tower is a large raised water storage tank. We call forested highland areas water towers because this is where most rain falls and is collected. A watershed or drainage area is an area of land that drains into a specific water body—a river, lake or ocean.

Vol. 6 no. 2

3

Kenya’s largest rivers have their source in the mountains.

Many of them run year-round. The mountain slopes, with their fertile soils and abundant water, are densely settled.

The rivers that drain into the arid and semi-arid lands are a vital source of water to grow crops, raise livestock and support wildlife.

Map quest

• Where are the biggest closed forests located? What do you notice about their location?

• Compare this map with map 2. Why do you think most savanna and grassland is to the north and east of the country?

Map

4

Predominant household livelihoods

The ways in which most people earn a living—their livelihood strategies—are influenced by their environment. Households may take up pastoralism, agropastoralism (a combination of pastoralism with the raising of crops), mixed farming or fishing, according to the available resources in different areas.

In most of Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas, pastoral livelihood strategies dominate. Agropastoralists are clustered around the margins of the farming areas. In the farming areas, people mainly farm dairy cattle and food, cash and irrigated crops.

Fishing, sometimes combined with pastoralism or raising food crops, is much more localised.

In some areas there is a less direct link between environment and livelihood.

In these areas, people work in mines, manufacturing and service industries.

Settlements are centres of trade and employment.

Map quest

• Compare this map with map 1. Do you see any link between the elevation of certain areas and how people there make a living?

• Map 2 shows croplands in light brown.

Does everyone in these lands raise crops in the same way?

• Looking from this map to maps 1 and 3, what factors could cause the areas in pale green and mid green to be marginal farming areas?

Maps and information are from Nature’s Benefits in Kenya: An Atlas of Ecosystems and Human Well-Being, World Resources Institute.

11 Sources: Cities (SoK and ILRI 2000), water bodies (FAO 2000a), permanent rivers (NIMA 1997), subdrainage and major drainage areas (MoWD and JICA 1992a), upper watersheds for five ëwater towersí (WRI delineation based on MoWD and JICA 1992a).

Map

3

our world

4 Sources: Administrative boundaries (CBS 2003), cities (SoK and ILRI 2000), water bodies (FAO 2000), and livelihood zones (ALRMP et al. 2006).

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

our world

How did cities like Nairobi or Kampala get started?

Until about 10,000 years ago, humans lived in small nomadic bands. When people started growing crops and domesticating animals, they began to live permanently in one place. People gathered together for security in villages or little settlements.

A

settlement is a permanent or temporary community in which people live. A settlement can range from a small number of huts grouped together to the largest of cities with surrounding urbanised areas.

There is always a reason why a settlement begins in a certain place and, as it attracts more people, it grows.

Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria, is Tanzania’s second-largest city, a farming, fishing and commercial centre and a port.

•

•

• Dogon villages in Mali were built against cliffs (for defence) and near the Niger River (for water).

How towns and cities grow Urban areas in East Africa grew in a way similar to many others around the world.

• Many arose in rich agricultural areas with high rainfall and good soils. Examples include towns in the Kenya highlands and around the Lake Victoria basin.

by Cyrus Gathigo and Katherine Moir

Boda boda safety

Towns such as Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Lamu, Kitale and Nanyuki developed as trading centres as a result of being meeting points of various forms of transportation.

Coastal places with natural harbours became ports.

Places that served as watering points for pastoralists and their animals within a generally dry land, such as Nairobi and Garissa, also developed into towns.

Some towns attracted people because of the security they offered. Kampala grew up

Jericho in the West Bank is the oldest known walled city in the world, with fortifications dating from 6,800 BCE. These ruins are at Tell-es-Sultan, Jericho’s oldest settlement.

When you need a lift on a motorbike, choose your boda boda well.

Safety comes first— avoid the drivers who are known to be daredevils and go for the more cautious ones.

•

around the fort built on Kampala Hill. Temporary refugee camps may develop into permanent settlements.

Natural resources may give rise to settlements, like Magadi where soda ash is mined.

As settlements grow they may develop more functions and offer more services. A village may grow big enough to need a school, for instance.

Many manufacturing industries are located near big towns because of their infrastructure and market.

The concentration of industries in a particular town can be a magnet for more industries to be established there. To farmers in the surrounding area, towns are important marketing centres for their produce.

Juba is set to become the world’s newest capital city when South Sudan becomes independent.

The driver should wear a helmet and have one for you. To maintain good hygiene, carry a headscarf to put on before donning a helmet.

Never say you are in a hurry, even if you are late for something! It is better to get there late and safe.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Drought & me

Vol. 6 no. 2

Managing disaster

13

A

disaster is an event that causes serious damage, injury or death. Disasters can be natural, like volcanic eruptions, or man-made, like wars. Some natural disasters may happen as a result of human actions—deforestation can lead to floods because there are no forests to slow down runoff from heavy rains; a wildfire may be started by a discarded cigarette. These are called quick onset disasters but some disasters occur more slowly (slow onset). A drought comes after rains have failed, and famine only if we humans do not handle the results of disasters such as drought well. Climate change happens very slowly but can lead to disasters like flood, drought and heat waves.

Some animals are simply too weak to survive after the long trek to water points.

Recovery—restoring the affected area and its people, for example, rebuilding homes after an earthquake.

How much harm a disaster causes is directly related to how well we have planned or are prepared for it.

You are probably wondering, “How can we plan for a disaster?” Think about this: you see your little sister running across a slippery floor and tell her to slow down because there is a danger of her falling. You know that if she falls, you will have to comfort her and maybe clean a graze.

Farmers in Mandera gaze at crops submerged by floodwaters.

In the same way, we can look out for signs of possible disaster, try to prevent it and plan what to do if it happens. This is called disaster risk reduction or disaster management.

Governments and big organisations and agencies like the Red Cross respond to

disasters—often on a large scale. This is after disaster strikes. But individuals and communities can play a big role before the disaster happens. They know first-hand what problems they will face and how they can deal with them before and after.

© Glenna Gordon/ IRIN

There are 4 stages to dealing with disasters:

Men in Karamoja build a rock catchment dam to hold water. Building and maintaining water points is one way to reduce the risk of disaster during drought.

Preparedness—being ready for a disaster; predicting when one may happen and what may happen and planning what to do if it happens Mitigation—reducing the effects of a disaster or preventing a danger, for example, opening a water point in dry season grazing areas or selling livestock when they are still in good condition, before the drought hits.

Response—reacting when a disaster happens and people are affected. For example, taking food to people who have lost their crops or livestock.

Think about where you live. Does your community face any risks?

Examples of such risks: • Dry areas face recurring droughts, which affect people, livestock and crops and can lead to famine.

• People living in low-lying areas close to rivers are in danger if the rivers flood.

• A group of densely packed houses risks being burned down in a fire because the flames can spread easily and it is difficult for fire engines to reach them.

What other risks may lead to disaster?

Drought management Much of East Africa is affected by climate change. What can we do to be better prepared for its effects, like drought and floods?

Climate change is bringing more unpredictable weather and droughts and floods are more common. We need to prepare better and improve our methods for dealing with such events.

That way we will not have to depend so much on help from governments and agencies.

continued on page 14

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Drought & me

Continued from page 13

What we can do in drylands • Manage our environment in a better way—for example, reserving certain areas for grazing during the dry season or drought or reviving pasture and rangeland through

better grazing management • Manage and maintain water points— wells, dams and boreholes—well; create or set aside water points to be used only during the dry season and drought.

• Set up ways to reduce and resolve conflict between people—for example, agreeing on how different

communities will share a water point during drought; setting up a peace committee to deal with arguments.

• Work out how our needs may change during droughts and floods— for example, having to migrate away from school, having to buy food instead of producing our own.

Water as a hazard: flooding in Kenya

M

any floods have affected the western parts of Kenya.

Homes, schools, livestock, and farmlands in other parts of the country have also been destroyed.

In May 2005, devastating floods displaced thousands of people, especially along the shores of Lake Victoria, as well as in Tana River and Garissa Districts further east.

Heavy rains also caused flooding in Isiolo District and in north-eastern Kenya. Impassable, waterlogged roads seriously hampered efforts to help the victims.

Flooding can reduce access to clean water by destroying or polluting

drinking water supplies, increasing the chances of contracting waterborne diseases. Stagnant water that remains after flooding can also increase exposure to mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria or Rift Valley Fever (RVF) by providing a medium for mosquitoes to breed. Washed-away bridges and impassable roads can isolate communities for extended periods, leading to food and other shortages.

Not every flood is a disaster On the other hand, flooding can sometimes be helpful to both ecosystems and people. About one million people depend on the Tana

River’s flooding regime for their livelihoods, including nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists, who rely on floodplain grasslands for dry season pasture. Some seasonal fisherfolk and fish traders also depend on the Tana’s flooding pattern, as do some farmers, who count on seasonal floods to irrigate their riverbank farms.

In addition, birds and wildlife are dependent on the annual flood cycle of the Tana for habitat and forage.

Wetlands are often replenished by the flooding as well.

Creating an early flood warning system is one possible way to reduce some of the worst flood impacts.

Sources: Cities (SoK and ILRI 2000), water bodies, floodplains, and valley bottoms (FAO 2000a), permanent and intermittent rivers (NIMA 1997), 250-meter Digital Elevation Model (SoK, JICA, and ILRI 1996), and 2002–2006 flooded areas (Brakenridge et al. 2006).

Areas flooded or prone to flooding This map shows the areas flooded from 2002–06 (in red), as well as floodplains and low-lying areas prone to flooding (in orange).

Floodplains consist of land adjacent to a river channel that is seasonally covered by river water.

Areas that experienced the most flooding are the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya, the banks of the Tana River in eastern Kenya, and the Lorian Swamp in central eastern Kenya, all highlighted on the map.

Although the flooding near Lake Victoria does not appear to be extensive from this national map, population density in that area is high and thus flooding is very destructive.

Severe flooding in parts of north-eastern and eastern Kenya led to an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever. RVF causes deaths in people and losses in livestock through massive miscarriages. As a result, trade in Kenyan livestock was banned for 5 years.

AREAS FLOODED OR PRONE TO FLOODING Flooded areas, 2002 - 2006 Flood plains and valley bottoms WATER BODIES AND RIVERS Permanent rivers Intermittent rivers Water bodies Map courtesy of World Resources Institute

Sponsored by

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

agroforestry

15

Trees for drylands

Did you read the last issue of Young African Express? Then you will know how valuable trees are in arid and semi-arid areas.

They give us products to use or sell while providing services like protecting soil, preventing erosion and providing shade.

Fodder

Wood products

Other products

Services

Acacia senegal Gum acacia, gum arabic Kikwata

Acacia tortilis Tortilis, umbrella thorn Mgunga

Balanites aegyptiaca Desert date Mjunju

Gliricidia sepium Gliricidia, quickstick, Mexican lilac, mother of cocoa

Melia volkensii Melia

Salvadora persica Toothbrush tree, salt bush Mswaki

Bee fodder

Medicine

Where to grow Uses  = arid zones (annual rainfall less than 400 mm) = semi-arid zones (annual rainfall 400–800 mm)

  Rainfall: 300–1,200 mm Seeds Altitude: 1,000–1,400 m Soil: sandy to sandy-clay Slow-growing Gum arabic, used in many manufactured goods, is a valuable product

 Gum Roots

   Pods Leaves

 Poles

 Gum arabic (produces more gum in poor soils) Rope from fibre

 Improves soil Controls erosion Live fence

 Rainfall: 100–1,100 mm Altitude: 0–1,650 m Soil: wide range—sandy to silty and black cotton soils Extremely drought resistant Slow-growing



   Pods Leaves

 Timber Poles

 Tannin Dyes

 Nitrogen-fixing Protects soil Live fence Shade

 Roots Toothbrush (twigs)



  Timber Gum Poles Pesticide Furniture Utensils

 Windbreak Mulch Shade

   Leaves Shoots Pods Seeds

  Timber Rat poison Poles Furniture Utensils

 Nitrogen-fixing Soil protection Mulch Green manure Live fence Windbreak Shade

 Fruits

 Timber

 Mulch Green manure Soil reclamation Erosion control

Food

Tree Latin name English name Swahili name

Fuel (charcoal and firewood)

Many useful trees grow well in drylands. Here are 6 that the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) recommends.

 Rainfall: 200–400 mm Altitude: 0–1,500 m Soil: sandy to sandy-clay soils Produces fruit even in drought Termite-resistant Slow-growing

 Fruit Fat Vegetable

 Rainfall: 600–1,300 mm Altitude: 0–1,600 m Soil: variety, including acid and infertile soils Termite-resistant Fast-growing

 Vegetable Oil

 Rainfall: 300–800 mm Altitude: 0–1,200 m Soil: sandy to sandy-clay soils Fast-growing

 Bark (overdose is poisonous)



  Wood

        Rainfall: 300–1,000 mm Fruit Roots Pods Wood Timber Soil reclamation Altitude: 1,000–3,500 m Bark (contains Leaves Erosion control Soil: sandy-clay to sandy-loam soils antibiotic) Shade Very drought resistant Toothbrush Slow-growing (twigs) You can find more trees at www.infonet-biovision.org (click on Agroforestry in the Environment menu to go to their tree-planting guide). For more information, ask farmers in your area or the forestry extension officer, and read more on the Agroforestree Database (www.worldagroforestry.org/resources/databases/agroforestree).

Propagation —growing new trees

new shoots grow from the stumps; harvest the You can obtain new trees in various ways: shoots after some years, depending on species.

• Seeds—sow seeds in pots or beds, or sow them directly in the final growing places. For Find out the best propagation methods for top-quality trees, use top-quality seeds. your trees.

• Seedlings—buy seedlings from good nurseries or collect wild ones (wildings).

• Root suckers—cut off shoots growing from the roots of existing trees, allow them to develop roots and replant them.

• Coppicing—cut down newly-coppiced shoots begin mature uncoppiced trees to grow coppice trees existing trees and let

Growing tips

• Weed young plants regularly and protect them from browsing animals.

• Prepare seedlings for planting out by reducing watering so they do not need much water once planted.

• Some trees grow better when they are pruned regularly.

Young tortilis and melia trees benefit from pruning.

• Trees grow at different rates.

Grow a mix of trees so that you get the benefits of some while waiting for others to mature.

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Vol. 6 no. 2

ecosystems

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Who’s eating whom?

Living things have 2 major needs— energy and nutrients. All chemical processes in an organism, which include keeping the insides of cells organised and working smoothly, require energy as a driving force. reen plants use light energy from the sun to manufacture carbohydrates for food in a process called photosynthesis. Other living things get energy from the food they consume, so they can move and grow.

As food passes through the body of an animal, some of it is digested, releasing energy.

G

The energy pyramid shows savannah grassland providing food and energy to zebras. As we go up, there are fewer zebras than plants and even fewer lions than zebras. As we go further along a food chain, there are fewer and fewer consumers. A large mass of living things at the base is required to support a few at the top — many herbivores are needed to support a few carnivores.

Food, in whatever form, must contain the 2 basic requirements of energy and nutrients. Nutrients form the raw materials and building blocks for the body’s growth, repair and maintenance.

The food chain All animals depend on other plants or animals to some degree for their survival. A food chain shows the order in which living things feed on others and each begins with a plant and ends with an animal. The links in a food chain are producers (green plants), consumers and decomposers.

There are 3 groups of consumers

Animals that eat only plants are called herbivores or primary consumers.

1 2

Animals that eat other animals are called carnivores or predators.

producers

primary consumers

• Some carnivores eat only herbivores and are secondary consumers.

• Carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers, for example, killer whales in an ocean food chain:

Animals and people who eat both animals and plants are called omnivores.

3

Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) feed on decaying matter. Decomposers speed up the decaying process that releases minerals back into the soil for absorption by plants as nutrients.

secondary consumers

tertiary consumers

How much food do we need?

In a food chain, energy is passed from one link to another.

When a herbivore eats, only a fraction of the energy that it gets from the plant food becomes new body mass. The rest of the energy is used by the herbivore to carry out jobs like movement, digestion and reproduction, or lost as waste.

When a carnivore eats a herbivore, it receives only a small amount of the total energy that the herbivore received from the plants it ate. The carnivore will waste or use up some of the energy it obtained and must therefore eat many herbivores to get enough energy to grow.

The further along the food chain you go, the less food (and hence energy) remains available, so most food chains have no more than 4 or 5 links.

Most animals need more than one source of food to meet their food and energy requirements and are part of more than one food chain.

These interconnected food chains form a food web.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

ecosystems

Why do we need lions?

At the top of the food chain

Wild predators can be a problem, eating people’s livestock instead of wild herbivores and occasionally attacking people.

It may seem that having no carnivores would be a good thing, but that is not so.

We have seen how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem in the food chain; in the process of eating and being eaten, energy flows from one level to another. If one species of plant or animal is removed from the food chain, the health of the ecosystem is weakened.

Without carnivores, the herbivore population would grow too big for the amount

of plant food available. They would graze the ecosystem to the point where plants could not recover. With no plants, the herbivores (including our livestock) would starve.

Although carnivores can be pests, they can also control other pests. Leopards, for example, eat baboons. Without them, there would be more baboons raiding our crops.

People from all over the world come to see our African wildlife—carnivores as well as herbivores—and these tourists benefit our economies.

Let’s find ways to live with predators instead of killing them.

If you want to know more about protecting your livestock from predators go to: http://www.paceproject.net/Userfiles/File/Living%20With%20Wildlife/protecting%20livestock.pdf

By Katherine Moir and Benjamin Ondiege

MARIAM AND YUSUF ARE HELPING THEIR MOTHER CLEAR FALLOW LAND FOR PLANTING.

LOOK HOW MUCH WASTE HAS COLLECTED! WOW! THAT‛S AMAZING! ALL THOSE LOADS OF LEAVES AND GRASS.

THIS IS FUN. I‛M GOING TO GET A BOX OF MATCHES. HEY, STOP! WHAT DO YOU NEED MATCHES FOR?

LET‛S HEAP THEM THERE.

TO BURN ALL THE PLANT WASTE.

AVOID BURNING —IT POLLUTES THE AIR.

PLEASE EXPLAIN MORE, CONNIE. YOU CAN USE THINGS LIKE KITCHEN SCRAPS, LEAVES, GRASS CLIPPINGS, AND THE BRANCHES YOU TRIM TO MAKE COMPOST.

COMPOST YOUR FARM AND KITCHEN WASTE INSTEAD. IT WILL BECOME ORGANIC FERTILISER FOR YOUR FARM.

BACTERIA AND FUNGI BREAK DOWN THE ORGANIC WASTE MATTER.

HOW DOES THAT HELP THE SOIL? ORGANIC MATTER CONTAINS NUTRIENTS THAT NOURISH PLANTS AND ANIMALS. WHEN IT BREAKS DOWN, THE NUTRIENTS RETURN TO THE SOIL AND KEEP IT FERTILE.

SO RUBBISH FEEDS OUR PLANTS. LET‛S START COMPOSTING!

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

home gardens However, one of them is unsure …

Mwalimu, why are we going to keep animals? I thought we were vegetable growers.

Livestock can be useful in a home or school garden.

Anyone know how?

Teehee! Ati goat eggs!

We‛re talking about all livestock, not just goats!

Poultry, sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels.

Some even count fish and bees as livestock because they give us food.

The Furaha Farmers are excited about the goat they will be getting soon.

So livestock give us food ...

... and leather and wool.

Exactly. What other uses do they have?

More about manure

• Manure contains many soil nutrients. It releases them slowly so plants get its benefits over a long time.

• The organic matter from manure improves the structure of soil: sandy soil holds more air and water, and clay soil becomes less dense.

• Nutrients do not stick to sand grains but do attach to manure particles, so manure makes sandy soil more fertile.

• Do not use cat, dog or pig manure in your compost heap. You could get infected with parasites from the animals.

Tea for plants

Transport! You can ride them, they can haul loads and pull ploughs.

Ati riding goa …

Fresh or composted?

Manure is put directly on garden soil or composted first. Fresh manure releases nutrients faster than composted manure but may contain weed seeds, smell bad and attract flies. It may be washed into water sources and pollute the water.

Manure high in nitrogen, like chicken manure, can burn plants when used fresh.

I vote we use some goat droppings fresh and add some to the compost.

That‛ll stink!

Fresh goat manure is drier than most so it has almost no smell.

The heat in a good compost heap will kill weed seeds. Composted manure is also less smelly and unlikely to burn plants.

Mix manure with other waste and add to the compost heap.

Manure … waste … oh, our goat can eat some of our garden waste.

Correct—it will eat stalks, leaves and trimmings. Of course, we will keep some plant waste for mulch and compost.

Will that be enough food for it?

Gum acacia and Mexican lilac are good fodder trees. We‛ll prune them regularly and give the leaves to the goat.

Yes, and that‛s why we‛re getting an indigenous goat.

I hope our goat is one of those big white ones with long, silky fur.

Indijis?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but our goat has to cope with our hot, dry climate.

That‛s better.

Yes, we can use livestock waste as organic fertiliser.

We can add goat droppings to our garden.

That‛s enough, young man! Give me another use.

Er … oh!

Manure!

Compost and manure can also be mixed with water to make compost tea or liquid manure. The manure must be well rotted. The liquid is poured onto the soil around growing plants.

The nutrients are released into the soil faster than with compost.

Well, our living fence has grown well in a year.

They give us meat, milk and eggs!

Indigenous! A goat variety that comes from our region.

Indigenous species are adapted to local conditions.

I‛d like to know more about livestock for different places.

Very well, we‛ll discuss that in our next lesson.

And now, time to water our plants!

Read all about what to rear where in our next issue!

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

How a pulley works Simple machines make work easier for us by allowing us to push or pull loads over increased distances, using less energy. A pulley is an example of a simple machine.

How does a pulley work?

A

pulley uses grooved wheels and a string or rope to raise, lower or move loads.

The rope passes over the grooved wheel. The load is attached to one end. The pulley turns as the rope moves over the wheel, and the load is raised as the rope is pulled.

Vol. 6 no. 2

practical science

Have you seen these pulleys?

Well

Well pulleys consist of a mounted wheel onto which is threaded a rope or chain with a bucket attached to one or both ends. A person who takes water from the well by lifting a bucket with a rope uses more energy than one who uses the pulley system.

pulley

s= H M n + a actio in

Rain, rain, come and stay What a lot of rain falls during the rainy season. Hey, maybe you could save the rainwater falling on your roof and use it in the house! But can you collect enough water to make it practical? How big a tank do you need?

Let’s figure it out.

First, how much rainfall can you collect?

If you have a single wheel and a single rope, a pulley helps you reverse the direction of your lifting force.

“Force” is simply a push or a pull. For example, when you do homework you exert a force on your pen or pencil because you push it over the surface of the paper.

Raising and lowering a flag

A flag is raised with the help of a single pulley. A rope is used to pull the flag up and down using the pulley. This way we don’t have to climb up the pole.

You pull the rope down to lift the weight up. If you want to lift something that weighs 100 kg, you have to pull down with a force equivalent to 100 kg but it feels easier because you are pulling down.

Construction crane

A construction crane uses a pulley to lift and lower heavy loads at building sites so that the workers do not have to climb up and down with materials.

Pulling a load down is easier than lifting a load up

19

Let’s say today’s storm brings 8 mm of rain—that means 8 mm of water per square metre of ground (or roof). Did you know 1 mm of rain falling on 1 m2 gives you 1 litre of water?

(1 m x 1 m = 1 sq. m or 1 m2)

Next, how big is your roof?

Let’s say your roof area is 120 m2.

An 8 mm rainstorm will deposit 120 x 8 = 960 mm of rain = 960 litres of water.

How big a tank do you need to store 960 litres?

We know that 1 m2 x 1 mm can hold 1 litre of water.

• We also know from maths lessons that 1 m is 1000 mm.

• Therefore to hold 960 litres we need a tank about 1 cubic meter (1000 mm x 1000 mm x 1000 mm), which will hold 1000 litres.

1 m

1 m

1 m 1 mm of water covering 1 m2 = 1 litre

1000 litres will last the average city household a few days (by which time it will have rained again). So with regular rain, your tank will always have water. However, even with the largest tank, you will need other sources of water to take you through the dry season.

20

Vol. 6 no. 2

practical science

What is a GIS map?

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

fact y g o l o n Tech

file

Most of the information we use has a “spatial” or geographic component.

In other words, information is usually about a particular place. Where is the best location for a supermarket to open a new branch? How many people were likely affected by the tsunami that followed the recent earthquake in Japan? All such answers involve geography.

M

aps are like pictures of geographic locations, giving information in visual form.

But not all maps are the same.

The maps on pages 10, 11 and 14 are a special sort of map made by GIS—geographic information systems.

GIS is a computer-based tool that combines geographic location maps with databases1, to bring together previously unrelated information so that it can be easily understood.

Using GIS, decision makers can view problems displayed as maps, tables or graphs and then select the best course of action.

For example, population data2 for an area combined with a topographical map showing height contours, mountains and rivers can predict which parts of the environment are likely to be stressed by human activity and will be in need of protection.

HoIw ... do

... plant a tree?

The same landscape map combined with a soil study and rainfall data can tell you which crops best suit the climatic conditions in the area so that farmers get the right seeds to plant after a drought is over.

a hole at least 2 times wider 2 Dig than the root ball of your tree seedling and at least as deep.

Loosen the edges of the hole to allow the roots to spread out.

3

Make sure drainage is sufficient by filling the hole with water and watching it drain. If water forms a stagnant pool, loosen the edges of the hole to allow the water to soak in.

Gently loosen the seedling’s root Make sure the stem is straight.

5

1

Pick your site, making sure that the drainage and sun exposure are suitable for your type of tree.

water (rivers, water pipes)

1. A database is a set of data organised in a systematic way such that a computer can easily sort and display the asked-for information.

2. Data—pieces of information, usually presented as lists or numbers.

4 ball and place the tree in the hole.

buildings

The geographical coordinates of longitude and latitude the real that identify a spot on the world earth’s surface—and fix their place on a GIS map—come from GPS (global positioning system) data, sent by satellite. Because all the data are computer based, GIS maps can be easily updated when figures change.

A GIS map puts together different layers of information.

Once you have your seedling:

people

Fill the hole gently. Be careful not to pack the soil too much as doing so could cause water to run off instead of reaching the tree’s roots.

the seedling thoroughly 6 Water with a slow stream of water.

7

Place 2–3 cm of leaf mulch around the tree to help retain moisture.

Your seedlings need care after planting, too. Ensure that they receive a good soaking weekly for the first year or place a plastic bottle of water on its side near the seedling, with the lid just a little loose so that water very slowly drips out. Top up the water when necessary.

Follow-up care, like weeding, is also important. But remember— planting one tree is not enough to restore lost tree cover.

Keep on planting!

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

business & careers

21

Will the business work?

Jamila, Martin and Lily had decided to start a business making and selling charcoal briquettes.

Like any business people, before they started, they needed to do more planning.

JAMILA, MARTIN AND LILY HAD DECIDED TO MAKE AND SELL CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES. BEFORE THEY STARTED, THEY NEEDED TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH.

HOW DO WE KNOW A BRIQUETTE BUSINESS WILL WORK?

I GUESS WE’LL FIND OUT AS WE GO.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT?

A business plan is a document that contains the results of your research.

It describes what you want to do and how you plan to achieve your goal. It is used to get a bank or microcredit loan or to pick up investors—people

Research allows you to see if your business idea is practical—whether it will make a profit, how much it will cost to start the business and if you can keep it going in the early stages before it is making much money.

Martin, Lily and Jamila had to find out about

1

their market—the people who might buy briquettes

3

LILY AND JAMILA DID SOME RESEARCH.

THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED IN A FUEL THAT’S VALUE FOR MONEY AND PRODUCES LESS SMOKE THAN IN SAVING TREES AND RECYCLING WASTE.

OUR MARKET IS PEOPLE WHO COOK WITH CHARCOAL, FIREWOOD OR PARAFFIN.

2

WE MUST FIND OUT BEFORE WE START! RESEARCH WILL PREVENT US WASTING TIME AND MONEY …

their product—how to make briquettes and what materials and equipment they would need.

Martin went to Nairobi to learn about briquette making from a company there. He discovered that there are different ways to make briquettes.

4 5

who put money into your business—but it also reminds you of your plan, in the same way that a blueprint is used during the construction of a building.

their competitors—people selling similar products Their competitors were vendors of other forms of fuel. No one else in the town was selling charcoal briquettes. their competitors’ prices

In their town, a 40-kg bag of charcoal cost about Ksh 400. A bundle of firewood cost Ksh 80. One litre of kerosene cost about Ksh 80.

their selling price—knowing the prices of other fuels would help them work out a price for their briquettes, but they also needed to work out the cost of making the briquettes.

WE MUST WORK OUT HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO MAKE A BAG OF BRIQUETTES. OUR SELLING PRICE MUST BE A BIT MORE THAN THAT SO THAT WE MAKE A PROFIT.

He chose a method that produces briquettes that are easy to light and produce little smoke.

FROM MARTIN’S RESEARCH, THE FRIENDS KNEW THEIR MAIN MATERIALS WOULD BE CHARCOAL DUST, WATER AND WASTE PAPER AND DIRT. THEY WOULD ALSO NEED EQUIPMENT— A MOULD, CONTAINERS, ETC. THEN THEY NEED BAGS IN WHICH TO PACK THE BRIQUETTES FOR SALE.

WE CAN COLLECT CHARCOAL DUST FREE FROM THE CHARCOAL-SELLERS IN THE MARKET.

… AND IT WILL HELP US DO A BUSINESS PLAN.

WE CAN ALSO COLLECT THE WASTE PAPER FOR FREE.

BUT WE HAVE TO BUY EQUIPMENT AND PAY FOR WATER—AND RENT.

Read what they found out in the next issue of Young African Express!

WHAT EXPENSES ARE INVOLVED?

THE COST OF OUR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, TRANSPORT, PACKAGING, RENT, WATER.

LILY, MARTIN AND JAMILA REALISED THAT THEY NEEDED MORE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO WORK OUT THEIR SELLING PRICE AND WRITE THEIR BUSINESS PLAN. HOW MUCH WOULD PACKAGING COST AND HOW MUCH RENT WOULD THEY HAVE TO PAY?

22

Vol. 6 no. 2

business & careers

r e c i f f o l a g e L

You could be a

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

e t u l a s e W

Did you know that in Kenya, a degree in law makes you a lawyer but not an advocate—a person qualified to represent people in court—and that practising law is not all about working in a courtroom? Some, like Mercy Kareithi, work in organisations as legal officers.

“

A lawyer is anyone who has a bachelor’s degree in law. With a law degree, one can work as a legal officer, albeit with limitations.

A legal officer is a person who gives legal advice and support to organisations. The legal officer applies or interprets the law regarding particular legal issues or problems facing an organisation and recommends the best way to handle them.

An advocate, in Kenya, is a lawyer who has been called to the bar. To be called to the bar, one has first to have a degree in law, and then do a

post-graduate course—the advocate training programme—at the Kenya School of Law. Although I didn’t have to be an advocate to do legal advisory work, I chose to study further and become one so as to have more career options and to be better placed to offer all-round legal support.

Currently, I’m a legal officer at Braeburn School. My work entails giving legal advice on education, children’s welfare and rights, and generally ensuring that the school always complies with the law in all its contracts and dealings.

Being a legal officer is demanding as the workload is heavy and you must be up to date with the constant changes in the legal field, but it’s quite enjoyable and satisfying too as you get to help people out with their legal issues.

”

CAREER FACT FILE

• Study hard as yo u need go od grades to jo in the best law scho ols ; pay special attent ion to languages

• Work on yo ur co mmunication, read ing an d analytical skills .

They are vital in th e law profession (yo u can do this by jo ining law, debate or jo urnalis m clubs in scho ol) • Earn a university degree in law

Fighting for equality in South Africa

Born in 1931 in South Africa, Rev. Dr Desmond Tutu is known for his vigorous anti-apartheid activism in South Africa and his continuous “moral voice” to end poverty and human rights abuses.

Tutu initially qualified as a teacher but abandoned teaching for the ministry when the Bantu Education Act—enforcing an inferior system of education for black students in South Africa—was introduced in 1958.

Tutu was ordained an Anglican Church priest in 1960. In 1975, he became the first black Anglican Dean of Johannesburg when he was appointed dean of St Mary’s Cathedral. In 1986, he was elected the Archbishop of Cape Town, becoming the first black South African Anglican archbishop.

He retired in 1996 and was appointed

by President Nelson Mandela to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a body set up to probe gross human rights violations during apartheid.

Tutu’s fight for justice and racial conciliation has been recognised with numerous awards such as the Nobel Peace Prize and the Gandhi Peace Prize.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Desmond Tutu

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

careers & fun

23

THE T E ME

t n a t l u s n o c e Imag Susan Maina’s childhood dream was to become a lawyer. And a lawyer she became—only to realise that she was more passionate about something else—helping people enhance their image.

“

I picked up the idea of venturing into image consultancy in London, where I did my law degree and worked as a lawyer for a few years.

The communication and customer service in London’s corporate world impressed me and I knew that something could be done to improve the same back home.

Though I had no experience in entrepreneurship or a grasp of what doing business in Kenya entailed, I decided to pursue my newfound passion and set up an image consultancy business.

Image consultancy is about helping people improve their image or align it with how they want others to see them. Image includes physical appearance, verbal and non-verbal communication and etiquette (manners).

I first made a business plan. A business plan is critically important as, among other things, it helps you to understand your target market and set realistic targets.

I was fortunate to get a room in my father’s office where I set up my office. In the begining I used to do everything myself but now I have enough business to employ 6 people.

My biggest start-up challenge was marketing the service. Image consultancy was unknown to many when I started 6 years ago. To overcome this, I set out how an organisation or an individual stands to gain practical benefits from our training.

My biggest achievement must be making a difference in people’s lives,

Make biltong You need

5 kg meat 1 cup salt (coarse salt) 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon pepper 2 tablespoons crushed coriander (dhania) seeds 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 2 cups vinegar 4 cups warm water

What you do

1. Cut the meat into strips about 2.5 cm wide, with the grain.

2. Dip the strips into the vinegar just long

“Align your image to what you aspire to be in future.”

seeing a smile on a client’s face when they realise the significance of the information you are imparting to them.

My advice to future image consultants: you must be eloquent and confident, work on your public speaking and presentation skills. But no matter where your passion lies, go ahead and do what you enjoy because you will always wake up with a smile on your face.

”

Biltong is a spiced dried meat, which originated in South Africa. The salt and bicarbonate of soda in the seasoning help preserve the meat.

enough to wet them. Keep the vinegar.

3. Combine salt, sugar, pepper, coriander and bicarbonate of soda and rub into the meat strips.

6. Pierce each strip about 3 cm from an end, thread a string through the holes and hang the strips to dry for 4–7 days, depending on humidity, away from direct sunlight in a breezy place. Leave gaps between strips.

4. Leave strips in a covered container for a few hours.

5. Mix vinegar and water. Drain off any blood that has collected in the meat container and dip the strips quickly into the vinegar to remove excess seasoning.

Warning: Make biltong during warm, dry weather to avoid mould. If the meat turns green, throw it away!

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Reading is fun

Sweetie has an idea for a school project. But why do her friends make fun of it?

g ! n i y d a a e w L e th

by Lee Diani

A brand new story starting this issue!

“

Chapter 1: Everything is in a mess

Dirty girl! Look—there goes Sweetie, the dirty girl. Poo, yuk!” shouted the small boys, following a safe distance behind Sweetie in the school playground. They must have heard about her suggestion for a waste management project at the school.

“Silly children,” she thought. “Why are they so bad mannered to older girls who are not prefects?” She ignored them and went on her way to the school kitchen where she wanted to ask the cooks some questions that would help her develop the project proposal.

She went past the straggly crop of sukuma wiki growing in the dry ground near the kitchen, which was belching smoke to the outside, not only through the chimney, but also out of the door and window. Hens were scratching around in the dry ground, looking for worms and insects.

She greeted the 2 cooks and asked

politely what they did with the peelings and other food waste from the kitchen. She was pleased when they told her that they kept anything the chickens could eat. One admitted he took food waste home for his pigs.

He seemed a bit ashamed of that, as if she might think he was stealing, until he saw that using the waste was a good idea as far as her project was concerned. “What I want is to separate completely the organic waste from other sorts of waste, so that it can all be used. I shall put your ideas in my project proposal,” she said.

The small boys were waiting for her outside, curious about why she was in the kitchen, but they were scared the cooks would chase them off. Sweetie greeted her friends Mercy and Veronica and told them about the new information, and how their project linked to what they had learned on the recent school visit to the city waste dump. She wanted them to support her and was taken aback

when Mercy said she did not want the project to have anything to do with the awful waste dump and the dirty people there. “Sweetie, how can you?” asked Mercy, “Those people are so awful. Don’t tell me you actually liked that boy Mingu you ran off with at the waste dump!” and she and Veronica laughed and made fun of her, just the way the small boys did.

“I did not run off with him,” she said hotly. “He and his uncle gave me a lot of important information about waste, and Mr Mwamba said that the information was correct,” she retorted.

That was true, but Mr Mwamba had also been annoyed with her for not having stayed with the group on the outing and she had been disciplined, so she knew she was on weak ground.

Back in the classroom, Mr Mwamba was taking them through a discussion of Kenya’s bill of rights in the country’s new constitution. He wanted to make sure they knew about the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. “Everyone has the same human rights!” he proclaimed. “The new constitution enshrines this for Kenya.

There cannot be any discrimination on the basis of differences we might think are important. Everyone is equal and we should treat everyone with respect, as we expect to be treated.”

Sweetie wondered what Mercy thought about Mingu, who worked at the waste dump. Did she think he had the same human rights as she had?

She had to admit that the waste dump and the conditions of the people living near it were awful, but surely that did not mean they should experience discrimination.

N

ext morning Sweetie heard the sounds of her dog barking and the banging of the waste containers as she finished her breakfast and got ready for school.

She ran outside to say hello to Mingu, the waste collector she had met a

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

Reading is fun

25

so there is much less polluting smoke.

We are trying to work out how to collect and use the waste by getting our friends and contacts involved.

Also, people can bring their food to be cooked on the stove so they do not have to find charcoal or wood.

It is a good idea, but at the moment people are not well organised. I was thinking,” Mingu said cautiously, “perhaps your teacher might bring the class to see it when it is working properly?”

Sweetie hesitated, thinking about her friends’ attitude to the people at the dump. Then, “Yes,” she said firmly, “I’ll ask Mr Mwamba. I’ll tell him about the idea. Maybe we should have one at school as well!” She laughed, thinking of all the smoke in the kitchen there. few weeks before. She didn’t care what Mercy said, he was an intelligent and polite boy and treated her with respect.

Besides, her parents also treated him and his uncle with respect. Sweetie was sure her parents respected other people’s human rights. They never made fun of or ridiculed people they did not like. They just sighed and said they hoped they would behave better. She had even overheard her mother talking to a neighbour who had complained about Sweetie speaking to the waste recyclers. “They are bad people,” said the neighbour. “They will steal from us if we let them hang around.” But Sweetie’s mother had been firm, “I have no objection to young Mingu,” she said. “He and his uncle are kind people and we know them.”

“Hello Sweetie!” called Mingu through the fence. Kofi, the dog, came running and wagged his tail at Mingu. Kofi knew Mingu was a friend, although he still barked at all the banging of waste containers. Then he saw Mingu’s young friend Freddy coming and began to bark again. Freddy cowered behind a car. He was scared of the dog.

“It’s OK, Freddy,” Mingu called to him.

“People here will not hurt you.”

“He is scared of everything as he was abused and abandoned when he was younger,” Mingu explained to Sweetie.

“I am trying to help him so he can earn some money and live a better

life. He is quite smart, really, only very neglected.”

“Thanks a lot, Sweetie,” called Mingu as he went on his way.

“How is your uncle?” asked Sweetie.

Sweetie went to pick up her school bag and say goodbye to her mother as she rushed to get to the bus on time. As she stepped out of her gate and turned, she saw Freddy not far away. He was crouched down and using a tool to pull something off a parked car, near the number plate. “Oh no!” thought Sweetie. “He is stealing something off that car.” “Freddy, Freddy!” she called loudly, but he got scared and ran away very fast. What was she to do?

“Oh, he is very well,” replied Mingu, “only it is hard getting the community organised. He says we do not have good leaders where we are. Some are stirring up the youth for their own politics. But my uncle is talking with the UN people about getting the youth involved in a new project.”

“What is that?” asked Sweetie.

“There is a cooker being built that burns waste at very high temperatures,

To be continued

Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

puzzles & fun

Fun for

Youu Yo

1

3

2

4

r o c t o , d r t o c Do

5

Patient: My wife sent me because she thinks I’ve lost my memory.

6

Doctor: When did she say that?

8

7

Patient: When did who say what?

9

10

Family tree

Patient: Doctor, doctor, I think I’m a rubber band.

Doctor: Why don’t you stretch out on the couch and tell me about it?

1. Fifteen less than three hundred 3. The number of soda bottles in 2 crates 4. One year before two thousand and two 6. The number John of years in one century Faith 7. The number of metres in 5.2 km 8. Double two dozen 10. The number of days in a year Sylvia

Family tree

Daoud

1. The number of days in February in a leap year 2. One thousand five times 3. 434 + 133 - 92 Michael Cynthia 4. Third lowest denomination of Kenyan currency notes 5. The number of hours in a week 6. 540 x 2 + 3 9. Half 90 ° Susan

Joseph

Ali

John

Faith

Sera

Sylvia Who’s who in this family tree?

1. Sera’s grandmother 6. Sylvia’s mother-in-law solution 2. Faith’s daughter-in-law 7. Daoud’s nephew Across: 1. 285; 3. 48; 4. 2001; 6. 100; 7. 5,200; 8. 48; 10. 365 3. John’s son-in-law 8. Michael’s brother-in-law 475 4. 200 5. 168 6. 1083 9. 45 4. Cynthia’sDown: niece1. 29; 2. 5000;9.3. Joseph’s grandfather 5. Daoud’s brother-in-law 10. Susan’s cousins

What’s the proverb ASOLUTION mulitude :of shapes 35 squares; 32 rectangles; 78 trianglesAnswer: Health is wealth I haven’t showered in 3 days ...

Michael

Susan

SOLUTION

1. Faith; 2. Sylvia; 3. Daoud; 4. Susan; 5. Michael; 6. Faith; 7. Joseph; 8. Daoud; 9. John; 10. Ali and Sera Don’t be a dirty person ...

Daoud

Joseph

Cynthia

Ali

Sera

Who’s who in this family tree?

1. Sera’s grandmother mother-in-law Do wash every 6. ...Sylvia’s ... instead, and take pride in 2. Faith’s daughter-in-law 7.

Daoud’s nephew day and clean up ... looking clean and smart!

3. John’s son-in-law 8. Michael’s brother-in-law 4. Cynthia’s niece 9. Joseph’s grandfather 5. Daoud’s brother-in-law 10. Susan’s cousins

Code key

There are 145 geometrical shapes in total in this square. decode the proverb.

How many squares, triangles and rectangles can you spot?

Use the code key below to

SOLUTION 1. Faith; 2. Sylvia; 3. Daoud; 4. Susan; 5. Michael; 6. Faith; 7. Joseph; 8. Daoud; 9. John; 10. Ali and Sera What’s the proverb?

26

By Harray

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 6 no. 2

puzzles & fun

By Bella Kilonzo www.bellakilonzo.com

CRAZY BELZO

27

es A multitude of shap

What’s the proverb?

Use the code key below to decode the proverb.

Code key

tal in this square. etrical shapes in to om ge 5 14 e ar e er Th gles can you spot? triangles and rectan How many squares,

, o r c t Do d oc tor

This policeman has arrested a thief who had stolen money from a safe.

But he doesn’t know where the thief hid it. Can you follow the green SOLUTION : triangles arrow and help him find it?

78 uares; 32 rectangles;

Answer: Health is wealth

35 sq

Patient: Doctor, doctor, I feel like a goat.

Doctor: How long have you been like this?

Patient: Ever since I was a kid!

YOU CAN TRY, READERS, BUT I BET YOU WON’T FIND IT..!

Down: 1. 29; 2. 5000; 3. 475 4. 200 5. 168 6. 1083 9. 45

Cross solution number Across: 1. 285; 3. 48; 4. 2001; 6. 100; 7. 5,200; 8. 48; 10. 365 1. Faith; 2. Sylvia; 3. Daoud; 4. Susan; 5. Michael; 6. Faith; 7. Joseph; 8. Daoud; 9. John; 10. Ali and Sera

Cynthia’s 9. Joseph’s grandfather 2. One 4. thousand fiveniece times Daoud’s 10. Susan’s cousins 3. 434 5. + 133 - 92 brother-in-law 4. Third lowest denomination of Kenyan currency notes 5. The number of hours in a week 6. 540 x Family 2 SOLUTION +3 tree 9. Half 90 °

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Vol. 6 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Civil society Here are 3 ways to cope with cliques:

Know yourself. If you’re encountering a clique, get in touch with your values, interests and beliefs. Do you share the group’s values and interests?

s e u cliq ing Deal

with

Have a mind of your own. A clique can really control how you look, think and behave, but don’t let the group pressure you into giving up things you love or spending time on things that aren’t important to you.

Have you had it with the demands of your clique or are you the “outsider”, feeling like an outcast?

If you know that a clique is intimidating others, let persons in authority know about it. Just realising that clique members are probably insecure limits their power over you.

If you’re on the outside, get involved in things that interest you. This is a great way to find a sense of belonging and meet people with the same interests as you.

Whether you’re on the inside or the outside, cliques can make your life tough, as they are tight groups that usually have a strict code of membership and conduct and tend to focus on making it seem like the people in the clique are “better” than those outside.

Speak out. Cliques tend to bully and HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD HELP WITH THE CHORES?

CHRIS!

Story by Sarah Radoli

intimidate others but you don’t have to participate in things that feel wrong.

Be sensitive to others and don’t go along with what you don’t believe is right—even if others are doing it.

MAKING US WORK AROUND THE HOUSE IS CHILD LABOUR.

STELLA!

Art by Bella Kilonzo NO, CHRIS.

BUT MUM …

HELPING IN THE HOUSE IS NOT CHILD LABOUR, IT’S JUST BEING RESPONSIBLE.

YOU BOTH NEED TO TIDY YOUR ROOM ON WEEKENDS. YOU’RE LUCKY OUR HOUSE HELP DOES IT DURING THE WEEK.

BUT THAT IS HER DUTY, MUM …

I DON’T MIND HELPING. I DO MIND. I SEE WE ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT IS OR ISN’T CHILD LABOUR.

CHILD LABOUR IS WHEN UNDER AGE CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO WORK IN RISKY CONDITIONS, MISSING OUT ON SCHOOL AND OTHER CHILD’S ACTIVITIES. OH REALLY?

OH YES! HELPING AROUND THE HOUSE IS A SIGN OF RESPONSIBILITY.

AND A LEARNING PROCESS.

NOW WE UNDERSTAND. I’M SORRY I WAS SELFISH. I PROMISE TO WAKE UP EARLY AND DO MY SHARE OF THE CHORES . WELL, QUITE EARLY ...

BUT WE LEARNED IN OUR SOCIAL ETHICS CLASS THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE PUT TO WORK—ANY WORK!

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