Meet the reading camels

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Vol. Y7A no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

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Vol. 7 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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Camels are helping to pass knowledge from one child to another. Surprised? It’s true!

Camels are performing these wonders in Garissa. They’re helping hundreds of children improve their reading skills.

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ooks are delivered to children living outside of Garissa in special wooden boxes carried by the camels. Let’s walk with one of the camels, named Gellow, and see how this mobile library operates. Male camels are commonly used to transport goods and walk long distances. Gellow

and his friends carry these book boxes on their back into the interior parts of North Eastern Province.

The camels carry up to 150 kg—a tent, mats and about 300 books. The continued on page 3

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Enter our competition and win exciting prizes!

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Vol. 7 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, Shaleen Keshavjee-Gulam, 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, Katherine Moir, Harrison Muriuki, Benjamin Ondiege, Nkrumah Ondiek, Celestine Wamiru Photographs Vadim Adrianov, Tony Airo, Charles Bodo, Allan Gichigi, Herbert Ostwald, Soren Forby, Jane Some, Manuel Werner, IRIN, US Department of Agriculture, www.sxc.hu, www.en.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 2012 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.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

EXPRESSIONS

SEND US YOUR IDEAS ON BEING AN AGENT OF CHANGE. INCLUDE YOUR NAME, AGE AND ADDRESS WITH A PHOTO IF POSSIBLE!

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the first Young African Express issue rolling out with some new partners and distributors.

We’re going all out to reach more readers across Kenya and the greater East Africa region—inspiring you to take action in making your home, school and community a better place.

Effective action starts with identifying the problems. Next, learn what is needed to improve the situation. Then it’s time to decide what actions to take and who will do them.

For some ideas, read page 5 to learn about the importance of preventing diseases by getting vaccinated. Getting everyone in your household and community to do this will make a huge difference— for the better! Use the poster on vaccines as a guide.

Bodyworks tells you more about the amazing female body—and I hope you guys read this too. If healthy females did not exist, none of us would exist either!

Right?

Explore how your school can be more helpful to girls as their bodies change and become ready—at an older age!—to become mothers. Does your school have safe toilets for girls? Why not make this a project for a youth club?

MAIL

Read about making bad soil better with compost.

Everyone needs to eat nutritious food from healthy plants or animals. And they depend on healthy soil.

Making compost can also earn a group money! You can collect and sort organic waste, and use this to make and sell bags of compost to local farmers, households and schools with their own gardens. Why not?

Leadership is important. A good leader can motivate others to join in taking action. Don’t miss our tips on what to look for when you’re choosing a leader in your group, school, community or county. Learning about good leadership qualities is important to everyone—particularly in Kenya as a national election is coming soon.

Send your ideas to: Young African Express email info@YoungAfricanExpress.net SMS 0722-667747 or 0733-960757 PO Box 1202 - 00606, Nairobi, Kenya.

We say…

Do you enjoy reading for pleasure? What do you choose to read?

Samuel Mwaura, 14.

Class 8, Kongoni Primary School.

Hobbies: Swimming and travelling.

I like reading comics like Shujaaz and Bingwa in the Saturday Nation because of the jokes in them and the tips on how to pass exams.

Other than comics, I like reading storybooks that are about animals and history.

Aish Abdisaid, 14.

Class 7, Kongoni Primary School.

Hobbies: Swimming and reading storybooks.

I read all kinds of storybooks. Some of the books I have read include Beauty and the Beast and another one called Witch.

The last book I read was called Mulan, about a girl whose father was forced to fight with enemies from other countries. My parents buy the books for me.

Collins Oseko, 14. Class 8, Kongoni Primary School.

Hobbies: Singing and playing football.

I like reading comics, particularly Beano, because they are funny—they make me laugh when I am bored. I also love drawing the characters in those comic books. I once traced Bananaman in Beano. I mostly get the comics from my friends who come with them to school.

I read at my free time, not when class is going on so that I don’t get into trouble with the teacher.

Salim Hassan, 14. Class 7, Kongoni.

Primary School. Hobbies: Swimming, dancing and playing football.

I like reading storybooks.

The most interesting one I’ve read is Dogs and Cats.

The 2 keep on fighting and it is funny. I first watched it on television after my sister insisted that it was good. I loved it then asked my mother to buy the book for me. I enjoyed the version of the story in the book. I am currently reading a book called A Thousand Lakes.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

EXPRESSIONS

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KNLS director Richard Atuti says, “We’re battling illiteracy among the nomads and one of the means we are employing is using camels to keep the supply of books flowing.” continued from page 1

travelling library goes to schools attended by nomadic children within a 12-kilometre radius around Garissa, visiting each school about once a fortnight. In a single day the camels may visit 2 or 3 schools, depending on distance. They can’t stay more than 2 hours at each school since they have many schools to visit.

The camel library picks up its books from the Garissa provincial library, where the librarians have selected books for different age groups. When the camel library comes to a school, the guides erect a tent and in it they place the books on mats, arranged by age group. Taking a break from

BOARD

Bulletin

Letters Poe ms Art Sto ries

their normal classes, the children get excited as they eagerly choose and start reading a book. Books are precious here and are handled with much care. The students only get a short time to read! When it’s time for the caravan to move on to another school, they must return the books so they can be re-loaded onto the camels.

And it’s working.

By increasing their access to books and reading, these children’s academic performance has improved and the number of literate people in the area has increased by 10%!

In Garissa as many as 80% of the people are illiterate, and they’re mostly the women and children. Yet Herbert Oswald, a German filmmaker who produced the Camel Mobile Library documentary, says he was amazed to see the high interest in books when the camel caravan arrives.

The camel library was started by the Kenyan National Library Service (KNLS). It has been widely praised for its effectiveness in bringing the joy of reading to Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas.

you can get: a rose, a sunflower, a tree that produces flowers and many more. These are some flowers that can help you know what the flowers look like:

Visit your nearest library. Don’t take it for granted because many children and young people don’t have access to such facilities—or not yet!

We want to hear from you! Send us your writing, drawings, paintings and opinions and you could see them in Young African Express!

Teachers, why not make it a class project?

Send them to Young African Express at PO Box 1202 - 00606 Nairobi, email info@YoungAfricanExpress.net

A greenhouse for flowers A greenhouse is a type of closed farm.

There are many types of greenhouses. The greenhouse I am going to talk about is a flowering greenhouse. There is enough warm air and it is a good place where people can buy flowers. There are different types of flowers you can grow in a flower garden or greenhouse. These are the types of flowers

Don’t forget!

By Ashley Wairimu Macharia 10 years old Thanks for your interesting story, Ashley!

Attention Educators: Follow the colour band at the top of each page for curriculum links Expressions: English language and literacy Our World: Civil society, social sciences and human rights Business and careers Staying Healthy: Health, hygiene and nutrition Going Green: Agroforestry, home gardens and environmental conservation Practical Science: Maths, science and technology Critical thinking, puzzles and brainteasers

Our wedding competition is still running. The closing date is 30 April 2012, so keep those entries coming!

Post your entry to Young African Express PO Box 1202–00606 Nairobi, Kenya or email it to info@YoungAfricanExpress.net

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Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

staying healthy

Government of Kenya

vitamin D if the skin is exposed to enough sunshine. Another good source is milk.

Natural vitamins Your body needs vitamins for you to grow and develop just as you should. We get vitamins from the foods we eat, and from the sun.

Vitamins help regulate the body’s metabolism, assist in forming bone and tissue, and help convert fat and carbohydrates. itamins are of 2 kinds: fat soluble and water soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, dissolve in fat and can be stored in your body. We can get vitamins in tablet form but they cannot replace food.

V

The water-soluble vitamins are C and the B complex—B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin, and pantothenic acid.

They must dissolve in water before your body can absorb them.

Any vitamin C or B that your body doesn’t use as it passes through your system is lost (mostly when you pee). So you need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.

• Vitamin E keeps our blood clean by removing harmful chemicals. Good sources are oils from maize, soya beans, peanuts, almond nuts and sunflower seeds.

Each vitamin has its role to play

• Vitamin A produces a chemical that helps our eyes to sense light. Good sources of this vitamin are dark-coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, sukuma wiki, spinach and pawpaw.

• B complex vitamins help our bodies make protein and energy. They also give us healthy skin, support brain functions, build blood and keep nerves healthy. Sources of vitamin B are leafy green vegetables, eggs, milk, cereals, grains and liver.

• Vitamin C is important for making collagen, a major component of our bones, teeth, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Vitamin C helps your body heal if you get a cut. It is found in fruits such as oranges and baobab fruit, and vegetables like tomatoes, green pepper and potatoes.

• Vitamin D helps strengthen our bones. The body can make

• Vitamin K helps blood clot, especially when we get cuts. The major source is green leafy vegetables.

B vitamins

Vitamin D

blood, brain, nerves, skin

bones

Vitamin E Vitamin A

cleaning blood; skin

eyes

Vitamin C

Vitamin K

healing; teeth, bones, ligaments, tendons

blood clotting

How to clean a pit latrine Have you ever been given the task of cleaning a pit latrine?

Here are some tips.

If the pit latrine has a cement slab • Mix detergent with water in a bucket.

• Wash your latrine floor using a scrubbing brush. Use the brush to scrub the seat.

Remove any cobwebs on the walls.

• Open the door for about 5 minutes to allow the latrine to dry. Pour a disinfectant over the floor and seat. If you don’t have disinfectant, use lime or ashes.

latrine floor. Place a weight on the ends to keep the leaves from falling into the pit.

• The cover that is placed over the pit after every use and the squatting slab must be kept clean of all faecal matter. This way, smells will be minimised and people will be encouraged to use the latrine.

Pit latrines get really messy if not properly used. A bucket of water should be put in the toilet to ensure everyone pours in some water after using it.

This discourages flies.

If the pit latrine has an earthen floor To handle bad smells, use banana leaves: • Fold the banana leaves so that they stay big enough not to fall into the pit.

• Lower the banana leaves into the pit, keeping one end of each extending over the

• Light the leaves. As they burn, you want part of the smoke to go into the pit before it ascends. The smoke and the ashes that fall into the pit reduce odours.

Be careful not to get burned by standing too close to the fire.

• After the leaves have burned to ash, spread the ashes left on the edges of the pit over the floor then sweep the floor with a soft broom.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

Diseases

Government of Kenya

Vaccines against

infectious Diseases Have you heard the saying “Prevention is better than cure”? Serious diseases, like polio, can be prevented with a vaccine.

What if we stopped vaccinating?

Although newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they are born with antibodies from their mothers, this immunity may last for only a month to 1 year. Young children do not have immunity against some vaccinepreventable diseases, such as whooping cough.

A

vaccine protects you from getting a particular disease—it makes you immune. A vaccine is usually made from weakened or killed forms of the disease germ. The body’s immune system recognises the agent as foreign and makes antibodies to fight it. It destroys and “remembers” the germ, so that it can destroy any of the same type if they invade the body again later.

Vaccines can be given by mouth (1–2 drops), like the polio vaccine, or by injection.

Some vaccines may cause a reaction, such as redness, a raised bump or a fever after a measles injection. Believe it or not, this is a good sign—when your body reacts it starts making those antibodies. A pain reliever and fever reducer like paracetamol helps.

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What should you remember about vaccines?

Some vaccines are single dose—one shot is all you need. For a multi-dose vaccine to be effective, you must complete the full course. For example, the polio and hepatitis B vaccines are given at different stages of a child’s growth. If you have missed out on the vaccines previously scheduled it is possible to have catch-up vaccinations.

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Why are vaccines given to babies?

Babies are vaccinated because most diseases strike children at an early age, when the immune system is not yet strong.

If you or a sibling has had a severe reaction to a previous dose of a vaccine, the doctor should be told before the next dose. The doctor should also be told of any medical condition that affects the immune system, such as being HIV positive.

Vaccines for adults

Depending on their age, medical history and location, adults may need a vaccine. Others are recommended, like the pneumonia vaccine for elderly people. See our poster in this issue.

Can 2 vaccines be given at the same time?

Vaccines are safe given together or separately. For example, MMR is typically given together with DPT.

Diseases like polio that are now almost unknown would come back.

More children would get sick and more would die. Some children would remain paralysed for life.

Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1968 there were almost 500,000 cases of measles annually in the USA alone. Today, with the introduction of the vaccine, measles cases worldwide have drastically reduced.

We also vaccinate to protect future generations

Immunising individual children also helps protect the health of our community, even people who are not immunised, by reducing the spread of infectious diseases. Vaccination can help rid the world of some diseases completely.

One of the deadliest diseases known to humans has been eradicated through vaccination. It is smallpox, for which Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine in 1796. In spite of smallpox vaccination campaigns, the disease was responsible for an estimated 300–500 million deaths during the 20th century. After further mass vaccinations, the last known case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977.

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Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

hiv & you

How HIV is spread

either of them infecting the other with HIV or any other sexually transmitted infection (STI) and will of course prevent pregnancy.

Dear Counsellor I am concerned about my older sister. She says her boyfriend doesn’t like using condoms. Isn’t it true that she could get HIV from him? I’ve tried to explain why they should use them but I need more information.

Eunice, 14 years old Dear Eunice Your sister is lucky to have a sister who cares about her welfare. You don’t say how old your sister is. It is better to wait until you are grown up before having sex. Try to convince her to use condoms if she insists on sleeping with him. They will prevent

To help you in talking to her, here’s a brief summary on how HIV is spread.

I urge all our readers to read this important information!

The Counsellor live s in bloo d and other body flui ds.

It is transmitted (spread) when those flui ds from a per son with ken HIV com e into contact with bro be can (it cut or skin, like a graze all Not . son tiny) on anothe r per to body flui ds contain eno ugh HIV infe ct som eon e.

HIV

eone Those that can easily infect som in HIV of ls leve because of the high

Over 90% of HIV infections in children are the result of motherto-child transmission, where the baby is infected during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. en, them are bloo d, breast milk, sem vaginal fluids and anal mucus.

Body fluids that do not carr y eno ugh HIV to easily infect t), someone inclu de nasal fluid (sno e urin es, tears, sweat, saliva, faec and vomit. However, there is a higher chance of infection if they of contain bloo d or if you have a lot contact with them.

a cold sore is a type of herpes, and herpes is an *STI. and the only way to get an sti is through ...

oh no, i’m getting a cold sore ...

Story by Peta Meyer Art by Bella Kilonzo no way! i’ve never had sex. delia and i only ... you know, fool around a bit ...

ha-ha, you and delia must be having fun!

*sexually transmitted infection

huh?? leon’s right, a cold sore is a kind of herpes infection. but you can get it without having sex.

... sex!

.. and if you have open herpes sores it’s much easier to catch a real sti – or even hiv!

i told you!

but it can spread through sex—and other sexual contact, even if you don’t go all the way ... how do you know so much, oscar?

TALK ABOUT IT! your partner?

my uncle is hiv positive. he makes sure i know how to protect myself.

just chill until that cold sore heals, okay?

you bet. thanks, man!

what’s the link between open sores, sexual contact and sti s ? what’s the best way to protect both yourself and

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

Reproductive health

How your body changes

Breastfeeding

Childhood Puberty

Ageing

Menopause

D

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

uring childhood, girls and boys grow in much the same way. But from puberty on, the bodies of boys and girls become very different.

For females, most body changes are linked to fertility—being able to get pregnant and have babies. What does life have in store for a girl’s body?

Puberty

The first major changes happen between the ages of 8 and 15, when the body becomes capable of reproducing.

• Faster growth • Hips widen and waist becomes more defined • Sweating increases and body odour changes • Pimples or acne may appear • Hair grows in armpits and on genitals • Breasts grow • Menstruation starts (see page 8) Menstruation continues from puberty to menopause, except during pregnancy. Girls’ bodies continue to grow and develop until they are about 18.

Pregnancy

A woman can become pregnant at any time from puberty to menopause. Many changes occur.

• • • • • • • •

Periods stop Breasts grow Weight usually increases Blood supply increases; heart gets bigger Lung size increases to provide more oxygen Uterus expands as foetus grows Ligaments loosen so that pelvis and cervix can stretch during labour Face, hands and feet may swell

Milk starts to flow when the baby suckles

• Breasts become bigger • Menstruation is usually delayed until baby starts eating solid food, though you can conceive again from 8 weeks after childbirth • Much of the weight gained in pregnancy is lost

Menopause

Menstruation usually stops between the ages of 45 and 55. It may happen suddenly or take up to 2 years. Changes include • Irregular periods: periods may stop for a few months and then come back, or come more frequently • Hot flushes—suddenly feeling hot and sweaty • Vagina becomes smaller and drier • Mood swings occur • Less oestrogen and progesterone are produced • Eggs are no longer released from the ovaries

Ageing

Changes after menopause are often linked to the drop in progesterone and oestrogen.

• The muscles and joints gradually lose strength and flexibility • Bones weaken • Hair becomes thinner

Take a hearing test M any people think that hearing is graded only as normal or deaf. But hearing loss can range from mild impairment to total loss. Hearing loss makes it hard for very young children to develop speech and can affect children’s learning abilities.

A child with moderate hearing loss may develop normal speech and language and yet miss over half of what is being said. They have a learning disadvantage in school.

Diagnosis of hearing problems Although signs of hearing impairment vary depending on age, the symptoms are clear, even in infants, if you know what to look for. Failing to respond

2. One friend sits in the centre of the room with a window on either side.

One friend stands at the front to make sure the person being tested is facing forward and one stands outside each window.

3. The 2 at the windows each clap their hands at different intervals.

You turn your head to indicate from which direction each clap comes.

to noises is a clear sign of impaired hearing.

Different tests are used to diagnose hearing loss in older children, but here is a simple hearing test you and your friends can try.

1. Find a small room with 2 windows, across from each other.

If you always turn to the same side regardless of which side the clapping comes from, you may have a hearing problem. If clapping comes from your left side but you turn right, your left ear has a problem, and vice versa. A doctor needs to check your hearing.

Now test each of your friends.

You can find a simple online hearing test at www.rnid.org.uk. Select ‘check your hearing’, then click on ‘Take the check!’.

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Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

bodyworks

What is menstruation?

Tho ugh unlikely, it is nt possible to get pregna during your period.

ll females have regular periods during their reproductive years.

A period is part of a woman’s menstrual cycle and occurs approximately every 28 days.

The female reproductive system Average 28-day menstrual cycle—the timing of stages varies with every girl A period is blood from the womb (uterus) released through the vagina.

27 Approximately once a month, during 26 ovulation, an ovary sends a tiny egg 25 into one of the fallopian tubes.

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fallopian tube

Egg travels to uterus, endometrium continues to thicken

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endometrium

22

ovary

1

2 3 4

Menstruation— endometrium is shed

5 6

What isEndometrium a cycle?

7

Average 28-day menstrual cycle—the timing of stages varies with every girl A girl’s cycle is counted thickens again 8 1 28 from the first day of 2 27 26 3 bleeding in one month to vagina 9 20 4 25 the first day in the next Menstruation— vulva 24 5 Ovulation—egg is 19 endometrium is shed month. So if one period 10 Egg travels to released (usually on day 14) 23 6 starts on January 8 and uterus, endometrium 11 18 7 continues to thicken the next on February 22 The endometrium (lining of 17 the uterus) Endometrium 12 2, your cycle lasted 25 thickens again 8 21 thickens to receive the fertilised 16 egg.

13 15 14 he timing of stages varies with every girl days.

If the egg is not fertilised by a sperm

8

uterus

21

cervix

1

during the time it travels to the 2

3 4

Menstruation— endometrium is shed

5 6

endometrium

egg matures

7 in ovary

Endometrium thickens again 8 About day 5 9

shrinks and —egg is uterus, the endometrium 10 is day lost14) as menstrual blood. The flow usually on lasts from 3 to11 7 days for most girls, depending12 on the levels of hormones 13 14 in the body, which can be different from one cycle to the next.

thickened endometrium

egg is released into the fallopian tube

About day 14

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20

Ovulation—egg is released (usually on day 14)

One girl may have a 2111 18 day cycle while another 12 17 16 13 has a 35-day one—and 15 14 both are normal. The period of some girls arrives regularly, like clockwork. For others, it changes each month. Many girls thickened is released will occasionally skip a period egg or have an extra one during times of pressure endometrium into the or stress. Have you ever noticed that when there is a change in your normal fallopian tube endometrium egg matures thickened egg is released schedule, your period is late? in ovary endometrium into the 19

10

fallopian tube

About day 14

About day 14 A girl’s periods begin between the ages of 8 and 16. Generally, they start around the age of 12. It can take about 2 years from menarche (when a girl’s period starts), for the body to develop a regular menstrual cycle.

PMS—What a pain!

About day 5

Sometimes having your period can be a pain—literally. Cramps or headaches around the time of your periods are usually nothing to worry about. They are part of the PMS (premenstrual syndrome) that some women and girls experience in the days just before their periods. Possible PMS symptoms include acne, bloating, backache, sore breasts, constipation, diarrhoea, irritability, or mood swings—but you

won’t get these symptoms all at once!

PMS is usually at its worst just before your period starts and disappears once it begins.

Drink plenty of water and watch what you eat before and during your period. Sugar causes swings in blood sugar levels, while salt increases water retention and can make you feel bloated.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

Living right

9

! e enc l o nto i ov e

Who does the chores in your family?

Do you all share chores, or do you have a house help?

Helping do chores in the home teaches you to be a responsible person. Doing chores also gives you skills you will need as adults. This includes making your own bed and washing the dishes.

Create a list of chores that are to be done each day or each week.

Divide the chores according to the age of each child in the house, with the easiest going to the younger

children and the more difficult ones like preparing meals and cleaning bathrooms to the older children. At the end of each week, you can swap duties, so that everyone has a fair share in doing different chores. This way, there is less chance of someone being bored by doing the same thing over and over.

Daily chores Dusting, sweeping, washing dishes, doing laundry, preparing meals, cleaning bathrooms

By Peta Meyer and Benjah Ondiege

Weekly chores Washing bedding, weeding the garden, taking out the rubbish, washing windows

HI GIRLS, WOULD YOU LIKE ONE?

OOH, CANDY!

STOP! THEY ARE DRUGS, AREN‛T THEY?!

YOU‛LL RAVE THE WHOLE NIGHT— TAKE ONE!

ko

… IT‛S EVEN WORSE IF YOU TAKE THEM WITH ALCOHOL!

PARTY DRUGS ARE MADE

BY BACKYARD CHEMISTS FROM ALL KINDS OF SHADY STUFF. THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS!

WHAT COULD HAPPEN?

ff!

AARRGGHH!!!!

NOT EXACTLY… HEHE …

YOU NEVER KNOW ... YOU COULD GET ANXIETY ATTACKS, HALLUCINATIONS, HEART PALPITATIONS, OR LIVER AND KIDNEY DAMAGE.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE MIXED WITH OTHER DRUGS …

OH NO, SHE MUST BE ALLERGIC … NOW I‛M IN TROUBLE!

ko

ff

!

PHEW! I‛M GLAD I DIDN‛T TAKE ONE!

violence, d ef il

oing housework is a part of life that most people don’t enjoy, but they realise that it has to be done.

al xu Se

m

t en

Bullying,

Emotion al ab

F

.

D

e, child abus e, rap

.M .G

Say

e, us

Do you know someone who did their KCSE exams last year? In the excitement over which schools performed best, did you notice that there were many more boys than girls among the school leavers?* Look at the pie chart. On average, for every 56 boys who sat the exams in 2011, there were only 44 girls. More boys than girls sat the exams in 46 counties out of 47. In Mandera County there were only 27 girls for every 73 boys!

Why do more boys finish school than girls? Violence or the fear of violence is a key reason for girls dropping out. Violence against girls takes many forms such as rape, sexual harassment, bullying, genital cutting and child marriage. In rural areas, long journeys to school are a security risk for girls.

HIV is another threat. Rape carries the additional danger of HIV infection. When families are affected

by HIV, girls are the first to be taken out of school to help at home.

In places where violence against girls is not taken seriously, girls’ education will continue to lag behind that of boys. Countries in Africa, which are trying to develop and grow their economies, cannot afford to educate only half their population!

That is why we have to work towards gender equality in our society, and it starts with our attitude in schools.

• Childline Kenya 116 ne 0800 221 1121 • Liverpool VCT One-2-One Hotli 111 333 0800 da Ugan ren Child • Action for or 0800 111 222 243 • ANPPCAN-Tanzania (51) 152

*Overall 46,927 more boys than girls sat the exams and therefore have the chance for a higher education and better opportunities in life.

10

Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Human rights

• Vision: they should have clear goals of what they want to achieve as a leader.

G-G-G-GUYS! I-I-I’M ...

• Dedicated: they should be passionate about their work • Fair: they should respect rules and treat everyone in an equitable manner—free from discrimination or dishonesty.

• “Walks the talk”: they should lead by example • Self-sacrificing: they should go out of their way to help others.

• Influential: they should have the ability to easily motivate and reassure others

“

G-g-g-guys!” Lulu tried to get her classmates’ attention. “I-I-I’m running for the school captain position in the coming elections and I’d I-I-I’d like you to vote for me …”

“Don’t you think you should learn how to speak well first before asking us to vote for you?” shouted the class bully, Lawrence.

“Hey, that is uncalled for. Just because I am different, I s-s-stammer, doesn’t make me a b-b-b-ad leader or unqualified to l-l-lead,” said Lulu.

DO THE

RIGHT

People who would never keep themselves or their houses dirty drop litter in public spaces without a second thought.

“True, Lulu,” said Teacher Lima, who had been standing at the door.

“It’s not one’s physical attributes or where they come from that makes one a good leader. With the general elections here in Kenya approaching fast, we all need to remind ourselves of the qualities to look for in aspiring leaders: • Integrity: they should have an unbending set of values they live by, hence can be trusted to keep their word.

• Humble: they should not be arrogant or prideful • Composed: they should stay calm no matter the crisis • Tolerant: they are known to respect the differences that exist in society—and to respect other people’s beliefs and practices.

In the next issue, we’ll look at the duties of a leader.

THING

Throwing rubbish out of a vehicle doesn’t get rid of it—it simply adds to the litter along roadsides.

Littering

Public areas belong to everyone, so let’s keep them clean. Make a difference— organise a clean-up campaign!

A clean environment gives everyone pleasure. Let’s keep our country clean.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

our world

11

Tell it like it is

English contains many words that

Say what?

originated from Arabic, like algebra,

coffee, gazelle, sofa and tariff.

Some of these words have come

to English directly, while others

entered via another language. The

word algebra, al-jabr in Arabic,

L

means

anguage is the communication of thoughts and feelings through signals such as voice sounds (speech), gestures (sign language), or written symbols (the road signs or symbols on doors or walls). Language can be used in many ways.

We use language to communicate practical things like telling someone what we want, to remember things (for example writing a shopping list or words to a nursery rhyme we would like to teach little brother), to report facts about certain important events in life (when journalists write stories in newspapers and journals), to discuss abstract things like thoughts and philosophy, or to share different experiences with our friends and family.

A powerful language

Did you know that the Arabic language has had a big influence on many other

completing

or

restoring

broken parts. In mediaeval Arabic mathematics, al-jabr was one of

the 2 main steps used to solve an algebraic equation. It means “method of equation solving”. languages? Historically, Arabic served as the vehicle through which the Islamic religion was spread throughout the world. Arabic continued to influence the vocabulary of many other non-Arabic languages, like Armenian, Berber, Farsi, Hindi, Indonesian, Kurdish, Malay, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu, among others.

the 9th century. Arab scholars, scientists, physicians and mathematicians made great advances in learning that were then passed on to Western Europe via Islamic universities in Spain.

During the Middle Ages, Arabic was the language of learning, culture and science. Most of the classical Greek scientific and philosophical texts were Sign language uses gestures to communicate without sound. translated into Arabic during

Road signs and markings

part 1: Obey me! REGULATORY SIGNS Road signs and markings make us safer on the roads because they remind us of the rules and warn us of dangers. Even if there are very few around, we should be able to recognise them when we do come across them.

There are 3 main types of road signs— regulatory signs, warning signs and guidance or information signs.

Regulatory signs Regulatory signs are commands: all road users, including pedestrians, must obey them. The most important sign is probably the stop sign.

Drivers must come to a complete stop at this sign.

Another very important sign is the yield sign.

Drivers must give way to wait for traffic to pass in the road they are entering.

The most common types of regulatory signs are round.

White signs with red borders tell road users what they must not do.

No entry—vehicles must not go beyond this point.

Maximum speed limit—drivers must not go faster than the speed shown (the number indicates km/h).

No pedestrians—pedestrians must not use or cross this road.

Stop—children crossing—drivers must stop if children are crossing the road (found near schools, playgrounds and sports fields) Blue signs with white borders tell road users what they must do.

Pedestrians only—only pedestrians may use this road or lane.

Buses only—only buses may use this road or lane.

Keep left—drivers must keep to the left.

12

Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

ecosystems

Forests

Of the different types of forests, the wettest are rainforests. They get about 125 to 660 cm rain every year.

Manuel Werner, CC-by-SA-2.0

Tropical rainforests are warm and wet and are located around the equator. Examples are the Amazon Basin in South America and the Congo Forest in Central Africa.

Since they have a constant supply of sunlight and rain, these forests sustain up to 90% of the plant and animal species living on Earth.

This big-eyed tree frog comes from the tropical rainforests of Tanzania. Rainforests shelter many frog species.

The earth is divided into 2 basic environments: the physical and the biological.

The physical environment is made up of elements such as the atmosphere, climate, land and water.

The biological environment is made up of plants, animals and bacteria.

The physical and the biological environments depend on each other for survival.

Just as temperature, weather and daylight change, so do these environments. Different regions on Earth experience different kinds of seasons, which cause the physical environment to change. Plants and animals in an environment are adapted to these seasonal changes.

Ecosystems and habitats

A habitat is a plant or animal physical environment, the specific area of land or water where it lives and the conditions in the area.

An ecosystem includes a specific habitat and all the animals, plants and non-living things in the habitat.

Let’s look closer at some of the major physical environments that support different types of plant and animal life. Earth is the only planet in the solar system with environments that support plant and animal life.

Grasslands

Grass is the main type of vegetation in the grassland environment, as the name tells us. Herbs and sometimes shrubs mix with a number of species of grass. Less than 10% of the land is covered with trees.

Antarctica is the only continent without grasslands. In Africa, grasslands with few trees are called savannah. Some of the animals to be found here are lions, elephants, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes, hawks and snakes.

Soren Faurby/Stock.XCHNG

hat does “environment” mean to you? It means everything that surrounds a living organism.

It means the whole natural world in which people, plants and animals live.

There are few temperate rainforests on Earth. There are not as many plants here as in the tropical rainforest. The animal species are also fewer. Predators include bobcats and cougars, whereas the tropics have large cats such as jaguars, leopards and tigers, and a high number of reptiles and amphibians.

Elephants wander through high grass in the Serengeti savannah. These African grasslands have two seasons—dry and rainy.

The coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree, grows in the Pacific temperate rainforests of North America. Can you spot the tiny people?

edients 1 out of 4 ingr co mes e in our medicin plant. st from a rainfore

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

ecosystems

Deserts

Wetlands

Wetlands are environments where land and water meet and mix.

Swamps, bogs and marshes are types of wetlands. Each wetland is classified according to the plants that live in it. Wetlands support many species of plants and animals and also store and filter water.

Stephen Hudson, CC-by-SA-3.0

The Antarctic Plateau, the world’s largest desert. The average temperature is –54 °C. Brrr!

Oceans

Oceans are the large continuous bodies of salt water that cover 70% of the Earth’s surface. There are 5 oceans on Earth— the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern. The smallest and the largest animals on Earth, both vertebrates and invertebrates, live in ocean environments.

A school of ocean fish. Their fiercest predators are people—over-fishing has caused a huge drop in fish populations.

Traffic is at a standstill.

Beep be ep !

The bogs of the western Siberian lowlands in Russia.

What do you think you’re doing?!

What’s wrong with you?

Read the notice!

to

By Clare Barasa and Benjamin Ondiege

Vadim Andrianov, CC-by-SA-3.0

A desert is defined by how much rain it gets. Most deserts, like the Sahara in Africa and the Sonoran in North America are very hot. They receive less than 25 cm of rain each year. The north and south poles are cold deserts. Polar environments still have a variety of animal and plant life, mostly along the coastline where the land or ice sheet meets the sea. Birds and animals that live there have adapted to live in the extremely cold temperatures.

t! oo ot

It’s none of your business!

So what!

Why are you so concerned about litter? Big deal!

Mmhh. Tell me more.

be e

Litter in the street ends up in rivers, lakes and oceans, where it harms aquatic life.

p!

Think! Littering harms us as well as the environment.

Bacteria and rats breed in rubbish.

toot!

Those bottles are a nuisance because plastic takes so long to rot.

I’m sorry. I’ll collect all the litter I’ve thrown out here.

To

Heyy!!

You almost hit my car. What a jerk! And you are soooo insensitive to Mother Nature.

t! oo

Thank you. Let’s keep our country clean! *

* NEMA says that no person should dispose of any waste on a highway, street, road, and recreational area except in dustbins.

13

14

Vol. 7 no. 2

home gardens

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Bad soil? Compost it better!

Compost is probably the best way to improve soil.

Manure and dead plant and animal matter decompose (break down) into dark brown, crumbly humus that adds both nutrients and texture to the soil. It makes sandy soil denser and clay soil lighter.

Here is our 10-step compost method

30 cm

Compost: soil from rubbish

5 cm

If your soil is poor, do not give up on gardening. Soil can be improved by adding organic materials to increase nutrients and make the texture better.

2 The microorganisms that break down compost materials need a mixture of fresh and dry matter, air and water. Collect your compost ingredients: • Dry plant waste (dry leaves, maize husks) • Green plant waste (weeds, green leaves, grass clippings) • Kitchen waste (peelings, eggshells, tea leaves and other leftovers)* • Manure from plant-eating animals (chickens, goats)* • Wood ash and topsoil • Water 3 Place your ingredients in layers, as shown in the diagram on the right.

4 Water the heap—it should be moist but not wet.

5 Repeat layers until the pile is about 1.5 m high.

6 Push a long, sharp stick into the pile at an angle.

7 Cover heap with plastic or banana leaves to reduce water evaporation. Water occasionally if there is no rain.

10–15 cm

1 Choose a sheltered, shady place (about 2 m x 2 m) for your compost. If you live in a dry area, dig a shallow pit to keep moisture in the compost (it drains more easily from a compost pile above ground).

3rd layer Wood ash, manure, topsoil

2nd layer Green plant waste, dry plant waste, kitchen waste

1st layer Small branches and twigs

8 After 3–4 days: Use the stick to see if the

compost is decomposing (rotting). Pull it out and feel and smell it.

• Is it warm, damp and a bit smelly? Your compost is rotting well. Add more water if the stick is dry.

• Is it cool or does it have a white fungus on it? You need to turn the heap over.

9 After 2–3 weeks: Turn the heap upside down. Add a little water.

10 After 4–5 weeks: Your compost should be ready. It should be crumbly and have a fresh, earthy smell.

Dig your compost into the soil and add it to soil in planting holes for seedlings. *Tip: Avoid animal fat, meat and meat products—they smell and attract rats. Avoid dung from animals that eat meat (including humans!)—it may contain parasites and diseases.

Plants help plants Protect the soil Grass cuttings and other plant matter can reduce drying out and erosion while adding nutrients to the soil, like the mulch that protects this cucumber seedling.

ood A g s so il. w er o den r gr ene ng, gar d r ga Ew i Bob

Plant nitrogen-loving plants like maize or kale near legumes (plants like beans and peas).

Bacteria on the roots of legumes make more nitrogen available in the soil. Here maize supports the bean plants, the pumpkin leaves protect the soil and the beans provide nitrogen.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

agroforestry

15

Trees against erosion

F

armers can use agroforestry in several ways, depending on what they want to do. Products like fruit and wood are very important but so are the services, or the work, done by trees, like providing shade or protecting the soil. A number of agroforestry methods help to prevent soil erosion, where soil is carried away by wind or water.

Erosion control strips on hills

A farmer with a hillside plot may employ erosion control strips. Rows of trees are planted on a contour—across a slope—to protect the soil. Crops are planted in the spaces between strips. Erosion control strips …

• reduce water erosion by slowing or trapping rainwater flowing downhill • trap sediment (soil carried in the rainwater), which is deposited against the next strip • protect against wind and provide shade

Trees used as a

Fallen leaves provide a natural soil cover and add nutrients to the soil as they decompose or rot.

Trees may be planted alone or with grasses and legumes on steeper slopes. Grow plants that grow well in your area and that have other uses too, like providing livestock fodder. The tap roots of legumes and the deep roots of grasses allow more water to sink into the soil. Some useful plants and grasses are sugar cane, Napier grass, gamba grass and Guinea grass (buffalo grass). Use trees with strong root systems. Fruit trees and leguminous trees like leucaena are a good choice for erosion control strips between crops.

Tree on contour ridges

g soil erosion along

river banks.

Tree on terraces tree at terrace edge

crop

tree at terrace back

terrace edge grasses terrace back

tree roots at edge hold soil

r ate of w w o fl tree roots at back hold moisture

Trees can be planted on the edge of a terrace or at the back of the terrace. Trees that need more moisture, such as fruit trees, should be planted at the back where they will get more runoff water. Trees planted at the edge will get less water but their leaves will scatter further to provide nutrients for crops.

fruit trees planted in trench

fodder grasses planted on ridge furrows for crops ridge

method of reducin riparian buffer—a

trench

30 cm 1m

water urface

fs flow o

Contour ridges are suitable for gentler slopes. Dig a shallow trench along the contour, putting the soil removed on the downhill side of the trench. Tamp the soil down to a ridge about 30 cm high and 1 m wide.

Grasses or cover crops like pigeon peas can be planted on the ridges to reduce erosion, with trees planted in the trenches.

Spacing between tree strips depends on the slope. Spacing between the trees in a row varies: • Strips planted without crops—small trees (shrubs): 0.1–0.2 m apart in the row. Bigger trees: 0.5–1 m apart.

If trees are planted together with shrubs or grasses, or if the climate is dry, increase the spacing.

• Strips planted on terraces—shrubs: 0.3–0.5 m or more apart. Bigger trees: 1.5 –3 m apart. Use the wider spacing for fruit trees, pawpaw and banana plants. Plant on every 2nd terrace on steep slopes so that the strips are not too close together.

Make sure trees do not take up crop space, and thin the branches if shade becomes too dense. Closely planted trees should be used on steep slopes for better erosion control— choose smaller trees or trees that can regularly be pruned or pollarded (have their top branches cut right back to promote thicker growth).

16

Vol. 7 no. 2 2, 2012

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

practical science

soft

-

s= M a-H + ion in act

Dividing numbers

Did you know that water can be hard or soft? You cannot feel the difference, but hard water contains dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium, while soft water does not.

Do you find long division sums a bit tricky? They do not have to be, as long as you remember the steps to follow. Let’s go through an example step by step.

85 ÷ 4 = ?

Before we start, let’s write the sum in a way that is easier to work with:

W

4 ) 85 We will work out this sum using 3 steps—they are (1) Divide (2) Multiply (3) Subtract (D - M - S) (1) Divide: How many times will 4 go into 8?

Correct, the answer is 2 times!

Write the answer 2 above the 8.

(2) Multiply: Next multiply the 4 and the 2 and write the answer under the 8.

(3) Subtract: Now do the subtraction 8 – 8 = 0.

Write the 0 underneath.

2 4 ) 85

8 ÷ 4 = 2

2 4 ) 85 8 2 4 ) 85 – 8 0

First, drag down that number 5 to the next row because you’re starting a new calculation.

(2) Multiply: Next multiply the 4 and the 1 and write the answer under the 5.

(3) Subtract: Now do the subtraction 5 – 4 = 1 and write the 1 underneath.

Rainwater and groundwater that has passed through rocks with a low mineral content, like granite or sandstone, is soft water— water with no minerals or low in minerals.

Differences between hard and soft water

4 x 2 = 8

Hard water

Soft water

8 – 8 = 0

Good, that’s the 1st number done! Now do the next number using the 3 steps again: D - M - S

(1) Divide: How many times will 4 go into 5 ?

The answer is once with a bit left over (we’ll tackle that later).

Write the answer 1 on top next to the 2.

hen rain falls, the water seeps through the ground and picks up minerals from the rocks it seeps through. Water that is high in minerals is called hard water, like the water at the coast, where there is a lot of limestone coral.

2 4 ) 85 – 8 05

21 4 ) 85 – 8 0 5 5 ÷ 4 = 1+?

21 4 ) 85 4 x 1 = 4 – 8 05 – 4 2 1 rem 1 4 ) 85 – 8 05 – 4 5 - 4 = 1 1

Look, you’ve finished! The answer is 21 with 1 remaining, which we write as 21 rem 1.

How do you know the answer is correct? You can use multiplication to check if a division sum is correct, because x and ÷ go together ... they cancel each other out. So if 85 ÷ 4 = 21 rem 1, then 21 x 4 should = 84 + 1 = 85.

Check and see!

Have you noticed how important multiplication is when doing a division sum? Learn and use your times tables!

Does not lather quickly Makes the skin rough Not salty Leaves deposits that corrode pipes over time

Is healthy to drink but the minerals cause indigestion in some people Leaves stains on dishes and discolours kettles Tastes good

Lathers quickly Smoothens the skin Tastes salty Does not spoil water pumps

Unhealthy for the heart in large quantities because of the sodium content Does not leave any stains on dishes Tastes flat

We can soften hard water in 2 ways: Boiling water: Boiling is used to remove temporary hardness in water. Minerals are left on the walls of the container the water is boiled in. (“Temporary hardness” means that the water contains minerals that can be removed by boiling.)

Quiz

Jane added soap to 100 ml of water from sources A, B, C and D. She recorded the amount of soap used to lather the water in each.

Using chemicals: Chemicals like lime, borax or calcium carbonate are used to remove permanent hardness in water, especially in industry. (“Permanent hardness” means that the water contains minerals that are not removed by boiling because they dissolve more as the water gets hotter.)

Which source had the hardest water?

Source A B C D

Amount of soap (ml) 10 15 18 5

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

PRACTICAL SCIENCE

needle moves down

needle thread A fabric

hook catches upper thread

thread B

1 1. Balance wheel—can be powered by hand, foot (via a treadle) or electric motor.

When the balance wheel turns, power is transferred via a series of gears to the …

2. Rotating driveshaft—which converts the turning of the balance wheel into the upand-down movement of the needle that carries thread A (the upper thread).

3. Hook ring crankshaft— turns the hook that picks up thread A and guides it around the bobbin holding thread B (the lower thread).

4. Feed dog rock shaft— moves the fabric forward as each stitch is formed, to create a smooth line of stitches.

2 Rotating

3 Hook ring

crankshaft

Bobbin with thread B

4 Feed dog rock shaft

3. Write down your talents (singing, playing football, acting) or

needle moves up

upper thread is released

2

needle moves down

Parts in purple move needle and bobbin

Needle with thread A

2. Look at all your result slips from standard 5 to determine your marks range—the total marks that you normally score—that is, are they between 250 to 280 marks or 350 to 380 marks, etc.

hook rotates counter-clockwise

Balance wheel moves other parts

driveshaft

1. Make a list of all the high schools you’d want to join.

bobbin

hook rotates counter-clockwise

1 Balance wheel

w Ho I... o d

17

Parts in green move fabric and control stitch length

fabric moves forward

threads are pulled taut

3 hook rotates clockwise

The first functional sewing machine was invented in 1830 by the French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier, who was almost killed by an enraged group of fellow tailors because they feared his invention would put them out of business.

You’ve reached standard 8 and you are supposed to choose 4 national and 4 district high schools to which you’d like to go. How should you go about it? interests (something you’d like to learn, for example, a foreign language).

4. Contact the schools in your list to find out:

•

their cut-off points (minimum number of points needed to be admitted to the school)

• if they have programmes that would nurture

your talent and interests 5. Use your findings to narrow your list down, leaving only the schools that match both your interests and your marks range.

Note: Your first choice in both categories (national and district schools) is vitally important, as most high schools give first priority to those

students who selected their schools as their first choice.

18

Vol. 7 no. 2

business & careers

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Musa is a lucky guy. He has just acquired 5 houses from his parents, but the houses are old and dilapidated. How can he generate income from them? Let’s plan with him. usa has gained experience over the years by managing part of his parents’ business so he has a rough idea how to go about it.

First he decides to renovate the houses. He doesn’t have enough capital and therefore visits a local bank.

The loan officer at the bank is quite helpful.

“You need to take a loan, which you will repay with the rents you get from your houses,” the officer says.

“I need a Ksh 500,000 loan to renovate my houses,” Musa replies.

What does the officer tell Musa he needs to bring when applying for such a loan?

• A title deed to prove ownership • Bank statements to show financial status, or a payslip to show regular income Musa promises to bring the documents the next day. He may acquire the loan in about a week if the loan is approved. The next day he brings the required documents and gives the officer his mobile number.

Soon the officer calls Musa to tell him that the loan has been approved, and after 7 days the money is deposited in Musa’s account. The interest rate is 20% per annum (per year). It should be repaid within 24 months. The bank will give Musa a grace period of a month before he starts repaying the loan.

Musa has calculated that Ksh 500,00 means he can spend Ksh 100,000 on labour and renovation for each of his 5 houses. He needs to • paint the houses • replace broken windows • replace leaking taps • replace broken showers • replace all the broken tiles • repair leaking roofs Renovating takes approximately 1 month. The rent was Ksh 15,000 a month per house, but after renovating he will charge Ksh 25,000.

His parents had been sympathetic to some of the tenants, and thus some had not paid rent for months on end. As the new landlord he plans to lay down new rules for the new tenants. He prepares a contract for them to sign, setting out his conditions. Part of contract reads: • Rent will be paid at the beginning

of every month.

If not paid after 7 days, there will

be a penalty of 10% of the

normal rent.

• A month’s deposit will be paid at the start. If the tenant spoils anything in the house, the cost of fixing it will be deducted from the deposit when they leave.

After the repairs are complete, the houses are in perfect condition. They are conveniently located. Getting tenants is easy for Musa as everyone wants the houses. If a service or a product is good it sells itself.

He rents out the houses on a firstcome, first-served basis and by the end of the month all 5 are occupied.

Musa treats his tenants with respect and addresses any complaints they have.

His project is proving successful because he did his planning well.

To do!

1. What is 20% of Ksh 500,000?

2. How much w ill Musa pay pe r month if he is paying back his loan w ithin 24 months?

3. How much w ill Musa have pa id the bank at the en d of the 2 ye ars?

Answers: 1. Ks h 100,000 /; 2. Ksh 25,000/; 3. Ksh 600,000 /-

M

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

We salute

K

enya has dominated longdistance running for decades and part of this success is thanks to Kipchoge “Kip” Keino—the

careers & Fun first black African to break into the international world of athletics, in the 1960s.

Keino’s first international competition was in the 1962 Commonwealth games where he finished 11th in a race of 3 miles.

His winning spree started in 1965 and he went on to win numerous medals and break a number of

“We come into this world with nothing and depart with nothing.

It's what we contribute to the community that is our legacy.”

Kipchoge Keino

19

Vol. 7 no. 2

world records in both the 3,000-m and 5,000-m races. But Keino really turned heads when he won gold in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, beating the then 1,500-m world record holder, America’s Jim Ryun, by 20 metres, the largest-ever margin in this event.

However, Keino is not known just for his talent as an athlete but also for his kind heart for children, setting up an orphanage and primary and secondary schools, all in Eldoret.

Having been an orphan from an early age himself, he understands the plight of orphans and wanted to help.

Keino is also dedicated to nurturing upcoming athletes. In 2007, he opened an elite sporting academy where he helps talented young athletes reach their full potential.

He is also president of the Kenyan Olympic Committee.

What comes to your mind when your parent or teacher asks you what you would like to be when you grow up?

Planning for the future is not something you do just once and are finished. It is an ongoing process.

Career planning has 3 steps that you repeat in a cycle throughout your working life.

1. Know yourself

Evaluate yourself—your interests, abilities and work values. Figure out what makes you tick. Ask yourself: • What holds my interest? Is it singing? Solving mathematical problems? Playing football?

• What do I do well? Am I a good listener or a good leader? Do I make friends easily?

• What kind of personality do I have? Am I a team player or do I like to work on my own?

• What is really important to me?

Respecting others and being sensitive to their needs? Being creative and solving problems?

These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself when considering what career to take up.

2. Explore options and choose a direction You will not be taught in class how to go out into the working world, but you will use what you learn in school and what you find out about yourself.

This is what builds your confidence and helps you face the working world.

Talk to people and if you can, try out careers by taking part-time jobs or being an unpaid volunteer.

3. Make plans and take action Talk to your parents. They will help you sort out your priorities. After you have spent time on steps 1 and 2, your area of interest may start to emerge. You might learn you do not want to be in a large company office.

That rules out banking. Or maybe your interest in art would not sustain a career. So you cross those types of jobs off your list. Whatever you

learn about yourself, you are making important discoveries that will help you choose a good career when the time comes.

You do not have to live forever with ANY career decision. Many people change careers several times during their lives, so the first job you choose right after school may not be your career 20 or 30 years from now—unless you want it to be. Do not put too much pressure on yourself to make the perfect decision. Be open to new ideas.

”

20

Vol. 7 no. 2

careers & Fun

Live your

dream

When other kids were dreaming of becoming doctors and pilots, all Tony Airo wanted to do when he grew up was make women look beautiful.

“

Growing up, I enjoyed oiling my mum’s hair and sometimes I even took her to the salon. The hair business was dominated by women back then but that didn’t stop me from dreaming of becoming a hairstylist someday.

After high school, I started selling mitumba clothes instead of idling around as I considered my next move. My business did well and my mother, afraid that I would not pursue further studies because of this, enrolled me at Bodywise School of Hairdressing to learn more about my passion—styling hair—as I waited to join the University of Nairobi for a degree in public relations.

do

When the time came for me to join the university, I opted for evening classes and worked in a salon during the day where I learned the trade and started building a client base.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

MEET

THE

TV productions and I was a hair columnist for the Standard newspaper for a couple of years.

To aspiring entrepreneurs: discipline, passion and self-drive are key in business because when you run your own business, you have to push yourself to be productive.

”

I saved most of my earnings and after 3 years of employment, I used the money to open my own salon—I rented and furnished a room, bought supplies and employed 6 people to assist me.

Male hairstylists were rare then and this worked to my advantage—it helped bring in clients because we were seen as a new fad.

Today, a decade later, my business has expanded to include a factory that produces hair products. I’ve also been involved in styling hair for people in

o u e y r e g k o a d i M w n fr

How do you conserve vegetables where there is no electricity? Try a zeer pot.

You need • • • • • • 1

2

2 clay pots, one small enough to fit inside the other Sand Water Cloth or towel Put some sand in the bottom of the larger pot and place the small pot inside the larger one.

It should be the same height as the larger pot. If it is too low, take it out and add more sand.

If it is too high, remove some sand.

Fill the space between the inside of the big pot and the outside of the small pot with sand. The smaller pot now sits in the large pot surrounded by a layer of sand.

3

4

Place the pots on a stand, to allow air to flow underneath, aiding the cooling. If you don’t have a stand, balance the pots on 3 rocks.

Twice a day, add water to the sand to keep it moist. Use a wet cloth or towel to cover the inner pot.

Place your vegetables inside for storage. Check regularly and keep sand damp.

How it works

e The water in th ter towards the ou es at or sand evap g in us ca t, po er larg surface of the l ra ve rature of se a drop in tempe t, ols the inner po co is degrees. Th h. es fr es getabl keeping the ve

“Zeer” is an Arabic word meaning “pot in pot”. It was developed by Muhammed Bah Abba, a Nigerian lecturer.

You can store red meat for about 2 days and vegetables for 2 weeks.

You can cool drinking water in your zeer pot.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Reading is fun

Vol. 7 no. 2

21

e j h o urn e y T “What are you talking about?” I shrieked. “Why are you talking about vans and buses? What’s wrong with the train?”

A short story by Shaleen Keshavjee-Gulam

I

clung desperately onto the handle of the railway carriage. I looked down at the moving ground and felt giddy. Cold wind blew hard into my face as I concentrated on trying not to fall off the train. After a few more daring manoeuvres, we made it, finally. We were sitting in a First Class compartment. Grace was just kicking off her shoes when the train came to a screeching halt.

“What’s going on?” I was getting very nervous. The words were barely out of my mouth when the train lurched forward again, with a jerky juddering motion. I could hear men shouting.

“Grace, don’t make a sound,” I warned.

“We don’t want anyone to find us here; we’ll be in big trouble.” How had I ever allowed my friend to talk me into leaving our Third Class seats and illegally occupy a First Class compartment?

compartment, voices rising in different languages. “Let’s go and check it out,” Grace suggested.

“No way, we will be thrown off if they find us here. It’s a criminal offence to be caught without a valid ticket,” I said miserably.

So we stayed in, hidden away in the compartment. I was exhausted, but every time I closed my eyes I would remember where I was and I would sit up with a jerk. Then a loud banging on the door startled me. It was the conductor, his eyes red and glazed over. He didn’t seem to realise that we weren’t supposed to be there.

“This train cannot move; the engine is bad. We unhooked and released all the Second and Third Class carriages miles ago, but even that didn’t help. So you wait for your bus here.”

Grace and I stared at each other in shock as the conductor walked out of the compartment and vanished from sight.

“Let’s see what’s going on,” Grace said.

So we disembarked from the train into the total black of the night. “Look at the train or what’s left of it!” she exclaimed; there were just an engine and 2 compartments left. And there wasn’t another soul around. I looked at Grace with growing dread. We were deserted in the middle of nowhere.

Then from out of the gloom I saw a huge pair of yellow eyes coming towards us. I heard Grace let out a little gasp; we were not alone.

“The staff bus is leaving now,” he announced, “the tourist vans have left, so you’ll have to wait for the passenger bus that Railways will send.” He turned to leave.

“You panic too easily; you have to learn to chill,” Grace laughed.

“I’m not panicking!” My voice rose in indignation, but my sentence was cut short as the train shuddered to a stop again, and this time it remained motionless. There was absolute silence.

I could hear people moving up and down the narrow corridor outside the

Is that really a wild animal coming towards the girls? What will happen now? Find out in the next issue of Young African Express!

Vol. 7 no. 2

Fun for

You

Code sums

Why is a yawn catching?

A B C D E F G H I J K L M 21 13 7 2 19 25 Yawning 8 10is a23reflex—we 11 15do it4 26 G+B R-C

without thinking, usually when

T - V T + Stired, D + Q Vstressed x D > A or L +bored.

C < R Some > T

people think that yawning when we see others yawn is a way of showing empathy—showing that we notice other people’s feelings.

But that still does not explain why you yawned while you were C - QreadingL xthis!

Y R÷L R+D R-L < L YxQ

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 14 17 9 6 20 1 24 12 5 22 16 3 18 C x D T- C Z ÷ D

in movies...

bird

Want to learn a fancy new word? Pandiculate!

It means to yawn and stretch at the same time.

Don’t try everything that you see on TV or

Answer: EAGLE EYES (tilt the page so that it is almost at right angles with your eyes).

... Do enjoy such activities as entertainment instead.

ff

BO N

G!

sni

By Harray

wing, ring, rind, bind, bird

answer

goat, boat, boot, hoot, hoof

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Word ladders

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

hoof

Cross out the numbers below as you find them.

The 2nd and 4th presidents of Bananarama had the same parents yet they were not brothers.

How could this be?

They are the same width. The top of the lamp just seems wider.

LxY R÷L R+D R-L <L YxQ

tie something tightly

C-Q

call of an owl lamp base?

Is white this wider?

C x D T- C Z ÷ D

Which is

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 6 20 24

What letter is next in this sequence?

M, A, M, J, J, A, S,

Answers pageor25 lamp shade the top of the

>T

the tough outer layer of an orange

T-V T+S D+Q VxD > A L+C < R

footwear covering the foot and part wider:ofthe of the thetopleg

L M 4

small circular band

K

water transport

J

wing

I

Is this wider?

F G H

Climb down the ladder from top to bottom by changing one letter to make a new word on each step. The clues will help you find the word for each step.

A B C D E 7 2

At least one of them was a woman.

+ = add; - = subtract; x = multiply; ÷ = divide; < = less than; > = more than

The peacock is a bird that does not lay eggs. Where do baby peacocks come from?

O (for October)

Example: W = R + D. R = 20 and D = 2, so W = 20 + 2, so W = 22.

Can you read this?

Peahens. Peacocks are male peafowl

Each letter of the alphabet has a value from 1 to 26, for example, C = 7; D = 2, as shown in the table. Fill in the missing numbers by solving the sums. Start with the sums in the green boxes, then do the sums in the pink boxes, and then the sums in the purple boxes.

G+B R-C

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

puzzles & fun

goat

22

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 7 no. 2

puzzles & fun

By Bella Kilonzo www.bellakilonzo.com

CRAZY BELZO

23

Is this wider?

Climb down the ladder from top to bottom by changing one letter to make a new word on each step. The clues will help you find the word for each step.

goat

wing water transport

small circular band

footwear covering the foot and part of the leg

the tough outer layer of an orange

call of an owl

tie something tightly

hoof

bird

goat, boat, boot, hoot, hoof

C-Q

C x D T- C Z ÷ D

S 1

N O P 14 17 9

Q 6

R 20

LxY R÷L R+D R-L

T U 24 12

V W X 5 22 16

< L YxQ

Y 3

T-V T+S D+Q VxD > A L+C < R

G+B R-C

E F G H I J K L 19 25 8 10 23 11 15 4

A B C 21 13 7

D 2

answer sums Code

wing, ring, rind, bind, bird

Z 18

Can you read this?

Answer: EAGLE EYES (tilt the page so that it is almost at right angles with your eyes).

>T

M 26

Answers page 2424 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Cross out the numbers below as you find them.

They are the same width. The top of the lamp just seems wider.

C x D T- C Z ÷ D

N

C-Q

Q 6

O

P

G+B R-C

A

R 20

LxY R÷L R+D R-L <L YxQ

T U 24

It’s time for a giggle! Ask a friend to fill in the blanks in the story without knowing what it is about. Ask them for the words under the spaces but don’t show them the page. Then read the story out loud.

B

S

V

W

X

Y

T-V T+S D+Q VxD > A L+C < R

C 7

D 2

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

Z

>T

L 4

The Solar System

Which is wider: the top of the lamp shade or the top of the white lamp base?

M

Professor Gul Glimmer recently gave an unusual lecture about the solar system. Here it is: Example: W = R + D. R = 20 and D = 2, so W = 20 + 2, so W = 22.

+ = add; - = subtract; x = multiply; ÷ = divide; < = less than; > = more than

“Our galaxy, the ________, has many solar systems. Our Solar System includes the Sun and the _________ _________,

(name of chocolate bar)

(number) (plural noun) Each letter of the alphabet has a value from 1 to 26, for example, C = 7; D = 2, as shown in the table. Fill in the missing numbers by solving the sums. Start with the sums in the green boxes, then do the sums in the pink boxes, and then the sums in the purple boxes.

and other objects like _______, moons and asteroids that _______ around it. The Sun is a _____ made of _____. The Sun

(plural noun) (verb) (noun) (noun) gives us ________ and _______, which are ________ for life. Light from the Sun can ______ Earth in ____________.

(noun) (noun)

(adjective) (verb) (length of time) This is called the speed of ___________. Asteroids are ___________ in 2 ____________, the Asteroid ____________

(noun) (verb) (item of clothing) (item of clothing) and the Kuiper ____________. The ____________ planets ____________ to the Sun are ___________, Venus, Earth

(item of clothing) (number) (adjective) (proper noun) and ___________ and they are made mostly of _______________ and ___________. The 4 furthest from the Sun are (proper noun) (noun) (noun) Jupiter, _________, _________ and Neptune. They are gas ___________. Pluto used to be counted as a __________ (proper noun) (proper noun) (plural noun) (noun) but in 2006 ______________ __________ that it was __________ a _________. __________ Pluto!”

(type of scientists) (verb) (adverb) (noun) (exclamation)

Code sums

Can you read this?

It helps to know your parts of speech: Noun = naming word, like table, girl (plural means more than one, like birds, cups; a proper noun is the name of a specific

thing and has a capital letter, like Jane, Adverb = word describing a verb, like fast, happily October, Egypt) Exclamation = word for a sudden cry or remark, Verb = action word, like run, laughed like wow!, ouch!

Adjective = word describing a noun, like tall, happy

24

Vol. 7 no. 2

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Civil society

PART 1

E

ver heard of Mungiki, Sungusungu, Taliban or Chinkororo? These are vigilantes, also known as militia groups.

A vigilante is a group of citizens, who appoint themselves as the law enforcers in a community. They force members of a particular community to obey them through fear and are mostly involved in violence both within communities and between communities.

obligation—for example, by protecting the community from other communities who want to harm them or preserving the community’s cultural, political or religious values, etc.

Most members are young people who are recruited through

• Intimidation: they are made to feel inferior and joining the group is offered as the only solution to prove that they are, for example, courageous, loyal to the community or part of their clique of friends.

• Brainwashing: they are made to believe that by joining the group, they will be performing their religious, cultural or political

• Threats: they are threatened that they or their family members will be beaten or killed if they don’t join the group.

• Incentives: they are offered gifts or money to join the group.

Once initiated, it is difficult for anyone to leave the group, as the leaders fear that they will betray the group’s secrets. Some even kill anyone who tries to leave.

So, how can you protect yourself from being recruited into such gangs?

Look for part 2 in our next issue!

EXCUSE ME, MADAM. WE ARE RAISING FUNDS FOR OUR SCHOOL.

COULD YOU SIGN MY FORM AND GIVE ME SOME MONEY? BUT WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL PLANNING TO DO WITH THE MONEY?

Story by Sarah Radoli Art by Bella Kilonzo

PLEASE MADAM, EVEN IF YOU GIVE ME JUST KSH 20, I WILL APPRECIATE IT.

LOOK, THERE IS MICHAEL, USING THE SAME FORM HE HAD LAST YEAR TO COLLECT MONEY FOR HIS GUARDIAN.

ER ... WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS FORM ...

THAT’S A GREAT IDEA.

WHICH SCHOOL DO YOU GO TO?

ISBN 978-9966-33-090-1

YOU ARE RIGHT, CHILDREN!

BEGGING FOR MONEY IS WORK FOR MICHAEL—AND HE IS BEING EXPLOITED.

WATOTOMAN?!

WHAT SHALL WE DO? PERHAPS ASK WATOTOMAN FOR HELP TO STOP MICHAEL’S GUARDIAN MAKING HIM WORK?

Special savings! YAE subscriptions

I’LL SPEAK TO HIS GUARDIAN.

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for life

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IT IS! THE CONSTITUTION IS CLEAR ABOUT NOT TAKING CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL TO WORK.

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... AND ASKED TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE TO SIGN IT …

IS THAT NOT CHILD LABOUR?

The Young African Express is published by Jacaranda Designs Ltd, PO Box 1202 - 00606, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254 (0)20 374-4737. Registered at the GPO as an educational magazine.

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