Meet the Digital Dudes by Young African Express

PR S T I T 1 UT UL UM O VEE O F DE V N

Y Vol. C U 8 no. 4,A 2013 IN

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

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story on page 3

Being born

22 an a M a ke b c a ke !

Cold or

5 flu?

21 uld You co a c h ef

B e a vo

luntee

19 se e a n we Why c gla ss? h th r o u g

N yalgo nd w u od- O ho m b a re

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

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

Ksh 120

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

EXPRESSIONS

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

CREDITS Publisher Jacaranda Designs Ltd Technical Advisers Experts from our sponsors Executive Director Susan Scull-Carvalho

Reader’s letters 2

Do the right thing 10

Operating a business 20

Preserving food 4

Road safety 11

We salute 21

Meet the digital dudes 3 The garbage that kills 4

Creative Director Peta Meyer

Cold or flu? 5

Art Director Katherine Moir

Nuru 6

Senior Editor Helen van Houten Writers Clare Barasa, Erin Engelson, Peta Meyer, Katherine Moir, Sarah Radoli, Julia Wanjeri Graphic Designers Samuel Gachie, Grace King’ori, Mbula MakaaKinuthia, Katherine Mamai Artists Tiva Joslyn, Bella Kilonzo, Katherine Moir, Benjamin Ondiege, Nkrumah Ondiek, Celestine Wamiru Photographs Saltanat Ebli, David Gibbs, Alaa Hamed, Ramzi Hashisho, Nikki McLeod, Peta Meyer, John Odongo, Sarah Radoli, Pietro Ricciardi, Arturio Sanabria, Mike Thibert, Túrelio, Julia Wanjeri, Badboybenny, Wilfredor, eMasomo, IRIN, Photoshare, www.sxc.hu, www.en.wikipedia.org

STIs and HIV 6 Being born 7

Immune system 8

Me, a volunteer? 9

Say no to child marriages 9 Fiona 9

What power do we have over our leaders? 10

Global food trade 11 My town 12

Me & my school 13

Showers of blessings? 14 Connie Conserve 15 Home gardening 16

Planting out seedlings 17 Can you see me? 18 Maths in action 18

Charcoal fridge 19

You could be a chef 21 Meet the boss 22 Make it, do it 22 Scrapbook 23

Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare and the lost woman from Lake Victoria 24 Puzzles & fun 26 Peace and me 28 Watotoman 28

How do I … 19

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

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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 2013 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.

hen I was young, I use d to like re. draw ing peo ple and also furnitu ple. peo I am surprised that I still draw ATER. Here I have drawn the UNDERW Lor raine Achieng, 10 ool Std 5 Central, Hospital Hill Sch

Thank you for your beautiful drawing, Lorraine. We are sending you a set of Express stickers to reward your fine effort. The Editor

Letters Poe ms t Ar Sto ries

Kids, if your work is published we will send you stickers, too. So send in your art, poems, letters and jokes to Young African Express PO Box 1202 - 00606 Nairobi email info@YoungAfricanExpress.net

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Cover story

Some people complain when they have a problem. Others start thinking of ways to get around it ... wo form 4 friends at Alliance High School, Brian Kiprotich, 18, and Martin Siele, 17, found studying rather tedious. They thought there had to be a better way to revise for exams … but how? “Revising alone is a bit boring. During school holidays it can get very frustrating, like when you have several topics that you do not understand and have to wait till school reopens to get help from a classmate or a teacher,” says Brian. “So we thought, why not have a central place where students can study online, ask questions when they do not fully grasp something, and just interact with each other?” The 2 friends turned their idea into something real—an online study group: www.eMasomo.com. “eMasomo is a social network website where students can access the whole high school curriculum, watch videos on topics they are studying, download past examination papers from different schools, and help or get help from fellow students,” says Martin. The digital duo’s big idea was to upload past exam papers from different schools onto their website so that students from across the country can download the papers for revision at any time. This is a big help for students in rural areas. Building the website took the pair about 3 weeks during the last December holidays. However, they could not launch it right away due to lack of funds. “We needed money for software to finish developing the

EXPRESSIONS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

“I started playing around with computers when I was 8 years old. My dad had a computer and he allowed us to use it.” – Brian website, to pay for website hosting services, and to scan past exam papers for upload to the site,” says Brian. They eventually managed to raise Ksh 10,000 through friends, family and their own pocket money, and in February 2013 eMasomo.com was officially launched. Just a few months later, the website has had more than 7,000 visitors. It is hard to believe that the boys are self-taught website developers. “We learned web design by doing some free online courses and watching online tutorials,” says Brian. Their innovative idea was recognised at the School Science Congress, where eMasomo emerged the winner at school, zonal, district and county levels. Now Intel, the global IT company, is supporting their website and the boys are looking for more corporate sponsors as they work on adding other features, including a mobile app that will allow students to use the whole website on their phones.

“I fully support the ‘laptop for class 1s’ project by the government, as the earlier you start using computers the easier it is to learn the ropes and come up with exciting applications.” – Martin

Their advice to fello w students: “Don’t wa it for yo ur parents or adults to solve yo ur problems—if yo u ha ve an idea for so mething, it is excit ing to realise yo u ca n do it yo urself.”

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

staying healthy

Government of Kenya

Long ago, before refrigerators were invented, our grandparents had to find a way to keep foods edible for long periods of time without them going bad. Sometimes it did not rain and their crops failed. What would they eat then? Food was and still is preserved for use when there is a food shortage.

Salting—adding a large amount

of salt to raw fish or meat that you want to store. The salt helps draw out the water. Organisms that spoil food such as bacteria, fungi, moulds Salted fish for sale and yeast need moisture to grow, and the salt makes it impossible. The meat or fish is usually dried after salting, and then it can be stored a long time. It needs to be boiled in plenty of water before it can be eaten like fresh meat again.

ans to treat it so it To preser ve foo d me red g the foo d to be sto win allo rot, not does e in the future. tim e som at en eat safely and

ome traditional methods of preserving food are Around the world, people had similar ways of preserving food—like these Native Americans smoking fish in 1934.

Smoking—a long time ago, when people lived in caves,

they would hang their meat over the kitchen fire to dry. With time they noticed that meat that was dried in a smoky place was tastier than meat that was dried in the sun or just over a fire. This method is still popular and people today enjoy products such as smoked sausages, fish, ham or salami (though nowadays chemicals are added as well).

The garbage that kills We all would like to live in a clean, safe neighbourhood. Yet people throw rubbish everywhere! Poor rubbish disposal is a danger to everyone, especially to children playing outdoors. Do not play with rubbish.

T younger

each your

siblings not to pick up everything they see. Small children love putting things in their mouths. If a child picks up something contaminated and puts it in their mouth they can get very sick. Children may play with used condoms thinking they are balloons. This can lead to the child getting sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhoea—not only yucky, but very difficult to cure.

body fluids, used syringes and bandages can carry diseases like Small HIV and hepatitis. children may Eating discarded pills mistake dangerous pills for sweets. and medicines will make us very sick too. Medical waste must be properly collected and burned at high heat in an incinerator. Hospital waste

Some waste is toxic and should not be touched with bare hands. Old Leaking batteries batteries, for example, leak corrosive chemicals that burn the skin. This can spell doom for a child who picks one up and accidentally swallows it. Broken fluorescent tubes and energy-saving bulbs release How can we dispose of waste safely? toxic mercury—hazardous to Type of waste Disposing of waste correctly people and the environment. Such items must be disposed Kitchen waste Make compost manure of in a proper landfill, never Hospital waste Send to a medical incinerator that in a pit latrine or near water burns the dangerous waste at high heat (at least 1,200 °C) sources. The most dangerous type of waste comes from hospitals. Infected blood and other

Batteries, fluorescent tubes

Plastic bags and bottles, glass, tins

Wrap in old newspaper, tie securely in a plastic bag and throw in a rubbish bin that gets emptied regularly Sell to recyclers

Alaa Hamed

oldest and most common method. Spread old sacks on the ground in a sunny spot then pour Nowadays commercial farmers dry fruit your maize, beans or for sale. peas on them to dry. Make sure that you turn the grains over as they dry out, so they dry evenly. This method is still used around the world.

Saltanat Ebli CC-BY-SA-3.0

Drying—the

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Diseases

cold or flu? “I have the flu!” Zach moans as he blows his nose. Many people think that if you have a sniffle or sneeze, you have the flu. But you are more likely to have the common cold. What is the difference?

olds are caused by a number of different viruses. The most common types are rhinoviruses. Colds give us runny noses, sore throats and coughs. True flu is caused by influenza viruses. They cause much more than a sniffle, runny nose, or bit of sneezing. Flu symptoms include chills, a high fever, severely sore throat, muscle aches and pains, coughing, and a bad runny nose. Influenza viruses may also cause an upset stomach and vomiting. Flu is a very severe infection that can lead to other serious infections and kills nearly 500,000 people around the world every year. Those most at risk are small children, pregnant women, people infected with HIV and elderly people. In case you are wondering … rhinos do not carry rhinoviruses! Rhino, as in rhinovirus and rhinoceros, comes from the Greek word for nose.

Government of Kenya

There is no medicine to cure virus attacks, so prevention is the best strategy. Cold and flu viruses spread by contact with the tiny droplets that spray out when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Another person then breathes the droplets in, or touches the droplets on a book or doorknob and then touches their mouth or nose. A flu vaccine is available, although not all health centres have it. There is no vaccine against rhinoviruses. How else can you prevent infection?

Prevent colds and flu

• Wash your hands with soap and clean water often.

It is true that colds and flu are more common during the cold months but NOT because of the bad weather! It is because many people stay indoors with windows closed, so viruses are able to spread more easily.

gh Cou

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth in case there are virus particles on your hands. • Keep your distance from people with flu or cold symptoms.

How colds and flu spread

If you have a cold or flu

vering Protect others by co en yo u wh uth mo d an yo ur nose a tissue sneeze or co ugh. Use use yo ur or hankie; other wise ). ar m (not yo ur hand

Rest, drink plenty of fluids and avoid going to public places, like school, where you may infect others. Taking a fever reducer like paracetamol may relieve symptoms but does not kill the virus. Antibiotics do NOT work for viruses—they are only effective against bacterial infections. Your immune system (see page 8) fights the virus and will help you feel better in a few days.

More about influenza viruses

All viruses have a protein outer coat, called a capsid, that contains the genetic material inside. Most viruses cause disease in only one species or related species, but influenza viruses can infect bird inﬂuenza strain birds and mammals, including humans. Have you heard of bird flu? The genes from a bird virus mix with the genes from a human virus to make a unique influenza virus that is possibly more infectious because nobody has any immunity.

human inﬂuenza strain

new inﬂuenza strain

In 1918 there was an influenza virus that killed nearly 1 in 5 people on earth. Known as the Spanish flu, this influenza virus caused more death in 24 weeks than HIV has caused in the last 24 years.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

hiv & you

Dear Counsellor We are too embarrassed to ask anyone we know about this. Are STIs diseases? Is HIV an STI or are they different? How easy is it to treat STIs? Cleophas, Mark and Irungu, 16

STIs and HIV Dear Cleophas, Mark and Irungu Young people should know about STIs so I am glad you have written. Here are the answers to your 3 questions. 1 STIs (sexually transmitted infections) are also known as

Story by Sarah Radoli Art by Bella Kilonzo

schools have just opened and students are settling in …

for the past week you’ve been looking very uncomfortable.

shanice, are you okay?

i’m fine. it’s just period pains.

really? your cramps last a week these days?

nuru, why are you jumping to conclusions?

if you have a problem, we can help. what are friends for?

at the dispensary…

you are right … i got involved with musa over the holidays, and since then, i have not been okay down there.

oh dear. you need proper treatment. i’ll come with you to the clinic.

make sure you follow the instructions, and finish this dose.

you need to be careful, shanice. gonorrhoea is becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment.

2 STIs are spread mainly through sexual contact. As HIV is mainly transmitted through sexual contact, that makes it an STI too. 3 Get treatment for STIs as soon as possible. They can lead to other serious infections but most STIs are easy to cure. An STI caused by a virus can be controlled with medicines but will not go away completely. Antibiotics cure bacterial infections and antibiotics and antiparasitics are given for trichomonas, an infection caused by a parasite. Someone with an STI can get HIV more easily so they should be tested for HIV. The Counsellor Dear Counsellor Why can STIs be a problem for people with HIV? Davina, 15

the other day, you said you feel pain when peeing. could you have an STI?*

she’s just being her sister’s keeper.

STDs, sexually transmitted diseases. So yes, STIs are diseases or infections. STIs are most common among teenagers and people in their 20s.

thanks daktari. i’ll abstain from now on. it is better that way. * STI = sexually transmitted infection

TALK ABOUT IT! why are stis dangerous? what could have happened to shanice if nuru had not found out?

Dear Davina HIV infection makes it harder to treat other STIs because the immune system isn’t strong. Also, someone with HIV and another STI can infect others more easily. STIs cause more genital discharge and HIV can be passed on in genital fluids. The Counsellor The HPV vaccine is now recommended for girls and boys of 9 years or older. It prevents HPV (human papilloma virus), the most common STI. Although infected people may have no symptoms, it can cause genital warts and cancers in men and women. It is the main cause of cervical cancer in women. go to For more information on STIs, health ual_ /sex een rg/t lth.o shea www.kid

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

round week 36 of pregnancy, the foetus usually turns so that its head faces down towards the cervix (the neck of the womb), ready for birth. The mother may feel mild contractions or pains in the last weeks before birth.

placenta uterus (womb) umbilical cord amniotic membrane cervix vagina

The 1st stage, which lasts 8–10 hours on average, starts when the cervix is 3–4 cm wide. The contractions gradually grow stronger and more frequent until the cervix is 10 cm wide. During this stage the waters break—the amniotic membrane breaks and the fluid surrounding the foetus is released. The 2nd stage (30 minutes to 2 hours) starts when the pressure of the foetus’s head on the cervix triggers very strong contractions. The mother feels the urge to bear down or push. The baby is forced down the birth canal and is born! Once the baby is breathing, the umbilical cord linking it to the placenta is cut. The 3rd stage usually takes 10–12 minutes. Small contractions continue until the placenta (often called the afterbirth) has been expelled. Labour Giving birth is hard work for the mother. No wonder it is called labour! Her body has to push the baby out into the world. This it does through a series of contractions—the uterus

muscles tighten or contract, pulling up the lower part of the uterus to dilate the cervix. The mother cannot control contractions—they are involuntary. Ouch! Contractions are also called labour pains because of the pain they cause. It is harder for some women than for others. If they give birth in a clinic or hospital, their doctor can give them painkillers.

When there are problems Not all labours go smoothly. Complications include the foetus being breech (born feet or bottom first) or the labour taking too long. In a clinic or hospital, medical attendants can help if problems occur. If necessary, the mother’s abdomen and womb are cut open (a Caesarean section) and the baby is lifted out.

uterus amniotic membrane cervix vagina fully dilated (10 cm)

he baby has been pushed out into a cold, bright place. Luckily its instincts or reflexes help it adapt to life outside the womb. •

Gasp! As soon as it is born, the newborn takes its first breath and cries. Its lungs and airways, which were filled with fluid before birth, now start to take in air.

•

Suck! The baby sucks automatically at its mother’s breast and a nutritious fluid— colostrum—starts flowing. It will become milk within a few days. The baby swallows instinctively.

•

Atchoo! Blink! Sneezing and blinking are reflexes that help newborns clear fluid from their airways and protect their eyes.

birth canal

There are 3 stages in a normal labour.

no dilation

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Reproductive health

A hormone called oxytocin causes the narrow cervix to soften and get thinner so that it can slowly stretch or dilate enough for the baby to pass through.

Some reflexes do not have a clear purpose. For example, newborn babies grip anything in their hands very tightly. Could this be a leftover from our distant ape ancestors, whose babies were carried around clinging to their mothers?

That was hard work!

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

bodyworks

y m r a l a n o s r e p r You Immune system and cancer

When you get a cold, your immune system gets rid of it (see page 5). How does it work?

The human immune system has two main functions: 1. To protect your body from getting infected by pathogens (germs that cause disease, like bacteria and viruses) 2. To protect you from developing cancerous tumours Your immune system does this by blocking the invading pathogens and by mounting an immune response— fighting the germs that get through.

Immune responses

Your body is made up of trillions of tiny cells. Different cells do different things. In addition to your physical barriers, you have special immune cells that help your body stay safe from pathogens or bad cells. They are like the guards inside a fortress. Their actions are called an immune response. Immune cells are located in your bloodstream and lymphatic system so they can quickly reach the places in the body where they are needed.

• Primary immune response

This is your body’s first reaction to the germs that get through the barriers. Many cells are involved in the primary immune response. These cells are like guards— they treat pathogens as invaders and attack them to protect you.

Your immune system also protects you from cells that have started to become cancer cells. It does this by getting rid of cells that have begun to grow faster than usual.

Physical barriers

You have physical barriers that stop invaders from entering your body. They are like the walls of a fortress. Your skin, the largest organ in the body, is a physical barrier. Additional barriers include the small hairs in your nose that block dust and other particles from entering your body.

The first symptoms of a cold are really your body’s immune response. If pathogens like a cold virus enter through your nose, your immune system goes on the attack by producing mucus to trap the virus cells and then making you sneeze to throw the bad cells out of your body. If the germs get past the first line of defence, a secondary immune response is needed.

• Secondary immune response

When those invading germs get over the walls and past the first line of B guards, you need special guards to fight them. The secondary immune response is also known as immune memory.

Cells known as B cells “remember” a specific type of germ and know how to fight them. How do they do this?

Your immune system is an amazing thing. Support it by getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods such as brightly-coloured vegetables and fruits, and protein.

antigens

substances on surface of pathogens that help B cells indentify them as invaders

antibody

the antibody locks onto one type of antigen

Y-shaped protein produced by B cells

They produce antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that circulate in your blood. They help you defend against pathogens like bacteria, viruses or parasites that you have met before. That is why someone who has had something like chickenpox will usually not get it again—their body now carries the chickenpox antibodies. This is how vaccination (immunisation) works. You are given a tiny amount of a disease like measles. Your body develops measles antibodies in response and you are now protected.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

! o n t

violence, d ef il

Emotion al ab

enc l o i ov al xu Se

t en

Bullying,

Why volunteer? By volunteering, you learn how to organise your time and resources. You also gain confidence and learn how to be a leader, through taking responsibility. You will make new friends and get known in the neighbourhood. And lastly, helping others makes you feel good. Try it!

Where can you volunteer? There are many places that need volunteers after school, on weekends or during the holidays: you could help out in an orphanage, spend time with children in hospital, help a sick neighbour to clean or cook, coach a sport you’re good at or help clean up the environment.

SO YOU THINK YOU’RE GREAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE TOP IN SCIENCE?

LOOK AT HER MAGNIFYING LENSES!

BECAUSE OF YOU, WE GET QUIZZES EVERY MORNING.

HEY! THAT’S NOT FAIR, GUYS. THOSE QUIZZES ARE FOR OUR OWN GOOD.

BULLYING PEOPLE IS BAD, AND UNKIND WORDS ARE AS BAD AS PHYSICAL BULLYING.

OH REALLY! TEACHER’S ‘PET’ HERE GETS THEM ALL RIGHT.

INSTEAD OF BULLYING MALKIA FOR HER ABILITY, WHY NOT ASK HER TO TUTOR YOU? I’D BE GLAD TO HELP YOU IF YOU LET ME.

SO YOU CAN GET BETTER AT SCIENCE … SHE’S REALLY HELPED ME!

e, child abus e, rap

How can a child be a mother?

But what is volunteering all about? When you volunteer (or do community service), you are giving your time and resources, without expecting any pay, to help others.

HUH! WHY WOULD I WANT TO KNOW MALKIA BETTER?

e, us

.M .G

Say

“VOLUNTEERS NEEDED” reads a poster at the youth social hall. There will be a medical camp in your village and volunteers are needed to help direct the patients who will come for medical check-ups.

BY SARAH RADOLI AND BENJAH ONDIEGE

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Living right

HMMMM ...

YOU’RE RIGHT, CHIMWANI. AND WHEN YOU BULLY SOMEONE, YOU DENY YOURSELF A CHANCE TO KNOW THEM BETTER.

AS I SAID, I’D BE GLAD TO HELP! COME TO THE SCIENCE LAB WITH FIONA LATER.

ary is 13 and has not reported to school this term. Her teacher pays a visit to Mary’s home to find out what is wrong, and discovers her parents plan to marry her off to an older man. She tries to explain why education is important but Mary’s father is bent on receiving a lucrative bride price; he says it is part of their culture for girls to get married early. Girls like Mary are exposed to risks like sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies when they become sexually active so young. Mary suffers mental and physical harm because her body is still immature. How can she be a good mother when she is a child herself? Being forced to stop school robs her of an education and the chance for a brighter future. Early marriage is a violation of human rights. Girls are more affected than boys. Both have a right to be protected from abuse, harmful practices and inhuman treatment, according to the new constitution. Strict laws have been put in place to protect children against early marriage in Kenya. The new marriage bill imposes stiff penalties on anyone who marries a child, i.e. someone under 18 years. If you know someone who is being forced into early marriage, go to the Chief’s Office or get advice by phoning the hotlines below.

• Childline Kenya 116 violence) 1195 • Antirape (gen der -based ne Hotline 0800 221 1121 -2-O One VCT l rpoo Live • nda 0800 111 333 • Action for Children Uga 222 111 0 080 or 152 243 • ANPPCAN-Tanzania (51)

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Human rights

“

Today I saw 2 senior prefects who were making younger students

carry books for them to class as

punishment for breaking school rules.

Is that allowed?” Anita asks members of the Katiba Club.

“Prefects are allowed to give light punishment to students who break minor school rules like being late

for class or not doing school chores,” says Maisha, a member of the club

and also a school prefect. “But having students do personal errands for you

as punishment is not part of it. That is abusing one’s authority.”

“Really? Then what can we do about

it?” asks Mohamed. “Usually nothing

happens when we report such cases—of prefects taking advantage of those they are leading.”

Anita shakes her head. “Prefects in this

Kenyans now have the right to recall

members of parliament. Once we elect

their constituency before the end of

school are above the law. They are like them, they become mini gods.”

“Hey, we can change that,” says Maya.

“Have you guys heard of Article 104 of the new constitution of Kenya?

DO THE

RIGHT

Comedian Joe Ancis said, “The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.” Everyone is different. Some differences are easy to spot—differences in height, weight, language and the way we dress, or the way someone behaves compared with others.

the member of parliament representing their term if the member is found

guilty of abusing the powers of their

office. As the Katiba Club, we can come up with a similar law for our school,

What do you think? 1. What does “abusing one’s authority” mean? Should leaders be allowed to do what they want after they are elected? 2. Does your school have a way for students to hold their student leaders accountable? 3. Should the Club come up with a “right to recall” law about school prefects? Why or why not?

can’t we?”

THING

We all like people who are similar to us—we think they are “normal”— and tend to avoid people who are different from our group, whether it be the sporty group, the brainy group or the group from our tribe or country.

Appreciating differences

The people within our group may be more different from us than someone from another group. Try comparing your favourite foods, music, sports and hobbies with your best friend’s! Now who is normal?

Differences are part of every person but they do not make us better or worse than the next person. Let’s look for similarities instead of differences and celebrate our diversity!

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

our world

Years ago, before transport by truck, ship and aeroplane became commonplace, people ate only the foods grown in their own area. But global trade has changed the way we eat. Did you know that Kenyan green beans are eaten in countries like England and Germany? And Nile perch from Lake Victoria as well? In return, East Africa imports foods like chocolate, cheese and wine along with finished products like cars and computers.

lobal trade is the buying and selling of raw materials and goods between different countries of the world. Trade makes it possible for people in one country to buy goods from other countries that they cannot produce themselves. Let’s look at an example. Last weekend Aunt Jecinta gave you a treat of some very tasty chocolate biscuits. The biscuits are made in Kenya… or are they?

Do you ever think about safety when you are boarding or getting off public transport? Here are a few tips to help you stay safe on your way to and from school.

Chocolate

gre dient biscuit in

• Cocoa • Flo ur arine • Marg r a g u • S • Eggs urs, cial colo • Artifi d n a flavo urs atives preser v

Wheeeeeee!!

E CH !

Trade benefits everyone. If a country has more buyers for its products, factories will expand and there will be more jobs. More roads will be built to

make the transportation of people and goods easier. With jobs, people have money and will want to buy things. More supermarkets, restaurants and shopping malls will open. The country’s economy grows. A growing economy creates more jobs, and so it goes on. Can you see why international trade is good for a country?

Oh, no .... !

S CR E

These Kenya-made biscuits are then ready to be sold in neighbouring countries. This is how international trade works.

Do you think touts look daring hanging out of the door of their vehicles as they come to a halt? They are risking their lives. Don’t be lured into copying them—this behaviour isn’t cool, it is foolish!

Wheeeeeee!! The sugar comes from western Kenya and the eggs are bought from farms locally

E CH !

Packed in paper produced in Finland

Printed with inks that come from Japan

Cocoa has to be imported from Ghana, where cocoa is grown

The artificial additives are from the USA

When you are waiting in a crowd at the bus stop, it is tempting to inch forward so that you won’t miss the next bus. Always stay on the pavement—if you stray onto the road you could be hit by a speeding vehicle.

CR E

The wheat flour comes from Egypt

The biscuits are then baked in ovens that come from Germany

Using public transport

If you want to cross the road after you have left a vehicle, make sure to do so from the back of it. This way, vehicles approaching on the same side of the road can see you before you cross.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

My Town

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

My town is Homa Bay Hello, I’m Atieno. Have you read the story of Nyamgondho on page 24? It comes from my county, Homa Bay. The county is named for its capital and my town, Homa Bay. “Homa” comes from Got Marahuma, meaning “famous mountain” in Luo. The British settlers found it easier to call the dormant volcano across the bay “Mount Homa”. So I think I’ll call my town “Famous Bay”! SIAYA

Rusinga Island Mfangano Island

KISUMU

ina

Mbita

Ruma National Park

ulf

Mt Homa Kendu Bay Oyugis

Homa Bay

H O M A BAY Nyandiwa

Lake Victoria plays a big part in our lives. Fishing has always been the main business around here. Middlemen buy fish from the fishermen and sell it to traders and the fish processing factories. Some of it may end up on plates in Europe!

NYAMIRA

Lake Victoria

Homa Bay is a good place to hear benga music. In benga, which evolved from traditional Luo music, the bass guitar is played like our traditional nyatiti, shown here.

KISII MIGORI

ere’s a view of Homa Bay from the lake. The cone-shaped hill is Got Asego. I sometimes climb up it to get a good view of the town and the bay. Isn’t it beautiful?

My town was once the district headquarters for South Nyanza District, part of Nyanza Province in the days before we had counties. It was a beach market called Chich Onuno early in the 20th century. The colonial government renamed it Homa Bay when they selected it for the district headquarters in 1925.

Homa Bay was a busy port until the water hyacinth affected the fishing industry. Trade and tourism were also damaged—the ferries to and from other Lake Victoria ports could no longer operate. However, the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Programme is doing its best to eradicate water hyacinth and fishing still goes on.

Better roads and repairs to the port will help tourism by making it easier to get to places like Ruma National Park. Only 24 km from town, it is home to the rare roan antelope shown in this picture. What a handsome animal! The park was established in 1966 to protect this antelope.

Homa Bay has a lo-o-o-ong history. Rusinga Island is famous for its many fossils, including this 18-million-year-old Proconsul africanus skull. Stone tools have been found here too, left by early stone-age people. And neighbouring Mfangano Island is home to ancient rock art like these circles at Mawanga. The Suba people, who migrated from Uganda some centuries ago, now inhabit the Lake Victoria islands.

Homa Bay may be poor but our heritage is rich! I hope that as the capital of our county, the town will have a good future.

aayBFaayct FFilaect aB mm HHoo

File

ty Bay Co un of Ho ma • Capital : 1925 • Fo un de d 36 ion: 58,9 • Po pulat

This page is the first in our series of new county capitals. Write us and tell us what’s special about your home town. We’ll send you a set of fun Express stickers as a gift if you do!

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Me & my school

Primary School is one of the top performing schools in Nairobi County. The school achievement reflects its motto—”nothing but the best”! The 1,600 students participate in athletics, swimming, ball games and drama. Their head teacher is Mr Jeremiah Mutua. Hospital Hill has a proud history—it was the first multiracial primary school in Kenya. Schools were segregated by race in colonial times. In 1954, when John and Joan Karmali’s biracial children were not allowed to attend the school for whites, they started their own school. Hospital Hill moved from State House Road to Parklands in the early 1960s. Many cultures are still represented at Hospital Hill. Children in class 8 took time to tell us a little more about their cultures and about their favourite traditional foods.

We say…

Nicole Sulwey, 13. Enjoys watching television and swimming I belong to the Luo culture. Our favourite foods are fried fish and dagga (dried fish). Both are high in protein. We also take osuga, a vegetable that provides us with vitamins. We have many celebrations and gettogether parties. During these traditional ceremonies, women wear skirts made of sisal or dried banana leaves. Gloria Mueni, 13. Likes dancing, singing, reading and travelling Among the Kamba, muthokoi is the traditional food. It is made by pounding maize using a pestle and mortar. It can be cooked on its own or together with beans. My community are known to be a united people. We are always ready to help one another. Neville Ngothe, 14. Enjoys reading, football, music and watching documentaries The traditional food of my community, Kikuyu, is githeri. It is a tasty and nutritious meal containing protein, which is essential for body building. My community are friendly people who like working hard. People say that we love money, but the truth is, we like working to make that money. Whitney Basweti. Keen on swimming, watching television and reading Matoke is the traditional food of my community, the Kisii. These are cooked unripe bananas, mostly eaten with a meat or vegetable stew. In my community girls are treasured and taken to school so that they can get an education. Unfortunately, there are groups within my community where girls are still married off young.

Hamza Mohamed, 16. Likes playing football and would like to be a professional footballer Anjera is the traditional food among the Somali. It is made from maize flour and served with some oil and sugar. The Somali community is very united. If anyone in the community has a problem, we all come together to help. I do not like the culture of female circumcision that exists in my community. Girls are circumcised very young. Fathi Eliyas, 15. Likes football, dancing and listening to music In the Somali community, anjera is usually eaten for breakfast. For lunch, we eat baris. This is a bit like pilau and eaten with a ripe banana. I come from the Galmudhug sub-community, which has many clans. We regularly have a party to celebrate the different clans and unite the community. One negative characteristic is that we do not intermarry with other communities. Tabitha Kinyua, 13. Likes swimming and playing football I come from the Butoro community in Uganda. Our traditional food is matoke. It goes well with chapati or rice. In my culture, during weddings the groom brings a present for every person from the bride’s family, even the newborn babies. I like my culture but not the practice of women eating last when a meal is cooked. They have to wait for everyone else to eat.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

ecosystems

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Showers of blessing s ?

Residents help an oss old woman to cr ge id br ed a flood in Teso, Uganda. Climate change is bringing more r, ex treme weathe more and that means floods.

he annual flooding of the Nile was celebrated in ancient and modern Egypt. The floods brought rich silt from upstream to enrich the soils of the river basin. The annual floods stopped when the Aswan High Dam was built and now Egyptian farmers need mineral fertilisers to feed their crops.

Good or bad?

Seasonal flooding is good for soil in floodplains. However, places upstream lose precious topsoil, and floods can be devastating. • The strong force of moving water uproots trees, erodes roads and sweeps away bridges and houses. The damage can cost millions to repair. • People are killed and many more lose their homes and possessions • Crops and livestock are destroyed and famine may occur. • Receding floodwaters leave behind dangerous waste—untreated sewage, sharp wreckage and chemicals. • Drinking water is often left polluted and may carry waterborne diseases like cholera.

What causes floods?

River water meanders slowly through the Tana Delta floodplain.

1 Heavy rain

Our pounding tropical rains do not last long. However, all that water dumped in one place in a short time can block drains and cause streams to overflow. After a few rainstorms, the ground cannot absorb more water. This year, floods in different parts of East Africa drowned people and displaced thousands. The most affected areas were the flat river basins (floodplains), where rivers burst their banks. People still settle in floodplains because of lack of land elsewhere.

After heavy rains the water builds up faster than it can flow away.

2 Urban development

African cities are growing fast. As buildings and roads cover more ground, there is less open space to absorb rainwater. In cities like Nairobi, some people build very close to rivers and streams because of lack of land. The flimsy houses are often flooded and washed away.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

By Clare Barasa and Benjamin Ondiege

BREAKFAST AT FURAHA’S HOUSE ... MAMA FURAHA, IS THAT MUTUMA’S SON SCREAMING?

Rainwater on an Italian city street flows over the solid tarmac surface, carrying rubbish with it.

EDWIN STEPPED ON A SYRINGE ON HIS WAY TO BUY MILK.

H! a aa

IT PIERCED HIS FOOT THROUGH HIS SANDAL !

Rainwater flowing to the low-lying areas where the wetland used to be is blocked and the result is flooding.

THAT’S HAZARDOUS WASTE; CLINICS OR HOSPITALS NEED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT LICENSES BEFORE EVEN OPENING. DOES RUKWA CLINIC EVEN HAVE ONE? THEY’VE PUT EDWIN AT RISK.

3 Lack of trees

Tree roots hold and anchor the soil. Their leaves slow rain down so that it sinks into the ground. Deforestation causes flooding on lower ground. Every year in Kenya and Uganda, people lose their lives in mudslides. Houses on steep, deforested slopes are most at risk. Rainwater flows fast downhill, and erodes the unprotected soil. It becomes a heavy mudflow that sweeps away everything in its path.

Controlling Floods

Better dykes along the Nzoia River have reduced flooding in Budalang’i, western Kenya. New channels lead excess water to the lake to reduce water levels in the river.

We can control floods in several ways. • Protect trees and wetlands. • Make terraces on slopes to slow downhill flow. • Build channels and furrows to guide water to where we want it. • Build barriers (dykes, bunds and levees) along rivers and seashores in flood-prone areas. • Build weirs (low dams), reservoirs and dams to control and hold water.

THAT CLINIC HAS BEEN DUMPING THEIR MEDICAL WASTE ON THE ROADSIDE, PUTTING ALL OF US AT RISK.

BAH! THIS CLINIC!

FURAHA, GO HOME, IT’S NOT SAFE HERE.

WE’D BETTER FIND OUT. WHAT’S WRONG, WHY IS EVERYONE UPSET?

YOU’RE RIGHT! THERE ARE RULES FOR DISPOSING OF MEDICAL WASTE. IT MUST BE PUT IN MARKED CONTAINERS ...

... AND BURNT AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE.

IMAGINE WHAT GERMS WERE ON THAT SYRINGE!

FOR THAT THEY NEED AN INCINERATOR. I DON’T SEE ONE FOR THIS CLINIC.

RIBA HOSPITAL HAS A BIG INCINERATOR, WHICH SERVES OTHER HOSPITALS AND CLINICS. RUKWA CLINIC CAN REGISTER TO USE IT.

Water flows fast on slopes

CONNIE, HELP US TO TALK TO THE CLINIC’S MANAGEMENT. IT SEEMS YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM CLEAN UP THEIR ACT!

Trees and other obstacles slow the water down

As land levels out the water flows more slowly

Roots hold and anchor the soil

WHAT HAPPENED?!

Wetlands protect us from flooding as they absorb water. The marshy ground is not suitable for building yet unscrupulous developers sometimes build over wetlands.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

ecosystems

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

HOME GARDENS

Keeping fresh (if you’re a vegetable …) Food crops are full of healthy nutrients. They are not only good to eat, they also fetch a good price at market. Yet more than a third of all produce is lost or wasted because of damage during or after harvesting. Fortunately, we can maintain quality without the expensive equipment used on big farms.

What to control Some crops are used or sold while still fresh. If this produce wilts, dries out, decays (rots) or gets bruised, it loses nutritional and trade value. Worse, it may have to be thrown away. Other produce, like wheat and millet, is stored for a time. It rots or gets ruined by pests and diseases if it is not properly stored. • Decay. The process of decay starts as soon as crops have been harvested. They become less nutritious and, in the end, inedible. • Decay happens faster with bruised or damaged produce. Harvest and handle vegetables and fruits with care. Harvesting tools like knives should have sharp blades but rounded ends so they cause no damage. • Temperature. Produce exposed to sun and heat dries out and decays faster than if it is kept cool and shaded. Different products must be stored at different temperatures. Have you read about charcoal fridges on page 19? This is a cheap cooling system for warm, dry areas—and it needs no electricity.

TIPS

Keep pests out with raised, covered stores with rat guards. RATS!

Pesticides must be used very carefully and must be safe for humans.

Fresh and unblemished fruit and vegetables

• Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. Fresh fruits and vegetables lose water in dry air, while dried produce gets mouldy if the air is too damp. • Produce like fresh fruit need good airflow. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, they may start to ferment. Too much CO2 causes bad flavour and prevents ripening. Humidity also builds up.

gap warm air rises and flows out flap cold air is drawn in

The cool night air can be used to cool produce

• Diseases from mould and bacteria cause produce to rot and make it unsafe to eat. Follow good hygiene practices.

Natural pesticides do not damage the environment or harm people. A spray made from neem leaves boiled in water makes a good and safe pesticide. Pack cassava leaves around cassava roots to protect them from pests during transport and storage.

• Insects, rats, birds and other pests may attack products. Discard overripe or rotten produce as it attracts pests.

Keep it clean

Good hygiene keeps food safe. Produce may pick up diseases from the soil, or if it is harvested with dirty equipment or hands or stored in dirty containers and places. • Wash hands with soap and water before and after harvesting and handling farm products. • Use clean water for washing produce, tools, containers and stores. (Mix 1–2 ml bleach per litre of water.) • Add only well-rotted manure to soil and do not harvest until 3 months after applying manure. Keep animal faeces away from crops by keeping animals out. Do not lay harvested produce directly on the ground. Do you want to know more about post-harvest handling of produce? Look for our next issue!

Ground aloe leaves or aloe ash repel storage pests.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

AGROFORESTRY

Planting out seedlings Imagine—the life of a tall tree can start in a small pot! We can plant tree seeds in pots and plant them out when they grow into seedlings.

ave you started a tree nursery? When your seedlings grow big enough to survive with less care, you will plant them out. How long it will take seedlings to reach this stage will depend on the species. This is what to do.

1. Choose planting sites

The site depends on what you want your trees to give—products like timber, fruit or fodder, services like shade or soil protection. Your seedlings may be planted in woodlots or orchards; in or around fields; near houses or pens. Make sure trees near crops will not take too much water or soil nutrients, or make too much shade.

2. Prepare planting sites • Plant at the beginning of the rainy season so that the seedlings have plenty of water to start with. • Clear vegetation away from each planting site. In dry areas, make a microbasin (see below).

3. Prepare seedlings for planting Prepare your seedlings according to the nursery method you used. Bare-rooted seedlings • The day before moving the seedlings, water the transplant bed thoroughly. • Remove seedlings from the bed and separate their roots from the soil, being careful not to damage the roots. • Cover the roots of the plants with bags or other coverings so that they are protected from direct sunlight. Try to keep them moist. • Move seedlings from beds to planting sites in one day to prevent their roots from drying.

Potted seedlings • Don’t uproot the seedlings until you are ready to place them in the planting holes. • Keep them in their pots and pack them in small boxes or crates to carry them to u care for it! plant it, then yo ou –y et rg fo the planting sites. Don’t tie the t Don’ ur seedlings. seedlings together. Don’t neglect yo

4. Plant seedlings • Dig holes much wider and deeper than the roots—about 30 cm wide and 30 cm deep. • Plant one seedling in each hole and fill the hole with soil. • Compact the soil gently around each seedling and water it if there is no rain. • Put thorny branches or woven cages around each seedling to protect it from grazing animals.

Before planting potted seedlings in the holes • Cut or peel off the containers the seedlings are in. • Leave soil around roots when placing seedlings in the holes. Leaky bottle This is drip irrigation in a bottle. Fill a bottle with water, close the

Be waterwise in dry regions

Microbasins allow rainwater to collect and soak into the soil around seedlings. Dig a shallow basin around each planting site, piling the soil into a ridge (30–50 cm high and 60–90 cm wide) around the downhill side, 15 cm from the edge of the basin. Plant the seedling in the middle.

lid loosely so that it will leak a bit, and lay the bottle on its side near the seedling. The water drips slowly from the lid. Refill the bottle when necessary. Buried clay pot A traditional North African method! Bury an unglazed clay pot near tree seedlings. Pour water into the pot and cover. The water will leak slowly through the clay into the soil near the plants roots.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

practical science

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Can you see me? Have you noticed that light passes through some materials and not others? Why does a wall cast a shadow when a pane of glass does not? Let’s learn the properties of different objects in light.

Transparent, translucent or opaque?

A clear or transparent object allows all light rays to pass through it, for example a windowpane, or a glass of water. Because light passes through the object instead of being reflected back to your eyes, the object is almost invisible.

a translucent object bounces and scatters in different directions, which is why something seen through translucent material appears blurred. Examples are frosted and stained glass windows, tracing paper and sheer fabric curtains.

It’s easy to see through transparent glasses!

A translucent object allows some light through it. Light passing through Opaque window shutters keep the light out.

Translucent stained glass lets through some light and lots of beautiful colour.

An opaque object does not allow light to pass through it at all, for example something solid like a wall, a book or your body. The light is blocked and reflected back to your eyes. Behind the object you see a dark spot that is shaped like the object—its shadow. Opaque objects cast strong shadows.

s object Opaque ows a ad have sh ght travels in ld li u e o s c u t a bec If ligh . e n li t ro un d straigh ben d a ld u o w o it leave n cur ve, ct an d e j b o the at all! sha dow

Find the shadow

Switch on a torch in a dark room. Have different objects with you: a clear piece of glass or plastic, some tracing paper, a book or folder. Shine the torch at each object in turn and watch how the light behaves with different surfaces. Can you tell if an object is transparent, translucent or opaque?

H s= M + ac-tion in a SOMETHING’S NOT RIGHT; IS IT MY PIZZA OR HIS PI?!

Yebo and his friends love eating pizza. They put their pocket money together to buy a standard size pizza for lunch. They are 4 hungry people—will it be enough? A standard size pizza measures 23 cm across the middle (its diameter). To find out how big a slice each person gets, we need to know the length along the outside rim of the pizza (its circumference).

You can take a piece of string and measure the circumference, or you can use the clever mathematical trick called pi ( ).

Multiply the diameter by pi (“pie”) and hey presto!—you get the circumference.

π is the ratio of a circle’s

circumference to its diameter and is approximately 3.14. So the circumference of a 23 cm pizza is

23 x 3.14 = 72.22 (approx. 72) 72 ÷ 4 (people) = 18

Why 3.14? The ancient Egyptians who built the pyramids already knew that no matter what the size of a circle, the circumference divided by its diameter was always equal to 3.14. Archimedes, the Greek mathematician who came a little later, called this relationship using the Greek letter.

π,

π is a useful formula for anything

to do with circles and curved surfaces. If you know one measurement of a circle, helps you figure out all the others. is used in physics, engineering, medicine ... and eating pizza.

So each person gets 1 slice 18 cm wide, or 2 pieces each 9 cm wide. Not bad!

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

PRACTICAL SCIENCE

Charcoal fridge In places where there is no electricity, people have invented very clever ways to keep their food cool. One of these is the charcoal fridge. Yes, the charcoal that heats your food can also keep your food cool!

How it works

The fridge’s walls are made of chicken wire over a wooden frame. The walls are then filled with charcoal.

Water moves from a bucket through wet rope or hosepipes and drips onto the charcoal.

charcoal fridge cools food the same way your body cools you down on a hot day. When the air around you is hot, you start to sweat. The sweat evaporates from your skin, absorbing heat energy from the

air as it vaporises (turns into a gas). With its heat energy used up, the air next to your skin is now much cooler and this in turn cools your body.

A charcoal fridge on a vegetable farm.

A fridge with walls made of charcoal works in the same way. The charcoal is kept wet and water evaporates slowly, using up the heat energy from the surrounding air as it turns into water vapour. This cools the air and keeps the food stored inside the fridge cool too. If the fridge is placed where there is a breeze, water will evaporate faster and the air inside the fridge will be colder. If the charcoal charcoal absorbs water drops

water uses heat energy to evaporate

cool inside air

warm outside air

outside fridge

inside fridge

is allowed to dry out, there will be no more water to evaporate and the cooling effect will stop. Charcoal fridges can be built to any size. In rural homes, they keep cooked food at a cool and safe temperature. On farms they can be big enough for people to walk in and out. They are used to keep cut flowers and fresh produce cool so they last longer before being transported to market.

urself When yo u fan yo u are on a hot day, yo r over yo ur moving more ai that yo ur skin surface so faster an d sweat evaporates keeps yo u co ol.

ow Ho I... d

“Can you help me?” someone says. “I need to get to the museum.” How do you give them clear directions? Here are some tips. • If you do not know the way, say so! • Draw a map if it is easier for you.

• Give some idea of distance— “It’s around the corner”; “Go straight down Marimba Road, past 2 side roads” • Give a landmark that shows they have gone too far—“If you get to Kanini Primary, you’ve gone too far” • Give clear directions for turns, including left and right and landmarks—“Turn right at Mama Joe’s kiosk”; “Turn left at the T-junction” • Say which side of the street their destination is on—“The museum is on the right”

• Give the simplest route with the fewest turns, even if it is not your favourite shortcut

• Make them repeat the directions With thanks to www.wikihow.com

Ti p ll How do I te ght? left fro m ri n ds a y h r u o facing awa Hold y yo u, palms of s nt o rm fr o ut in an d that fo s o ut. The h an d thu mb d. ur left han an “L” is yo er, draw to rememb rd a h l il st If it is yo ur left the si des of the L a line down u mb to form th d n a r e g forefin while. there for a an d leave it

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

business & careers

Types of records

Hussein and his sister Amina started a computer college 6 months ago (see issue 3). Amina, who has run another business in the past, knows that good records are essential.

mina can confirm that Halima paid by looking through the college’s records. If Amina did not keep records, there would be total confusion—she and Hussein would lose fees if they could not keep track of who had paid, and students would leave if they kept being asked for money they had already paid. ping? cord kee e r is rocess t a Wh is the p g in p e e k Record portant down im g in t o n of oks or ion in bo t a re m r o f in for futu u ments c o d g in fil e. referenc

Why is record keeping important? Records help you • Monitor the progress of your business • Prepare your financial statements • Keep track of what you have paid and received • Prepare your tax returns (all businesses have to pay tax to the government) • Apply for loans (from banks, saccos)

Cash book A cash book records receipts and payments made. It may be separated into 2 books—the cash sales book and the cash payments book. Hussein’s and Amina’s cash book shows the money they have received from students and what they have spent in the running of the college. It will also have copies of their • Bank statements (showing the fees deposited in the bank) • Receipts (issued to students when they pay their fees) • Invoices (bills for things like computers, electricity and stationery) The records for sales and purchases should be kept separately.

Sales records Sales records keep track of money that has been received. In a shop, these will record what goods are sold. Because Hussein and Amina render a service, their sales records HALIMA’S RIGHT; HERE’S HER PAYMENT. IT’S LUCKY will be a list WE KEEP GOOD RECORDS! of students who have paid fees and those who have not. Inventory An inventory is a list of a company’s goods and assets. Amina’s inventory will have a list of computers, furniture and printers, among other items. This ensures that the college can accommodate the growing number of students. It also ensures that their assets do not get lost and that they know when items must be replaced.

Work it out!

1. When Hussein and Amina started they had 5 tables, 5 chairs, 5 computers and 1 printer. They then bought another 10 tables, 10 chairs and 10 computers. Each computer is worth Ksh 10,000, each chair is Ksh 500, each table is Ksh 500 and the printer is worth Ksh 2,500. Fill in their inventory.

Item

Value (Ksh)

Opening stock

Additional stock

Sales made

Balance of stock

Tables Chairs Printer Computer

2. The college made the following transactions in June. • They had Ksh 5,000 in cash and Ksh 10,000 at the bank. • On 8th June they received the full fee of ksh 7,500 from 1 student. • On 12th June they received ksh 5,000 each from 2 more students as part of payment of their fees. Record the details in the cash book page below. Date

Details

Cash In

Bank Out

Balance

Out

Balance

Balance brought forward (all June 8

funds) Fees receipt

June 12

Fees receipt

• assets—property owned by a business or person • invoice—bill from supplier showing what has been bought and how much is being charged • receipt—written proof that payment has been received

Answers on page 27.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Do you know that all chefs are cooks but not all cooks are chefs? Nickson Mumo Kyalo, a sous-chef at The Boma Hotels, explains the difference.

“

A chef is basically someone who cooks professionally. However, chefs don’t just cook; they manage the kitchen too. When you join the profession right after college, you start as a cook, which is mainly a learning position where you prepare and cook food as instructed by your supervisor. You then graduate to be a supervisor or demi-chef yourself, and later a chef de partie, the head of a station. A station is the area where a certain type of food is prepared. For example, the area where cakes and bread are made is called the pastry section. The chef de partie makes sure that their station is running smoothly and according to the instructions from the souschef, who is the

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

business & careers

You could be...

e t r a c la a f e h C a ... assistant to the executive chef. That is my job. I am a sous-chef and my duty is to oversee the running of the entire kitchen. My role is developing menus, ordering supplies and directing the kitchen staff. I also have to make sure the kitchen is clean, the food quality is consistent, the kitchen is running at a profit, and the customers are happy. The overall head of the kitchen is the executive chef. Their main role is to provide leadership and tell us what needs to be done while the rest of the team implements the plan. So chefs do not just cook all day; they manage a section of the kitchen or the entire kitchen too. Therefore, to be a good chef, you must have more than a passion for food. You must be innovative, observant, patient, and have good communication

“Whichev er career p ath you ta be patient ke, and ready to learn.

and people skills. You also need maths skills, to calculate the profit the restaurant makes per plate of food sold.

”

CAREER FACT FILE

· Pay special attention to language s, math and home science

· Complete a diplo ma or degree in a food-related course, for example, food production or hotel management

We salute Malala Yousafzai

How hard would you try to go to school if someone threatened to kill you? Malala continued campaigning for girls’ education in Pakistan even after receiving death threats. Her grit has made her the youngest person ever to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

lthough Pakistan’s government supports education for both girls and boys, the militant Taliban believe that girls over the age of 8 should stay at home. When they took over Malala’s town, Mingora, in the Swat Valley in 2009, they banned girls from school. Then aged 11, Malala started campaigning for girls’ right to education. She gave speeches, wrote a blog1 for the

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and appeared in newspapers and on radio. The death threats began for Malala and her father Ziauddin, her biggest supporter, but eventually the ban on girls’ schooling was lifted. “Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.” Malala Yousafzai On 9 October last year, Taliban gunmen attacked her school bus, shot Malala in the head and neck, and wounded 2 of her friends. Islamic clerics in Pakistan condemned the attack but the Taliban were unmoved. Malala, amazingly,

recovered. On her 16th birthday, named Malala Day in her honour, she addressed the United Nations Youth Assembly, appealing to all governments to offer free education for all and protect children from violence. What’s next? School, of course!

blog—a personal account written on a website

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

careers & Fun

When art meets agriculture

MEE

T TH E

Did you take part in the Smart Farming Poster competition? Ever thought that art and agriculture can be merged into a business? Well, 29-year-old Martin Giathi is doing just that.

“

“I was born and brought up in the city so I didn’t know much about agriculture when I decided to jump into it at age 25. I made it by taking the time to learn, and by not giving up!”

I have always been artistic. When I finished school I did a diploma in IT and another in graphic design. However, I could not find a job that paid well. So I started to look for ways to boost my small salary. That is when I learned about the Amiran Farmer’s Kit that includes a greenhouse, seeds, and one season’s worth of fertiliser. I raised Ksh 230,000 to buy the kit, set up the greenhouse on my family’s

A crate of tomatoes is 30 kg and a kilo sells for Ksh 50-80. So I take in about Ksh 20,000 a week when the orders are high and Ksh 8,000-10,000 on a not-so-good week. My main customers are groceries, In the first season I lost everything to diseases! That was a tough lesson.

Martin’s greenhouses have a section along the sides that can be opened to cool things down.

restaurants and supermarkets, particularly Naivas Supermarket. A year or so ago, I decided to use my artistic skills to design my own greenhouse, as I found the Amiran greenhouse too hot inside. Other farmers liked my type of greenhouse, so I started my own company—Avena Agroa Greenhouse Consulting and Construction. We have made 5 greenhouses so far and offer consultancy services as well.

a b a c k e a n ana

Easy banana cake recipe

Cakes are yummy! They are the highlight of many celebrations in our lives but you do not have to eat cake only occasionally. You can make one at home. What you need 125 g butter or margarine 3/4 cup of sugar 1 teaspoonful vanilla essence 1 egg 2 large over-ripe bananas, mashed 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour 1/4 cup of milk Method 1. Melt the butter, vanilla and sugar in a medium-sized pan.

land in Karen, Nairobi, and planted tomatoes. I quit my job soon after that in order to work on my new farm. In the first season I lost everything to diseases! That was a tough lesson. In the 2nd season, I got an experienced farmer to guide me: how to identify diseases, when to spray, prune, etc., and 3 months after planting, I started harvesting 10-15 crates of tomatoes per week.

2. Mash bananas in a bowl and add to the pan, stirring until the mixture is blended. 3. Add egg and mix in well. 4. Stir in flour. 5. Add milk and mix lightly.

Bake in the oven 1. Heat your oven to 170 °C. 2. To prevent the cake from sticking, rub margarine on the inside of your baking pan.

”

3. Pour the mixture into the pan. 4. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. When the cake turns golden brown, it is ready. Or cook using a jiko 5. Light your jiko. 6. Pour the mixture into a greased pot and close the lid. 7. Place some 10–15 hot coals on the lid. Leave about 6 coals in the jiko. Place the pot on top of the jiko. 8. Bake for 45 minutes, rotating the pot every 15 minutes so that the heat is spread evenly. 9. To ensure the cake is cooked, stick a knife in the centre. If the knife comes out dry, your cake is ready.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

EXPRESSIONS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

If you see anything interesting, newsworthy or just plain funny, take a photo and send it to us at info@YoungAfricanExpress.net or PO Box 120-00606, Nairobi, Kenya

Why should old car parts end up on the scrap heap when they can be made into tables and chairs?

Could you do this job? It takes guts to clean the windows of Nairobi's highrises.

What would curriculum pie taste like? Sign at Hospital Hill Primary School.

"Hello!" says a quizzical female nyala from Swaziland. Good thing this boda boda rider was wearing his helmet ... at least until he fell off!

Congratulations to Miss and Master Environment 2013, Sharon Chepkirui Bore, Kipsigis Girls High School and Kushil Nimesh Nagda, Oshwal Academy-Nairobi.

Young African Express was present at a very special event at the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi on 7 June—AFEW’s annual Environmental Awards Day. AFEW is the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife and every year they hold a National Environmental Competition to promote environmental awareness. Children from kindergarten through to high school had entered essays and artwork on this year’s theme: “Green Economy Our Future”. Katutu Girls High School won the special Green School Award for their environmental projects.

"Ooh, look at this." Prizewinners check out Young African Express after the ceremony.

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Reading is fun

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare and the A

t the dawn of each morning, the men of the Luo tribe must wait for the rising of the sun. As the sun shines down its blessings on a new day, so the men of the Luo tribe send up their praises. So was it always done by Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare, as he stood by his hut on the shores of Lake Victoria. Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare was a simple fisherman, the son of a poor man. He dared not dream that one day he would have a wife. He feared he would walk the shores of the lake alone, all the days of his life. But on this day, God sent his reward to the faithful fisherman.

he abuoro floats over the waters when and where it will. One day this little floating island reached the edge of the lake, carrying with it a lost woman and her lone goat. From an unknown country they came, bringing good luck and riches to Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare. While the lost woman and her goat lay sleeping on the abuoro, the undhwe, the birds of omen, sang overhead.

Awakened by the songs of the undhwe birds, the lost woman listened anxiously. What future would they bring to her in this strange land?

yalgondho wuod-Ombare found the lost woman and her goat, floating on the abuoro at the edge of Lake Victoria. So had she been brought from an unknown country. Nyalgondho wuodOmbare approached the lost woman and talked with her. They made an agreement to marry. The lost woman, who had been floating on the abuoro with her goat for so long, went with Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare to his hut. There, on the shores of Lake Victoria, she became his wife.

yalgondho wuodOmbare, the son of a poor man with no hope of ever gaining a wife, became a most fortunate man when he married the lost woman. He worked hard and found riches coming to him through the woman sent by God. From the riches brought to him by the lost woman and the goat, Nyalgondho wuodOmbare took 3 more wives. But one night he came home in drunkenness. He called to each of his wives in turn, but none would

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Reading is fun

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

lost woman from Lake Victoria A Traditional Kenyan Tale

open her door to him. Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare became very angry. He beat on the door of his eldest wife, the lost woman from the lake who was the source of all his riches, and cursed her.

he lost woman from the lake had lived with her husband Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare for a long time, and had brought him many riches. Angered by the harsh words and actions of her husband in his drunkenness, she called on God to help her take revenge. The next morning the lost woman decided to leave Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare and his wives, and go away for good. The undhwe birds of omen saw the angry woman as she walked away from the huts of Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare towards the shores of Lake Victoria. The undhwe birds recalled the goats and herds that she had left behind. They sang again the fateful song, which they had sung before. The lost woman called the herds and the birds from their homes to follow her and she led them to the shores of Lake Victoria. Returning to the lake where she had met Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare, the lost woman prayed to her God:

“These are the waters to which I belong. I have come back to you once more. Take me and all my beasts away from the huts of Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare.” So it was that the goats and birds and all the herds followed the strange woman into the deep waters of Lake Victoria. As the lost woman walked out into the deep waters of Lake Victoria, she turned back for a last look. Seeing the land to which she no longer belonged, she called again to the goats and the birds and the herds to come with her. Nyalgondho wuod-Ombare followed behind the beasts to the water’s edge.

yalgondho wuodOmbare followed the herds to the very edge of Lake Victoria where he had found the lost woman and the goat. He tried to drive them home, but he did not succeed. Seeing the herds follow the lost woman into the deep waters of Lake Victoria, he felt such great sorrow that his heart broke. So the lost woman and her herds vanished forever beneath the deep waters of Lake Victoria. As they disappeared, Nyalgondho wuodOmbare fell to the ground on the shores of the lake, and never again rose to greet the sun at the beginning of a new day.

This traditional tale comes from the Luo of western Kenya. It is said that the footprints of the lost woman and her herds can still be seen on the shores of Lake Victoria at Nyandiwa, where they entered the lake. The water that flows over the footprints is believed to have healing powers.

From the African Art and Literature Series published by Jacaranda Designs Limited. Illustration and original text by Joel Oswaggo

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

puzzles & fun

A man’s face or what??

Fun for

You

A man’s face or a whole lot of animals? How many can you find?

Brainteaser

Arrange 4 beans so that they are an equal distance from each other, without touching.

Cut out 2 pieces of thick card as in this drawing. Balance them against each other as shown. Can you pick them up with a pencil without them coming apart?

Link the pieces by sticking the straight piece through the arch.

rolled across dough to flatten it (2 words, 7,3)

2 4

8. Metal container for boiling water, with a lid, spout and handle

9. Container for liquids, having a handle and a narrow neck

11. Tool with 2 movable arms used for picking things up

8 9

13. Cooking food in oil

10 12

15. Shallow, round dish from which food is eaten 16. A broad, shallow container for

Lay 3 beans on a surface in cooking 17. Bowl-shaped utensil with fine an equilateral triangle mesh used for sifting flour 17 (that’s one with 3 equal sides). Pick up the 4th bean and hold it above the centre of the triangle at the same distance from the surface theasquickest one of the triangle If 2’ssides. company

What’s way to double your money?

d, and 3’s a crow what are 4 and 5?

Answers from page 27

Fold it in half.

letter comes in the alphabet)

Fill in the blanks in the pyramid of bricks. Each BIRD beneath (swap each letter with in the brick has 2 bricks it. The numbers theone that earlier ininthe theupper alphabet) lower bricks comes add up 2toplaces the numbers brick. Hint: 17 - 6 = the number in the bottom brick, 2nd from left.(the numbers represent where each RAIN

5. A long, rounded wooden tool

Small open drinking vessel, usually with a handle

A portable block made from wood or plastic, on which food can be cut (2 words, 8, 5)

2. A utensil with long, thin prongs on the end of a handle, used for lifting food to the mouth 3. A brittle, transparent container used for drinking water, juice, etc. 4. A movable cover for the top of a container 6. A deep, round dish 7. A container, usually of steel, aluminium or cast iron, in which food is cooked 8. Cutting instrument with a sharp blade attached to a handle 10. Mix ingredients with a spoon 12. A tool used when eating food or for serving, stirring, etc. 14. Break food into small bits by rubbing on a grater

Silhouettes

The answer is 9, of course! TUBE (match the symbols to the letters in BUCKET to find what they spell ou

Code breaker LIME (match the numbers to the letters in SIMPLE to find what 9132 spells out)

100 55 45 38 17 28 11 6 22 answer Pyramids

What looks like a totem pole is in fact a pile of creatures and objects. Can you recognise them from their silhouettes?

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

puzzles & fun

By Bella Kilonzo www.bellakilonzo.com

BELZO

55 17 27

28 6

Fill in the blanks in the pyramid of bricks. Each brick has 2 bricks beneath it. The numbers in the lower bricks add up to the numbers in the upper brick. Hint: 17 - 6 = the number in the bottom brick, 2nd from left.

answer

100 55 45 38 17 28 27 11 6 22

Riddles & Jokes A woman had 2 sons who were born in the same hour of the same day in the same year, but they were not twins. How could this be possible?

They were triplets.

Codebreaker

A code is a system of numbers, letters or symbols that replace letters or words in normal language. Only those who know the system will understand what the code means. Code helps to keep secrets! Can you work out these codes?

Can I tell you a joke that really sucks?

Okay.

1. If 613892 = SIMPLE, what does 9132 mean?

Lollipop

2. If

= BUCKET, what does

mean?

3. If hqtm = FORK, what does dktf mean? 4. If 8 15 21 19 5 = HOUSE, what does 18 1 9 14 mean? Answers from page 26

Link the pieces by sticking the straight piece through the arch.

Party tricks

other as shown. Can you pick them up with a pencil without them coming apart?

Lay 3 beans on a surface in an equilateral triangle (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one with 3 equal sides). Pick up the 4th bean and hold it above the centre of the triangle at the same distance from the surface as one of the triangle sides.

Down: 1. chopping board; 2. fork; 3. glass; 4. lid; 6. bowl; 7. pot; 8. knife; 10. stir; 12. spoon; 14. grate Across: 1. cup; 5. rolling pin; 8. kettle; 9. jug; 11. tongs; 13. frying; 15. plate; 16. pan; 17. sieve

kitchen stuff From top to bottom: egg cup, vulture, teapot, goat, jerrycan, fish, sewing machine, carrot.

Silhouettes answer:

Vol. 8 no. 4, 2013

Civil society

Losing

gracefully

Even winners lose sometimes Competitions are healthy but can bring out the best or the worst in us, depending on how we react to either winning or losing. In the last issue of the Express we talked about winning gracefully. But even Serena Williams has to lose sometimes. So how do you lose gracefully?

1 Congratulate the winner. Always take the time to appreciate your opponent’s performance. He or she will respect you for that and may even teach you a few tricks.

YOUNG AFRICAN EXPRESS

2 Do not be too hard on yourself. It is normal to be disappointed when you lose, but it does not help to dwell on what you did wrong. Look at the entire Story by Sarah Radoli Art by Bella Kilonzo

EARLY MARRIAGE FOR GIRLS SENGE’S AGE IS A HARMFUL CULTURAL PRACTICE. WITH LITTLE OR NO LIFE SKILLS, SHE CANNOT TAKE GOOD CARE OF HERSELF OR HER CHILD.

THAT IS NOT MY FAULT.

THAT IS TRUE. GLADYS, AS HER ELDER IN THE BOMA, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP SENGE.

ALL THE ADULTS SHOULD HELP, ANDAKO. AND WHEN THE BABY IS A LITTLE OLDER, TAKE SENGE BACK TO SCHOOL SO THAT SHE CAN ACQUIRE THE SKILLS THAT WILL HELP HER IN LIFE.

I SUPPOSE SHE IS STILL A CHILD HERSELF. HELPING HER MAY MAKE OUR LIFE MORE PEACEFUL TOO!

competition, focusing first on what you did right. Only after you have calmed down should you look at what you could have done better. 3 Learn from the loss. Each loss is a chance to do better next time. So be honest with yourself about your weak points and work on improving them. Also take note of your opponent’s strong points and learn from them. 4 Do your best. Always approach a competition with the aim not just to win but to give your best. Knowing that you did your best makes it easier to deal with a loss. By the way...

If you think your opponent cheated to win, get your facts together and let them know what you think through a 3rd party (like the organisers of the competition). They are better placed to make your point heard in a calm way.

Special savings! YAE subscriptions Delivered to schools or clubs for only Ksh 650 a year. (minimum of 10 subscriptions)

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SENGE’S PARENTS MARRIED HER OFF TOO EARLY. SHE IS TOO YOUNG. SHE DOES NOT YET KNOW HOW TO BE A MOTHER.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NOW HER SCHOOLING HAS COME TO AN END, SHE MAY NEVER KNOW ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER HERSELF OR HER BABY.

AM I THE ONE MAKING NOISE? TALK TO SENGE!

�

GLADYS, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH NOISE IN THIS PLACE?

�

I CANNOT CONCENTRATE ON MY SEWING, WITH SUCH SCREAMS FROM YOUR BABY.

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. The throu Young Africa gh your schoon Express l by contais now The throu Young Africa cting in Uchum gh your i super mark scho n Express