Day: November 8, 2021

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MADISON REALTY CAPITAL AND NEWBOND HOLDINGS LAUNCH HOSPITALITY LENDING PLATFORM WITH INVESTING CAPACITY OF $500M

Strategic Partnership to Originate and Purchase Hospitality Loans Across All Major US Markets as Madison Newbond

NEW YORK, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Realty Capital, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm focused on debt and equity investment strategies, and Newbond Holdings (Newbond), a vertically integrated real estate investment and operating platform founded by Neil Luthra and Vann Avedisian, today announced the launch of Madison Newbond, an institutional lending platform that will provide first mortgages, mezzanine loans and preferred equity to hotel owners and developers nationwide.  The partnership launched with approximately $500 million of initial lending capacity and will add scale in line with the opportunity.

Madison Newbond will build on Madison Realty Capital’s institutional lending platform and deep relationships as well as Newbond’s hospitality industry expertise and strong operational knowledge. The partnership will offer unique financing programs to new and existing borrowers across the hospitality spectrum from limited-service hotels to ultra-luxury resorts and will target opportunities including transitional lending and ground up developments across major metropolitan markets.

“The hospitality industry has experienced significant disruption throughout the pandemic and there is a clear need for creative and flexible lending solutions for hotel owners as they continue to recover from the changes to their business plans,” said Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital. “We are enthusiastic about joining forces with Newbond to expand our product offering tailored to meet the evolving needs of hospitality real estate owners and operators.”

“We are excited to launch this partnership with Madison Realty Capital, a firm with a world-class lending platform, and a team that we are deeply familiar with, to provide a wide range of lending options to the hospitality market,” said Neil Luthra, Founding Partner at Newbond. “Madison’s substantial resources coupled with Newbond’s extensive hotel underwriting capabilities will best position the platform to identify and capitalize on exciting opportunities in the hospitality space.”

Madison Realty Capital and the principals of Newbond have significant experience lending and investing in the hospitality sector.  The principals of Newbond have completed over $15 billion of debt and equity investments.  Notable recent Madison Realty Capital transactions include a $105 million loan to Fort Partners for the acquisition and modernization of the Four Seasons Hotel Miami and a $210 million loan to Fort Partners for the construction of the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale.

For any financing inquiries or to request additional information about the Madison Newbond platform, please contact Andrew Fichte, a partner at Newbond, at afichte@newbond.com and Josh Zegen, at josh@madisonrealtycapital.com.

About Madison Realty Capital 

Madison Realty Capital is a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that manages approximately $6.7 billion in total assets on behalf of an institutional global investor base. Since 2004, Madison Realty Capital has completed more than $16 billion in transactions in the U.S. providing reputable borrowers with flexible and highly customized financing solutions, strong underwriting capabilities, and certainty of execution. Headquartered in New York City, with an office in Los Angeles, the firm has over 60 employees across all real estate investment, development, and property management disciplines. Madison Realty Capital has been frequently named to the Commercial Observer’s prestigious “Power 100” list of New York City real estate players and is consistently cited as a top construction lender, among other industry recognitions. To learn more, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.madisonrealtycapital.com.

About Newbond Holdings 

Newbond Holdings, founded by Neil Luthra and Vann Avedisian in 2021, is a real estate investment and operating platform focused on debt and equity investments across multiple real estate product types with a hospitality focus as well as investments in related operating businesses and technology platforms.  The partners at Newbond have completed over $15 billion of debt and equity transactions.  As a vertically integrated operating and investment platform, Newbond is uniquely positioned to create significant value beyond the typical investment process through creative structuring, operations and the development of single and multiple asset brands.

Attachments

For Madison Realty Capital: Nathaniel Garnick/Grace Cartwright
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
madisonrealty@gasthalter.com

For Newbond: Eric Waters
Great Ink Communications, Ltd.
212-741-2977
Eric.Waters@greatink.com

Tom Nolan
Great Ink Communications, Ltd.
212-741-2977
Tom@greatink.com
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At 2021 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Announces Initiatives to Support Cutting-Edge Science in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Help End the COVID Crisis

The foundation commits initial $50 million towards a new 10-year program and awards science leadership fellowships to 14 African scientists

SEATTLE, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today at the 17th Grand Challenges Annual Meeting, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced an initial commitment of $50 million to support science and innovation in low- and middle-income countries. The Grand Challenges Global Call to Action is a 10-year initiative that will prioritize grants to scientists from low- and middle-income countries and support a balanced representation of women principal investigators.

This long-term initiative is designed to ensure scientists and institutions in low- and middle-income countries play a central role in shaping the global R&D agenda and developing solutions that can better meet the needs of their communities. Initial focus areas will include data science, such as mathematical modeling to inform national malaria control programs; digital health services for pregnant women; and innovations to close gaps identified by current programs for eliminating neglected tropical diseases.

“We need the ideas and leadership of the people who are closest to the global health challenges we’re working to address,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The Grand Challenges Global Call to Action represents our commitment to advance innovation and equity while strengthening local partners in a sustainable way.”

At the annual meeting, which takes place November 8-11, the foundation will also launch the Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response (GIISER) program, which works to ensure scientists have the capacity to rapidly detect if new SARS-CoV-2 variants in their communities show signs of evading immune response. This will allow national and regional stakeholders to respond appropriately and develop products that meet the specific needs of their geographies. GIISER will operate as a decentralized network of autonomous and geographically distinct hubs that are able to connect local pathogen sequencing data and clinical epidemiology with local immunological understanding and tools. As part of this program, the foundation will provide $7 million over two years to investigative teams in eight countries (South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, and India) to expand their existing immunological capacity.

To further support scientists who are developing the innovations needed to end the pandemic and address urgent global health priorities, the foundation will announce the first cohort of the Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship program on the second day of the meeting (November 9). Named after the late Calestous Juma, one of the world’s foremost visionaries in African-led science, the fellowship was launched at last year’s annual meeting to support the next generation of scientific leaders in Africa. The inaugural cohort includes 14 fellows from eight African countries—eight women and six men—who are leading projects that range from computational drug discovery to molecular epidemiology. Each fellow will receive up to $1 million over five years.

The Grand Challenges Annual Meeting is a global forum for researchers around the world to share their work, learn about cutting-edge advances in the field, and collaborate with other investigators and organizations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to drive inequity across the globe, this year’s meeting will focus on strengthening scientific collaborations to end the pandemic everywhere and promoting an inclusive recovery.

The 2021 fully virtual meeting is hosted by Global Grand Challenges partners and co-sponsored by Grand Challenges Canada, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Wellcome, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Speakers at this year’s meeting include:

  • Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • Jason S. McLellan, Professor and Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin
  • Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organization
  • John Nkengasong, Director, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Melanie Saville, Director of Vaccine Research and Development, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations

The event will feature dozens of leaders from across the global health innovation landscape, as well as Gates Foundation leadership, including Bill Gates (Co-Chair & Trustee); Melinda French Gates (Co-Chair & Trustee); Mark Suzman (Chief Executive Officer); and Trevor Mundel (President, Global Health Division). The sessions will be posted shortly after the meeting at grandchallenges.org/annual-meeting.

About Grand Challenges

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recognizes that solving the most pressing challenges in global health and development requires more of the world’s brightest minds working on them. The Grand Challenges family of initiatives seeks to engage innovators from around the world to solve these challenges. Grand Challenges initiatives are united by their focus on fostering innovation, directing research to where it will have the most impact, and serving those most in need. To learn more, please visit grandchallenges.org.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates.

Media contact: media@gatesfoundation.org

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À l’occasion de la réunion annuelle 2021 Grand Challenges, la Fondation Bill et Melinda Gates annonce des initiatives visant à soutenir la science de pointe dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire et à contribuer à mettre fin à la crise du COVID

La fondation engage un montant initial de 50 millions de dollars dans un nouveau programme décennal et attribue des bourses de leadership scientifique à 14 scientifiques africains

SEATTLE, 8 novembre 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Aujourd’hui, lors de la 17e réunion annuelle de Grand Challenges, la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates a annoncé un engagement initial de 50 millions de dollars pour soutenir la science et l’innovation dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire. L’appel à action international Grand Challenges est une initiative de 10 ans qui donnera la priorité aux subventions accordées aux scientifiques des pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire et soutiendra une représentation équilibrée de femmes chercheurs principaux.

Cette initiative à long terme est conçue pour que les scientifiques et les institutions des pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire jouent un rôle central dans l’élaboration de l’agenda mondial de la R&D et dans le développement de solutions susceptibles de mieux répondre aux besoins de leurs communautés. Les domaines d’intérêt initiaux comprendront la science des données, comme la modélisation mathématique pour informer les programmes nationaux de lutte contre le paludisme, les services de santé numériques pour les femmes enceintes et les innovations pour combler les lacunes identifiées par les programmes actuels d’élimination des maladies tropicales négligées.

« Nous avons besoin des idées et du leadership des personnes qui sont les plus proches des défis de santé mondiaux que nous nous efforçons de relever », a déclaré Mark Suzman, PDG de la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates. « L’appel à action international Grand Challenges représente notre engagement à faire progresser l’innovation et l’équité tout en renforçant les partenaires locaux de manière durable. »

Lors de la réunion annuelle, qui se déroulera du 8 au 11 novembre, la fondation lancera également le programme Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response (GIISER), qui vise à garantir que les scientifiques aient la capacité de détecter rapidement si les nouvelles variantes du SRAS-CoV-2 dans leurs communautés montrent des signes d’échapper à la réponse immunitaire. Cela permettra aux intervenants nationaux et régionaux de réagir de manière appropriée et de développer des produits qui répondent aux besoins spécifiques de leurs géographies. GIISER fonctionnera comme un réseau décentralisé de centres autonomes et géographiquement distincts, capables de relier les données de séquençage des agents pathogènes locaux et l’épidémiologie clinique aux connaissances et outils immunologiques locaux. Dans le cadre de ce programme, la fondation fournira 7 millions de dollars sur deux ans à des équipes de recherche dans huit pays (Afrique du Sud, Sénégal, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ouganda, Brésil et Inde) afin de développer leurs capacités immunologiques existantes.

Afin de soutenir davantage les scientifiques qui développent les innovations nécessaires pour mettre fin à la pandémie et répondre aux priorités urgentes en matière de santé mondiale, la fondation annoncera la première cohorte du programme Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship le deuxième jour de la réunion (9 novembre). Nommé en l’honneur de Calestous Juma, l’un des plus grands visionnaires de la science conduite par l’Afrique, ce programme a été lancé lors de la réunion annuelle de l’année dernière pour soutenir la prochaine génération de leaders scientifiques en Afrique. La cohorte inaugurale comprend 14 boursiers de huit pays africains, huit femmes et six hommes, qui mènent des projets allant de la découverte informatique de médicaments à l’épidémiologie moléculaire. Chaque boursier recevra jusqu’à un million de dollars sur cinq ans.

La réunion annuelle Grand Challenges est un forum mondial permettant aux chercheurs du monde entier de partager leurs travaux, de s’informer des avancées les plus récentes dans le domaine et de collaborer avec d’autres chercheurs et organisations. Alors que la pandémie de COVID-19 continue d’engendrer des inégalités à travers le monde, la réunion de cette année se concentrera sur le renforcement des collaborations scientifiques pour mettre fin à la pandémie partout et promouvoir une reprise inclusive.

La réunion entièrement virtuelle de 2021 est organisée par les partenaires de Global Grand Challenges et coparrainée par Grand Challenges Canada, l’Agence des États-Unis pour le développement international (USAID), Wellcome, l’Institut de recherche médicale Bill & Melinda Gates (Gates MRI) et la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates. Parmi les conférenciers de la réunion de cette année, citons :

  • Anthony Fauci, directeur, Institut national des allergies et des maladies infectieuses
  • Jason S. McLellan, professeur et titulaire de la chaire Robert A. Welch en chimie, Université du Texas à Austin
  • Matshidiso Moeti, directrice régionale pour l’Afrique, Organisation mondiale de la santé
  • John Nkengasong, directeur, Centres africains pour le contrôle et la prévention des maladies
  • Melanie Saville, directrice de la recherche et du développement des vaccins, Coalition pour les innovations en matière de préparation aux épidémies

L’événement réunira des dizaines de leaders du paysage mondial de l’innovation en matière de santé, ainsi que les dirigeants de la Fondation Gates, notamment Bill Gates (coprésident et administrateur), Melinda French Gates (coprésidente et administrateur), Mark Suzman (directeur général) et Trevor Mundel (président de la division Santé mondiale). Les sessions seront publiées peu après la réunion sur le site grandchallenges.org/annual-meeting.

À propos de Grand Challenges

La Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates reconnaît que la résolution des défis les plus urgents en matière de santé et de développement mondiaux exige qu’un plus grand nombre des esprits les plus brillants du monde y travaillent. La famille d’initiatives Grand Challengescherche à engager les innovateurs du monde entier à résoudre ces défis. Les initiatives Grand Challenges sont unies par leur volonté d’encourager l’innovation, de diriger la recherche là où elle aura le plus d’impact et de servir ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Pour en savoir plus, veuillez consulter grandchallenges.org.

À propos de la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates

Guidée par la conviction que chaque vie a une valeur égale, la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates s’efforce d’aider tous les individus à mener une vie saine et productive. Dans les pays en développement, elle vise à améliorer la santé des populations et à leur donner la possibilité de se sortir de la faim et de l’extrême pauvreté. Aux États-Unis, elle cherche à faire en sorte que tous les individus, en particulier ceux qui ont le moins de ressources, aient accès aux opportunités dont ils ont besoin pour réussir à l’école et dans la vie. Basée à Seattle, dans l’État de Washington, la Fondation est dirigée par le PDG Mark Suzman, sous la direction de Bill Gates et de Melinda French Gates.

Contact pour les médias : media@gatesfoundation.org

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Boyden Sees Strong Growth in East Africa, focused on social impact, healthcare, education, private equity and high growth start-ups

Boyden hires new Partner Farah Esmail in East Africa, as client needs drive growth in leadership for multinationals, social impact, family and private equity-backed businesses

Farah Esmail

Partner, Boyden East Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Boyden, a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 75 offices in over 45 countries, welcomes new partner Farah Esmail as Boyden East Africa continues to provide exceptional leadership solutions and client service to social impact enterprises, family firms and hyper-growth, private equity-backed businesses.

“Boyden East Africa is culturally astute and demonstrates a deeply held commitment to the region’s social and economic progress,” commented Trina D. Gordon, President & CEO of Boyden. “We are delighted that Farah Esmail is joining the team as Boyden thrives on its work with trailblazing organisations in the region. She has magnetic energy in collaborative success, an impressive track record aligned with client needs and valuable experience in corporate governance”.

Boyden East Africa provides leadership solutions to multinationals, family businesses, social impact organisations and start-ups building innovative new models leveraging digital payment capabilities distinctive to the region. The team is uniquely connected to the Kenyan diaspora through its deep roots in East Africa and international engagement across Boyden’s global footprint.

Clients recognise the gold standard of Boyden East Africa. The team have a significant record of delivering results, for example for CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution, enabling it to acquire a global expert in investment, deal execution and portfolio management. “I am delighted to see Boyden welcome Farah Esmail to its team. Farah Samanani’s keen sense for identifying excellent talent has supported CDC in shaping our dynamic East Africa team. Farah Esmail’s insight will enhance Boyden’s ability to match skilled and passionate leaders with businesses that play a key role in driving growth and impact throughout the region,” said Tenbite Ermias, Managing Director, Africa, CDC Group.

Farah Samanani

Managing Partner, Boyden East Africa

Boyden’s CEO track record includes a search for Copia Global, a leading retail goods and services m-commerce platform, built to serve 750 million middle- to low-income African consumers, even those who are remote, unbanked and unconnected. Through a network of 25,000 Copia Agents (local shops where orders can be made and delivered), Copia is able to serve over 1 million customers in Kenya and Uganda today and meet them where they are, online via a smartphone app or offline in person, whichever interface they prefer. “Boyden understood our leadership needs both as a start-up and as an organisation with a compelling future in m-commerce,” commented Tracey Turner, Founder & Chairman, Copia Global. “Farah Samanani enabled us to attract and acquire a global CEO with exceptional customer, retail and logistics experience. Tim Steel is focused on the low- to middle income customer and providing them with their everyday shopping needs. He has built a brand synonymous with quality and best in class customer service. He has also championed a life changing ecosystem between agents, customers and transport suppliers. We are delighted to have expanded into Uganda during the pandemic and look forward to further, customer-led growth.”

Farah Samanani, Managing Partner of Boyden East Africa said, “Boyden East Africa is in a sweet spot, with our skills and capabilities perfectly matched to the needs of clients in a fascinating business environment. Farah Esmail is an exceptional addition to our team, with strong consulting, corporate and board experience. Her personal drive and ethos have enabled her to achieve impressive social impact goals, including an innovative educational model in Kenya. Boyden East Africa will continue to support clients transforming people’s lives, as well as global investors seeking talent experts who understand these dynamic, complex markets.”

Farah Esmail will leverage her extensive experience with multinationals, most recently as Head of Kenya at Sirdar Group, as well as her affiliation with the Ibuka1 Program, a premier incubation and acceleration program run by the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). Affiliation involved helping organisations in the Program to structure their businesses, enhance visibility and gain exposure to local and international investors.

During the very challenging business environment brought about by COVID-19, Boyden East Africa has continued to deliver the right leadership for clients, sourcing exceptional talent globally and recruiting them to the region. In the last two years, Boyden has placed exceptional professionals from Spain, Germany, USA and the Middle East, helping them relocate their families and take C-Suite leadership positions in highly innovative companies, focused on implementing uniquely African solutions using global best practice.

About Boyden

Boyden is a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 75 offices in over 45 countries. Our global reach enables us to serve client needs anywhere they conduct business. We connect great companies with great leaders through executive search, interim management and leadership consulting solutions. Boyden is ranked amongst the top companies on Forbes’ Americas Best Executive Recruiting Firms for 2021. For further information, visit www.boyden.com.
______________________
1 ‘Ibuka’ is Swahili for ‘emerge’.

Contacts:

Chris Swee, Boyden
Global Head of Marketing
T: +1 914 747 0172
E: cswee@boyden.com		 Farah Samanani, Boyden
Managing Partner, East Africa
T: +254 791 242 192
E: fsamanani@boyden.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67d9a8f5-ecb6-44e8-8147-b6eb8b7a2718
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e7f1f88-30e2-438e-bab1-318ba10bad17

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Kajiado Livestock Farmers Trained On Meat Value Addition

Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP) has trained meat stakeholders in Kajiado County on meat value addition.
The stakeholders, including meat inspectors, abattoir owners, veterinary officers and livestock traders undertook the one-week training at the Meat Training Institute in Athi River.
The County ASDSP Coordinator Elisha Kiura noted that Kajiado has three value chains namely cow milk, tomatoes and beef.
“The training focused on beef value chain. Kajiado has producers, traders and marketers of beef and the exercise was to train them on value addition of meat. It is our vision to have Kajiado branded meat and we are optimistic that due to this training, our farmers will be able to do the value addition,” said Kiura.
The County Chief Executive for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Jackline Koin said the local economy majorly depends on meat, hence the need to ensure maximum benefits are achieved.
“Ours is the meat economy. There is such a huge exchange of money on the market days in towns within Kajiado and we saw it fit to train stakeholders to maximize on meat profits and spur this development further,” said Koin.
One of the trainers, Tom Odera who is a meat grader in Kajiado South noted that every part of the animal could be turned into money from the blood to the ruminal content, which is usually disposed of, but can be used as manure or biogas.
A trainee, William Kasio who is the chairman of the Kitengela abattoir was grateful for the training saying he learnt a lot regarding value addition on meat so as to get maximum profits and vowed to pass the same knowledge to the other livestock farmers.
He added that Kajiado is widely known for nyama choma but in the coming months, the county will also provide the best canned meat, sausages and all the other products that can be derived from meat, courtesy of the value addition training.
Another trainee, Alice Gikonyo who is a butcher from Namanga noted that the training has made her realize several ways she could make profits using the ‘waste’ they usually dispose of.
Some of the topics that the training focused on included standards and regulations governing value addition, meat quality and safety, quality assurance and control, product handling and preparation and entrepreneurial skills among others.
The trainees also had meat processing practical demonstrations at the University of Nairobi and also a visit to the Kenya Meat Commission.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Talents Audition Kicks Off In Kwale

The Department of Social Services and Talent Management in Kwale County has launched a three-day talent audition.
The auditions dubbed ‘Kwale got talents’ is a talent drive by the county government to identify and support youth to develop their talents.
The three-day talent audition will bring together over 2,000 youth with talents in singing, dancing, comedy, poetry, modeling among other talents.
The talent audition is a strategy to support unemployed youth and tame them from drugs and substance abuse and violent extremism.
Addressing the press during the opening ceremony of the talent auditions in Matuga Sub- County, County Executive for Social Services and Talent Management Ramadhan Bungale said the auditions are to help the majority of the youth earn a living from their talents.
Bungale added that talents were transformative and youth should strive to develop and nature their talents.
“We have seen people are earning good money because of their talents. Think of the greatest footballers in our country. They have changed their lives because of their talents. Work hard and always strive to be the best,” Bungale said.
The event will bring participants from the grassroots level across the four sub-counties of Matuga, Msambweni, Lunga Lunga and Kinango.
The county has been on the records after Kwale-based Assad Football Club maneuvered to play for the National Super League after beating Luanda Villa Football Club in their play-off match.
Assad FC is a football team from Kwale County participating in the Football Kenya Federation Nationwide Division One Zone A league.
The thrilling performance of Assad FC is highly attributed to the force and zeal directed by the county government in supporting the youth. The county has maintained around 27 playgrounds in every sub-county and distributed sporting kits to each team in the county.
Moreover, the county purchased a sports’ bus that could help ferry players as they attend sports events.
Bungale noted that the devolved unit is finalizing equipping the Kwale audio-visual recording studio in Matuga -sub-county. He said once the studio is ready, talented youth would have an avenue to grow their singing and dancing talents.
“We shall be going to the ground to register all musicians in this county. The dream of the county government is to ensure every individual in the county is empowered,’’Bungale added.
The first edition of Kwale got talent event is conducted by Cloud Media Entertainment Company.
The events shall be held on separate dates across the four sub counties from November 8 to November 14. In Matuga sub- County, the event will be held on November 8 and 9 in Kombani and Lukore Social Halls before its proceeds to Lunga Lunga sub-county on November 10, Kinango Sub County on November 11 and Msambweni sub county on November 13.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Drones To Spray Chemicals On Crops

DigiFarm, a subsidiary of Safaricom Company has introduced the use of drones in spraying chemicals to crops on selected farms in Western and Nyanza regions.
The pilot project was launched in Migori County with the spraying of bean crops. The Company is expected to carry out a similar trial in Bungoma in the next two weeks, this time focusing on spraying of coffee plantations.
Speaking during an exhibition of new technologies on farming at the Kakamega Golf Hotel grounds, Western Regional DigiFarm Manager, Amos Kibet, said that they have partnered with Astral, a licensed drone company that will enable them to provide drone services to farmers.
“We have partnered with Astral who have certified pilots to fly the drones in spraying chemicals to farms,” he pointed out.
He said, once the program is successful, it will be rolled out across the country. Currently they are charging Sh630 per acre of land as a fee for the drone, with the farmer expected to provide the required chemicals for spraying.
Kibet says initial trials have shown that it takes only five minutes to spray chemicals on one acre of land using a drone.
“One acre will be sprayed within five minutes and due to the technology, it is efficient because it has sensors which makes it accurate,” he noted.
He says they are targeting lower crops or others which are still in their early stage of maturity before they extend beyond the knee.
He explained that drone sprayers are able to navigate hard to reach areas and they can be targeted to specific areas to maximize efficiency and save costs.
Areas targeted for the drone spraying services are rice in Ahero, and West Kano plains and to farmers who grow potatoes, coffee and beans among other crops in Western and Nyanza regions.
Kibet also noted that DigiFarm will also utilize drones to map out the location of its registered farmers and their acreage of land.
“Through the coordinates that will be obtained using the drones, we shall be able to monitor weather patterns on behalf of our registered farmers,” he noted.
DigiFarm provides farmers with access to quality farm inputs such as feeds, fertilizer, seeds, agro-chemicals and mineral supplements for livestock and dairy.
“Our main agenda is to transform smallholder farmers into profitable farmers,” said Kibet.
Kibet promised that the company is ready to walk the journey with the farmers by providing access to credit facilities, quality input and training on best farming practices.
“We also have linkages to markets where we link up our registered farmers once their produce is ready,” he pointed out.
In addition, Kibet said once they register with DigiFarm, farmers are set to benefit from insurance covers which guarantees their returns in cases of vagaries of weather such as drought, excessive rainfall and also life assurance cover in case of death of a registered member.
In Kakamega, the company has registered over 5,000 farmers with its presence in Likuyani, Butere and Lugari Sub counties.
Currently, DigiFarm is serving 88, 000 farmers across 22 counties in the country but has 1.5 million registered through the mobile platform.
For one to join DigiFarm, Kibet says they have to dial *944# through their Safaricom line where they will follow instructions and will be ready to receive services.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Posta, KAM Partner To Tap Intra-Regional Trade

The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) have forged a strategic partnership which aims to tap into e-commerce business and intra-regional trade for its members.
A statement to newsrooms on Monday indicates that the partnership will see PCK offer same day and overnight courier services, rider dedicated services, clearing and forwarding services to the association and its members. Under the agreement, the two parties also plan to implement programmes such as international courier services, direct mail marketing and training of KAM members on how to capitalise on the collaboration.
CEO and Postmaster General of the PCK Dan Kagwe said the corporation would offer discounted rates and dedicated courier services, as it pursues its quest to be an aggregator of courier and delivery services countrywide.
Kagwe said Africa can only realise rapid economic growth by “harnessing its production capacities and tapping intra-Africa trade opportunities available through connecting more than 1.2 billion people across 54 African countries.”
Phyllis Wakiaga, the CEO of KAM said, “Posta’s network of more than 600 branches countrywide, and linkages with other postal organisations in the African region would come in handy for exports and imports, at a time when Africa is implementing the Africa free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
In the new partnership, the two organisations will work together to mobilise resources through training programmes, with a view to fund the operations and delivery of the objectives of the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The MoU will be implemented by a joint management committee that will be charged with coordination of collaborative activities, monitoring implementation of joint activities, and exploring emerging opportunities to deepen the partnership.
The partnership with KAM follows a recent partnership with the Trademark East Africa (TMEA) where PCK secured KSh72 million from TMEA to improve Posta’s digital services, to enable it to effectively support ecommerce in the East African region.
The corporation, which is a primary handler and gatekeeper of parcels and small to medium- sized cargo for consignments crossing borders for both air and land freight, will now benefit through enhanced internal digital capacities and improved collaboration with external, both regional and global actors, in the e-commerce space.
“It is a great beginning that will open doors for Posta to work with diverse stakeholders and access the potential that exists in the East African region,” said Mr. Kagwe. Notably, the country and region at large have over time experienced a rapid shift from traditional mail, money order and stamp sales to the growth of e-commerce and packages below 10kgs that are relatable to SMEs.
Against the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic, PCK is keen to tap into the growth of small parcels and e-commerce items within the postal systems of Kenya from an average 1800 items every four days in 2018 to 2300 per day in 2021.
As part of the partnership, the corporation intends to increase its capacity to process 10,000 packages daily to provide an efficient logistics and distribution platform for Ecommerce entrepreneurs and customers.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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How ‘Squid Game’ hijacked Halloween and a traditional Kenyan wedding ceremony

“Squid game,” the Netflix hit series that debuted in September has become the most-streamed television program ever and is an internet cultural phenomenon. Its reach has since gone beyond the internet and made its way into popular culture. A recent traditional Kenyan wedding ceremony was themed around the series, similarly, this year’s Halloween celebrations in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa spurred an increased Google search for Squid Game-themed costumes.
“Squid Game” is a South Korean survival drama television series that revolves around a contest in which 456 deeply in debt contestants play a series of classic children’s games for the chance to win 38 million US dollars in prize money, and face death if they lose.
The series — rated TV-MA for language, violence, sex, nudity, suicide, and smoking — has been streamed more than 111 million times so far. Within days of its September 17 Netflix debut, the series had taken the internet by storm, spawned Squid game challenge videos on TikTok, and inspired thousands of memes on social media.
“Squid Game” masks at a traditional wedding ceremony
A few days ago, photos and a video of a Squid Game-themed traditional wedding ceremony, known as a ngurario, began circulating on Kenyan social media. In the photos, young women line up waiting for the groom to identify his bride while wearing the famed Squid Game masks, including the square, circle, triangle, and full-black imagery. They also wore varied traditional attire, as is customary during such events in Kenya.
Originating from the Gĩkũyũ/Kikuyu community of central Kenya, the ceremony is the final part of the numerous Kikuyu Dowry and marriage ceremonies where the groom is expected to gũcagũra mũka — to identify his bride from a group of women whose identities have been deliberately concealed.
The women — often friends, siblings, or cousins of the bride — are wrapped from head to toe with khangas (wrappers) and presented in groups go the groom and the congregation.
The groom proceeds to uncover his wife by removing the head wrapping. When he identifies his bride, the ceremony is marked with loud jubilation. If he picks someone other than his bride, he will be penalized in the form of a cash payment to the bride’s family. If stuck, he may request the assistance of his best man.
Wedding emcee Antony Gitau alias Mc Tony, who had taken and shared the video online, told Citizen Digital, a Kenyan media outlet, that he thought the masks each woman wore were especially symbolic. In the show, the circle, square, and triangular shapes each demonstrated the ranking of the guards. The bride aptly wore a mask with a triangle on Saturday, and according to Gitau, this was a symbol that she is always present, round the clock.
Then there were those who speculated what would have happened had the groom picked the wrong bride:
A Citizen Digital reporter opined: “We are just happy that the groom was not shot to death in case he picked the wrong girl in front of her parents and elders.”
“Squid Game” Halloween costumes
Halloween — a holiday primarily celebrated in the US and Western countries on October 31 — has been catching on in some top African cities.
Since the series was released in its entirety on September 17, 2021, Google search trends indicate that interest among Kenyans, Nigerians, and South Africa has been growing steadily until the week before Halloween when searches of Squid Game costumes spiked. Searches for “Squid Game costumes” was the top trend in all three countries,
Kenyans celebrating Halloween over the weekend were eager to showcase outfits from the pop culture sensation, reports Star Newspaper
For many celebrating Halloween this year, it became difficult to tell whether they were celebrating the traditional holiday or the Netflix series.
In South Africa, Squid Game was the most popular costume search on Google for Halloween with Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Free State generating the most queries.
In Nigeria, data trends show that searches for the term Halloween had been steadily rising over the last 30 days, with Kwara, Oyo, Katsina, Bauchi, and Benue, states generating the most queries. Squid Game Costume, Cinderella Costume, and Father Christmas costumes took the top three search spots.
This year, many struggled to source for the costumes due to Global supply chain issues which made finding Halloween costumes harder for some shoppers.
As Squid Game becomes part of popular culture, some are concerned that children as young as 5 years old are watching the series. In an opinion piece published in The Elephant, as a mother of three, I pondered whether parents should be concerned that children are watching and even mimicking some of the scenes from the show, as reports emerged in Britain, Belgium, and Australia show that children are playing their own version of the show on school playgrounds.
Despite the criticism that the series has received for its violence, which has been described as dark and gory, it has unquestionably become a global cultural phenomenon exporting Korean pop culture to the world.

Source: Globel Voices

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Honouring the Late Prof. Okoth Okombo

Today, November 8, 2021, would have been Prof. Okoth Okombo’s 71st birthday. Prof. Okombo was a great man; he was a leading academic on communication and leadership; a man who was articulate, with a great command of language, valorizing the aesthetic value of language. We remember Prof. Duncan Okoth Okombo, a distinguished linguist.
Prof. Okoth Okombo, was a vital figure in ensuring that sign language was recognized by the 2010 Kenyan constitution. Thanks to Prof. Okombo, Kenyan schools for the deaf were able to receive formal education just like other schools in Kenya. This led to improved communication among the deaf people and between them and other Kenyans. It is remarkable that to date, the deaf people in Kenya follow television programmes and events because of the recognition of sign language as an official language in Kenya used in broadcast.
In remembrance of this distinguished scholar, Google in partnership with the University of Nairobi and Africa Centre for Advanced Technology are honoured him by running a Google Doodle on the Google Kenya homepage and publishing an online pictorial exhibition with 10 facts about Prof. Okombo on the National Museums of Kenya page on the Google Arts and Culture platform.
In addition, the University of Nairobi held a virtual commemoration on the University of Nairobi’s YouTube Channel from 11.30 am.
Speaking during the virtual commemoration the Vice-Chancellor, University of Nairobi, Prof. Stephen G. kiama, highlighted the instrumental role Prof. Okombo played in cementing sign language in Kenya.
“Prof. Okoth Okombo, was the father of Kenyan Sign Language as he introduced sign language in Kenya and was instrumental in making sign language recognized by the Constitution 2010. This language was then adopted in Kenyan schools for the deaf and today, the deaf receive formal education like any other Kenyan.”
The Director, Kenya School of Law, P. L. O. Lumumba noted that:
“Nobody can deny that during his life, particularly in the academic arena, Prof. Okombo will be remembered for his love of languages and his love of culture. I remember an occasion when I had a conversation with Prof. Okombo on languages. He was the very first person to educate me as I believe he did with others on the metamorphosis of languages from slang to creole to a stable language.”
Prof. Lumumba further explained that Prof. Okombo was able to give the Kenyan slang known as ‘sheng’ a vocabulary that could transcend all civilization.
On his part, he Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Ephraim Wahome pointed out the integral role Prof. Okombo played in growing the linguistics discipline.
“Prof. Okoth Okombo was a renowned scholar of linguistics particularly linguistics and African languages. He was keen in areas of oral literature and he was a great scholar in the standards of the University of Nairobi and globally. He contributed quite significantly in the growth of the field of linguistics and the faculty was so proud of that.
While, the Chairperson, Department of Linguistics, Languages and Literature, Prof. Jane Oduor, was grateful to her mentor Prof. Okombo for helping her with difficulties in her professional life.
“When I was appointed Chair of the then Department of Linguistics and Languages I looked at him as a mentor. He would always support, he would always help me to make decisions and when I had serious issues in the department, he was always willing to give me ideas to sort out those issues in the department.”
Indeed, Prof Okoth Okombo was a one of a kind scholar; passionate about the Kenyan sign language by resolving to fight for its recognition, passionate about African languages given his lecturers and papers on African languages and language policy and passionate about expanding his scholarly pursuits to other fields such as law, business and religious studies instead of confining himself to a single area of study.
Prof. Okombo will also be remembered for his dancing abilities particularly when it came to rumba and salsa.
We will remember Prof. Duncan Okoth Okombo, a distinguished scholar.

Source: University of Nairobi