In the latest episode of African Voices Changemakers, CNN International’s Arit Okpo meets Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya, the activist ensuring all Kenyan girls have access to education.

When Ntaiya was a child, education was not a priority for girls, with many of them being forced into early marriages. She tells CNN about how this influenced her, “My dream as a young girl was to grow up to be a teacher. By the time we were in eighth grade, there were only two girls, myself and one other girl. The rest had already been married.”

Ntaiya speaks about the trauma of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) and how the process fortified her desire to educate and protect other young women, “Coming out of it, there was some real determination in me to, one, make sure that I actually became that teacher that I dreamed about, but there was also part of me that felt that I needed to help my sisters to avoid FGM and create a better life for them.”

After studying at a university in the United States, Ntaiya returned to Kenya determined to change other girls’ lives.

She tells Okpo, “I told myself that I’m just going to start a school. I knew education had made a difference in my life. And I knew that the only way I could actually help was to provide a safe space for girls to learn.”

In 2009, Ntaiya opened her first school, the Kakenya Center for Excellence, which was met with overwhelming demand.

She speaks about its success, “We’ve had about 600 girls go through this school. My hopes always have grown to see women in my community, girls in my community, achieve their dreams. They want to be lawyers, they want to be doctors. They basically see my work as enabling them, creating opportunities, pushing the boundaries. And ensuring that they don’t go through what I went through to go to school.”

A former CNN Hero, Ntaiya describes how these awards and accolades have helped her foundation, “CNN Hero was a great honour. It really brought a lot of credibility to the work that we are doing. It gave us a big platform to share our work and to bring many others to our work.”

Through her foundation ‘Kakenya’s Dream’, Ntaiya is breaking the traditions of early marriages and FGM.

She sums up how she would like to continue her work, “I’ve been thankful because the community has really embraced what we are doing. We all come together with a goal of ensuring that each one of the girls that go through here has a better life than when they came in. That’s why we are here, and that’s why we will continue to create more opportunities.”

School going Children from Kilifi County especially those from poor families can now breathe a sigh of relief, thanks to a local non - governmental organisation, Grooming the future.

The NGO which was started three years ago has initiated a special programme of distributing school uniforms to students lacking uniforms.

According to the organisation, this initiative aims at making sure that students from the remote villages do not miss school due to lack of uniforms.

Ommy Dallah sat with the founder of the organisation Amina Mwanasha Mwalele who opened up on sveral issues concerning the organisation.

Jomvu Mp Badi Twalib has called for political tolerance ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Citing the recent events where political leaders have been pelted with stones and shouted down in events and campaigns, Badi called on Kenyans to exercise political tolerance and maintain peace.

Speaking after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Jamia Mosque in Mikindani, Badi said the political trajectory the country is headed to is dangerous and one likely to cause violence if not addressed.

“We should not act like primitives, let’s be civilized and exercise restrain. You do not have to agree with someone but that does not mean you be violent to them” said Badi.

Adding “Politics come and go but your neighbor will always be your neighbor and the first person you will face during hard times, so let us live in peace and avoid being divide on political, religious or tribal lines’

The Mp also called on religious to be on the forefront to preach peace and avoid being used by politicians.

His sentiments comes just days after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi ordered police to take action against the perpetrators of the violence recently witnessed during a rally addressed by  Deputy President William Ruto in Busia.

Badi further called on Kenyans to enlist in the ongoing mass voter registration to enable them have say on the next leadership of the country.

“Your vote determines your future and the voting card is your only weapon to determine who will be your next leader so make sure you have it and exercise your voting right in 2022”. He noted.

Mombasa governor Hassan Joho has warned his political rivals to separate his business and family from politics.

Joho said that he has been in business since he was 19 and has served Mombasa residents diligently in his capacity both as governor and MP ever since he joined politics.

The governor stated that together with members of parliament from Mombasa he agitated against the transfer of port services from Mombasa to Naivasha.

He added that it was also through his efforts that the directive issued by the Transport and Infrustructure Ministry to transport all container cargo via the Standard Guarge Railway was reverted.

Joho was speaking in Misufini village in Jomvu Sub-county where he officiated a function to issue title deeds to residents of the Misufini Settlement Scheme.

He was accompanied Jomvu MP Badi Twalib, Abdulswamad Nassir of Mvita and Likoni MP Mishi Mboko together with a host of Members of County Assembly of Mombasa led by deputy speaker Fadhili Makarani.

“Did we not go to statehouse with your MPs to agitate for Lorries to be allowed to transport cargo to Nairobi? Are you not seeing that lorries are now transporting cargo to Nairobi?” asked Joho.

“This was as a result of our negotiations between us and the president,” he added.

Sometime this year, reports emerged that a firm associated with Joho and his family had earned two lucrative multi-billion deals port deals.

The firm had earned exclusive rights to operate the Nairobi Inland Cargo Terminal from the Kenya Railways Corporation, it had also been licensed by the Kenya Ports Authority to develop a second grain bulk handling facility at the Mombasa port before the decision was revoked by the high court.

“Separate my business from my politics, yes I am doing business and I thank God that i'm a succesful businessman but I have also been leading my people with loyalty and have been diligent and faithful to the people of Mombasa,” said Joho.

Governor Joho also weighed in on the government directive that required importers with KRA pins and addresses registered upcountry to clear their imports from Nairobi.

The issue had caused a standoff between the importers and the Kenya Port Authorities with reports emerging that the stalemate had caused congestion of containers at the port.

“Let KRA be reminded that Kenyans have the right to do business from any part of the country, the KRA pin registration location and address should not confine you to do business within a specific region, people are expanding,” said Joho.

The covid-19 pandemic has had a significant effect in the economy since the first case was reported in the country back in March 2020.

The restrictions and guidelines that followed in a bid to manage the spread of the disease led to closure of business, schools and other major sectors that drove the economy of the country.

Small Micro-Enterprises were affected too, people lost jobs, others were forced to take unpaid leaves with others forced to retire early.

For 24-year-old Purity Akinyi who used to sell ladies shoes at the Kongowea market, a directive issued by the County Emergency Response Team on Covid-19 to close the market for 30 days last year had a huge impact to her business.

The ban on night travel and the partial lockdown of some counties especially Nairobi hit her business hard.

“I get my items from Nairobi especially Gikomba and Eastligh, when the covid-19 restrictions were put in place especially the night travel ban and locking Nairobi, my business suffered a lot,” said Akinyi.

Akinyi said that the number of her clients drastically went down forcing her to close shop as people feared to go out to gatherings.

“I had to close my stall because I was paying rent yet it’s only a few people who were coming for fear of contracting the virus, furthermore the closure of the market threw the business out of balance for a while,” said Akinyi.

It is amidst the pandemic that she realized that people were spending most of their time online, that’s when the idea to use social media platforms to advertise and sell her products developed.

Ever since, she has created her online brand ‘Sucre collections’ diversifying the products she sells from shoes, earrings and perfumes.

She remains optimistic that with the lifting of the curfew and easing of restrictions, the future looks bright because more opportunities await her.

“I have been using social media to sell my products, I receive orders and deliver to all my clients, it has opened up the market for me because I am able to sell to people outside Mombasa,” said Akinyi.

She recently began offering mobile nail polish services, with a phone call she says, she goes to where her clients are and do their nails.

Venturing into business amidst pandmic

For 26-year-old Felix Birongo, venturing in business during the pandemic proved both a challenge and an opportunity for him.

Birongo, an accountant by profession and having worked in the corporate world for 4 years, decided to venture into business towards the end of 2019.

“I was undecided on what to do, I wanted to open a barber shop or a carwash or a motor bike repair shop, after consulting widely, I settled for the motorbike repair business,” said Birongo.

In January 2020, he finally opened Silcah Ventures, a motor cycle repair shop specialized in TVS brand spare parts located in Kongowea Karama Stage, Mombasa.

The first two months he described as being low because he didn’t do much as he was still learning the trade.

As soon as things began to move up after securing a trusted mechanic to work in the shop, the first positive case was reported in the country in march 2020, what followed was a ban on importations from China where he gets most of his spare parts.

“The directive came as a blow though it did not affect the business much, I could get some of the parts from Nairobi so the business managed to remain afloat,” said Birongo.

The order to reduce the number of passengers using public means of transport meant that bodaboda business was going to boom and as such more repair works for him due to ware and tare.

“I can say that I got a bit lucky in my line of business because motorbikes were reaping big because passengers most people were pessimistic to use public means opting to use bodaboda instead,” said Birongo.

New Opportunities

The advice by the ministry of health to minimize cash transactions also presented him with an opportunity to open Mpesa services alongside the business.

Birongo who is currently working as an auditor, said that the pandemic made him change his perspective about getting into business.

He believes that opportunities present themselves when you least expect and one should be bold enough to grab it.

“I am a strong believer of making use of an opportunity once you see it, they come to you once so hesitate when one presents itself to you, garb it and make the best out of it,” said Birongo.

He recently opened Kibarazani Bistro, a food joint located just adjacent to his motorbike repair business.

“The previous owners of the place had defaulted to pay their rents for several months and were evicted by the agents administering the premises, I saw this as an opportunity since there was ready market and took it,” said Birongo.

Through his business, he has managed to employ eight people in total even as he thinks of venturing into more areas of business.

With president Uhuru’s order to lift the Curfew during his Mashujaa Day commemoration speech Wednesday, Birongo hopes to run his businesses on a 24-hour basis to increase his profits margin.

“With the lifting of the curfew , I see big opportunity to grow, I’m looking at operating the bike repair shop at night too so that the bodaboda people who operate at night can get services if their bikes stall, as they get serviced they can also enjoy a cup of tea to beat the cold,” he said.

Small businesses play a great role in the Kenyan economy. For a country that already cannot meet the 50% employment needs of citizens, these small businesses provide temporary and permanent employment for the workforce. Unfortunately, small businesses suffered a big hit from the pandemic. In order to survive a lot of changes had to take place- but change as they say is the most constant thing in life and life has to go on.

Vivian Achieng’ started her online women's bags in May 2019 and things were just starting to look up when the pandemic unfortunately struck and things deteriorated.

“The beauty market in Kenya is as large as you can imagine. But there is always a market as long as you are doing your marketing well and strategize. And I took the time to research the market space well before I got into it. I import the classy bags from China and when the pandemic hit two things happened very fast. " she shares.

Adding "Borders were closed and we could not get goods as before. I had to work on clearing the stock I had. And with people worried about the economy, women just stopped buying bags as compared to before. Everybody was focused on food and sanitation and right out survival. Things got hard, for my personal life I was mentally disoriented. I decided to start a food business. I cook from home, and deliver to people’s homes because restaurant restrictions made this the most available option,” shares the entrepreneur,”   

Bella Zawadi- of Zawadi Cakes runs a small business within Ruaka Estate, Nairobi, she bakes and decorates cakes for all occasions, and she stocks up cake accessories and also does cookies. As she shares, the pandemic affected her emotionally, socially and financially.

“Covid-19 affected us because it took a lot of things back. Emotionally, lockdown brought a lot of pressure and stress. Working from home also made us non-productive and the mind got engaged in helpless thoughts and fears and it was so stressful. It was a torture because you can’t meet your set goals. Missing my goals messed me up emotionally.  With no sales there is no income, the bills are there still. Bakers and caterers make money at events and no events mean no work, but you still have to pay your bills just as before.

 With guidelines and regulations, business had to change. If you are in a small space, you can’t host the same capacity. Initially it was worse because people couldn’t even eat there, then after that the number of people had to reduce.  We had to ensure the sanitations were in place to wash hands and sanitize,``shares the entrepreneur.

In addition, she got into an unrest state. Nobody knew what was going to follow next after the restriction, or when the thing was going to end. She became insecure on whether she would be able to retain her customers.  Wondering what they were suffering on the other end or if they were safe.

“There was a big disconnect, not being in touch with my customers, unable to do business with people I used to, unable to tell if they had contracted the virus or not, there are others who lost their lives and loved ones. So things are just not the same. Depression also hits because of the worry, over and over, not knowing what is coming after it. It has not been easy but things are picking up slowly and hopefully,” she shares.

In order to keep up with the changing times, She has restructured the shop differently, organizing seating to ensure social distancing, and has adjusted costs because prices went high for raw materials so adjusted prices for her cakes too while trying to retain consistency.

Economic Analyst, Odhiambo Ramogi shares that the economic crisis for small businesses is a situation that comes with situations such as what is going on with the pandemic and definitely there is a lot of rethinking that will have to be done. For instance; they will have to either expand their businesses to other areas that they were not exploring, in line with the same businesses, or the other option, which is a total pivot.

“For small businesses which have limited capital, they might have to go for the total pivot, which means they have to completely stop the business they were previously doing, for instance if you were selling women’s handbags…people are in an economical crisis and things like this are seen as luxuries. So pick something completely different but what people need at the moment. Focus the little resources on something that is more beneficial,``says Ramogi.

In addition to that,  the economist advises the small business owners to do strategic linkages in order to survive the hard times.

“When business people work together they become more resilient and generally have a bigger market when they are united. There are a lot of associations like that all over that support groups rather than individuals. There is no saying when the economy will recover fully because at the moment it is at about 6% with most sectors still under that, it will be important for small business owners to think long term rather than short term,” He advised.

Singer Brown Mauzo has just released a new album titled 'V'.

According to the singer, the album which has 12 songs is a dedication to his partner Vera Sidika who gave birth to a baby girl Asia Brown, on Wednesday.

"Dear my wife Queen Vee Bosset, this is an album that i recorded and deidacted to you and our daughter. You have been instrumental in my life since day one and I wanted to award you with something timeless..This are my thoughts about our relationship." posted Mauzo.

On Wednesday, Vera took to social media and revealed to her followers that their daughter was born at 10.21am and she could not hide her joy as she began her motherhood journey. 

“20.10.2021 at 10:21am…A princess was born Asia Brown…You will always be the miracle that makes our life complete,” wrote Vera.

Vera had earlier planned to deliver the baby abroad but changed last month saying she will deliver in Kenya due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Btw, I almost travelled to give birth in USA. Since my 5 year USA Visa still valid. But this Covid pandemic isn't fun. Then again couldn't handle the idea of being away from family and friends during my pregnancy for 4-6 months." she noted

Kenyans have been urged to double efforts in tree planting in a bid to mitigate the current effects of climate change.This was said by  Zellipah Githui Founder and Director of Gitzell FairTrade International. Gitzell FairTrade is a Pan-African organization working with artisans across Africa. She observed that the increasing heat and recurrent droughts in the country are some of the indicators of the change in the climate.

“Kenya’s agriculture sector is susceptible to these climate changes and extreme weather events. Planting of trees is one way of helping save the sector and will boost food security,” said Githuli, adding that it’s time for Kenyans to walk the talk and take action to diminish these effects.

Githui spoke while leading a group of Nairobi-based artisans who are in partnership with Gitzell Fairtrade International, in a tree planting exercise at Thirime Primary School in Kiambu County. The exercise was undertaken in conjunction with Miti Alliance, a social enterprise whose focus is to plant and grow trees in schools.

“We are partnering with the Artisans to Cultivate Environmental Stewardship. This is to ensure that resources are not depleted and there is the sustainability of the raw materials that are used by the artisans. As craftsmanship is an art passed from generation to generation, we want to train on replenishing natural resources like trees.” Githui added. 

The group planted over 100 indigenous trees which will also act as an educative tool for the students as well to know their scientific, English, and vernacular names, as well as uses. 

“Through working with schools, Miti Alliance is nurturing the next generation of environmentally conscious individuals that will always be aware of the effect of their actions on the environment. We have so far worked with 200 schools countrywide planting over 200000 trees,” said Michael Ng’ang’a, Founder & CEO of Miti Alliance.

In closing, Githui noted that there has been increased outcry by farmers about July weather switching to August and the delayed October rains but noted that few are talking about the solutions to these changes emphasizing that "Gitzell Fairtrade  is committed to striking a balance between Artisans prosperity and environmental awareness."

Kenya's very own fine dining restaurant, Mawimbi Seafood Restaurant & Cafe, is in the global limelight for winning the coveted award as top Seafood Restaurant at the 6th Annual World Luxury Restaurant Awards 2021 held in Mauritius on 8th of Oct 2021. 

This impressive feat comes in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic as Mawimbi opened its doors February 2020 just before Covid hit. They however braced the difficult times by staying open to cater to their global audience while respecting Covid protocols.

The World Luxury Restaurant Awards is a recognized global organization where the public including international travelers votes across a diverse variety of award categories.

The award ceremony inspires excellence while igniting healthy competition in the luxury restaurant industry.

Being recognised by World Luxury Restaurant Awards is a pinnacle achievement as the award comes from earned respect from guests and industry players alike. 

Elated by the global award, Mawimbi's Executive Head Chef, Carlos Espindola shares, “We are very happy and proud to receive this award. This is an achievement not just for a few, but for all the chefs, waitresses, waiters, management, our collaborators and all our fishermen alongside the Kenyan coast. The whole team has been working hard with us for our first two years,”

Adding, “ This is the result of hard work by team members that constantly think out of the box. We always wanted to reach our guests with sincere cuisine and flavors - that’s why our cultural footprint will always be in our dishes.” 

Mawimbi Seafood Restaurant & Cafe located along Kijabe Street within the heart of Nairobi continues to provide a serene and luxurious spot, perfect for all meals from brunch, lunch, straight to dinner; with their Cafe upstairs open early for breakfast, with a private area perfect for intimate meetings, events or business meetings.

Mawimbi’s modern interior aesthetic is designed to simulate a tropical vacation, and every moment you spend inside will leave you feeling totally relaxed. With seafood as Mawimbi’s focal point, the aroma in the air is always unmistakably exquisite with the preparation being a fine balance between craftsmanship and art.

Winning the World Luxury Restaurant Award will not only inspire the confidence of guests and retain a loyal clientele in the highly competitive market, but it will also stimulate continuous growth and development of the restaurant.

General Manager of Mawimbi Seafood Restaurant & Cafe, Cecilia Kamau, says “We would like to thank all our clients and fans for the great support, our team for the hard work and commitment to deliver the Mawimbi experience that has put us on the world map. We endeavour to deliver personalized experiences and top quality consistency that we thrive on.”

Nigerian sensational artiste B-Red has released, a new single which he titled 'Lady.' The record features sultry vocals from Mama Africa herself, Yemi Alade.

Watch : https://youtu.be/X0ZQCHB8hVQ

Lady by B Red was produced by Teekay Witty and released in September, and Stanz directed the visual which was released on the 15th of October.

Lady is a follow-up B-Red’s last single titled ‘Lekki Roundabout‘, and it comes with a lovely jam lover would indeed find interesting.

Bio

Adebayo Adeleke, better known by his stage name B-Red, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He was featured on two tracks from Davido’s debut studio album, Omo Baba Olowo. He is Sina Rambo’s sibling and a cousin to Davido.

B Red and Davido have been together right from their days at HKN before they move on to start DMW.