24 September, 2014

National Bank Donates Computers to TSC

Nairobi: September 24th, 2014: National bank has donated 15 desktop and 5 laptop computers value at Ksh1.7 million to the Teachers Service Commission to assist computerize the commission. 

Handing over the computers to TSC Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni, National Bank Managing Director and CEO Munir Sheikh Ahmed said the donation underlines the bank’s full commitment to promoting capacity development as a pillar of its corporate social responsibility.  

“We’re happy to donate these computers to the Teachers Service Commission. The Commission serves hundreds of thousands of teachers annually, and this donation will improve the technology that is available to the commission in undertaking its duties towards teachers across the country,” said Mr. Ahmed.

He added: “At National Bank, we believe that a part of our responsibility as corporate citizens is to give back to the community. To underline our deep commitment to making a difference in people’s lives, we are guided by an existing policy and the Bank commits a substantial budgetary allocation each year to CSR initiatives with focus on education, health, environment, sports and vulnerable group.”

Receiving the computers, Mr Lengoiboni thanked the bank for the donation and pledged to use the computers judiciously

The Commission has been integrating technology in its service delivery to over 250,000 teachers. We are grateful to National Bank as this donation will go a long way in helping the commission achieve the goal of automating its systems sooner,” Mr Lengoiboni he said.
National Bank is a fully fledged Commercial Bank established in 1968 to provide Kenyans access to finance. It has since grown to be one of the largest commercial banks in the country with staff of 1800, a growing network of 75 branch outlets across the country, 140 ATMs and electronic channels of Mobile and Internet Banking. 

23 September, 2014

University Of Florida Swahili Students Dancing @diamondplatnumz "My Number One Song"

Diamond Platnumz
 Tanzanian Bongo Singer @DiamondPlatnumz fans will certainly find this dance video beautiful but hilarious! Apparently University of Florida 2014  African Language Initiative(AFLi) Elementary Swahili students made an impressive dance video of the popular "Ngololo dance " tune and its generating quite a buzz online.You just have to appreciate the effort as Swahili is not their native tongue and attempting the rhythmic dance was clearly  a gargantuan task for them !


Reminds me of the film of the typical stereotype ad lib  "Whitemen Cant Dance(they even made a Movie)"! But surely the University of Florida Class deserve a pat on the back for the effort.Apart from the dance video they also created a tutorial video with the class engaged in a make believe Swahili conversation video.


Well that's a start and its pretty impressive one especially  considering it takes extra effort when one undertakes the task of learning a new language that they are not exposed to and hardly listen to it on a day to day basis ! I am sure the instructors are pleased  and had a good time while at it .Kudos Messrs  Filipo Lubua, John Munyui and Brenda Wawire!

18 September, 2014

Nigerian Blogger Linda Ikeji:When Blogging Pays Up Massively !

She has all the reasons to smile after putting her hand to event planning,modelling,book writing and blogging. Blogging paid off.On Tuesday she put up a blogpost flaunting her new 24 Million Naira Range Rover  and since then many Nigerians have turned to blogging to see whether fortune can come knocking her way.


Linda Ikeji with three new Cars
We are yet to see a Kenyan make so much for blogging but the truth is we are heading there.Blogging is so influential case in point is Bizokulu post on being denied a Visa that earned him a second chance with the British Ambassador Christian Turner. However we are yet to see blogging translate into "serious cash" for a Kenyan Blogger. Most get by paltry handouts, tech gadget on loans, petty freebies and events. A few are having engagements with corporates that ends up with lump some payments and hardly a contractual engagement.Some have had to leverage blog associations with intent to generate collective influence, exposure and perhaps then get to the money.

Its true many will say money is not the motivation.But question is wouldn't it be nice  if blogging itself could pay as much as it has done for  Perezhilton, Huffington Post and the Linda Ekeji's of this World ...and if not can it at least self sustain the blog and the blogger? For that to happen however question is are people willing to engage you financially due to the content you write.That can be a ready telling fact.

But that is not really it with the case of Linda Ikeji, she operates a freemium blogger platform , has massive traffic  and a global rank 2,077. What is perhaps telling is that majority of her traffic is Nigerian.It therefore is an indicator that perhaps muchof what she is making is coming from Nigerian based company's or global company's that have an interest of reaching the Nigerian Market.
Point being is that if Kenyan bloggers are to make it rich  then they have to have locally appealing content ,get steady readership and develop influence value that can be sale able to the corporates.

Now if you think you can make money from blogging in Kenya such as Linda Ikeji has please note that it has been a long time coming for her(actually around 7 years), it took hard work, the right kind of content and perseverance.  The best advice really would be keep blogging, write relevant content, be authoritative and not just a rabble rouser and keep at it. You will find it rewarding in many senses(cents)!

17 September, 2014

Lupita Nyongo's Elmo Sesame Street Video

Lupita Nyongo finally appeared on Sesame Street talking to Emo about skin. She looks happy confident and vibrant talking about her brown skin.Apparently its not her acting prowess that is at feature in the episode but her skin colour ! That is raising eyebrows dependent on how one wants to look at it.But for most its hilarious and fun how confidently she goes about little Elmo's questions.

Sincerely there s a lot to learn about skin and the diverse shades of colour it comes in,but in the final analysis "Skin is Skin" !

16 September, 2014

Emirates in 50% Companion Fare Offer to Kenyan Travellers

NAIROBI, KENYA, - 16 September 2014 - Emirates, a global connector of people and places, is offering its Business Class customers flying out of Nairobi, big savings when travelling with a companion to over 30 destinations around the world. The companion fare offer is valid for two passengers travelling together for the entire journey, confirmed on the same booking.

The special fares will apply when booked between September 15th and October 15th 2014 for travel between 15th September 2014 and 31st March 2015, and is available to Business Class passengers travelling from Nairobi to any of the more than 140 Emirates destinations across the globe.
“At Emirates, we are always seeking opportunities to enhance the experiences of our customers and the companion offer is one such initiative. It enables two people, whether friends, colleagues, family members or couples, to enjoy together Emirates award winning hospitality and onboard comfort, making the journey even more special,” said Anita Kongson, Emirates Country Manager for Kenya.
“This special companion fare provides a great opportunity for Emirates’ business and leisure customers to experience the world renowned luxury of Emirates Business Class,” she added.
Passengers on Emirates’ flights from Nairobi can enjoy the award-winning ice inflight entertainment system, which features an unrivalled choice of up to 1,800 channels of the latest blockbuster movies, TV programmes and music from around the world, gourmet cuisine, generous baggage allowance of 40 kg, and the hospitality and service from our multi-national cabin crew .
In addition, Business Class customers also have access to Emirates’ chauffeur drive service at certain airports when booked in advance, a dedicated priority check-in desk, generous and access to our airport lounges. Their Skywards account will also be credited with the full amount of miles with this offer.
The fare quoted will be on a return basis, with a maximum stay of four months. Blackout dates from 11-30 October 2014 apply for travel to Hong Kong and Guangzhou.  Blackout dates also apply for travels between 13-25 December 2014 and 1-15 January 2015. Customers must book this offer through the link www.emirates.com/ke/companionoffer. When booking through a travel agent or local Emirates travel office, the offer must be mentioned at the time of booking.
 
Emirates operates double daily flights between Nairobi and Dubai and onward to more than 140 destinations in 81 countries across six continents, and it’s the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft.

EK 719 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1045hrs and arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 1445hrs. The return flight, EK720, leaves JKIA at 1640hrs and lands in Dubai at 1040hrs.  Second flight EK 721 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1505hrs and arrives at JKIA at 1905hrs. The return flight, EK722, leaves JKIA at 2250hrs and lands in Dubai at 0450hrs.

15 September, 2014

APO Announces Finalists for the 2014 APO Media Award

APO Media Award celebrates brilliant and inspiring stories about Africa

DAKAR, Senegal, September 15, 2014/ -- Ten African journalists, including three in Kenya, two in Ethiopia, two in South Africa, one  in Burkina Faso, one in Ghana, and one in Rwanda, have been selected as finalists in the 2014 APO Media Award (#APOMediaAward) 


2014 APO Media Award Finalists are:

Aimable Twahirwa (@atwahirwa) - Rwanda
"Tech Entrepreneur Encourages Rwanda’s Young Women to Venture into ICT" (http://bit.ly/1ogmYkJ)

Andualem Sisay Gessesse (@andualemsisay ) - Ethiopia
"The new face of agriculture in arid Ethiopia?" (http://bit.ly/1pALjMX

Claire Muthinji (@cmuthinji) - Kenya
"Maintaining a strong saving culture in Africa" (http://bit.ly/Wpv6mE)

Elias Gebreselassie Woldegebriel (@EliasGebre) - Ethiopia
"For Ethiopia, wildlife protection makes economic and climate sense" (http://tmsnrt.rs/ZcpUEK)

Félix Dela Klutse (@felixklutse) - Ghana
"Unlocking the potential of agribusiness in Africa" (http://bit.ly/1pAM60f)

Inoussa Maiga (@MaigaInou) - Burkina Faso
"La révolution mobile au Sahel" (http://bit.ly/1AiJRF2)

Kristia Van Heerden (@k_r_isis) - South Africa
"How the poor can make you rich" (http://bit.ly/ZcqRgm)

Peter Kahare (@PeterKahare) - Kenya
"In Saving a Forest, Kenyans Find a Better Quality of Life " (http://bit.ly/1qp3PJh)

Pius Sawa (@kharunda) - Kenya
"Cheap, green solar bottles light up Kenyan slum" (http://tmsnrt.rs/1rNAlco)

Sumitra Nydoo (@sumitranydoo) - South Africa
"South Africa's Wonderbag Revolutionizes Cooking" (http://bit.ly/1qvB9SW)

The three winners will be announced on 29 September 2014.

The first-place winner will be presented with $500 a month for one year, one laptop and one intercontinental flight ticket to a destination of his or her choice as well as one year of access to over 600 airport VIP lounges worldwide.

The second-place winner will be awarded $300 a month for one year.

The third-place winner will receive $200 a month for one year.

08 September, 2014

WIN an Invitation to AfricaCom 2014, Africa’s Leading Telecoms Event

CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, September 8, 2014/ -- APO will offer transport, accommodation and perdiem for one African journalist to attend the AfricaCom 2014, Africa’s leading telecoms event , held in Cape Town, South Africa, on 11–13 November 2014.

AfricaCom 2014 will bring together individuals and companies to debate on how to embrace innovation in Africa’s telecoms, media and ICT markets.

The deadline for entry is midnight on October 17, 2014.

Winner will be announced on October 23, 2014.

APPLY to win the invitation: http://www.apo-opa.com/application_twitter.php?L=E&vc=WIN

More information about AfricaCom 2014: http://africa.comworldseries.com
 

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