#coding schools in Kenya

[mariacallous]

When Donald Trump installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center’s formerly bipartisan Board of Trustees, the move prompted growing concerns about attacks on cultural freedoms in the United States. The Kennedy Center is a hallmark of our nation’s capital that champions arts education across the country, benefiting millions through programs like Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) and Arts Across America.  

Trump’s February 7 Truth Social post announcing his intention to install himself as chairman at the Kennedy Center specifically referenced future censorship of drag shows aimed at youth. Targeting the LGBTQ+ community in cultural censorship has been a global trend. In Kenya, for example, any “film, poster or program” that shows homosexuality is restricted. In Russia, Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses prohibits disseminating “propaganda” that “create[s] nontraditional sexual attitudes” or makes them “attractive.” The law was documented by FreeMuse as the cause of approximately 75% of artistic freedom violations against LGBTQ+ artists in the country between 2018 and 2020, and Trump’s reference to drag shows would be consistent with this global trend. 

In the early days of the second Trump administration, this increased control of artistic freedoms has extended beyond just the Kennedy Center. In addition to purging the Center’s bipartisan board, Trump also issued an executive order dismantling the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities (PCAH), which was established to cultivate arts education by President Reagan.  

Other executive orders restrict federal funding for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) or “gender ideology.” The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have both issued directives since to any grant recipients that funds cannot be used to promote DEI or gender ideology. In a letter to NEA officials, over 450 American artists pushed back against the new guidance and requested the organization reverse it, writing, “abandoning our values is wrong, and it won’t protect us. Obedience in advance only feeds authoritarianism.” Though the legality of provisions of two executive orders relating to DEI remains unresolved following a district court judge issuing a preliminary injunction on February 21, the NEA and NEH directives currently remain in place. 

The current administration’s actions double down on attempts during Trump’s first term to defund the arts at the federal level. For example, the previous Trump administration’s 2018 and 2021 annual budget proposals sought to defund the NEA.  

The administration’s recent actions have reportedly had a “chilling effect” on communities at local and state levels, particularly given the trickle-down nature of federal arts funding. Forty percent of annual NEA allocations are budgeted to state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations; the same is true for the NEH, with 40% of funds distributed through a network of 56 humanities councils across the United States. As of late February, the full impact of new restrictions remains to be seen, as compliance for local and state grantees is not yet clear.  

Cultural and artistic institutions like the Kennedy Center, PCAH, NEA, and NEH, along with other national, state, and local institutions across the United States, play an essential key role in preserving a functioning democracy and critical freedoms, as we emphasized in our recently published Democracy Playbook. The tightening of cultural freedoms by the administration also includes attacks on U.S. independent media and the banning of books in schools operated by the Department of Defense. If these efforts continue to metastasize, they could further polarize U.S. society and incite hatred and violence against individuals and communities targeted by these actions. 

Authoritarians and suppressing freedom of expression 

The tightening control over artistic freedoms and content is common under autocratic regimes and aspiring authoritarian leaders, given that art and culture often allow opposition through political commentary. Globally and across history, autocratic actors have taken actions like those we are starting to see in the early days of the current administration, attempting to supplant artistic endeavors in favor of censorship and propaganda. 

Overreach of government powers to control boards and positions on cultural institutions is not a new tactic. In 1930’s Germany, we saw similar actions. In 1933, the Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Nazi Joseph Goebbels, led the newly established Reich Chamber of Culture. The institution took control of cultural production across Germany as part of the early Nazi regime’s growing attacks on anyone who did not meet “Aryan” standards, including Jews and other religious, political, racial, and sexual minorities. The Nazis conducted racial and political purges across a variety of cultural spaces, including theatrical and visual arts but also extending to the press, film, and broadcast media.  

Other examples saw governments installing pro-party individuals to leadership roles in cultural institutions, leading to artistic censorship. Under the Law and Justice Party (PiS) in Poland in 2015, President Andrzej Duda appointed a new head of the Ministry of Culture, Piotr Gliński. Gliński selected leadership of national and municipal theaters across the country without following the required recommendations from expert advisors, instead installing party loyalists. PiS also used a blasphemy law, Article 196 of the Polish Penal Code, to silence any artistic expression that “offended religious [Catholic] beliefs.” Similarly, a 2019 Culture Law in Hungary adopted under the current Orbán government, which has also sought to censor art and free expression, made funding of cultural institutions conditional on the government having a say in appointments to senior positions.   

Unduly restrictive conditionality of arts funding is also present elsewhere. In Hungary, artists and performers who criticize the government are largely unable to receive any public funding, often facing censorship in addition to funding challenges. And, since 2018, Decree 349 in Cuba has required that Cuban artists, long targeted by the government, must seek permission from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs before any exhibitions and private or public performances. 

Argentina presents a particularly interesting example. Following the 1976 military coup in Argentina, the Argentine Public Information Secretary (SIP) issued directives aimed at the “reconstruction of the national being” through films, theater, and other artistic productions. Specific plays were prohibited, and many artists were individually targeted. Scholars have termed much of the pullback of the arts scene “autocensura” (self-censorship) in the years of the dictatorship. However, artists such as Argentine author Héctor Lastra have pushed back on this idea, with Lastra saying in 1986 that “self-censorship does not exist. What exists is censorship.” It is clear from the Democracy Playbook that the reality of self-censorship is likely somewhere in between. Though censorship pressures are very real, so too is self-censorship and “anticipatory obedience.”  

Pushback by the arts community during Argentina’s dictatorship (1976 to 1983) shows us that it is possible to produce artistic work—even under a repressive government. Starting in 1981, the Argentine clandestine theater group, “Teatro Abierto” or Open Theater, was founded. Working collectively, the group started with 21 authors, 21 directors, and about 150 actors who developed works that were often political in nature and had anti-dictatorial themes.  

Defending artistic and cultural freedom of expression

As we explained in the Democracy Playbook, democratic power in America derives from the consent of the governed. Freedom of expression and diversity of opinions are fundamental to our democracy and our country. It is essential to avoid following the path of artistic and cultural censorship that we have seen take root in autocracies around the world.  

In addition to Americans consistently expressing strong support for the arts, we also know art and culture have a tremendous social and economic impact. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and culture sector activity in 2022 comprised $1.1 trillion and approximately 5.2 million jobs. 

As they have done repeatedly in the past, including during Trump’s first term, Republicans and Democrats in Congress can work together to ensure there is continued federal funding for the arts and counter defunding efforts. As federal, state, and local funding remains uncertain, NGOs, philanthropies, businesses, state and local leaders, and individuals can all endeavor to fill the gap. 

Maintaining wherever possible the independence of arts education, cultural institutions, their boards, and their activities is vital. Civil society organizations like Americans for the Arts and the Performing Arts Alliance provide resources outlining how arts organizations and the public can strengthen the arts community.  

Bolstering American cultural institutions and artists, from their early arts education through their careers, is key. Concrete recommendations for individuals include purchasing artwork or donating to specific artists.  

Organizations can also seek to promote art created in environments with tightening freedom of expression, whether locally or at the national level. The Artistic Freedom Initiative, for example, also allows artists who are at-risk to apply for assistance. The Human Rights Foundation runs the Art in Protest program to highlight such art and annually awards the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent.  

Free artistic and cultural expression, whether through Wicked, Captain America, or the latest Kendrick Lamar hit, is one of the primary vehicles for citizens to express their opinions, including political discontent. They are also essential to the health of our nation’s democracy amidst growing threats. Any efforts by the new administration to weaken freedom of expression or censor dissent run counter to America’s rich and diverse culture. 

[dailyanarchistposts]

Kenya

On the plane to Nairobi, a grave but pleasant Makere scientist confirms what others have warned me: Nairobi is no longer a safe place in which to walk alone after dark. Ugandans are quiet people. After only four days in Kampala it was a culture shock to confront rude officials and hear fierce altercations at Nairobi airport. But the grim-visaged grubby taxi driver who beat off all competitors for the right to take me into town turned out to be a friend. He insisted on driving me to a hotel I’d heard of, in the sleazier part of the city centre. Good for him. The Oriental Palace, run by Indians, is new, clean, comfortable, and at current exchange rates (the Kenyan shilling drops daily) very cheap. Three ‘Pinkerton’ security guards patrol its entrance with truncheons to ward off the drunks, thieves and whores who prevail in this part of town. The restaurant serves good Indian food. The day ends well. Two young msunqu couples are in the bar, English but amiable. "We lost", says the lad from Southport when I cautiously ask about World Cup Rugby. Aussies beat Poms, 12-6. Kaunda, by the way, has fallen, too.

November 3: A day resting up and struggling with the phone. Not too useful here, either.

November 4: Nairobi, from my sixth-floor window, is still awash with jacaranda blossom. But new construction goes on manically. What for — huge office blocks in a country sliding into famine?

Out to Kenyatta University. The site was once a barracks from which Brits fought Mau Mau: the buildings still show that. No undergraduates here, or on any of the country’s five other campuses.. Moi had them all chased away after riots in July. Professor Nana Wilson-Tagoe, whom I’ve come to see, is a charming Ghanaian. She introduces me to a plump, fortyish, very cheerful colleague. Kenya’s leading playwright. It’s Frances Imbuga! Once my student, twenty years ago... Nana’s full of gossip, but whispers when anything political comes up, as if walls have ears. She recalls Scotland — how lovely Stirling campus is, how calm. And how much more prosperous and lively Scotland seemed on her last visit than when she first came in 1971. Even the cars seemed smarter...

The press in Kenya is amazing. I read my way through an entire issue of the Daily Nation, the most popular paper here. (It claims to reach 2.3 million in a population of 25 million.) It is oppositional, though no-way ‘left wing’ — much news and commentary, angled at businessmen, takes free-market capitalism for granted. Forbidden at the moment, though a legal technicality, to report the big news story — the months-long enquiry going on in Kisumu into the death, clearly murder, last year of Kenya’s Foreign Secretary Ouko — it retaliates by producing a scoop calculated to rattle the government, a story about vicious clashes over land between Nandi and Luo people in the west. Lesser stories inside the paper tell of shocking riots in two schools and the headmaster of a third found beaten up by the roadside. The business and finance columns speak frankly about foreign aid, now being diverted from Kenya to Uganda by donors disgusted by Moi’s habit of locking up and torturing opponents. The whole paper seems to be getting across one coded message: Kenya faces social breakdown and economic collapse and Zambian-style political change might be better for business. The Anglican Bishop of Kirinyaga gets the back page headline. ‘Emulating Kaunda, Says Gitani.’ Beneath this another Bishop, Catholic, ‘Tells Errant Leaders to Resign’ — that is, those involved in the country’s countless financial scandals.

November 5: The University of Nairobi campus is depressingly unchanged, except that it’s bereft of students and seems even dustier. Only the glossy Kenyatta Memorial Library, named after the dead tyrant, is new: impressive design, but, for literature and history at least, virtually no books bought in since the early 1970s.

Another ex-student, Henry Indangasi, is now head of the Literature Department. His gossip is shrewd, and all the more devastating in its implications because of its restraint. I learn of the sad corruption of certain men whom I taught and liked — one has four or possibly five wives and will do anything for money, another has nearly destroyed his once-brilliant prospects by blatant, punished, greedy dishonesty. My best student of poetry, Arthur Luvai, has left Nairobi — bad for me, since I can’t see him, but good for him, since he’s got a chair at the new campus, Maseno, in his home district. Indangasi reacted against the Marxism which became an orthodoxy towards the end of the Great Days here by remaining one of the academic world’s few unreconstructed Leavisites. He’s not keen on multi-party democracy either. "I am a Kenyan. But I am also a Luhya. In elections, there would be a Luhya party. I would have to support that party."

These glossy new buildings... Luvai’s anthology of recent Kenyan verse, Boundless Voices, which I read over dinner, has a good poem by him about the Safari Club monster now facing the university — skyscraping tower versus tree-scraping ‘ivory tower’ — from which a stone fell during construction straight onto the head of Stella Muka, a brilliant student actress. I suppose the new buildings mostly replace, like this one, facilities inherited from the colonialists. If they rob the centre of its mid-century sub-Raj character, one can’t really protest on aesthetic grounds. But in human terms ... kids scrabble for refuse to eat, unemployed school-leavers rob, beneath arrogant plate-glass signifying money.

The bookshops are depressing in a different way ...

Twenty years ago, in the Great Days, the Great Men, somewhat irregular university employees who were also internationally famous as the New Writers of East Africa freed by Uhuru, were denouncing cultural imperialism. The Kenyan novelist Ngugi, Okot from Uganda and Taban from Sudan, who both wrote poetry and polemics, and the exiled Malawian poet Rubadiri, found journalists, students and young writers ready to join the chorus. Amongst them, a few expatriate msungus like myself, rejoiced as ‘English Literature’ gave way in the syllabus to plain ‘Literature’, so I could and did teach Neruda and Li Po and R.K. Narayan as well as new African writing and Russian classics. (‘Great Days’ for me, indeed: intellectually, the best of my life.)

But the bookshops in Nairobi displayed upfront works by white writers, amongst them those of the settlers, Blixen and Huxley, along with glossy books about wild animals, wild birds and wild, ‘picturesque’ natives.

Twenty years later, the numerous bookshops in Nairobi display, upfront, precisely the same types of goods, except that the ‘rediscovered’ settler writer Beryl Markham and James Fox’s (excellent) White Mischief have now joined the paleface tribe. At the backs of shops, often in textbook sections, one finds much the same selection of creative writing by Africans as on my last brief visit here in 1978. Achebe and other non-Kenyan stars. Plenty of work by Ngugi, although he’s been in political exile for ten years, after nearly a year in detention without trial.

Of the few new novels by Kenyans, only one is by a writer who wasn’t well known to me in 1978. Apart from Luvai’s slim anthology, no poetry it seems, has been published in book form since 1982.

The University Book Shop and the schools-oriented Textbook Centre are like museums. Here one finds stacks of copies of titles poured forth in the Great Days by local publishing houses now extinct (many of these, it must be confessed, are worse than mediocre). In the University shop I buy several copies of Busara Volume 1 Number 1, a magazine launched in 1968, to which, along with Taban, I contributed. There are no current literary magazines at all in the Great Days there were always two or three.

I began to conclude that over the past decade or more, the energy which once sought expression in creative writing has gone into journalism: The Nation is splendid, The Standard also displays clever footwork against the Government. Though The Times is jointly owned by the ruling KANU party and Robert Maxwell and its editor Philip Ochieng, the most brilliant press gadfly of the Great Days, was recently sacked for getting out of step, at least, like the Standard, it prints verbatim the evidence coming out at the Ouko inquiry in Kisumu. It is plain as the snow on Mount Kenya that the minister was murdered by people very close to Moi. The doughty Scotland Yard man, Troon, who was obviously brought out to investigate the case in the hope that as an outsider he could be bamboozled into producing a whitewash, is telling the court how he saw through attempts to fool him ... He is becoming an African folk hero.

I am reminded of a conversation with the drunk and pretentious chairman of the Ugandan Writers Union, back in Kampala. He wittered about his soulful verse in the way really bad ‘poets’ do. I advised him to stick to his métier, which is journalism. A good pressman is worth fifty bad poets.

November 6: I meet Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye at the United Kenya Club, once the gracious resort of the white official class. It’s still smart, but with traffic now so plentiful in this once-quiet quarter, it’s hard for two people with low voices to talk on the terrace ...

Marjorie is the anthologist’s nightmare. Born in England, she married a Luo, took his name. Her poetry at its best is extremely impressive. Editors seize on it to represent Kenya then discover that they’ve foregrounded a msungu. Now in her early sixties, she hints in her build at double-chinned Queen Victoria. Her accent, after nearly four decades of living with Africans in Africa, is surely unique. Since she comes from Southampton, there may be a John Arlott substratum. On the surface, it’s quite unlike the way Africans speak English, yet transactions in Luo and Swahili must condition it. She lost her husband, a medical scientist, quite recently, but, much as she despises the corruption and bad manners of the Moi regime, she shows no hankering at all to get back to UK. Nor, though, does she pretend to be anything but a white former missionary.

She knew the poet Okot well, was one of the last people to see him before drink killed him a decade ago — "He rose to shake my hand —Okot, shaking the hand of a woman". Her very moving elegy for him acknowledges his male chauvinism:

So you are stilled — the long arm, sideways smile, the arch, back-handed question, the arrogant unhesitating machismo, all-embracing, the eyes in the back of your head, the story-telling...

She thinks it was a trip he had with Rubadiri, ‘lecturing’ in Nigeria, which set him on the course which killed him. (Indangasi yesterday recalled Okot’s latter days in the Nairobi Staff Club, drinking all day on tick — "This place killed him".) But Rubadiri, now washed up on yet another shore of exile in Botswana is, she insists, on the wagon. I’m glad. David, ten years older than me, one of the first Black Africans to publish poetry in English, was my fellow student at Cambridge. His charismatic call, "Come South, young man", was probably what lured me to Africa back in 1968.

Marjorie knows everyone. She used to run the best bookshop in Nairobi, and provided the city, in the late seventies, with a centre for poetry. She keeps up with what little now goes on, gives me a list of local poets (too many for me to see). It’s a sad tale: remaining copies of her own collection of poetry pulped, her brilliant protégé Khaminwa now silent, in exile, in Zimbabwe, feeble local writer’s workshops, the Writers Association bedevilled by politics and insane infighting, unable to use money gifted to it by the enlightened Swedish Development Agency so that it could start a magazine ... The newspapers still publish poems occasionally. So does New Age magazine, emanating from a Hindu organisation. She herself is the only East African poet in Adewale Maja-Pearce’s recent Heinemann Book of African Verse. Most embarrassing ...

I leave with regret — a taxi to Heinemann Kenya. Smart offices in fashionable Westlands. But its Director, Henry Chakava (double first in Literature and Philosophy, as brilliant a student as I’ve ever had), is in a strange state. He moves oddly, as if adjusting to some invisible cripplement, swaying as he walks slowly. He woke up this morning, he tells me when I enquire, with a crampy pain in his left foot ... He’s a brave man. He survived a vicious attack by robbers with pangas in 1980 and a bad patch when he kept receiving death threats: he published the oppositional novelist Ngugi.

That writer is on his mind today. He must phone Ngugi, who’s in New England (he teaches at Yale) but has just gone ex-directory. I promise to give him the last private and confidential phone number I have for Ngugi in London, his normal base in exile. That’s probably out of date, too. (Why doesn’t Ngugi come back to Kenya? Indangasi asked me. "His books are freely on sale — they’re used in schools." "Because", I replied, "I think he thinks, as I think, that there would soon be a strange and fatal car accident on the Limuru Road".

Henry’s intelligence and humour are still there, but he seems slightly dazed. No wonder. Heinemann International have their own problems. They’ve just told him that Heinemann Kenya’s finished, cut loose. He can keep the company, find a new name. Should it include ‘Kenyan’, he wonders aloud? He thinks no, he says, smiling — ‘African’. Something with ‘African’ in it. Poetry? He can’t afford to publish it. Luvai is an old friend. His anthology, alas, just isn’t selling. Schools still go for Poems from East Africa ed. Cook and Rubadiri —twenty years old, entrenched in the stock cupboards and (I suggest) the routines of lazy teachers. Chakava’s returned the latest collection from Angira, Kenya’s best-known poet, with the comment that it was too abstruse to break into the all-important schools market.

Henry finally hands me over to his young colleague Ole Sunkuli, who specialises in books for secondary schools — the crucial market for local literature, if one exists. I do a deal with this handsome, highly intelligent young man (a Maasai worlds away from the ‘picturesque’ warriors seen on every rack of postcards here). He can talk to me for his regular interview feature in the Sunday Nation if I can discuss the Sales situation with him. And I want this to be at the Norfolk Hotel.

The Norfolk (see White Mischief) is a legendary place, one of the first watering holes for settlers. From the verandah Lord Delamere shot elephants. Down the verandah steps, outraged whites once kicked the nationalist leader Mboya. Or so it is said. Anyway, the university sprang up adjacent in days when beer prices were controlled. Academics and students invaded the settler sanctum. On the terrace, Ngugi held court, Okot jested and sang. More routinely, here I’d be found just before sunset going over some new poems with a student writer or arguing with a historian colleague (for these were the days when Kenyan history was being salvaged from the contempt of white historians like Hugh Trevor Roper). Taban might be of the company or might not. If we weren’t on good terms (and largely we weren’t, though we’re now, in mellow old age, fully reconciled) he would be talking Black Power to all and sundry at another table. Philip Ochieng might be there, with the lizard-dart of his tongue, or the brilliant Angira, poet and student of commerce, impossibly honest, worried about the nation’s future. One little episode sums up the Great Days for me. Voice of Kenya broadcasting studios, were just down the road. On his way there, the then-Minister Mungai, dressed in a fashionable but informal jacket, is hailed from the Norfolk terrace. He reaches over the balustrade to shake hands warmly with Ngugi Changed times ...

I am touched to learn that when Taban passed through Nairobi a few months ago, he also insisted that Ole Sunkuli quiz him at the Norfolk. Maybe we’re Dostoevskian doubles, after all.

Unfortunately, beer prices are now decontrolled. The scholars and writers have gone. Msungu tourists and yuppie locals prevail.

I tell Ole Sunkuli how exciting it was, how many people were part of the Great Days, not just Ngugi, Okot, Taban and Rubadiri, how enthusiastic the students were, how promising the young poets. Now long silent. Ole Sunkuli confirms my own theory. The heroes of the Great Days, paradoxically, by their swift success, throttled future literary development. The school syllabus was Africanised. The multinationals pounced. Books were set which became entrenched in the syllabus. With that market all but closed, local publishing firms set up in hope of reaching it struggled maimed towards quick or lingering death. Now even ex-Heinemann Kenya can barely afford to publish new fiction, let alone poetry ... Longmans, their multi-national competitor, ditto.

I am glad to be remembered as mwalimu, teacher, from the Great Days. But the field I worked in was soon overcropped, yields little now. Things might be different if Okot were still alive. Ngugi’s departure for exile ten years ago clearly helped stunt local creativity. The market, anyway, doesn’t want poems.

I cross the deserted campus to the French Cultural Centre, a plush place tucked behind the plate glass skyscrapers. Imbuga’s play Aminata is to be shown in the theatre here. Waiting a long time for it to start (African time surpasses even Hebridean time in its unpredictable flexibility) I am bumped into by John Ruganda, a brilliant, frightening playwright long self-exiled from his native Uganda. I last saw him when I last saw Okot — they were drinking double gins together on the Norfolk terrace at 11 am on a Sunday morning. Ruganda’s survived though. He’s mellowed. His- face still suggests a pickled egg with a sneer, but he’s actually genial.

The play, a feminist fable, is fun, though not really suited to proscenium arch presentation. With its humorous vignettes, its blatant propagandist passages, the ceremonial dancing which concludes it, Aminata surely needs to be seen in a community hall, or even in the open. Imbuga himself is pleased with the production though. Afterwards, drinking with him and Ruganda I feel a sense of total relaxation such as only Africa has ever given me. Part of this effect tonight is certainly the fact that educated Africans retain a villager’s sense of the strangeness of modernised existence. Isn’t it odd, for instance, that the government owns everything below three feet underground, even the roots of trees? ... Ten minutes of laughter ensue from this perception and the speculations which it breeds.

November 7: Robert Maxwell is lost off his yacht. The Kenyan Times will duly provide a large and sycophantic obituary.

My lucky day. The phone works for me! I contact Angira at his office. Ringing Chakava with Ngugi’s number, I learn that Maillu’s in the office with him. I speak to Maillu.

A unique writer. In the mid-seventies he proved that there was a popular market for books in English by flooding the streets of Nairobi (literally) with cheap paperbacks of his own works, voicing ‘Common Man’ sentiments, sold from the pavements like newspapers. These were denounced as rubbish by critics and as pornography by moralists

When his publishing venture went under at the end of the decade, he turned his hand to writing for the multinationals, anything that would sell, children’s stories, thrillers, romances, a book on African polygamy which (as he puts it) ‘does well abroad’. Now he’s back into self-publishing not with a whimper but with a megabomb — Broken Drum, the longest African novel ever published at 1,100 pages, the continent’s riposte to War and Peace, covering two hundred years of Kenyan history. He is aiming at international paperback sales, like Wilbur Smith — a bushbuster. Is he shy, or just self-contained? He munches a modest hamburger while I eat steak: he clearly likes the fact that one or two foreign academics have taken a critical interest in his work, but has no literary gossip, no interest in fine writers and their ways. When we part, I am wishing him luck sincerely. While ‘serious’ writers brood and wrangle, Maillu just goes on trying to work out how to earn an adequate income as an African author. As in 1971, what Kenya needs is a broadly based local publishing industry where books like Maillu’s sell well enough to make it possible to print Angira.

Angira, true to his old form, arrives at the Oriental Palace at eight exactly, as promised. Jared, it’s been too long...

Though he’d worked for the government since he left university (he currently trains people for the Agricultural Finance Corporation) he remains fierce about corruption and abused power. This tall, distinguished-looking civil servant, now 44, retains all his student convictions about truth, justice and poetry. He suspects that Chakava turned his poems down for political reasons. I insist that’s unfair. Anyway, Angira goes on writing, what he thinks, for himself.

November 8: Back to the University. See Indangasi for lunch. Indangasi is sceptical about the Great Days. We talk about his colleague Owuor Anyumba, East Africa’s major folklorist, now, sadly, very ill in hospital. The true hero, Indangasi thinks, from the Great Days. But he has published very little. His office is full of unexploited tapes from decades of field trips. I implore Indangasi to get money from somewhere, anywhere, at once, to ensure that they’re copied. Otherwise, a careless cigarette could destroy the one-man equivalent of the School of Scottish Studies archive.

On my last evening in Kenya I have drinks and snacks with Imbuga and Ruganda, who were curious to see the Oriental Palace. They like it, reminisce about days when members of the student body boozed and whored in this area of town. I’ve bought copies of their plays. They sign them with pleasure. Perhaps this side-street hotel will replace the Norfolk as a venue for literary gossip?

Probably not. But Mwalimu is happy, if tired. Moi’s on the skids. Ngugi might risk it back soon.

[iantimony]

tuez

yayyy

listening: release radar: i get it now (sammy rae) (wauuughhhh. emo. i miss my partner) come over (cat's pajamas) stuck (scene queen) nerima (raspberry pie) never me (penelope) beirut (rob blivion) rule #34 (fish in a birdcage) bourgeoisieses (conan grey) milk town/mr carter (nep) doppelganger - lullaby (ethan bortnick) my baby loves to dance (kenya grace) horror night (starcourt) (@delta-orionis, you will like this one)

some from last week that i forgor to note down: tiny human (elohim), some type of skin (aurora), chukotka (otyken), training season (dua lipa, chloe caillet mix), georgian spirit (equbeats), online (twrp), someone else (kenya grace)

aaaand formentera/formentera ii again.

podcasts: wtyp on the francis scott key bridge collapse, and jim gordon must die podcast of all time

reading: i started reading 'bunny' by mona awad because it came up as a recommendation in libby when i was returning mdzs. i am going to be valiant and give it one more chapter but i do not like it. it feels like its trying very hard to emulate a certain type of vibe that i already don't find super appealing in fiction so the trying-vibe of it makes it even more uninteresting to me. the premise is a girl at a mfa program in nebulous New England Private Liberal Arts School(tm) which like, fine, dark academia or whatever; there are four (five?? i literally cannot remember which, lol) other girls in her cohort who are a weird clique and call each other 'bunny' and are rich and sheltered but harboring a Dark Secret Club. sure. the first few chapters ooze 'not like other girls'-ism, the 'bunny' characters themselves feel flat and like caricatures in an unappealing way, main character's other friend ava also is a caricature in a boring way, just very uninspiring. like i said i will give it another chapter or two but if it continues to bore me i will return it.

i finished the scum villain extras! very charming.

watching: keeping up to date with dunmeshi, yay, and also been continuing to watch endeavor with a friend. it's good! i love a mystery show! it is impossible to watch without subtitles though because they are So British. relatedly i am going to terf island for two weeks in june (london and then edinburgh) so if you know any recs for food, places, etc i am all ears!

playing: this weekend was going to be 3 dnd games in a row ... then monday was postponed to next monday ... but my sunday group, which is normally every other week, has decided to play next sunday as well bc we skipped a few weeks ... so Next weekend is the 3 day dnd combo lmfao. i don't mind too bad.

making: pottery!!! some bisque came out and i am soooo chuffed (<- endeaver tv show britishism rubbing off on me) this will be its own post with more images because i want to @ the inspiring artist, jbbartram-illu on tumblr (shop); i am obsessed with the cave painting mugs from a few months ago that immediately sold out so i was like fuck it i wanna make my own. and i am obsessed with my lil fat horses. i put amaco ancient jasper on the inside and just a matte clear on the outside. hopefully it is matte enough. i also put little hands on the handles and now i want to make some more cave painting mugs that are just the hands, i could cut out some templates to sponge underglaze around maybe...

my beautiful cracked-the-code bowls and two maybe teacups, post-trimming:

and also trying a new glaze technique: bisqued underglaze and then liquid latex over top! that way you can slather a background on and just peel it off after without painting around the details. im ngl peeling off the latex was soooo satisfying. background is laguna celadon froth.

i've also glazed my citrus juicer, just a plain warm yellow color, looking forward to that :3

glaze: mother's day gift (planter, it's. fine. idk. she'll like it i hope), and also some fixed stuff! didn't bother taking pics, the black eye bowl from feb 6 tuesdaypost is now food safe on the inside because i sanded down the kiln medium bit that got stuck in there and re-glazed it. i also tried to fix the bowl from march 12 tuesdaypost by just lightly sanding the inside and slapping some laguna celadon froth over it...it looks exactly the same now, just with some sort of float-like blue splotches lol. no pictures of it but eh. might give it away, we'll see.

eating: Spicy Clam Pasta With Bacon, Peas and Basil Recipe (NYT): tasty. idk about 'spicy' but definitely yummy.

misc: definitely in a weird spot brain-wise...the anxiety and tummyache link/feedback loop is very real for me now, so i am going back on an extremely low dose of ssri about it, and even though i have been on this med before in much larger amount i am still experiencing aaa about it. i keep going between "going back on this is a good idea" and "or i could just keep taking ~10mg of cbd every other day bc that felt like it was doing something, even if it was just placebo i had a noticeable difference in mood" so like. bluh. idk. i wish i could just Know what the best course of action is instead of having to fuck around and find out. such is life. i am literally taking the world's babiest dose rn (breaking the starter pill in half) so it will be fine. as long as i dont get bad side effects im willing to do a few weeks on it and see what happens.

[african-international-magazine]

CRACKDOWN ON LGBTQ MUST CONTINUE

https://theafricaninternational.com/crackdown-on-lgbtq-must-continue/

By: The Editor

We are closely monitoring the ongoing battle against LGBTQ communities in Southern and East Africa. The issues surrounding homosexuality and identity are complex in Africa, as the continent has a diverse range of cultural and religious values. However, we firmly believe that nature dictates that we are created male and female for a specific purpose, which is to populate the Earth. This is a stance that is shared by the clergy in Kenya and Zambia, where the church has been pressuring political leaders to criminalize same-sex relationships and marriages.

Recently, the Supreme Court of Kenya ruled in favor of LGBTQ communities, granting them the right to exist and form associations. However, the church strongly opposed this ruling and has since put pressure on the government to crack down on homosexuality in schools. Similarly, in Uganda, the government has enacted harsher punishments for those who practice, promote, or identify as homosexuals.

Zambia, a constitutionally Christian nation, has also taken a strong stance against LGBTQ rights. Just this month, authorities arrested a woman for organizing a peaceful march in support of LGBTQ rights. While homosexuality remains a criminal offense in Zambia, there are concerns that western influences may prevent authorities from cracking down on the LGBTQ community.

We commend the authorities who are resisting LGBTQ rights, while still respecting human dignity. We believe that each country has its own set of values and moral codes that must be respected. Homosexuality is not native to Africa, and it should remain that way. Governments must not fall prey to arguments that suggest morality cannot be regulated. Every country, society, and home has rules that must be followed.

[cleverlifequotes-blog]

"Stay Safe While Exploring: Why Sex Education and Country Profiling Are Must-Knows for Travelers"

Traveling the world is an exhilarating experience. The allure of new destinations, cultures, and adventures often gets our hearts racing. But amidst the excitement, there’s one critical aspect travelers often overlook—understanding the sexual norms, laws, and health risks of their chosen destination. I know what you’re thinking: Why should this matter on my dream vacation? Well, it’s simple. Lack of awareness about these issues has left many tourists in dangerous or even life-threatening situations. From falling victim to local scams to unknowingly violating laws, ignorance isn’t bliss when you’re in unfamiliar territory. Let’s talk about why this knowledge is essential and how it could save you from an uncomfortable, or even disastrous, travel experience. Sex Education for Travelers: More Than Just Common Sense When we hear "sex education," many of us picture school health classes. But for travelers, this takes on a whole new meaning. It’s about understanding the risks, laws, and cultural nuances of a destination to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Health Hazards in the Unknown Traveling often brings you into close contact with people from diverse backgrounds. It’s part of the magic of it all! However, it also increases your exposure to health risks, especially if you’re not well-prepared. For instance: - Some regions have higher rates of STIs, including HIV, which may not be as prevalent in your home country. - Diseases like hepatitis B or syphilis are endemic in certain places. - Medical facilities might not be up to standard, meaning treatment can be a challenge. Being prepared—vaccinated, informed, and carrying protection—can make all the difference. Legal Traps Waiting to Snap Every country has its own laws, especially regarding sexual conduct. The age of consent, legality of same-sex relationships, or even public displays of affection can vary drastically. For example: - In Indonesia, extramarital sex is illegal and could land you in serious trouble. - In Uganda, LGBTQ+ relationships are criminalized, and tourists have faced imprisonment simply for being themselves. Knowing these laws in advance could save you from harsh penalties, or worse. Why Profiling Your Destination Matters Now, let’s get into something I call “sex profiling” a country. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. It just means doing your homework about the cultural, legal, and health-related aspects of your destination. 1. The Legal Landscape Countries have their own rules about what’s acceptable, and ignorance isn’t an excuse. You need to know the basics before you go. For instance: - Age of Consent: In some countries, it’s higher or lower than what you’re used to, and being unaware can lead to severe consequences. - LGBTQ+ Laws: While some destinations celebrate pride, others could criminalize your identity. 2. Cultural Expectations Each culture has its own values and norms. What’s normal at home might be taboo elsewhere. - Public displays of affection? Perfectly fine in Paris but frowned upon in Dubai. - Dress codes? Many conservative countries have rules about what’s appropriate, even for tourists. Understanding and respecting these norms isn’t just about staying out of trouble—it’s about being a considerate traveler. 3. Safety First Some destinations are hotspots for crime targeting tourists, especially in nightlife settings. Scams, theft, and even human trafficking are realities in some areas. Knowing which neighborhoods to avoid or being cautious in certain situations can protect you. Learning the Hard Way: Real-Life Consequences Let’s get real for a moment. Every year, countless travelers find themselves in hot water because they didn’t do their homework. A couple of examples: - A tourist in Thailand was arrested for inappropriate photos in a red-light district. - A man in Kenya unknowingly engaged in illegal relationships, resulting in heavy fines. - LGBTQ+ travelers in Middle Eastern countries faced legal action for holding hands in public. These aren’t isolated incidents—they’re common pitfalls for travelers who aren’t informed. Tourism and Sex: Navigating the Gray Areas Let’s address an uncomfortable truth. Some regions are known for sex tourism, and while this might attract curious travelers, it’s a murky world fraught with ethical and safety concerns. Exploitation and Responsibility Many individuals in these industries are victims of trafficking or exploitation. By engaging in these activities, travelers unintentionally support harmful systems. Avoid these areas and prioritize ethical tourism instead. Underage Laws A major issue arises when tourists unknowingly violate age-of-consent laws. Always err on the side of caution, and remember—what’s legal in one place might be criminal elsewhere. LGBTQ+ Travelers For LGBTQ+ tourists, the challenges can be even greater. Some destinations are openly hostile, with punishments as extreme as imprisonment. Research destinations carefully, and consider traveling to more welcoming regions. Practical Tips for Safe and Respectful Travel Ready to pack your bags? Not so fast. Let’s make sure you’re fully prepared with these practical steps: - Research Thoroughly Check government travel advisories, reputable blogs, and health organizations for insights into your destination. - Vaccinate and Prepare If necessary, get vaccinated before you travel. Carry protection, and know where the nearest healthcare facilities are. - Respect the Culture Follow local customs and dress codes. When in doubt, stay modest and avoid drawing attention to yourself. - Avoid Risky Areas Steer clear of shady establishments or nightlife spots known for crime or exploitation. - Stay Informed About Local Laws Whether it’s age of consent, public behavior, or LGBTQ+ rights, know the legalities before you arrive. A Positive Takeaway: Responsible Tourism All this might sound heavy, but here’s the good news: being informed empowers you to enjoy your trip without unnecessary worry. You’ll feel more confident, safe, and connected to the culture you’re visiting. Travel isn’t just about exploring—it’s about learning, respecting, and growing. By taking the time to educate yourself about sexual norms, laws, and health risks, you’re setting yourself up for a richer, more rewarding experience. So, before you jet off, remember: ignorance might be bliss at home, but on the road, it’s a risk you can’t afford to take. Safe travels, and may your adventures be filled with joy, discovery, and respect for the incredible world we share! Read the full article

[makers-muse]

How Coding Empowers Girls to Solve Real-World Problems 

In a small village in Kenya, a group of teenage girls came together with a mission: to tackle the issue of clean water scarcity in their community. With no prior experience in technology, they decided to learn coding through a local program. These young innovators developed a mobile app that helps identify safe water sources in their area. Their story is not just inspiring; it’s a powerful example of how coding empowers girls to solve real-world problems. 

Coding: A Tool for Change 

Coding is more than just a technical skill; it’s a tool for empowerment. For girls, especially those in underrepresented communities, learning to code opens new opportunities to address issues that matter to them. Whether it’s developing apps that promote environmental sustainability or creating platforms that improve access to education, coding allows girls to turn their ideas into impactful solutions. 

Initiatives like Technovation Girls and Girls Who Code have been instrumental in providing young girls with the resources and support they need to explore coding. These programs teach girls not just how to code, but how to apply those skills to create solutions for real-world challenges. For instance, in 2022, a team of girls from Moldova developed an app called SafeSpace, designed to help survivors of domestic violence connect with support services. This app is now being used by thousands of women across Eastern Europe, illustrating the profound impact that coding can have when placed in the hands of young, motivated girls. 

Fostering Problem-Solving Skills 

Coding encourages a problem-solving mindset, which is crucial in today’s fast-changing world. When girls learn to code, they’re not just learning how to write software; they’re learning how to approach challenges logically and creatively. This mindset is invaluable, enabling them to tackle complex problems in innovative ways. 

For example, in 2021, a group of middle school girls in the United States created a coding project aimed at reducing food waste in their school cafeteria. Using basic coding skills, they developed a system that tracks food consumption and predicts waste, which led to a significant reduction in the amount of food discarded daily. Their project demonstrates how coding empowers girls to address tangible problems in their own communities. 

The Ripple Effect of Empowering Girls 

When girls are empowered to solve problems through coding, the impact extends far beyond their immediate projects. It creates a ripple effect, inspiring other girls to pursue coding and explore how they can make a difference. This is especially important in fields like technology, where female representation has historically been low. 

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, increasing the number of women in technology could lead to more inclusive and diverse solutions to global challenges. The report highlights that gender-diverse teams are more likely to innovate and generate ideas that benefit a broader population. By empowering girls with coding skills, we are not just equipping them to solve today’s problems; we are preparing them to lead the charge in addressing the challenges of tomorrow. 

Breaking Down Barriers 

Despite the many benefits, girls still face significant barriers when it comes to learning and applying coding skills. These barriers include gender stereotypes, limited access to resources, and a lack of female role models in technology. However, as more girls are given the opportunity to learn coding, these barriers are beginning to erode. 

Programs and initiatives that focus on mentoring, providing resources, and creating supportive communities are crucial in this effort. When girls see other women succeeding in tech, it reinforces the belief that they too can make a difference. This representation is vital in encouraging more girls to take up coding and use it as a tool for change. 

A Brighter Future Through Coding 

The future looks bright as more girls are empowered to solve real-world problems through coding. These young innovators are not only creating impactful solutions but are also shaping the future of technology and society. By continuing to support and encourage girls in coding, we can ensure that the next generation of leaders and problem solvers is more diverse, inclusive, and equipped to tackle the challenges of our world. 

Ready to empower the next generation of female coders? Enroll now  and start your journey in shaping the future of technology! 

Do you have questions regarding our STEM program?

Contact us anytime.

Take your first step into the magical world of coding for kids

[weather-usa]

UN Chief Warns World is on a ‘Highway to Climate Hell’ Amidst 12 Straight Months of Unprecedented Heat

The planet has reached a "shocking" new milestone, enduring 12 consecutive months of unprecedented heat, according to new data from Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitoring service.

Weather Forecast For 35803 - Burnwell AL

Every month from June 2023 to May 2024 was the hottest on record for those respective months, Copernicus data revealed.

The 12-month heat streak is “shocking but not surprising” given human-caused climate change, said Carlo Buontempo, the director of Copernicus, who warned that worse is yet to come. Unless fossil fuel pollution is significantly reduced, “this string of hottest months will be remembered as comparatively cold,” he said.

Copernicus released its data on the same day United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made an impassioned speech in New York about climate change. Guterres criticized fossil fuel companies as the “godfathers of climate chaos” and, for the first time, explicitly called on all countries to ban advertising their fossil fuel products.

See more: https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-35004

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-35005

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-35006

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-35007

Guterres urged world leaders to swiftly address the spiraling climate crisis or face dangerous tipping points. “We are playing Russian roulette with our planet,” he said Wednesday. “We need an exit ramp off the highway to climate hell.”

As temperatures surge, global climate commitments are “hanging by a thread,” he warned.

Copernicus’ data showed that each month since July 2023 has been at least 1.5 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels, when large-scale burning of fossil fuels began.

The average global temperature over the past 12 months was 1.63 degrees above these pre-industrial levels.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. While this target refers to long-term warming rather than individual months or years, scientists say the current breach is an alarming signal.

“This is a harbinger of progressively more dangerous climate impacts close on the horizon,” said Richard Allan, a climate professor at the University of Reading in the UK.

The news comes as the western US faces its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures soaring into the triple digits. Meanwhile, unprecedented heat has already caused death and destruction across the globe this spring.

In India, dozens have died over the past few weeks as temperatures approached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). In Southeast Asia, brutal temperatures have led to deaths, school closures, and crop failures. In Mexico, the intense heat caused howler monkeys to drop dead from trees.

Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Oregon:

Hotter air and oceans also fuel heavier rainfall and destructive storms, which have impacted the United States, Brazil, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates, among other nations, this year.

The recent heat provides “a window into the future with extreme heat that challenges the limits of human survivability,” said Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute. “It is vital people understand that every tenth of a degree of warming exposes more people to dangerous and potentially deadly heat,” he told CNN.

“Extreme events turbocharged by climate chaos are piling up, destroying lives, pummeling economies, and hammering health,” Guterres said.

He emphasized humanity's significant impact on the planet, comparing it to the meteor that triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

“In the case of climate, we are not the dinosaurs,” Guterres said. “We are the meteor. We are not only in danger. We are the danger.”

An Even Hotter Future

Global temperatures are expected to start dropping below record-breaking levels in the next few months as El Niño — a natural climate phenomenon that tends to boost the planet’s average temperature — weakens.

However, this does not signal an end to the long-term trend of rising temperatures as humans continue to burn planet-heating fossil fuels. “While this sequence of record-breaking months will eventually be interrupted, the overall signature of climate change remains, and there is no sign in sight of a change in such a trend,” said Buontempo.

See more:

https://www.behance.net/gallery/196105025/Weather-Forecast-for-Georgia

Guterres' speech also referenced new data from the World Meteorological Organization, which found a nearly 86% chance that at least one of the years between 2024 and 2028 will break the hottest-year record set in 2023.

The WMO also calculated a nearly 50% chance that the global average temperature over the entire five-year period between 2024 and 2028 would be more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, bringing the world closer to breaching the longer-term 1.5-degree limit at the heart of the Paris Agreement.

Guterres placed the blame for the climate crisis squarely on fossil fuel companies, accusing them of “raking in record profits and feasting off trillions in taxpayer-funded subsidies.” He highlighted that these companies have spent billions over the years “distorting the truth, deceiving the public, and sowing doubt.” He called for a global ban on fossil fuel ads, akin to the advertising bans for harmful products like tobacco.

“We are at a moment of truth,” he stated, emphasizing that the battle for a livable planet will be won or lost within this decade.

He urged world leaders to take immediate action, including significant cuts in planet-heating emissions and an immediate halt to any new coal projects. He pressed wealthy countries to commit to phasing out coal by 2030, reducing oil and gas usage by 60% by 2035, and increasing financial support for the poorest, most climate-vulnerable nations.

“We cannot accept a future where the rich are protected in air-conditioned bubbles, while the rest of humanity is lashed by lethal weather in unlivable lands,” Guterres said.

[caveniuniforms]

Long-lasting School Uniforms in Kenya: Staff Uniform Supplier Nairobi-Kenya

We specialize in making high-quality school uniforms for primary schools, secondary schools, and tertiary institutions that have a standard dress code, especially medical and teacher training colleges.

[nbmsports]

Nelly Cheboi, who creates computer labs for Kenyan schoolchildren, is CNN's Hero of the Year

CNN  —  Nelly Cheboi, who in 2019 quit a lucrative software engineering job in Chicago to create computer labs for Kenyan schoolchildren, is the 2022 CNN Hero of the Year. Online voters selected her from among this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes. Cheboi’s nonprofit, TechLit Africa, has provided thousands of students across rural Kenya with access to donated, upcycled computers — and the chance at a brighter future. Cheboi accepted the award with her mother, who she said “worked really hard to educate us.” At the beginning of her acceptance speech, Cheboi and her mother sang a song onstage that she explained had a special meaning when she was growing up. As CNN Hero of the Year, Cheboi will receive $100,000 to expand her work. She and the other top 10 CNN Heroes honored at Sunday’s gala all receive a $10,000 cash award and, for the first time, additional grants, organizational training and support from The Elevate Prize Foundation through a new collaboration with CNN Heroes. Nelly will also be named an Elevate Prize winner, which comes with a $300,000 grant and additional support worth $200,000 for her nonprofit. Cheboi grew up in poverty in Mogotio, a rural township in Kenya. “I know the pain of poverty,” said Cheboi, 29. “I never forgot what it was like with my stomach churning because of hunger at night.” A hard-working student, Cheboi received a full scholarship to Augustana College in Illinois in 2012. She began her studies there with almost no experience with computers, handwriting papers and struggling to transcribe them onto a laptop. Everything changed in her junior year, though, when Cheboi took a programming course required for her mathematics major. “When I discovered computer science, I just fell in love with it. I knew that this is something that I wanted to do as my career, and also bring it to my community,” she told CNN. Many basic computer skills were still a steep learning curve, however. Cheboi remembers having to practice touch-typing for six months before she could pass a coding interview. Touch-typing is a skill that is now a core part of the TechLit curriculum. “I feel so accomplished seeing kids that are 7 years old touch-typing, knowing that I just learned how to touch-type less than five years ago,” she said. Once she had begun working in the software industry, Cheboi soon realized the extent of which computers were being thrown away as companies upgraded their technology infrastructure. “We have kids here (in Kenya) — myself included, back in the day — who don’t even know what a computer is,” she said. So, in 2018, she began transporting donated computers back to Kenya — in her personal luggage, handling customs fees and taxes herself. “At one point, I was bringing 44 computers, and I paid more for the luggage than I did for the air ticket,” she said. A year later, she co-founded TechLit Africa with a fellow software engineer after both quit their jobs. The nonprofit accepts computer donations from companies, universities and individuals. The hardware is wiped and refurbished before it’s shipped to Kenya. There, it’s distributed to partner schools in rural communities, where students ages 4 to 12 receive daily classes and frequent opportunities to learn from professionals, gaining skills that will help improve their education and better prepare them for future jobs. “We have people who own a specific skill coming in and are just inspiring the kids (with) music production, video production, coding, personal branding,” Cheboi said. “They can go from doing a remote class with NASA on education to music production.” The organization currently serves 10 schools; within the next year, Cheboi hopes to be partnered with 100 more. “My hope is that when the first TechLit kids graduate high school, they’re able to get a job online because they will know how to code, they will know how to do graphic design, they will know how to do marketing,” Cheboi said. “The world is your oyster when you are educated. By bringing the resources, by bringing these skills, we are opening up the world to them.” Read the full article

[edernetdotorg]

The First Coding Curriculum In Africa Has Been Adopted By Kenya, And Nigeria Is Following Similar Steps

The First Coding Curriculum In Africa Has Been Adopted By Kenya, And Nigeria Is Following Similar Steps

Among African nations, Kenya has taken the lead in adopting a new curriculum for teaching coding in elementary and secondary schools. The United States, England, Finland, France, and Germany have all made coding a major part of their school curricula, and now Kenyan kids have followed suit. According to reports, Africa’s most populous country boasts the most digital businesses and the highest…

[marveltrumpshate]

We have many organizations that are fighting for equity of marginalized groups through legal advocacy and services or urgent crisis/medical relief, but we also wanted to highlight the ones that are working towards equity and access from a non-legal/relief perspective.

For more information on donation methods and accepted currencies, please refer to our list of organizations page.

Assistance Dogs International

Assistance dogs are essential to millions around the world but are cost prohibitive for many. Supporting this organization will mean that the training and placement of an essential service is less economically heavy to connect with. In addition to training and placement, ADI also advocates for the legal rights of people with disabilities partnered with assistance dogs and sets standards, guidelines, and ethics for training the dogs.

Child's Play

As a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in over 190 hospitals and domestic violence shelters worldwide, Child's Play understands the power of play to provide entertainment, healing, and an escape from difficult situations. In addition to donating games and game systems, they provide resources such as their Therapeutic Video Game Guide to and act as a hub of knowledge for games and technology for hospital and shelter staff and visitors.

Clean Air Task Force

As we've seen for a long time now but especially this year with constant natural disasters and alarming news from all over the world, climate change is real and we need to do something about it. Over the past 25 years, CATF, a group of climate and energy experts who think outside the box to solve the climate crisis, has pushed for technology innovations, legal advocacy, research, and policy changes. Their goal is to achieve a zero-emissions, high-energy planet at an affordable cost. We put CATF in this category because we view it as ensuring access to the planet for all of us—since science tells us that hangs in the balance.

Girls Who Code

There is a massive gender gap in technology, and Girls Who Code is actively seeking to end that—and they're on track to close the gap in new entry-level tech jobs by 2030! Girls Who Code also focuses on historically underrepresented groups, not just gender diversity; half of the girls they serve are from those groups, including those who are Black, Latinx, or from low-income backgrounds. Through clubs, college programs, and summer immersions, GWC reaches girls of all ages (elementary school through college) and all knowledge levels (beginner to advanced) to teach them coding, expose them to tech jobs, and provide a community with other women in tech. We imagine this would be close to the hearts of several of our favorite characters, so choose this one if it's close to yours as well.

Global Fund for Women

Global Fund for Women is the largest global organization for gender justice. They support grassroots feminist movements and organizations around the world for maximum local impact and have provided over $184 million in grants to 5,000+ women’s funds in 176 countries over the past three decades. Their recent focus has been providing mobilization and networking resources for women and girls in their own communities and amplifying those voices so they’re heard in the global community.

Rainbow Railroad

Rainbow Railword helps LGBTQI individuals around the world escape persecution, violence, imprisonment, or death. Since 2006, they’ve assisted more than 3,100 people from over 38 countries in emergency situations find asylum in safe countries. Rainbow Railroad also monitors and reports on state-sponsored violence affecting the LGBTQI community in 70 countries that criminalize LGBTQI identification and relationships.

RefugePoint

RefugePoint was founded in 2005 to identify refugees who fall through the cracks of humanitarian aid. Initially providing life-saving care to HIV+ refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, the agency grew quickly, adding a range of services to support those with the most urgent needs. Their goal is to advance lasting, long-term solutions for at-risk refugees by increasing equitable access to resettlement, strengthening capacity in refugee-hosting countries, and helping refugees achieve self-reliance so they can rebuild healthy, dignified lives.

Room to Read

Room to Read focuses specifically on the continents of Africa and Asia in their mission to ensure education for girls and literacy for all children. They collaborate with local governments and educational providers to ensure that their solutions are sustainable as they work to decrease the rate of illiteracy and increase gender equality in education worldwide.

The Solutions Project

Using grants and donations, The Solutions Project empowers grassroots leaders to build solutions, funding, and influence for the communities most affected by the climate crisis. They also provide media training and networking and leverage influencer and media relationships for their grantees. Due to the lack of representation of communities directly impacted by climate change, they aim to invest 95% of their resources to front line leaders of color and at least 80% to organizations led by women and gender nonconforming people. If The Solutions Project sounds familiar to you, it might be because Mark Ruffalo is one of the founders and he and Don Cheadle are among the board of directors!

[silvermoon-scrolls]

Michael Hurst: My story as told to Elisabeth Easther

Who knows why they have a paywall when the text is right there in the source code...

Full text from the interview:

Michael Hurst's acting career began in the 1970s, when he became a trainee at The Court Theatre in Christchurch. Since then he has acted in and directed hundreds of plays and television productions. Arguably most famous for playing Iolaus in cult shows Hercules and Xena, Hurst is currently touring his latest show, The Golden Ass till July 30.

I was born in Liverpool in 1957 and, when I was 2, my father was conscripted to Kenya during the battle for independence. He was in the British Army for two years, so I didn't see him till I was 4.

Growing up in Merseyside in the 1960s, there were still bomb sites that hadn't been cleared and we'd play in them. When I was still young, we moved to a new estate called Thatto Heath in St Helen's, just outside Liverpool. It consisted of vast acres of terraced housing with piles of sand, pipes and work gear. A lot of the houses were still half-finished, so it was like a playground. When I was about 5 or 6, I was led astray by the older boys, and we did terrible things. We'd climb up into the ceilings of the half-finished houses and put our feet through the new plaster, or we'd smash windows. Because I was young, I was usually just the lookout, and it was my job to yell when the watchman came. Eventually, the police came to our house.

When my parents got pregnant with me, because it was the north of England in 1957, they had to get married. Then Kenya showed dad this whole other world, so once returned to England, when the opportunity came to move to New Zealand in 1966, he took it, because back then New Zealand needed skilled tradesmen and my dad was a glass-cutter. We flew here on a DC8, that was exciting. I'd also never seen a shower before, but when we stopped in Hong Kong, I had my first shower. When it got hot all of sudden, I leapt out, leaving the hot water running on my brother who'd turned 3 the day we landed. My dad came roaring in and said in his northern English accent, "I don't care if this is Hong Kong, you don't leave your brother in the shower!"

In England, I'd gone to a catholic school called St Joseph's. The playground there was asphalt surrounded by a high brick wall with broken glass bottles embedded along the top, to stop people climbing over. So it was such a contrast, to move to New Zealand and go to Elmwood Normal in Christchurch and see a gigantic playing field in the middle of the city.

During high school I was the junior champion for fencing in Canterbury. I was also awarded cups for debating, public speaking and drama and I got the English prize. These things were all part of my "theatrical swag" and meant acting was in the back of my mind. After school I went to Canterbury University to study English, History and French, with the intention of going to teachers' college after getting my degree, to be a secondary school teacher. That year I also did a play with Canterbury Repertory Society, called Time Out For Ginger. Someone from The Court Theatre saw it and I was offered a position as a trainee.

I didn't care too much what my parents thought of me abandoning my degree and getting into theatre. They'd split up 18 months earlier, so I was still sore from that. They're both since passed away and, I loved them, but at that point I was very single-minded.

My parents spent a lot of time being miserable because they were not a good fit. Coming here was a big shift too, and they didn't have much money. We also lived in dumps to start with, and we moved half a dozen times as they became gentrified, which meant I had my hardships when I was younger, watching my parents have a terrible time. I'd hear them fight, and sometimes it got violent. Alcohol was also involved, and it was tough.

At some point, Dad got into singing. He'd work in the factory during the week and sing in the pubs on Friday and Saturday nights, and Mum, a North Country lass, was excluded. In the end that drove them apart and they reached breaking point when I was in my final year of high school. They sold everything and returned to England, intending to move back for good. I went with them, but I flatly refused to stay and I flew back to New Zealand by myself to do seventh form. I found a flat with two brilliant students, Andrew and Jamie, and they said I could live there rent-free for my last year of high school. All I had to do was keep everything clean.

I was having a fantastic time, until one day dad turned up at the flat. They'd all flown back - a last ditch attempt to save the marriage – but dad couldn't do it, so I had to go home to look after mum and my two younger brothers. Eventually, I said to Mum, if I don't leave, you won't ever get back on feet, as she'd started going down the alcohol route. I did leave, she picked herself up, and after that our relationship blossomed.

As a trainee at The Court Theatre I spent two years doing plays, and not just acting but designing sets, lighting, sound and doing publicity for the shows. I also fell into that young person trap with smoking and drinking, because everybody smoked and drank back then. In the 70s, you'd go to the rehearsal room and pick up a tiny little ashtray that you'd hold in the palm of your hand. If you weren't speaking or being to spoken to, you'd have a cigarette, with your own personal ashtray. Before long, I was smoking a pack a day, when it dawned on me, if I keep doing this, it won't end well.

I decided to move to Auckland with my girlfriend at the time and, in order to get healthy, we each bought a bike and cycled up. The first day we headed to Cheviot, carrying our great big packs on our backs, but our backs got so sore. Another cyclist stopped and told us to put our gear on our bikes so I attached everything to the handle bars and cross bars. It was hard slog, but in the end we were doing 100km a day and it took us about three weeks, until suddenly we were in Auckland, working at Theatre Corporate.

Everybody examines themselves at some point. They'll lie awake at 4am and wonder, and I'd be lying if I said it hasn't been hard at times, but it's not been miserable. I've never had to be a waiter, although of course I've been out of work, but then I'll write a show. I could put on a play with a bit of tinsel, a cymbal and a plank. And if it's only me, and the overheads are low enough - i.e. none - I can make it work. And if no one else wants to do it, I'll do it myself.

That actor's lifestyle is a bit precarious ... not knowing where the next job is, that anxiety affects all actors, but Hercules changed my life. It was a deliriously happy time, and it gave me financial and creative freedom. I am also happily married and have a loving family.

The Golden Ass is my third production with Arts On Tour. They have a network of 30 venues around the country, and they put people like me in a van and we drive to these small towns. It doesn't matter whether the space is a living room or an opera house, it's that romantic thing of being a roving player. Once there, we'll pack in, do the show, stay in a motel, then get up the next day and drive to the next town. I love it. I love the rigour of it. I grew up a working-class lad, so real work is about lifting planks and making things and touring feels like real work. At the coal-face, sleeves up acting and it keeps me on my toes. I love touring.

I'm a rational person. When people ask what star sign I am, I won't tell them because I don't care. I can't understand how people believe that stuff. But I love the ancient overtones of theatre, and how it examines our complexities. As an actor, I've done my ten thousand hours, but I'm also just a person telling a story, and that changes something in that moment. That's important, it always has been and I hope it always is.

[stemrobo]

STEMROBO eyes global expansion, targets to close FY23 with net revenue worth Rs 70 crore

The company claims to have reported a 7X increase in its profit to Rs 2.8 crore in FY22 from Rs 34.6 lakh in FY21.

Ed-tech company STEMROBO plans to expand its operations in Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire in West Africa in the next six months. “We further plan to launch our East Africa chapter in September this year, focused on the primary and secondary schools across Kenya and Rwanda,” Rajeev Tiwari, founder, STEMROBO technologies told FE Education online. The company launched its operations in West Africa in May 2022 and implemented its programmers across 50 primary and secondary schools across Ghana. Tiwari further added that the company aims to reach 250 schools in Ghana by FY23.

According to Tiwari, the company aims to close FY23 with the net revenue of Rs 70 crore on the back of net profit of Rs 10.5 crore. The company reported a 108.3% increase in the net revenue to Rs 30 crore in FY22 from Rs 14.4 in FY21, as per regulatory files accessed by business intelligence firm Tofler. It posted a 7X rise  in net profit to Rs 2.8 crore in FY22 from Rs 34.6 lakh in FY21.

STEMROBO, which caters to the K-12 segment, claims to generate its revenue through annual subscriptions from schools at a minimum guarantee of 250 students. It claims to set up Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) based tinkering labs in the schools backed by teacher training, DIY robotic kits, software’s such as ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) Connect Coding Platform’ and ‘Tinker Learning’ LMS Platform, STEMROBO do-it-yourself (DIY) robotic kits. So far the company claims to have partnered with 2000 schools. “We plan to partner with 5000 schools across India and reach 2.5 million students by the end of next year,” Tiwari said. 

Furthermore, the ed-tech firm has launched 30 offline centers pan India and plans to expand through franchise models. In the offline centers, the students can access STEMROBO’s offerings outside school through annual subscriptions of Rs 500.

STEMROBO Offers an Integrated STEAM Based Program based on Design Thinking Approach for K-12 Segment. The focus is on Real World Problem solving Techniques and Project Based Learning, thereby Offering Immersive Learning Experience that caters to 21st Century key skills.

STEMROBO Technologies

Email. sales@stemrobo.com

Mobile: +91-7905087639

 Website : https://www.stemrobo.com/

[entertainment]

Entertainment Spotlight: Genneya Walton, #blackAF

Genneya Walton came to acting through a passion for dance and performance. Once on screen, she starred as Bryden Bandweth on Project Mc², as well as taking on roles in The Resident, 911, Criminal Minds, School of Rock, and Extent. Up next, Genneya will be playing the role of Chloe Barris, daughter to Rashida Jones and Kenya Barris, in his new mockumentary #blackAF. Loosely inspired by Barris’ irreverent and honest approach to parenting, relationships, race, and culture, #blackAF uncovers the messy and often hilarious world of the fictionalized Barris family. We had the opportunity to chat to Genneya about her character on the show, experiences on set, and what it means to be a young woman of color in the world of film and television. Check it out:

You wake up tomorrow as the character you play. What do you do first? 

If I were to wake up as Chloe, I would freak out first but I think that’s a given. Secondly, I’d go through her closet and try everything on because her style is incredible and I can only imagine what her full wardrobe looks like. 

In #blackAF, you have a lot of siblings. Do you have a large family IRL? If so, were there any similarities to your rapport with your on-set family? If no, did the experience make you glad or sad you don’t? 

In real life I only have one older sister -- far less than the 5 siblings I have on the show! My parents' style of raising kids is not at all the same as Kenya and Joya’s, so I can't say there are really any similarities between my real and tv family in that aspect. Although with both of them I am lucky to be able to share my honest thoughts and feelings with them even if it’s hard at times. Even though growing up I did want a baby brother, I wouldn’t want to change anything about how my family functions now, but it was definitely an experience to almost live another life in a household that’s run so differently. 

Describe the premise of #blackAF to a five-year-old? 

#blackAF is about a teenager that is filming her family’s everyday life to send in to her favorite college in hopes of getting in. With parents like ours and six kids, things can get crazy at our house. We act a little more “out there” than a typical family so I don’t think it would be appropriate for a five year old, but you can tell your parents to watch it ;) 

What’s the first thing that you remember being a fan of? 

The first thing I remember being a fan of is Barbie. It was one of my favorite toys growing up and the movies are actually what inspired me to perform. Second, I think it would be Usher’s Confessions album. I had no business singing his songs as a child, but those songs are certainly timeless! 

Can you tell us about a funny experience you had on the set of #blackAF? 

When you’re working with Kenya and Rashida something funny is bound to happen everyday. We had a moment of downtime on set and Kenya was showing off some dance moves and Rashida hopped in and it turned into an impromptu dance battle. All I’m gonna say is they both can do a mean robot. Certainly a sight to see and I’m happy to say I’ve witnessed it in my lifetime. 

You began your career dancing before you moved on to acting. Has dancing taught you any valuable lessons for your acting career? 

Dancing has certainly shaped who I am today and I’ve been able to apply those lessons to everyday life. I used to be the most sensitive person on the planet, and although I still have my moments, the tough love from teachers gave me a thicker skin that is necessary to have in this industry. Particularly from being a competitive dancer I learned the value of teamwork and trust. A scene is a collaboration, not a solo, and when you have a scene partner you have to put your full trust in that person in order to let go and be vulnerable. Also, in competition you can’t win them all, and that’s certainly the case with this industry, and I learned from a young age to come to terms with things not always going as planned and to push on and work harder. The long rehearsal hours and high expectations to perform well every time prepared me for work days on set that could sometimes be 14+ hours. All of the hard work that goes into finally performing a 2 minute dance piece is similar to the endless preparation before a new project only for the final cut to be x amount of minutes long and that’s all people get to see. After all it’s about the journey not the destination right? Being a dancer instilled a lot of important lessons within me and I owe my current position to dance aka my first love. 

Without spoiling anything, did you have a favorite scene in the show that was fun to shoot? 

While on vacation things got a little heated between Chloe and Drea and we really had the opportunity to take it there. Both Iman and I have sisters and were able to relate to our characters in that moment. We were both completely understanding of the situation and each other's emotions that it almost made it feel as though we were truly sharing that moment together as sisters. It was a special moment for myself and it definitely brought us closer. It was a very fun challenge and I’m so happy to have been able to share that with her and portray the ups and downs that siblings have. 

How do you embody the mission of #BlackExcellence365 in your everyday work? 

I think that black excellence is our drive and ability to go for, and accomplish the great things we do despite the boundaries that have been set in front of us. We have so much power within ourselves and such a great ability to impact lives. As a kid, I only had a handful of young women of color to look up to and I am grateful that they have paved the way for young actors like myself. I am now in the position to possibly be that for today’s young girls, and it is truly a dream and a huge responsibility that I am thrilled to take on. I hope to take part in roles that can positively impact and inspire young girls to be the best versions of themselves that they can be. Representation on screen is so important and the media has the ability to shape young minds. So far I've had the honor to play a past role of a teenage genius who is a master at coding and is not afraid to be herself or speak her mind. I now get to play a young adult who attends a great college and is setting up her future. Those characters within themselves are what I believe to be some great representations of black excellence and if they positively affect at least one person I am proud of that. I’d like it to be known that it took almost two years of being unemployed before I landed my current role. At times it was tough and I honestly had a fleeting moment where I considered giving up, but I kept pushing and would have never gotten to experience being Chloe if I didn’t hold faith in myself! As my career goes on, I intend on using my platform to be vocal about things that matter most to me and inspire and pave the way for those after me. This is all bigger than myself and each accomplishment and even failure on the way to success that we share is an embodiment of #blackexcellence. 

Do you have any advice for young women of color who are looking to get into the acting business? 

When wanting to accomplish anything in life it requires hard work, resilience, and genuine belief in yourself. You will get more no’s than yes’s, but you cannot let that discourage you. When you know you have something special to share with the world, you have to keep pushing on. I’d highly recommend surrounding yourself with people that are like minded so you can uplift and push each other towards your individual goals. An African Proverb that I think describes this well is, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” So finding a strong support system whether that be within your family or your friends, I personally find to be helpful during the journey. When things get tough it is easy to get lost or caught up in this all, but remember to stay grounded and true to yourself. There is no one else like you, and that alone holds so much power! 

Thanks for taking the time Genneya! #blackAF is now streaming on Netflix.