Ndhiwa Citizen Voices (NCV)

Mapping sustainability model for Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre

2014-01-10T01:48:00.005-08:00

By Timothy Obabo

A group of 15 diligent people consisting of ALIN staffs from Nairobi headquarter and advisory committee members met at Institute for Rural Development-Kenya on 10^th December 2013 to discuss on ways and means of sustaining the centre now that most foreign donor pools are diminishing with time.

From the sharing of the past 7 year’s experience of service to this community, the team was able to review the milestones of the centre. It was clear that the Maarifa centre had overseen the training of over 4,000 community members on ICT, assisted over 40,000 community members’ access free library and internet service; the centre had also overseen the training and visit of over 42,000 amongst other achievements.

Under the leadership of the committee advisory Chairperson Mr. Jeremiah Omogi the sitting gave Mr. Noah Lusaka and Paskwalina Morris from the headquarters an opportunity to share with the members the possibilities and ways of sustaining the centre locally. Finally the members came to a consensus to tag a little fee on ICT training due to its high demand in the region since its donors period had elapsed but to have the free access to information bit upheld.

The implementation of this new approach is yet to be rolled out after the committee and the relevant stakeholders have put in their weight behind it. Talking to the field officer in-charge of Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre, Gerald Yongo, this is what he had to say, “We shall ensure that whatever s charged from our trainees has to be the most minimal charge since we are not in business here. We only need communal support to ensure this programme keeps transforming the lives of the needy”.

A man takes away his life after slaughtering his family of three in Rodi

2013-11-20T01:04:00.003-08:00

In Rodi town, Homa-Bay County on Monday 11^th November 2013 at around 4.00 am, a man killed his family and then took away his life after a quarrel with her wife over unknown issue. The man is said to have had similar issues with the wife sometime back, matters that had led to their separation for a period.

This family had barely two weeks since their rejoinder in Rodi where the wife had remained with the children for the period. The neighbors here seemed not understand clearly the cause of disagreement on this particular day.

The neighbors here confirmed that on this particular night the situation seemed a bit different from the kind of verbal threats that the man shouted to the wife. The simmering man is reported to have bunged the door when the argument heated before padlocking themselves inside.

The man is said to have picked the youngest child of 4 years first from her sleep and slit her throat leaving the body soaking in blood; on seeing that, the 7 year old child who was now awake by then, screamed in terror but before the voice too could go far, she was brought down to death with her arms chopped off and the throat split.

By now the wife had screamed all her voice for help but in vain. Finally the man is said to have drove the machete deeply into her wife’s rib sending her into immediate silence. The woman died immediately. After accomplishing his mission, the man hanged himself in the room via a rope. That is how the life of a family of four came to a sad end in Rodi.

Fear as hunger looms in HomaBay County after crop failure in major schemes

2013-11-13T22:27:00.001-08:00

By Otieno Nicholas Owino

Failed crops in Kwabwai

After the rains failed for a couple of weeks when crops needed it most in HomaBay County, most residents now dwell in fear of the looming hunger in most regions especially along the lake.

This comes as a result of unpredictable climatic change that has hit hard on the areas which have acted as major production schemes for maize in the region. Farmers in Kwabwai ward which is the biggest ‘Kitale’ in this county did find it very challenging to plant as usual due to delayed rains hence huge junks of productive lands have left fallow with flocks using them as grazing land.

Talking to some residents in Osogo village in Rachar location, this were their appeals to the authorities “we are dying of hunger and we are appealing to the government to support us and give us meals for we are going to die of hunger”, said one of the residents.

This awful scenario comes at a time when the expectation of farmers was geared towards better outcomes in the second season following failures met by most farmers in the previous season, early this year.

The area County Representative, Hon. Ouma Ogindo when addressing a gathering at burial in Kwabwai location, Orandi village took heed of the cry of his people towards access to relief food and promised to present the matter before the HomaBay parliament. He and his team urged farmers to embark on drought resistant crops and also go for the crops that take the shortest period to mature.

Statistics indicate that climate change is one of the most serious global challenges and is also evident in Kenya. In Western Kenya, weather observations indicate that maximum day temperature have increased in a magnitude between 0.5 and 2.5 degrees in the last 50 years and is expected to increase further.

The agriculture sector among is the most affected by climate risks. Those working in agriculture have therefore no alternative, but to adjust their farming systems and at the same time consider also other ways to mitigate risks increases their resilience.

Motorbike rider in HomaBay identifies perpetrators of his night ordeal as he recovers in hospital.

2013-11-13T05:47:00.005-08:00

By Wanga Maureen

This motorbike model dubbed 'Chopper' is the most targeted

It was on Sunday morning of 10^th November 2013 at around 9.00 pm -10.00 pm when two suspects both male and a female aged 30 and 25 years respectively boarded a motorbike in HomaBay in what turned out to be a trick to lure the rider into their trap. After miles of travel in the dark, the rider was brutally pierced with a sharp object from the back when he stopped for the customers to alight.

The pierced victim went onto an instant comma which left the criminal assuming he was actually dead. They then made away with his motorbike. Luckily enough, a Good Samaritan was able to notice the body of the wounded gentleman before seeking for assistance to rush him to the nearest hospital.

On the following day, his colleagues visited him at the hospital to get a direct knowledge of what had happened to him from where he narrated his entire ordeal. It is said to have been unfortunate that the offenders were people who were well known by the victim and he was able to identify them clearly.

The angry riders later left HomaBay district hospital with the zeal to bring down the offenders of whom they well knew. They later raided the home of the couples finding the two in unawares.

On seeing the danger before them, the man tried to take on his heels but not this time round. The mob caught with him landing a number crude weapon upon his helpless body. The man is later on said to have died on the way to the hospital after rescue by police.

On the other side, the mob was perplexed to learn that such a young lady could be part of such a mess. She too was brutally beaten and totally stripped before the in public. The onlookers said the scene was worse as the mob raped her in public by the use of crude materials like wood and bottles.

Just as the mob was getting ready to sling her did the police come in. The battle here wasn’t a simple one between the two rivals to the extent at one time they had to use force to disperse the angry mob before rescuing the lady with them.

The residents here claim that the security condition in this town has really deteriorated in the past six months but no serious step has been placed in consideration and that is why the residents seem to be taking law in their own hands.

Otangre primary school remains the school to watch in the oncoming Kobama Divisional mock exams

2013-11-13T00:15:00.005-08:00

By Otieno Nicholas Awino

Big schools in Kwabwai ward and Kobama are now worried of a threatening Otangre primary school that that took lead in the last years Kobama divisional mock.

It is their major worry because this is just a new school whose pupils undertakes learning under a tree and unlike other that count themselves lucky to have four walls and a roof to call classes. This worry comes after the school had beaten bigger schools like Nyarandi in sports last term and some of their pupils appeared in top ten last year in a highly contested Kobama divisional mock.

After a long period of constantly challenged preparations, the school is now smiling and ready to face out former giant schools in Kobama divisional mock which is expected to start in one weeks’ time

The school committee, pupils, teachers and parents are now appealing to the well-wishers, donors and the government at large to come to their rescue to help them build proper classrooms especially at this rainy season.

Power instability causes huge economic loses to Ndhiwa residents

2013-11-13T00:13:00.001-08:00

By Mark Anthony O.

As the rest of the Kenyans continue to notice the flurry of activities by the devolved government. Residents of Ndhiwa sub-county continue to languish in darkness as electricity reliance goes down to zero.

Most residents here are small scale earners with almost 65% of them relying on the unreliable power supply. It has also been realized that despite the frequent power black outs, its return has always been accompanied by a number of electronic loses. In the developed countries, this loses would have called for the companies compensation unlike here in Kenya.

In an interview carried out by NCV to Bella Imelda who a saloonist at Ndhiwa, this is what she had to say ‘’we cannot do any good business in this town because of this constant power black-out. Imagine sometimes you are in the middle of blow-drying and power goes off with any alert leaving you in an embarrassing situation with the customer and she won’t pay for unfinished job hence a loss to you”.

She adds “I think the situation applies not just to us saloonist but even to those in the jua kali sector, industries, barbers, music stores among other things yet at the end of the month you are expected to pay for the rent and huge bills of power, things that barely assisted you raise the demanded amount”.

Thousands HomaBay residents spend sleepless nights in fear of awaken rape.

2013-11-07T22:40:00.004-08:00

NCV senior correspondent

For the past two months in HomaBay town now, cases of night robbery and rape has been on the increase with the residents blaming the County security to be sleeping on the job despite the frequent reports on attacks. Tension grew deeper when a chief and his wife in Sophia estate were brutally attacked by the thugs in a state suspected to be a revenge of unknown issue.

The residents are alleging that the offenders have been using unknown substance to send them to a dead sleep before breaking into their homes and making away with their entire properties plus the mattresses leaving them asleep in cold floors. And like this isn't enough, they have gone as far as even raping the unconscious females found these houses.

“It would have been slightly reasonable if these people only took the properties they need from us and let our bodies be! Do you really know what it takes for you only to learn that you were raped by unknown victim and especially if you imagine it was done without protection!” this were laments of a female resident whose house was robbed to while she was away. She requested NCV not to reveal his identity in fear of further attacks.

The residents here are appealing to the County and the National Intelligence Service to seriously seek for a quick solution onto this matter for rape is now bringing the mess onto a different degree that calls for no bargain.

A young man loses his life as a falling tree crushes on him in Kanyadoto

2013-11-07T21:35:00.002-08:00

By Mboya Macy and Mathew Omondi

30th October 2013 at around 8.30 pm in the night, when the residents of Kanyadoto location in Ndhiwa district went agape on the sudden death of a young man who had been invited to assist in bringing a tree down suddenly met his death by its fall.

The gentlemen were cutting down the huge tree by the use of a power saw at the boy’s home in the weird hour of the night for reasons that haven’t been clear up to the moment, when they suddenly saw the deceased passing and asked him for a hand.

Being that it was dark and there was no proper lighting apart from the phone light, ‘mlika mwizi’, at the scene, the gentleman walked towards them not knowing that the tree was almost coming down. Just before joining his colleagues, the hug tree flushed on him, crushing his body beyond recognition; narrated one of the eye witnesses to NCV.

The matter was reported to Ndhiwa police station as the police ferried the body to HomaBay mortuary as they probed further investigation on the matter.

New hope as ships begin to dock at the abandon Homa-Bay harbor

2013-11-05T23:21:00.001-08:00

NCV senior correspondent

Ugandan ship being loaded with soapstone powder at the dock

As the clock clicks, it is now two months since the revival of the HomaBay harbour which has remained dormant for over 10 years since it was bug-ridden by the dreading water hyacinth.

This docking idea has revived trade at the harbour. The ship from Tanzania comes with mangoes to trade and in return purchase other household goods. The major activity here that has been appreciated too by a number of residences is the export of powdered soapstone from Kisii to Uganda and in return they supply tones and tones of charcoal at subsidized rate.

In a plain conversion with one of the buyers, this was her opinion over the matter “it is good that this lake is now accessible and I would like to appreciate that. HomaBay as a town has been stunted for decades now since ships stopped docking at this point. By the way, looking at 15 years back from now, this town was fur much developed than even Kisii but look at it today! This is an opportunity for us to reclaim our lost glory” said Mrs. Mary Owalo.

In the history of this port, a number of activities like travel, transport and even water sports used to be carried out at this point until in the late 80s when water hyacinth shuttered the entire dream. There has been a number government attempts to save the lake but it hasn't been an easy process though it is still ongoing. A number of the lake users say they can now see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Ndhiwa Chiefs now fear for their lives as insecurity looms the County

2013-11-05T22:27:00.001-08:00

By Okworo Jackson

Chiefs in Ndhiwa Sub County, now demand for more security claiming they are now targeted by thugs.This came after a recent attack of one assistant chief at Sophia in his HomaBay home, where he and his wife were brutally axed and left for the dead before being rescued by good Samaritans.

The chairman of Ndhiwa chief Association expressed fears that as security agents at local level would be targeted easily by the thugs who would like to maintain a status quo. “The chiefs who are determined to deal with the growing insecurity would easily fate the wrath or thugs as this amount to interfering with their work,” he said.

A number of blames on corruption were pointed at the police and judiciary sector for failing to help them gather proper evidence to keep the culprits in custody hence a number of dangerous suspects have walked out. The chief bitterly referred to the last year’s, 2012, attack in which an assistant chief in Ndhiwa Sub County was lynched and burnt beyond recognition by well known suspects but up to date they have remained untouched.

The chief said that he wouldn't wish to fight other organs of the government like judiciary and police but he firmly maintained that they should do their work properly to save the situation before things get out of hands.

In the recent past, there has been state of lawlessness by the residents of the Sub County with civilians taking law into their hands and lynching the suspects. The bubble too is also claiming that suspects walk out freely just shortly after they are arrested hence prompting them to take justice into their own hands.

Impending worry as low lying cables pose threat over Kalamindi residents.

2013-11-05T21:59:00.003-08:00

By Mathew Omondi

It was on Monday evening , 31^st october2013, at Kalamindi centre in Ndhiwa Sub County when a track dragged with itself a lowly hosted power cable cutting it off with sparks that left the residents on their heels leaving the entire centre in total black out.

The residents have continuously complained of the danger posed on them by the cables but no one in particular has respond to their call. The electricity cables running across this road were not hoisted high enough to allow big tracks use the road. In most cases, the large trucks have been forced to divert from the road to the neighbouring farms to avoid the cables.

The prolonged blackout is now affecting the juakali sector at the centre, an activity that has employed a number of youths in the region. Speaking to NCV reporter, residents here say women selling vegetable right below these lines stand the risk of being electrocuted one day suppose a truck hits on this cable abruptly.

This may sound like a small matter at the moment but let it happen one evening and Kenyan flags will be hoisted half the poles as always. Let the concern company take its mandate with the seriousness it deserves.

Molest by a ruthless mother

2013-11-04T22:38:00.001-08:00

By Wanga Maureen

Borrowed image courtesy of npong2franco.wordpress

A four year old boy at Rodi- Kopany town, Homa- Bay County was on Wednesday morning, 30^th October, rescued by the sympathetic residents who found him absent minded after what they claimed was a result of molest from the child s mother.

The angry witnesses at the scene who were majorly women were left to wonder why a parent would denies her own child the basic needs like food and shelter and like that wasn't enough, go ahead and throw him out in the cold.

It was quite unbearable as the innocent child was met walking bare-footed in the streets, the body soaked in dry blood, no proper clothing, trembling and crying on a low tone. The child could not talk or even utter a word at the moment in fear of further frustrations and beatings by the mother once he gets back home.

‘These cases are rampant today in this county, most women here give birth before marriage and so when they find another man who happens to marry her and doesn't need the burden of another man’s kid, the senseless ladies opt to take the child to the grandparents or throw them out like the case of this one. There must be a similar reason here I guess’ said one of the eye witnesses.

Later own the eye witnesses decided that one person to volunteer to host the child temporarily as they followed up on the matter with the child’s mother and the relevant authorities.

Clinging onto the trailers of death

2013-11-04T22:36:00.000-08:00

By Mark Anthony

It’s over two years now since Riat Sugar Company begun its operations in Ndhiwa district, trucking large bails of sugar cane from various corners of this County. With all this good things, it has been realized a number of adults and even young ones do risk their lives on a daily routine as they pluck cane from the fast rolling trailers.

Speaking the Ndhiwa Citizen Voices at Ongaro chief’s camp, Chief Joseph Wawa of North Kanyikela location informed NCV that a number of injuries in the region had been realized from both adults and the children. “On the 31^st October 2013, a child aged 12 years lost his eyes in Unga sub-location when one of the angry truck drivers pulled by the road side and struck him with cane for pulling cane from the truck,” he narrated.

The chief was quick to add “a number of our people here suffer due to ignorance. They have been blinded by the sweetness of cane hence the young ones’ too emulate it from them. In Kiswahili we say ‘wanaambukizana ujinga’”.

The best way to recovery of such inculpated vices in the community has to begin with the adults otherwise generation after generation will follow the foot prints of the formers.

Two Women in Kanyikela wash their dirty linens in public

2013-11-04T22:33:00.003-08:00

By Mark Anthony

On the 29/10/213, it was a long day with speechless voices in Thuon Gweno, North Kanyikela location of Ndhiwa district when two pretty young when took it on a head over a shepherd concubine of whom each of them claimed to own.

It all begun when one of the ladies by the name Anyango, who is a young widow, came across the so called Naomi on her way to the market and pounced on her with blows and kicks like rain. Things turned out to be otherwise when the hunter, Anyango turned out to be the hunted and in return, were beaten brutally by Naomi of whom she claimed had snatched her man.

“This Anyango was left or let me say divorced by the shepherd some months back due to what he claimed was her continuous misconduct behaviour in the village…” said Okello Okuoro one of the eye witnesses.

Efforts to meet the ‘good shepherd’ too were fruitful but he didn’t want his name to be mentioned anywhere, all he said was “I am no longer in love with that jealousy Anyango, my heart now belongs to Naomi and that’s all.”

Similar cases have been rampant in most parts of western Kenya due early marriages and untimely deaths of the spouses leaving one of the parties at the peak of life. This has forced a number of the young widows to cling on the little hope for love that they can reach for easily.

A Man killed in Sori for allegedly stealing a motorbike

2013-10-29T23:29:00.001-07:00

By Mathew Omondi and Mercy Mboya

Borrowed image of smouldering remains of a home after a blaze

It was on Thursday of 24th October 2013 at around eleven in the morning at Sori town, Nyatike sub-county, when an angry mob killed a man suspected to be Kalamindi centre, Ndhiwa sub-county for being a suspect of a stolen motorbike.

The young man who goes by the name Dan but is popularly known as “OSAMA” is reported to have stolen a motorbike from Sori and hid it in sugar-cane plantation near Kalamindi centre some few meters from their home.

The angry boda boda operators’ from Sori were tipped of this knowledge by unknown person and the mob rod for over 16 kilometres to Kalamindi where they only found the man’s wife. With anger of the lost time and efforts, they threw all the man’s personal belongings and burnt them to fizzle as the family and neighbours stared in disbelief. Like all was not over, the wife too didn't miss the wrath of mob but was luckily rushed to the nearby health facility.

This was what one of the eye witnesses present at the scene had to say “The personal belongings were burnt beyond recognition, from spoon to chair up to bedding because if we take them to the police, the walk out freely after a short while and this is a threat to the condemners lives.”

As the team was riding back to Sori, they spotted wanted Dan at Ratang’a centre where they were able to contain him after hours of struggle. The wild team rode the young man back to Sori town where they brutally brought his life to an end as the residents watched.

A nine year old girl raped in Ndhiwa

2013-10-29T06:05:00.002-07:00

By Timothy Obabo

A nine year old girl at AIC Happy Kid Academy in Kabonyo Sub-location, East Kanyamwa Location in Ndhiwa Sub County was on Tuesday, 22^nd October rapped by an unknown man near a small shrub stream known as River Onyinjo.

“The young girl had gone to fetch water in the morning only to come back some minutes later with blood streaming down her tiny feet,” said the mother.

Inset photo of a secured scene of crime

Explaining bitterly with tears now rolling down her cheeks, she continued, “My daughter told me that a young middle aged man lowered his cap to cover his face as she approached the water but with her deeper innocence she didn’t sense any danger. Just as she went past him did the man knock the pale off her head, clanged onto on her throat before dragging her into the bushes.”

The bitter community members who has responded to the desperate call of the woman, hunted for the unknown offender who was still at large in the nearby bushes in vein. Tensed and stressed, the woman rushed her daughter Ndhiwa Sub Hospital where she was stitched, treated and nursed for a couple of days.

In the desperate search in the bushes, another reality hit the community members when they came to terms with uncountable number of used condoms some of which were still fresh. This was a clear sign that a number of sexual immoralities have been secretly going on in the scene of crime.

The matter was reported to the area chief and much is expected from the authorities by the villagers. Unrecorded statistics from the locals indicate that rape cases have been rampant in the region but so little have reported to the authorities and worse of it all the victim fail to visit to the medical centres for any support.

The latest reports have indicated that all the school going children, both at secondary and primary level are encouraged to avoid the old murram road that runs from Pala primary to Kenya police line and use the tarmac for their safety. So let all parents be warned.

Why you must vote ALIN today to save the future generation

2013-10-29T00:10:00.003-07:00

By Gerald Yongo

Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) has made an application to the grand challenge Canada to be able to raise funds towards reduction of water-borne diseases through conservation of Wangwachi dam in Laikipia, Kenya.

The essence of the idea is to harness green energy technologies for integrated watershed management, conservation and water supply systems that will increase incomes through production of irrigated nutritious food and reduction of waterborne diseases among among vulnerable communities.

Ndhiwa Citizen Voices would like to appeal to every friend of ALIN and to our readers too to simply click on this link http://applications.grandchallenges.ca/ and vote for the organization before the expiry date of 15^th November 2013 at 1.00 pm. The team needs to gather over 2000 votes to stand the chance.

There are 19 similar project applicants in Kenya and 750 global applicants and ALIN application is now ranked 4^th with 10 votes only after, three others with the highest votes of 64.

Simply click on the tab below the video written ‘LIKE THIS APPLICATION’ and fill in the short info to support the organizations mission. Otherwise, watching the video alone does not count! Let’s all vote to enhance this idea for it takes less than a minutes and you are done.

Ojode Pala secondary school finally catches up with the ongoing malpractice at the institution

2013-10-28T05:45:00.002-07:00

By Wilson Oduor

It was shocking news on the 22^nd October 2013 to the teachers and students of Ojode Pala in Ndhiwa sub-county, when a young man, who is suspected to have been behind a number of indefinite thefts recorded in the school for the past 4 months, was caught red-handed in a similar mission at the principal’s office.

Sources close to the principle and the senior master to the school confirmed that the school had suffered a number losses amounting to an estimate of over KES 30,000.

Similar tragedy is also being said to have been in continuous occurrence at the senior master’s office where packets of milk have mysteriously gone missing on a daily basis.

As it is said in Kiswahili, ‘siku za mwizi ni arubaine’, the forty days for this young man had elapsed.

The school billboard

This was the day when the principle was expected to attend a B.O.G meeting and on his absence, the boy leaped into his office to do what he does well.

The principle is said to have returned abruptly to his office just to get the boy agape not knowing what to utter. ‘Seeking for malaria tablets’ were his words that couldn't convince the principle otherwise.

This being a communal problem in the school, the principal alerted everyone in the school to witness. Cornered between a rock and a hard surface, the boy thought it wise to save his poor sole by explaining how he had stolen money worth 40,000 and some packets milk from the senior teacher’s office.

The boy started by stealing 5,000 shillings from the principal’s desk, then later 7,000 from the pocket of the head’s coat accompanied by 3,500 shillings meant for remedial purposes from senior master’s office.

Then finally the boy hit the climax of it all when he stole 20,000 shillings which is suspected to have been paid by his sponsorship, he being a total orphan residing in one of the orphanages in Ndhiwa. As the school was still coming to terms with the unveiling, the school’s disciplinary committee made unanimous decision of suspending the boy indefinitely.

Ndhiwa primary hunts for triumph in 2013 exams

2013-10-25T07:05:00.002-07:00

By Wilson Oduor, Owiti Nicholas, Maureen Wanga & Michael Gonga

Ndhiwa primary school in Homa-Bay County is prepared to give a big shock to the nation as 99 candidates registered for national exams in 2013 shows commitment in their work with their competent teachers completing syllabus coverage as early as July.

This quest for better performance comes after desire for teachers to show their glorious hard work peeps in their ever smiling face with expectation of becoming academic champs in Ndhiwa Sub County.

In an interview conducted by Ndhiwa citizen’s voices to the school academic department, it was realized that the school has registered 54 girls against 45 boys which is quiet encouraging as compared to their past records where boys had been dominating the population, this is an encouraging factor as it proves to take care of gender parity.

In examination preparation, the department responsible for exams confirmed that they have been conducting internal exams in two days a week and spending the rest of the days in district and county exams respectively.

Most teachers are therefore committed in offering remedial lessons for revision of examination papers. From this hard work the academic department expects the candidates to break past records by producing about three quarters scoring above average and a quarter is highly expected to get above three hundred marks.

With an interest to know about immorality cases which is affecting most of the schools in the region, the Ndhiwa citizen’s voices were very keen to know if there were such cases in the school.

The department was so proud to report that so far there were no cases of sexual assault on any of their pupils and that the school conducts pregnancy test on their girls regularly. They also confirmed that most of the pupils together with the teaching staff stays within the township hence the teachers closely monitor movements of their pupils.

As part of life challenges the reporters also noted that the schools mean grade is affected by the high population registered candidates as compared to low number of teachers that stands at 21. Orphaned children were also reported to be suffering from frustrations due to lack of necessities and ineffective parental guidance.

Human-animal conflict as hyena attacks a 69 year old widow in Dut village

2013-10-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

By Lilian Omondi, Jackson Okworo, Timothy Obabo & Nicholas Otieno

Picture of Hyenas eating a carcass

A 69 years old barren widow from Dut Village in Kabonyo Sub-location of Ndhiwa District in HomaBay County was brutally attacked by a stray hungry hyena on Tuesday noon of 22^nd October 2013. The deadly cannibal is alleged to have sneaked from Ruma National Park through Sigama area down River Lwanda, a domestic water point accessed by over 2000 households along its banks.

Surrounded by a number of angry armed villagers who had quickly responded to her desperate call, the helpless widow narrated her dreadful ordeal, “I had came to water my sheep from this point and as I sat on this rock watching them drink, I suddenly saw the heavily built hyena approaching me fiercely from the nearby thicket before I screamed and took to my heels for safety. That’s when the hyena opted to attack my four sheep”.

A number of the onlookers from the neighborhood pointed a blaming finger at the Kenya Wildlife Society that manages Ruma National Park for having failed to contain the cannibal that is already posing threat to the locals this not being its first or second attack in the month of October.

The people present informed the area chief, Mrs. Grace Oyuga, who promised to handle the matter at hand with a lot of weight by mandating the authorities at Ruma National Park to ensure that the cannibal is trapped and taken back to the park before things get out of hand. The question that remains at large is, ‘who will compensate the widow for such damage?’

GOYE Foundation now revives the hope of besieged traders in Ndhiwa

2013-10-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

By Lilian Omondi, Jackson Okuoro, Nicholas Otieno and Timothy Obabo

Traders in Ndhiwa can now smile after a new Foundation which seeks to loan them is launched. Goye Foundation, a Christian-based organization gives loans to interested prospective business persons at negotiable interest rates.

According to the Foundation’s Director, Bishop Samwel Orieny, no collateral is needed before an applicant is granted a loan. The applicant only needs to register and buy shares to qualify for a loan which is his/her shares multiplied by three. The aim of this project is to help small scale businesses to grow by availing ready loans with relaxed conditions.

Addressing Ndhiwa citizen voices reporters in his office last Wednesday, Bishop Orieny called on members of the community to take up the opportunity and act swiftly against poverty using these friendly loan products.

In his statement, the bishop said “The organization would soon become a micro-finance institution to reach out to many people possibly the whole HomaBay County. Currently, the foundation operates in Ndhiwa, Sori, and Homa-bay town.”

“‘We are capable of employing other citizens since this project is expanding and is aiming at benefiting community members,” added Bishop Orieny.

Why the alarming rate of ARVs defaulters in Nyanza

2013-10-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

By Mathew Omondi, Eugine Ojwang, Mark Anthony

According to the 2012-2013 survey on HIV/AIDS prevalence in Nyanza, statistics indicate that there is an alarming trend of ART defaulters with a major concern in HomaBay County. With this alarming trend, Ndhiwa Citizen Voices decided to get out of their comfort zones to map out the push behind this.

From a number of locally researched information by Ndhiwa Citizen Voices, statistics indicate that a good number of the immediate causes for defaulting the ARTs have been due to high spread of ignorance amongst the users who after feeling relief tend to drop usage assuming they are cured.

There has been misconception spread by the local herbalists who have claimed to heal HIV/AIDS through the use of herbal concoctions hence increase the number ART defaulters in the region.

Poverty is also one of the factors that have so far contributed to the number defaulters being that most of the infected individuals from the interiors may not manage to get timely access to the distant health centers offering the drugs.

In a lengthy discussion with Mr. Meshack Aoko, a medical practitioner at Ndhiwa Sub-County hospital, we were able to realize that the government has so far employed defaulters-tracers who move door to door to guide, counsel and ensure that all the ARTs subscribers adhere to their drugs prescription.

We were able to learn that like any other programme, the default-tracers too have met cold receptions in some areas where secrecy and denomination believes have barred their clients from the use of drugs or even paying visits to the hospital.

From his parting shot, Mr. Meshack said that there was still a great need for further sensitization of the community through the use of media platforms like Ndhiwa Citizen Voices and other radio mediums to ensure that all the opinion leaders and the entire community get the message right.

Sowing the seed of Citizen Journalism in Ndhiwa

2013-10-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

By Bob Aston and Gerald Yongo

Free Citizen Journalism training is currently being conducted at Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre under the sponsorship of Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN). The exercise that begun on 22^nd October 2013 has intensely drawn over sixteen aspiring journalists from the seven Wards of Ndhiwa constituency to document and disseminate their peoples’ own stories as they happen.

The major motive behind ALIN’s approach in this kind of initiative is to create a responsible localized means of civic expression and social action amongst the communities, through the voices of their own reporters.

Citizen Journalism trainees during a training session

For ALIN to successfully meet this approach, they had the great support of the county representatives, the area MP, the sub county administrators and other community opinion leaders.

The aspiring trainees are undergoing free citizen Journalism training, a five days course that majors on basic Journalism skills like news writing, creative writing, Feature writing, Photographic and Interviewing skills.

The training will enable the reporters to be able to look at news from different angles and in addition give them a deeper understanding of what is going on in the outside world. The ten gentlemen and six ladies who are undergoing training at the Maarifa Centre are set to complete the training by Saturday, 26^th October 2013.

ALIN has already formed a blog dubbed ‘Ndhiwa Citizen Voices’ which gives the local communities a platform where they can share their own stories. It will also give them an opportunity to be part of a global community of men and women who are passionate about development news.

Trainees practicing camera skills

Ndhiwa Citizen Voices will be an advocacy and lobby blog that allows members of Ndhiwa and the larger Homabay County to voice the concerns that would otherwise be ignored by mainstream media. It will attempt to boost development and livelihoods of the residents by highlighting issues affecting the community.

In a short interview with Mr. Timothy Obabo, one of the ongoing journalism trainees, this is what he had to say: “the training is great. It is the first time we are getting information on citizen journalism. We are very much enlightened and now we will be able to do a number of documentations within our localities through Ndhiwa Citizen Voices”.

“I would further like to congratulate ALIN for the initiative. It is very rare to get such a unique training at the rural unless one attends a college or university institution and idea that most of us can’t afford. Being brought to the grassroot level. We now have an advantage as we can share information among the community,” he added.

How it works

2013-10-20T08:11:00.003-07:00

By Bob Aston

ALIN invites people around Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre and beyond on voluntary basis to learn basic article writing, photography and videography as approaches to telling stories to the world audience. ALIN will provide a platform for the Citizen reporters to post their stories. The platform includes access to computers at Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre and use of Ndhiwa Citizen Voices (NCV) which has been developed for Citizen Journalism purposes.

The CReporters are then trained on use of Internet resources including, blogging, uploading and downloading content.

Everything that's posted on ALIN CJB must be vetted by a team of moderators who reviews the posted content and pulls material that is flagged by the community as in violation of CReporters guidelines. Depending on sensitivity of the story, the moderators will vet and undertake fact-checking and verifying the details of a story.

Opportunity for Training on Citizen Journalism Course

2013-10-18T22:19:00.002-07:00

By Bob Aston

Do you have a passion for writing? Do you want to make a difference in your community? Then this opportunity is for you!!!

ALIN, through Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre is inviting interested candidates for a Citizen Journalism training opportunity. The short writing course is aimed at training local reporters around Ndhiwa on highlighting community local issues, development initiatives, farmer innovations and making their voices heard on issues affecting them through the Internet and other appropriate info dissemination channels.

Requirements are Passion to write articles, form four leaver with at least a C(PLAIN ) in English and Kiswahili. One is also required to be ICT compliant. However, interested candidates with no ICT skills will be trained on the same skills and must be willing to do voluntary writing for communities after the training.