The AfricaNews articles of nyarkado
I can see now- 66 yr-old Boniface rejoices
Sabatia eye hospital which is in the western part of Kenya, is giving people with cataract a second chance of sight especially in the field where other Doctors have given up. - Furthermore the hospital has qualified doctors. Once a patient pay the required amount for the operation, he or she will immediately be operated and be discharged the following day after making sure the patient is completely well.
According to Mr. Boniface Wekesa, 66yr old Man, he went to the Hospital, with the aid of his younger brother, and after the operation he could see with the operated eye. He added saying that, he had given up because most of the hospitals he went to, he could be given Eye drops which kept …Kenya: Old age no longer synonymous to blindness
Doctors at Sabatia eye hospital, near Kisumu, in Kenya, are increasingly seeing more patients with cataract. According to Dr. Wanyonyi, approximately 80 percent of the people aged between 65yrs and above are affected by curable eye related diseases. - Since 1997, the inception of the Hospital, Sabatia eye hospital has operated more than 20,000 cataract cases within Kenya.
“I have operated more than twenty thousand cataract cases in this Hospital and in the beginning there is that learning cub but nowadays most of my outcomes are successful. Like yesterday I operated 20 patients and now they are going to be discharged; they have gained their sights back. Said senior cataract surgeon,…Kenya: Elderly want more food at care centre
'One needs to have a big heart to take care of these old people, they behave like little kids. Imagine how your three or four year old kid would behave, that's exactly how these old people behave here at the home, says Rose Mlare one of the care taker at the home for the aged. - Talking to one of the care givers at home for the aged in Mundika, she said sometimes when she tells them to go and bathe infact the strong ones whom can bathe by themselves ,they say they will do it the following day. A gain if you remind them to bathe; now it will be a war between you and them.
The sister's have even bought for them clothes that they can wear after taking bathe, and still they do…Mundika: Homes for rejected homeless elderly
The Grace and Compassion Sisters' elderly home were initiated in 1994 by the congregation's motherhouse in the UK to respond to the need and care for the old vulnerable people so that they too may have a dignified life. And also have a happy death and receive a distinguished funeral. The Centre is situated along Busia-Kisumu highway, approximately 8 km from Busia town, in Kenya. - Grace and Compassion sisters Mundika work with elderly people .The home was actually built for the destitute elderly who have been rejected by the relatives or who have nobody at all to take care of them in the village.
‘Normally these people (the elderly) are brought to us by the chiefs, assista…Eye hospital helps despite expensive transport
Patients of Sabtia Eye Hospital in Kenya cry of the distance. Christine Awuor who hails from Siaya County, about 300km away from the hospital, says she spends a lot of money just on transport leave alone money for medicine which she has to buy every time she goes for review. - ‘On transport alone we use kshs 2000, medicine kshs 3000, as I have to come with my sister-in-law because I don't see well. In total I use kshs 5000. And it's every two weeks’, said Awuor.
In the case of Awuor, she was operated last year November, and was advised to go back to the hospital every 1-2 weeks. She has been forced to sell her piece of land, the only land her late husband left. So as…Kenya: 120 in old-age care programme in Mundika
The elderly in Mundika, a locality near Busia, Kenya, has been receiving assistance and care from Grace and Compassion Benedictine sister Centre for the old age, with the support of Oud in Afrika, a Dutch charity. - The Centre is able to take care of 120 old people who are vulnerable and staying alone in the villages. Apart from taking care of the old in the villages, they also have a home for the aged, about five minutes walk from the sisters’ convent. 84 old people are in the home for the aged.
The sisters together with social/field workers make frequent visits to the elderly and attend to their needs. Through sisters’ research, they found out that what old people need is fi…Kenya: Trust in phone repairers dwindling
Phone repairer Patrick owns a workshop near the Kenya Commercial Bank, just two minutes walk from the main road (Busia-kisumu highway). He like other technicians is faced with more and more impatient customers, who wants their phone repaired on the spot. - They are always in a hurry they don't want to leave their phone to be checked properly. So like such customers they are normally told to go back after maybe three days, actually to give the Technician ample time of checking what the problem is with that particular phone.
According to Ouma Onyango, one customer, the technicians are very clever, once they have realized that, the phone is beyond repair, they'll either tell you t…Kenyans prefer new phones to repaired ones
Phone repairers in Ugunja, Kenya, are increasingly piling up old repaired phones and waiting indefinitely for their owners to come and collect them. - Chiteri Enock, one such phone owner never went back to pay and collect his repaired:
‘When I related the cost of repairing and buying a new one, I decided to top up and buy a new one. The old one I left it with the technician’, he said, adding that his new phone was Made in China.
According to one of the technicians within Ugunja, similar cases abound and make their livelihood problematic. The reason for this phenomenon, he says, is that spare parts have become scarce and more expensive, pushing many residents to turn to che…Kenya: The cooking game and its dangers
Cooking, like adults do, has turned out to be a popular game among children in Ugunja, Kenya. Even the very young one enjoy it, despite the dangers it represents. - As I was shooting a scene of six-year-olds cooking their food far from home, a 2 year old toddler touched fire and burnt his hands while trying to help. The game continued as such accidents are very common.
Six-year-old James told me that day that he had left home at 7:30 am to the playing area and nobody from their home had even called him for breakfast or anything and even at that particular time in the afternoon. He was sure that the Mother ignored even his whereabouts.Ugunja: Danger part of kids' play
Take a walk in the rural parts of Kenya and you will find children from the ages between 2 and 8 playing in dangerous places in the name of play. - Children love playing and it would only be decent for them if their parents or older children checked the environment in which their kids are playing in.
When children were free to play, their first choice would often be to flee to the nearest wild place or dangerous places; whether a big tree or bushy area in the nearby.
‘I like playing far from mummy and my elder brothers and sisters because, they don't want to see me play. Mummy will start calling Winnie! Come hear and I don't like,’ says a three-year old Winnie.
…Mobile report prompted food assistance
Following the report made by voices of Africa mobile reporter from Ugunja, on the village of Waliera, some 15km away from Ugunja town about floods in June last year, the affected community got relief food from the government after the Authorities were informed and actually shown video clips emanating from VoicesofAfrica mobile reporter in the area. - Titled, Ugunja: Floods leave farmers hopeless, the report showed devastated farms and
voices the calls from the affected populations for help. About 20 families, who were badly affected subsequently received aid.
Each household got 5 bags of maize, 2 bags of beans, 1 bag of rice and 12 liters of cooking fat respectively.Kenya: Local medics trains on eye surgery
Beside its own daily eye surgeries, Sabatia eye hospital has set up to train medical personnel across Kenya and South Sudan. - The hospital's catchment area of outreach services are Rift valley, Nyanza and Western province which are not .yet been reached. Currently the hospital have registered students who will undergo a three-month training before going back to put their skills into practice in their local health facilities.
‘Our target still remains to serve the neediest from the neglected rural areas of the country and possibly extend to South Sudan’, says the hospital’s administrator Samwel Tsimbele.Kenya: From school to scrap
Evans Ouma is a twelve year old orphan from Ulwani Village in Ugunja District. Ouma He dropped out of school after the death of both parents 3 years ago, after which his aunt adopted him and later started to mistreat him. - ‘I remember the first day I went to school, the teacher told me to go back the following day with books and pens. When I told my Aunt, she told me that my parents died not leaving her with anything to give me. The next day when I went back to school, this time now I was sent home. And that is how I left school’, recalls Evans Ouma.
After dropping out of school, he left his Aunt's home and started picking scrape metals to sell to scrap dealers, so that …Kenya: An eye hospital with a success story
Sabatia Eye hospital which was established in 1996 with the collaborative efforts of local community, the support of lions sight First Germany district 111 ms who donated the funds that were used to put up the Hospital through the Christian Blind mission (CBM) ,an international NGO ,friends Church Vokoli and the Government of Kenya is one of the Best Eye hospitals in Kenya. - In addition, Sabatia Eye Hospital run a very extensive outreach and mobile clinic across the region. ‘Our catchment area is the entire part of Western Kenya with a population of 12 million people, who presents about 120,000 people living with blindness’, says Dr. Ernest Ollando.
He added saying that, majo…Kenya: Child-led home calls for help
As kids of his age goes to play, Bernard Odhiambo thinks of what his siblings will eat for lunch, super or even breakfast the following morning, where to get soap, clothes, all these thoughts are always on this young mind. - Bernard, who is a form one student at Anyiko Mixed High School. A school which he joined through ACK church in Ligega location in Ugunja District, after having passed his Kenya National Examination last year.(2010).
After the death of both his parents, Young Odhiambo was left with five siblings aged between 5-12yrs to take care of.
‘Sometimes I feel pain when I come home from school and find them eagerly waiting to see what food I have brought home. The first…Ugunja: Motor cycle accidents increase
The motorbike operators are driving their motorbikes at Avery high speed that they can't hear when their passengers are shouting, says Beatrice Atieno a victim of motorbike accident. She adds saying that they had head on collision and the other driver died on the spot. - The rate of motorcycle accidents has increased. These accidents have cost lives of many people who may have become great people in the society.
Most of the motorbike operators in Ugunja District are not trained to be motorcyclists. So a person who has been riding boda boda will just learn the basics of motorbike operation and in the next minute you find him with a motorbike on the road.
According to Dr. Joshua od…Ugunja remembers fire tragedy
Following an oil tanker fire tragedy in Ugunja last month, religious leaders have conducted a prayer meeting at the scene of the accident. Led by George Bishop Kadega of the Cross Style Church, all was set towards seeking for God's divine intervention. - Business came to a halt as owners of shops and supermarkets close to the scene joined the prayer meeting. Themed 'Thanks for escaping the tragedy', all glory was dedicated to the Lord since despite the losses incurred, his mercy still reigns supreme.
The disaster occurred when a fuel tanker, destined for Rwanda rolled and exploded in Ugunja three weeks ago leading to the death of Mr. Allois Ochieng, then chief for Ugenya Di…Kisumu: Bridge under threat due to quarry
Ulumba Bridge which is located on the main Kisumu-Busia highway, North East Ugenya location, Ligega sub-location, which links Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, is under threat from quarry workers who are dangerously carrying out their work at the base of the bridge. - Following Security Threats on Ulumba Bridge, The rising concern is on the safety of the Ulumba Bridge, being that the bridge was a dangerous spot during 2007/ 2008 Post Election Violence in Kenya.
Recently all stakeholders held a meeting at camunya hotel, to discuss the dangers posed at Ulumba bridge and how they can actually be able to thwart an environmental hazard that is likely to befall as a result of over exploitati…Kenya: Risks as a result of joblessness
A bout 20 youths from Ugunja town, Busia-kisumu highway, woke up with all the eager of tapping fuel from an exploded that left Chief from West Uholo location In Ugunja Division dead. - Despite all the incidence of tankers carrying dangerous fuel to Rwanda exploding or falling along Busia-Kisumu highway, youths in Ugunja
Have always ignored the dangers of tapping fuel.
‘What got burnt wasn't the fuel! And why should we just look at it go at a waste and we don't have money? Infact by the end of the day we shall have make
Kshs 1500. That's just 20litres’,boasted Fiesta Otieno, one of the youths in Ugunja.
Way back on July 13, the year 1998, a tanker carrying …Ugunja: Public transport costs go up
Tens of passengers were this evening stranded in Ugunja town due to lack of sufficient buses. Many travellers had returned to vote in the referendum while others were fleeing from some parts of the Rift Valley in fear of a repeat of the 2007/2008 violence. - With the vote and the weekend gone, the demand for space in the buses seemed to have outstripped the supply leading to a hike in fares of the country buses from Kshs 500 to Kshs 800.
‘Such chances only come to us once in a while. A time when passengers will be forced to pay any price. These are the times when our commissions also hike. Good money,’ says Daniel Owino, an agent for Emirates bus service. Busia- Nairobi route.…Kenya: Chief dies in Ugunja fire tragedy
An oil tanker overturned and exploded in Ugunja yester evening causing the death of Ugenya District's North East Location chief Mr. Allois Ochieng besides burning down numerous business kiosks and a stage hotel (Dot Com Hotel). - The 4pm tragedy occurred when one tank of a two tanker trailer ferrying petrol oil to Rwanda fell off after being hit by another trailer from behind. The tanker rolled and exploded after people rushed to the scene to siphon oil forcing them to retreat.
The late Chief was having refreshments with his wife at a nearby bar, St. Michael's when the fire started. The chief succumbed to shock and went into a coma before being rushed to Ambira Sub-District hosp…Ugunja: Funeral a moment to share
All roads are leading to Nyamasare village, two kilometres away from Ugunja, Kenya, where burial programmes for an elderly woman are in full gear. She died a few days ago and people are flocking to the village to offer last respects before she is laid to rest. - It's almost 11.00 am and her home is awash with mourners from all walks of life, from far and near. Faces of most of them depict sorrow and sadness. Despite the distress, various cooking points have been set up to prepare food for the swelling number of mourners.
Being a funeral, gloom is supposed to be carrying the day all over the compound. But that is not so as various food stuffs are being readied from different angles. D…Ugunja cleans up to prevent diseases
Welcome to Ugunja. To ordinary passers-by, in spite of a beehive of activities, this mushrooming township is just that-clean. But when subjected to a microscopic eye, the town is riddled with tales of haphazard disposals of garbage and other wastes. - This underwhelming side of Ugunja was unraveled late last week when UCRC's youth project in conjunction with Kodiaga CLRC's youth department, supported by personnel from the Ugunja town council engaged in environmental clean-up of the municipality.
Dubbed the 'environmental clean-up day', no stone was left unturned as close to sixty youths braved the afternoon scotching sun to leave Ugunja dazzling clean.
‘As an …Ugunja: Local sweets sweeter and cheaper
The Oloma Ugenya Salvation Group started way back in the year 2004 as a prayer group, in Ugenya District, Magoya sub-location, Waliera village. The initiating group aimed at improving their living standards and encouraging in income generating activities. - ‘After the post election violence I was forced to come home. So I thought it wise to continue with my usual job of making sweets locally. A job I was taught by my friend in Nairobi way back in 2003’, says Joseph Onyango Oduya the proprietor of POJCA local sweet factory.
After the group got the training from Joseph, they do very very well, despite the challenges of heat especially when it comes to rolling.
‘If you c…Kenya: Police arrest Changaa brewers
Welcome to Ugenya district where the most potent chang'aa brands are brewed and where many locals who depend on its proceeds refer to it as their 'cash crop.' Out of every four homes in a village in Ugenya, one is a chang'aa den either a brewing or selling the stuff. - The brew is so popular in many villages in Siaya, especially Ugenya, that it is an integral part of gifts offered top visitors in ceremonies like dowry payment.
The current crackdown on illicit brews, has netted over thousands of litres of chang'aa and over 90 people arrested since May in Siaya District.
‘As you are aware these drinks do not meet the required quality and standards and pose…
