sayosays

Has social media helped or derailed advocacy for women's rights? What opportunities does social media present for women and youth? How can young people effectively use social media? Why do Kenyans and Ugandans on Twitter keep picking on each other? I sat down with Urban Tv's  Dan Mumbere to discuss this and more. Watch the clips below and share your thoughts: Part 1: Part 2:

THIS IS MY RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI FOR MY MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN COMMUNICATIONS IN 2014. A COMPLETE COPY OF THE THESIS IS AVAILABLE HERE . CITATION IS ALLOWED, JUST REMEMBER TO GIVE ME A HEADS UP. THANK YOU AND ENJOY!! Synopsis Kenya's economy is highly dependent on natural resources. However, these natural resources are at risk of extinction due to environmental degradation. The general perception is that environmental degradation is partly due to lack of environmental awareness. Studies have shown that many Kenyans rely on and trust the media for information. This research sought to establish the role television as one of the media channels can play in creating awareness on environmental issues. This research used the media framing theory to show how frames such as timing, audience preferences and content influence the reception of environmental messages on television by audiences. To establish this, the researcher interviewed 30 key inform...

In November this year, I was lucky to be among participants at the Understanding Risk and Finance Conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The overall aim of the 1 week conference was to assess disaster preparedness in the African Context, share best practices in disaster preparedness as well as financing of disasters. Ebola Two disaster areas that stood out for me were Ebola and climate change. On Ebola I was thrilled to hear first hand experiences from doctors and nurses from Sierra Leone and Uganda on how they had helped curb the Ebola epidemic. Prior to this conference, I had only read and watched news about the Ebola epidemic. I had not had a chance to meet face to face and hear stories from the brave warriors who against all odds (poorly equipped hospitals, lack of enough personnel, propaganda that the disease was a biological missile, people seeking help from traditional doctors instead of going to hospital, being stigmatized and isolated from family and friends, watchin...

Every 5th Day of December, volunteers the world over celebrate the International Day of Volunteers. This year even though I was away from my home country Kenya, I joined fellow volunteers in Uganda in an event organised by the country's United Nations office to celebrate the day. The theme this year was:"Your World is Changing, Are You? Volunteer! What excited me most about this year's celebrations is that they paid special attention to the role volunteers can play in the achievement of the new Sustainable Development Goals. Those who know me and/or have been following my updates on social media know that volunteerism and SDGs are the two things I have been keen on this year so having the two combined was a major win for me. For the celebrations in Kampala, we had a 3km procession from the UN offices to Nakaawa market where we did a clean up. We also donated some cleaning tools to the market officials so they can use them for future cleanups. Overall it was a good day...

The discovery of oil has heralded a new economic, social, political and environmental dawn for Uganda.. According to the Petroleum Exploration and Production Department, Uganda’s oil reserves are expected to yield US 12billion a year which would put the country among the foremost of African oil producers. The country has been described as Africa’s hottest inland exploration frontier. With all these expected benefits, it is imperative that both men and women benefit equally from the proceeds of oil exploration and exploitation. Uganda’s national laws and policies recognize the need for gender equality. In addition, Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals stresses the importance of mainstreaming gender in all aspects of development. Women play a variety of crucial roles in the Extractives Industry (EI). From participating in the mineral exploration, to processing, owning mining sites and equipment to buying and selling to agents. However, at the recent regional Sharefair for Wom...

Maybe it was in-born, maybe it was a habit I picked along the way, maybe it was my calling, but for whatever reason it was I must say it has been a journey flowered with fulfillment. Service to the community through volunteering started when I was 16 years old back then in high school. I remember my parents struggling to raise my school fees. It was not easy for them, and it too wasn’t easy for me, to see how hard they ensured I stayed in school and pursue my studies. Needless to say, I could see their love through the hustle they went through and this would trigger me to volunteer in different programs in school leading to my selection to join the Junior Achievement Club. As a member of the club we pioneered a HIV/AIDS programme geared towards supporting needy children at the Carolina for Kibera Children’s home. We would make ribbons and sell them and have the proceeds go to the home. I didn’t put much thought into what I was doing back then but all I remember is that it felt r...

Africa youth must rise up and take part in participatory democracy if they are to change the continent. That was the message delivered to 500 youth in Maputo at the 2nd Africa Youth Conference on Democracy and Good Governance by former South African President H.E Thabo Mbeki. The conference which was convened by the Parlamento Juvenil du Mocambique (Mozambique Youth Parliament) had the theme ‘Africa Beyond 2015’ and focused on strategies young people across Africa can use to effectively engage in implementation and monitoring of development goals. "Being young and irreverent is not all. You need to organize yourselves so that your role can increasingly be significant in combating the ills facing Africa," said Mr Mbeki who spoke during a panel discussion on the legacy and lessons from African leaders. Citing examples of the Young African Students, the African Women's League and other groups that brought together citizens from different countries, Mr Mbeki challenged...