Boxing boosts girls in Kenya Canadian connection to help Boxgirls empower more students
Friday, March 7, 2014
Boxgirls head coach is Sarahj Ndisi, whose organization is training about 800 girls in Kenya, mostly through schools, but hopes to expand to over 1,000 students with the new funding from MATCH International Women’s Fund.
OTTAWA —
Ottawa is a long way from Nairobi, but the MATCH International Women’s
Fund hopes to bridge the distance through the sport of boxing.
The Canadian non-profit introduced its newest partner Wednesday night, Kenya’s Boxgirls. The group trains girls in Kenya’s slums and rural villages to box, hoping to empower them to improve their lives and communities.
“[Boxing] teaches self-confidence and leadership, but it’s also totally transforming how the communities view those women,” said Jessica Tomlin of the MATCH International Women’s Fund. It “allows those young girls to have a different world view as they grow up.”
Boxgirls is training about 800 girls in Kenya, mostly through schools, but hopes to expand to over 1,000 students with the new funding from MATCH.
Cynthia Coredo, director of Boxgirls, spoke glowingly of MATCH’s support during her visit in Ottawa.
“It’s opening up new ways for girls to come together from the villages ... to create a platform for women to be a positive influence in changing their own communities,” she said.
Coredo is not a boxing instructor, but she has learned the sport from unconventional trainers over the years.
“I’m very proud to say that my mentors have been eight-year-old girls who’ve come to my office to try to teach me some boxing skills,” she said.
Coredo said she hopes Boxgirls will be able to reach out to girls in other African countries. “By supporting these girls, (Canadians) are giving them a platform to have a voice. They’re going to create safe spaces for girls to figure out their own ideas, and they will become leaders for the other girls in their community.”
MATCH director Jessica Tomlin said that unlike other non-profits, MATCH tries to focus on supporting grassroots initiatives such as Boxgirls instead of spending money on expensive infrastructure. She’s also critical of the amount of aid Canada gives to women in third-world countries.
“I’d like there to be a bit of a disruptive conversation about the fact that, of all charitable giving in this country, eight per cent is going to international causes,” said Tomlin. ”Of that eight per cent, five to six per cent is going towards natural disasters, so you can imagine what’s actually going to women.”
“I think we can play a better role in supporting human rights work in supporting civil society organizations to hold ground, and break ground. That’s ultimately how we’re going to create real change.”
Boxgirls has certainly made a difference for the girls of Kenya. Several of its students have even chosen to pursue professional boxing.
One of them, Elizabeth Adhiambo, became the first Kenyan woman to box in the Olympics during the 2012 Games in London.
The Canadian non-profit introduced its newest partner Wednesday night, Kenya’s Boxgirls. The group trains girls in Kenya’s slums and rural villages to box, hoping to empower them to improve their lives and communities.
“[Boxing] teaches self-confidence and leadership, but it’s also totally transforming how the communities view those women,” said Jessica Tomlin of the MATCH International Women’s Fund. It “allows those young girls to have a different world view as they grow up.”
Boxgirls is training about 800 girls in Kenya, mostly through schools, but hopes to expand to over 1,000 students with the new funding from MATCH.
Cynthia Coredo, director of Boxgirls, spoke glowingly of MATCH’s support during her visit in Ottawa.
“It’s opening up new ways for girls to come together from the villages ... to create a platform for women to be a positive influence in changing their own communities,” she said.
Coredo is not a boxing instructor, but she has learned the sport from unconventional trainers over the years.
“I’m very proud to say that my mentors have been eight-year-old girls who’ve come to my office to try to teach me some boxing skills,” she said.
Coredo said she hopes Boxgirls will be able to reach out to girls in other African countries. “By supporting these girls, (Canadians) are giving them a platform to have a voice. They’re going to create safe spaces for girls to figure out their own ideas, and they will become leaders for the other girls in their community.”
MATCH director Jessica Tomlin said that unlike other non-profits, MATCH tries to focus on supporting grassroots initiatives such as Boxgirls instead of spending money on expensive infrastructure. She’s also critical of the amount of aid Canada gives to women in third-world countries.
“I’d like there to be a bit of a disruptive conversation about the fact that, of all charitable giving in this country, eight per cent is going to international causes,” said Tomlin. ”Of that eight per cent, five to six per cent is going towards natural disasters, so you can imagine what’s actually going to women.”
“I think we can play a better role in supporting human rights work in supporting civil society organizations to hold ground, and break ground. That’s ultimately how we’re going to create real change.”
Boxgirls has certainly made a difference for the girls of Kenya. Several of its students have even chosen to pursue professional boxing.
One of them, Elizabeth Adhiambo, became the first Kenyan woman to box in the Olympics during the 2012 Games in London.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
Kenya's Nairobi commuters face chaos amid taxi fees protest
Friday, March 7, 2014
Most people in Nairobi rely on taxis to get around
Public transport has been paralysed in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, as taxi operators protest against higher parking fees in the city.
Many people were forced to walk to work after roads were barricaded. The fees have been introduced by Nairobi governor Evans Kidero to ease congestion.
His motorcade was also blocked by taxi operators in the city centre and he had to walk for part of his journey, reports the BBC's Wanyama Chebusiri.
Private minibus taxis, known as matatus, are the main mode of transport in Nairobi.
Matatu Owners Association representative Michael Kariuki said higher parking fees would knock them out of business.
Nairobi governor Evans Kidero (in front) was forced to walk about 300m to his office
The taxi operators say they cannot afford the fees imposed by Mr Kidero
Riot police police played a cat and mouse game with protesters during rush-hour on Wednesday morning, as they tried to bring order to the chaotic city, our correspondent says.
Police cleared some of the roads, blocked by the protesters, later in the morning, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reports.
Mbabazi is still NRM Secretary General - Museveni
Friday, March 7, 2014
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi
President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed that Amama Mbabazi is still Secretary General of the ruling party NRM and will not face any disciplinary hearing.
Here below is the full statement from STATE HOUSE:
I have read what was in the papers today regarding the NThose meetings spent some time discussing the rumours, which have been circulating, with a view to ending them and galvanize the cohesion of the Movement. Unfortunately, the media has put out a lot of distortions purporting to be relaying the conclusions of these Caucus meetings.
The allegation that the Secretary-General, the Rt. Hon. Mbabazi, had been replaced by the Hon. Todwong, for instance, is not true. The Secretary-General is still the Secretary-General. However, on account of being very busy as Prime Minister, I, some time last year, appointed the Hon. Todwong as Minister without Portfolio in charge of Mobilization to help the Secretary General run the day to day activities of mass political work. He is, however, not Secretary General. The Deputy Secretary-General, Hon. Dorothy Hyuha, was appointed as Ambassador and posted to Tanzania as our High Commissioner.
On the issue of referring some NRM Leaders to the Disciplinary Committee, this was a misrepresentation because the various levels of NRM, including CEC, are still studying the sources and authenticity of these rumours.
In any case the NRM Parliamentary Caucus did not pass formal Resolutions. Therefore, the NRM supporters are requested to stay calm and continue with their normal work. The leadership, under my oversight, is handling all the issues caused by the rumours.
Yoweri K. Museveni
CHAIRMAN NATIONAL READ MORE..........
CA swearing-in to cost Sh558 million
Friday, March 7, 2014
 |
| Mr Freeman Mbowe, leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament and Chadema national chairman |
Dodoma. The Constituent Assembly (CA) has agreed that members should be sworn in individually.
But the decision will cost the taxpayers a
whopping Sh558 million in upkeep and special allowances for 620 members
for the three days they will be doing nothing but waiting to be sworn
in.
There will be an additional cost in pay for supporting staff whose number has not been made public.
The decision was reached after a fierce debate
during which some speakers proposed that delegates be sworn in
collectively to save time and money.
But then, others maintained that the oath was a personal commitment to be made by an individual.
Mr Freeman Mbowe, leader of the Official
Opposition in Parliament and Chadema national chairman, backed the
suggestion that members be sworn in collectively to save taxpayers’
money.
But Ms Anne Makinda, who is also the Speaker of
the National Assembly, rallied behind those calling for individual
swearing-in, saying an oath should be regarded as a personal commitment
made before God.
On Tuesday, the chairman of the Draft Standing
Orders committee, Prof Costa Mahalu, told the assembly that the team had
proposed that members take oath in three groups.
He said the committee made the decision after
considering the cost of swearing in more than 620 members one by one,
adding that the exercise could take at least three days.
Prof Mahalu said the committee suggested that
members take oath in three groups, namely those of: Muslims, Christians
and non-believers.
“We have considered this matter and come to the
conclusion that it will take us at least three days. It should be
remembered that we have not started to discuss anything regarding the
new Constitution. We suggest that taking the oath in groups is the best
option. This is only a suggestion; the final decision is in your hands,”
he said.
He added that the committee decided to adopt the system used by doctors and advocates, who take the oath in groups
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