Until recently most of the vegetables consumed in Zanzibar were imported from other parts of Tanzania. But due to the rising demand from the tourism sector, restaurants, hotels and Zanzibar farmers, are gradually taking up horticulture to boost their source of income.
The semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar is home to over a million people, the majority of whom are subsistence farmers. Over the last 20 years, the tourism industry has grown steadily, overtaking what was once the backbone of the nation’s economy, agriculture. Nearly 80 percent of the vegetables used on the island is now imported from other parts of Tanzania. Abdullahi Yahie, an agriculture economist, retired from the African development bank, wants to change this image.
“Our primary goal is to ensure that Zanzibar will get into a position to in fact, rather than import, export vegetables as well as other horticulture to Tanzania as well as to the region.”
Since moving to Zanzibar, Abdullahi has launched an agriculture investment and development company. With the goal of supplying hybrid seeds and raising the awareness of the farmers and to convince them that agriculture is just like any other business, and it can generate enough income for the farmer.
“People realize that it is worth trying. We can see now a lot of people, not ordinary farmers, but even businesspeople are getting into farming, now civil servants are getting into farming. So the feeling is that now the culture is changing.”
It was this passion that triggered him to start Zanzibar agriculture investment and development Inc.
“When I settled here, I recognized that there are a lot of challenges in agriculture and in particular that the island has been very much dependent on imported horticulture, mainly from Tanzania, as well as also Kenya and the neighboring regions.”
Environmentalist says Zanzibar’s climate is favorable for a variety of crops and with improved seeds, productivity stands to increase rapidly.
“Our focus is to ensure that people view agriculture in Zanzibar as a business given the fact that they have a lot of fertile lands as well as plenty of water.”
Abdullahi Yahie’s company is assisting the growers through providing them with inputs, especially quality seeds as well as advanced technology and training to enable the growers to undertake this new type of farming without a problem.
“We advise the farmer on how to use the pesticide, fungicide, maybe direct them on how to control the disease using the pesticide and also how to maintain the farm.”
Critics say poor roads, limited transport facilities and no storage facilities for vegetables, force a lot of farmers to abandon agriculture. But Yahie says these challenges present a great opportunity.
“If the trend continues the way, it is right now, the growing interest we have seen with the local population to get into farming my impression that within five years Zanzibar will be an exporter instead of an importer.”
He hopes that today’s flourishing horticulture industry will help people reduce their annual importation of vegetable from mainland Tanzania, the most prominent supplier of agricultural products to Zanzibar.
A Zambian youth is making strides in innovation and technology. Joseph Lungu is one of Zambia’s youngest innovators, having designed a sports car and security system for motor vehicles.
Joseph Lungu is no ordinary person, at 25 years old, he has earned several ingenuity awards. He has a passion for fast cars, but his ability to build his own car from scrap metal is remarkable. He recently unveiled his latest automobile at a trade show Lusaka.
Lungu has also designed a safety and security device using a cellphone to monitor overloading passenger service vehicles. He discovered his love for innovation when he was just 10 years old.
“I came up with a system that once the vehicle is overloaded, it automatically switches off. At the same time it will make a call to the owner of the vehicle. He will receive a text massage or a video call to alert him or her that car is being overloaded….
Joseph Lungu, comes from a very humble family. He was the winner of the 2017 Zambia innovation award. His innovations are generating a buzz even though they’re still at prototype level.
“I want to prove to Africa that even us, we have the brains that we can use to change the whole world.”
Joseph works at home, where he has turned his family home’s backyard into his workshop — he calls Joe Tech garage.
He uses his engineering skills to design all sorts of electronic products. From a personalized ATM machine, to a custom sports car, to his award-winning car security system.
“I came up with a domestic ATM machine, whereby you’re able to withdraw money using your personal mobile phone. The cool thing about this ATM you’re able to deposit and withdraw money using your mobile phone.”
His goal is to solve problems using scrap metal and information he finds on the internet.
“In Africa we have a lot of problems. I can come up with solutions in agriculture, in the transport business, energy … all it takes is to see where people have problems and you see a solution.”
Parked outside his family’s compound in the Lusaka suburbs is Joseph’s father’s car that he uses for demonstrations.
They configure your number in the vehicle’s system.
This is a point when you put more weight on the car, the car engine will stop and sound and arlm. You see it can’t start…. I have also received a call to show that my vehicle is being overloaded.
The vehicle sensors automatically stop car from moving. Joseph hopes to inspire other young people.
“If you have a dream, if you’re focused, and you have a plan, you can make it without money. Convert that Idea into reality. It only take you believing in yourself that you can do it then you’ll do it.”
Finding funding for his projects is difficult. Joseph says that he depends entirely on his family’s income. But despite the challenges, he remains optimistic.
“I made a touch four sensor which is able to detect the force of a human being. If someone parks the car and activates the system – The moment you want to steal, let’s say the tire, the moment your apply the force on the tire then this system is able to trigger the sensors and it will alert the owner on a mobile phone.”
With his innovation, experts say this could be a game changer, and for a kid whose dream is to dream big, he believes with the right support it can become a reality.
The country’s biggest public works project since colonial times is a $5 billion test of the Belt and Road Initiative’s pledge to be a ‘win-win’ for China and African partners.
It is the biggest public works project ever in Kenya. A $3.8 billion bet on the country’s economic future.
Sealed on a deal with China – to help build a sprawling rail network in east Africa …
They call it the ‘Madaraka Express’ – after Kenyan independence day.
And in its first year of operation, it has given Kenyans new freedom and optimism.
A 10-hour drive time between the coastal city of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi …… slashed by half or more. Frederick, passenger from Nairobi:
“Really there is no comparison to the transport system that we’re used to.”
Shipping costs slashed by half, too – a shot in the arm for business and – hopefully – new jobs.
The train – more widely called the ‘S-G-R’, for standard-gauge railway – is a critical link in something far bigger:
China’s massive ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ – a trillion-dollar plan to finance and build railroads, ports, roads and other huge projects in nearly 70 countries.
China casts Belt and Road as a friendly effort to help emerging economies like Kenya’s.
But the deals are boon for China, too. Chinese state banks lend the money. Then, Chinese companies cash in on construction deals.
Yunnan Chen, is a research fellow at the China-Africa Research Initiative, Johns Hopkins University
“So these infrastructure projects are not altruistic projects. … What Chinese companies get out of it are lucrative infrastructure contracts, where not only Chinese construction firms win these contracts but they also pull along smaller suppliers and other Chinese companies that also get to participate.’’
Belt and Road projects are certifying China’s ascent to the top trade partner for African states.
“If anything it’s an acceleration of existing trends we’ve already seen for the past decade or more, where China has already overtaken the U.S. in terms of being the primary economic partner for African countries and for the continent as a whole.
“Africa does not take the same priority in U.S. foreign policy as perhaps it used to, and it doesn’t occupy the same sort of attention. Whereas for China, the relationship has become, over a decade or more, very politically institutionalized.” she said.
And African countries are getting a payoff.
An extensive survey by McKinsey consulting found that thousands of Chinese-owned firms – some big, some small – are hiring, training and promoting tens of thousands of African workers. Jackline Kemboi, Train Attendant, SGR
“It’s a win-win for me. If you don’t have the Standard Gauge Railway, you’re going to be losing on the economy. … We’ll go back to the ‘80s and ‘90s. We’ll never grow as an economy.”
Kemboi’s story is one the Kenya government wants to reproduce.
She landed a good-paying job after graduating from the railway’s training school.
Ms. Milly Kiziili-Otieno, Kenya Railway Training Institute Principal
“With the SGR training I think we have trained close to 1,000 graduates who are currently running railroad.
“Our graduates have been handling the cabin crew, the maintenance, the passenger operations – all the people that would help in the running of the train have actually passed through this institution.”
Kenya hired Chinese state-owned companies to build the railroad, then operate and maintain it for up to 10 years, when enough Kenyans will be trained to take over.
“The training period is about 3 to 5 years in China. It takes about 3 years to become an assistant driver and 5 years to become a driver.
“For less than one year of training, the Kenyan trainees are still interns.”
Another success story: Edgar Sirucha, a Mandarin-speaking civil engineer.
He was hired by China Railway Construction Corporation to work on roads.
“I studied in China for my bachelor and master’s degree, and it was in engineering. And to see a country that has been so developed, I carried the dream here. And I hope one day I see a Kenya that is so developed or even further developed than China.”
But the SGR has also become hugely controversial.
Most recently, the arrests of Kenya Railway’s managing director and the country’s land commission chief — accused with others of fraudulent SGR property deals.
And there are complaints that the Chinese kept the best-paying jobs for themselves … mistreated Kenyans in lower-skilled positions … even segregated them in cafeterias.
Kenya Railways and lawmakers are investigating the treatment of workers. The officials accused of land fraud pleaded not guilty.
For his part, Sirucha said tensions sometimes do surface on the job … but they can be overcome.
“Coming here, of course there are challenges. I’ve got people who complain the pay is low; I’ve got people complain the hours are long. I’ve got people who complain the Chinese don’t treat them right. Everyone has a reason to complain.
“But if you have a vision, if you have a driving force – that makes those problems be actually stepping stones.”
Kenya’s economy has been growing – but not as fast as neighboring Ethiopia – where the Chinese also financed and built a railway.
The government is counting on the SGR to deliver. Already the line is being extended to connect with proposed industrial parks and eventually reach into Uganda.
James Macharia is Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing & Urban Development:
“As you know the plan is to have the SGR contribute about 2.5 percent of GDP. You’ve seen the impact of the transport from Mombasa to Nairobi, both for passenger and for freight.
“And so by the time we put the SGR up to Malaba it will be adding another 2.5 percent of the country’s GDP.”
Other Kenya Railway and government officials declined VOA’s interview requests. So did the SGR’s builder, China Road and Bridge Corporation, and the Chinese embassy.
In Mombasa, officials say cargo traffic is growing thanks to the SGR’s lower costs.
Until recently, Catherine Mturi-Wairi was managing director at the Kenya Ports Authority.
“We are looking at $250 for a 20-foot container and $300 for a 40-foot container. Compared to trucks we are looking at $700 US dollars for a 20-footer, and $800 US. So it is definitely cheaper to go by rail.”
But what’s good for the SGR isn’t good for long-haul truckers.
They say the train already has cut into their business. Mahfudh Mbarak Mahfoud is a long distance track driver.
“The business was great in the beginning. The trucks would leave from Mombasa to Kampala, unload the containers and come back. That’s how we worked.
“But since the SRG, our work has been affected.” “The future doesn’t look bright.”
Officials say that in the end, truckers will benefit as container traffic increases at points inland.
“The railway can only take up to 40 percent of cargo. … So you will find that whatever is taken up by the railway line, ultimately has to be trucked to someplace.” The SGR’s economics depend on more than cargo and passengers.
To build the railway’s first leg, Kenya borrowed almost all the $3.8 billion-dollar cost from the Chinese.
Same for the next section – now under construction – another 1.5 billion dollars. The debt makes China far and away Kenya’s biggest lender.
Repayment was forgiven for five years – but in 2019, loan obligations to the Chinese will rise more than 5-fold.
Critics fear the debt will make the SGR a long-term loser – a victim to China’s “debt-trap diplomacy.”
Akshay Vishwanath is an environmental activist who studied SGR finances.
“Any country any business any company uses debt to grow. But the magnitude of that debt, the ability to repay, the magnitude of those loans in comparison to the gross domestic product all does matter.
“And I don’t think that level of analysis has been conducted for this project, and therefore I say we need to worry.”
SGR passengers already are paying 70 percent more for tickets than when the train launched a year ago.
One of the SGR’s fiercest opponents is Okiya Omtatah Okoiti. He has filed lawsuits alleging Kenya failed to do sufficient economic or environmental studies.
Instead, he said the government bowed to the Chinese.
Okiya Omtatah, lawyer and activist
“With the Chinese, everything is negotiated in China, the money is paid in China like the SGR money. What is brought to Kenya is the debt.”
Omtatah said China should be working to lessen financial risk for African states that take part in the Belt and Road Initiative.
“… So you can end up with a developed China and a developed Africa. But we’re going to end up with the corrupt states in Africa, with a thriving China, which is the main problem we have.”
Across Africa, the needs are great. The Africa Development Bank said countries face an annual infrastructure funding gap of some $70 to $108 billion. China has pledged $60 billion in financing for Belt and Road projects in Africa.
“There is some justified skepticism on the part of the World Bank and other economic financiers on the economic viability of these new railways.”
“Estimates for justification of the Kenya railway really depend on whether the target for freight can be met. This will depend in a large part on how well the Chinese and Kenyans can cooperate to localize skills and knowledge to operate and maintain the railway in order to make it sustainable.”
It’s too early to say whether the Madaraka Express will be an engine of progress for all Kenyans.
But there’s no doubt it’s already a win for the Chinese.
Nearly 4 million people live in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Perhaps no big city has such an abundance of nature — right at its back door.
“This is like what Central Park is to New York.”
Trish Hayes has been a Nairobi National Park fan for many years.
On the border of one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities, it is home to endangered rhinos, lions, buffalo, giraffes – more than 400 species.
The British first protected the land in the 1940s. And it has remained unspoiled …
Until now.
Kenya’s government is extending the country’s new Chinese-built railway straight through the heart of the park …… splitting the cherished preserve in two … … and igniting a firestorm. Opponents say they were blindsided.
Until his death earlier this year, Sidney Kuntai led the coalition fighting the route. He said construction started before most Kenyans understood.
“In the last one year and a half … This matter was kept in the dark.”
Chinese contractors erected massive concrete pillars – an elevated track visible from one end of the preserve to the other.
The railway, known as the S-G-R, is a vital link in China’s trillion-dollar “Belt and Road” initiative – a massive effort to build railways, roads and ports linking Africa, Asia and Europe.
China promises to lift emerging economies like Kenya’s with new trade and manufacturing.
But there’s also an environmental price to pay.
According to the World Wildlife Federation, that hundreds of threatened and endangered species stand in the way of China’s construction plans …
Critics say that in the rush for jobs, Kenya’s government failed to properly study the environmental impact.
Lawyer Okiya Omtatah Okoiti joined conservationists who sued to halt the extension.
“I got court orders stopping it, until there were some few basic minimums, like an environmental study to understand the impact of the SGR on the environment, a socioeconomic survey, what was the impact of the SGR on the communities where it was going to pass.”
But ultimately, the challengers lost in court.
“All these things are not in place, and the Chinese are busy blasting.”
The Kenya Railways Corporation and Chinese builders declined to answer VOA’s questions or agree to interviews about Nairobi National Park.
But the Kenya Wildlife Agency did allow VOA to visit the Tsavo National Park in central Kenya to see the SGR’s impact there.
The railway’s first leg, from Nairobi to Mombasa, opened a year ago. It cuts through the five-thousand-square mile preserve.
A busy highway and older rail line already split the park.
The new train adds yet another obstacle, disrupting wildlife migration and attracting human squatters.
Dr. Ben Okita is with Save the Elephants. He is helping Kenya Wildlife to study the environmental effects.
“One major impact the SGR has had on the ecosystem is to do with interfering with the contiguous movement and the ecosystem. So, it’s contributing to further the splitting of Tsavo East and Tsavo West national park.”
The Chinese built eight high overpasses to allow wildlife to move freely under the train.
To see if they’re working, Okita uses GPS collars to tag elephants and track their movements.
His maps show signs that the animals are confused.
“There is crossing, but then you can see there are some sections, where the animal seems to be struggling. They stay right there doing a lot of pacing here.”
Making matters worse, humans are drawn to the overpasses because they create park access for livestock and scavenging.
“Because of these human settlements, when animals want to come through, they reach a point where they’re scared. … So then that underpass eventually is rendered useless for wildlife.”
The Chinese built concrete and wire fence guards the track from animals. But they are failing.
“This outer fence line is barely one year old. And you can see already seriously damaged by wildlife. And because of that, the risks of wildlife crossing over and causing accidents are very high.”
Now, all the original fencing is being replaced.
Alex Mwazo of Kenya Wildlife Service is on the research team at Tsavo.
He said most animals – Zebras, Buffaloes, Antelopes, even Lions – are slowly adjusting.
One exception: The giraffes.
“Giraffes tend to be shy animals, so it will take time before they actualize and gain the confidence and start utilizing the underpasses.”
Lala Frederick is the leader of Mwazo’s research team.
Although buffalo and other animals have been hit by the train, Mwazo said SGR is less of a risk than trucks on the nearby highway.
“Their main problem is not even the railway, I think the road adjacent to the railway, is just a like a brick wall.”
While scientists studied the impact on Tsavo, Kenyans looked on with alarm as the train cut Nairobi National Park in two.
Their protests in March came too late.
By that time, Chinese builders had bulldozed into the preserve, quickly erecting an imposing row of concrete pillars to support the track.
Eventually the route will extend to the Ugandan border.
Long-time neighbors say the government turned its back on the park’s heritage.
Kitengela Glass sits at the end of a long dirt road in Oosilikron, south of the park.
Owner Nani Croze has collected newspaper clippings documenting every twist of the railroad construction.
“They had so many different maps, and I’m sure it was to confuse people, because nobody knew when we …
Croze said something precious is being forever lost.
“We have so few animals. African animals. Where do you find them? In Kenya! Maybe a few in Tanzania. Maybe a few, not even Uganda any more.
And how can you — this is such a treasure! This is a treasure of the world.
And here you come, and you sell it to the Chinese? For a railway? Bloody Hell!”
On a South African airliner, much like this one, Shaka and I left from Dulles international airport outside Washington DC on the evening July 17th. It was a tremendously exciting, rewarding, productive and tiring trip.
We started out in Zimbabwe, where Shaka moderated the hugely successful and widely attended first ever presidential debate — in a post-Robert Mugabe era. The television, radio and internet broadcast was co-produced by the voice of America and the rising zimpapers television network.
We covered political rallies for both the leading opposition party – mdc alliance and the ruling party zanu pf. The general elections to elect the president and members of both houses of parliament were held on July 30th. On Election Day, Shaka visited different polling stations to witness the voting process which was mostly peaceful. Journalists and observers were granted access to all polling stations.
However, deadly protests broke out after supporters of the opposition felt that preliminary election results announced by the Zimbabwe electoral commission did not reflect their own exit poll tallying. But the final official election results showed that incumbent Emerson Mnangagwa won last month’s presidential election with 50.8% of the vote, while Nelson Chamisa of the m-d-c alliance trailed with 44.3%. The opposition alleges that the figures were manipulated.
I met with “citizen’s manifesto”, a non-partisan coalition of young Zimbabweans representing various constituencies; civil society, faith-based organizations, students, youth and women who want to see a better Zimbabwe.
My next stop was “impact hub Harare”, a co-working space where change makers, social disrupters, impact innovators, and entrepreneurs interested in solving everyday problems gather to see their start-ups launched.
From Zimbabwe, Shaka traveled to Malawi and his first stop was a meeting Malawian journalists — and a meeting with the former official hostess of the late Malawian president Kamuzu Banda.
Shaka also had a one-on-one with former president, Bakili Muluzi, in Blantyre. Muluzi served as the first freely elected president of Malawi from 1994 to 2004. As Shaka would say — Muluzi is retired but not tired, he is involved with many charitable organizations.
Shaka also conducted an exclusive interview with Malawi’s vice president Saulos Chilima, who has expressed interest in running for president in next year’s elections. Chilima, 45, a former chief executive officer of the mobile-network operator “Airtel Malawi limited” left the ruling democratic progressive party last month, saying corruption in the government is at an all-time high. We’ll have more of Shaka’s interview with Chilima on an upcoming episode of straight talk Africa.
Many Africans use charcoal for their cooking, but over the years the effect has been disastrous for the continent’s forests. In Tanzania, a new home-grown energy saving cook stove fueled entirely with gas has the locals buzzing.
A revolutionary gas stove invented in Tanzania has won several international ingenuity awards. The stove has transformed the lives of people living in several impoverished communities in the east African country. Now, orders for the gas stove are arriving from across the country and beyond. Here is a quick demonstration of the product.
“i will start with the first process of how to release the gas. Make sure that everything is connected very well, like this; now this bolt holds the tank in place. As you can see the cooker is ready for cooking.”
Humility is what describes innocent kazungu, a self-taught engineer with inventions in a wide variety of pursuits, including office carpet, a gas flat iron box, a massive duty vacuum cleaning the machine, and environmentally friendly paper bags. He has a remarkable ability to use locally sourced materials to invent products, despite repeated hardships.
Kazungu is part of a new breed of young African innovators. He says that in his community, families spend hours looking for firewood, bending over a hot Smokey charcoal stoves preparing their meals and this ignited his interest to come up with a solution that is cheap and user-friendly.
“The place where i live there is a woman who sells charcoal. Someone came to buy charcoal worth 2000 Tanzania shillings. The amount she got was minimal, and she started complaining that it was not enough to cook with… that’s where i started having this idea. She was saying some of us cannot buy gas tanks, so what do we do.”
Innocent kazungu spent several months working on a prototype for the cooker, a process that wasn’t easy. Now, his cutting-edge design has picked up several international innovation awards. The stove is entirely made out of scrap metal found in the slums around Dar el Salaam.
“I started designing this cooker. Well if people are complaining that they cannot afford enough charcoal and they cannot afford to buy the big tank. So this cooker which is smaller and uses a small gas (tank) and they can use it for several days and cut down cost.” Since the introduction of the gas stove, – it has become a hit in the city. Martha Mkunde is a local businesswoman interested in buying the product.
“For now, I’ll start with ten pieces and see how the customers respond to them and if they like them I’ll continue to sell them”
Mary Mwandre, a resident of Dar el Salaam, says this stove will have a significant impact on the community and hopes that the idea will spread across the country.
“We’re very inspired by what he’s doing. He is doing something that he’s passionate about, and you can see it in him. If he gets, sponsor, he can expand his knowledge and probably take this project to another level. i am sure he will be on a different level in the next five years.”
Kazungu hopes to use this platform to network and scout for potential investors. For a young man whose dreams are significant, the sky is the limit on his ideas and inventions.
A Congolese entrepreneur is leading one of the world’s largest container shipping companies’ Maersk line, in the democratic republic of Congo, and Congo Brazzaville.
Her story is inspiring to thousands across the region. Despite repeated hardships, Nancy Mbalayi’s ability to lead a male-dominated industry is amazing. As the chief finance officer for Maersk line, she oversees the democratic republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville, managing nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenues.
“When they look at you as a young lady, when you are competing with other men in this industry, and the shipping industry is a very high male-dominated industry. You have to show that you are a master at what you do. So, I challenge myself to go out of my comfort zone, to learn a bit faster, and also to show that I can take more.”Mbalayi is part of the next generation of young African leaders who are trying to make a difference and inspire others to aspire for leadership positions.“You need to have the passion first for what you are doing. You need to be highly engaged and motivated because it is not easy, especially in our context here in the D.R. Congo and Congo Brazzaville. There’s a lot of challenges that you cannot master. So, you always have to be ready to make the right decision at the right time.”Mbalayi attributes her accomplishments to partners and supporters and says her goal is to empower other young entrepreneurs through mentorship programs.“It goes far beyond the capital; because leading people, it all starts with leading yourself. You have to know who you are, what your values are, what makes you fight every day, and what makes you tick. Because the why is the reason – why you wake up every morning, despite what’s going on in your life.”Nancy’s rise to the top has not been without its challenges.The challenges are a lot, but I see them as a way to do better, to improve. As a woman in our African society, we are seen as a mother first more than a human being. So, the people looking after you to take care of your family, to be a good wife, to ensure that the food is ready that the house is clean and whatever. So, I would say that it requires additional effort.With offices in Kinshasa and Matadi, Maersk line is creating employment and helping businesses in the country to connect with key global markets.The voice of America was recently given an exclusive tour of the new multi-billion-dollar container terminal located at Matadi on the Congo River. The facility opened for business in august 2016 with the help of the Philippines, in partnerships with the Congolese government and the private sector.The new terminal is fitted with state of the art security cameras, sophisticated computer systems, modern cargo handling and storage facilities — including a fire engine and an ambulance on site. The new terminal dubbed a one-stop shop has dramatically reduced the cost of doing business transactions like clearing cargo and paying taxes — it has also restored some faith in the system.Critics say that even though Maersk line has made a concerted effort to localize many management positions previously held by expats in Africa, the company still falls short and needs to do more.
Could robotic traffic cops become the ultimate answer to solving one of the worst traffic jams in the democratic republic of Congo? These 8-foot traffic robots are the talk of the town — and they’re giving human traffic police some severe competition.
The Congolese capital – Kinshasa has one of the worst traffic problems in the region. In the sprawling city of over 12 million, residents often say they plan their lives around the heavy traffic, which usually continues throughout the day. Driving short distances can often take hours. Drivers often disregard simple traffic rules. Traffic patterns are very unpredictable in Kinshasa. If you are driving to a location less than a mile away, you might need to give yourself 60 minutes lead time, and sometimes it’s even faster to walk.
Disgusted by the city’s traffic, Therese Izzy, a Congolese engineer, set out to find a solution. Working under the umbrella organization of Congolese women engineers, they developed a homegrown innovation dubbed robotic traffic lights. It’s an invention makes it difficult for Kinshasa’s motorists to get away with traffic violations.
“The robot has two important applications; the first application is for road safety, it functions like any traffic lights in the world. The second application is the surveillance cameras. The robots send images in real time to the monitoring team.”
The solar-powered aluminum robots are gigantic, towering over the streets jammed with cars and motorcycles blasting their horns and jostling for room.
Many commuters are forced to travel in old vehicles that often leave them stranded.
“What’s right about the robot is that it gives you clear signals. Unlike traffic police, i think the robot is better because they don’t to stop and talk to you. According to Kadomula, a motorist.
Since 2013, these robots have been helping to control Kinshasa’s traffic, with rotating chests and surveillance cameras that record the flow of traffic and send real-time images to the police station who use the footage to monitor infractions. Another motorist shares a similar sentiment.
“I prefer the robot. Because you cannot distract the robot. And the traffic police can ask you for money. So I prefer the robot.”
What started out as a pilot project, has now expanded beyond the capital city, to include Lubumbashi and Matadi. Izay says this technology is being adopted in other countries in the region.
“We are ready, we are waiting for other countries to invite us to transfer our technology, and we have already signed a contract with C.A.R We are waiting for them to finance the project. We are in talks with Ivory Coast, Congo Brazzaville, and Gabon.
Kinshasa’s rush hour traffic is slowly easing at some of its major intersections. Not all motorists are fully on board with the robots.
“The robot works fine it’s good. But sometimes it does not work very well, we, drivers sometimes don’t follow its signals.”
Some critics say that at a cost about 25-thousand dollars per unit, the robots are too expensive for most of the cities in the region. However, Therese Izay, says her company is trying to position itself as a rising force in the area by producing more traffic controlling robots.
This is a fascinating story about a Zambian woman, a trained nurse and cardiologist in Australia, who quit her medical career and moved back to southern Africa to launch Tuzini Farms, a commercial farming company that specializes in growing tomatoes.
Being passionate about your work is a major key to being successful — and Maria Zelina Zaloumis is no exception.
“I love farming it’s a passion and a hobby—Farming is very addictive, and I plant every day.”
It was that passion that triggered her to revive her family’s half hectare tomato farm after her father became too sick to continue as its manager.
“I came back here, and I wasn’t satisfied with what I saw in the public hospital especially the availability looking after people as you know it’s my job I also wanted to change in career. So I changed it and these plants are very similar to my profession when I’m looking at I’m looking at plants, I am looking at people. They need nutrients, they need water, need food, and finally, they make children who are the tomato.”
With a small amount of savings from her old job, Maria has now turned her family farm into a commercially viable and profitable business.
“I have five different varieties on the farm. This variety I grow according to the market, so I grow for the supermarkets, as well as your regular markets. For example, this red tomato and I grow it according to the season in winter and summer. This is the quality of the tomato, and I only take it off when its blood red.”
Dubbed Zambia’s “Tomato Queen” and the nation’s youngest commercial farmer, Zuloumis has her sights set on expansion. Today, the Tuzuni tomato farm employs over 40 workers and brings in about $800 dollars a day.
“My main aim is to reduce the poverty that’s happening especially in my country in Zambia there’s a lot of poverty, there’s a lot of unemployment, there’s a lot of crime, so by giving people jobs, I am empowering them to become better in Life.”
Maria admits that she doesn’t have any formal training or background in farming, so she depends on the advice of Remmy Mayinga her Syngenta agronomist — a crop growing expert — on what species to grow and how to effectively manage the farm.
“I come down to the farm and do the scouting, and I go field by field trying to identify the problem and sit down with Maria. Draw up the spray program, look at what type of chemicals she has in stock and what is needed. The help I am rendering to her is some technical advice and some fertilization and how she is supposed to keep the crop and get high yields.”
Mayinga is also farmer, and he says Zambian youth should change their mindset about agriculture and go into farming.
“I want to empower the youth to go into farming. There is money in agriculture than waiting to get a salary at the end of the every month.”
Like any start-up company, the Tuzini farm is not without its challenges. For example, price fluctuations, the weather and getting the tomatoes to the marketplace can be a challenge, but Maria remains confident.
“What inspired me was when I came on a half a hectare, I saw the potential that the farm could have. I wanted to invest the money that I came back within something lucrative, and farming was the way to go, and I enjoy it it’s just the passion that I have.”
For young people wishing to get into farming, her advice is to be willing to get their hands dirty. Maria’s dream is to build the next tomato processing plant so she will be able to export her tomatos across region to other African countries and beyond.
This is a fascinating story of a remarkable young man James Mooney who is already taking a leadership role in helping some of the worlds’ most vulnerable people young children diagnosed with Cancer and two hospitals partnering together for a social cause to address pediatric cancer in Mbarara Western Uganda.
The World Health Organization reports over 200,000 children worldwide receive a cancer diagnosis each year. Four-fifths of these children could survive, if they received appropriate medical care. Ninety per cent of deaths in children with cancer are in low-income countries where medical care is not available or adequate to treat their cancers.
Well, I have come here in Boston find out more about pediatric cancer and what this partnership between Massachusetts General Hospital and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, the teaching hospital of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, in South Western Uganda is about.
It all started nearly three years ago when a young James Mooney was on a summer vacation with his parents visiting Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Hospital, and a village home of a sick child. This eye-opening journey inspired James Mooney to return with a plan to raise awareness for children with cancer by recruiting students to run in a race, “Uganda Color Run for Pediatric Cancer,” and raise money through a GO FUND ME website for this cause.
“I do fundraising and work on projects in Uganda to raise awareness for pediatric cancer and build more facilities at Mbarara University of Science and technology to help them build better facilities and better equipment to combat pediatric cancer.”`
James Mooney comes from a generous family – their Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation, has given away more than $13 million in charitable contributions in recent years. The Mooney family is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
They have many charitable interests. Through his parent’s interest in supporting Mbarara Hospital, James is developing his own interests in Uganda. He and his family are raising money to build a malnutrition clinic for children and an emergency medical fund for Mbarara hospital.
“Three years ago was my first trip to Uganda, I went with my family, and we went with Doctor David Bangsburge. He used to work at Mass General Hospital, and he used to be the heard of the Global Health Initiative. So he brought us to Uganda to show us around and show us the facilities, the country, and what his project was all about. And at the end of the trip, I decided that maybe this is something I want to get involved. So I decided, I went to David, and I was like “hey I want to do a project I want to help out. What does the hospital need?” And he was like, “well they are trying to build a new pediatric cancer ward. And they need help with that. In general, in that region of Africa, they need help raising awareness for pediatric cancer.”
James Mooney and his family in collaboration with Mass General Hospital have since built strong ties with Mbarara University and Mbarara Hospital and promised to be a lifeline for those children diagnosed with Cancer. So far this young budding philanthropist has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support Mbarara Hospital, and some of the money has gone directly to the construction of this pediatric cancer ward.
“My big goal was to raise the money so that I can build the facilities so that they could treat pediatric cancer but also raise awareness, and that’s where the idea of the color run came in.
Mooney says early detection for pediatric Cancer is critical and a lot of people especially young children don’t know how, or they don’t have the means to detect it early.
I’ve always wanted to help others and improve the lives of people who are less fortunate or just improve the lives of anyone who needs help. And I guess just to be the best version of myself.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, and Mbarara Hospital have had a Partnership that spans a couple of years. Dr. Howard Weinstein, Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Mass General Hospital for Children has made several trips to Uganda. He says that Mass General clinicians and researchers are helping to improve health care and conduct pioneering research in Uganda.
“My goal is to be able to take what we’ve learned here, use it to all parts of the world, and we’ve been very excited to work with our colleagues and Mbarara Uganda. To help develop a Childhood Cancer program so that children in Uganda can have the same opportunity for a long and healthy life as do the children that we’ve seen in Boston Massachusetts.”
There are over a dozen types of childhood cancers and several sub-types. Dr. Weinstein says Pediatric cancer remains a leading cause of death in children in developing countries but is treatable.
“Our goal is to develop a program that involves on training doctors nurses pharmacist and pathologist how to diagnose and treat children with cancer I’m willing to help the team in Mbarara become very of the necessary careless involved in taking charge of a patient who has cancer.”
Cancer in differs considerably from cancer in people of all other ages and the cause of cancer in children is not known.
“We don’t know what causes childhood cancer, but despite that, we can successfully treat many, many children. We’re doing a lot of research to try and understand what causes childhood cancer.”
Mass General’s Web site says the Collaborations between Mbarara University Hospital and Mass General physicians and scientists began over a decade ago. Initially focused on the care and treatment of persons living with HIV, the collaboration has grown to include cutting-edge biomedical research, technology innovation, and economic barriers to improved health.
Cara Olivier is a nurse practitioner at the cancer center and with its global health program. She has been traveling back-and-forth to Mbarara Uganda for the last two years to work on the adult and pediatric oncology initiative. She says the partnership between the two hospitals could not have come at better time.
“What I found was a group of physicians and nurses and pharmacists who are all working incredibly hard, and all wanted to deepen their understanding of oncology care and the best way to help patients who are diagnosed with cancer and true to their illness.
“The challenges I hear most commonly, are that they know exactly what to do to help the patient get through this diagnosis. And they’re just trying to find the resources to make it happen it is an incredibly intelligent group, and bright group of physicians, and nurses who know what they need to make it better and who are just looking for ways to access that.”
The partnership has helped Mbarara Hospital start centers of excellence. For example, treating adult cancer and children’s cancer. Speaking about the collaboration between the two hospitals, D r. Celestine Barigye, Director of the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, said with the help of Mass General Hospital – they’ve built a new ward for pediatric cancer and cancer patients, especially children, have been moved away from those with general illness.
“I appreciate Mass General Hospital from the United States. Who has given us the money that we used to construct and initiate this project and therefore as we progress, we’re going to handle diseases of the adults, cancers of children but also we’re working very closely with Uganda can institute which will be giving us medicines. ”
Meanwhile, Last year Uganda’s only radiotherapy machine used for treating cancer broke down beyond repair, and that left thousands unable to get potentially life-saving treatment. Sources say that the government has purchased a new machine. The project will support the Uganda Cancer Institute to deliver high-level Education, clinical training, and research and provide care for cancer management for Ugandans as well as the population of the region.
Her story is inspiring to thousands across the region. Despite repeated hardships, Nancy Mbalayi’s ability to lead a male-dominated industry is amazing. As the chief finance officer for Maersk line, she oversees the democratic republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville, managing nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenues.
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