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SEPTEMBER 2004 - PART TWO

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CAP presents the money at State House

Receiving the money from the CAP UK at State House Nairobi is President Kibaki (left). The money was presented by Mrs. Rwamba (second left), and Mr. Steve Kimemia a lecturer at the Manchester University far right. Kenya's High Commisisoner in the UK Mr. Joe Muchemi is seen behind President Kibaki (second left).

Mr. Steve Kimemia being welcomed the President Kibaki at State House Nairobi

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£10,000 for a borehole at orphans home

Mrs. Anne Chege of New Hope Orphan Children's home in Kenya left London for US on Monday 30th August, 2004 where she will be staying for the next one month. Mr&Mrs. Chege held a successful but poorly attended fundraising on Sunday 29th August, 2004 in London in aid of their orphans home in Kenya. Very few Kenyans attended but the few who attended contributed generously and over £3,500 was contributed. At the same fundraising a UK based charitable organisation Hand in Hand in Chemsford donated £10,000 for the construction of a borehole at the orphans home. Children travels for over 3 kilometres to buy water. Mrs. Chege's home accommodates 72 orphaned children. Feeding, clothing and educating them. They life in a five bed roomed house leased to them for five years  by a Kenyan family which now ends up in December, 2004. They have bought a three acre plot next to the home where they are building a new home for the children. At the fundraising, Mrs. Chege narrated to the guests about the life in the orphans children home in Kenya. Notably at the fundraising was a 26-year-old Kenya lady Njeri from North London has visited the home this year and was moved by the work Mrs. Chege. She was a guest at the function and brought some money and had talked 12 of her friends who will be giving £10 each month towards the orphans home. Mrs. Chege has an international Barclays Bank account where she can operate both in Kenya or in the UK. You can contribute to the orphaned children through  Barclays Bank in the UK - Ac. No. 20984698, Sort Code 209260, Ac. Name Ann G. Chege. Barclays Bank in Kenya is Barclays Bank, Limuru Branch, Ac. No. 03-011-3791284. Ac. Name New Hope Children's Centre.  - Contact newhomechildren@mail.com

From left is Mrs. Anne Chege, Mrs. Thompson from Wembley and Mr. Chege	From left is Phoebe, Joy, Lydia Maguru and Mama Muthoni
A section of the guests at the function	The table - notably is Njeri (right) and Mrs. Janet Mwangi far left

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One million attendance at the London Carnival

Some participants have worked on their costumes  the whole year

The dress of the year at the Notting Gate Carnival, London	The Notting Hill Carnival features hundreds of costumes, performers and floats every year
It is estimated that more than one million man hours are spent preparing for the carnival	The carnival is celebrating 40 years as an event

Organisers estimate there are 50,000 people participating in the 40th Notting Hill Carnival

The event in west London is one of Europe's largest street festivals

The Notting Hill Carnival, the greatest street party in Europe, began way back in 1964. What began as a small affair, grew year-on-year until reaching the staggering numbers of today. Over this August Bank Holiday two million heads will pass through the street of West London. The carnival owes it's creation to Trinidadian immigrants bringing the people of Notting Hill together. Unlike today where W11 is seen as the home of London's rich and famous, it was predominantly a poor black area. In the 1950s Notting Hill was the first stop for Trinidadian immigrants looking to put down roots in London. Although, they came for a better quality of life the reality was very different, with overt racism, bleak job prospects and poor housing. In this climate of racial tension dances were forced underground into dilapidated halls in North London. Nevertheless, it was a place where black people could come together, kick-back and party. Soon these dancehalls couldn't cope with demand and the party spilled out onto the streets of West London. This is how the first carnival was born. Soon the people partying on the street were joined by competing steel bands. These drew people from all over the UK to the Carnival. The popularity of the event was now firmly established. In the 80s carnival took a turn for the worse, with trouble flaring up between the young people and the ever increasing police presence. Thankfully from the 90s onwards carnival has become a multi-cultural, money-spinning, tourist attraction for London. The final evolution was the introduction of the sound systems, creating what people would recognise as the carnival of today.  Be it Notting Hill, Rio Carnival or Mardi Gras, the roots of the celebrations revolved around the freedom from slavery.

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Good bye Kenya - till November

Prof Ngugi, wife expected back in Nov to testify in a case in which 4 people are charged with assaulting them_

Writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o, his wife Njeeri and their two children Thiong’o and Mumbi, wave goodbye to relatives and friends at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday before they flew out to South Africa after a one month visit. - The Standard.

Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o left the country on Sunday 29th August, 2004 and declared he would definitely come back to Kenya. Ngugi left aboard a South African Airline plane with his wife Njeeri wa Ngugi, son Thiong’o and daughter Mumbi. He said at the airport: "I want to thank all Kenyans for the overwhelming welcome and solidarity. Kenya is a great country with a great future." Ngugi said despite an attack in a city apartment on August 11, he had enjoyed his one-month stay in his country of birth. "The most important thing is that I touched base and I connected with my people," he said in a brief interview at the airport. He was seen off by the chairman of East African Educational Publishers, Mr Henry Chakava, and managing director Barrack Muluka and a few relatives. The firm publishes his books. Four people, including Ngugi’s nephew Chege Kiragu, have been charged over the attack and are currently being held in remand. The other three are guards at the Norfolk Towers apartments where the couple was attacked. Ngugi said he had been requested by police to come back and give evidence in the case. "We shall come back whenever we are called," he said. During his stay, Ngugi delivered a series of public lectures in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. He also launched a Kikuyu novel, Murogi wa Kagogo. On Sunday, the renowned writer who lectures at an American university, apologised to people of Coast, Nyanza, Western and North Eastern provinces for failing to visit them. He said his programme was very tight and was interrupted by the attack.

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The Camp Safari 2004 in Kenya

3-8 August at Sun N Sand Beach Resort, Mombasa, Kenya

A unique blend of music, fun and entertainment, complementing debate, focussed discussions, workshops and tours rocked Mombasa as The Camp Safari came to Kenya’s most famous coastal town. There were high camp participant numbers for the day activities and this swelled to well over 2,000 for the exclusive finale event at Mamba Village where Nameless and Smooth Angels entertained the crowds.

Kenya youth policy consultation seminar

Posing with Maasai morans

Camp participants came from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, USA Democratic Republic of Congo and the UK and included Kenya’s DJ Pinye, Kenyan Musician Nameless, DJ Seani B of the UK’s BBC 1Xtra, Sir Prestige and artists Doobiz, Bamboo (both of KSouth) Attitude (TJC) who gave exclusive performances.

Some of the participants at the camp

No talking.....legs talking this time

There were presentations talks and workshops led by Lina Jebii Kilimo Kenyan Minister, Orie Rogo Manduli, (first female) chair  of NGO Council, Kenya, political activist, Kamau Wainaina, Director African Youth League, Berni Sesay, Network Officer, African Foundation For Development, Antony t. Oluoch, Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, founder of African Centre for international Youth Exchange, and Cofounder of African Centre for Youth Fight Against Aids, and Jean Wangechi, artist, writer, singer currently working at Kwani Trust Publishing a firm publishing Kenyan writers – the first of its kind in East Africa, as well as Youth peer leaders from Kenya and the UK

Posing for at the camp	A group photo
Nameless presents participants with certificate of participation	Lina Jebi Kilimo, Kenya Minister in the office of the vice-president at the Camp Safari tree planting ceremony

The camp came to a formal close with a tree planting ceremony led by Lin Jebii Kilimo, Kenyan Minister and involving all the camp participants, volunteers, and invited guests. The tree planting represents Camp Safari’s commitment to champion this youth movement, and the special relationship it has formed with supporters such as Lina Jebii Kilimo, and young people around the world. Lina Jebii Kilimo said

Enjoying the coast part of Kenya Kenya - Mombasa

Nameless and Smooth Angels set the crowd on fire

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