Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
Dear Friends We need to be our brother's and sister's keeper. The drought situation, increase in basic food prices and other obvious reasons become unbearable for the mwanainchi. I believe we should celebrate little about undersea cables and more about how we can aleviate the plight of our fellow citizens. Our's is a sharing profession. One of the leading figures of our industry, Bill Gates has given the majority of his wealth to a charitable trust... I open this thread to I pray hopefully cause action. If we cannot contribute cash, why not use the power of the internet to flood websites of humanitarian institutes begging for food relief for Kenya. Posting and contribution to youtube videos about the situation. Writing realn stories on the plight. Setting up blogs, reserving a minimal sum for csr and the like. Please my sisters and brothers let us share helping our fellow family as we share technology. We cannot feed cables to our people, and economic change is longterm. I urge that we get mobilised and help. Athar -- Sent from my mobile device
On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 12:59 PM, Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>wrote:
Dear Friends
We need to be our brother's and sister's keeper. The drought situation, increase in basic food prices and other obvious reasons become unbearable for the mwanainchi. I believe we should celebrate little about undersea cables and more about how we can aleviate the plight of our fellow citizens. Our's is a sharing profession. One of the leading figures of our industry, Bill Gates has given the majority of his wealth to a charitable trust...
I open this thread to I pray hopefully cause action. If we cannot contribute cash, why not use the power of the internet to flood websites of humanitarian institutes begging for food relief for Kenya. Posting and contribution to youtube videos about the situation. Writing realn stories on the plight. Setting up blogs, reserving a minimal sum for csr and the like. Please my sisters and brothers let us share helping our fellow family as we share technology. We cannot feed cables to our people, and economic change is longterm. I urge that we get mobilised and help. Athar
Athar, What, if I may ask, did you find particularly not right with the Mercy Train initiative? You could have used it, rather than want to create another replica! And what needs to be done is NOT to give alms, but rather to push the govt to have policies that will ensure citizens are self-sufficient. What %age of the National Budget does the govt allocate to Agriculture (and food production in general)? Let us find ways of solving the actual problem. Charity will never solve the problem. **Reminds me of the TED Video yesterday at skunkworks meeting - Mwenda from UG*** though I still don't get what this TED thing is all about. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
I agree. Begging is a pretty short term solution. What we should be doing is creating using technology that make sure Kenyans receive services, to make sure that Kenyans are not being hoodwinked. To make sure that resources are not stolen. To identify and highlight excesses and abuse. These are the sort of things that the ICT Board should be pushing for and investing in instead of the BPO panacea. If someone make a wolfram type engine that took as input the budgets for 10 years and visualized the data and identified trends, typing 'errors' would have been identified, suspicious allocations highlighted and the public would be truly informed where their money went. Never forget that out of every 10 bob you make the government takes 3 as income tax and almost 2 as VAT. Why beg if there is 3billion of OUR OWN MONEY myseteriously disappearing? 2009/5/27 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>
On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 12:59 PM, Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>wrote:
Dear Friends
We need to be our brother's and sister's keeper. The drought situation, increase in basic food prices and other obvious reasons become unbearable for the mwanainchi. I believe we should celebrate little about undersea cables and more about how we can aleviate the plight of our fellow citizens. Our's is a sharing profession. One of the leading figures of our industry, Bill Gates has given the majority of his wealth to a charitable trust...
I open this thread to I pray hopefully cause action. If we cannot contribute cash, why not use the power of the internet to flood websites of humanitarian institutes begging for food relief for Kenya. Posting and contribution to youtube videos about the situation. Writing realn stories on the plight. Setting up blogs, reserving a minimal sum for csr and the like. Please my sisters and brothers let us share helping our fellow family as we share technology. We cannot feed cables to our people, and economic change is longterm. I urge that we get mobilised and help. Athar
Athar,
What, if I may ask, did you find particularly not right with the Mercy Train initiative? You could have used it, rather than want to create another replica! And what needs to be done is NOT to give alms, but rather to push the govt to have policies that will ensure citizens are self-sufficient. What %age of the National Budget does the govt allocate to Agriculture (and food production in general)? Let us find ways of solving the actual problem. Charity will never solve the problem. **Reminds me of the TED Video yesterday at skunkworks meeting - Mwenda from UG*** though I still don't get what this TED thing is all about.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
Dear Odhiambo The mercy train, rotary international, lions, red cross and wfp and other ngo's are doing a commendable job. My viewpoint is in agreement with you that is teaching to fish is better then fishing. The fact to remember is that is a longterm goal. If there are no people left to fish, who will you hand the economic development plate to ? Consider for instance the dying in Turkana, Ukambani to name a few. Most are people that like you and me had a sustainable income. Today they are helpless. It could happen to any one of us. I take you back to the story of Joseph (pbuh) in Eygipt. He taught people to store grain for the draught under devine guidance. We need to teach people this for the future. In this regard you are quit right. But aleviating suffering even if it means handouts is our duty until those affected can stand on their own feet. Mankind only needs an 6 by 5 piece of land when they leave this world. What we spend and give others is what we save. In conclusion, my deepest desire is to activate as many as possible to give selflessly. Help because we can... Who knows what end of the stick we will be tommorrow. Athar On 5/27/09, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 12:59 PM, Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>wrote:
Dear Friends
We need to be our brother's and sister's keeper. The drought situation, increase in basic food prices and other obvious reasons become unbearable for the mwanainchi. I believe we should celebrate little about undersea cables and more about how we can aleviate the plight of our fellow citizens. Our's is a sharing profession. One of the leading figures of our industry, Bill Gates has given the majority of his wealth to a charitable trust...
I open this thread to I pray hopefully cause action. If we cannot contribute cash, why not use the power of the internet to flood websites of humanitarian institutes begging for food relief for Kenya. Posting and contribution to youtube videos about the situation. Writing realn stories on the plight. Setting up blogs, reserving a minimal sum for csr and the like. Please my sisters and brothers let us share helping our fellow family as we share technology. We cannot feed cables to our people, and economic change is longterm. I urge that we get mobilised and help. Athar
Athar,
What, if I may ask, did you find particularly not right with the Mercy Train initiative? You could have used it, rather than want to create another replica! And what needs to be done is NOT to give alms, but rather to push the govt to have policies that will ensure citizens are self-sufficient. What %age of the National Budget does the govt allocate to Agriculture (and food production in general)? Let us find ways of solving the actual problem. Charity will never solve the problem. **Reminds me of the TED Video yesterday at skunkworks meeting - Mwenda from UG*** though I still don't get what this TED thing is all about.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Sent from my mobile device
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
The mercy train, rotary international, lions, red cross and wfp and other ngo's are doing a commendable job.
I agree with all the above, except Mercy Train! It was a short term solution and is like gone now. I also don't quite like WFP!! The reasons - please see if Phares can get you a copy of that TED video we watched in yesterday's meeting - the one where Mwenda from UG was the speaker. What is needed is to PREVENT the disease, not wait to treat it.
My viewpoint is in agreement with you that is teaching to fish is better then fishing. The fact to remember is that is a longterm goal. If there are no people left to fish, who will you hand the economic development plate to?
I agree with you.
Consider for instance the dying in Turkana, Ukambani to name a few. Most are people that like you and me had a sustainable income. Today they are helpless. It could happen to any one of us.
I doubt that. We'd not be having some vocabularies such as "marginalized", "arid and semi-arid", etc. These are cases where the govt has flatly failed to adequately address the problems facing the masses, despite collecting taxes from them. *You know what? Taxes are collected from all of us and then decisions on how to use them are made in Nairobi. There is a problem with that. A big one.**Most of Ukambani and Turkana have always been like they are.*
I take you back to the story of Joseph (pbuh) in Eygipt. He taught people to store grain for the draught under devine guidance. We need to teach people this for the future. In this regard you are quit right. But aleviating suffering even if it means handouts is our duty until those affected can stand on their own feet.
Sure. Until those giving handouts get to the same level as those relying on handouts! Reminds me of the ever growing gap between the haves and the have-nots in Kenya.
Mankind only needs an 6 by 5 piece of land when they leave this world. What we spend and give others is what we save.
In conclusion, my deepest desire is to activate as many as possible to give selflessly. Help because we can... Who knows what end of the stick we will be tommorrow. Athar
We just need a govt that can deliver to the people! I have always wondered why it's taking too long to get the Israelis/Egyptians export their irrigation technolgies to Kenya. Recently, the Agricultural Minister was there and promised some positive action! I'd rather my money (taxes) was used for that than continue to give to initiatives like Mercy Train which are only mean to "cure the disease" whose causes and modes of prevention are known. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
Dear Odhiambo So do you think we can act, we are on the same page... It would be a shame if this thread ended in an intellectual debate. I would be delighted if we the profession called introvert server sitters etc stood and became the example for other vocations to follow. If you or anyone else would be ready to take this mantle (key is to represent the vocation), I am ready to contribute financially however little it may be. Athar On 5/27/09, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
The mercy train, rotary international, lions, red cross and wfp and other ngo's are doing a commendable job.
I agree with all the above, except Mercy Train! It was a short term solution and is like gone now. I also don't quite like WFP!! The reasons - please see if Phares can get you a copy of that TED video we watched in yesterday's meeting - the one where Mwenda from UG was the speaker. What is needed is to PREVENT the disease, not wait to treat it.
My viewpoint is in agreement with you that is teaching to fish is better then fishing. The fact to remember is that is a longterm goal. If there are no people left to fish, who will you hand the economic development plate to?
I agree with you.
Consider for instance the dying in Turkana, Ukambani to name a few. Most are people that like you and me had a sustainable income. Today they are helpless. It could happen to any one of us.
I doubt that. We'd not be having some vocabularies such as "marginalized", "arid and semi-arid", etc. These are cases where the govt has flatly failed to adequately address the problems facing the masses, despite collecting taxes from them. *You know what? Taxes are collected from all of us and then decisions on how to use them are made in Nairobi. There is a problem with that. A big one.**Most of Ukambani and Turkana have always been like they are.*
I take you back to the story of Joseph (pbuh) in Eygipt. He taught people to store grain for the draught under devine guidance. We need to teach people this for the future. In this regard you are quit right. But aleviating suffering even if it means handouts is our duty until those affected can stand on their own feet.
Sure. Until those giving handouts get to the same level as those relying on handouts! Reminds me of the ever growing gap between the haves and the have-nots in Kenya.
Mankind only needs an 6 by 5 piece of land when they leave this world. What we spend and give others is what we save.
In conclusion, my deepest desire is to activate as many as possible to give selflessly. Help because we can... Who knows what end of the stick we will be tommorrow. Athar
We just need a govt that can deliver to the people! I have always wondered why it's taking too long to get the Israelis/Egyptians export their irrigation technolgies to Kenya. Recently, the Agricultural Minister was there and promised some positive action! I'd rather my money (taxes) was used for that than continue to give to initiatives like Mercy Train which are only mean to "cure the disease" whose causes and modes of prevention are known.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Sent from my mobile device
From what I've heard and read, a good number of people who are suffering from this famine would very much like to know/learn/get empowered on how they can feed themselves instead of relying on handouts. Handouts solve the short term problem but long term solutions are necessary.
Paraphrasing what a good friend of mine said once - we should go out to our rural areas armed with knowledge on how to grow crops etc that are suited for that particular climate - Sorghum is pretty drought resistant, as are other 'traditional' foods but how much of these do we actually grow as a nation? Now bringing the tech in - weather patterns + google maps + population + foods accessible to farmers + where to get the necessary seeds etc cheaply. 2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
So do you think we can act, we are on the same page... It would be a shame if this thread ended in an intellectual debate. I would be delighted if we the profession called introvert server sitters etc stood and became the example for other vocations to follow. If you or anyone else would be ready to take this mantle (key is to represent the vocation), I am ready to contribute financially however little it may be. Athar
On 5/27/09, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
The mercy train, rotary international, lions, red cross and wfp and other ngo's are doing a commendable job.
I agree with all the above, except Mercy Train! It was a short term solution and is like gone now. I also don't quite like WFP!! The reasons - please see if Phares can get you a copy of that TED video we watched in yesterday's meeting - the one where Mwenda from UG was the speaker. What is needed is to PREVENT the disease, not wait to treat it.
My viewpoint is in agreement with you that is teaching to fish is better then fishing. The fact to remember is that is a longterm goal. If there are no people left to fish, who will you hand the economic development plate to?
I agree with you.
Consider for instance the dying in Turkana, Ukambani to name a few. Most are people that like you and me had a sustainable income. Today they are helpless. It could happen to any one of us.
I doubt that. We'd not be having some vocabularies such as "marginalized", "arid and semi-arid", etc. These are cases where the govt has flatly failed to adequately address the problems facing the masses, despite collecting taxes from them. *You know what? Taxes are collected from all of us and then decisions on how to use them are made in Nairobi. There is a problem with that. A big one.**Most of Ukambani and Turkana have always been like they are.*
I take you back to the story of Joseph (pbuh) in Eygipt. He taught
people
to store grain for the draught under devine guidance. We need to teach people this for the future. In this regard you are quit right. But aleviating suffering even if it means handouts is our duty until those affected can stand on their own feet.
Sure. Until those giving handouts get to the same level as those relying on handouts! Reminds me of the ever growing gap between the haves and the have-nots in Kenya.
Mankind only needs an 6 by 5 piece of land when they leave this world. What we spend and give others is what we save.
In conclusion, my deepest desire is to activate as many as possible to give selflessly. Help because we can... Who knows what end of the stick we will be tommorrow. Athar
We just need a govt that can deliver to the people! I have always wondered why it's taking too long to get the Israelis/Egyptians export their irrigation technolgies to Kenya. Recently, the Agricultural Minister was there and promised some positive action! I'd rather my money (taxes) was used for that than continue to give to initiatives like Mercy Train which are only mean to "cure the disease" whose causes and modes of prevention are known.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Sent from my mobile device _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Josiah Mugambi +254 738 504418 http://blog.josiahmugambi.com SK Classifeds... Visit stockskenya.co.ke for more info.
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
So do you think we can act, we are on the same page... It would be a shame if this thread ended in an intellectual debate. I would be delighted if we the profession called introvert server sitters etc stood and became the example for other vocations to follow. If you or anyone else would be ready to take this mantle (key is to represent the vocation), I am ready to contribute financially however little it may be. Athar
@Athar, Good that you are willing to give out money immediately. I'm willing too, but I don't want this money to go to the suffering populace! Rather, I want this money, contributed by skunkworks, to be presented to Hon. William Ruto (Minister responsible for Agriculture) to help him hasten the process of bringing in the Israelis to start the irrigation projects! He can use the money for buying airtime to talk to the Israeli experts with whom he's organizing the project and then report back to us on the progress. If that can be done, I will contribute as I see the irrigation experts as a major cog in the solution wheel. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process. -- J. N. Kimani 2009/5/27 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
So do you think we can act, we are on the same page... It would be a shame if this thread ended in an intellectual debate. I would be delighted if we the profession called introvert server sitters etc stood and became the example for other vocations to follow. If you or anyone else would be ready to take this mantle (key is to represent the vocation), I am ready to contribute financially however little it may be. Athar
@Athar,
Good that you are willing to give out money immediately. I'm willing too, but I don't want this money to go to the suffering populace! Rather, I want this money, contributed by skunkworks, to be presented to Hon. William Ruto (Minister responsible for Agriculture) to help him hasten the process of bringing in the Israelis to start the irrigation projects! He can use the money for buying airtime to talk to the Israeli experts with whom he's organizing the project and then report back to us on the progress. If that can be done, I will contribute as I see the irrigation experts as a major cog in the solution wheel.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project. -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option? On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041 Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill! AND It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
Home-based ideas are what we neeed and that's what I wanted to mean! Did you see the Turkanas eating carcasses to satisfy their hunger, on NTV tonight? Kenyans let's do something to kill hunger, once and for all! On 27/05/2009, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041 Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill! AND It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
Hello guys, how about such to start with; http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-304808.html now that can be done ama.... 2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
Home-based ideas are what we neeed and that's what I wanted to mean! Did you see the Turkanas eating carcasses to satisfy their hunger, on NTV tonight? Kenyans let's do something to kill hunger, once and for all!
On 27/05/2009, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Watson wanjohi kambo
Guys Lets start with ourselves I see many graduates here begging for employment. Why dont we nurture talent and release them to this Ocean of Kenyan nyang'aus? Kenya is a man eat man society and so I would love not to have people with good IT , Telecoms, Comp Sc and Engineering Degrees in good colleges coming here to beg for jobs. We should collectively push for the setting up of incubation and mentorship and we should have skunkers walk in colleges around the country talking and advising the students. Waiting for them to start being hungry is just not right. Lets get them at the early stage. We cant do media work. We can perfectly use technology. icouldbe.org set up a mentoring system. We should develope such a system like the icouldbe.orgsystem and have to mentore also students from the comfort of our offices I once talked to KQ and they were so willing to join hands with us TO 2009/5/27 Watson Kambo <wkwats@gmail.com>
Hello guys,
how about such to start with;
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-304808.html
now that can be done ama....
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
Home-based ideas are what we neeed and that's what I wanted to mean!
Did you see the Turkanas eating carcasses to satisfy their hunger, on NTV tonight? Kenyans let's do something to kill hunger, once and for all!
On 27/05/2009, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Watson wanjohi kambo
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
Btw.. instead of getting Israel as a government involved, why dont we speak to some commercial entities. Davis and shirtlif or Balton ( sraeli firm) i know they are in Tanzania. I do want to re-iterate one point. Funding agencies have limited amounts destined for feasible projects. In the current political climate associations and local initiatives would get more attention then the leaders.... What we need is good solid proposals. Then communication of these to various funding bodies. Thus i mentioned blogs etc. Rotary clubs also have access to funds, i could help get the proposals across. But we need solid plans like you mention about irrigation. Where, why, how, when and finally what will it cost. Thats what we have people, brains that can develope code; cant we figure out a program for our communites. Lets look at it from this perspective. If an ict association helps setup of a project in Ukambani, they would prompt the lawyers to try something in a different locations. Then the Doctors will wake up ... Just taking advantage of the multi faceted identities of human beings. Athar On 5/27/09, Theus Owicho <owichot@gmail.com> wrote:
Guys Lets start with ourselves
I see many graduates here begging for employment. Why dont we nurture talent and release them to this Ocean of Kenyan nyang'aus? Kenya is a man eat man society and so I would love not to have people with good IT , Telecoms, Comp Sc and Engineering Degrees in good colleges coming here to beg for jobs.
We should collectively push for the setting up of incubation and mentorship and we should have skunkers walk in colleges around the country talking and advising the students. Waiting for them to start being hungry is just not right. Lets get them at the early stage.
We cant do media work. We can perfectly use technology. icouldbe.org set up a mentoring system. We should develope such a system like the icouldbe.orgsystem and have to mentore also students from the comfort of our offices
I once talked to KQ and they were so willing to join hands with us
TO
2009/5/27 Watson Kambo <wkwats@gmail.com>
Hello guys,
how about such to start with;
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-304808.html
now that can be done ama....
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
Home-based ideas are what we neeed and that's what I wanted to mean!
Did you see the Turkanas eating carcasses to satisfy their hunger, on NTV tonight? Kenyans let's do something to kill hunger, once and for all!
On 27/05/2009, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Watson wanjohi kambo
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Sent from my mobile device
@Theus. Thats a brilliant idea. The Rotary club of Muthaiga for instance has been holding carreer fairs for the last two years. They previously had setup a job connect program that fizzled away. The carreer fair is a begining. All we need for this is a venue, some sponsors and volunteers. Media help to announce the program would be great as well. Skunkworks has been recognised for bringing change in the country. Why not try... Is it not better to have loved and lost then not to have loved at all.. Athar On 5/27/09, Theus Owicho <owichot@gmail.com> wrote:
Guys Lets start with ourselves
I see many graduates here begging for employment. Why dont we nurture talent and release them to this Ocean of Kenyan nyang'aus? Kenya is a man eat man society and so I would love not to have people with good IT , Telecoms, Comp Sc and Engineering Degrees in good colleges coming here to beg for jobs.
We should collectively push for the setting up of incubation and mentorship and we should have skunkers walk in colleges around the country talking and advising the students. Waiting for them to start being hungry is just not right. Lets get them at the early stage.
We cant do media work. We can perfectly use technology. icouldbe.org set up a mentoring system. We should develope such a system like the icouldbe.orgsystem and have to mentore also students from the comfort of our offices
I once talked to KQ and they were so willing to join hands with us
TO
2009/5/27 Watson Kambo <wkwats@gmail.com>
Hello guys,
how about such to start with;
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-304808.html
now that can be done ama....
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
Home-based ideas are what we neeed and that's what I wanted to mean!
Did you see the Turkanas eating carcasses to satisfy their hunger, on NTV tonight? Kenyans let's do something to kill hunger, once and for all!
On 27/05/2009, Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Watson wanjohi kambo
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Sent from my mobile device
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics. Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics. Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal! 2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges. So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice. On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
Guys, So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ? A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think). But who's going to really start this movement now ? R ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do? These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges. So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice. On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
I volunteered to get stats and related data on hunger in Kenya, and any other non-technical issues at this point. What I didn't see, in my opinion, was another voluntary step in this regard. I stand to be corrected if someone contributed in that angle. On 28/05/2009, Riyaz Bachani <riyaz.bachani@ke.wananchi.com> wrote:
Guys,
So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ?
A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think).
But who's going to really start this movement now ?
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges.
So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice.
On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041 Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill! AND It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity!
Hi, as I mentioned briefly yesterday, one reason for setting up tech kenya online video towards end of year will be to hopefully integrate on one public platform all the efforts made by individuals towards visions and goals, contributions and achievements. I hope everyone tech person will use it as a platform to create awareness for themselves, their talents, products and solutions etc. This is a project Im following through til the end ( which calls for plenty of personal sacrifices....). It will be a non commercial online project able to provide an alternative platform that has lacked for a long time. Mainstream media may not have time slots available to cover in details what we do. Hopefully if you have had success with the above irrigation or self reliance project, we can do a 2 parts feature which will be placed online ( time availability... ) . If mainstream media want to use clips from the site, thats even better news. I think the tag line " no one covers it better than us " sounds fitting.... :-)
This is an interesting discussion to me. I have been working on an ICT4D non-governmental organization specifically designed to use ICT to "teach the people to fish". We have experienced tremendous hurdles in this endeavor. First we experienced the bureaucracy of having to wait for almost 11 months before our NGO was legally registered in Kenya. It would have moved fast had we had the excess resources to pay "chai". Our organizational ethics are against corruption, so we have had a diffcult time moving from point A to point B. Yet despite our ethics, we have had to pay for a number of "services" that should come for free to the public or by the roadside on a police "toll" road. As technology infrastructure is not low cost, we have had issues raising capital for projects. Also in on the road to raising capital, we have had unscrupulous people pose as support only to use our intellectual property for their own benefit. Perhaps now is the time when the businesses in Nairobi will see the long term benefits of development for the country as a whole. As we went to a number of companies in Nairobi their primary focus was still on the elite market and in Nairobi. Most development institutions are not interested in long term sustainable development solutions, but on providing a short term fix. This is something like putting your finger in the whole in the dam and the walls are crumbling down. I do not mean to sound cynical, but only to elucidate why there are few people using technology to serve the needs of the poor. If you look at the ICT4D world, you will see mostly people in developed countries and those in developing countries are in large cities. Wher the development is needed most is in the rural areas, the semi arid and arid regions, and the slums. These are the places that are in the greatest need. The study of diffusion of innovations has shown that innovators first target those with the greatest resources not the greatest need. Targeting solutions for the greatest need often do not have the immediate financial rewards. So the poor are alienated and left behind. So there has to be a turning point in the way development is imagined and funded in this country. We good legislation that favors Universal Access, Freedom of Information and Data Protection. We also need legislation that protects people's intellectual property to ensure that those who are attempting to bring change are proetcted. There is little anyone can do when they end up hungry alongside the people they are trying to serve. VOA4SD is always looking for more people dedicated to ICT in Kenya for ALL. We are working on a number of projects "behind the scenes" and need more support. If the ICT community really wants to bring long term solutions and lasting change to Kenya, we need to think and act. Many blessings, Crystal 2009/5/28 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
I volunteered to get stats and related data on hunger in Kenya, and any other non-technical issues at this point. What I didn't see, in my opinion, was another voluntary step in this regard. I stand to be corrected if someone contributed in that angle.
On 28/05/2009, Riyaz Bachani <riyaz.bachani@ke.wananchi.com> wrote:
Guys,
So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ?
A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think).
But who's going to really start this movement now ?
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges.
So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice.
On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
Hi Crystal Two ways I can attempt to help. 1. Please try visiting www.rotarydistrict9200.org try approaching some of the club presidents with your solid proposals (Kenya). Rotary does not support construction and continuous salary projects but do have an emphasis towards vocational service. 2. I have found it hard to communicate ICT as an enabler to people. There will be resistance if you mention short term goals. Maybe giving stories on the real heros and heroins of this struggle would work. Thus emphasis is for instance Kamau was displaced by the violence and lost his Shamba. Had to stay in an IDP camp for x amount of time. Was given a chance by various charities to study ICT and is now a teacher at xyz company.... I am commending you on the job done by you so far. Partnership will ensure that you have professionals that are familiar with the challenges you are facing. Ciao Athar (i am no expert, this is just my 2cts worth) On 5/28/09, Crystal Watley <crystal@voicesofafrica.org> wrote:
This is an interesting discussion to me.
I have been working on an ICT4D non-governmental organization specifically designed to use ICT to "teach the people to fish". We have experienced tremendous hurdles in this endeavor.
First we experienced the bureaucracy of having to wait for almost 11 months before our NGO was legally registered in Kenya. It would have moved fast had we had the excess resources to pay "chai". Our organizational ethics are against corruption, so we have had a diffcult time moving from point A to point B. Yet despite our ethics, we have had to pay for a number of "services" that should come for free to the public or by the roadside on a police "toll" road.
As technology infrastructure is not low cost, we have had issues raising capital for projects. Also in on the road to raising capital, we have had unscrupulous people pose as support only to use our intellectual property for their own benefit. Perhaps now is the time when the businesses in Nairobi will see the long term benefits of development for the country as a whole. As we went to a number of companies in Nairobi their primary focus was still on the elite market and in Nairobi.
Most development institutions are not interested in long term sustainable development solutions, but on providing a short term fix. This is something like putting your finger in the whole in the dam and the walls are crumbling down.
I do not mean to sound cynical, but only to elucidate why there are few people using technology to serve the needs of the poor. If you look at the ICT4D world, you will see mostly people in developed countries and those in developing countries are in large cities. Wher the development is needed most is in the rural areas, the semi arid and arid regions, and the slums. These are the places that are in the greatest need.
The study of diffusion of innovations has shown that innovators first target those with the greatest resources not the greatest need. Targeting solutions for the greatest need often do not have the immediate financial rewards. So the poor are alienated and left behind.
So there has to be a turning point in the way development is imagined and funded in this country. We good legislation that favors Universal Access, Freedom of Information and Data Protection. We also need legislation that protects people's intellectual property to ensure that those who are attempting to bring change are proetcted. There is little anyone can do when they end up hungry alongside the people they are trying to serve.
VOA4SD is always looking for more people dedicated to ICT in Kenya for ALL. We are working on a number of projects "behind the scenes" and need more support. If the ICT community really wants to bring long term solutions and lasting change to Kenya, we need to think and act.
Many blessings,
Crystal
2009/5/28 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
I volunteered to get stats and related data on hunger in Kenya, and any other non-technical issues at this point. What I didn't see, in my opinion, was another voluntary step in this regard. I stand to be corrected if someone contributed in that angle.
On 28/05/2009, Riyaz Bachani <riyaz.bachani@ke.wananchi.com> wrote:
Guys,
So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ?
A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think).
But who's going to really start this movement now ?
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges.
So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice.
On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
> Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and > Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is > believing > and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in > the > next > step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/
"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
Hello, So many things are tied up in this situation; I think irrigation would be one of the things that can be done, a couple of years ago some NGO was teaching the Turkana community how to use the water from the lake to do irrigation, I have been to northern Sudan a complete desert yet a place where you can eat almost anything fresh, grown by the waters of the Nile for just like 30 bob you get a Kilo of tomatoes, and I just do not mean small scale large scale irrigation farming. Now having said that, there is a project coming up in Turkana, Lake Turkana Wind Power, this tells us we have lots of wind in this area .... what am I driving at ... well we definitely need power to pump water to the specified area... if we are talking about Garissa then we have river Tana .... but then the Lake and the rivers used might just dry up, so here comes the other point we need to teach our communities how to preserve water catchment areas .... yeah I know this is controversial, but the truth is it does affect, I know the issue is shortage of land ( more like shortage of land one can farm ) but if we can show there is an alternative then this would not be an issue at all. If the catchment areas are well preserved two rivers that pass through Ukambani would be of great help. In my home area, for example, guys have started using innovative ideas, they started doing Green house tomatoes and fresh veggies things that never used to be grown here, and its now catching on. Its now affordable coz most of the materials are sourced locally, so the more as techies we invest locally to bring in cheap affordable solutions to our communities the better. Think of wind mills made in Kenya for example, this would definitely bring down the cost .... Finally the government needs to put in place policies, for example a% of the actual power generated by LTWP does something for the community and for Pete's sake reduce the bureaucracy.... and the will power of the people concerned.... BR// Watson 2009/5/28 Crystal Watley <crystal@voicesofafrica.org>
This is an interesting discussion to me.
I have been working on an ICT4D non-governmental organization specifically designed to use ICT to "teach the people to fish". We have experienced tremendous hurdles in this endeavor.
First we experienced the bureaucracy of having to wait for almost 11 months before our NGO was legally registered in Kenya. It would have moved fast had we had the excess resources to pay "chai". Our organizational ethics are against corruption, so we have had a diffcult time moving from point A to point B. Yet despite our ethics, we have had to pay for a number of "services" that should come for free to the public or by the roadside on a police "toll" road.
As technology infrastructure is not low cost, we have had issues raising capital for projects. Also in on the road to raising capital, we have had unscrupulous people pose as support only to use our intellectual property for their own benefit. Perhaps now is the time when the businesses in Nairobi will see the long term benefits of development for the country as a whole. As we went to a number of companies in Nairobi their primary focus was still on the elite market and in Nairobi.
Most development institutions are not interested in long term sustainable development solutions, but on providing a short term fix. This is something like putting your finger in the whole in the dam and the walls are crumbling down.
I do not mean to sound cynical, but only to elucidate why there are few people using technology to serve the needs of the poor. If you look at the ICT4D world, you will see mostly people in developed countries and those in developing countries are in large cities. Wher the development is needed most is in the rural areas, the semi arid and arid regions, and the slums. These are the places that are in the greatest need.
The study of diffusion of innovations has shown that innovators first target those with the greatest resources not the greatest need. Targeting solutions for the greatest need often do not have the immediate financial rewards. So the poor are alienated and left behind.
So there has to be a turning point in the way development is imagined and funded in this country. We good legislation that favors Universal Access, Freedom of Information and Data Protection. We also need legislation that protects people's intellectual property to ensure that those who are attempting to bring change are proetcted. There is little anyone can do when they end up hungry alongside the people they are trying to serve.
VOA4SD is always looking for more people dedicated to ICT in Kenya for ALL. We are working on a number of projects "behind the scenes" and need more support. If the ICT community really wants to bring long term solutions and lasting change to Kenya, we need to think and act.
Many blessings,
Crystal
2009/5/28 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
I volunteered to get stats and related data on hunger in Kenya, and
any other non-technical issues at this point. What I didn't see, in my opinion, was another voluntary step in this regard. I stand to be corrected if someone contributed in that angle.
On 28/05/2009, Riyaz Bachani <riyaz.bachani@ke.wananchi.com> wrote:
Guys,
So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ?
A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think).
But who's going to really start this movement now ?
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges.
So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice.
On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
> Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and > Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is > believing > and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in > the > next > step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/
"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
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-- Watson wanjohi kambo
Hello Crystal, you raised some good points from experience so I'd like to go offsubject for a few secs. In the context of my online project, these are my very brief views : - people's intellectual property : This has always been a concern for developers, implementers etc. With online video, it will not be about the site owners or site individuals. To protect the site, there will be some icons in the content. To protect individuals and their ideas and contributions etc, there will be a mandatory name and contact onscreen. Whoever wants to know the person or event better, will contact them directly. Incase main stream media use the clips , there will have to use them as is i.e with relevant logos and contact info. However, there will be no costs associated to using the clips, only mandatory logo and contacts of the clips. - site content objectives : All tech stuff, articles,video covering tech stuff ideas, events, initiatives. Anything else will not make it to the site. - sponsership : this is a tough one. If one waits for this to happen, many projects never take off. The other issue about sponsership is that vetting will be done to ensure sponsor meets site's objectives. there are costs associated with any project, so somehow these need to be paid. If all fails, the site will just be another site on the internet. Either way without trying, learning many new things along the way and some efforts too. Im quite happy not to have additional commitments in the context of projects. @ Athar, I think you should setup a donation account so that we can contribute the little we can. :-)
@Aki :-) There are a number of projects for freedom from hunger. We just had a flag off ceremony of food with Rotary clubs and seva international two weeks ago. It was a joint project, where food worth more then a million kshs "i believe bound for Turkana" was sent and Red cross took over the transport and distribution logistics. The next time such a project is in place, I will give you peeps a shout. (this happened simultaneously with the mercy train). We do need need someone at the other end (Skunkworks) to represent, organize and motivate the ict community. Ensure the voice of Skunkworks is heard in partnership projects. I will have a conflict of interest... who would I represent more.. Would I be more of a Rotarian or Skunk ... (will want to be both --- pretty skewed eh). And my travel engagements will not be fair to such a move.(I reiterate, there is money, there are ideas, we need action). I believe if a Skunkworks association is set with the mandate of ICT fellowship, establishment of ethics within the profession and service of mankind, this would be a firm foundation. Now is the time... The limelight is on the ICT profession :-). Its time to gain the respect we deserve from other professions. Athar
Btw.. I did try to get Skunkwork professionals on this list involved in the career fair held by Rotary last month. So as to volunteer in the ICT career stand, speak to Secondary School students 4th years and University graduates. Unfortunately as my mail had a jpg banner of the poster, it was blocked away in cyberspace. All we need is brains, and humanity motivated young people. Athar
Athar I am ready to speak at the career fair TO On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 2:39 PM, Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>wrote:
Btw.. I did try to get Skunkwork professionals on this list involved in the career fair held by Rotary last month. So as to volunteer in the ICT career stand, speak to Secondary School students 4th years and University graduates. Unfortunately as my mail had a jpg banner of the poster, it was blocked away in cyberspace.
All we need is brains, and humanity motivated young people.
Athar _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
I was in kakuma refugee camp for about a week in April, I enjoyed a meal of sukuma wiki (sewege free) grown by somali-bantus who had been in their third month in the camp. The only ingredients added to their small plots is water and insecticide as the area is prone to some some nusty insects. The place is quite fertile, no need of fertilizer. With solutions that seek to source water for irrigation, the place can support itself quite sufficiently despite the harsh and erratic climatic conditions. Somali-bantus are farmers by nature, Turkanas are pastorolist by nature, they might need some convincing to change their way of life slightly. Regards Ukang'a Dickson Sent from Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya 2009/5/27 Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com>
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological
brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
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Actually, 80% of the problems we face in Kenya will be resolved once we enable Kenyans to put food on their tables (citation needed). Agriculture should be the driving force here in Kenya since we do not have many minerals to rely on and tourism isnt really going to feed the whole country. I believe that with genuine willpower we can turn the so-called arid areas into agriculture powerhouses. 2009/5/27 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>
2009/5/27 Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab@gmail.com>
Dear Odhiambo
The mercy train, rotary international, lions, red cross and wfp and other ngo's are doing a commendable job.
I agree with all the above, except Mercy Train! It was a short term solution and is like gone now. I also don't quite like WFP!! The reasons - please see if Phares can get you a copy of that TED video we watched in yesterday's meeting - the one where Mwenda from UG was the speaker. What is needed is to PREVENT the disease, not wait to treat it.
My viewpoint is in agreement with you that is teaching to fish is better then fishing. The fact to remember is that is a longterm goal. If there are no people left to fish, who will you hand the economic development plate to?
I agree with you.
Consider for instance the dying in Turkana, Ukambani to name a few. Most are people that like you and me had a sustainable income. Today they are helpless. It could happen to any one of us.
I doubt that. We'd not be having some vocabularies such as "marginalized", "arid and semi-arid", etc. These are cases where the govt has flatly failed to adequately address the problems facing the masses, despite collecting taxes from them. *You know what? Taxes are collected from all of us and then decisions on how to use them are made in Nairobi. There is a problem with that. A big one.**Most of Ukambani and Turkana have always been like they are.*
I take you back to the story of Joseph (pbuh) in Eygipt. He taught people to store grain for the draught under devine guidance. We need to teach people this for the future. In this regard you are quit right. But aleviating suffering even if it means handouts is our duty until those affected can stand on their own feet.
Sure. Until those giving handouts get to the same level as those relying on handouts! Reminds me of the ever growing gap between the haves and the have-nots in Kenya.
Mankind only needs an 6 by 5 piece of land when they leave this world. What we spend and give others is what we save.
In conclusion, my deepest desire is to activate as many as possible to give selflessly. Help because we can... Who knows what end of the stick we will be tommorrow. Athar
We just need a govt that can deliver to the people! I have always wondered why it's taking too long to get the Israelis/Egyptians export their irrigation technolgies to Kenya. Recently, the Agricultural Minister was there and promised some positive action! I'd rather my money (taxes) was used for that than continue to give to initiatives like Mercy Train which are only mean to "cure the disease" whose causes and modes of prevention are known.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
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participants (14)
-
aki -
Athar Ahmad Bhatti -
Crystal Watley -
Dickson Ukanga -
J. N. Kimani -
Josiah Mugambi -
Murigi Muraya -
Odhiambo ワシントン -
Rad! -
Riyaz Bachani -
Solomon Mburu -
Tech List Kenya -
Theus Owicho -
Watson Kambo