Whether you are a movie fan or not, it is likely that you are familiar with the much-romanticized idea of ‘superheroes’ – the outstanding characters dedicated to fighting evil and defending the public. Although we only get to watch them as fictional characters, the youth across the globe today are turning out to be the real-world superheroes; stepping up the fight against climate change. They are actively advancing solutions that can make a real difference, demanding bold action from world leaders and holding them accountable for their plans to combat the mounting climate crisis. Indeed, the 1...

Atmospheric particulate matter (APM), also referred to as particulate matter or particulates, is the sum of all particles, liquids and solids suspended in the air. To refer to the mixture of particulates and air, the term aerosol is used. An example of these particulates includes gaseous contaminants, smoke, smog, dust, pollen, mould spores, viruses and bacteria. PARTICULATES IN KENYA'S ATMOSPHERE A study performed by J. Karue, A.M. Kinyua and L. Njau in 1990-1991 in conjunction with University of Nairobi, the Centre for Nuclear Science Techniques, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the...

The current world population stands at approximately seven billion and a half billion, with more than 5000 different ethnic groups and 4200 different religions. Suffice it to say that human population is very diverse. Some call it a "melting pot", others a "cultural mosaic", "salad bowl", and even "kaleidoscope". However, many people fight over their differences in culture and religion instead of celebrating these differences, and culture and religion are often used in nefarious ways to drive forward white supremacy, sexism/misogyny, and terrorism, amongst others. Historically, in most...

Puberty. For me, that was when things took a very wrong turn. Not that things had ever been right, but they became worse when puberty hit. At first, I didn't think that anything was wrong. After all, puberty affects different folks differently. And when I did notice that something was wrong, doctors waved me off because acne, weight gain, bodily hair and irregular periods (they do take a while to become regular) are classic signs of puberty. When I was around 16, I went to sleep one day and woke up the next with an almost bald patch at the back of my head. My hair was thinning, and my hairline...

Kenya is among the Countries in Africa that is struggling with the Issue of Unemployment among Youth. Even after it has set up mechanism that can help the Young people to better their lives. But as many would blame the Government in a nation for neglecting Youths after their Tertiary Education. Many Of African states suffer a big blow in terms of Ungrowing Economy, hence having a Shrinking Economy, which is therefore hindering up Job opportunities. Perhaps if Kenyan citizens join hands together & seek to improve its economy I am pretty sure we would create more job opportunities for our Young...

Several governments in East Africa have declared that new locust infestation as a state of emergency. The UN warns of potential food crises in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. These desert locusts eat everything that comes into their path, consuming the crops farmed by local people. This year's locust breeding is on an alarmingly bigger scale than previous years. Locusts breed rapidly, but only when the conditions are right, so their population is controlled. Unfortunately, climate change has produced excessive havens of perfect conditions for their breeding. After months of...

What is with women and fairy tales? The first time I heard of this was over my favorite political drama series, Madam Secretary, that projected a woman who was tired of pursuing perfection. Her quest had been so tough and achieving a break-even of goodness and prowess in both her career and social life was not tallying up quite well. In this particular scene she was fretting on how tired she was for trying too hard to be both a political leader in her country and a family woman only for her efforts to always turn futile. This prompted me to hit the pause button and try contemplating on that...

Weep child Weep for green you'll cease to see Weep for white turning blue Weep for blue turning black Weep, now the sky is red Thank you, Asha Though joey cannot find her mother Mim cannot go back now It's too hot in there It's not home anymore We may loose new titi He has nowhere to go It's hot And I don't know him yet Turtles for the sea We feed them a lot Now they cannot swim Hold the sun Don't let it sink Weep child For your own baby's place Growing are mountains of despair Angry rivers flowing despite Oceans having had enough Too much to hold in Now they are splashing hard Lashing out at...

She sat under an acacia tree, the wind blowing in her hair strong, brown and full of smog. The sun beat down on her face as the tiny leaves of the mighty acacia tree did little to provide shade. A pen and a book on her lap, her mind often wandered to a few years ago, to better times when she was younger. Where she could sit on the exact same spot on a green patch of grass rather than the now brown dried grass which was very hard on her posterior. Sweat trickled down her back. Sounds of younger children playing in the distance in the now dried up River Thiba evoked memories of days when she...

When I decided to undertake my undergraduate degree a Bachelor of Science in Ecotourism and Hospitality Management at Kisii University here in Kenya many of my family members and friends had no idea what it was or what it entailed. Many of them thought it had something to do with hospitals ignoring the ecotourism part and went straight to the hospitality word of the course. When I explained to them what it really entailed and broke their visions of me in hospital scrubs and a stethoscope, they looked at me confused and worried. “Wanjiku, what is this you are going to do for four years? Be a...

“Grandfather, where have mama and papa gone to?” The small child asked while clinging to the old man’s torn shirt. The old man looked longingly in to the distance. “They have gone to look for milk and honey my child”, he replied. He lifted the boy with one swoop ignoring the painful ache of his back. Together, they managed to walk to the frail tree which was in the middle of the compound. The old man sighed as he sat the down placing the boy carefully on his lap. “But grandfather milk and honey our land hasn’t had both of them for hundreds of years”. A tear rolled down the old man’s cheek but...

African Sistah, Toes in the warm sand Ankles full of charms rattling with every step Bumping a sea of people as she carries her blue surfboard She steps on a plastic bottle and sighs Picking it up and putting it in her satchel she treads on. African Sistah, Pulled by the alluring of the blue ocean She looks to the horizon and dreams She dreams of cleaner beaches and oceans But she is tormented with floating islands of plastic Turtles choking on plastic bags She shuts her eyes and erases those foul images from her head. African Sistah, She ties her dreadlocks and sets her board right Ready to...

Many of the people living in rural Kenya have had their electricity set up in the recent years. This is because of an initiative by the Kenyan government dubbed “The Last Mile Connectivity Project”. To say the truth, many families have benefited from this project: homes have been lit up, business and various institutions such as schools and hospitals are up and running. About 65.0% of electricity in Kenya is generated locally using renewable energy sources (hydropower 35.9%, geothermal 25.86%, cogeneration from bagasse 1.66%, wind 1.11% and solar 0.08%) while 35.386% was generated using fossil...

Many children in our societies go through various challenges to sustain their studies. Most of them only find time to read while in school, when they get back home, the amount of work awaiting them is just too much. I was so inspired when i saw this kid with his book trying to read and absorb something by the roadside as he sells banana for his poor mother after school. This is just an example of the many students who face various challenges out there to excel in their academics, some even get tired on the way, not because they are tired of going to school but because they can't afford the...

Well into the last quarter of 2020, the words “unprecedented times” have become an assertion world over. For many, life has simultaneously been put on hold; riddled by tumult and uncertainty. Our current social, health and economic crisis has affirmed the importance of accelerating responses to a universal call to action outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) to offset key injustices and calamity. Goal 4 highlights the foundational and transformational role that education plays in empowering a generation of future young leaders to address the next set of...

I would love to make a ‘Procrastination’ rant, you know; talk about how much I have grown lazy over the past few weeks, maybe months! Complain, and regret about the loss I have made in terms of losing friends, opportunities and probably slowing down in my general life progress. But, maybe we can do that later =) (That being a poor pun, shall we continue?) What is interesting about my procrastination encounters lately is how the little breaks I have been taking keep growing into lazy afternoons and days. If I were to make a study on how much the small ‘rest time’ decisions we make have lead us...

‘I am the Hail, and the High Waters!’ ‘No body! Takes Command?’ ‘We’re never done! Or rather: ‘Whatever happens, there’s always another move.’ ‘Whatever happens, we do not give up.’ And then my best… ‘What did I tell you to do Olivia… To work twice as hard to get at least half of what they have.’ All these golden words could be anyone’s mantra. A source of internal inspiration that is enough to make you feel motivated for a whole year, a lifetime even! And yet, they do not count as an eighth of a quarter of a paragraph in any of Shonda Rhymes’ Scandal episodes’ scripts! Pause: Away with the...

He’s on my mind a lot nowadays. He was a soldier. I call him that because I know he fought really hard to stay with his mammy and I never, not for once, take for granted that seven months I held him in my arms and he was my little boy. I miss him a lot. I was sure that with Chimamanda here I would think of him less, but I remember every step of the way like it was yesterday. The way he used to cry. He was so soft you would barely hear him; which was funny, but I am remorseful now that I think of it. Was it because he was in pain? He was so full of life and oh how he smiled. He would lift his...