Asmara is the capital city of Eritrea a country which found in the northern tip of the Ethiopian Plateau in the North-Eastern part of the Continent. It is naturally elevated and is at the height of 7628 feet. It is the sixth highest capital in the world by its capital. In 2017, it was declared as a world heritage site by the UNESCO. There is a population of close to one million people, it is one of the cleanest and well-planned cities in the continent.
The city Asmara is also called as the African city of Women, it is because this city has a very high population of women as compared to men. There are three times more women than men in this city.
According to Eritrean oral tradition history the history of Asmara goes back to the 800 BCE. In which it states that there were four clans initially ruling Asmara. The women suggested that these four clans come together and unite and fight against the opposing clans who are a threat. From this point on the name “Asmara” originated which typically means that “They all came together to unite”.
Asmara was formerly colonised by the Italians who used Asmara to attack the nearby countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, etc. Later on it was passed on the British Empire. It was fully recognised as Asmara the city of Asmara in 1993 after they got their Independence in 1991 from Ethiopia.
At this day the official languages spoken in Asmara is Tigrinya, English and Arabic. Due to the Italian colonisation the city was gifted by Italian Architecture and there are about 95% Christians and 5% Muslims.
The major transportation of this city is bus even though there are also cabs. You need an Archaeological permit in order for you to visit the famous tourist spot of this city that is the National Museum. The second recommended place is the City Park which is known for people coming there for relaxation.
Eritrean economy is one of the strongest economy in the African continent. It stands at sixth place among the top ten currencies of this continent. Eritrean Nakfa is the currency which when compared to the U.S dollar its: 1USD=15ERN. The major manufacturing of this economy is agriculture and meat and diary products. As far as Exports there are mining of minerals such as gold, copper, granite, potash, etc. As the city itself is a UNESCO registered world heritage site there city revenue is majorly contributed by tourists.
The Tinga Tinga Art is considered as an art that has historical value. It is named after the Edward Said Tingatinga who copied and reinvented the art in 1968. Back then he used Masonite and bicycle paint to make the art. Through which he attracted admirers of his work from all over the world which has now become tourist attractions for Tanzania.
Tinga Tinga art is now being made in a village in Dar es Salaam. After the demise of Edward Tingatinga in 1972 there were imitators who started making Tinga Tinga art and kept the art alive. In 1990 they have formed a Tinga Tinga co-operative society. Abdul Amonde Mkura is the senior painter and head of this society as of now. He moved to Dar es Salaam in 1974 and fell in love with the art as he learnt it.
As many people might know that Africa is a country which is rich in its fauna category and there are lots of forests and desserts. It is one of the countries that is still 100% natural in many parts of it unlike all the other countries which are artificial, and man-made. Tinga Tinga art is renowned for its surrealistic and native style. There are lots of admirers of this art and even there are lots of collectors of this art.
Tinga Tinga paintings are all about imagination. Over the years these paintings have had a number of altercations, as these paintings were done on boards initially and changed to fabric material as customers found board heavy to carry. In the early stages in the village, they used to look at animals in real life and draw them from imagination now they also use the modern way of painting like sketching it first and then painting on it.
The head the Society said in an interview that he likes to paint about various subjects from his village and from his past life experiences. But his all-time favorite is drawing elephants. He has painted elephants for over 20 years. The elephants are bigger and stronger than any other animal which has a huge significance he believes. These artists of this village are astonished by the significance and the nature of animals, and they respect them. These paintings are of animal from which these people get inspiration and want others to also get it.
These paintings have evolved to the fact that the youngsters of this society make digital art based on Tinga Tinga and also they have created cartoon series with these art. Tinga Tinga is so highly respected among the Tanzanian people as it’s a curriculum in schools.
Life as a kid in Tanzania is tougher than people presume it to be. The poverty there causes children who are the future of Tanzania, into labourers. Need overcomes all their wants as they need basic necessities for their families to survive.
In Tanzania, around 4.2 million children between the ages of 5 – 17 are working as child labourers. Despite all the amenities given by the government to the people in Tanzania, families have to make their children go and work due to their financial difficulties.
Not only children but mothers are also working as labourers in tough jobs such as stone mining and etc, to earn a living. As there is a lack of rain and many families rely on agriculture as their source of income, their forced to go and work as labourers along with their children in stone mining.
In Tanzania, not only children are working as labourers, but also are forced to quit school because of the hardships they face.
The children working are in the age groups of 5–17 and some of them go to school in the morning and work during the night and some of them quit school and work full time, like from 7 a.m till 8 p.m late in the evening. If the situation is too bad they have to work till they could make buckets of stones worth 4000–5000 according to their necessity for that day.
These children don’t have the normal lifestyle that a child gets, which they too deserve. Even with all the work, most days they don’t even get 3 meals. After all the work till late in the evening and they wake up the next day only to realize they don’t have breakfast which gives them the energy they need to work.
Like every other kid, these kids also have the dream to become an officer or a doctor. But due to their school situation they can’t. They could not afford the uniforms and shoes for the school. Some of the children gave up on dreaming of going to school because they think they will not get any help.
On top of child labour being an unfair act which is still evident in many places like Tanzania, these children gets paid very little even though they work a lot. Even worse, somedays they don’t even get paid.
It is not relevant to them wether they are not well or can’t work due to any medical situation, they wake up everyday and go for work, because many of their parents also have medical problems which makes it impossible for them to work.
Some examples of typical African sports: ⦁ Capoeira: It is a well-known sport that finds its roots both in Africa and Brazil; it combines many elements such as music, martial arts and dance. Indeed, it is composed of sophisticated moves accompanied by intense and powerful kicks.
⦁ Senegalese wrestling- LAMB: It began a century ago and was recreation for fishers and farmers, but now it can be a source of earnings; in fact, top fighters can earn up to 100000 $ per fight!
⦁ Donkey racing: It is an annual race widespread in Lamu, an island free of cars, this race is beautiful, and people are very enthusiastic to see it!
⦁ Nguni- stick fighting: This stick battle can last up to 5 hours! It is an aggressive fight, and some people have died for it; hence it can be considered a bloody sport; players or people who are highly loyal to this sport think that it can be seen as a manner to find one’s cultural expression and that it can enhance skills and discipline.
AFRICAN CUSTOMS
⦁ Himba: It is typical of northern Namibia, Himba women are characterised by half of their body naked and reddish hair, they do not usually wash their clothes, but they take a smoke bath.
⦁ Pigmy They are people of short stature coming from the rainforest. They have always been the object of great interest. They are primarily found in the rain forests of Rwanda, Uganda and Cameroon.
Typically they are hunters with a unique and significant connection with nature.
⦁ Samburu: they are pastoralists from Northern Kenya. They raise cattle, goats, sheep and camels; as they come from a very humid place, they are usually nomads.
Serengeti Park is among the most famous wildlife parks worldwide. Its fauna comprises various animals such as 1500000 gnus, approximately 300,000 zebras and 5,000,000 gazelles. In addition, many other animals have their home there, such as thousands of lions and leopards, cheetahs, and elephants … they are all waiting for you! The Great Migration is a phenomenon that is important to deciding the Serengeti visit’s timing. During Calvin season (January to March), you should visit the southern and central areas. The other periods of the year, such as in May and June, safari visit the central and western areas of Serengeti. A fascinating piece of information is the origin of the name, which comes from the Maasai word: “Siringet”, which means “place in which the Earth flows to Infinity”. The ecosystem covers almost 15000 km2 of plants and lawns, which are flat and, in some parts, corrugated. In Serengeti, you can enjoy several different types of safaris, from the famous one in a jeep to other original options such as: by horse or on foot. If you prefer to explore it from height, you can fly on charter or even on a hot air balloon, offering you an indescribable view! But which could be the best period to visit such a spectacular place? Therefore, during the dry season, it is suggested that from June to October, this is because when rain is scarce, animals congregate where puddles are present. Thus, their observation is facilitated. Serengeti is not too difficult to reach; it can be possible through aerial way or road. Firstly, it takes approximately 5 hours of flight; otherwise, by safari by car, it will likely take around 8 hours to leave Arusha’s city.
Africa is the continent south of Europe, east of the Atlantic Ocean, west of the Indian ocean and north of Antarctica. It is the second-largest continent connected to Asia through the land bridge of Suez. It lies among the Mediterranean Sea and Indian and Atlantic oceans. Throughout its history, the continent faced several conflicts in different areas. Civil wars took place in different areas of the territory; some of the conflicts in the past happened in Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, and Sierra Leone. The causes of wars are different; each conflict may originate from distinct circumstances. Still, some factors characterizing the African continent may be analyzed as disputes may arise for a diversity of elements, and they can be determining factors to examine thoroughly:
⦁ The problem of ethnicity due to heterogeneity in the African population: Rivalry for ethnic reasons is among the leading causes of conflicts in several African states, such as Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Burundi and an array of other states. Many people, who do not have in-depth knowledge of Africa, may think that this continent is just one group of people. Still, in reality, as it is a vast continent, more than 3000 groups are distinguished for different racial origins, and more than 2100 languages are spoken within this continent. In addition, there are a host of ethnical groups in Africa, so that is not simple to list all of them; the most well-known are:
⦁ Hausa (regards West Africa area, including regions like Benin, Ghana, Cameroon, and Sudan) ⦁ Hutu (comprises regions of central Africa as Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo) ⦁ Igbo (encompassing regions of West Africa as Equatorial Guinea and Gabon) ⦁ Kanuri (regarding Central Africa regions like Niger and Chad)
⦁ Poverty
Africa is suffering conditions of absolute Poverty consequence of an assortment of factors like severe climate and environmental challenges and contexts such as desertification which has involved severe famines and caused many victims and fatalities. A factor to be considered is the large amount of foreign debt borne by the continent, which is among the leading causes determining a worsening of the continent’s extreme poverty state. Possible solutions to causes of conflicts: ⦁ Resources evenly distributed: resources to be spread and distributed equally among the several different geopolitical areas of Africa.
⦁ Safeguard of fundamental human rights: To guarantee fundamental human rights to citizens, such as freedom of speech, religion, and association.
⦁ Elimination or at least reduction of Poverty: people who are victims of Poverty suffer outrageous living conditions causing African people massive harm, endangering their health and being a real threat to survival.
The psychology of people suffering from Poverty can be affected by conditions as above. A person threatened by the uncertainty of survival is likely to attempt to steal, hurt or demolish around and cause pain and suffering.
⦁ Equal access to Education: the whole population, including children, should be able to receive qualitative Education, being fundamental for both social as well as economic development, as it is the most compelling resource to empower people through the learning of both theoretical concepts as well as practical skills and the most such against the ignorance and robust defense against ignorance.
A marketing strategy refers to a business’s overall game plan for reaching prospective consumers and turning them into customers of their products or services. A marketing strategy contains the company’s value proposition, essential brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements. A thorough marketing strategy covers “the four Ps” of marketing: product, price, place, and people.
Understanding Marketing Strategies
A clear marketing strategy should revolve around the company’s value proposition, which communicates to consumers what it stands for, how it operates, and why it deserves their business. This provides marketing teams with a template that should inform their initiatives across all of the company’s products and services.
Benefits of a Marketing Strategy
The ultimate goal of a marketing strategy is to achieve and communicate a sustainable competitive advantage over rival companies by understanding the needs and wants of its consumers. Whether it’s a print ad design, mass customisation, or a social media campaign, a marketing asset can be judged based on how effectively it communicates a company’s core value proposition. In addition, market research can help chart a given campaign’s efficacy and help identify untapped audiences to achieve bottom-line goals and increase sales.
What does a marketing strategy look like?
A marketing strategy will detail the advertising, outreach, and PR campaigns to be carried out by a firm, including how the company will measure the effect of these initiatives. They will typically follow the “four Ps”: product, price, place, and people. The functions and components of a marketing plan include
market research to support pricing decisions and new market entries
tailored messaging that targets specific demographics and geographic areas
platform selection for product and service promotion
digital, radio, Internet, trade magazines, and the mix of those platforms for each campaign metrics that measure the results of marketing efforts and their reporting timelines.
Is a marketing strategy the same as a marketing plan?
The terms marketing plan and strategy are often used interchangeably because a marketing plan is developed based on an overarching strategic framework. In some cases, the strategy and the program may be incorporated into one document, particularly for smaller companies that may only run one or two major campaigns in a year. The plan outlines marketing activities monthly, quarterly, or annual, while the marketing strategy outlines the overall value proposition.
Four types of marketing strategies
Cause Marketing
Cause marketing, also known as cause-related marketing, links a company, its products, and services to a social cause or issue.
Relationship Marketing
Relationship marketing focuses on customer retention and satisfaction to enhance your relationships with existing customers to increase loyalty.
Scarcity Marketing
Scarcity marketing creates a perception of a shortage which aims to entice customers to purchase out of fear that they may not be able to get it in the future.
Undercover Marketing
Undercover marketing, also known as stealth marketing, involves marketing to consumers in a way that they do not realise they are being marketed to.
The first two – cause and relationship marketing — are considered “positive” marketing techniques that focus on the benefits to others. The second two – scarcity and undercover marketing – are more unconventional and potentially controversial techniques.
What are the 5 P’s of Marketing?
The 5 P’s of Marketing – Product, Price, Promotion, Place, and People – are key marketing elements used to position a business strategically. The 5 P’s of Marketing, also known as the marketing mix, are variables that managers and owners control to satisfy customers in their target market, add value to their business, and help differentiate their business from competitors.
Product
Product refers to the products and services offered by a business. Product decisions include function, packaging, appearance, warranty, quality, etc.
Customers need to understand the features, advantages, and benefits of buying goods or services. Therefore, when thinking about a product, consider the key features, benefits, and the needs and wants of customers.
Price
Price refers to the pricing strategy for products and services and how it will affect customers. Pricing decisions do not include just the selling price but also discounts, payment arrangements, credit terms, and any price-matching services offered.
When determining a pricing strategy, it is essential to consider the business’s position in the current marketplace. For example, if the company is advertised as a high-quality provider of mechanical equipment, the product pricing should reflect that.
Promotion
Promotion refers to the activities that make the business more known to consumers. It includes items such as sponsorships, advertising, and public relations activities.
Since promotion costs can be substantial, it is essential to conduct a break-even analysis when making promotion decisions. It is necessary to understand the value of a customer and whether it is worth running promotions to acquire them.
Place
Place refers to where the product/service of the business is seen, made, sold, or distributed. In essence, place decisions are associated with distribution channels and getting the product to targeted vital customers.
It is essential to consider how accessible the product or service is and ensure that customers can easily find you. The product or service must be available to customers at the right time, place, and quantity.
For example, a business may want to provide their products over an e-commerce site, retail store, or third-party distributor.
People
People refer to the staff, salespeople, and those who work for the business. People’s decisions are usually centred around customer service – how do you want your employees to be perceived by customers?
CONCLUSION: Through marketing strategy, it allows the company to oversee from far how it will be moving from the current situation to its desired position.
Lightning is the brilliant electric spark discharge in the atmosphere occurring within a thunderstorm, between the clouds. The flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity and a flashing of light is the result of discharge of atmosphere electricity within a thunderstorm cloud way up into the sky. Many small bits of ice frozen raindrop bump into each other as they move around in the air. All of these collisions create an electric charge and usually occurs to the areas that are mostly concentrated with metals.
Lightning can occur during anytime of the year but lightning casualties are highest during summer. July is generally the month with the most lightning and the strikes mostly occur in the afternoon. In fact, two thirds of all lightning casualties occur between noon and 6pm.
Examples of places or countries that are affected with lightning are the all regions of USA, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and North Carolina. Florida is considered as the lightning capital of the country with more than 2000 lightning injuries over the past 50 years.
According to the U.S department of health and human services, they have reported some categories which are:
Males are, five times more, likely than females to be struck by lightning. Around 85% of lightning fatalities are men
People aged 15-34 years account for almost half of all lightning strike victims (41%). The majority (89%) of lightning deaths occurs among Caucasians.
About one third (32%) of lightning injuries occur indoors.
Lightning is the results of thunderstorm from a charge in the normal electrical field between the surface and the atmosphere, in fair weather the surface is negatively charged, and atmosphere is positively charged. Owning to intense friction of air within the Cumulonimbus cloud, higher charges are built up with positive charges in upper portion and negative charge in lower portion. When the potential difference becomes more pronounced, discharges [lighting] occur from the cloud to the ground, from cloud to cloud or within the same cloud.
The occurrence of lighting involves different process as explained bellow;
The sky is filled with electric charge. In calm skies they are positive + and negative[-]charged
Inside a thunderstorm the electric charge is spread out differently.
A thunderstorm is made up of ice crystal and hailstone.
The ice crystal have positive charge (+) and the hailstone have a negative charge (-).
The hailstone is pushed to the bottom of the thunderstorms by its downdraft.
During the thunderstorm the Earth surface has a positive charge. Because the positive charge attract the negative charge at the bottom of the thunder clouds wants to link up with the positive charge of the earth surface.
Once the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud gets the large enough, a flow of negative charge rushes towards the earth surface. This is Known as the “stepped leader,”
The positive charge of the earth surface is attracted to this stepped leader so as a flow of positive charge moves into the air. When the stepped leader and the positive charge from the earth meet a storm.
THUNDERSTORM
Refers to violent convective storm accompanied by thunder and lightning usually localized and lived. Vertical air motion, considerable humidity, and instability combine to create towering cumulonimbus clouds. Frequently occur in conjunction with other kinds of storms like hurricanes, tornadoes, fronts especially cold fronts in mid latitude cyclones and orographic lifting
Types of Thunderstorm
Orographic thunderstorms – caused by air that is forced up by a mountain or hillside.
Air mass thunderstorms – is the result of localized convection in an unstable air mass.
Frontal thunderstorms – occur along the boundaries of weather fronts (e.g. cold front).
Characteristics of thunderstorms
Thunderstorm last for a short duration, seldom two hours
It consist of down and updraft of air with electric charges and thunder.
It is associated with heavy precipitation or hail.
It is usually destructive in nature as, it can kill people, animals, and destroy property.
Condition leading to the formation of thunderstorms
There should be prevalence of atmospheric instability such that air updraft can set off.
There should be availability of ample supply of atmosphere moisture for condensation to take place and maintain a storm.
There should be some agent to start convection as uplift over a hill or mountain.
STAGES OF THUNDERSTORM
The thunderstorm has three main stages which are cumulus stage, the mature stage, and dissipating stage.
The cumulus stage; this is the first stage of the thunderstorm .its dominated by updrafts that create the cloud formations which are cumulonimbus cloud necessary. The continuous strong updrafts prevent precipitation from falling .This occur where super cooled water droplets and ice crystal coalesce, then fall initiated a downdraft.
The mature stage; this once the storm has developed it will enter the mature stage. This stage is dominated by both updrafts and downdrafts and is the most dangerous stage. Falling precipitation is indicator that the storm has reached the mature stage. Lighting severe turbulence and hail can all be encountered during this time. It is also most active at this time.
The dissipating stage; this is the last stage once the updrafts begin to die out the storm is dominated by downdrafts and enters the dissipating stage. This signals that the thunderstorm is dying out. In this stage it is where downdrafts dominate and turbulence cease.
THUNDERSTORM FORMATION
The action of warm air rising and cool air sinking plays a key role in the formation of severe thunderstorm, if the warm surface air is forced to rise because is less dense than the surrounding air. This occur when the cold air and warm air meet each other whereby the warm air is forced to rise due to be that it is less denser and the cold air sinks, so the warm air in the atmosphere will settle and condense slowly.
Two of the most important ingredients for thunderstorm formation is instability and moisture Normally in the atmosphere, there is unstable air that causes the disturbance in the atmosphere and also the moisture that is caused by the cooling of warm air in the atmosphere might result to the occurrence of precipitation, even the presence of moisture and unstable air results to the thunderstorm formation
Thunderstorms are formed by uplifting of warm and humid air, the air that is formed is forced to move upwards due to it being denser normally it becomes cooler and mixes humid air clouds and water droplets that lead to precipitation or rain.
When humid air is lifted , it will be cooled and the moisture in the air will condense to form cloud. So, after the warm air rises upward to the atmosphere, it normally meets the moist air or moisture that forces it to cool and become humid, this situation leads to the formation of the clouds known as cumulonimbus. Normally these clouds are formed after the cooking of warm air containing the cloud within positive charges and negative charges and negative charges that once come into contact leads to the occurrence of thunderstorm.
Upon further uplifting, the clouds will extend higher water droplets in the clouds continue to grow in size as the clouds extends further upwards ice crystals may form because of low temperature. This means that due to the denser air rising upwards higher in the atmosphere forces and causes the clouds known as cumulonimbus to be formed higher away in the atmosphere and also due to the cool temperature in the higher atmosphere forced the water droplets became pieces of ice crystals so this becomes very essential for the clouds formation.
Finally thunderstorms are produced by the cumulonimbus cloud normally the cumulonimbus clouds contain two different charges that is positive charge known as crystal and the negative known as hail so once these come across they produce a steeper light known as lightning that comes with a heavy and huge sound known as thunderstorm.
What should we do during lightning and thunderstorm period?
Weeks have gone by, my national exams were nigh, since Mr. Martin Saning’o had passed away from COVID-19. I had a dream. In the dream, Mr. Martin said to me, in Swahili, with rough translation to english as, “Dare to dream big, never give up and always have a spirit big enough to achieve your dreams. Never give up my son and remember I love you!”. I woke up emotional that day but I also had a thought. He has done great works that most don’t know of. I wouldn’t want his works to go unnoticed – I would want people to know of the works that he did and the benefits he has brought to the Maasai community in Terrat, Simanjiro. This is his story.
Martin was born in the early 1960’s in the Simanjiro district of northern Tanzania. This is in the Maasai heartland – the high arid plains south of Arusha. In common with many Maasai of his generation, Martin and his family cannot be sure exactly when he was born. But Martin believed it to be born in 1960 or 1961.
Simanjiro
Martin was one among the minute number of Maasai children to have received education at the time. He used his education well. He wanted to give back to society that brought him up, so in the early 1990’s he founded IOPA – Institute for Orkonerei Pastoralists Advancement. Although IOPA’s first priority was to deal with land rights, it also eyed health problems and water supply problems that the Maasai in Terrat faced.
Martin became an activist, and made critical moves to ensure that the Maasai aren’t displaced from their traditional lands – The government had been displacing the Maasai at the time from areas they claimed to be ‘National Park areas’. His moves were seen to be ‘too critical’ to some in high places, and as a result the government initially refused to register IOPA.
As impossible as it may seem, Martin sued the government for displacing the Maasai from their traditional lands. At the time, more than 6000 Maasai had already been displaced by the government form National Parks. IOPA, led by Mr. Martin, filed a number of cases against the government which later on resulted in a landmark ruling by the High Court in IOPA’s favour.
Martin recognized that education was the key to enlighten the Maasai on a number of things: land rights, their own health, their livestock, the ongoing changes in the outside world, and a number of other things. He figured that a community radio would effectively serve this purpose. He took measures to establish a community radio, the first ever in Tanzania. He worked his fingers to the bone – a lot of sleepless nights – and finally the ORS FM first broadcasted news in 2002. The radio was in fact the first ever community radio in Tanzania – or in a larger perspective East Africa. It broadcast news in Kimaasai (the Maasai native language) and also played Maasai music.
After the idea of the community radio, Martin also realised that there was a need for electricity – not only for the radio station but also for the receivers of the information they portrayed. He worked on a number of projects, in association with different international organisations, to bring electricity to the Maasai people.
Martin also worked to help women facing different challenges, most especially those in the maasai areas – they were more prone to treacherous practices – such beatings from husbands, mutilation and harassment. IOPA created a safe haven where beaten women would go to and tell their stories. It also tried to prevent female genital mutilation, FGM, child marriage, and women oppression. IOPA dedicated some of its resources to educate women and raise the status of women in the Maasai society. IOPA also sought to help women economically. IOPA established dairies in Simanjiro with a long-sighted view of enabling women to sell milk and get money, they used to acquire their needs and the needs of their families. In the maasai culture, the only resource that belongs to women is milk.
Martin had broad and liberal outlook in his work, which touched each and almost every age group and social class by the time. For children, IOPA helped establish more than 50 pre-primary and primary schools across the region.
Martin’s work didn’t go unnoticed – he was elected an Ashoka fellow in 2003 and got the attention of a Dutch philanthropist, Dini de Rijcke, and began to work with her through her foundation, Strichting Het Groene Woudt (SHGW). Through working with Ashoka and SHGW, IOPA achieved many of its objectives. The Dutch foundation provided IOPA with 5 dairy plants and generators to power them across the region, and each dairy could process up to 2000 litres of milk into yoghurt, cheese, ghee and butter per day. These products were sold throughout the country. In cooperation with these organizations, IOPA was also able to work on a number of water supply projects, that bore fruits as the people in the dry Maasai lands got water with much more ease than before.
The women’s refuge centre was expanded to also be guest houses that could accommodate visitors to the area. IOPA also added additional generators to build one of the first mini-grids in the country to supply more than 1000 people in Terrat village with electricity, since the government had considered it too expensive to connect Terrat to the national electricity grid.
The IOPA centre in Terrat with guest house, community hall and dairy
Martin was bestowed various awards for his great work such as Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 by the Schwab Foundation and World Economic Forum Africa, the Ford Global Community Leadership Award, and Dubai Global Innovator Award.
Martin suggested that IOPA had to try and create viable micro businesses, so that even after funders ended their collaborations, IOPA would still be able to run its activities and thrive. As of today, IOPA’s remaining running projects include ORS FM radio, a few dairy plants, the conference centre, the water business, the guest house, and education and health support project in Terrat.
In 2019, IOPA was changed to Orkonerei Maasai Social Initiatives (OMASI) – an NGO – because of government laws and regulations, and by the end of 2020 Mr. Martin had achieved most of his goals and dreams.
On March 1st, 2021, Martin passed away. I can say that he hasn’t truly died because his works still live on – he lives through his works. He has left a legacy and very big shoes to fill. This story of Martin is supposed to be a motivation to anyone with big dreams, anyone who is fighting against all odds to achieve their dreams. I hope I have done his story justice.
If you will it, it is no dream; and if you do not will it, a dream it is and a dream it will stay
In Tanzania, the disputes continue between government officials, some of them are saying that the vaccines are not friendly to humans but others asking for proof of why the vaccines are not friendly to humans. Many citizens have been shown to have differing opinions about the vaccines, some are fearing for their safety after receiving the vaccines and thus refusing to be vaccinated, but another group is of people who believe the vaccine is a help to protect themselves from Covid-19, but Another group of people are those who do not know whether to be vaccinated or not so they are waiting for those who have already been vaccinated to see the results before making decisions. The vaccines are now available in the country in various hospitals including government hospitals but also private hospitals, and some people are more considered of getting the Covid-19 vaccines especially those who are at risk of this disease such as a group of the elderly as well as people with Chronicle diseases. as well as health care providers. Some people, including Ms. Khadija, have asked the government to look on the effectiveness of the vaccine first as she does not understand why it has caused opposition for some people to reject it and even some of them are government officials. But also Mr. Masoud said that he is afraid of using these vaccines, but he will have to use them so that he can protect himself, but he really doesn’t want to get those vaccines but due to his health problems it is better to be vaccinated so that he does not suffer from Covid-19. Many citizens want to get the vaccines, but fear has overwhelmed them, and they do not know what is best for them at the moment. The government should provide genuine education on the usefulness of the Covid-19 vaccine to all citizens especially who are afraid to use this vaccine, now the vaccine has become more of a threat than even Corona itself as even some parents forbid their children do not go to school for fear of getting the vaccine.
Art in Tanzania Blog 