March 20, 2023 – Djibouti News Gazette

March 20, 2023

Bow Valley College introduces an English proficiency exemption

Removing barriers for newcomers and international students

Calgary, March 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bow Valley College is announcing an exciting change to its admissions process for many international students and newcomers to Canada. Applicants from almost 50 countries around the world are now exempt from taking an English language proficiency test.

“Bow Valley College prides itself on removing barriers to learning. This landmark change provides students from countries where English is the primary language of education the opportunity to realize their academic dreams with a more seamless entry,” says Kara Mott, Dean, Enrolment Management and Registrar, Bow Valley College.

To qualify, applicants must provide transcripts that show completion of required secondary (high school) or post-secondary education. The change applies to virtually all Bow Valley College programs.

“As a former international student, I know firsthand what preparing for an English language proficiency test is like. An exemption for some of our prospective students means one less step, saving them time and money. It will be a game changer,” says Trisha Choudhury, Manager, International Student Recruitment, Bow Valley College.

Please visit our website for a list of countries now exempt from the English language proficiency test and details about the requirements.

About Bow Valley College
Calgary and region’s only Comprehensive Community College — with 14,000 full- and part-time students, Bow Valley College helps Open Doors – Open Minds to in-demand jobs in Calgary, Alberta, and Canada. Our graduates contribute to the digital economy, careers in business, TV & film production, and serve on the frontlines of healthcare and social services. Bow Valley College invests in three applied research pillars: educational technology, social innovation, and health.

-30-

Shannon van Leenen, Senior Media Relations Specialist
Bow Valley College
403-671-3274
shvanleenen@bowvalleycollege.ca

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8791681

March 20, 2023

Murang’a: Long Rains To Boost Tea Production

With onset of long rains in some parts of Murang’a County, tea farmers are anticipating increased production after experiencing drought for several months. The farmers since January this year, have been recording decreased production due prolonged dry weather conditions especially to tea growing zones. The dry weather experienced in the region occasioned meager earnings as green leaf production dropped by more than 40 per cent. A farmer from Kiambuthia area in Mathioya Julius Muraya told KNA that majority of farmers from the sub county were harvesting about 10 to 20 kilos of green leaf, down from over 100 kilos they used to harvest during wet seasons. Muraya observed that low production led to decreased monthly earnings forcing them to source for loans from various financial institutions. ‘The production since January has been affected by drought. Harvesting about 20 kilos of green leaf is not near enough to make any meaningful earnings. This has forced some of us to accrue loans from banks and Saccos.’ Explained Muraya. Each of the 10 KTDA allied tea factories in Murang’a has capacity to process more than 240, 000 kilos of green leaf on daily basis but due to drought the a factory is currently receiving roughly 40, 000 kilos. Some tea factory chairpersons including Chege Kirundi (Kiru), Michael Kamau Ngatia (iria ini), Samson Kaguma (Gatunguru) and Dr Muthoni Waithanji (Gitugi) confirmed that all the factories were operating below capacity due to decreased production of green leaf. They revealed that green leaf plucking days have been reduced to four to allow the factories to operate at the optimum. ‘We have organised the farmers in such a way to ensure we remain operational and sell our teas,’ said Kirundi. On his part, Kaguma observed that Gatunguru tea factory was operating at 40 per cent getting between 20,000 and 30,000 kilos of green leaf daily. ‘Farmers allied to the Gatunguru tea factory used to deliver between 100,000 and 120,000 kilos of green leaf, but now we are at the lowest level, we hope long rains will boost production.’ said Kaguma. A director from Ikumbi Tea factory in Kigumo Jerald Ngumba highlighted that depressed rainfall in tea growing zones has negatively affected functioning of most factories. He said due to decreased production, some factories are forced to halt processing till the needed quantity of green leaf is delivered to the factories. ‘Tea needs high rainfall but since January most parts of the county have not received rain. Some bushes dried up. The county government can consider providing water for irrigation. The cash crop is a source of livelihood to many farmers in this country,’ stated Ngumba.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 20, 2023

KLB Calls For Education Partnerships With Counties

Migori County has been urged to partner with Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) to improve the education sector in the county. The General Manager of Commercial Services at Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) Evans Nyachienga said that KLB, a government parastatal was a development partner and an education stakeholder of the Lake Region Economic Block (LREB). He said that so far 11 counties that form the LREB have partnered with the KLB to provide learning and teaching materials as well as capacity development for Early Childhood Development Education (ECD) and vocational teachers. Nyachienga however confirmed that talks have commenced between KLB and Migori County on how best they can partner and improve the education sector, especially at ECD and vocational centres. Migori, Siaya and Trans Nzoia are among the counties in the LREB that have not partnered with KLB. Nandi, Bomet, Kericho, Bungoma, Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu and Homa Bay are the other counties that form the LREB. The KLB official explained that they will continue to support the counties to realize the education dream as the key to the economic growth of the country. ‘Our learning and teaching aid materials have been approved by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) ranging from ECD, Primary, Junior and senior secondary as well as technical vocational training institutions’, said Nyachienga. The official affirmed that KLB has been assisting the counties that have partnered with them to improve their education systems by providing books that have been recommended by KICD and are rich in content. He acknowledged that KLB has also partnered with various education stakeholders like the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to ensure that the education sector in the country achieve the highest standards. Nyachienga added that they have been supporting partner counties across the country in designing and printing their County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) policies. He explained that KLB corporate social responsibility was supporting community libraries and schools by donating stationeries and learning materials. KLB, he added, has also partnered with the Kenya National Library Services through both hard and Electronic content. ‘Our KLB E-content materials are also available on other international platforms like Amazon making KLB have a cutting and a competitive edge across the African continent,’ added Nyachienga.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 20, 2023

NASG Project Enhancing Maternal Healthcare In Migori

A Non-Governmental Organisation in Migori County has been implementing the Non-pneumatic Anti-shock Garment (NASG), an innovative mechanism for preventing Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) among women. Post-partum hemorrhage is the leading direct cause of maternal deaths in the country and according to the NGO- Lwala Community Alliance Official Carren Siele they have been supporting the innovation in Migori to help reduce the maternal deaths. Siele said since the inception of innovation in 2018, they have been able to distribute 985 NASG to both public and private health facilities in the county. She said the garment was saving lives by preventing Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH), a condition of severe bleeding after childbirth. According to the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on postpartum hemorrhage 34 per cent of maternal deaths in Kenya were caused by PPH. Siele acknowledged that the majority of women in rural Kenya particularly in areas where the nearest health facility with comprehensive obstetric care was far were dying of preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. NASG innovation that was introduced by Lwala NGO in 2018 with the support of California University is a fit-for-purpose emergency device that can save women’s lives by reducing blood loss and stabilizing the patient until treatment is available. Siele noted that NASG was also a low cost technology and a first aid mechanism that is meant to support and prevent PPH in women during emergencies. ‘The NASG is a cost effective innovation that can save women in a remote dispensary during an emergency as they await for medical intervention. The beauty of it is that one NASG can be used several times to support women with PPH,’ explained Siele. The NGO has so far trained health professionals from 214 primary health facilities across the county on how to use NASG. Some 322 Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) and 3,307 healthcare providers have also been trained and supported on how to implement the project through mentorship programmes. Siele claimed that the innovation has seen a 38 per cent reduction in mortality rate among women with Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) condition. She said the NGO will be taking the innovation to more counties including Kilifi and Homa Bay to help in the reduction of maternal deaths. She affirmed that the NGO will continue to use platforms like Lake Region Economic Block (LREB) to reach more women.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 20, 2023

NOC-K Beach Games Come To A Close In Malindi

The inaugural National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Beach Games ended Sunday with assurances that Kenya has enough sporting talents to help expand her medal scope in international sporting competitions. Dr Paul Tergat, the NOC-K President, said the beach games held in Malindi’s Buntwani Beach Front Saturday and Sunday exposed talents that can enable Kenya to diversify her medal harvests by having more sporting disciplines during international competitions. ‘We have witnessed great potentials in these games, which we are using to prepare a team for the African Beach Games in Tunisia in June this year as well as widen our medal scope in international competitions,’ he told journalists. Dr Tergat thanked the County Government of Kilifi for hosting the games and promised that the event will be made an annual event with a view to identifying and nurturing new talents to be used in international games such as the Olympics. Kilifi County Executing Committee Member in charge of Sports, Dr Ruth Dama Masha, thanked NOC-K for choosing to hold the games in the county, and added that the county administration had commenced the process of securing land for an international sports facility in the county. ‘It is a five-year plan which we are going to do in phases; at the moment we are going to have the land and develop one sports shop which will be a talent and sports facility,’ she said. Kenya’s sprint sensational Ferdinand Omanyala, who is ranked as the world’s eighth fastest man, called on the youths to be resilient and disciplined if they are to cut a niche for themselves in sports. ‘It took me seven years to be where I am and I believe if the youths can be disciplined and patient, they will also make their country and themselves proud,’ he said. He promised to give Kenya a gold medal in the Olympic Games to be held in Paris, France, in July and August 2024. Kilifi County Executing Committee Member in charge of Sports, Dr Ruth Dama Masha, thanked NOC-K for choosing to hold the games in the county, and added that the county administration had commenced the process of securing land for an international sports facility in the county. ‘It is a five-year plan which we are going to do in phases; at the moment we are going to have the land and develop one sports shop which will be a talent and sports facility,’ she said. During the weekend’s competitions, Prisons Kenya beat Mombasa Prisons two sets to nought to lift the Men’s Beach Volleyball trophy, with Mombasa Queens scooping gold after hammering Pwani University two sets to nothing. The games attracted more than 900 participants in 14 sports disciplines in which the winners received medals and trophies, with NOC-K saying it was using the games to select a team that will represent Kenya at the African Beach Games championships in Tunis in June this year. In beach football, MTG United hammered Mombasa Olympic two goals to nothing to be declared champions in the ladies’ category while Watamu beat Likoni four goals to zero in the men’s category. Malindi Queens secured third place after edging out Ocean D ladies 4-2 on post-match penalties after drawing 3-3. The Sprint rowing category, which is new in Kenya, saw Diana Natecho emerge winner followed by Lorna Ogola while Purity Wairimu came in third. In the mens’ category Harrison Malenga emerged the winner ahead of Joel Okweyo. In handball men’s category, Pwani wolves emerged winners with Mombasa Saints and Pwani University coming second and third respectively while in the female category Coast Queens took first position followed by Glorious Queens as Pwani University settled for bronze. In wrestling for men, John Omondi, Evans Wafula and Julius Waruru emerged winners in that order in the over 80 kilogramme category while Alvisa Winrose, Eunice Waithera and Emily Wanjala emerged tops in that order. In the men’s over 80 kilograms category, Mathayo Mahabila, Mark Omumasaba and Brian Oloo emerged tops in that order.

Source: Kenya News Agency