Wednesday, October 12, 2011

International Day For Disaster Reduction

On Saturday, 26 September 2009 at 20:47 I published an article on my facebook notes ~ https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=152581277992 . I don think now, two years later anything has really change for the good.

This is what I said;

In efforts to strengthen, coordinate n integrate disaster management strategies, the government of kenya and the whole public, including the key development national partners for our nation must come together and develop very objective n effective disaster management and response system. Its such a pain to see that the El Nino which have been for a long time predicted to come may hit us by suprise and as felt in some part of de country already its disastrous. People dying of floods where few months ago the same community was dying of drought is worrying. This leaves me wondering if really these are true disaster, nature (fate has predestined these regions to suffer come rain come shine) or is it the national negligence on the preparedness n management of disaster. I tend to lean to my latter point seeing that all through year after year Kenyans are more into useless politics at the expense of developmental ones. As far as am concerned, whether addressing humanitarian issues or floods, AIDS, clashes, drought just to mention a few as national problems n disasters, the fundamental setback in the pursuit of the same is more based on poor or lack of institutional frameworks n coordinated approaches to the same. Speaking of the ministries that are already in place, the commissions that have been set, and even policies n bills discussed, passed n published every now n then, i would expect kenya to be miles ahead in managing the so called disasters! However it always seem the above mention strategies n their stakeholdings are on and hoc players who respond to current issues more reactionary than strategically with a solution based approaches. Having norms, values n principles of interventions in writting without practical approaches will always exacerbate our problem than manage or solve them. In this regard, there need to be socio-economic and political frameworks that can articulate the strategic visions n plans such as contained in the VISION 2030 AND THE MGDs as far as disaster management n preparedness is concerned

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Maturing Man

"Men are like a fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something which you'd like to have dinner with."  

There come a time when as human being we must grow up. Mature and be able to stand as being of dignity, beings with a purpose in life and even pursue what is important and beneficial to us and to the community which we live in. This is the place where we no longer are compelled to act on instinct, a place where the difference between us and the rest of the members of the animal kingdoms are made distinct from each other; the time when we become aware of ‘homosapeinism”  in us.

That time comes when we no longer do things that we learnt to do; we disapprove the social learning theory. We prove to the universe that we have brains, intelligence and power to influence what is around us, our lifestyles and our universe. A time when we can be able to us the power within ourselves to mould ourselves, to make ourselves what we want to be. A time when we just choose to do what is RIGHT.

At this time, the human being is able to use his five-oh sorry let me state here six- senses. Be able to utilize skills around him and in combinations with the sense he is able to critically analyze what is around him, outline what is for and against him in life. The human being look into himself, take a journey in his life, his mind, his heart, his environment and reconnaissance into his future. In this, he picks what is important to him, what he identifies with and stick to it. He is able to identify what adds value to his life and what devalues his effort and the quality of his life. Yes, I mean the matured man is picking the strengths from the weakness. He chooses to power the strengths to take him to her heights, and changes the weakness that could be changed and accepts what would not be changed. He is able to pick out real problems from the worries of life. That mature man then sets out to solve his problems while disposing his worries. Because he is no longer afraid of himself, he is no longer in darkness of who he is!
Before long after he has critically though through his life, past, present and future; takes a journey through himself and back, the man then picks up what challenges he is facing and places on the beam balance of his life- prioritizes their attention needs and sets out to attend to them depending on their importance and urgency. All this time he is also creatively designing ways and methods of coping with the challenges as well as facing his future goals and measures.  Pour our all that he can to making sure that he has a unique, self-friendly and sustaining way of dealing with his challenges and accomplishing his goals.

This matured man, who have reached the point of no return but have to mature anyway; must not decide- like use his brains, scratch his head to make the best fit choices for his life,. Remember, he is not selfish, so he will mind about others. He is not also mean to himself. He understand that there is a predestine goal and mission that he must accomplish in the world for his good. And he therefore, putting his interest and this unique purpose in life ahead, pursues his choices. But wait a minute, this man I more than just that. He also thinks about the sustainability of his actions, purpose and environment. He does not just think of today. He wants his efforts, initiatives and dreams to outlive him.

I have no way of concluding this- that is why am leaving it here hanging for anyone who may help me take it further or close it up to comment, WELCOME

Sunday, October 2, 2011

A Search from within

Understanding oneself is a very important aspect of personal development, realization and actualization. In every way of our lives the key important thing that really determine our achievements, be it at personal social economic or spiritual level, is not much of our background, money, or how big our dreams are, but much of how well we understand ourselves, and the people who are around us.

To start it is my hope and belief that we all, that is you and me agree that we are human beings. That unlike other animals that we may be sharing taxonomic groups with, we show a high level of complexity and development in anatomic, physiological, social, intellectual capabilities. Above all is that we have over time acquired great and dynamic skills that help us to thrive quite well in most environments.

As earlier stated, human beings are complex in nature and it is therefore hard for me as it is for you and many other to really get a definitive way of defining and understanding oneself. But one thing that am very sure of is that understanding oneself is so vital that we can not overlook it. As far as am concerned, it is actually the basic essence of realizing what one is destined to be and achieve. It is indeed a diving board into one’s life.
There are different ways that people define themselves. Some will go by their names, others by their status in the family society, others by their profession, and others by their sexual orientation. Well at personal level we maybe satistifed with the definitions that we offer to ourselves, however are those definitions really good enough to define who we are? Given the fact that human beings are complex in nature and that who one is at this instance is as a result of an interplay of different factors, forces and influences over one’s lifetime, I tend to believe that there is some static part of us that would not really change under whichever circumstance or place we are. And that is the real us. At some point I take it as the constant in every human being, such that one can say that he or she is a product of the constant call it K and many other influences in life. In fact one person once said that we are a product of nature and nurture. Therefore what people see and appreciate about of you on the outside stems from that innate constant and your environment. Just as in genetic they say that one’s phenotype is a product of genotype and the environment.

In such a case the most important thing that one need to be aware of and understand is that constant. This is because we have very little control over it unlike nurture or environment. In trying to do so, consider this:
sexual being
What makes you be a boy or girl? What is it like being a boy or a girl? What makes me be attracted to boy/girl?
Social being.
Do i need other people? Is my family worth being? Do i have friends? Are they important?
Intellectual/mental being.
What makes me different from animals? Why can i make my world better? What control me such that i do not work on instinct always as an animal?
Physical being.
Why is my body the way it is? Did i decide it to be the way it is?
Spiritual being
Do i desire the to feel or experience a connection to a supernatural power? Of what importance is that to me?
I can not make any conclusive ending to this note because the conclusion is within you!!!!
Love you friends.Whom I am I?

Monday, September 26, 2011

Prof. Wangari Muta Maathai – modest in excellence


"Well, I would certainly like people to remember me as a person who was very concerned about the environment, very concerned with the species that we co habit in this planet with and one person who really felt that humans ought to have greater respect for other species than we do at the moment."- Prof. Wangari Maathai in 2009.



Professor Wangari Maathai has won many firsts. In 1971, she became the first woman to obtain a PhD (from the University of Nairobi) in East and Central Africa. She was also the first feminine professor in the region in 1976 when she became the first (again) lady chair of the Veterinary Anatomy department at the University of Nairobi. In 2004, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, again becoming the first woman from Sub-Saharan Africa to receive this coveted prize.
But her firsts have not come easy. Born in the dark days of colonial Kenya, Wangari dared take a path that many of her contemporaries wouldn’t. She took the road less travelled and excelled paving a highway through which many other people have travelled to success. She has faced many challenges but remained unbowed even in the hands of rogue police men and their political godfathers, greedy land-grabbers and shameless indigenous tree loggers in Kenya and beyond. She remains a fervent fighter for democracy, human rights, equity and peaceful coexistence for all Kenyans and indeed all humankind through environmental conservation.
Professor Maathai has won many awards including the Disney Conservation Award (2006), the Paul Harris Fellow (2005), the Sophie Prize (2004), the Petra Kelly Prize for Environment (2004), the Conservation Scientist Award (2004), J. Sterling Morton Award (2004), WANGO Environment Award (2003), Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award (2002), Excellence Award from the Kenyan Community Abroad (2001), Golden Ark Award (1994), Juliet Hollister Award (2001), Jane Adams Leadership Award (1993), Edinburgh Medal (1993), UN's Africa Prize for Leadership (1991), Goldman Environmental prize (1991), the Woman of the World (1989), Windstar Award for the Environment (1988), Better World Society Award (1986), Right Livelihood Award (1984) and the Woman of the Year Award (1983).
Professor Maathai was also listed 6th in the Environment Agency (UK) peer review of the world’s Top 100 Eco-Heroes. She was also included in UNEP's Global 500 Hall of Fame and named one of the 100 heroines of the world. She has also received honorary doctoral degrees from several institutions around the world: Williams College (1990), Hobart & William Smith Colleges (1994), University of Norway (1997), Yale University (2004), Willamette College (2005), University of California at Irvine (2006), and Morehouse University (2006).

"Iam working to make sure that we dont only protect the environment but also improve governance" Prof Wangari Maathai

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Future designing

Future designing
By: Robert N. Josephine
On: 23/08/2009
Group: St. Johns Community centre volunteer staffs
Venue: Naivasha YMCA


Opening song: Ancient words by Mike W. Smith. (DISCUSS THE THEME OF THE SONG)
REFLECTION TIME
1.   Read a milestone story: power of habit (handout 2)
2.   God has a plan for me? Jeremiah 29:11
3.   Is God not a God of order? Gen 1-3
4.   What else can we do?
a.   Philippians 3: 12- 14- press toward your goal. Do you know your goal yet?
b.   Luke 14:18-28- Excuses makes you fail! do your planning well.
c.   Proverb 12: 11, 28:19- work hard, do not waste time!!
d.   Mark 13:32-37 – Be alert!
e.   Luke 21:34-36 – your dream should go beyond materials and worries of the future.



Introduction
A vision statement describes your own unique vision of what an ideal experience in each of your life areas would be like. It focuses on the distant future looking forward say, five to ten years and an ideal outcome.
A mission statement, on the other hand is based on your current situation and what you need to focus on so as to move you closer to your long-term vision. While vision statements are passive, focusing mostly what you want to experience, mission statements are active focusing on your actions, values behaviors, habits attitudes and character.
Mission and vision statements are complementary to each other. Vision statements show you an idealized description of your ultimate destination, while mission statements represent your chosen path to get you there.
A mission statement connects you with your own unique purpose as designated unto by God and the profound satisfaction that comes from fulfilling it.

In normal situation there is a gap between your goals and vision in life and the God’s purpose in your life. However it is best if one is able to link whatever they are working for in their lives with the ultimate divine goal designated to then by God. In such a situation, explore what God has given unto you and place it into a mission statement to make intersection between the two circles and hence be achieving your goal in life in linkage with God’s plan for your life.
 




Steps toward Personal Mission Statement Development
Step 1: Identify Past Successes. Spend some time identifying four or five examples where you have had personal success in recent years. These successes could be at work, in your community, at home, etc. Write them down.
Challenge: what is common in all these?
Successes all relate to creative problem solving and execution of a solution.
Step 2: Identify Core Values. Develop a list of attributes that you believe identify who you are and what your priorities are. The list can be as long as you need.
Challenge: what 5 major core values are most important in life? Arrange in order of preference.
Step 3: Identify Contributions. Make a list of the ways you could make a difference. In an ideal situation, how could you contribute best to:'
  • the world in general
  • your family
  • your employer or future employers
  • your friends
  • your community
Challenge: what of the contribution makes you feel sweetest?
Step 4: Identify Goals. Spend some time thinking about your priorities in life and the goals you have for yourself.
Challenge: of all the listed goals what are most urgent? (short-terms)What are not urgent? (long time)
In trying to differentiate the two, classify the listed goals on the degree of urgency and importance.
Urgent


Not urgent
Important


Not important


Step 5: Write Mission Statement. Based on the first four steps and a better understanding of yourself, begin writing your personal mission statement.
To live life completely, honestly, and compassionately, with a healthy dose of realism mixed with the imagination and dreams that all things are possible if one sets their mind to finding an answer.

Final Thoughts
A personal mission statement, is of course personal… but if you want to truly see whether you have been honest in developing your personal mission statement, I suggest sharing the results of this process with one or more people who are close to you. Ask for their feedback.
Finally, remember that a mission statement is not meant to be written once and blasted into stone. You should set aside some time annually to review your career, job, goals, and mission statement -- and make adjustments as necessary.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Power of Words

“Stick and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. ….” This is a common phrase that we have used once a time in our lives. It may vary across but every community group and age had a way of saying words can’t hurt them. Jus the other day, I heard my aunt say, “Wacha waseme, akichoka walale. Hawawezi kunitingisha”-let them talk once they are done they go to sleep, they cannot shake me. I also remember that time in primary school when we used to say, “Matusi hayatajibandika kwa uso!”-words can’t stick/be pasted on my forehead. Well we all say that in one form or another but even that we know it is not true Words do hurt, sometimes more than stick and stones. They may not shake you physically, but they shake you emotionally, they move your heart and feeling. Look, why do you feel disturbed? Why do you get angry? Why do fear when someone give you a threat call? Words are powerful. And their wounds, can last a life time. They may not paste themselves on your forehead that everyone can read, but they are pasted somewhere in your subconscious such that someone may know you are hurt.

Yes words are so powerful, they make and break. What most of us call the power of the tongue is what the power of words is. In the beginning, God used words to create the world. He gives the same power to man when he created him, when he told him to name all the creatures on the face of the earth. The power of words, the power of naming! Put it across and it become. It came down all the way to parent and up to date, we see parents have the power to name their child. And every single word they say into their lives mould them and make them. Once my Kiswahili teacher told me, “what thou shall profess, thou shall become.”
Today I was sat at my Kinyozi shop, the barbers started discussing why and how they landed in their profession. One of them asked if any of them wanted to be what they are today. My barber recounted one day when their teacher asked what they wanted to be in future. Him he wanted to be ship captain but he never made it. One of the classmate said that he would be a robber; he would be waiting for the others to gather money and him he goes to pick it. Sadly, that is what he became to be. He was killed two weeks ago while carjacking a car in Nairobi.

Words! The way we communicate our ideas, we affirm our passions, our dreams and thought systems. We affirm who we are! Gladly, positive life-affirming words are powerful too. I remember when I was small; I used to misplace my stuff very often. Well, probably I was just a boy growing up! Because of that, my big sisters and my dad used to call me careless! That went on and careless I became. I can’t explain it well here, but I used to loose and misplace things, my books were untidy! Not that I was untidy myself, but from home I was called careless! So I become. I remember one day my mom sent me to but kerosene, she gave me KES 150. That is all she had in her pocket. She told me three times to take care of the money. My big brother, who was there, asked her why she was sending me and she knew how careless I was with money! She told me to go ahead. I got to the gas station, I looked for the money and I cont find it. I was so shaken! I cried, I run back home looking for the money, but I couldn’t find it! I got home, I couldn’t talk, and I was all in tears. When I told my brother that I lost the money, he really beat me. When my mother came later, I had decided to run away from home. I knew I had disappointed my mother; I lost all the money that she had. When she came, I told her not to beat more; I told her that I was really sorry. She looked at me and asked me what I wanted her to do with me. I responded and told her, since I am a careless child, I should become a chokora (street boys who eat from the bins). I told her I wanted to leave and become a chokora. She looked at me told me to sit down and narrate what happened, she wanted to know how I lost the money. I explain everything and she asked; did you check your pockets? I said yes. “You searched thoroughly?” I responded yes. Then she asked, “apart from the pocket, where else would you keep the money, if you do not want to lose it?” I kept quiet. She asked, “Have you checked in your socks?” I said no. she told me to check and ……there the money was! She looked at me and said, you are not careless, you are just too careful to lose the money. Next time remember where you have carefully kept the money.

Next time, remember where you have carefully kept the money! Yes that is a statement I remember to date. And it changed my whole perspective of me being careless. And never did I lose money when I was sent to the market! What the power of words can do!  Encouraging words can wipe out self doubt like sunshine breaking though the fog. They instill confidence, and self esteem. Hopeful words do dispel fear.
In spite of the cacophony of ugly, pessimistic and degrading sounds, words of love and lyrics of hope instill hope, confidence, esteem and strength to go on with life. A friend of mine who is script writer and director, told me that before every play set on, she calls all actors and affirm them of their great talent. Assure them of her support and optimism in their performance. Surprisingly, she told me that in most cases, whether the play scoops the first position or not, her students knows that they did their best and that they just missed the first point not that they are incapable! Power of words! I like what she believes in; that all of us have great potential and all we need is someone to tell us we can make it and that we are great. All we need is someone to assure us of who we are and what we can achieve. However in this full of world of competition and gullible people and selfish intent in everything, few people find time to tell you of what you are worth of. No one wants to make you feel appreciated. Most people are eager to misuse and take advantage of who you are and what you can do.

Giving people messages of eternal life, of hope and assurance, is like bathing a broken heart like a warm healing balm. I have learnt to talk words of assurance and love to people, because experience have taught me, even if at that moment they do not make sense, once a upon time, they will.
The power of the statement and words that we speak to and unto people and people speak to us cannot be over emphasized. We therefore need to learn to speak words that caution, build and help others and even ourselves come out of the fears and disappointment that we are in at the moment. Make it a point today to encourage every single person you encounter today. And you know what; smiles, a halo, thank you or sorry is all that you might need to add in your vocabulary!

Monday, July 4, 2011

WHEREVER YOU GO I STILL TREASURE YOU HONEY, BE BLESSED.

When we meet people that we love, we want all to know that they are in our lives. It is a cerebration for Love, and when they leave too, I believe they deserve a similar recognition. Yeah, I call it endless love. Well, one year ago I had to loose someone I loved so much, and the hardest thing was to acknowledge that they deserve to go. I couldn't bring myself to believe that we are not going to what we were before. After endless sleepless and tearful nights, I had to clean up, stand up, shut up and move on. And here I wrote this letter to them.....

"There's no doubt that friends are one of the greatest joys in life. Good friendships bring you connection, intimacy, fun, support and (this has been proven) better health and longevity. We can take all this rather for granted. We all instinctively know that friendships matter to us, and that we can get a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure from close relationships with people who are not blood relatives.

But when a friendship ends, it can be excruciating and very hard to cope with. When you lose a friend, the end of the friendship can feel as devastating as a bereavement. But it's difficult to grieve, exactly, because your friend is not dead. Just no longer your friend. So there's no funeral rites to help you, and no condolences from other people. The foundations of your life have been shaken - but everybody expects you to go on as normal.

You may know what it was that brought your friendship to an end. If it was by mutual agreement, you may have expected that you would be able to handle the loss of your friend with equanimity. You may be puzzled to find yourself going through the stages of grief. You may feel inexplicably weepy. Or angry. Or depressed. Because, even if you ended the friendship by agreement, you really have lost something important.

It helps to acknowledge your own pain - to other friends if you can, but at least to yourself. Allow yourself to grieve over the loss of the friendship. Friendships are important parts of the structures of our lives, and when they go, they deserve recognition.

You can take the time to feel sad, but also to be glad of the good things that friendship brought you. It is sad when you realize that you might not keep in touch as often as you used to. And be as close as you used to be. Sad is even to know that you may never be in his arms again, that you have to forget the love you shared, the sweet moment. But the joy of it is realizing that at least you had a chance to love, to be intimate and have good times in your life with him. There is great power in blessing them for in a way you evoke the same blessing for yourself too. Appreciate him a gift from God and thank God for the time you spend together. Then you can join me in saying this prayer together,



iGod grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen."