GIRLS CAMPAIGN TO END CHILD MARRIAGE

Living in Northern Nigeria has made me somewhat thick skinned to girl-child brides. I do not cringe anymore when I pass them on the streets, or in the markets. I am sure many citizens are like me. We have grown callous to this evil, and often look the other way. I used to be very vocal about my displeasure in child marriage and the resultant health and psychological problems. Now, I just try.

Child marriage continues to be one of the greatest barriers that prevents girls from realizing their full potential. It curtails their education, exposes them and their children to increased risks in childbirth, and limits their opportunities for the future.

Unlike some of us, many young people in Africa are at the forefront of ending this practice of child marriage.Below, is the remarkable mission of a young Nigerian lady, Maryam from the Save the Children Foundation :

 "I am campaigning to end to child marriage and sexual abuse, and to ensure girls have access to education and reproductive rights. For the past four years, I have worked with various organizations and the media to promote the well-being of girls. I organize discussions with adolescent girls where they talk about issues they face.I use my voice to hold government accountable. I produce songs and speak at forums on girls health and education. I am a youth reporter and the leader of the Chibok girl’s ambassadors, where I organized marches demanding the release of the Chibok girls.

I would like my community to change the mindset about educating girls because educating and empowering girls is one of the best ways to eradicate poverty. I would also like my community to change their views on child marriage, because it leads to many health challenges for girls.

I am calling on our leaders to include us when making decisions that affect our lives. I urge them to set up programs that will remove social barriers that limit us or hurt us, and to establish laws and policies that protect our rights.

I will be 30 when the Sustainable Development Goals will end. This means my generation is responsible for holding leaders accountable for delivering these goals. By investing in my health, my education and my decision making capacity, the cycle of poverty can be broken and all of the sustainable development goals can be achieved simply by empowering me to reach my full potential." 

- Kirsten Okenwa

HELP FOR RURAL WOMEN FARMERS

COURTESY WORLD BANK

Africa, a continent with huge agriculture potential. Yet, the cost of farming and crops skyrocket daily. There is little impact in the rural areas for all the government polices and agriculture grants. Our rural areas are teeming with enterprising women and girls hard at work in the farms, in food production, or in the markets. The work is tiresome and produces very little income for some. They need better access to information, finance, and marketing network. 

In 2017, Amber Africa is working with these rural women in the areas of:

* Farming Education

* Loans

* Money Saving Schemes and 

* Marketing support. 

Our Pilot schemes are ongoing in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria, where local communities are benefiting from our training and support.

African Urbanisation and Agriculture

African Produce In Foreign Stores

• A paper (PDF) suggests that urbanisation of African populations has driven a quiet revolution in the agricultural supply chain. Senegalese prepackaged ready to cook meals which started out for the Dakar market can now be found in stores in the US and France. Read more in the link: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bf74/6eb4694e8a99fba1013e2d7519022173e4e0.pdf

AFRICAN ELECTIONS ARE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE

African elections are not what they used to be. There is a lot more transparency and voters participation. Citizens are taking charge of the process to democratic governance. The presence of several international observer missions before and during these elections also aid transparency. 

A look at this link from the 2015 Tanzanian elections show a tight race with the populace in charge.
http://mtega.com/2015/10/election-day-report-no-4-9-30pm-from-cemot-tanzaniadecides-uchaguziwetu15/

It was rare to witness a peaceful transition of governments in Africa. Violence and corruption usually marred the electoral process as seen in the December 2007 Kenya elections, 2010 in Côte d’Ivoire, 2011 in Nigeria. 

From a report by the Africa Growth Initiative, the failure to manage ethnic and religious diversity and provide institutional structures that enhance peaceful coexistence, national integration and nation-building, remained one of the continent’s most intractable governance problems.

In 2015, many countries in Africa—including the Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Libya, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia—will conduct presidential and/or legislative elections. Most of these countries have struggled with transition to democracy at least since the mid-1980s, and some of them much more recently. The 2015 elections, then, for some, could be turning points for embracing democracy more closely, and, for others, for significantly deepening and institutionalizing democracy and emerging as democratic strongholds on the continent. 

- Kirsten Okenwa

BOOK REVIEW

Doris Okenwa was at the International Caux Conferences 2015 in Caux, Switzerland, under the Initiatives of Change, UK. She has a book review piece from the unveiling of a new book by journalist and author Michael Smith. 

Smith urged the need for ‘conscience-based decision-making’ in banking, business and the economy when he launched his new book Great Company at the Caux Conference Centre in Switzerland, on 28 June, 2015. 

Read the review in the link below:

http://uk.iofc.org/conscience-needed-banking-and-business-says-author-new-book

Bill Gates: How Online Courses can Radically Improve Education by 2030

Bill Gates

At Bill Gates blog, we are regularly inspired by his notes about books, health, community service achievements and more. Visit:
www.gatesnotes.com

Talking about the benefits of online education, he shares more in this video on how online courses can radically improve education by 2030.
Follow link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrd0NiWMIjk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

BUILDING COMMUNITIES

This is an inspiring video on how innovation can build communities.

Excellent Development - Sand Dams in Kenya. Click on link below:

Watch "Excellent Development - Sand Dams in Kenya" on YouTube

HAPPY WORKERS DAY

It is May Day. We celebrate workers around the world. Hardworking men and women giving their best daily and moving the society forward.

Today, we specially celebrate young entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Africa at large. We recognise the challenges of starting and running a profitable business here. Challenges of irregular power supply, petrol shortage, lack of credit or capital. 

In the article below, we share from a new paper by Marcel Fafchamps & Simon Quinn on further evidence that capital stimulates entrepreneurship in low-income countries.

Evidence from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia:

We gave US$1,000 cash prizes to winners of a business plan competition in Africa. The competition, entitled ‘Aspire’, was intended to attract young individuals aspiring to become entrepreneurs. Participants were ranked by committees of judges composed of established entrepreneurs. Each committee selected one winner among twelve candidates; that winner was awarded a prize of US$1,000 to spend at his or her discretion.

…Six months after the competition, we compare winners with the two runners-up in each committee: winners are about 33 percentage points more likely to be self-employed. We estimate an average effect on monthly profits of about US$150: an annual profit of 80% on initial investment. Our findings imply that access to start-up capital constitutes a sizeable barrier to entry into entrepreneurship for the kind of young motivated individual most likely to succeed in business.

BOOK REVIEW

APRIL BOOK REVIEW: 

The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. (2006).    
by William Easterly

A refreshingly frank, easy to read book written from decades of "inside" knowledge and experience which should be a bible for anyone involved or interested in releasing Africa's undoubted potential. .. Mr. David G. Stables.

"The White Man's Burden: Why the West's efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good' poses two fairly simple questions. First of all, how have the rich countries managed to give away $2.3 trillion over the last decades and still see people dying of malnutrition and entirely curable diseases? And secondly, why can the free market deliver millions of copies of a new Harry Potter book to children around the world all on the same day, but can't deliver a life-saving vaccination programme?

His conclusion is that aid has failed, from a mixture of corruption, overambition, and incompetence. He then draws a distinction between `planners', and 'searchers'. Planners are the big thinkers, the `big push' schemes like the Millennnium Development Goals, or Make Poverty History. While the planners get the celebrity endorsements, the best solutions are the ones that are home-grown - small-scale, "effective piecemeal" approaches that start with the poor and work out their needs and how to meet them. These are the 'searchers', who are concerned with what works rather than big and noble ideals.
"I didn't expect to agree or to like a book that is so critical of aid, but his critique is balanced with a very real compassion for the poor. Ultimately, he's on their side, and Easterly's belief in small-scale, bottom-up approaches is one that needs to be widely read by policy-makers." By Jeremy Williams 

Noteworthy Links

Here are some links we find interesting and on point.

1. http://chrisblattman.com/2015/03/01/white-people-ex-pats-black-people-immigrants/

2. Map of African regime types, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index (27/54 countries are ”authoritiarian/nominal democracy’)

3. No we are not all born equal. Smart 3 minute video explainer on US inequality.

4. Anthropologists v therapists – who has the best approach to helping people cope with post-disaster/conflict trauma?

5. Notes on development

BOOK REVIEW

"We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First Century” By Kofi Annan.

We are deeply inspired by Mr. Annan’s book: “We the Peoples: A UN for the Twenty-First Century.” It was released in 2014.  

During his momentous time as Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan played a decisive role in launching the Millennium Development Goals, establishing the International Criminal Court, and creating the Global Compact. In 2001, Kofi Annan and the UN jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize “for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world.” These and other crucial events are encapsulated in this book of Kofi Annan’s key speeches throughout his term of office.

These highlights have been carefully selected, edited, and introduced to give a broad view of Annan’s most pressing concerns—and the eloquence with which he addressed them. Covering subjects from development, health, and climate change to the prevention of genocide and the ideal of diversity, these statements show how deeply involved the UN was in the most important issues of the era.

kofiannanfoundation.org

Maintaining The Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria.

today.ng

Our internally displaced people have a right to their dignity. A right to good shelter, health and, education.

We see with increasing frequency, hundreds of distressed Nigerians packed in camps across the northern part of the country. A common thread that links them all is the lack of basic living amenities like clinics or dispensaries, constant running water, proper sanitation, well-planned relief distribution channel.

The most irksome sight is the fight our displaced people engage in when trying to grab the handouts from government or aid agencies. Many are severely hurt in the process. Some weak ones give up altogether. I wonder; can there not be a proper and organised way of giving out food, clothing, etc? Can we not dignify our displaced citizens by setting up multiple conventional collection stands in these camps where they queue for rations? Can we insist on shorter queues and faster service? Can we have more areas for children, the aged and their needs? Can we have trained government personnel and volunteers working in these camps day and night to organise, monitor and assist the ever-present Red Cross organisation?

nigerianintel.com

Our displaced people are suffering from malnutrition and open to a variety of diseases and illnesses. Needless to mention the mental trauma of having to flee their homes and all things familiar. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recommends that each refugee or displaced person receive more than 2,100 calories per day, but often camps fall short of this standard.

What consistent help is being given? Government ought to move from the point of irregular visits to these camps, to setting up world-class temporary shelters where our displaced people can have regular access to good meals, basic amenities to reduce the spread of diseases.

nigeriannewsservice.com

Life in these camps can be made to be productive. The children can have regular lessons according to school grades. Adults can be taught various productive skills for life outside the camp.

We all - government, military, media, civil societies - ought to work to see that our people live and are treated like dignified citizens while in camp. We must also work to see that they are quickly resettled in their communities and have respite from the physical and psychological effects of 'war'.

- K.C. Okenwa

UNITED, WE STAND

United, We Stand

United, We Stand;
One indivisible African nation,
Nurturing, growing, developing, expanding, impacting, uplifting.
We stand, we tower, we rule.

We are Africa;
Nigeria, Liberia, Algeria,
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, 
Libya, Uganda, Rwanda, 
We are one.

United, we stand
To break the bonds 
Of corruption and tyranny.
United, we stand
To rout the enemies of our peace.
United, we stand
To build and expand our frontiers.
United, we stand
In pride, dignity, solidarity.
United, we stand 
As the unshakable monolith- Kilimanjaro.
We will stand as one
In the midst of a troubled continent.

Our young will soar high, 
Our streams will flow wide.
Our flocks will multiply,
Our crops will satisfy,
Our gold will beautify.
Our land, this great land,
This Africa of incredible magnificence will dazzle the world.

Together we join our hands
Standing on the mountain crest;
Black Africans, white Africans,
Joy on our faces,
Looking up, looking far
To the brightness of our rising.

By Kirsten Okenwa

Amber Africa Dev. Foundation (AAD) - 2014: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF AND ASSISTANCE

The AAD team of  professionals and volunteers work with communities, groups, individuals and organisations to provide necessary financial and material assistance, in terms of education, shelter, healthcare and entrepreneurship aid for women and youths. 

In 2014, our programmes addressed a broad range of topics including shelter emergency response, food security and infrastructure in select orphanages, water and sanitation, economic development for women and youths, and education grants for children from low-income homes.

We had great results from our projects. Families were assisted in house rent payments, tens of children benefitted from our education grants;

A number of women and youths saw their businesses enhanced by our financial and technical support.

Our progress and impact have been swift and sure as a result of the contributions and involvement of our distinguished board of trustees and partners. We see community advancement as a lifelong project. Our goal is for individual empowerment and upliftment and, the development of society as a whole.

We expect to make greater impact in the coming year 2015. We will be active in the education sector, with a focus on grants and school resources. We will work for greater participation of women and youths in business, politics and governance, organizing events that will teach and inspire. We will work for human rights and sustainable development as well as providing more humanitarian assistance for communities and individuals.

RESEARCH PAPERS WE LIKE:

chrisblattman.com

Unwilling Entrepreneurs

A common sensical but useful new paper by Nagler and Naude, on how many if not most African households make their money. Descriptive analysis is underrated.

Although non-farm enterprises are ubiquitous in rural Sub-Saharan Africa, little is yet known about them. The motivation for households to operate enterprises, how productive they are, and why they exit the market are neglected questions. Drawing on the Living Standards Measurement Study — Integrated Surveys on Agriculture and using discrete choice, selection model and panel data estimators, this paper provide answers using data from Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The necessity to cope following shocks, seasonality in agriculture, and household size can push rural households into operating a non-farm enterprise. Households are also pulled into entrepreneurship to exploit opportunities.

Access to credit and markets, household wealth, and the education and age of the household head are positively associated with the likelihood of operating an enterprise. The characteristics are also associated with the type of business activity a household operates. Rural and female-headed enterprises and enterprises with young enterprise owners are less productive than urban and male-owned enterprises and enterprises with older owners. Shocks have a negative association with enterprise operation and productivity and a large share of rural enterprises does not operate continuously over a year.

Enterprises cease operations because of low profits, a lack of finance, or the effects of idiosyncratic shocks. Overall the findings are indicative that rural enterprises are”small businesses in a big continent”where large distances, rural isolation, low population density, and farming risks limit productivity and growth.

Democratic Societies do not realise democracy's true value.

By Gary Mullen 
@HandcraftedUK

Do you live in a country where you are permitted to vote for your country's leader during an election? Do you often complain about things that are happening in your country and voice these opinions to friends? And, do you rely upon newspapers to keep you updated on the goings-on in the world? If you answered yes to these questions then, chances are, you are living in a democratic society. Although, do you take this for granted?

Take the elections for example. Do you vote during elections? If so, I can guarantee you'll know someone who doesn't. If everyone in the country did this then that would be an instant end to the democracy! Take a look at societies where citizens play no part in selecting their leader or, any elections that are held are rigged. Do you think that, given the chance, these people would pass on the idea of a fair election being held? Of course not! One of the main principles of any democratic society is for the people to raise their voice and hold their leaders accountable. Without this the voice is lost and the democracy is at risk of being lost altogether. 

The same can be said for the freedom to express your opinions to others. How often have you complained about Government policies to friends? If so you're in a very fortunate position. In some societies expressing a unique opinion can result in imprisonment or even death. So, next time you complain about how hard your life is, spare a thought for those who wouldn't even feel safe to complain in the first place!

The freedom of the press is very powerful in a democratic society. Sometimes considered more powerful than the politicians, the newspapers have the freedom to air their opinions and objectives to the policies made by Governments. Not surprisingly, this is not the case in many places in the world. In some countries, the newspapers are state owned and do not have the luxury of expressing a non-biased opinion. There, the people read what the Government want them to hear and, to a great extent, this is used as a method of controlling them.

So, do YOU take living in a democracy for granted? Perhaps if you do, it might be best for you to use your freedom and rights to their full advantage as not everyone is so lucky.

NEW SCHOOL SESSION IN NIGERIA...AMBER FOUNDATION ASSISTING FAMILIES.

The most valuable contribution we can make to the lives of children is the gift of education. Education is not only a fundamental right, but is a powerful catalyst for human development. With education, children have better life options, earning potential and health, and sound self-image.

The Amber Foundation is working to bridge the gap in educational inequality in Nigeria, especially in the area of school fees. We provide financial support to low-income families and care centers that have difficulties paying school fees and other necessary purchases in a new school year.

This quarter, we have raised cash to fund the tuition of tens of school children. Our Fees Project places heavy emphasis on recognizing students as whole people with unique opportunities, challenges, aspirations, and lives, and see parents', or guardians' involvement where possible, as key to the success of students they work with.

Rediscovering the Classroom: How to Make Learning Fun

Author: Gary Jordan, Ph.D.

---

If you're like many people, you spent much of your youth in school, sat in a lot of classes, listened to a lot of lectures, and did a lot of homework. Maybe along the way you even learned something. 

I say "maybe" because despite all the "changes" in educational curriculum over the last three decades, school is still focused on learning by listening, repetition and memorization. Unfortunately few schools teach to multiple learning styles in the classroom. This is true despite the fact that not all of us (truth be told, very few of us) learn best this way.

Mention "learning something new" to many people and they shudder with memories of bad educational experiences. A teacher friend of mine shared how challenging it could be to get some parents to come to "Back-to-School Night" and parent-teacher conferences because it reminded them of their own negative experiences in school. You yourself may have quit college or skipped it altogether due to negative associations with school and learning. And, understandably so, it can be frustrating to feel like you are always working twice as hard as everyone else. But, you're not alone. 

Studies have shown that people, both adults and children, learn best in different ways, ways that correspond to the ways they see the world. Discovering your unique learning style can totally change your attitude toward learning a new skill or subject for the better. So how do you learn best? It's easy to discover your individualized learning style and change the way you feel about learning something new. 

Do you like to dive head first into an experience, see what happens and learn from the outcome? 

Perhaps you learn best through stories that illustrate key points and allow for dialogue about the meaning and importance of what occurred. 

Or you might prefer a detailed, comprehensive investigation that proceeds systematically and is non-interactive. 

Do you grasp new learning intuitively, understanding new concepts from small bits of information? Or do you take a more logical, methodical approach, gathering and organizing data that you then compare and contrast intellectually? 

When you engage in learning that is geared toward your learning style, the process is joyful and the outcome is meaningful and satisfying. Only then can learning something new begin to change your life in a positive way. You will find that you retain important information more easily, and put new skills to use more effortlessly. 

Understanding your individualized learning style can make learning a new language, instrument, etc., easier and more enjoyable. Getting started is easy. Take 10 minutes to recall one learning event that was enjoyable and meaningful for you, and then one learning event that was painful and difficult. 

Now ask yourself these basic questions: 

• How were the two events presented differently? 

• What about the enjoyable event made it so enjoyable for you? 

• What about the difficult event made it so difficult for you? 

• What do the answers to the above questions tell you about how you learn? 

You can learn more about understanding your unique learning style and how to take a learning style questionnaire or survey by contacting Gary Jordan, Ph.D., at (800) 942-3934, or you can visit their website athttp://www.vrftsuccessforlife.com. 

Take the time to find out how you learn best so you can learn something new! 

About the author: Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He's the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents.http://www.vrft.com. 

WOMEN ON THE RISE

Amber Foundation is committed to women and youths empowerment. We will make a difference, one community to the next. 

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  
Anne Frank, writer

“If you are committed to creating value and if you aren’t afraid of hard times; obstacles become utterly unimportant. A nuisance perhaps; but with no real power. The world respects creation; people will get out of your way.”  
Candice Carpenter, founder of iVillage.com

 "I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them. I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations….I have built my own factory on my own ground.” 

– Madam C.J. Walker

SUPPORTING WOMEN AND YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS

Amber Foundation has a mandate of identifying, training, assisting and funding women and youth entrepreneurs. Good enough progress has been reported by government sponsored programs, but, we still have many women and youths sitting on their viable dreams of enterprise without any hope of fulfilment.

“Anna” is a young woman with a vision of promoting and selling African fashion and crafts. She started her business in 2008 and grew steadily. “Anna” conceived an idea to open stalls at strategic malls in Abuja. She called it the Afrique Shoppe. She had a sound business plan but lacked the capital for this latest venture. We recognized the viability of her project and gave our support. With a grant of about $4000 from Amber Foundation, “Anna” paid the stall rent in a strategic mall, and started business!

She currently enjoys technical support from AAD. Business is thriving and the future is vivid.