WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF FLY540 - AFRICA’S LOW COST AIRLINE

ISSUE 04 // FEBRUARY-APRIL 2012

EATING OUTTHAI RESTAURANT OFFERS A UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE

PIERINA GETS A PLEASANT SURPRISE

Classic Safari Rally

KENYANS THRILLED BY EVENT REVIVAL

ONE-MILLIONTH CUSTOMER

http://www.adamji.com

540 MAGAZINE

Africa’s low cost airline

// 540 Issue 04 // February-April 2012

Contents

1

4

28 16

is published by

LAND & MARINE PUBLICATIONS (KENYA) LTDSuite A5, 1st Floor, Ojijo Plaza 20 Plums Lane, off Ojijo Road, ParklandsPO Box 2022, Village Market 00621, Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 374 1934Email: publishing@landmarine.comwww.landmarine.com

Editor: Denis GathanjuSales Manager: Linda Gakuru

on behalf of

FLY540Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside DrivePO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5Email info@fl y540.comwww.fl y540.com

Photo credit: www.mcklein.de

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions.

©2012 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd

3 Welcome aboard!4 East African Safari Rally Kenyans thrilled by revival of classic motor rally

9 Technology Africa’s answer to Silicon Valley

12 Thai Chi Thai restaurant offers a unique dining experience

14 One-millionth customer Pierina gets a pleasant surprise

16 Kitengela Hot Glass Creating works of art? It’s a lot of hot air…

18 Swahili goes global Lingua franca of East Africa brings key benefi ts

21 Hillcrest School Students make a ‘beeline’ for Turkana – thanks to Fly540

23 Wine festival A fi rst for Kampala

25 Kenyan handbags A unique appeal

26 The Fly540 network28 Lesley Sercombe The ace of thoroughbred racing in Kenya

32 Sister Mary’s lifeline of hope Catholic missionary seeks to empower Maasai girls through education

38 Matatu culture The world’s loudest, scariest bus ride

40 Travel information for East Africa42 Getting around in East Africa44 Fly540 fleet46 Kids’ corner48 Contact information

BOOK ONLINE AT:

www.fly540.com

AFAARFFICACCSLO

WOCOST AIAA RLRR INEE

PLAN HOTEL

welcome to our fourth edition of 540 Magazine and the fi rst issue of 2012.

For the past year Land & Marine Publications

has worked in conjunction with Fly540 to

bring together this quarterly magazine.

Initial ideas and discussions about produc-

ing an in-fl ight magazine began in October

2010 in the hope of creating something

that would be enjoyed and eventually

eagerly anticipated by passengers. As a

successful short-haul, no-frills operator,

Fly540 had never provided in-fl ight enter-

tainment – just convenient fl ight times to

great locations at fantastic prices.

A year on, we are delighted at how the

magazine has established itself as part of

the carrier’s on-board experience. Each

issue covers a range of current topics and

general-interest articles. We have also

introduced a kids’ page for our younger

fl yers to help keep them amused during

the fl ight.

This edition focuses on recent events

in the East Africa calendar, such as the

Kampala Wine Festival and the East

African Safari Rally. The magazine also

pays homage to local entrepreneurs, such

as Anselm Croze (founder of Kitengela

Hot Glass) and Joan Ntinga-Maitha

(Kibeti Handbags) who both successfully

manufacture locally sourced and high-

end Kenya-made goods.

Experience

As ever, 540 editor Denis Gathanju brings

a wealth of journalistic experience and

ideas to the table. During this issue he

takes a look at the origins of the Swahili

language and also describes how ICT

software and applications are putting

Nairobi on the map.

We hope you enjoy reading 540 and we

welcome any comments from passengers

about the current and future editions of

the magazine.

So sit back, enjoy the fl ight and let Fly540

take good care of you.

Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) LtdEmail: publishing@landmarine.com

Africa’s low cost airline

// Welcome

Welcome aboard!

3

A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

www.fl y540.com

Safari rally //

4

BY REVIVAL OF CLASSIC MOTOR RALLY

KENYANS THRILLED

the East African Classic Safari Rally brings back fond memo-ries of the good old days. I

remember a time when the Safari Rally enthralled Kenyans like no other sport before. Kenyans spoke about it with an unrivalled passion.

For me, though I was young and at

school, I felt some of the Safari Rally

fever. Local TV and radio stations would

go gaga when the rally season began.

Billed by many drivers as the world’s

toughest rally, the Safari Rally was

typically held in the long rain season

that coincided with the Easter holidays,

when many Kenyans were home on

holiday. The excitement of seeing some

of the world’s fastest and most powerful

machines was heightened by the combi-

nation of wet and muddy conditions in

some places and dry and dusty conditions

in others.

Until 2002 the Safari Rally was part of the

World Rally Championships but, after it

was dropped from the WRC calendar, the

thrill died down for a while.

While it was still a WRC fi xture, the Safari

Rally attracted some of the top interna-

tional drivers including Juha Kankkunen,

Africa’s low cost airline 5

Joginder Singh, Vic Preston, Björn

Waldegård and Shekhar Mehta. Local

rally hero Patrick Njiru would heighten

the ecstatic feel of the rally and Kenyans

would debate how far the local ace would

fare against more experienced and better

equipped international competitors.

After the Safari Rally was withdrawn

from the WRC calendar, local enthusiasts

decided to recreate the thrill and passion

of the golden days. This gave birth to the

East African Classic Safari Rally.

The competition brings together rally

cars built before 1974 to participate in an

event that takes them from the Kenyan

coast into the hinterland, across the

borders into Uganda and Tanzania, and

back to Kenya.

Tradition

In line with tradition, this year’s East

African Classic Safari Rally began at

the iconic elephant tusks in the heart

of Mombasa. The cars then headed for

Mazeras and drove onwards to Mariakani

and Mackinnon Road with a night stop

at Amboseli Kilima Camp. The follow-

ing day they drove from Amboseli to

Loitokitok border post and crossed over

into Tanzania. They overnighted at the

Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha before

leaving next day for the Namanga border

post to cross back into Kenya and on to

Kajiado, Ndialongoi, Seklengai, Lengisam,

and then back to Amboseli for a rest day

at the Ol Tukai Lodge.

In line with tradition, this year’s East African Classic Safari Rally began at the iconic elephant tusks in the heart of Mombasa

© Mcklein

© Mcklein

http://www.ole-serenihotel.com

Africa’s low cost airline

// Safari rally

7

Eric Cecil and his cousin Neil Vincent.

Vincent, a true devotee of motor sport, is

said to have declined to compete at the

newly built race circuit at Langa Langa,

saying it was boring competing at the

same track over and over again. For him,

real rallying meant jumping into a car and

driving halfway across the continent and

back, with the first car to cross the finish

line being declared the winner.

Events in the UK opened doors for the

start of the first-ever Safari Rally after the

death of King George VI and the corona-

tion of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953.

Known as the Coronation Rally, it was

held to celebrate the coronation of the

new Queen. The race started in Nairobi,

went on to Lake Victoria and crossed

over into Uganda and into Tanzania

before returning to Kenya for the finish.

Huge interest

The East African Safari Rally was held

every year thereafter, arousing huge

interest from international rally federa-

tions. In 1957 the Paris-based Federa-

tion Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)

included the East African Rally in its

international motor sport calendar.

This meant that the date of the event

was moved forward from the end

of May to coincide with the Easter

weekend so as not to conflict with

other rally events in Europe.

These formative stages laid the ground-

work for one of the world’s most exciting

and toughest rally competitions.

The restart from Ol Tukai led the cars

to the Lengisam regions of Selenkai,

Mashuru, Olepolos, Kimuka Ntulele, Mai

Mahiu and onward to a night stop at

Naivasha Sopa Lodge. They then crossed

the hills around Naivasha into Gilgil and

on to Nakuru, Solai, Marigat, Loboi,

into Kabarnet and then through Eldama

Ravine to head back to Naivasha.

Night stop

The cars then proceeded to Emali,

Makindu, Mtito Andei and the Sagala Hills

and over to the night stop at Voi Wildlife

Lodge as they headed for the last leg

of the gruelling race though Shelemba,

Wundanyi, Mwatate, Kisigau, Samburu,

Matumbi, Majengo Mazeas and Nyali.

The finish line was at the Sarova White-

sands Beach Resort & Spa, where legen-

dary rally ace Björn Waldegård and his

son Mathias powered their Porsche 911

to the finish line to claim the 2011 East

African Classic Safari Rally after clocking

more than 4,100 km though some of

the most exciting and difficult terrain in

Kenya and Tanzania.

Patrick Njiru ended his self-imposed

10-year absence from rallying when he

entered this year’s competition, to the

delight of local fans.

The Safari Rally as we know it began after

a much quoted conversation between

Real rallying meant jumping into a car and driving halfway across the continent and back, with the first car to cross the finish line being declared the winner

© M

ckle

in

© M

cklein

k enya scored a technology ‘fi rst’ when it gave the

world a device that allowed the transfer of money via mobile phone. Bright new opportunities for mobile banking were opened up when the M-Pesa platform was pioneered by regional mobile phone giant Safaricom.

Today, this new technology

has been embraced by mobile

phone and banking giants

across the world, especially

in Nigeria, India, South Africa

and Tanzania.

The roll-out of M-Pesa opened

a new door to innovation

in Kenya’s information and

communications technology

(ICT) sector. This is not surpris-

ing, especially when you take

into account a recent study by

the United Nations Develop-

ment Programme which rated

Kenya the most technically

savvy nation in Africa.

ICT has been identifi ed by the

government as one of the

key sectors that will drive the

growth and development of

Kenya as a regional economic

powerhouse and will help

transform the nation into a

middle-income economy by

2030.

Under this vision, the Kenyan

government is going ahead

with plans to develop an ICT

hub known as Konza City on

the outskirts of Nairobi that will

lead the technological revolu-

tion that Kenya and the whole

of Africa so desperately need.

Innovation hub

It is often said that a journey of

a thousand miles begins with a

single step. With that in mind,

Nairobi has begun the long

journey that will transform

Kenya into an ICT giant full of

innovation and new ideas.

Welcome to iHub – Nairobi’s

ICT innovation hub. This new

centre has embraced the

vision of growth and develop-

ment offered by technology

and innovation. Under this

vision, Kenya is position-

ing itself to ride the wave of

mobile phone applications

and web development.

The iHub was founded by

technology enthusiasts and

local bloggers with a thirst for

technology that can make our

lives easier. The innovation

centre also seeks to act as a

link between technologists,

innovators and investors.

iHub offers a platform where

emerging and talented soft-

ware developers will converge

to develop new IT solutions.

When you look at local start-up

ICT companies such as Software

Technologies and Craft Silicon,

which have pioneered software

development in Kenya, you can

see that inspiration is only one

connection away.

With the global software

development industry valued

at about US$460 billion per

year, the Kenyan government

is impressed by the technology

revolution and wants to share

in its benefi ts. To achieve this,

the government has created

a US$4 million local content

generation grant that will help

developers take their innova-

tions to the next level.

Revised curricula

Today, ICT is seen as an integral

part of Kenyan society. Even the

universities have revised their ICT

curricula in order to help train the

Denis Gathanju describes how incubation centres are putting Nairobi on the global map for ICT software and applications

afrICa’s answer to sIlICon ValleY…

9Africa’s low cost airline

// Technology

next generation of ICT experts

and innovators. The hope is that

they will create consumer-led

solutions that will help to meet

the ICT needs of Kenya, Africa

and beyond.

Strathmore University in Nairobi

has partnered with the regional

mobile phone giant Safaricom

to develop the Safaricom

Academy. The new academy is

expected to produce ICT talent

that will take its business to

new heights.

Furthermore, Safaricom has

partnered with the Chinese

telecom equipment maker

Huawei in a collaborative

initiative with the University

of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta

University of Agriculture &

Technology and Moi University.

Under this initiative, the three

universities will review their ICT

curricula with a view to match-

ing the current market needs

of this sector.

Partnership

The partnership between

technology fi rms and centres

of learning has been going

on for three years and is

expected to benefi t students

and lecturers from the three

universities through training

workshops at Huawei’s facility

Africa’s low cost airline

// Technology

11

in Mombasa Road, Nairobi.

Safaricom will not only provide

students with hands-on job

training experience in the latest

GSM technology, but will also

provide them with a market for

local mobile software applica-

tions. Safaricom will also help

market the mobile software

applications developed by the

students through the Safari-

comLive portal in a revenue-

sharing deal.

Nairobi University has also

partnered with leading handset

maker Nokia to develop a User

Experience unit at the university

under Nokia’s Research and Sub-

contracting Laboratory.

Nokia is also helping promote

Afro Hot and Wazzup, two

local applications on its Ovi

Store. These applications were

developed by two students at

the University of Nairobi. Afro

Hot is a vanity application that

rates how ‘hot’ you are, while

Wazzup keeps track of what is

happening in Kenya, Uganda,

Tanzania and Mozambique.

Nokia recently awarded

US$1 million to Virtual City,

a Kenyan-based technology

firm, in a worldwide competi-

tion for innovative applica-

tions.

The trend has not escaped

global ICT giants, with

Google, Microsoft and HP all

setting up bases in Nairobi.

Google recently launched

Android Market in Kenya,

a distribution platform that

allows developers to sell their

applications for use on the

Android platform.

One of the Kenya’s biggest

software innovation success

stories to date is Ushahidi, an

open-source platform developed

in the aftermath of the disputed

2007 presidential elections that

brought Kenya to the brink of

disaster. The application uses

the concept of ‘crowd sourc-

ing’, which involves outsourcing

tasks traditionally performed

by an employee or contractor

to a large group of people or

community (a ‘crowd’), through

an open call. The application has

been used successfully in various

places such as the recent general

elections in Zambia and in Haiti

after the earthquake.

Local internet service provider

Wananchi Online has wired

the iHub with a fibre optic

cable to provide internet

connection, while Google

brings ICT experts to help

train innovators and provides

Android phones to assist in

developing mobile applica-

tions. Global software giant

Microsoft donated a server,

while leading handset maker

Nokia helps sponsor the

developers’ day.

Mobile payment gateways

Among new applications

developed at iHub is a

payment gateway by Zege

Technologies. Zege (Swahili

for ‘concrete’) is currently

developing a mobile phone

application that helps

integrate bank accounts to

mobile service transfer plat-

forms such as M-Pesa from

Safaricom.

The application is

programmed to integrate

with any financial manage-

ment system such as Pesa

Pap from Family Bank,

KCB Connect from Kenya

Commercial Bank and

M-Kesho from Equity Bank.

It can also integrate with

systems from micro-finance

institutions, non-govern-

mental organisations or any

other organisation that is

looking to enhance its M-Pesa

transactions.

Pay.Zunguka is another

payment gateway and aggre-

gator that has been developed

by Symbiotic Media. This

application allows merchants,

developers and content

providers to monetise their

work. Yet another application

is PesaPal, an internet-based

mobile payment gateway

developed by Verviant, which

is helping to bridge the divide

between mobile and elec-

tronic payment. Verviant has

also developed SchoolPay, a

mobile payment platform that

enables parents to pay school

fees from a range of mobile

money transfer services such

as Safaricom’s M-Pesa, Airtel’s

Money and Orange Money

from Telkom Kenya.

With Kenya being the first

country in the world to

develop a mobile money trans-

fer platform when Safaricom

first launched M-Pesa in 2007,

there is a huge value in mobile

transactions and most innova-

tors are working on applica-

tions that can integrate mobile

payment systems.

Since the launch of M-Pesa in

2007 the service has grown to

include more than 12 million

users and has so far handled

mobile money transactions

worth over KES 600 million

(US$7.06 million).

The local mobile software

application industry may still

be in infancy, but already

it has attracted over 3,000

developers at various incuba-

tion centres in Nairobi includ-

ing iHub, L-Lab, KeKobi and

Nai Lab.

www.fl y540.com12 www.fl y540.com12

UNIQUE DININGEXPERIENCE

THAI RESTAURANT OFFERS A

the dining experience in Nairobi is ever-changing. And with the change of the dining

scene, the experience is getting better and tastier.

With a growing number of expatriates

working in Nairobi and rising incomes

being enjoyed by many, not to mention

people’s desire to go out and experience

new foods and tastes, the dining experi-

ence in Nairobi couldn’t be better.

I had the pleasure of sampling one of the

fi nest eating places in Nairobi, the Thai Chi

Restaurant at the Sarova Stanley. Although

the restaurant has been in operation for

some time now, I must say the dining

experience offered here is totally new.

The Thai theme of this restaurant is

refl ected in the decor. At the entrance, a

large statue of Buddha welcomes guests

into the rest area, which is tastefully

decorated in Thai style.

Enter the restaurant and, behold, a new

world awaits you. The strong smell of scented

candles and the soft Thai music in the back-

ground help create a relaxing environment.

The main restaurant has a blend of

modern and traditional Thai styles, with

the dining area being divided into three

levels. The elevated side is a great way

to experience Thai eating styles because

of the Chiang Mai (sitting) style that is

adopted at these table settings.

Chiang Mai is an intimate style of dining

in which diners sit on padded fl oor cush-

and bitter. With its emphasis on lightly

prepared dishes with strong aromatic

components, this type of cuisine is

balanced and healthy with detailed variety.

Another unique aspect of Thai cuisine is

the social factor. While dining out with

friends or family, an act of bonding takes

place as guests eat from a variety of

dishes, thus enhancing the overall experi-

ence for each guest.

My date and I wanted this experience to

last. The dining and service are neither

hurried nor delayed unnecessarily. Every-

thing seems to work perfectly and you

easily lose track of time. The experience we

had was simply outstanding and helped to

underline what fi ne dining should be.

Reservation

Located on the fi rst fl oor of the Sarova

Stanley Hotel in the heart of Nairobi, the

Thai Chi Restaurant is open not only to

hotel guests but also to anyone wishing to

sample Thai cuisine. The restaurant opens

at noon for lunch and at 7 pm for dinner.

It is advisable to call ahead and reserve

your table to avoid disappointment.

No wonder the Thai Ambassador in

Nairobi has described the Thai Chi

Restaurant as the only truly authentic

Thai restaurant in the region.

Africa’s low cost airline 13

// header// Thai Chi

ions by the side of sunken dining tables.

The middle and left section of the dining

area adopts the more traditional Western

style of dining. However, the tables are

distinctively Thai. The walls of the restau-

rant feature teak board markings as well

as traditional Thai silk panelling.

The Chiang Mai setting is not only recom-

mended for family and friends groupings,

but is also ideal for couples, offering the

preamble of a lovely romantic evening.

Candlelight

Service in the Chiang Mai dining area

is performed with the waitress kneel-

ing while dinner is served by candlelight

with traditional music playing softly in

the background, all helping to create a

romantic mood.

My date and I found this an unexpected

and wonderful experience. What we

loved about this dining set-up was the

near exclusivity and privacy from the main

restaurant as we ate while seated on the

fl oor. It feels as if you are in a private

restaurant just for two people.

What makes the Thai Chi Restaurant

truly authentic, however, is not only the

interior decor and Thai cultural symbols

that include the Buddha, dragons, water

bodies and sloping roofs with dragon-

head supports; it is the food that is the

chief attraction for lovers of fi ne dining.

This is authentic Thai cuisine, with some

of the ingredients imported from Thailand.

The restaurant has three top-notch Thai

chefs assisted by a team of highly trained

support staff. The menu is written in Thai,

with English translations, and knowledge-

able waiters and waitresses are on hand to

advise and make recommendations.

Thai cuisine is known around the world for

including at least fi ve fundamental tastes

in every dish: hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty

What we loved about this dining set-up was the near exclusivity and privacy from the main restaurant as we ate

Pierina Redler, director of service learning and activities at the International School of Kenya, was the lucky winner of KES

1 million at the fi fth anniversary and millionth passenger celebrations of Fly540.

The surprise announcement was made by Don

Smith, chief executive of Fly540, at the airline’s

check-in area at Unit 3 of Jomo Kenyatta Interna-

tional Airport. Pierina Redler, who had just checked

in and was ready to board her fl ight to Lamu,

leaped up and down with excitement as she was

presented with a cheque for KES 1 million.

Speaking at JKIA, Don Smith said: “This Novem-

ber marks the fi fth anniversary of Fly540 and the

realisation that we will carry our one-millionth

passenger in the same month inspired us

to celebrate this landmark in the airline’s

history by rewarding a customer with a

special gift of one million shillings.

“In November 2006 Fly540 opened for business

with the promise of providing value-for-money

fl ights. The Nairobi to Mombasa route was

chosen to offer daily fl ights for local and over-

seas business and holiday travellers. A combi-

one-MIllIonth CUstoMer PIERINA GETS A PLEASANT SURPRISE

P1 million at the fi fth anniversary and millionth passenger celebrations of Fly540.

The surprise announcement was made by Don

Smith, chief executive of Fly540, at the airline’s

check-in area at Unit 3 of Jomo Kenyatta Interna-

tional Airport. Pierina Redler, who had just checked

in and was ready to board her fl ight to Lamu,

leaped up and down with excitement as she was

presented with a cheque for KES 1 million.

Speaking at JKIA, Don Smith said: “This Novem-

ber marks the fi fth anniversary of Fly540 and the

realisation that we will carry our one-millionth realisation that we will carry our one-millionth

“In November 2006 Fly540 opened for business

with the promise of providing value-for-money

fl ights. The Nairobi to Mombasa route was

chosen to offer daily fl ights for local and over-

seas business and holiday travellers. A combi-

realisation that we will carry our one-millionth

nation of reliability and low fares brought

Fly540 instant popularity.”

Pierina Redler said: “I will use the money

to buy textbooks for students at Brighter

Star Girls Secondary School in Lamu and

install cupboards and lockers. These pupils

learn in very difficult circumstances without books and I

am happy I will to use my winnings to help them.”

Duties

She went on: “My duties at the International School of

Kenya include organising service learning programmes

where our students visit public schools in Kangemi,

Dagoretti, Kiambu, Gachie, Mombasa and Lamu in which

children learn from each other through active participa-

tion. The aim is to build strong community relationships.

We also have environmental projects and we have been

planting trees at Karura Forest and helping to clean and

feed animals at KSPCA.”

Fly540 commenced operations in November 2006 with a

daily flight between Nairobi and Mombasa for local and

overseas business and holiday travellers. The airline’s value-

for-money flights won instant popularity and it now has

18 destinations in Kenya with regional services to Bujum-

bura, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Juba, Kilimanjaro, Manyara,

Mwanza, Serengeti and Zanzibar.

Tickets for the airline’s destinations are available from

travel agents and from the Fly540 offices at JKIA, Wilson

Airport, Laico Regency and ABC Place. Full information

on fares and services can be obtained from the airline’s

website (www.fly540.com). Passengers can book flights

online and pay via M-Pesa.

// header// Traveller wins

Pierina Redler, who had just checked in and was ready to board her flight to Lamu, leaped

up and down with excitement

Africa’s low cost airline 15

16 www.fly540.com

It was a tricky journey and a difficult place to find. In fact, so tricky and difficult that it took

me two attempts to get there.

My first try ended in failure, thanks in part

to protesting students (and they did look

pretty scary) at the Multimedia University

College on Magadi Road who managed

to close the highway for several hours as

rocks (students) and teargas (police) mixed

to create an unpleasant cocktail.

Some days later on my second trip and just

when the tarmac ran out beyond the Africa

Nazarene University in Ongata Rongai, the

heavens opened, instantly transforming the

rough dirt road into a sticky mudbath and

creating problems for anyone like me who

didn’t own a fancy 4x4.

Futuristic

Sitting helplessly in the car awaiting an

umbrella, I glanced out at my damp and

bedraggled surroundings. It looked as if

I had reached some futuristic scrapyard

rather than the headquarters of one of

the best-known of Kenya’s home-grown

brands. Yet I had arrived at Anselm

Kitengela Hot Glass.

You can visit the company’s stores at The

Village Market, Junction or Westgate

and, of course, I could easily have bought

a set of goblets and saved myself two

epic journeys to the fringes of Nairobi

National Park. But I had chosen to travel

out of town to see where Anselm Croze

and his team actually blow the glass.

CreatIng works of art? It’s a lot of hot aIr…

Kitengela //

By gary gimson

The first question I asked the immediately

engaging Anselm – unconnected with

glass blowing – was: “Where did you get

a crazy first name like Anselm?” Clearly,

it’s unusual; but it’s one that apparently

dates back hundreds of years. For the

record, a St Anselm was Archbishop of

Canterbury from 1093 to 1109, so that

answers that one.

Anselm has been blowing glass here since

1979 in what was, and still is, the back of

beyond. He hails from a long line of artists.

Glass blowing seems an esoteric art and

one that is, perhaps, more commercial than

artistic. But Anselm says: “I was captivated

by the idea that there was more to things

than just making glass flat.”

So, here, glass making is an art; hand-

made and with each item unique, so

that no two glasses are alike – even,

and rather puzzlingly, when they are

supposed to be part of a set. Anselm

explains: “It’s hard to blow glass and

you need both the infrastructure and the

passion. Instead, there is gratification and

beautiful materials with which to work. It

really is magic stuff.”

Anselm only works with recycled glass

as a raw material. He calls it a “stern

mistress” and he then harnesses his eco-

credentials to the fact that steam for the

furnace is generated from used engine

oil. The steam is another unusual and

probably unique aspect of the operation

as nowhere else is this method used to

fire the furnaces.

Furnaces have a lifespan. This one has

been working more or less continuously

for over 12 years. Anselm says: “We have

two spares ready when the day comes

when it will no longer works. Our steam

system is unique, so there are there are

no manuals if it goes wrong.

The main electrical power supply is

inching closer, so the day will soon come

when Anselm needs

to buy less oil and gas.

The company will

continue to make all

its own tools and furni-

ture and build

its own workshops

and furnaces.

All packaging material

is also recycled. “We’ve

being doing this long

before it became fashion-

able – out of necessity, if

nothing else,” admits Anselm.

After blowing the glass, it’s time to sell

what has been created. Anselm explains:

“We offer a large range of products;

pretty much all of it is designed in-house.

But we are also customer-driven and we

will specially make items.”

These customers are generally high-end

and include kings and queens, diplomats,

embassy staff, United Nations employees

and, of course, tourists.

Anselm also wants to move on: “We

don’t want to be stale but we do want to

maintain our classics while adding new

colours and techniques.” New designers

from outside are welcome and he likes to

prove that he is not just a one-man band.

“For example, we have held workshops

which resulted in some nice collabora-

tions and cross-pollination.”

Fragile

It would be natural to assume that a

fragile product such as glass would be

difficult to ship. Anselm says: “If our glass

can make it out of the factory and across

the road to Ongata Rongai then it can

make it anywhere.” Clearly, Kitengela

glass is solid stuff.

After more than 30 years of glass

blowing, what does the future hold for

17Africa’s low cost airline

Anselm Kitengela Hot Glass? For Anselm,

it’s likely to be more teaching as well as

more artwork and public art. “I like big

pieces,” says Anselm. For example, in

2011 he finished a 3.5 metre high, 1.2

tonne chandelier that has been hanging

at the Safaricom headquarters on

Nairobi’s Waiyaki Way.

So, as it turned out, the tricky journey

was well worth it. And in a material

world, it is always a pleasure to meet a

master craftsman who is truly passionate

about his work.

It is always a pleasure to meet a master craftsman who is truly passionate about his work

kItengela hot glassemail: office@kitengela.com www.anselmcroze.com

www.fly540.com18

The expansion of the East African Community (EAC) from a confederation of three

member states to the current five has been hailed as a positive step towards the enhancement of trade and indus-try between member states.

And when you add the formulation of

a Customs union and talks of further

integration of partner states into a

political federation and the adoption

of a common East African currency by

June 2012, it makes the creation of a

Eurozone-like confederation in East Africa

a real possibility.

While the people of Kenya, Uganda,

Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi dream of

political and economic harmony under an

East African Union, it is worth considering

some of the driving factors towards the

realisation of this union. One of them is

the history of the East African people, who

coexisted for many years until the demarca-

tion of Africa by major European powers

following the Berlin Conference of 1884.

While cultural and historical ties have

brought East Africans together, it is the

Swahili language that continues to play a

Swahili goeS global

Lingua franca of East africa brings k

Ey bEn

Efits

times new words have been added to the

language, derived from various fields of

study including the sciences, technology,

medicine, politics and economics.

origins

In Tanzania, the National Swahili Council

(Baraza la Kiswahili la Tanzania or Bakita) is

tasked with standardising these new terms.

The Bakita first determines Swahili word

equivalents before extending its search

for new technical terms in other Bantu

and non-Bantu languages. New terms

are coined from other languages such as

English and Arabic in such a way that they

follow Swahili syntax and phonology.

Swahili was widely used by early Arab

visitors to the East Coast of Africa and

the name Swahili is derived from the

Arabic word for ‘coast’. Eventually, the

name was applied to inhabitants of the

East Coast of Africa and their language.

Swahili is an old language. It was first

mentioned in an early document found

in Alexandria, Egypt. Written in Greek in

the second century, the document stated

that merchants visiting the East African

coast from Arabia used the language to

communicate with local people.

Over time, Swahili has interacted with

languages in other regions such as the

Comoros Islands and Madagascar and,

further away, the United Arab Emirates

and Oman. The spread of Swahili to these

regions was driven mainly by trade and

swahili language continues to play a key role in bringing about the integration of the partner states

key role in bringing about the integration

of the partner states.

Swahili is the national language of Kenya,

Uganda, mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar,

with over 100 million speakers across

East Africa. It is also widely spoken and

understood in Rwanda and the Demo-

cratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This goes a long way towards establish-

ing Swahili as one of the main binding

factors for the region and its people. The

language is widely used in Tanzania and

to a lesser extent in Kenya.

integration

In the recent past Uganda has added

Swahili studies to its school curricula. The

aim is to foster regional integration and

co-operation, with the language as one

of the key cementing factors. In Kenya,

the language is studied from primary to

high school levels, while in Tanzania the

medium of instruction in all subjects from

Standard I to VII is Swahili.

Grammatically, Swahili can trace its origin

to the Bantu family of languages which

covers both eastern and southern Africa

except for Namibia. Swahili is in a process

of constant development and in modern

commerce and migration. The language has

continued to spread to countries such as

Uganda, the DRC, Mozambique, the Central

African Republic, Rwanda and Burundi.

Apart from trade and migration, Christian

missionaries contributed to the spread of

Swahili, especially in the hinterland, when

they used the language to teach the Gospel

to the native people. As Christianity gained

ground, colonisation set in and the colonial

authorities contributed further to the devel-

opment of the language when they stand-

ardised Swahili using the Unguja dialect.

Unguja was widely used in Zanzibar, at

that time the centre of regional trade and

commerce on the East African Coast.

Malaika

The spread of Swahili to other African

countries came during the clamour

for independence in the 1960s. Soon

after Tanzania gained its independence,

the then president, Mwalimu Julius

Kambarage Nyerere, helped set up libera-

tion training camps within its borders.

The camps housed freedom fighters from

as far away as Mozambique, Angola,

South Africa and Zimbabwe. This led to

a gradual spread of the language into

southern African countries.

Today, Swahili is spreading into other

regions across Africa and beyond to

become an international language. Today,

universities in North America and Europe

offer Swahili as a degree course. It is also

one of the major languages of broad-

casting around the world, used by such

organisations as the BBC, Voice of America,

China Central Television, Radio China

International, Radio Tehran International,

Radio Moscow International, Radio Japan

International, and Deutschewelle among

many others. This has led to Swahili words

and phrases being used across the world.

For instance, ‘safari’ is now an internation-

ally recognised word for ‘journey’.

// Swahili

Swahili goeS global

Lingua franca of East africa brings k

Ey bEn

Efits And when the late Kenyan musician

Fadhili Williams sang his popular Malaika

song, the whole world jumped on the

Swahili bandwagon. Malaika is Swahili

for ‘angel’. This launched Swahili into

the world of performing arts, with the

late Michael Jackson, for example, using

Swahili words and phrases in his hit song

‘Liberian Girl’. Other musicians who have

used Swahili words in their songs include

Lionel Richie from USA, Angelique Kidjo

from Benin and the late Brenda Fassie

from South Africa.

It all helps to underline the role of Swahili

not only in fostering trade and commerce in

Africa and across the world, but in helping

to build and shape new relationships

through music and education.

swahili is spreading into other regions across africa and beyond to become an

international language

http://www.sarovahotels.com

as students at Hillcrest Second-ary School, we have a deep interest in biology and envi-

ronmental studies. That’s why three of us, Elleni, Tashi and Nekesa, decided to explore the harsh and beautiful land-scapes of Turkana with entomologist Dr Dino Martins. Right on schedule, we were welcomed by the Fly540 air hostess on to the de Havilland DHC-8. The fl ight was smooth and the stopo-ver at Kitale brief and effi cient as new passengers took their seats. We arrived on time at the hot and windy airport of Lodwar, where we were greeted by Dr Martins and began our journey of research.

Some might ask what we were doing

in such an odd part of Kenya. However,

no sooner had we stepped out onto the

dusty plain than we were introduced to

the world of bees, butterfl ies, wasps and

other species. On a newly developed farm,

created by Ikal Angelei, we encountered

a variety of species ranging from stingless

bees, which were attracted to our sweat,

to carpenter bees, busy pollinating the

aubergine crops, to leafcutter bees, which

we saw slicing circles of capsicum leaves

for their hives.

Discovery

We made a tentative attempt to catch and

transfer them from net to vial for closer

inspection in the laboratory, knowing that,

unlike the common honey bee, these bees

can sting repetitively.

We quickly accepted an invitation to work

with the anthropology students out in the

Turkana Basin Institute, where the very

foundations of evolutionary discovery were

at our fi ngertips. Working on sites dated

back some 13 million years, we became

accustomed to recognising the different

types of fragmented bones with the help

of Meave Leakey and Rene Bobe. Not only

were we able to see fi rst-hand evidence of

the creatures that once roamed Turkana,

but we took an active part in some of the

extraordinary projects there.

Turkana is a hot, dry area – something we

learned the instant we left the cool inte-

rior of the aircraft and met the hot winds.

On our second day, we witnessed the

second rainfall in over a year and a half.

Although it lasted only about 10 minutes,

it led to a phenomenal infl ux of insects.

Our next challenge, therefore, was to catch

a few of the freshly hatched butterfl ies

to add to Dino’s ever-growing specimen

database. We followed this up next day

by catching butterfl ies on another site,

about an hour from the institute, where we

caught examples of the same species for

cross-referencing and DNA comparison.

thank-you

It was with great sadness that we left

the Turkana Basin Institute and headed

back to Nairobi. However, we thoroughly

enjoyed this trip and look forward to

future expeditions with Dino to different

parts of Kenya.

We would like to say a big thank-you

to Dino and the whole team at TBI for

hosting us and making it an exceptional

experience, and also to Fly540, who

made this trip safe, comfortable and

very possible.

STUDENTS MAKE A ‘BEELINE’ FOR TURKANA

– THANKS TO FLY540

Africa’s low cost airline

// Hillcrest

21

some people might question what we were doing in such an odd part of kenya

Africa’s low cost airline

// Wine festival

23

The growing appreciation of quality wines among Ugan-dans has led to Kampala

hosting its first wine festival.

This prestigious festival was held at the

majestic Kampala Serena Hotel and

organisers say it will be an annual event

in the Ugandan social calendar.

The wine festival was sponsored by South

African Airlines. Other sponsors included

Kampala Serena Hotel, MTN Uganda and

Stanbic Bank.

appreciation

As well as showing an appreciation of

good wine, the event was intended to

help various charitable organisations in

Uganda. The festival attracted the chief

executives of state and private corpora-

tions as well as diplomats and top busi-

ness people from Kampala.

Wine is becoming ever more popular in

Uganda. Festival organisers invited some of

the best wine-makers to share their knowl-

edge with the enthusiasts, thus ensuring

that guests were kept well informed about

the various wines they consumed.

On hand to share their knowledge were

Gregory Leymarie, the brains behind

Château Beauchêne, the world’s fastest

selling wine; Richard Duckett, of Fran-

schhoek Cellar; Gunther Kellerman, of

Durbanville Hills and Two Oceans; Kobus

Gerber, of Drostdy Hof; and Rudiger

Gretschel, of Robertson Winery.

wine feSTival iS a ‘firST’ for

Kampala

http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com

maybe there is something of a trend emerging here as locally sourced and high-end

Kenya-made goods continue to attract a following, especially among tourists.

Kenya is justly proud of internationally

recognised brands such as Kikoy, Kazuri

Beads, Sandstorm and Kitengela Glass, all

beautifully crafted, hand-made and refresh-

ingly expensive items, mostly targeted

mostly at an international clientele.

Now there’s a new and very small kid on

the block. Kibeti Designs is a name that

few will have heard, at least for now, but

the brand plans to place itself alongside

the better known and more established

labels that now grace Nairobi’s fanciest

shopping malls.

Kibeti (the Kiswahili word for ‘bag’) adds

a new dimension to the clothing, bead-

work, travel accessories and glassware

market offered by these well-known

brands. But Kibeti has a unique selling

point; each of its handbags is individually

styled. So there is no question of turning

up at work or, more distressingly, at a

function to find – horror of horrors – that

another woman has the same handbag.

Kibeti is still young. Set up only in April

last year, it is the brainchild of Joan

Ntinga-Maitha, who conceptualises,

designs and creates each handbag.

So what is the thinking here? In essence,

Kibeti aims to bring bespoke tailoring and

handbag design to the mid-market. Joan

says: “Leather goods in Kenya are very

expensive. People here want to own nice

bags but just don’t have the money to do

so. We aim to change things.” She adds:

“All our bags are 100 per cent leather

and every design unique. Even if the cut

is similar, then the beadwork would be

entirely different.”

Joan draws her inspiration from what is

fashionable and then tries to create a bag

that is both comfortable and practical.

A Kibera-based leather craftsman then

beavers away to make the bag. He also

advises Joan on what is possible and not

possible; reining in, perhaps, some of her

more improbable ideas. The craftsman

is assisted by others who produce the

beadwork and help with the stitching. It

takes three people three to four days to

make just one bag.

available

For the moment, most of Kibeti bags are

sold on-line to Kenya-based buyers. More

recently, Joan’s bags have been avail-

able from Spinner’s Web on Peponi Road

in Nairobi. Plans for 2012 include the

opening of Kibeti’s own shop space.

Depending on size and the intricacy and

complexity of the beadwork, bags retail

Africa’s low cost airline

// Handbags

25

a Kenyan handbag with a uniquE appEaL

kibeti aims to bring bespoke tailoring and handbag design to the mid-market

at between KES 5,000 and KES 8,500

But who is buying Kibeti’s bags? Unsur-

prisingly, it is young ladies and office

executives; those who are looking for

something that is both classy and casual;

a bag that can be used during the day for

work but also in the evening.

Kibeti is 100 per cent Kenyan-owned and

uses only Kenya-sourced products for its

bags. In addition, and as part of Kibeti’s

original concept, a certain percentage

of each sale is set aside to help women

located in the Machakos area.

In addition to handbags, Kibeti makes leather

belts and in 2012 will start manufacturing

laptop and clutch bags while also producing

tourist-type items such as fly whisks.

In something of a novel departure, Joan

now plans to sell honey from rural areas

under the Kibeti name.

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www.fl y540.com28 www.fl y540.com28

by roselyne omondi-ogao

LESLEYSERCOMBE

thE acE of thoroughbrED racing in kEnya

Lesley Sercombe //

no serious discussion of horse racing in Kenya is complete without mentioning Lesley

Sercombe. Her parents, John and Patsy Sercombe, are accomplished vets. Her mother is reputed to be one of the best horse trainers in the country and her father is a director of the Jockey Club of Kenya. Her siblings, Vicky and Linda Thorpe – her identical twin sister – also share this love of equestrian-ism. So you could say that growing up in a house predisposed to horses has shaped her destiny.

Lesley agrees. “I can’t get horses out of

my blood,” she says. “I’m gifted with

horse sense and I can read and under-

stand horses easily.” She seems to have

understood, even at a young age, that

the best riders in the world have a close

bond with the horses they race. Her

exceptional ability to understand horses

in general, and thoroughbreds in particu-

lar, has allowed her to win nine champi-

onships in the past two decades. It also

confi rms that not all horse enthusiasts

can become successful jockeys. In fact,

the few riders who do make the grade –

mostly men – often have short careers.

Lesley, the best jockey of the

2010/2011 season, says: “My

journey started when I was a

child. I must have been on a

saddle around the age of three

years already.”

By the time she was 13, Lesley

knew, without a shadow of

doubt, that she would become

a jockey. “Although I had been

around horses for a few years,

I suddenly felt something that

I had never felt before. I felt at one with

the horses – that the horses understood

me as much as I understood them.”

She fi nished her A-levels and then some-

thing happened that put her fi rmly on

the path of professional jockeying. “I was

getting ready to start a degree course

in veterinary science at the University of

Nairobi, in the early 1990s, when the

university was hit by what seemed to be

unending waves of student protests and

unrests,” says Lesley. “The university was

closed indefi nitely for uncertain periods.

It was hard to get started and to continue

with all the uncertainty.”

She decided to focus her time and energy

on the one constant in her life: horses.

She began riding competitively and made

good progress. “I started well and became

very good at it,” she recalls. “It wasn’t

long before I was racing full-time.”

She also began paying more attention

to her fi tness in order to improve her

performance.

Africa’s low cost airline 29

for more than to two decades lesley Sercombe, Kenya’s undisputed top female jockey, has risked life and limb to earn her place in the country’s horse-racing lore. here, she talks about her journey in the extremely competitive, male-dominated world of thoroughbred horse racing

a day aT The raceS

want to go to the races soon? the Jockey club of kenya has published its 2012 fixture list.

february 5, 12, 19, 26(fillies)

March 4, 11, 18 25

april 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

http://www.shamasea.com

Lesley sees being a jockey as both an

art and a science and knows that the

winning horse is only part of the equa-

tion. The other part is a good jockey

who, among other things, is agile, quick-

witted, a team player, a split-second

thinker and someone in tune with their

horse sense. Jockeys must also be master

strategists, ready to execute Plan B if

Plan A fails, throughout the race. Then

there is a good trainer and a good team.

“My team is made up of my mother

and trainer, my adopted big brother

Steve Njuguna, plus horse owners and

handlers,” says Lesley.

thorny roses

That there are few accomplished female

jockeys is not news to Lesley. Sometimes

she has to deal with odd looks or unkind

comments about her femininity. Several

years ago she travelled to India for four

months at the invitation of sports enthu-

siast Dr Vijay Mallya. “Indians are very

good horsemen and are extremely good

at speed work,” she says. “But I was the

only woman riding. The locals reacted in

very interesting ways, giving an odd look

here and there because they had never

seen a professional female jockey before.”

Of her racing experience in Kenya, she

says: “Of course, there are many men

who don’t like the fact that I’m this

successful at ‘their’ sport.” There have

been slurs on her femininity, but she tries

not to take these personally.

At other times her ability to move has

been compromised by injury. “Injuries are

inevitable. I have suffered direct hits to

my face and have broken my nose and

many bones. One of the worst injuries

was breaking my tibia. These kind of

injuries can deal huge dents into the

psychology of any rider as recovery can

be nerve-racking and tedious.”

At such times, Lesley really appreciates

her training club, trainer and physiothera-

pists. “The Impala Club Gymnasium is

a great place for both fitness training

and rehabilitation,” she says. “Trainer

Zoe Gibbs and Petrina Spenser-Walker,

a physiotherapist, have helped me get

where I am today.”

Jockeys must be light because the racing

authorities set weight limits for riders

and their horses. Lesley, who stands

taller than most jockeys, says: “I can’t

be comfortable with body weight above

55 kg, so I have to balance my nutri-

tion needs with those of my training

programmes in order to control a surging

horse successfully.”

The challenge for a jockey is to control a

fast-moving horse weighing over 500 kg and

win. Lesley usually races in the 1,000 metre,

1,200 metre and 1,400 metre categories.

Like other successful athletes, Lesley has

certain rituals before and after each race.

She prays and meditates and rides 10 to 12

horses every day. “Just before a race I like

to play my favourite electronic dance music

while walking on the racetrack. I also make

sure I dress smartly after a race and hang

out with horse owners and friends.”

Living off horses

Most jockeys are self-employed, and

Lesley says Kenya is a good place for

upcoming jockeys to hone their skills

and earn a decent living. “Anywhere is

a good place, really, as long as you start

early – say, 14 or 15 years. You also have

to be ready to put in the time and be

committed to the sport.”

Riders generally ride for a fee, which is

paid whether or not the horse earns any

prize money in a given race. They also

receive part of the prize money if the

horses win.

Other possibilities in the racing world

include showjumping, horse training, dres-

sage, steeplechase and polo. Lesley tried

polo but gave it up after a shoulder injury.

She says she will continue racing for as

long as is possible. “I will stop when

I start feeling fear. Until then I will be

working on winning another champion-

ship. After that I may become a licensed

elite horse trainer, or focus on jockey

training to help other jockeys who want

to improve their fitness levels.”

Africa’s low cost airline 31

facTS abouT leSley

• Lesley is fond of her showjumper, harry potter, who holds the 1,000 metre sprint record. she also has dogs and a cat.

• she describes her mother as “the best trainer” and her father as “my rock, the quiet yet strong force behind my success”.

• Lesley also enjoys running. in fact, she ran the Mara Marathon in november 2011.

i’m gifted with horse sense and i can read and understand horses easily

// Lesley Sercombe

32 www.fl y540.com

Sister Mary’slifeline of hope CATHoLIC MISSIonArY SEEKS To EMPoWEr MAASAI GIrLS THrouGH EDuCATIon

At only 15 years of age, Susana

Mathayo still had a whole life

ahead of her, but she wanted

to pursue her education, break from the

cycle of poverty and make a better life

for herself. With the help of a friend, she

escaped to Arusha and found sanctuary

in the hands of Sister Mary Vertucci, a

dedicated Catholic missionary who has

helping to empower young Maasai girls

like Susana by providing them with a

second shot at life through education.

33Africa’s low cost airline

// Emusoi

Health officials say prevalence rates indicate that FGM is highest among the Maasai people at 89 per cent with young girls, some as young as six, undergoing the procedure and later being into forced early marriages as they are deemed by the community to be adults.

540 Contributing Editor Denis Gathanju recently visited a rescue and rehabilitation centre for young Maasai girls in Arusha, where an American missionary is looking to change the girls’ lives by empowering them through education.

Every year an estimated 2 million girls around the world are at

risk of undergoing the removal of part or all of their genitalia, a

procedure referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM), female

circumcision or female genital cutting. Tanzania is one of 28

countries in Africa where FGM is widely practised. The government

estimates that 32 per cent of women aged between15 and 49 in over half the country’s districts have

undergone FGM

http://www.fly540.com

35Africa’s low cost airline

// Emusoi

“Being able to walk along with them on

a journey of self-discovery is almost like

being a midwife and I am able to not

only help impart knowledge to them, but

also the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

says Sister Mary.

Childhood

Although she has lived in Tanzania since

the age of 25, Sister Mary’s work is

rooted in her childhood in New Jersey. “I

had a burning desire to be a missionary

since I was in Grade 6 or 7,” she says.

She first had this call at grade school and

then a high school teacher introduced her

to the Maryknoll Congregation. “From the

teachings and my own religious beliefs, it

felt just right and I knew this was what I

wanted to do, she says. “I felt I was ready

for the adventure and I never looked back.”

Sister Mary also received moral support

and encouragement from her deeply

religious Catholic family.

“I found the greatest encouragement

from my mother, who in spite of being

happily married did not encourage us to

get married,” she says. “Her desire was

to see us happy and she went out of her

way to encourage us in whatever we set

our minds to.”

Challenging

Sister Mary first came to Tanzania as an

English and chemistry teacher 25 years

ago, but the challenges she encountered

outside of the classroom were greater

than those within it. Apart from the huge

cultural challenges, the illiteracy levels

in this impoverished country were high.

When she took it upon herself to help

young Maasai girls escape from FGM

and early forced marriages, she found

herself at loggerheads with the Maasai

community, many of whom deemed her

an enemy of their cultural traditions.

Over the years, however, her work is

bearing fruit and she can hold her head

high, knowing that she is making a differ-

ence.

Her congregation had started working

with the Maasai, a semi-nomadic people

who rely mostly on herding cattle.

Because of their reluctance to educate

girls and their cultural traditions – includ-

ing early marriage, polygamy, and FGM

– the communities were lagging behind.

‘Being able to walk along with them on a journey of self-discovery is almost like being a midwife and I am able to not only help impart knowledge, but also the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’

Sister Vertucci is awarded with a goat by elders from the Maasai community

for her efforts to educate their girls

http://www.mimosafurnitures.com

“I felt that something needed to be

done to change this,” says Sister Mary.

“According to the Maasai culture, girls

are held as both liabilities and assets

and are therefore not encouraged to

finish school because they will be part of

another family when married.”

Sister Mary started the Emusoi Centre,

where up to 50 girls a year – including

those who have run away from home to

avoid forced marriages – receive the spir-

itual, emotional, and academic support to

pursue their studies.

Sourcing funds

Running the centre is not easy. Apart from

being considered an enemy to the Maasai

culture, Sister Mary’s greatest challenge

is sourcing funds to run the centre. “We

need about $450,000 every year to run

the centre and to pay school fees” she

says.

Delivering a new tomorrow

“The desire to become a missionary still

burns in my heart,” says Sister Mary,

although she is now thinking of handing

over the centre to someone else to run.

She doesn’t know what she will do next,

but the community and people at Emusoi

will always remain close to her heart, as

will its mission.

37Africa’s low cost airline

// header

37Africa’s low cost airline

// Emusoi

In conversAtIon…Sister Mary Vertucci Founder and director, Emusoi Centre, Arusha, Tanzania

Favourite scriptures:

Psalm 41: “As the deer longs for running water, so my heart longs for you.” I am also moved by the New Testament scriptures that say: “Did not our hearts burn with fire when we heard him speaking?” I feel the power of Jesus Christ burn like a fire in my heart.

Woman who has inspired me most:

My mother, Adelaide Vertucci. She is now 92 and has come here four times. Everyone in our family calls her a saint because of her kindness and gentleness. She has been a great source of encouragement to me and she has always believed in me. She is my hero.

What gives you sleepless nights?

Wondering how I am going to help these girls. It takes about TZS 1 million to educate one girl and US$ 450,000 to run the centre for one year. I have had to turn away many girls because of the limited funding we get from well-wishers.

What wouldn’t you do without?

The support of my congregation. They are the shoulder I cry on when things are tough. I also wouldn’t live without the people at Emusoi. To me, they are family. They are the ones that I can depend on when the going gets tough.

What has been the biggest moment at Emusoi?

The visit by President George W. Bush and his wife Laura in 2008. The girls were not intimidated by his presence. In fact, they never knew who President Bush was, as most of the girls were fresh from the villages. They made a rallying presentation to him that called for his support to empower the girl child through education. Mrs Bush was sympathetic. They donated mosquito nets and books. Overall, we were happy that the President of the United States recognised us and honoured us with a visit.

President Bush receives a traditional Maasai gift while he visited the centre

President Bush and his wife Laura Bush pay a visit at the Emusoi Centre

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the world’s loudest, scArIest bus rIde

38

nairobi, the bustling admin-istrative and commercial capital of Kenya, has many

unique features. For example, it is the only capital city in the world to have a national park within its bounda-ries and the only Third World city to contain the global headquarters of a major United Nations agency.

But while these traits are unique, there is

something else that seems to exist only in

Nairobi. Having travelled to various capitals in

Africa, the Middle East and Europe, I must say

that the public transport systems are a great

way of experiencing each destination and its

local culture. While public transport in Europe

is largely organised, it is more chaotic in some

Middle Eastern capitals – and absolutely

shambolic in most African capitals. Nairobi is

no exception, the only difference being that,

in Nairobi, it is a culture.

MATATu CuLTurE In nAIroBI

Public transport in Nairobi is somewhere

between a necessity and an insanity. For

many Nairobians, it long ago ceased to

be a mode of transport from one corner

of the city to the next. Today, it has

become a culture.

As in most African cities, the most popular

mode of transport is the 14-seater minivan

public taxi. But the similarity ends there

when it comes to Nairobi.

Known as matatus, the minivans in

Nairobi are the embodiment of madness

on the roads for many motorists and a

saviour to the everyday Nairobian. For

many Nairobians, the matatu arouses

admiration and disgust in equal measure.

When a French journalist first visited

Kenya a few years ago and was asked

about her experience, she spoke of its

beauty and hospitable people. But she

said she was determined to do one thing

– drive a matatu. The awestruck French-

woman could not hide her admiration for

the minivan.

Skills

When she got behind the wheel of

one of the matatus on the Starehe to

city centre route, her driving skills were

stretched to the limit. Accustomed to

the orderly streets of Paris, she was

thrown into a wild jungle of chaos and

a carefree attitude to traffic rules. She

quickly learned the ropes, however, and

was soon driving at breakneck speed,

stopping in the middle of the road to pick

up and drop off passengers and making

unexpected turns without indicating.

While this was a new experience for the

French visitor, the local drivers and touts

do this for a living. Almost every motorist

While public transport in Europe is largely organised, it is more chaotic in some Middle Eastern capitals – and absolutely shambolic in most African capitals

by denis Gathanju

the world’s loudest, scArIest bus rIde

in Nairobi has a tale to tell about some,

often nasty, experience with matatus and

their crews.

In downtown Nairobi, the matatus are

conspicuous with their bright, flashy

colours, bearing huge signs and messages

on their sides and often decorated with

pictures of soccer and basketball stars like

David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pelé

and Michael Jordan as well as politicians

such as Barack Obama.

High Speed

They are typically driven at high speed,

their horns blaring and loud music

pumping from powerful speakers

concealed under the back seat.

Taking a ride in one of these road

machines reveals even more of Nairobi’s

matatu culture. Most are fitted with

flat-screen TV sets with digital video

players installed and amazing sound

systems. This depends, however, on the

route. Those plying the eastern routes,

especially the middle-class suburb of

Buruburu, are the flashiest. They are

closely followed by matatus on the South

C and South B routes and those on the

Eastleigh route.

The matatus are especially popular with

students and young people because of

the music and video displays. The type of

music is dependent on the time of day

and the age group that the crew would

like to entertain. It ranges from R&B in the

mornings and evenings to hip hop and

African reggae and bongo during the day.

Apart from the loud music, another inter-

esting aspect of the matatus is the people

who ride in them. They come from differ-

ent walks of life and do all manner of

jobs in the city. Some are students, some

are jobless and some are on a short visit

to Nairobi while many others rely on the

matatus to get to and from their respec-

tive places of work.

People

They range from the smartly dressed

gentleman who sits at the front where

everyone can see him and is constantly

talking on his phone, giving orders and

talking big, to the college student check-

ing out her friends on Facebook, to the

lady in a dirty checked apron, carrying a

huge basket of fresh produce from the

downtown farmers’ market to the

estates where she sells her wares from

a wooden stall.

And not forgetting the guy who sits next

to you, clad in fake designer jeans and

a pullover and smelling of alcohol. He

seems to run out of space on all sides

and every bump in the road brings him

an inch closer.

Hate them or love them, the matatus are

here to stay and are part of the proud

culture of Nairobi. The drivers and touts

Africa’s low cost airline

// Matatus

39

are revered for their rudeness and ill

manners, but most Nairobians have

learned to live with them.

Faith

At the beginning of each working day,

the matatus take us quickly to work

and at the end of the day they take

us quickly home. For them and their

crew, it is an act of survival; for the

passengers, it is an act of faith that we

will get there safe and sound; and for

us all, it is a culture.

Taking a ride in one of these road machines reveals even more of nairobi’s matatu culture. Most are fitted with flat-screen TV sets with digital video players installed and amazing sound systems

FLY540

Travel informaTion for easT africa

www.fly540.com

Information //

Tanzanian visas

ugandan visas

South Sudan visasVisa information

40

Most nationals require visas to enter East Africa. Citizens from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.

However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.

All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are

required to have a valid visa unless their countries have

agreements with Tanzania under which the visa require-

ment is waived.

Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are

not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the

United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South

Africa, New Zealand or Australia.

Visa-issuing Stations and Authorities

Tanzanian visas are issued by the following:

• The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar

es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration

Officer, Zanzibar.

• Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally

Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar

es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International

Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.

• Any other gazetted entry point.

• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad. For

more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit:

www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm

The easiest way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it

at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station. This

is very possible for tourists coming into Uganda. All you need

to do is pay US$50, fill in the application form with passport

dates and information. The visa issued is valid for 90 days.

You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of

the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan,

Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and

Belgium. All you need to do is to download the application

from the embassy website of your country of origin.

Any visitor going to South Sudan through Khartoum requires a

valid visa. Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy.

The Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt,

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia,

Norway, Belgium, the UK, Germany, France, Turkey, Libya,

China, India, Italy, Canada and the USA.

Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to South

Sudan and wishing to travel outside of Khartoum needs a

travel permit from the Government of South Sudan.

Those travelling to South Sudan from Kenya, should visit the South Sudan Embassy in Kenya.

Requirements:

• All applicants to launch their visas in person

• Passport must be valid for at least six month and presented on submission of application

• Two recent colour passport-size photos

• Yellow fever vaccination card

• Letter of invitation and intent

Standard Visa fees payable by balance transfer to:

• Government of South Sudan Special Permit Account

• Bank: Kenya Commercial Bank; Sarit Centre Branch

• A/C No. 402004247

Fees:

• Multiple entry: $250 (six months)/$400 (one year)

• Single entry for countries with common boarder with South Sudan: $50

• Single entry for other African countries: $100

• Single entry for European and Amercian citizens: $100

Processing period: Two working days

FL FFYLL540VISASS

INFNNORMRR AMM TA ION

Africa’s low cost airline

Health

41

Kenyan visasVisas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa

can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be

obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa

Application Forms are available online.

A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the

exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and

citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay.

Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with

Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain,

and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of

these countries now require a Visa.

KEnYA VISA rEQuIrEMEnTS

• Valid passport with suffi cient number of unused pages for

endorsements abroad. Passport must be signed and valid

for at least six months.

• Visa application form duly completed and signed by the

applicant.

• Two recent passport size photographs attached to the

application form.

• Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent

certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements.

• A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail,

courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently

required. Metered stamps are not acceptable.

• Home and work telephone numbers.

Please fi ll out the form correctly and enclose the photographs

and payment to avoid delay and disappointment.

Standard Visa fees payable by cash to the Embassy of Kenya.

vIsA Fees chArGes:

Multiple entry: $100

Single entry: $50

Transit Visa: $20

1. Please note that all children below 16 yrs are not charged visa fees

2. The reduced visa fees were effected on 1st march 2009, as directive from

ministry of tourism on attracting more tourists in to the country.

3. Passengers can pay in US dollar, British pounds, Euro or Swiss franc.

For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit:

http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.php

Vaccination requirements for international travellers

• No cholera vaccination certifi cates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.

• Only valid yellow fever vaccination certifi cates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected

countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.

• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils

NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certifi cate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.

FL FFYLL540VISASS

INFNNORMRR AMM TA ION

FLLFFYYLLLL5440VV

AVV

CACINANN TA ION INFNN O

RMRRAA

MMTAIOON

FLY540

GeTTinG around in easT africa

www.fly540.com

Information //

By bus

By 4x4 and hire car By train

42

Kenya has a network of long-distance bus services on which speed is limited to 80 kph. Within Nairobi, buses are run by private companies such as Citi Hoppa, whose green-and-yellow buses offer cheap transport (usually about US$0.66) and provide regular serv-ices between the city centre and the suburbs. With seating for 20 to 35 passengers (no standing passengers allowed by law), they are a cleaner and less hectic mode of transport than matatus, but they serve many of the same routes.

You can hire a 4x4 and drive through Kenya, although you need to be proficient at handling such a vehicle.

Most international rental agencies have offices in Nairobi and Mombasa. They offer affordable and reliable cars with a full back-up network. Visitors can also rent cheaper cars from local distributors who are mostly reliable. In addition, there are car rental agencies in Kampala and Dar es Salaam.

The Kenya-Uganda railway starts in Mombasa and goes via Nairobi to Kampala, Uganda. This train service is the famous ‘Lunatic Express’ that featured in the Michael Douglas film ‘The Ghost and the Darkness’.

FLFFYLL

540TRTT

ARR VAA EVV L INFNN ORMRRA

MMTAION

Africa’s low cost airline

Hand luggage

43

By matatuMatatus are privately run minibuses, typically for 14 or 25 passengers and operating over short and medium distances. Previously, the matatus were usually packed to well over capacity – with up to 25 people in a 14-seater vehicle – but in recent years there has been more government regulation and policing of matatus, especially in the larger cities, and now most of them have seatbelts and care is taken not to exceed the vehicle’s stated capacity.

Matatus offer a cheap and quick means of transport in all the major towns and many rural areas. The name matatu hails from the Kiswahili word for the number three – tatu – because some time ago the standard fare was three 10 cent coins.

Matatus have a yellow strip running around the vehicle with the route number on display.

In Tanzania, public minibuses are known as daladala. Unlike in Nairobi, the minibuses in Dar es Salaam are packed and normally exceed their carrying capacity, especially in the morning and afternoon rush hours. The daladala have the fares displayed on their sides, however, making it easier for visitors to the city to avoid being overcharged.

Also popular in Dar es Salaam are three-wheel motorcycles known as bajaji. In Kenya, they are known as tuk tuks and are popular in the resort cities of Mombasa and Malindi.

In Kampala, the motorcycle taxis, known as boda boda, are the most popular mode of transport. They are not only cheap, but handy when you want to beat the heavy traffi c in Kampala during the rush hour.

The following may be carried in your hand luggage only if they are stored in containers up to 100 ml in size and placed in a transparent resealable plastic bag and thereafter screened separately from other items carried in the hand luggage. The capacity of the transparent plastic bag must not be greater than 1 litre.

Liquids, gels and aerosols include:

• Water and other drinks

• Syrups

• Creams, lotions and oils

• Perfumes and sprays

• Gels including hair and shower gels

• Pastes including Vaseline and eye shadow

FLFFYLL

540TRTT

ARR VAA EVV L INFNN ORMRRA

MMTAION

• Pressurised containers such as shaving foam and deodorants

• Other items with similar consistency.

The following items are allowed in hand luggage:

• Medicine needed during the fl ight

• Baby food needed during the fl ight.

You may buy any liquids beyond the security check points including duty free or in-fl ight items. Items purchased must be packed in security tamper evident bags and accompanied by proof of purchase when presenting them at the security checkpoint.

NOTE: Kenya Airports Authority implements all ICAO standards and

recommended practices on liquids, aerosols and gels.

FFLFFYLL5540 L

ULGGAGA E INFNN O

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MMTAIOON

44 www.fly540.com

Type: Twin-engine turboprop aeroplane

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 19 passengers

THE FLY540 AIRCRAFT FLEET

Hawker BeechcraftAirliner B1900C

Type: Twin-engine regional jet

Number in service: Three

Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

Canadair CL-600-2B19 regional Jet

45Africa’s low cost airline

// Fleet

Type: Turboprop cargo airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 1336 x 210 x 190 cargo hold

Fokker F27

Type: Twin-engined, medium range, turboprop airliner

Number in service: Three

Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers

Bombardier Dash 8 102 Series

Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers

Cessna Caravan C208

Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: Two

Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers

ATr 72-500

Type: Stretched version of the basic Caravan. Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 12 passengers

208B Grand Caravan

Type: Short range jet airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers

Fokker F28

Type: Twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 80 passengers

DC-9

How many words can you make using all

or some of the letters in the word

The words have to be at least THREE letters long. And you can’t use

the letter twice in the same word, unless the letter appears twice

in the word. So, for example, you can’t make the word ‘motto’

because there is only one T in astronomical but you can make the

word ‘moon’ because there are two Os. Ready, steady, go!

Q: What do you call an

elephant that fl ies?

a: A jumbo jet!

Q: What’s striped and

bouncy?

a: A tiger on a pogo stick!

Q: What happened when the

cat ate a ball of wool?

a: She had mittens!

cccOOOcOcccOcOcOcccOc LLLOOOLOLLLOLOLOLLLOL UUUR R R MMMEEEEEE IIINNN.........

// Kids’ corner

in association with

&

We’ve made eight changes, can you spot them?

What flies all day but never

goes anywhere?

Riddle Answer: A fl ag

in association with

We’ve made eight changes, can you spot them?

&&&

Heritage Hotels believes in the future of our youngsters. That is why we have highly trained and dedicated naturalists to educate and entertain your children while on safari. There is always something new for the youngsters to learn or explore at the Heritage camp or lodge on your African safari.

Our clubs – Adventurers for children aged four to 12 and Young Rangers for 13 to 17-year-olds – are free at Mara Intrepids, Samburu Intrepids, Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort, Voyager Beach Resort and Voyager Ziwani Tsavo.

Learn more at www.heritage-eastafrica.com/kids-teens

The small antelopes known as dik-diks form monogamous pairs

in fi xed territories of low bush along dry, rocky stream beds.

They mark their territory with dung deposits and with secretions

from the preorbital gland.

Kirk’s dik-diks are tiny antelopes that exhibit in shades of colour

depending on habitat. The drier semi-desert areas usually have

paler individuals, as in Samburu.

Dik-diks have large dark eyes surrounded by white rings. A black

spot below the inside corner of each eye contains a preorbital

gland that produces a dark, sticky secretion.

The animals insert grass stems and twigs into the gland to

scent-mark their territories. To prevent overheating while mini-

mising need for water, the dik-dik has evolved a special cooling

mechanism. The elongated snouts of Guenthers’ dik-dik have

bellows-like muscles by which blood is pumped.

Air fl ow and subsequent evaporation cools this blood before it is

recirculated to the body. However, this panting is implemented

only in extreme conditions: dik-diks can tolerate temperatures of

up to 104°F.

When frightened or disturbed, the dik-dik produces a whistling

sound through the nose that sounds like ‘zik-zik’ from which its

name is probably derived.

Dik-diks eat foliage, shoots, fruit and berries. They are water-

independent, getting water from the vegetation they eat.

Appropriately, they are largely nocturnal, avoiding the heat of

the day and unnecessary water loss.

Sight, scent and hearing are well developed and dik-diks are

very alert. They respond to the alarm calls of other animals.

When in danger, they tend to hide instead of fl ee.

47Africa’s low cost airline

48 www.fl y540.com

Contact us //

FIVE FORTY AFRICA - HEAD OFFICERiverside Green Suites, Palm SuiteRiverside DrivePO Box 10293-00100Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540Email: info@fl y540.com

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MOMBASA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICEGround Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre Nkrumah RoadTel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540

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tAnZAnIADAR ES SALAAM 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICEPlot no. 767/39, Samora AvenueTel: +255 (0)22 212 5912/3Sales: Tel: +255 752 540 540; (0)788 540 540Cell: +255 754 292 675; (0)784 292 675

ARUSHA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICEBlue Plaza Building, Indian StreetTel: +255 (0)27 254 5211Tel: +255 (0)784 410 233

KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTTel:+255 (0)756 540 540Tel: +255 (0)27 255 4282

ZANZIBAR 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICECine Afrique Building, Stone TownTel: +255 (0)24 223 5110Tel: +255 (0)762 540 540

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UKUNDA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS BARCLAYS CENTRE, DIANI ROADTel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246

LAMU - NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICETel: +254 (0)42 213 0312Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444Email: nctslamu@swiftmalindi.com Email: nctsmalindi@swiftmalindi.com

KITALE TICKETING & RESERVATIONSTerminal Building, Kitale AirstripTel: +254 (0)770 639 429Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547

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KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONSHolden Mall - above Nakumatt Super-marketTel: +254 (0)734 540 550Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330

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GerMAnYAVIAREPS AGKaiserstraße 7760329 Frankfurt am Main

RESERVATION Tel: +49 (0)69 770 673 076Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 028Email: Res540.FRA@aviareps.com

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netherlAndsAVIAREPS AGBeechavenue 104 1119 PP Schiphol

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RESERVATION & SALESTel: +41 (0) 44 286 99 62Fax: +41 (0) 44 286 99 63Email: 540-Switzerland@aviareps.com

unIted KInGdoMFLY540c/o AviaCircle28-29 The Quadrant Business Centre135 Salusbury RoadLondon, NW6 6RJ

RESERVATIONTel: 0870 774 2250Fax: 0870 777 7172Email: res540@aviacircle.com

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RESERVATION Tel: +39 02 4345 8346Fax: +39 02 4345 8336Email: Res540.MIL@aviareps.com

SALES & MARKETING MANAGERMaria Rosa Cappelli Mobile: +39 335 778 5936Email: mcappelli@aviareps.com

south AFrIcAAVIAREPS (PTY) LTD38 Wierda Road WestWierda ValleySandton, Johannesburg

RESERVATION Tel: +27 (0) 11 722 0229Fax: +27 (0) 11 783 8135Email: Res540.JNB@aviareps.com

SALESTel: +27 (0) 722 0229 / +27 74 177 1596Fax: +27 (0) 783 8135Email: Sales540.JNB@aviareps.com

russIAn FederAtIonGSA AVIAREPS AGProspect Mira, 39 bldg 2,129110 Moscow

RESERVATIONTel: +7 (495) 937 59 50Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: Res540.MOW@aviareps.com

SALESTel: +7 (495) 937 59 50Fax: +7 (495) 937 5951 Email: Sales540.MOW@aviareps.com

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