Plastic Ban in Kenya!

First and foremost, I appreciate the fact that the government of Kenya has taken the initiative of  banning the use of plastic bags.  It’s a measure taken to ensure our environment is conserved and protected since plastic is non biodegradable hence not environmental friendly.

Other than that, I think the government should have done a test ban with one town or estate and see the results. If positive, they would therefore go ahead and ban countrywide. But if not, they would have looked for other alternatives.
Personally, I do believe even when plastic will be banned, if the citizens are not well informed about the importance of a clean environment, that won’t be effective since there are other pollutants other than plastic.

In my opinion, I think the public should have been educated on the importance of clean environment before the banning of plastic bags and implementing other environment related by-laws.

This plastic ban shall affect the economy as much as its environmental friendly. Companies will have to shut down or venture into a different field which will leave hundreds or thousands jobless. As we all know, lack of employment increases crime rate in our society. Have you thought of how the common ‘mwananchi‘ shall survive? Especially business men/women? Look at the scenario for ‘mama mboga‘ and all those people who offer plastic bags as  after sales services to their customers.

Let’s not forget Kenya is a third world country and it might not manage to deal with this ban. Kenya is struggling with economy growth and development to be able to cope with the ban. Yes our environment holds everything but when you look deep into the matter, this isn’t sustainable.
Lets not think plastic ban will make Kenya the cleanest state! It takes discipline of the citizens to achieve that!

On the brighter side, the basket industry shall be boosted. “Kiondos” and simple biodegradable bags will be on high demand hence providing employment opportunities for art industry.

All in all, am in support of plastic ban and I pray and hope we the people shall make our environment clean. The power is in us, the people!

2nd Year Anniversary!

Hello beautiful souls,

It’s been two year now since my brother took the initiative to open for me this blog and so far it’s been great.

Am very thankful to each and everyone that has ever spared their time to check out my blog, give their views, opinions, likes and comments.

I’m highly motivated by those that keep asking frequently if I’ve updated my blog and I have to give them something to read at least once in a while.

As much as I get busy at times, every Saturday is my blog reading day where I check out other blogs on WordPress/share/give my opinion and views on different blogs.

My followers and following are amazing people. Everyone has different and original content on different areas and topics.

So far I’ve managed to publish 83 articles for the two years and reblogged a few by other bloggers. It’s all about supporting each other and learning from each other!

This year’s stats are just amazing and am hoping we’ll continue with the same spirit.

Thank you for your time and support.

Cheers to many many more 💯

Love,

Sharon Madonna.

Simple Ways to Maintain Peace in Kenya.

1. Respect everyone’s opinion/political views/religious views and beliefs: Each and every person in the world has their opinions regarding politics,religion and other beliefs. This are delicate areas which could easily cause wrangles in the society. To avoid chaos, we should air out our views in an appropriate manner showing respect for the other parties that have different opinions.
2. Support those around you and encourage them to work hard: This includes family, friends and the needy in the society. Supporting each other emotionally, financially and spiritually could create peace, love and unity among us.
3. Respect people’s freedoms and rights according to the constitution and societal norms: Deviation from this is luckily to cause conflict.
4. Encourage inter-marriages among different communities: Inter-relations is luckily to bring peace in our society by reducing tribalism.
5. Organize cultural events for different communities in order to accept and appreciate other peoples’ culture: It takes time before one can adopt and accept different cultures but if at all we try this, it could promote diversity in culture hence creating peace.
6. Obey constitutional laws and orders: This is the core of it all. If we follow laws of the nation fully,the rate of crime will decrease leading to a more cohesive nation.
7. Organize national prayer days at least once a year to commit the nation in God’s/ Allah’s hands: Sounds impossible but if at all one Sunday/Friday in the calendar is dedicated for this purpose, it could lead the country in the right direction. 
8. Avoid politicising everything: Religious leaders should stick to religion, politicians should stop hiding in religion and the society should upheld its’ standards.

Children’s Rights Are Human Rights.

Children might not be considered to be grown enough to have rights but just like adults, children deserve to be treated right in accordance to the Children’s Rights Act.

I don’t interact with children as much but last year I became an aunt to my niece, and this year am a godmother​. This means I’ll have to interact with kids in one way or another. And I’ll ensure kids are treated in accordance to their rights since my niece and goddaughter fall under that category as well.

Ever since I cleared from College, I’ve been on the road for internship and jobs and that means am always somewhere different or the same place for sometime.

Since last year October, I’ve been working in Nairobi town and the drama that happens on the streets​ with children is just onto another level. Parents force/send their children to sell/force people to buy items/goods on the street. This is for pity purposes, they know if a kid follows you and even pull you behind, you will have to buy whatever items they’re selling out of pity while they’re watching from a far. Dare you touch that kid, it’ll be the end of you, maybe.

Other parents use their children to beg instead. They bring infants to the street with them so that people can pity them and give them money out of pity and for the child’s sake. It’s become a business which is generating good income for alot.

Others strike deals with other parents so that they can lend them their children and later in the day, they’ll return the child with some money of course.

This is what is happening in the streets and we’re wondering why street families are increasing in number.

No, am not saying all street families and children aren’t needy, yes most of them are, and I hope I could do something to help all of them but I know one day God will bless me enough to help most if not all of them.

As much as street families are needy and we the society are obligated to give them alms, those that are fit and healthy should struggle to get  blue collar jobs that they can handle. Laziness might be a setback but everybody has got to struggle for their own good and parents should ensure they protect their children from exploitation and give them the best they can.

As for everyone who hustles and makes a living using the right means, Happy Labor Day. May God bless the work of your hands.

Protect a child today, for he/she is the future of tomorrow.

Say No to Body Shamming and Colorism!

In the world that we live in today, there are so many people from different races, backgrounds, continents, with different bodies and appearances.

Most of the times, we notice beauty from people’s personalities and behaviors. But again we’re humans, we tend to judge people according to their physical appearance which is not something that I’d like the society to practice.

Have you ever been criticized/discriminated against because of your skin complexion or tone?

If so, then you’re being affected​ by coloursim, which is normally​ practised with people from the same race.

The society tends to think those with lighter skin complexion/tone are more beautiful compared to the ones​ with a darker skin complexion.

Well everyone has got their own opinion on physical appearance and looks but to me, I think all shades are beautiful, light or dark skinned human beings are beautiful beings.

Dark skinned people are treated like outcasts in the society which doesn’t add up because at the end of the day we’re from the same race and continent, and by this I don’t mean you should practice racism either.

I’ve faced colourism alot of times, I’ve complained but who cares anyway?

I know am dark skinned but I got nothing on light skinned people. I know they’re equally as beautiful as any other human being. I’ve ended up accepting that light skinned people are considered more beautiful, but that doesn’t make me feel any less beautiful, it’s just people’s opinions and yes there’s a right and freedom to opinion so I respect their opinion but I wish they’d open their eyes wider.

Another thing that the society faces especially in fields like modelling, is body shamming.

Many people are criticised and discriminated against because of their body shape and size.

Others are termed as shapeless which doesn’t make sense because each and every individual is shapeful and beautiful in their own way.

At times we end terming people as ‘too skinny’ or ‘too fat’ nobody feels so good about themselves after being called such names.

First, we should try understand why someone is the way they are, it could be a disease or condition that makes them the way they’re are. Instead of criticizing, we should make them better and make them realize that they’re just as beautiful as the rest of the humans.

Different sizes and heights shouldn’t be criticized, mostly, those who are short are the ones who get criticized. But we should realize the short people can be as helpful as the tall ones. In terms of height, the short people have mostly accepted their heights and don’t find it as a big deal when teased.

The society should learn to realize that people’s beauty are brought out according to their​ personality and not physical appearances.

These are some of the things that make people bleach, and go for beauty surgeries to enhance their bodies. If we appreciate ourselves first, there’s no way we’d criticize others.

We should accept each other the way we are and boost each other’s self-esteem.

Well nobody’s perfect but once you accept your flaws​,  you realize that you’re beautiful inside-out.

Competence Is The Cure To The Nation!

Dear Mr Politician, I don’t want your money,

I don’t want your propaganda

I don’t want you acting cool like a 16 year old,

I don’t want you making jokes of others

I don’t want you inciting my fellow citizens to fight against each other

I don’t want you hiding behind corruption and other evils of the society

I don’t want you touring the world, spending too much money while your country is in chaos

I don’t want you ignoring what you can actually see

I don’t want road blockage when you’re passing,

But,

I want you to advocate for peace, love and unity amongst ourselves,

I want you to cater for the needs of every citizen,

I want you to ensure all Public servants are paid their wages and salaries at the right time and adequately to satisfy their needs

I want to offer more employment opportunities to the youths,

I want you to ensure famine and drought is dealt with

I want you to ensure all roads are passable

I want you to ensure there’s adequate water supply

I want you to clear the streets by providing homes for the needy

I want you to ensure the environment is well taken care of

I want  you to ensure there’s good correlation with other countries

I want you to be someone the citizens can confide in

I want you to associate with others freely without throwing shade

I want you to go to church but don’t make it a political strategy

I want you to attend funerals and send the dead in peace, and not as a campaigning opportunity

I want you to go to the local hospitals so that you can provide better equipments

I want your children to attends public universities, so that they can know the struggle is real

I want you to ensure there’s stability in our country,

I want you to provide a platform whereby everyone feels capable and equally treated!

I want you to ensure every Kenyan is free to express their feelings without being held hostage

I want you to ensure theres security in our country and all our borders

I want you to ensure the budget favors everyone,

I want you to ensure necessities are affordable and available at any given time

I want you to introduce basic,  and applicable classes in the curriculum

I want you to handle matters even before the citizens strike and demonstrate.

I want our country to be as peaceful as possible during this election period and always.

One people, one nation.

Sex Education is Good Education!

In Africa, a good percentage of children manage to have a chance to go school but gain knowledge based on passing exams rather than applying in real life situations.

90% of teenagers and youths in Africa lack basic sex education. This is simply because our parents shy away from being real with us. They end up terming women and men to be bad people.

Well that has a very huge effect on the children as they’re brought up.

They’ll tend to think the opposite sex is hostile and end up making decisions that are gender bias.

Apart from telling the 21st century teenager to abstain, teach them on how they can understand their bodies better and how to behave around the opposite and same sex.

Telling teenagers and youths to abstain these days is next to impossible! So why not educate them on contraceptives?

Why not introduce sex education in the school curriculum?

No, am not talking about that HIV/AIDS unit most of us have done in colleges and universities!

Am talking about real talk where there’s one on one conversation with a group of youngsters, where they can express themselves freely, where they can give ideas on how to tame themselves and how to behave. This shouldn’t be examined, because we all know what we’re capable of doing for exams, yes cramming and doing everything for the sake!

 Offer knowledge on faithfulness and use of contraceptives rather than just

abstinence. Let’s ensure girls and boys are aware of their bodies, they’ll know what’s happening to them whenever and how to control their feelings and emotions when associating with different genders.

Not that people shouldn’t abstain, but that’s what we’re told all the time and it hardly works, so let’s ensure we inform everyone about everything essential!

Let’s ensure that even the small kids, are aware of these things! We might consider them as children but they know much than we expect. In these generation,children have access to almost everything! There’s no way you’ll control what they view or do, but you can take the initiative of being the better person by ensuring you teach them on the rights and wrongs. What they should adopt and what they shouldn’t. What they should desire and what they shouldn’t.

When I was in primary, the only thing the female teachers used to teach us was the use of sanitary towels! Boys and girls would be separated and all we talked about was how to use sanitary towels, well I have no idea what the boys were being told, but I think the teachers would have gone further and educate us on some basic things that we need to know. I mean, being a girl isn’t about menstration alone, they’d have made us more bold on how to report sexual cases and how to handle ourselves.

Some male teachers at times take advantage and do random things to girls and they don’t understand.

 There’s this weird handshake some males do and it’s not interesting at all. It’s annoying and irritating! Please if you do that to females, stop as from now.

In the radio today, I heard how girls under the age of 16 were being sexually abused by  close relatives and friends and I was disappointed that these still happens in 2017! I mean what does a 12 year old have to attract you?

It’s just a baby, so innocent and probably not aware of anything you’re trying to do to her, and the worse part is that, the ralatives, especially fathers, are the ones abusing their own children, in the name of Jesus, why would someone do that?

Your own flesh and blood, where do you get the courage to do that?

That’s the most inhuman thing someone can do. And I was wondering, if someone can do that to his own child, how about other people’s children?

Won’t they just kill them?

Let’s ensure that our surroundings get better than worse!

Yes, we’re human beings, we’re supposed to be evolving and getting better, but we’re acting like animals!

What happens if this continues forever?

Will children be giving their parents grandchildren or other children?

Dear Mothers,please educate your sons and husbands to be friendly to their daughters, sisters and other females. Let them respect them and the females to respect males are well.

 Ensure they’re aware of the evils in the society and how to deal with them, and protect themselves from such.

Parents should just get over it and be open minded, speaking about sex doesn’t make you immoral or anything, it’s for the love of your children and the future generations to come.

Be that change that the society needs.

Be that parent that your children will always give you a thumbs up for proper upbringing.

Be that sibling that your other siblings are proud of.

Be that friend that your friends are happy to associate with because you tell them the truth.

Let’s ensure the world doesn’t sum up to unwanted pregnancies,  and STD’s.

Start with your siblings at home, give them some basic sex education you know. Make them aware of their bodies and their surroundings.

Customer Care Doesn’t Care!

Each and everyday, we associate with different people in different angles of life. And most are the times we expect the best treatment!

Especially when you’re new to an institution, company, hotel or even the hospital.

The first people we always run to are those at the customer care desk.

We expect them to be polite and ready to help but this isn’t the  case always.

I’ve had a couple of bad days with the customer care.

There’s this time I wanted to close an account with a certain bank somewhere in Nairobi town. I walked into the banking hall and I was directed to the customer care desk for assistance. I asked for the process to follow up and close the account and I was handed a document to fill in.

I couldn’t fill the form, well apart from my name and date since I don’t recognize with financial terms.

Not being familiar with financial terms, I asked almost everything, but the lady didn’t seem to be very happy with me asking for assistance. I mean it’s your work, why can’t you kindly help out?

She gave me bad eyes and siezed me as if I was a retard, she kept on exclaiming “Gosh” and in my mind am like “What the hell”

I mean if it wasn’t for the customers, she would have been unemployed, so why wouldn’t she serve me politely?

Is it cause am small? Or was it cause I was closing the account? Or do I look broke not to be served like the rest?

Well I let her slide with that one, but I wouldn’t like to see that happen day in day out in our society. We should share the bad experiences we get so as to make others cautious of how they treat others.

It’s not like I couldn’t cause drama and scream at her or give her bad eyes, but I really wonder which College or University she went to. Cause am sure she did a related course, and I bet she wasn’t taught to “Gosh!” at clients!

Another incident happened whereby I lost my Identification Card for the second time. Oh yeah! I know you’re thinking “Gosh she’s careless!” No, am not, the first one I was robbed and the second one I happened to misplace it, well I can’t remember where.

So I went to Huduma Center, queued for the longest time possible since I wanted to use my ID to handle a couple of things, and I also heard it’s a crime to be 18 years and above without an ID.

When it was my turn, I went to the desk where I was to be served, but there’s this lady who wasn’t in my moods, she looked at me and asked, “Why are you here?”, Innocently I replied, “It’s my turn,” Well I wasn’t so kind this time due to the previous experience.

The woman started yapping saying there’s no empty desk bla bla bla, so I stood aside, and when a certain gentleman finished serving another person, I went next. The lady wouldn’t just mind her own business, she still snooped to see what I had come for. She looked at the gentleman who had taken the police abstract form and asked for it.

Then she looked at me and asked, “When did you last apply for an ID?”

“October,” I replied, she got rude and told me I couldn’t get an ID untill 3 months were over, I looked at her with disbelief, wondering what was wrong with her.

The gentleman noticed I wasn’t pleased by her treatment and explained why I coudn’t get a replacement of my ID.

I was shocked and couldn’t understand what ‘Huduma kwa wote’ meant, I mean, that’s their slogan, service to all.

I was so mad, I spoke about it for days and complained alot, I planed on how I would get revenge but seems like I can’t get rude. I had also planed on how I would go scream at the other lady who “goshed” me alot but when I got there I was calm and couldn’t do a thing.

Well I do understand customer care employees don’t get the best treatment at times, but hello! That’s your work, you have to be calm, reserved, smile all the time even when you’re not in the moods, treat everyone equally and do your work accordingly.

I have studied PR, so yes I deal with alot of rude people but hardly do I get rude, I control my anger issues and act fine even when a client is a pain in the throat. If I scream at them, I might get fired, but if they shout at me, I have nothing to lose, since nothing’s personal, am not mixing work and my personal life.

So dear customer care employees, be nice, it doesn’t cost a thing! Treat everyone equally, I mean, even when it’s a young, small person, they still deserve that respect you give others!

Am so sure those ladies wouldn’t treat a CEO somewhere the way they treated me.

Gender biaseness is another thing, just because  am female doesn’t mean am in competition with you, I just came to get served and mind my own business!

Females tend to give other females bad treatment and services, simply because they’re scared they’ll get better than them!

Ladies, we’re better than that! It’s not always about competition!

Think beyond that competition and do your work as expected!

I just wish everyone would treat everyone equally without discrimination but showing them love!

Life’s too short to be all about the competition!

The Face Of Reality!

When I was young, there’s nothing I respected and honored more than being a grown up.

I couldn’t understand how they managed to handle alot of chores and at the same time care for each and every member of the family, friends and other relatives.

To me, grown ups were supernatural beings who didn’t even fart or make  mistakes. I respected and admired their capability to handle almost everything.

When I was a teenager, I got to realize how caring and protective grown ups were, how they ensure you complete your assignments on time, ensure you don’t involve yourself with gangs and cliques around, and also ensure you sing Christmas carols every Christmas and that was never negotiable.

When I finished school and was all grown where I could accompany myself anywhere and everywhere, I got to realize the grown ups I knew back at home are different from the grown ups I don’t recognize with. They tend to pretend to be perfect and condemn everything wrong that others do, they pretend to know it all while there is some basic knowledge they lack.

They’re the loudest in public places to be recognized and be respected. They’re the fastest to judge while they do the same things.

They want to be known as powerful and respectful people, they want to boss other people’s children while they can’t handle their own kids. They want to scream and shout at others but won’t take anyone shouting at them.

They’re quick to curse while they’re the ones on the wrong!

I mean, what happened to the grown ups I grew up knowing?

Was it all up for show?

So that children don’t grow up having a negative perspective of them?

I don’t understand grown ups but they should respect youngsters too!

We do have a say and we deserve to be listened to, our opinion and views matter equally.

Don’t let a grown up out there make you feel like you’re not worth living and being yourself!

Be yourself, and focus only on the positives, ignore the negatives and live life as supposed to!

Nobody can escape adulthood, but it depends which type of an adult you are!

#BringCarolHome

Hello beautiful people. Am hoping your year has started well and will end great.

As the year just started, am here to inform you what should be in your 2017 resolutions list.

This year, you should try helping not only yourself but also those around you.

You don’t have to be the normal 21st century girl, boy, lady, gent, father, mother or grandparents. Be on your on level.

Do what you think is right and appropriate. The society doesn’t have to approve it since these days the society approves even what’s inappropriate.

So it has come to my attention that many people would rather help others to have merry but not in the time of need.

I mean, who doesn’t see these in the news almost daily?

A couple would rather be sponsored to have a fabulous wedding but people in North Eastern Kenya are dying of hunger and poverty.

Nobody cares to provide for a single family or a even a child.

Nobody wants to clear the streets and have a home for the homeless, but alot of people will struggle to help those in power to be in power again and again until they can’t be in power anymore. And if I a may ask, what do those in power do in return?

Nothing, totally nothing, but when time for campaigning comes again. They’re the first people to come to our villages to plead for our votes, promising what they promised us during the last elections and nothing was accomplished.

All am saying is that we need to be informed. We need to be wise, we need to be a little more careful and critical than the normal 21st century people.

For one to be helped these days, there has to be a story in the media for them to be assisted.

If you’re not famous and popular sorry for you, nobody will even notice when you die.

The rich and famous have a way of influencing the average people into doing what they desire.

If they’re ailing they’ll influence us to support them and oh yeah! We’ll contribute all our pennies to ensure they get an adequate amount needed by the hospital or whatever it is they’ll be handling.

But for our fellow average people, we criticize, we hate, we discourage them from being what their potential can allow. Because we’re blinded. We don’t see beyond that rich and famous person. Well yes, some of them do help the needy, but at times I think they do it as a publicity stunt.

Others might be doing charity because they want a larger fun base or for reasons best known to them. But again am sure others do it for their good will. That great feeling you get after making someone feel better and you just feel great and you wish to do it forever just to put a smile on someone’s face.

Recently, alot of youngsters have been dying and it’s not pretty at all. It’s sad how the parents of the next generations to come are dying mercilessly. I wouldn’t blame that on anybody, but I bet they had accomplished their mission here on earth. God knows better.

Carol Mumbua a young spirit who left us early this month has been begging and pleading with Kenyans to help her raise a sum of 3.8 million  to come back home from India. She was discharged but couldn’t leave the hospital due to an alarming hospital bill.

She begged us all to help out by sending any amount to the paybill 891300 and account number 8557 but upto now the full amount hasn’t been raised. What makes people think they’ll never be in a sticky situation and need help?

I remember sometime back a media personnel needed help and whoa!

All the rich and famous people supported her and within no time the amount needed was raised. But because Carol wasn’t famous, people are pretending they haven’t heard of her story while they’ve seen it on social media sites but nobody wants to help a soul rest in peace. Currently, her body is still in India and the more she stays there, the higher the bill accumulates.

As per now only 38% of the target amount has been raised. Please good people do something, help her come back home  and be laid to rest.

I know most of you have seen the paybill and account on social media and you tend to ignore it, please don’t ignore this, please contribute the little you have, it’ll add up to something.

Help those in need and God will reward you Himself😊

Think about it!

Am hoping this year will be great for everyone, you’ll learn how to live with others in peace, love and unity. And help those who need you in desperate times. It doesn’t pain anywhere to help others.

#BringCarolHome

Regards, Madonna.