Nairobi Ideas: Recent Episodes
The Mawazo Institute
The Nairobi Ideas Podcast gives a public platform to the Africans changing the world with their big ideas. It is brought to you by the Mawazo Institute, a Nairobi-based research institute focused on female thought leadership and public engagement with research.Find us at: www.mawazoinstitute.org
The Season 7 finale features a compelling roundtable with young academics, Chebet Koske and Dorcas Mwigereri, discussing the realities of navigating the African academy. They tackle challenges like limited resources, mentorship gaps, and sidelined youth voices, while emphasising the need for intergenerational collaboration and peer support.
Our guests share strategies for young people to confidently step into leadership roles and also highlight the critical need for platforms that amplify young voices and center (rather than tokenise) Africa’s youth in shaping the future. Chebet and Caroline close the discussion by sharing their ambitions, advice for older generations, and words to their younger selves.
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How are youth shaping and influencing the African research ecosystem and its future? As the youngest generation in the field, they bring with them a unique perspective, and technological implications as digital natives along with their desires and motivations.
Dr. Moses Ngware, Head of Education and Youth Empowerment research at the African Population and Health Research Center, discusses how to harness the power of youth in informal knowledge generation and the pressing need to make research less elitist to support young talent development. This episode also explores succession planning and the role of universities as pathways for upward mobility in African contexts where other economic opportunities face significant barriers. Dr. Moses highlights the importance of creating a welcoming and accessible research ecosystem for the next generation of Africa’s researchers and innovators.
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If the African academy is broken, how can it be reimagined? In this bonus episode with Prof. Wandia Njoya, we pick up our conversation on how to build alternative systems that encourage intellectual freedom and critical thinking. We examine the unique history of the university system in Kenya, alongside broader challenges across Africa, exploring the tension between government control and the public's need for universities as engines of social mobility. The conversation also touches on popular GenZ-led protests and the politicisation of universities amidst the depoliticisation of students.
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Can we reimagine education and create alternatives, or is the African university under siege? With Prof. Wandia Njoya, an Associate Professor of Literature who loves to stretch academic boundaries, we explore the stifling of African talent within the current education system that drives many to seek opportunities abroad. We also discuss the plight of young African women researchers, the lack of career paths for academics and creatives, and the effects of the industrialisation of Africa's universities on learning. Prof. Wandia challenges the current system and shares strategies to nurture young talent and innovation, while resisting global pressures.
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We sit down with Dr. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, senior economic policy expert, former Nigerian Minister and Vice President for the World Bank's Africa Region, and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance to examine how policy impacts the implementation and utility of research across Africa. We discuss what policymakers need to consider to effectively bridge the gap between policy and research, in order for research to drive meaningful change. Dr. Oby also highlights the critical role of intergenerational learning for women in leadership and discusses the launch of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance in Kenya, a new step forward in advancing informed, impactful policymaking across the continent.
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What does it means to be a “young” researcher in Africa? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Mutua, a computer science lecturer and Mawazo Fellowship alumnus, to discuss the unique challenges and growth opportunities for young academics. Dr. Elizabeth offers insights from her PhD journey, including the age limitations imposed by funders and the added challenges of balancing her research and starting a family. Dr. Elizabeth also shares her own experience with mentoring, and what inspired her to create a mentorship program for young girls in science, now reaching over 400 high school and university students. This episode sheds light on what it takes to build a career in academia and to uplift the next generation of female scientists in Africa.
Visit our website to learn more about the Mawazo Institute. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
In this Sixth and Final Episode of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast Season Six, scholars explore the impact of conflict on African women researchers.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) states that 30 million displaced people live in Africa. This is about one-third of the world’s refugee population. Higher numbers have been recorded in Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Sudan, South Sudan, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Nigeria. Studies have shown that women migrants and refugees often bear the brunt of conflicts, experiencing extreme conditions such as human rights violations, including gender-based violence (Arawi, 2021; Kabamba, 2018).
In the DRC, Meger (2010) reports that decades of conflict expose women to sexual exploitation and that girls as young as six months are not spared from the violence being committed by armed groups and the United Nations peacekeepers. This risk of death, rape, and injury often escalates to emotional, intellectual, epistemological, ecological, and a host of attacks that interfere with knowledge production.
Join us as we explore this critical topic, what it means for the research ecosystem, as well as some of the peace-building initiatives employed by scholars and their communities to bring about lasting peace.
Further ReadingAhmad Kaw, M., & Ahmad, S. (2014). Gender prejudice in the research world: Female researchers in a conflict zone, Kashmir. Library Review, 63(8/9), 684–699. https://doi.org/10.1108/LR-04-2013-0051
Alhaji Ali, M., Ahmad Zakuan, U. A., & Ahmad, M. (2018). The Negative Impact of Boko Haram Insurgency on Women and Children in Northern Nigeria: An Assessment. American International Journal of Social Science Research, 3, 27–33. https://doi.org/10.46281/aijssr.v3i1.141
Arawi, T. (2021). Deconstructing the Challenges of Doing Research in Conflict Zones and Areas of Protracted Conflict: The Ecology of Life in Gaza. In I. Laher (Ed.), Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World (pp. 3379–3394). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36811-1_220
Kabamba, P. (2018). You Cannot Get Blood Out of a Stone: The Nexus of Neoliberalism, Violence and Slavery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SSRN Scholarly Paper 3147436). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3147436
Meger, S. (2010). Rape of the Congo: Understanding sexual violence in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 28(2), 119. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02589001003736728
Mohamed, H. (2019). From the Margins to the Centre: Somali Women in Peacebuilding. In M. Keating & M. Waldman (Eds.), War and Peace in Somalia: National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190947910.003.0022
Nanjala Nyabola (2020). Traveling while Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move https://www.amazon.com/Travelling-While-Black-Essays-Inspired/dp/1787383822
The team explores how African women scholars fund their doctoral studies in this Fifth Episode of Season Six of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast. The scholars take us on a daring journey of crowdsourcing funding information, seeking familial support, partnering with scholars from different geographical jurisdictions, adapting to existing funding criteria, and mapping new trajectories whenever necessary to secure the coveted doctoral degree.
Globally, funding has been cited as the major factor that drives research outcomes among scholars. African women, in particular, are positioned in the lower rungs of the academy and account for a mere 30% of doctoral graduates in sub-Saharan Africa (Tsephe, 2023). In 2005, African countries committed to spending 1% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on research, yet they only spent 0.42% on the backdrop of a 1.7% global average (Caelers & Okoth, 2023).
According to Schultz1, & Rankhumise (2023), accessing research funding constitutes a significant challenge for many academics. A few funding opportunities specifically target African academics, particularly African women. Proactive academics who are knowledgeable about the opportunities and often take advantage of such opportunities. Notably, many academics report difficulties in obtaining funding, possibly because of a lack of transparency in funding opportunities, a lack of knowledge about funding opportunities, and a lack of expertise to access funding opportunities (Ramnund-Mansingh & Seedat-Khan 2020). Generally, funding is a challenge for Black women academics (Monnapula-Mapesela, M. 2017).
With the myriad of urgent problems facing the African continent, investment in research and development is imperative to the continent’s growth in all spheres. While research is not necessarily limited to the academy, a doctoral degree is a prerequisite to entering the academy, securing tenure, and commanding space for African women as a traditionally marginalised demographic. For these women, access to funding allows them to take up scholarly space and solve some of the most urgent challenges on the continent.
Further Reading
- Caelers D. & Okoth D. (2023) Research Funding in Africa: navigating sustainability and shifting perspectives. https://www.nature.com/articles/d44148-023-00360-4
- Monnapula-Mapesela, M. (2017). Developing as an academic leader in a university of technology in South Africa: Dealing with enabling and constraining teaching and learning environments. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning, 5(2), 69-85. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/cristal/article/view/164434
- Ramnund-Mansingh, A., & Seedat-Khan, M. (2020). Understanding the career trajectories of black female academics in South Africa: A case study of the University of Kwazulu-Natal. Perspectives in Education, 38(2), 56-69. https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v38.i2.04
- Schultz1, C., & Rankhumise, E. (2023). Constraints and contributors in advancing black women academic researchers at a university in South Africa. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(4), 248-265. https://journals.co.za/doi/full/10.20853/37-4-5070#b16-high_v37_n4_a13
- Tsephe, L. (2023). Factors impacting African women’s doctoral success (p. 152). AOSIS. https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/88046
In this fourth episode of season 6 of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, the team explores how women scholars pioneer, research, and generally exist on the margins of academia.
Scholars explore the gendered experiences of women academics through the feminist intersectional lens. The discussion focuses on sexism and misogyny within the academy and other critical intersecting identities like race, ageism, and disability which create and reproduce structural inaccuracies, impede academic freedom, and sustain structural marginalization of African women academics (Phaswana-Mafuya, 2023; Tamale & Onyango, 1997; Sougou et al. 2022; Madikizela-Madiya & Mkhwanazi 2024). For women doctoral candidates, advisory relationships, childcare for student mothers or lack thereof create a world of difference between who succeeds, who merely survives, and who abandons the academy altogether (Tsephe, 2021), and as Mose (2019) observes, such structural inequalities have a ripple impact on women professors who often shoulder the bulk of the care work by directly supporting their own families, the students, and their male colleagues. Finally, disability inclusion in the academy invites us to go beyond the physical infrastructure by considering the intangible but critical structures that foster disability justice and inclusion.
Join us, as we unpack the layers of gendered experiences and how the academy can leverage into the existing feminist work to create more inclusive spaces which will ultimately improve the quality of research.
Further Reading
- Madikizela-Madiya, N., & Mkhwanazi, S. T. (2024). Academic identities and socio-spatial exclusions of academics with disabilities: A capabilities approach. Disability & Society, 0(0), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2024.2311357
- Mose, C. (2019). Towards a (more) gender-responsive model of collaboration. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 31(3), 283–286.
- Phaswana-Mafuya, R. N. (2023). Navigating Academia: Women’s Stories of Success and Struggle - A Call to Action. UJ Press. https://doi.org/10.36615/9781776447497
- Sougou, N. M., Ndiaye, O., Nabil, F., Folayan, M. O., Sarr, S. C., Mbaye, E. M., & Martínez-Pérez, G. Z. (2022). Barriers of West African women scientists in their research and academic careers: A qualitative research. PLOS ONE, 17(3), e0265413. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265413
- Tamale, S., & Oloka-Onyango, J. (1997). Bitches at the academy: Gender and academic freedom at the African university. Africa Development/Afrique et Développement, 22(1), 13-37.
- Tsephe, L. (2021). A capabilities approach to African women’s success in doctoral programmes in South Africa (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria (South Africa).
In this third episode of season 6 of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, the team explores the role of community in the PhD journey.
Scholars communicate in information sharing, innovation, publication, and evaluating each other’s work, establishing and maintaining ties that become an integral part of a scholar’s career. Yet, conducting research is often described as a lonely and isolating affair. Subjective accounts of women academics from around the world have referred to this as a period of ‘professional isolation and chilly institutional climate’ (Miller & Shrum, 2012). Academics who fail to develop the connections they need often suffer from stress and burnout as they progress through their courses, and are at a heightened risk of experiencing loneliness (Shaver et al., 1985; McLaughlin and Sillence, 2018).
Join us as we delve into the definition of community, the various types of community, and how to leverage them during the doctoral degree.
Further readingMiller, B. P., & Shrum, W. (2012). Isolated in a technologically connected world?: Changes in the core professional ties of female researchers in Ghana, Kenya, and Kerala, India. Sociological Quarterly, 53(2), 143–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2012.01229.x
Shaver, P., Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1985). Transition to college: Network changes, social skills, and loneliness. In S. Duck & D. Perlman (Eds.), Understanding personal relationships: An interdisciplinary approach (pp. 193–219). Sage Publications, Inc.
McLaughlin, C. J., & Sillence, E. (2018). Buffering against academic loneliness: The benefits of social media-based peer support during postgraduate study. Active Learning in Higher Education, 24(1), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418799185
Randolph, S. M., & Koblinsky, S. A. (2012). Infant mental health in African American families: a sociocultural perspective. In SAGE Publications, Inc. eBooks (pp. 307–326). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976008.n16
In this second episode, we delve into the topic of Research Mobility among African women scholars.
According to Momeni et al. (2020), academic progress is significantly influenced by international collaboration among researchers. Research mobility, defined as the ability or opportunity for researchers to move and pursue academic activities in different locations, institutions, or countries, plays a crucial role in fostering these global collaborations.
Join us on this episode of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast as we explore various forms of research mobility, the motivations behind African women pursuing PhD studies abroad, the challenges they encounter, and their strategies for overcoming these obstacles. Our discussions are enriched by application data from the Mawazo Fellowship Programme, as well as insights from our Fellows and Alumni.
Further reading:
Momeni, F., Karimi, F., Mayr, P., Peters, I., & Dietze, S. (2022). The many facets of academic mobility and its impact on scholars’ career. Journal of Informetrics, 16(2), 101280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2022.101280
Knight, J., & Woldegiorgis, E. (2017). Regionalization of African Higher Education: Progress and Prospects. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-956-0
Woldegiorgis, E. T., & Doevenspeck, M. (2015). Current trends, challenges and prospects of student mobility in the African higher education landscape. International Journal of Higher Education, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v4n2p105
Prozesky, H., & Beaudry, C. (2019). Mobility, gender and career development in higher Education: results of a Multi-Country survey of African academic scientists. Social Sciences, 8(6), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8060188
Cañibano, C., Otamendi, J., & Andújar, I. (2008). Measuring and assessing researcher mobility from CV analysis: the case of the Ramón y Cajal programme in Spain. Research Evaluation, 17(1), 17–31. https://doi.org/10.3152/095820208x292797
Prozesky, H. (2008). A Career-History Analysis of Gender Differences in Publication Productivity among South African Academics. Science & Technology Studies, 21(2), 47–67. https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.55226
This season of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, we are exploring the Realities of African Women in Research. Join us as we dive into what it truly means to pursue a PhD on the continent on as an African woman.
For the first episode of the season, we will follow an African woman's journey into the research realm. African women only account for 31.5 percent of the researchers on the continent, yet an increase from 30.9 per cent in 2011 (UNESCO, 2024) has continued to inspire more women to pursue doctoral degrees. What really are the motivations for African women to study for a PhD? Listen in as we hear from our alumni on the application process, challenges and anxieties experienced, dealing with supervisors and post-PhD plans.
Further Reading:
Amutabi, M. N. (2018). Social and Political Obstacles in Pursuing PhD Degree in Africa: Interrogating the Problem of Gatekeepers and Structural Obstacles. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies. 2 (1), 2018: 126 – 146.
Haynes, C. et al. (2012) ‘My World is not my doctoral program…or is it?: Female students’ perceptions of well-being’, International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 7, pp. 001–017. doi:10.28945/1555.
Levecque, K. et al. (2017) ‘Work Organization and Mental Health Problems in Phd students’, Research Policy, 46(4), pp. 868–879. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008.
Platt, J., & Schaefer, C. (1995). Clinical Psychology Students’ Subjective Stress Ratings during Their Doctoral Training. Psychological Reports, 76(3), 994-994. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1995.76.3.994
Sekas, G; Wile, M Z. Stress-related illnesses and sources of stress: comparing M.D.-Ph.D., M.D., and Ph.D. students. Journal of Medical Education 55(5):p 440-6, May 1980.
The gender gap in science: status and trends, February 2024. UNESCO
In 28 years, African cities are projected to be home to 950 million people and by the end of this century, 2100, Africa is projected to be the only continent with a growing population. This is according to the Africa Development Bank. Against this backdrop of a rapidly urbanising space, it is crucial we understand how our cities are developing and whom they serve.
To answer these questions, we brought together two celebrities - Georgie Ndirangu and Just Ivy Africa to test their knowledge against an expert - data scientist and 2021 Mawazo Learning Exchange Fellow, Mutono Nyamai whose work focuses on combining applied epidemiological modelling and data analytics to develop prevention and control strategies for infectious diseases in Africa. Additionally, Mutono is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) at the University of Nairobi where she studies the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases.
In front of a live audience, we asked our celebrities questions about our home town - Nairobi, how African cities are tackling climate change and the built environment of cities on the continent.
Further Reading:
- This Is What Informal Transit Looks Like When You Actually Map It - Bloomberg
- Land use management challenges for the city of Nairobi
- About EDGE green building certification system
- Growing plants on buildings can reduce heat and produce healthy food in African cities
- Kenya Power to spend $331,000 in pilot transition to electric vehicles
- Kenya Power should rethink strategy on electric vehicles
- Cementing material from rice husk-broken bricks-spent bleaching earth-dried calcium carbide residue
- Kenyan recycles plastic waste into bricks stronger than concrete
- Development of banana fibers and wood bottom ash modified cement mortars
- The history of Akon City
- Akon to build new city in Senegal with own currency called AKoin
- The 3 trends shaping the future of Africa’s cities
Mawazo builds platforms to help scientists communicate on the issues of our time. To unpack what the climate change looks like for the African continent we hosted a live quiz night that put local celebrities to the test against experts. With three rounds of trivia questions and only one winner, our quiz night, 'It's Getting Hot in Here' featured marine scientist Dr. Fiona Moejes (Mawazo CEO) and media personalities, Wanjira Longauer and Georgie Ndirangu.
We'd love to see you at the next Quiz Night on Tuesday Nov 1st! This time we're talking about the future of African cities. RSVP on Eventbrite: bit.ly/3gEk3F3 or catch the Livestream on our YouTube page.
The research to commercialisation pipeline is plagued with a lot of unknowns and many researchers don’t know where to start when thinking about how to attract funding for their ideas. In this episode, we replay a taped discussion with industry professionals, where we demystify the commercialisation pipeline for researchers. We also talk about gender and the investment landscape.
The discussion features: Kim-Andrée Potvin - partner at Bamboo Capital Partners and Board Chair of the Mawazo Institute; Carol Masila-Maiko - international lawyer and legal associate at Persistent Energy; Faith Wilson - a venture builder at Persistent Energy and Prof. Maina Mwangi-Director of Innovation Incubation and University Industry Linkages at Kenyatta University.
- Research to Commercialisation (R2C) Accelerator; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
- Directorate of Innovation, Incubation & University Industry Linkages (IIUIL); Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
- Persistent Energy; Twitter, LinkedIn
- Bamboo Capital Partners; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
- Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA); Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
- Young Entrepreneurs in Science (YES); LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
- BasiGo
Dr. Jacqueline Kariithi is a trailblazing environmental scientist working in the Mt. Elgon region of Kenya, which makes up part of the country’s bread basket. Although the region supplies a large share of the national maize crop, which is critical to national food security, many people who live in the area remain food insecure. Through El- Koony center, where Dr. Kariithi is CEO, she is using scientific methods to explore techniques that can help improve food security and resilience to climate change for the Mt. Elgon ecosystem.
Further Reading:
- Visit El-Koony Center: www.elkoony.org, Twitter, Facebook
- Mountain Voices: oral testimonies from Mount Elgon, Kenya: local themes: agriculture
- Kenya County Climate Risk Profile: Trans Nzoia County
- The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing
Dr. Jacqueline Kariithi is a trailblazing environmental scientist working in the Mt. Elgon region of Kenya, which makes up part of the country’s bread basket. Although the region supplies a large share of the national maize crop, which is critical to national food security, many people who live in the area remain food insecure. Through El- Koony center, where Dr. Kariithi is CEO, she is using scientific methods to explore techniques that can help improve food security and resilience to climate change for the Mt. Elgon ecosystem.
Further Reading:
- Visit El-Koony Center: www.elkoony.org, Twitter, Facebook
- Mountain Voices: oral testimonies from Mount Elgon, Kenya: local themes: agriculture
- Kenya County Climate Risk Profile: Trans Nzoia County
- The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing
What might the future of education look like for Africa? In this episode, we share a discussion with Julia Jenjezwa, a Zimbabwean product designer and educator, and Dr. Wangui Kimari, a Kenyan urban scholar. Both Julia and Wangui use human-centered research practices to work within communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Nepal, and elsewhere. In this episode, they share how applying co-visioning and co-design in their work has helped them become better scientists and educators. How can these approaches shape how we “do” higher education on the continent?
More information from the episode:
Julia Jenjezwa - Website, Twitter, Linkedin
Dr. Wangui Kimari - Research Papers, Africa is A Country
@MathareSJustice, Who is Next? MSJC A Participatory Action Research Report Against the Normalization of Extrajudicial Executions in Mathare.
UTA Do - African Cities Workshop
Invention Education Toolkit for African Universities
Field Ready - Humanitarian Aid Supplies Made in the Field
How are African ideas being used to build the future of the African continent? Season 5 of the Nairobi Ideas Podcast returns September 15th under a brand new theme; 'African Futures'. Don't miss our new season as we talk to experts whose work explores new pathways around; the future of education, the future of food, the future of African cities, the future of health, and approaches to climate change adaptation on the continent.
Learn more about the 'African Futures' campaign on our website: www.mawazoinstitute.org/africanfutures
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Our oceans are becoming "hot, sour, and breathless," says Dr. David Obura, a marine biologist supporting coral reef research and conservation in Africa. In this episode, we explore how our oceans are changing as a result of climate change and the challenges this poses for African island-nations whose statehood is being threatened by rising sea levels. We are joined by Dr. David Obura and Angelique Pouponneau, a Legal Expert in climate change, oceans and global commons, and a speaker on youth, Blue Economy, and Islanders' rights in the face of rising sea levels.
Angelique PouponneauTwitter
Linkedin
Dr. David OburaLinkedin
What is gender based violence and how is it impacted by Climate change? It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. During displacement and times of crisis which may be caused by wars, climate change and other occurrences, the threat of gender based violence significantly increases for women and girls. To help us understand how climate change impacts gender, we are joined by Dorothy Kazombo Mwale, a Malawian Environmentalist and Climate Justice Advocate currently studying BSc. in Forestry and Environmental Management. Dorothy also works with Green Girls Platform as a Public Relations Officer.
As we celebrate Wangari Maathai Day on March 3rd, we are bringing you a re-run of our interview with Dr. Paula Kahumbu, a leading figure in Kenya's conservation sector. Dr. Paula Kahumbu is an award-winning Kenyan conservationist and the current CEO of WildlifeDirect. In this episode of the podcast (originally aired in 2019), she celebrates Kenya’s rich biodiversity and talks about the need for civic education on conservation. Loss of biodiversity, she also argues, is our biggest threat yet. “We have the most to lose, because we have the most on our doorstep.”
What is food security and why does it matter? Ensuring food security is one of the sustainable development goals - SDG 2 - which targets zero hunger. To help us understand the effects of climate change on food security in sub-Saharan Africa, we are joined by two experts, Yvonne Githiora and Maysoon Osman, who are both PhD students at the University of Nairobi.
Yvonne Githiora:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ygithiora%20Twitter:@YvonneGithioraResearchgate: Water Poverty In KenyaResearchgate:Drivers of Change in Tropical Wetlands
Maysoon Osman:LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/maysoon-osman-93b11219a%20Twitter:@MaysoonOsmanWebsite: http://www.icipe.org/capacity_building/students/maysoon-osmanResearchgate: Climate Variability and Change affecting Crop Yields in Gedaref State, Sudan
In the fight against global warming, changes in individual behavior and system-level changes are being encouraged to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions necessary to limit global warming to “safe” levels. To better understand climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, we are joined by Dr. Gugulethu Tarakini, the Director of Research and Education for Sustainable Actions (RESA) in Zimbabwe and Judy Ndichu, a Climate Scientist and Researcher working on REDD+ Programme, a climate change mitigation framework.
Dr. Gugulethu Tarakini
Facebook: @ResearchandEducationforSustainableActions,
Twitter: @resa_conserve,
Instagram: r.e.s.a.trust
Judy Ndichu
Linked in - https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-ndichu-13077959/?originalSubdomain=ke
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/judy.ndichu.3/
Twitter - @mukami_judy
Articles
Climate and Forests - UNDP: Forest Conservation and Management in Kenya
Secheresse: A case of Kasigau REDD+ Project, Kenya
UNDP: Kenya Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
UNDP Kenya: Human Rights Based Approach in Forest Conservation
Carbon produced by human activities is the largest contributor to global warming. The social cost of carbon is a measure of the economic harm from those impacts. In this context, carbon credit development and trading is considered to be a cost-effective solution for reducing emissions. We are joined by Nasra Nandha, an Environmental Senior Associate at Dentons Harrison Hamilton and Matthews who sheds light on the carbon credit markets for Africa.
Twitter: @NasNandha
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasra-nanda-7590b032/?originalSubdomain=ke
Do you think you know Mawazo? As part of Mawazo @ 5, celebrating five years of the Mawazo Institute, we produced a special episode that digs into the Mawazo story. Featuring our co-founders, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso and Rachel Strohm, and our Acting CEO, Dr. Fiona Moejes, find out how one night in Berkeley, California is inspiring a new generation of female researchers and thought leaders in Africa.
In the fight against plastic pollution, many have hailed Kenya’s 2017 single-use plastic bag ban as a step in the right direction. The ban includes the strictest fines worldwide for individuals manufacturing or in possession of plastic bags, but was it the right decision? In today's re-run of the podcast, we are joined by plastic waste management expert, part-time lecturer, and consultant, Dr Leah Oyake-Ombis, a notable critic of the ban.
Dr. Leah advocates for systems that emphasise recycling and adequate waste management, while building on existing industries. She also outlines the importance of evidence-informed policies that meet the needs of all sectors of the populace, including those in the ‘kidogo’ (small) economy and the informal sector.
Humanity faces many threats, but none is greater than climate change. In Season 4, we are focussing on the challenges and effects of climate change on the African continent. The global climate summit, COP26, wrapped up in Glasgow in November. To understand what is next for Africa after COP26, we are joined by Edna Kimenju, a Sustainability Consultant at Kenya Climate Innovation Centre.
Further reading
- Edna Kimenju. COP 26 Navigation & Outcomes.
- Edna Kimenju. Out vs Down: COP26 Week 2 Outcomes.
- The Guardian. Cop26 week one: the impression of progress – but not nearly enough
- Quartz Africa. What did Africa get from COP26?
We dig into the archives for this week's episode. Kenya has one of the harshest plastic bag bans in the world, with fines of up to $40,000 for individuals found in violation. But has the country’s ban made any real change? Nairobi Ideas Podcast is joined by James Wakibia, an environmental activist and photographer who was instrumental in the campaign that yielded Kenya’s 2017 single-use plastic bag ban. James discusses how anger can help fuel change, what difference the ban is making, and what the future of plastics looks like in Kenya. Plus find out one simple act we can all take to decrease the use of plastics in our lives.
*CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNING* SGBV
November 25th marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. For this episode, we are asking why half the world’s population is being affected disproportionately by a crisis that we are all facing. We talk to Ngina Judy, a Child Protection Officer at Dadaab Refugee Camp and Josephine Mwatibo, a Gender and Human Rights Expert about the impact of the pandemic on girls and women who are doubly marginalised; living as refugees and individuals with disabilities.
If you are someone you know is a victim of sexual or gender based violence, we encourage you to seek help from your local law enforcment or local support organisations. If you are in Kenya, you can dial the 1195, a free hotline for assistance.
Further reading links are on our website: www.mawazoinstitute.org/podcast
Featuring stories from four scientists living in Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, we’re looking past the science and taking a personal look at what it means to live through the pandemic.
In moments of crisis, human rights violations are more likely to occur and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different. Globally, the pandemic has wreaked havoc on families and communities, interrupted jobs and livelihoods, and increased economic hardship, among other adverse effects. Across Africa, the pandemic has exposed the fragilepolitical freedoms and socio-economic rights for people living on the continent and resulted in increased rates of violence by state and non-state actors, with a disproportionate impact on girls and women. To explore the impact of COVID-19 on human rights in Africa, we are joined by Anietie Ewang, a Nigeria researcher in the Africa division of The Human Rights Watch, and Wangui Kimari, a participatory action research coordinator for the Mathare Social Justice Center in Nairobi, Kenya.
Anietie EwangFollow Anietie:@aniewang
Follow Human Rights Watch:@hrw
- Human Rights Watch. Anietie Ewang Profile
- Anietie Ewang. Hunger during the pandemic shows Nigeria’s social security gaps
- BBC World News. Nigeria's #EndSars protests: What happened next
Wangui KimariFollow Mathare Social Justice Centre: @MathareSJustice
Follow Institute for Humanities: @huma_africa
- Mathare Social Justice Centre. As We Lose Our Fear: Photography exhibition on police brutality – Mathare Social Justice Centre.
- Mathare Social Justice Centre. Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network.
- Institute for Humanities in Africa. People | Wangui Kimari Profile.
- News 24. Six Kenyan police charged over brothers' death in custody.
Early in the pandemic, the data community in Kenya had one question, “What is the data telling us?” We are joined by Yariwo Kitiyo, a geospatial consultant whose organization, Women in GIS, Kenya, was one of the partners working with Kenya’s Ministry of Health to answer this question. Yariwo explores the universe of data being collected around the virus and how governments are using this to evaluate vulnerability to COVID-19, map infections and vaccine uptake, and to make policy decisions on where to direct resources.
Yariwo Kitiyo on Twitter:@YariwoKitiyo, @WiGISKe
Episode Links:
- Women in GIS, Kenya. WiGISKe – Learn | Network | Succeed
- Mawazo Institute. Breaking Barriers: 30 and Under: Women in STEM. 2019.
- McKinsey & Company. COVID-19 digital transformation & technology. October 5, 2020.
- McKinsey Global Institute. The future of work after COVID-19. February 18, 2021.
- Yarik Turianskyi. COVID-19: Implications for the 'digital divide' in Africa. Africa Portal. April 14, 2020.
The role of mass media in communicating the science of COVID-19, and in helping many of us understand our new reality cannot be underestimated. This is the time for media organizations to seize leadership perpetuated by social responsibility and public service journalism given the ever-changing news on the pandemic. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Mercy Korir, a medical doctor and journalist at the Standard Media Group (Kenya). She talks about journalism’s role as members of “the fourth estate” and shares her assessment on how Africa’s media is fairing in its COVID-19 coverage.
Listen below or find the podcast on your favorite listening platform.https://nairobiideas.buzzsprout.com
Further Reading
Dr. Mercy Korir
on Twitter: @DrMercyKorir
Articles:
- Dr. Mercy Korir. Standard Media Column - Nairobi
- Dr. Mercy Korir. Doctors Unmasked Podcast
- Verenado Meemee. Kenyan doctor dispelling COVID-19 myths through journalism. September 8, 2020. Alliance for Science.
COVID-19 in Africa:
- Press Release. African Vaccine Acquisition Trust delivers 108,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Ethiopia. September 6, 2021 Africa CDC.
- Stellah Kwasi. COVID-19 vaccine supply: Africa's proactive stance needs global backing. September 22, 2021. Institute for Security Studies.
Africa, with a population of over 1.2 billion is carrying out its largest immunisation campaign ever. Across the continent, governments are scrambling to find the COVID-19 vaccines they need to save vulnerable lives, achieve population health and re-open socio-economic activities, but they are facing major challenges. In the Season 3 premiere of the podcast, we are joined by Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and Pierre de Vos, who teaches Constitutional Law at the University of Cape Town, to discuss Africa’s vaccine rollout plan, vaccine equity and vaccine mandates. We also ask, what does Africa’s scientific community need to be ready for the next pandemic?
Find additional links on our show page at: mawazoinstitute.org/podcast
Season 3 of the Nairobi Ideas Podcast is launching on Thursday, September 30th. This is what you can expect
The Nairobi Ideas Podcast is on break. But before we go, we’ve created this recap episode to sum up our second season. Check it out to hear Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, our host and Mawazo Institute Co-Founder, and Kari Mugo, our Digital Media and Public Engagement Consultant, chat about their favourite episodes, some of the lessons they’ve learned so far, and all the love they have for our fans. Plus, catch up with everything Mawazo has been doing in Nairobi to connect people like you with cutting-edge research and conversations in Kenya and beyond – from publishing the Nairobi Ideas Digest and Nairobi Ideas Explainer, to hosting the Nairobi Ideas Exchange and Africa Science Week-Kenya 2019.
When Dr. Paula Kahumbu was a little girl, she had a run in with famed conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, catapulting a lifelong curiosity about, and interest in, Kenya’s wildlife. Since then, Paula has gone on to become an award-winning Kenyan conservationist herself, and is the current CEO of WildlifeDirect. In this episode of the podcast, she celebrates Kenya’s rich bio-diversity and talks about the need for civic education on conservation. Loss of bio-diversity, she also argues, is our biggest threat yet. “We have the most to lose, because we have the most on our doorstep.”
Global land use has been identified as one of the most significant causes of the rapid increase in climate change yet, Dr. David Kimiti says, little attention is being paid to curbing land degradation. Dr. David is Head of Research and Monitoring at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and a Senior Scientist specializing in Rangeland Ecology. In conversation with the Nairobi Ideas podcast, he shares his ‘systems approach’ to conservation and talks about how Lewa’s work is helping ensure the survival of the Grevy Zebra, while mitigating human-wildlife conflict. Plus, find out how mobile phone technology is being used to collect data on land potential across the globe.
In the fight against plastic pollution, many have hailed Kenya’s 2017 single-use plastic bag ban as a step in the right direction. The ban includes the strictest fines worldwide for individuals manufacturing or in possession of plastic bags, but was it the right decision? Were there other solutions for tackling plastic waste in the country that should have been considered? Nairobi Ideas Podcast is joined by plastic waste management expert, part-time lecturer, and consultant, Dr Leah Oyake-Ombis, a notable critic of the ban. Dr. Leah advocates for systems that emphasize recycling and adequate waste management, while building on existing industries. She also outlines the importance of evidence-informed policies that meet the needs of all sectors of the populace, including those in the ‘kidogo’ economy and the informal sector. Plus, find out why we should be better informed about the alternative “eco-friendly” bags currently in use throughout Kenya.
Kenya has one of the harshest plastic bag bans in the world, with fines of up to $40,000 for individuals found in violation. But has the country’s ban made any real change? Nairobi Ideas Podcast is joined by James Wakibia, an environmental activist and photographer who was instrumental in the campaign that yielded Kenya’s 2017 single-use plastic bag ban. James discusses how anger can help fuel change, what difference the ban is making, and what the future of plastics looks like in Kenya.
Global warming, the biodiversity crisis, and environmental degradation are changing life on earth drastically, and the effects on Africa are bound to be drastic. Join us on Season 2 of the Nairobi Ideas Podcast as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, finds out how experts on the continent are responding to these climate and conservation challenges. We will explore how Kenya is tackling plastic pollution with activists and researchers, hear from leading conservancies in Kenya on how they are protecting local ecosystems, and find out how Africans across the continent are working to build sustainable futures.
Meet Dr. Rose Mutiso: She is Co-founder of the Mawazo Institute, Research Director at the Energy for Growth Hub, and this season's host. Rose is a Materials Scientist by training with research experience in the fields of nanotechnology and polymer physics, whose current work is focused on power sector issues in Africa. Rose believes that, “We need to fuse creative and inspired thinking with research and evidence,” and that scientists like her are bridges to these two worlds.
Meet Young Scientists Kenya (YSK): Michael is Co-founder and CEO of Miti Alliance, and a Board Member of Young Scientists Kenya, a platform for young people to demonstrate their innovation and showcase their scientific talents. YSK is based on the premise that a wealth of talent and potential for innovation exists in Kenya. They are one of the organizers of the 8th National Science and Technology Exhibition Week, opening August 3rd. Take a listen as Michael shares stories from the road as YSK uncovers the best in innovation, technology, and research that Kenya’s youth has to offer.
As part of the 2018 Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya), Nairobi Ideas Podcast is featuring interviews with some of the exceptional scientists from our Faces of Kenyan Science campaign.
Take a listen as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, CEO of the Mawazo Institute sits down with Anthony Muthungu, a serial entrepreneur, inventor and educator who is always looking for “the loopholes in life” and finding ways to bridge them. He is the founder of TotoSci Academy, AlexKyan, and Jenga Citi.
As part of the 2018 Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya), Nairobi Ideas Podcast is featuring interviews with some of the exceptional scientists from our Faces of Kenyan Science campaign.
Take a listen as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, CEO of the Mawazo Institute sits down with Susan Murabana, an astronomer bringing the stars closer to children, by taking a portable telescope and mobile planetarium to schools and sites around the country, and who dreams of creating the region’s first public Observatory and Planetarium.
As part of the 2018 Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya), Nairobi Ideas Podcast is featuring interviews with some of the exceptional scientists from our Faces of Kenyan Science campaign.
Take a listen as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, CEO of the Mawazo Institute sits down with Dr. Stellah Bosire, Founder and Executive Director of the Stellah Bosire Fund and a medical physician looking beyond the stethoscope to use science for good and who advocates for health as a human right.
As part of the 2018 Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya), Nairobi Ideas Podcast is featuring interviews with some of the exceptional scientists from our Faces of Kenyan Science campaign.
Take a listen as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, CEO of the Mawazo Institute sits down with Dr. Hamisi Babusa, an accomplished novelist, lecturer and and senior administrator at Kenyatta University who is pioneering the use of Kiswahili science fiction novellas to educate children on science.
As part of the 2018 Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya), Nairobi Ideas Podcast is featuring interviews with some of the exceptional scientists from our Faces of Kenyan Science campaign.
Take a listen as our host, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso, CEO of the Mawazo Institute sits down with Kago Kagichiri, Co-founder and former CEO of Eneza Education, one of Africa’s leading mobile learning platforms and a tech-enthusiast on a journey to tackle the shortcomings of the continent’s education systems using technology.