Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate cropped from news photo turns negative into a positive “to help amplify unheard voices”

Vanessa Nakate, the 23-year-old Ugandan activist who was cropped from a photo with white climate activists by news agency AP, is turning a negative experience in to a positive one by using her now raised profile to “help amplify unheard voices”. The Kampala native had appeared at a joint press conference in Davos with other climate activists, including Greta Thunberg, Loukina Tille, Luisa Neubauer and … Continue reading Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate cropped from news photo turns negative into a positive “to help amplify unheard voices”

Life & Soul MagazineJanuary 30, 2020January 30, 2020Leave a comment

Travel

Giraffe Manor: Guests get up close with Rothschild giraffes at conservation-supporting boutique hotel

There’s few boutique hotels in the world that can lay claim to visitors rubbing shoulders with giraffes over the breakfast table other than Kenya’s Giraffe Manor. Giraffe Manor, set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest in the Langata suburb of Nairobi, is a wonderful and delightful vacation for anyone who has an affinity with the graceful and elegant mammals … Continue reading Giraffe Manor: Guests get up close with Rothschild giraffes at conservation-supporting boutique hotel

Life & Soul MagazineJanuary 10, 2020January 10, 2020Leave a comment

Global Stories

Solar Freeze: Fighting food waste in Kenya by offering farmers portable solar-powered fridge-freezer solutions

Kenyan start-up Solar Freeze is pioneering mobile solar-powered fridge-freezer units for rural smallholder farmers to help them reduce the huge challenge of post-harvest loss. In much of the developing world, postharvest losses are as high as 80% and the cold‐storage chain is virtually non‐existent due to the high cost of equipment and spotty electricity. Because fresh produce can perish in a matter of days under … Continue reading Solar Freeze: Fighting food waste in Kenya by offering farmers portable solar-powered fridge-freezer solutions

Life & Soul MagazineNovember 10, 2019November 9, 2019Leave a comment

Style

Green Nettle Textile: Stinging nettles grown in Kenya for sustainable fashion fibre and to boost livelihoods

Kenya’s Green Nettle Textile is making use of stinging nettles to produce a sustainable textile for clothing, while providing opportunities for smallholder farmers to boost their livelihoods. Stinging nettles are resilient and low-maintenance plants, which are considered weeds, grow easily in Kenya. Using stinging nettles as a raw material, Green Nettle Textile are turning the stalks of the plants into a linen-like fabric which is sting-free. … Continue reading Green Nettle Textile: Stinging nettles grown in Kenya for sustainable fashion fibre and to boost livelihoods

Life & Soul MagazineApril 10, 2019April 9, 2019Leave a comment

Community, Recycling & Packaging

The Flipflopi: Boat made from recycled plastic and flip-flops sets sail on awareness-raising mission

The Flipflopi – a Kenyan community-built boat constructed from recycled marine plastic and flip-flops – has set sail on its first overseas mission to raise awareness about marine plastic pollution. Departing from Lamu on the Kenyan coast on 24 January, the FlipFlopi will sail south along the coasts of Kenya stopping in Watamu, Kilifi, Mombasa and Diani, before crossing into northern Tanzania with planned stops … Continue reading The Flipflopi: Boat made from recycled plastic and flip-flops sets sail on awareness-raising mission

Life & Soul MagazineFebruary 1, 2019January 31, 20191 Comment

Environment

SeedBalls Kenya helping to reforest Kenya by seed bombing

SeedBalls Kenya is taking steps to reforest Kenya by throwing seedballs where indigenous tree species will take root and grow. Throwing seedballs or “seed bombing”, as the process is otherwise known as, has involved tossing seeds from aircrafts, launching them from a catapult or manually distributing them. Seedballs are a low-cost, low-impact technique for increasing native species populations while providing several advantages over traditional methods. SeedBalls Kenya co-founder, Teddy … Continue reading SeedBalls Kenya helping to reforest Kenya by seed bombing

Life & Soul MagazineOctober 4, 2018October 4, 2018Leave a comment

Renewable Energy

Solar lighting helps school children in Kenya to do homework after school

Solar lighting has been a recent addition for school children on Wasini Island in Kwale county, Kenya – demonstrating how the introduction of sustainable energy can have a huge impact on learning. Just over a year ago, 15-year-old school boy Abdul Aziz could only work at night under the light of a kerosene lamp – this was costly for his family and unhealthy due to the noxious … Continue reading Solar lighting helps school children in Kenya to do homework after school

Life & Soul MagazineJune 22, 2018June 22, 2018Leave a comment