Photo of TV annoucement by Samuel Kivuitu of (contested) winner of Kenya Presidential elections December 2007

Difficult times ahead

Job: PR Manager, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (Geneva)

Job: Program Officer - IDRC Think Tank Initiative, Nairobi, Kenya

The Think Tank Initiative is a major new collaborative program of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and IDRC.  Its goal is to support independent policy research organizations in developing regions enabling them to provide objective, high-quality research that both informs and influences policy.  The Initiative will provide long-term core funding to select organizations, along with targeted capacity-building support. For more information about this Initiative, visit www.idrc.ca/thinktank.

 

Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the Program Officer, under the guidance of the Program Leader and the Regional Office Director, will manage Initiative activities in each region.  Specifically, responsibilities will include coordinating the grant application and selection process, monitoring awarded grants, managing organizational development funds, and mentoring and supporting grantees with respect to organizational development issues.

Celtel: Roaming "abolished" in Africa

More humanitarian games / social gaming

See here for jobs with think tank ISS in Nairobi

It's Prius time. Having never seen one before, now I see two in a couple of days in Nairobi... Dangerously quiet ... So what is the carbon equation of charging up your Prius with a disel generator in a power cut?

Google Africa jobs

Another twist to gaming for non-profits: Karma Tycoon is a kind of Sim-NGO with "advergaming" elements from a major investment banker...

Political gaming: the Hezbollah video game (via openDemocracy)

More hi-tech electioneering in Kenya. The Raila Odinga virus (which seems to put so many copies of his picture on your computer it starts to die) apparently is harder to remove than those of his rivals... (according to the Daily Nation). Here's how to deal with it.

Jobs: UN Protection Officer, Somalia, based in Kenya ;-)

The Arithmetic of Empathy
"In one recent experiment, Slovic presented subjects with a picture of "Rokia," a starving child in Mali, and asked them how much they'd be willing to give to help feed her. Then he showed a different group photos of two Malinese children — "Rokia and Moussa." The group presented with two kids gave 15 percent less than those shown just one child. In a related experiment, people were asked to donate money to help a dying child. When a second set of subjects was asked to donate to a group of eight children dying of the same cause, the average donation was 50 percent lower." [Wired]

 

"One of the most frequently purchased items in Second Life is genitalia."

http://www.getafirstlife.com/
[thanks Dan]

Political satire on Facebook...

Kenyan opposition figure Raila Odinga has two facebook profiles. In one of them, his only friend appears to be the very dodgy Artur Margaryan. The other, which seems more likely to be real, says that Raila is " Raila is Working hard to cement ODMK unity".

Meanwhile, presidential hopfeul Kalonzo has a profile, but he only has 11 Facebook friends in Kenya.  President Mwai Kibaki seems to have 172 friends in Kenya, putting him ahead in the Facebook Kenyan election race. Minister Charity Ngilu seems to have only three friends in Kenya.

Does a black screen consume less power or a white one?

The black version of Google, Blackle, may have its carbon foot in mouth...

Finally. I get invited to something new. Mosh from Nokia in beta. I hope it makes it easy to post photos from the phone to the web. Opera photo blog didn't work for me...

The benefits of globalisation: Kenyan soapstone Simpsons merchandise

 

Map of Nairobi earthquakes (actually centred in Tanzania) - another one just now (17:30) - felt bigger than last night's...

If you were wondering why Jeff Koinange is no longer on CNN, read this

Bastiat Prize 2007: Submission Open
IPN's Bastiat Prize for Journalism was inspired by the 19th-century French philosopher and journalist Frédéric Bastiat. The prize was developed to encourage and reward writers whose published works eloquently and wittily elucidate the institutions of a free society: limited government, rule of law brokered by an independent judiciary, protection of private property, free markets, free speech, and sound science. The prize (a total of USD $15,000) will be split among First, Second and Third placed winners.

Vacancy announcement for a Regional Communication Officer in Eastern and Central Africa - supporting our country programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

http://ecaf.savethechildren.se/East_Central_Africa/Abo ut-us/Job-vacancies/

BBC Seeking Young Kenyan Entrepreneurs

The BBC's Head of Swahili, Solomon Mugera is seeking young business minded Kenyans to take part in the broadcaster's competition Prosper with the BBC.  The competition launched in early April and has already attracted hundreds of KiSwahili speakers across Africa but nothing so far from Kenya.

"I am convinced many young Kenyans have interesting ideas for money-making projects which will launch their business careers and serve their local communities," he said. "We just need to raise awareness of the competition and the opportunities it will bring."

Prosper with the BBC is open to young Swahili-speakers aged 16 to 24. They are invited to submit their proposals on how they can start a successful business that has a positive impact on their community, using US $2,000.

The winner of the competition, which closes for entries on Wednesday 2 May, will address the Commonwealth Business Symposium during the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit in Uganda in November, and win US $2,000 and a laptop computer. The second and third runners-up will be awarded $600 and $400 respectively, plus a mobile phone. The results will be announced at Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and broadcast live on BBC Swahili radio and online, via bbcswahili.com , at 6.30pm EAT on Wednesday 27 June.

Is this the first Kenyan video game? The Adventures of Nyangi.
[via Balancing Act]

In Kenya? Have a business plan? Enter a competition (deadline end-May) to win up to Ksh2.8 million and a trip to the Netherlands from www.bidnetwork.com.

Jobs: Global Voices is seeking to hire a half-time co-Managing Editor.

Job: Executive Director

Organisation: The African Academy of Sciences
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Closing Date: 6 April 2007

Jobs: AFRICA BASED POSITIONS, MULTIPLE ROLES, LONDON INTERVIEWS

Global Career Company is pleased to announce the Careers in Africa UK
Summit scheduled to take place in London on May 4th - 7th 2007. Now in
its fifth year and with over 50 companies confirmed to attend, this
Summit is the worlds leading recruitment event for Africa. This annual
invitation-only event brings together graduates and professionals
seeking careers in Africa with top employers from the region and
features pre-scheduled interviews, presentations and networking
sessions. It provides an unparalleled opportunity for African
candidates to meet with leading HR directors and Senior Business
Representatives from various organisations over one weekend. Details
on the event, participating companies and available opportunities can
be found on

http://www.globalcareercompany.com/ciauk
(thanks Andrea)

Jobs HD Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Africa Regional Director and Project Manager

HD Centre Vacancies

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) is an independent and
impartial organisation that aims to resolve armed conflicts by
promoting negotiated solutions among belligerents. The HD Centre also
carries out research, analysis and facilitation of dialogue around
practical policy recommendations in order to improve international
efforts to secure and sustain peace. In support of these activities,
the HD Centre is seeking high quality applicants for the following
positions:
________________________________

Regional Director, Africa Office, Nairobi

The Regional Director will be responsible for the management and
expansion of the HD Centre project portfolio in Africa. Duties will
include high level representation, strategic policy guidance,
management of an annual budget and staff, fundraising and developing
new programmes of work. Applicants must have direct and profound
knowledge of Africa, especially its conflict resolution community,
regional organizations, the UN and non-governmental institutions and
be in a position to engage a broad cross section of African society.
Fluency in English, a working knowledge of French and a second
regional language are essential. Application deadline: 30 April 2007.
Regional Director Africa
________________________________

Project Manager, Africa Office, Nairobi

This post will assist in the development of the programme of work in
Africa. The successful applicant will help identify, pursue and manage
new mediation work in the region as well as conceive, develop and
support the HD Centre's related policy work. They must have a deep
knowledge of African affairs, experience in conflict resolution, a
strong command of the English language and ideally working knowledge
of French and Arabic. Travel and representation of the HD Centre
throughout Africa will be required. Application deadline: 30 April
2007. Project Manager, Africa

Applications

Please send your resume (2-3 pages maximum) with a brief introduction
to: hrmanager@hdcentre.org

The HD Centre is an equal opportunities employer.
________________________________

Job: Project Coordinator, LinuxChix Africa

"The Project Coordinator will be based at the LinuxChix Africa offices in
Johannesburg, South Africa. This position includes both administrative
responsibilities and programme management responsibilities, and an opportunity
to make a substantive contribution to the growth of LCA.

LinuxChix Africa is an African continental organisation that aims to build
technical GNU/Linux and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) skills among
African women. We have a presence in over 26 African countries and we are one
of the fastest growing networks. We actively encourage and facilitate the
active participation of African women in FOSS software development projects.

Email: anna@cs.wits.ac.za . Closing Date for applications is 10th January 2007."