Archive for January, 2007
By Aboubakar Omar Aboubakar
Tripoli, Libya
It is good to realize that, the Rotary Club of Jinja is planning to distribute a total of 280 wheelchairs to the people with disabilities in Uganda.
The glad tidings was first reported by the Ugandan local newspaper New Vision which further reported that, the Club would also donate 1,650 treated mosquito nets to needy expectant mothers in Kamuli and Jinja districts. This generous move will no doubt give a sigh of relief to our mothers who are most vulnerable to malaria.
As a matter of fact, malaria is one of the diseases that cost African families a lot of money and lives, hence leaving behind a big negative social economic impact on our lives despite the many efforts that are being advanced to counter attach the disease. It is sadly reported that, malaria is a leading killer disease. It kills more people than any other disease. It is just last week when malaria outbreak loomed in Kasese district, Uganda.
This is therefore a milestone achievement to our disabled brothers and sisters who are in sheer need of these facilities yet cannot afford them. This donation of wheelchairs would make mobility easier hence improve the socio-economic lifestyles of the disabled.
This is considered to be a thoughtful gesture that at any level should send wakening calls to other organizations and individuals that have got the means and resources to borrow a leaf from the Rotary Club.
Keep up the good work Rotary Club and establish more projects that would benefit the community.
January 30th, 2007
By Aboubakar Omar Aboubakar
Tripoli, Libya
The death announcement of Ustadh Bawazir struck me harshly. It is always like that to me whenever I receive sad news especially of people whom I happen to know quite well. Naturally I’m too emotional myself.
When I stretch my memories to eight years back, I see Ustadh Bawazir walking along the school corridor holding his little daughter’s hand. Though he was already at an advanced age by that time, but he was still full of vigour, and one could easily prove this during the Friday surmons when his voice with the assistance of the mosque’s loud speakers dominated and shook the entire precincts of Sheikh Khalifa. However, the funny part of it all was that, Ustadh Bawazir was always lecturing half sleeping audience if not all.
Fridays were lovely days for us in Sheikh Khalifa. Many were looking towards it. The day itself was short, lessons would end at exactly 12 o’clock midday, and after the Jumaa prayers, our delicious pilau was eagerly waiting for us at the dining hall. Those were the sweet days long gone.
One day, I was a discussing something with my former Arabic teacher Ustadh Barakat, and just as a by the way issue, he explained it to me how tedious and time consuming it is for Ustadh Bawazir to prepare Jumaa surmons. Infact I realized that sometime it could take him even two weeks to gather the materials that he would later deliver to the sleeping audience. What a pity I thought. This changed my life entirely, in the first place I felt damn guilty as to why I was sleeping in the mosque and from there on, and I promised myself not to sleep again in the mosque. It was a promise that I made sure was never broken afterwards.
Ustadh Bawazir was a very loyal and God fearing man who was always dedicated to his work and more importantly his religion. Besides that, he was an ocean of Islamic knowledge with a gift of the gap. Oh…yeah, he was a good orator who could lure the snake out of the cave. Though his students would always tease him as “infact, infact”, the word he would often use while teaching his students. Infact his sentences were punctuated with infact, after two to three words, he would use the word infact, maybe he had fallen in love with the word itself.
I don’t know much of his personal background, but I remember hearing himself saying that, his family’s origin is from Zanzibar and that he spent roughly twelve solid years of his lifetime in Cairo, Egypt for studies. He was married and had a daughter called Aisha. I think she was the only daughter. The last time I met Aisha was 2004 on my way to Dar es Salaam, she was traveling to Dar es Salaam too and I happen to board the same bus with her. She was no longer the little Aisha we used to know, but had transformed into a beautiful grown up woman. She was already married by then.
Ustadh bawazir, your departure was so untimely; we will always remember your down to earth personality and also pray for you. May your soul rest in peace. Amin.
January 27th, 2007
By Hassan Isilow
South Africa
There is always fresh morning excitements and happiness for anyone listening Channel Islam International’s Morning show, famously known as Subahal-Kheri, an Arabic word meaning Good Morning. If you like you may call this show a bliss of magic as it is hosted by the most experienced Radio Talk show presenter in South Africa, and that is none other than Ebrahim Gangat. This talk show features most prominent figures in the world who always make news. The two and a half hours program normally begins at 7am and ends at 9:30 am on every week day.
This is certainly Africa’s best morning talk show program hosted by Channel Islam International. It is very interactive, motivational and at the same time appealing.
The newest Qaswidas are regularly being played in this program to spice up and add more taste to the listeners.
This is not all, there are also other programs that I believe listeners shouldn’t miss out listening, these are Out of Africa hosted by Mohammed Ismail, the show starts from 4:00 P.m to 7:00 P.m discussing the Social-Political issues surrounding the world and this has attracted some notable guests from different walks of life.
Finally, don’t forget to catch the Bliss of Marriage; a family counseling program hosted by Maullana A.K Hossein.
January 24th, 2007
Our Dearest Loubna
Today is a special day for you and we want you to know that, Mum, Dad and all those around you, love you so much and cherish each and every single moment that they spend with you. In other words, you are a special gift that would always be treasured. Always be a bright girl as you have proved yourself to be. May you live to see more of your birthdays. Happy birthday Loubna.
From Dad and Mum
January 21st, 2007
By The East African Tribune Reporter
The range of problems affecting adolescents are so wide, and the rate at which they are affected is so alarming. We are witnessing in silence as the youth’s conditions deteriorate each and every passing moment. In a recent data collection from the health experts it was revealed that out of ten thousand children born by adolescent’s mothers in Eastern region of Uganda that is Mbale, 89% die before their first birth.
This is not music to the ears, and if nothing is likely to be done immediately to curb the situation, then it is likely that the future generation would be perished. This is because the abandoned and neglected segment makes 70% of the whole country’s population.
As a result, in one of the many attempts to check the situation, there is every need to sensitize the public so especially policymakers and stakeholders to make by laws that would improve adolescents lives.
One of the community and development officers in Mbale, the third largest district in Uganda revealed that, between the ages of 15 to 16, some girls and boys have already engaged in their first sexual intercourse.
As a result of this, a lot of unwanted and unplanned early pregnancies and cases of school drop out for girls are being reported. At such a tender age many are green on the knowledge of the Sexual Transmitted Diseases and the HIV/AIDS, therefore, in the long run many fall victims of the circumstances.
Therefore, this calls for an urgent implementation of adolescents’ sexual reproductive health programmes. However, when trying to find out the root cause of the matter, many tend to point fingers on idleness and poverty. It is believed that, since boys and girls are idle, that is why they engage in early sexual practices.
Dr. Latigo, the Eastern Region coordinator for Reproduction and Health said poor housing facilities are another big setback towards the moral upbringing of the youth. She sighted an example of a family of ten members sharing a single room.
Among the suggestions put forward, were to double contraceptive life among sexually reproductive adolescents. This will be achieved by creating awareness and making the contraceptive available in all health service centers.
Also reducing the proportion of women who have their first child below the age of 20 years. This is because, out of 10,000 pregnant mothers, 62% are adolescents aged between 10 to 24, and out of this 62% of adolescents pregnant mothers only 32% go for antenatal care. As if that is not all, research shows that only 12% deliver in heath units.
This calls for an urgent need to sensitise on the importance of the antenatal care among the pregnant youths.
January 18th, 2007
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