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Page 5What you say...
Page 6Did you know ...
Page 8 Sports...
Page 4birthdays...
These children are talented in painting.
Art can be used to express views, to entertain, and to an extent for
social commentary. But for children of Kenya Community Centre for Learning
(KCCL) who are talented in drawing and painting, art for them also serves as a form of therapy. Located near the Safari Park Hotel, along Thika Road,
the non-profit school caters for pupils with learning challenges such as those
By MWORIA MUCHINA
PAGE 3 >>
Children with learning difficulties express themselves through art
Sunday Nation November 13, 2011
Send penpal requests with photos to: My penpal, Young Nation, P. O. Box 49010 NAIROBI
JOAN METUMI, Bishop Gatimu Ng’ando Girls’ High School, P.O. Box 182, Karatina. Age: 16, Hobbies: Swimming, reading novels, listening to music and travelling. Would like pen pals from Kenya, Canada, South Korea, and Germany.
JANE MWANGI, Excel Children Centre, P.O. Box 14069-00800, Nairobi. Age: 12, Hobbies: Watching birds, reading novels and dancing. Would like pen pals from South Africa and Denmark.
DEREK MISOGO, Excel Children Centre, P.O. Box 14069-00800, Nairobi. Age: 13, Hobbies: Travelling, dancing, listening to music and reading novels. Would like pen pals from Japan, USA, Britain and Tanzania.
COLLIS ODHIAMBO, Excel Children Centre, P.O. Box 14069-00800, Nairobi. Age: 13, Hobbies: Dancing, travelling, reciting poems and listening to gospel music. Would like pen pals from Sweden, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
LYNE WANGARE, Mahiga Girls’ High School, P.O. Box 322, Othaya. Age: 16, Hobbies: Reading short stories, dancing, travelling, watching movies and listening to music. Would like pen pals from USA, Sweden, Korea and China.
VANESSA MAINA, Mahiga Girls’ High School, P.O. Box 322, Othaya. Age: 16, Hobbies: Travelling, dancing, listening to music and watching movies. Would like pen pals from Australia, USA, UK, Spain and Canada.
FRIDAH NKATHA KIMATHI, Chogoria Girls’ Boarding School, P.O. Box 584, Chogoria. Age: 13, Hobbies: Watching movies, reading novels and making new friends. Would like pen pals from Philip-pines, Denmark, Mexico and France.
DIANA GATWIRI, Chogoria Girls’ Board-ing School, P.O. Box 584, Chogoria. Age: 13, Hobbies: Travelling, watching birds and swimming. Would like pen pals from Mexico, USA, and Denmark.
pen palsletters
Not only Nairobi but also other towns
When it comes to issues concerning security, the government should be very tough. The cur-rent incidences of grenade attacks in Nairobi shows how as a country we need to beef up our security. The government should not only
consider securing Nairobi but also other towns. And to our boys out there fighting in Somalia, well done for the good work you are doing. May God be with you and may He also protect Kenya as country.
Roy Smith Omondi, Nakuru
editor says...
our teamMANAGING EDITOR: Eric Obino EDITOR: Liz Gitonga-WanjohiCONTRIBUTORS: Mworia Muchina, Fred Orido, Patricia Mundia, Samuel Muigai, Joash Osewe, John Muchiri, Tim Kamuzu Banda, Jim Guteta GROUP DESIGN EDITOR:Kathleen BoganCHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Roger Mogusu DESIGNERS: Felix Miring’u, Anini Andrew, Denis Makori, Michael Mosota, Benjamin Situma, Kenneth Kusimba, Nzisa Muli
After sitting for the national exams, its our hope that you are utilising
your free time well like helping with house work, running errands for your parents and helping the needy in the society. This is also a good time to improve on your talents. Every child has a dream of what they would want to be in life. Some dream of becoming teachers, doctors, policemen, actresses and journalists, among other careers.
But for those children with learning dif-ficulties, there is still something they can do. As you will find out in our cover story this week, some children who have these challenges have found creative ways of expressing themselves and also nurturing their talents. Read and found out what they are up to.
In ‘What you Say’ column, we get to read what some children think of the on-going war against Al-Shaabab in neighbour-ing Somalia. Read and get to know their views. Are you faced with a problem of wetting your bed? Read ‘Ask Liz’ and get to know how you can handle the problem. In sports, there is a rising star in the swim-ming arena. Read more about the young swimmer causing ripples in the swimming scene. Also, all the other regular columns are as entertaining and educative as al-ways. Enjoy your magazine and the week ahead.
LIZ
young nation
Should young people be exposed to dif-ferent cultures in schools?
Dennis Njoks: Yes, because it will encour-age inter-ethnic and diversity. It will help discourage tribalism.
Rufaa Sheikh: Yes indeed. If young people are taught different cultures, they would be able to appreciate diversity, multi-ethnicity and religious differences of other people. This will help promote spirit of tolerance, globalisation and social integration eventu-
ally making the nation unified and peaceful.
Dan Njuguna: Yes, this is to enhance good relations with people from other tribes.
Elizabeth Wanjiku: Yes, this will help them promote spirit of social integration, reduce tribalism and encourage Kenyans to live together as one nation and peacefully.
Philemon Kipruto: Yes, it helps will in in-teraction with people of different cultures who in turn become friends.Follow our page on Facebook: Young Nation
quotes1)) He that walks with wise men shall be wise.
- Solomon
2)) You cannot change the circumstances, the sea-sons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have.
- Jim Rohn
3)) What you are is God’s gift to you. What you do with yourself is your gift to God.
- Author Unknown
4)) Many of life’s failures are people who did not re-alise how close they were to success when they gave up.
- Thomas Edison
facts1. Chocolate was used as medicine during the 18th Century. It was believed that chocolate could cure a stomachache.2. Tomato sauce ketchup was sold as medicine in the 1830s.
- MERCY GAKII
November 13, 2011sunday nation2
Cover: Joy Wangechi and Aidan Powell drawing at
their school in Nairobi From Left: Shalel Tena shows off her Gaddafi
portrait,Aidan Powell with his
complete painting and far right, while painting.Below:Joy Wangechi
shows off her painting.
« FROM THE COVER
young nationyoung nation
Children with learning difficulties express themselves through art
with autism, dyslexia and attention deficit disorder, among others. But al-though faced with these learning challenges, the children have, through determination and hope, shown that they
too can leave a posi-tive mark in our
society.At the cen-
tre’s dining hall are
beautiful paintings
of different wild ani-mals, land-scapes and por-traits to abstract works
hang-ing on the
walls. Among these artworks is one depict-
ing the late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi with a Phar-aoh-style head dress. Shalel Tena drew the catchy portrait. Shalel, a senior two pupil at the school, and who suffers from a mild cer-ebral palsy, says she loves art a lot. “Through art I can express myself more and draw things I see like objects, trees and cars,” she says with a smile, adding that she heard that Gaddafi was killed while hiding in a tunnel.
It is through artworks like these that these children’s creativity is kept alive even as they try to keep abreast with current affairs. Shalel’s artwork was one of the many artworks, which in August had attracted attention from par-ents, and those who attended the exhibition titled ‘Art our special ability’ held at the Village Market. According to Mrs Gitonga Ciriaka, an Educational Psychologist and head of the Centre, teachers of-ten ignore most of these children since they think they are just seeking attention or being trou-blesome in class. “Some of these
children have difficulty reading and writing and yet they can draw with such ease. We want them to believe in their abilities,” she said.
Faced with such a challenge, young Shalel adds that people should understand and help chil-dren with learning challenges by reading storybooks for them. Shalel, who enjoys Maths and English in class, would like to be a mountain climber since she loves walking.
Aidan Powell also loves drawing and painting. He enjoys playing cricket and riding a bike. But the twelve-year-old artist hates be-ing bullied.
According to his teacher, it is these feelings that the boy, who faces the challenge of attention deficit, depicted in one of his drawings. “Bullies are bad. We should all love each other,” says Aiden, who would like to be a teacher when he grows up.
Joy Wangechi Muiga, 13, would love to be a banker when she grows up.
“I would like to help people save money,” she says with a joy-ful voice. Joy, who likes science subjects in class, says through art she can draw whatever she wants.
Apart from drawing, the chil-dren have also excelled in sports like tae kwon do and in social activities.
This weekend the children will take part in a school walk, to-gether with well-wishers, to raise funds to buy a bus to facilitate the picking up of children and dropping them after school. Currently, the centre has 30 stu-dents.
More than 100 others have passed through the centre. Some like Nicole Palo, 15, have in the past taken part in such walks. “Although we have our challenges, it is also good to help other children faced with challenges like vision or heart diseases,” says Nicole, adding that walking also helps one to exercise.
November 13, 2011sunday nation ��3
(what you sayTHE WAR ON AL SHABAABChildren are the most affected during wars in many countries. For more than three weeks, the Kenya Defence Forces has been in war with illegal militant group Al Shabaab, based in southern Somalia and it’s been all over the news. What do children know about this war? ANTHONY OMUYA talked to children from Excel Children Centre and this is what they said.
Joy MumbuaThis is a bad idea because many children living around the war zone might be killed in the on-going war against Al-Shabaab. The army should protect children.
Felix Muchesia I think the way the war is being fought is bad because many children are killed and others are left homeless. In addition, a lot of money is going to be spent in the war that the country might experience financial problems.
Hope KatenyaThis was a good decision because many people were being killed by Al Shabaab and they were scaring away tourists in this country. In a way Kenya is helping Somalia become peaceful.
Nancy AmeizoThe war was a good decision because the terrorism group kills many children. I believe that no one can be against what is happening in Somalia.
HIV/AIDS is hurting children, violating their rights and preventing them from having
their needs met. Below are some of the rights that are most affected and some of the ways that they hurt children. Continued from last week…
1. The right to be protected from abuse and ne-glect; the more the Aids virus spreads in adults, the more vulnerable children are to sexual ex-ploitation. Children are vulnerable as they can be persuaded, bribed or coerced into having sex. Older victims are able occasionally to persuade the attacker to wear a condom, but young chil-dren are both ignorant and powerless.
2. The rights of children with special needs; children living with disabilities and especially those that are HIV positive are doubly discrimi-nated against. Resources to meet their needs are being further depleted and no other provi-sions are being made.
Refugee children - refugee children whose parents have died of Aids related illnesses are in greater need of help than local children because of their isolation from their extended families and own communities.
Children living and working on the streets - the numbers of children living on the streets is ex-pected to increase. These are children with an increased risk of abuse and exploitation.
3. Children’s right to participation, opinions and beliefs; in order for children to develop skills in decision-making, leadership and other impor-tant social skills, they must practice these in a
meaningful way. This practice can only come through their participation in important areas of their lives. Only children themselves can tell us what it means for them to live in a world with Aids. This in turn gives adults new insights into their wishes and needs and provides relevant information about activities and plans that can be undertaken to change policies to give them more protection, care and understanding.
There are ethical issues that must be consid-ered when working with children affected by Aids, such as their right to privacy and confi-dentiality. Children’s rights to confidentiality and freedom from discrimination must always be acknowledged. Breaking this code of ethics can lead to rejection, isolation and discrimination. Children must be allowed to feel safe with their own peers and the adults they are involved with and not feel threatened, frightened and used.
4. The right not to suffer discrimination Children living with Aids/or live in an HIV posi-
tive household, are vulnerable to discrimination and rejection. Rejection may come from relatives and schools. Foster or adoptive parents may be particularly difficult to find for HIV positive orphans or those children who are in need of special care.
Discrimination may include teasing, name call-ing, ostracising, refusal of admittance or conti-nuity of care in care and educational facilities, health and social services. In extreme cases, they are driven from the community or physi-cally attacked.
children and lawHIV/AIDS AND CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
young nation
Answers on page 8
He was born on February 2, 1985 and is a Kenyan professional foot-baller. He started playing football for Dagoretti Santos in his early
years, then Mathare United Club and later was the top scorer for the Harambee Stars, Kenya’s national team, scoring in almost each game. He turned professional in 2003 playing for Al-Arabi, Qatar, until late 2005. In 2004 he was offered to change his citizenship from Kenyan to Qatari, but he turned down the offer.
In 2005, he signed a four-year contract with the French Ligue 1 team FC Nantes and started playing for them at the start of 2006.
However, FC Nantes were relegated in 2007 after finishing bottom of Ligue 1 and the player was signed on loan by a French club, who were in need
of goals after a bad start to their season. On September 25, 2011, he scored his first ever
hat-trick for his club in a 4-1 win over Sochaux.
The hat-trick was accomplished within the span
of 16 minutes. His first international
match was in 2002, when Kenya lost to Nigeria 3–0.
1. Who is this player?2. Which Club does he play for?3. In which league does he play?
ANSWERS ON PAGE 8
Yvone NjeriKenya army men should finish the group completely so that children can go to school without any fear of an attack. The terrorists have been killing our people during attacks in our borders with Somalia.
November 13, 2011sunday nation4
Dear Liz,Since I joined a boarding school,
I have faced rejection from my schoolmates because I have a seri-ous problem. I wet my bed every night. I am now in Class Six and despite my efforts to contain the problem, I have not succeeded. This is stressing me and I am losing con-centration in class. I do not want to continue like this.
Agatha,Kagio
Dear Agatha,Bedwetting is considered normal
for children below six years of age and although many people do not know it, it is also a very common pre-adolescent problem. The good news is that in most cases, the prob-lem resolves itself as time goes on. Your inability to control your blad-
der when you are asleep could be because you are totally relaxed and only the involuntary functions of the body are carried out. Since you do not have a conscious mindset when sleeping, there is mismanagement of the urinary sphincter and the result is a wet bed.
Although bedwetting it is consid-ered a childhood problem, it must be noted that a small number of peo-ple continue to wet their beds into adulthood. This is when it becomes a big problem because it is embarrass-ing and can lower a person’s self es-teem. If a child is not taught bladder control early on in life (if they cannot do it on their own), parents might need to step in and put in place a routine until success is realised. This routine can include not taking any drinks before going to bed particu-larly during cold days when, because
we do not sweat much, the body readily gets rid of excess water in the system through urination.
However, you should not let this problem weigh you down. There are a number of things you can do to stop wetting your bed. You can also try waking up at night to empty your bladder. You can either ask a friend to wake you up or set your alarm clock. Indeed bed-wetting can affect your self-esteem and it can subject you to teasing and embarrassment.
Finally, if all the above advice does not work, consult a doctor because some bedwetting cases are caused by medical problems.
Send your questions to: Ask Liz, P.O. Box 49010, 00100 Nairobi or email to [email protected]
I am still wetting my bed
ask liz
Title: The Golden PitcherAuthor: (Retold by) Ellen Wetter-stenReviewer: OKONGO NYANDUAKI SHEILA
This is an interesting folktale from Mongolia. It is based on the life
of an Emperor who feared grow-ing old. He believed that old people were weak. One day he looked in the mirror and saw a gray hair. The Em-peror was not happy. He called his wise men for answers. What could he do? What would his people think about him? That he was a weak leader? From that day onwards whenever he saw a person with gray hair or a wrinkled face he grew more and more worried. He called his wise men again and this time it was to give an order. Every old person was to leave the kingdom. People had no choice but to say goodbye to their parents, grandparents and relatives. But one young woman defied the Emperor’s order. She hid her old father in a cave close to her home. She was not willing to let him go. Little did she know that she
was to change the turn of events. A day came
when a big storm hit the kingdom. Houses and trees were blown away. In the process, the Emperor’s golden pitcher was carried away. It was priceless and the Emperor valued it more than anything. After a frantic search, the pitcher was found at the
bottom of the lake. He ordered his servants to dive in and get it but to everyone’s surprise, no one could get the pitcher! Indeed it was there at the bottom of the lake but anyone diving in -in-cluding the Emperor - could not touch it. This became a mystery prompting the Emperor to send out another order. Anyone who would bring the golden pitcher to him would have their wishes granted. The young woman rushed to her father who still hid in the cave. Could his wisdom solve the problem that now faced the kingdom? Read the rest of the book to discover how the old man proved to everyone that old
age is not a sign of weakness.Do you sometimes look down on old people? They say that with age comes great wisdom and this book will open your eyes to this reality. With a valuable lesson to learn, sim-ple language and colourful illustra-tions, this book is recommended for those in the lower primary. [email protected]
book review
LIBRARYThis word is derived from the Latin word ‘liber’ which means ‘to peel’. Before paper as we know it today was invented, early manuscripts were written on bark that was peeled off trees.
origin of words
MICHELLE WANGARI Michelle, it’s your 11th birthday. You have grown to be strong, social, bright hardworking and beauti-ful and above all a God-fearing girl. May you have a wonderful day. Best wishes from dad Mwangi, mum Diana, sister Mikelle, your grandma, and
classmates of St. Clare, Elburgon, Nakuru ABDIKADIR HASSAN KONNOHope that your day will be as special as you are as you turn 11 dear. Your best years are still ahead of you and may you continue to lead a good life. Happy birthday wishes from dad Juma Konno, bros Wolde, Mohamed and Konno, sisters Hage and Madina, cousins Hassan, Jama, Oshe, Abdul-lah, Osman, Daud, Mohamed and Chuchu, nieces Lelo, Asili and Muslima, your neighbours Mr & Mrs Said, Mr & Mrs Rizaq, Yasmin and Babalona, your pals Guyo, Soso, Hussein, Elias, Muntaha, Tash, Mitchel, Carol, and your best friend Ummu.
BLESSINGS NJERI KAMAU Lovely angel, you are now one year old. Birthday wishes from your dad Martin, mom Caro, sisters Sharon and Sandra, cousins, cucus, gukas, uncle and aunties. May God shower his blessings on you and may you grow to be a God-fearing girl. And may you live to cel-ebrate many more. Happy birthday girl!
MICHELLE MBUTU Happy birthday dear Michelle. You are now 11 years old. Birthday wishes from your mom, dad, guka, cucus, uncles, aunties and cousins. May God shower His blessings on you, may you love him more, and may you have many many more birthdays.
BLESSING KANANAHappy birthday Blessing! We thank God for you even as you grow older. Best wishes from mum Hellen, dad Clifford, aunts Cate and Kendy, un-cles Eric and Patrick and friends Violet, Joan and Valentine.
TIMOTHY LEEHappy birthday to you Timmy! It has been fun watching you grow from day one till now when you just turned one. Birthday wishes from mum Faith, brother Elias, aunts Mercy and Brenda and friends Oscar, Keboi and Bienvenu.
BRIAN NDUNGU ITOTIA Brayo, may the Lord who has brought you this far bless you with each good thing and fill each moment with delightful and grati-fying things. May He hold you close, grant each day what is needed most. May his fa-vour remain with you forever. We love, cher-ish and pray for you daily. Birthday wishes from dad, mum, grandpas and everyone that loves you.
ABBY TULA WAMAITHA LINCOLN Happy Birthday dear Abby. With loads of Love from sister Lexy, brother Kito, mom and dad and the large family and friends. You are a strong and brave girl. May you live to fulfill God’s purpose in your life.
BRYAN MURIUKI KAMANYIAs you turn three, we glorify God because of his love for you. Best wishes from your sister Sandra, brother Trevor, parents Judie and Mike, grand-parents, uncles, aunties and cousins. May God shower you with His love and blessings. Happy birthday Brayo!
NINNAYNINNAH JEMUTAI ROTICH Happy birthday Rotich. It’s your fourth birthday and we wish you God’s blessings. Best wishes from mom Dama Reds, bro Glen, sis Gennelle, grandma Stellah, Terry Reds, Eva Reds, Eddah Reds, and your uncle Limo.
birthday wishes
November 13, 2011sunday nation ��5
(what you sayTHE WAR ON AL SHABAABChildren are the most affected during wars in many countries. For more than three weeks, the Kenya Defence Forces has been in war with illegal militant group Al Shabaab, based in southern Somalia and it’s been all over the news. What do children know about this war? ANTHONY OMUYA talked to children from Excel Children Centre and this is what they said.
Joy MumbuaThis is a bad idea because many children living around the war zone might be killed in the on-going war against Al-Shabaab. The army should protect children.
Felix Muchesia I think the way the war is being fought is bad because many children are killed and others are left homeless. In addition, a lot of money is going to be spent in the war that the country might experience financial problems.
Hope KatenyaThis was a good decision because many people were being killed by Al Shabaab and they were scaring away tourists in this country. In a way Kenya is helping Somalia become peaceful.
Nancy AmeizoThe war was a good decision because the terrorism group kills many children. I believe that no one can be against what is happening in Somalia.
HIV/AIDS is hurting children, violating their rights and preventing them from having
their needs met. Below are some of the rights that are most affected and some of the ways that they hurt children. Continued from last week…
1. The right to be protected from abuse and ne-glect; the more the Aids virus spreads in adults, the more vulnerable children are to sexual ex-ploitation. Children are vulnerable as they can be persuaded, bribed or coerced into having sex. Older victims are able occasionally to persuade the attacker to wear a condom, but young chil-dren are both ignorant and powerless.
2. The rights of children with special needs; children living with disabilities and especially those that are HIV positive are doubly discrimi-nated against. Resources to meet their needs are being further depleted and no other provi-sions are being made.
Refugee children - refugee children whose parents have died of Aids related illnesses are in greater need of help than local children because of their isolation from their extended families and own communities.
Children living and working on the streets - the numbers of children living on the streets is ex-pected to increase. These are children with an increased risk of abuse and exploitation.
3. Children’s right to participation, opinions and beliefs; in order for children to develop skills in decision-making, leadership and other impor-tant social skills, they must practice these in a
meaningful way. This practice can only come through their participation in important areas of their lives. Only children themselves can tell us what it means for them to live in a world with Aids. This in turn gives adults new insights into their wishes and needs and provides relevant information about activities and plans that can be undertaken to change policies to give them more protection, care and understanding.
There are ethical issues that must be consid-ered when working with children affected by Aids, such as their right to privacy and confi-dentiality. Children’s rights to confidentiality and freedom from discrimination must always be acknowledged. Breaking this code of ethics can lead to rejection, isolation and discrimination. Children must be allowed to feel safe with their own peers and the adults they are involved with and not feel threatened, frightened and used.
4. The right not to suffer discrimination Children living with Aids/or live in an HIV posi-
tive household, are vulnerable to discrimination and rejection. Rejection may come from relatives and schools. Foster or adoptive parents may be particularly difficult to find for HIV positive orphans or those children who are in need of special care.
Discrimination may include teasing, name call-ing, ostracising, refusal of admittance or conti-nuity of care in care and educational facilities, health and social services. In extreme cases, they are driven from the community or physi-cally attacked.
children and lawHIV/AIDS AND CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
young nation
Answers on page 8
He was born on February 2, 1985 and is a Kenyan professional foot-baller. He started playing football for Dagoretti Santos in his early
years, then Mathare United Club and later was the top scorer for the Harambee Stars, Kenya’s national team, scoring in almost each game. He turned professional in 2003 playing for Al-Arabi, Qatar, until late 2005. In 2004 he was offered to change his citizenship from Kenyan to Qatari, but he turned down the offer.
In 2005, he signed a four-year contract with the French Ligue 1 team FC Nantes and started playing for them at the start of 2006.
However, FC Nantes were relegated in 2007 after finishing bottom of Ligue 1 and the player was signed on loan by a French club, who were in need
of goals after a bad start to their season. On September 25, 2011, he scored his first ever
hat-trick for his club in a 4-1 win over Sochaux.
The hat-trick was accomplished within the span
of 16 minutes. His first international
match was in 2002, when Kenya lost to Nigeria 3–0.
1. Who is this player?2. Which Club does he play for?3. In which league does he play?
ANSWERS ON PAGE 8
Yvone NjeriKenya army men should finish the group completely so that children can go to school without any fear of an attack. The terrorists have been killing our people during attacks in our borders with Somalia.
November 13, 2011sunday nation4
Dear Liz,Since I joined a boarding school,
I have faced rejection from my schoolmates because I have a seri-ous problem. I wet my bed every night. I am now in Class Six and despite my efforts to contain the problem, I have not succeeded. This is stressing me and I am losing con-centration in class. I do not want to continue like this.
Agatha,Kagio
Dear Agatha,Bedwetting is considered normal
for children below six years of age and although many people do not know it, it is also a very common pre-adolescent problem. The good news is that in most cases, the prob-lem resolves itself as time goes on. Your inability to control your blad-
der when you are asleep could be because you are totally relaxed and only the involuntary functions of the body are carried out. Since you do not have a conscious mindset when sleeping, there is mismanagement of the urinary sphincter and the result is a wet bed.
Although bedwetting it is consid-ered a childhood problem, it must be noted that a small number of peo-ple continue to wet their beds into adulthood. This is when it becomes a big problem because it is embarrass-ing and can lower a person’s self es-teem. If a child is not taught bladder control early on in life (if they cannot do it on their own), parents might need to step in and put in place a routine until success is realised. This routine can include not taking any drinks before going to bed particu-larly during cold days when, because
we do not sweat much, the body readily gets rid of excess water in the system through urination.
However, you should not let this problem weigh you down. There are a number of things you can do to stop wetting your bed. You can also try waking up at night to empty your bladder. You can either ask a friend to wake you up or set your alarm clock. Indeed bed-wetting can affect your self-esteem and it can subject you to teasing and embarrassment.
Finally, if all the above advice does not work, consult a doctor because some bedwetting cases are caused by medical problems.
Send your questions to: Ask Liz, P.O. Box 49010, 00100 Nairobi or email to [email protected]
I am still wetting my bed
ask liz
Title: The Golden PitcherAuthor: (Retold by) Ellen Wetter-stenReviewer: OKONGO NYANDUAKI SHEILA
This is an interesting folktale from Mongolia. It is based on the life
of an Emperor who feared grow-ing old. He believed that old people were weak. One day he looked in the mirror and saw a gray hair. The Em-peror was not happy. He called his wise men for answers. What could he do? What would his people think about him? That he was a weak leader? From that day onwards whenever he saw a person with gray hair or a wrinkled face he grew more and more worried. He called his wise men again and this time it was to give an order. Every old person was to leave the kingdom. People had no choice but to say goodbye to their parents, grandparents and relatives. But one young woman defied the Emperor’s order. She hid her old father in a cave close to her home. She was not willing to let him go. Little did she know that she
was to change the turn of events. A day came
when a big storm hit the kingdom. Houses and trees were blown away. In the process, the Emperor’s golden pitcher was carried away. It was priceless and the Emperor valued it more than anything. After a frantic search, the pitcher was found at the
bottom of the lake. He ordered his servants to dive in and get it but to everyone’s surprise, no one could get the pitcher! Indeed it was there at the bottom of the lake but anyone diving in -in-cluding the Emperor - could not touch it. This became a mystery prompting the Emperor to send out another order. Anyone who would bring the golden pitcher to him would have their wishes granted. The young woman rushed to her father who still hid in the cave. Could his wisdom solve the problem that now faced the kingdom? Read the rest of the book to discover how the old man proved to everyone that old
age is not a sign of weakness.Do you sometimes look down on old people? They say that with age comes great wisdom and this book will open your eyes to this reality. With a valuable lesson to learn, sim-ple language and colourful illustra-tions, this book is recommended for those in the lower primary. [email protected]
book review
LIBRARYThis word is derived from the Latin word ‘liber’ which means ‘to peel’. Before paper as we know it today was invented, early manuscripts were written on bark that was peeled off trees.
origin of words
MICHELLE WANGARI Michelle, it’s your 11th birthday. You have grown to be strong, social, bright hardworking and beauti-ful and above all a God-fearing girl. May you have a wonderful day. Best wishes from dad Mwangi, mum Diana, sister Mikelle, your grandma, and
classmates of St. Clare, Elburgon, Nakuru ABDIKADIR HASSAN KONNOHope that your day will be as special as you are as you turn 11 dear. Your best years are still ahead of you and may you continue to lead a good life. Happy birthday wishes from dad Juma Konno, bros Wolde, Mohamed and Konno, sisters Hage and Madina, cousins Hassan, Jama, Oshe, Abdul-lah, Osman, Daud, Mohamed and Chuchu, nieces Lelo, Asili and Muslima, your neighbours Mr & Mrs Said, Mr & Mrs Rizaq, Yasmin and Babalona, your pals Guyo, Soso, Hussein, Elias, Muntaha, Tash, Mitchel, Carol, and your best friend Ummu.
BLESSINGS NJERI KAMAU Lovely angel, you are now one year old. Birthday wishes from your dad Martin, mom Caro, sisters Sharon and Sandra, cousins, cucus, gukas, uncle and aunties. May God shower his blessings on you and may you grow to be a God-fearing girl. And may you live to cel-ebrate many more. Happy birthday girl!
MICHELLE MBUTU Happy birthday dear Michelle. You are now 11 years old. Birthday wishes from your mom, dad, guka, cucus, uncles, aunties and cousins. May God shower His blessings on you, may you love him more, and may you have many many more birthdays.
BLESSING KANANAHappy birthday Blessing! We thank God for you even as you grow older. Best wishes from mum Hellen, dad Clifford, aunts Cate and Kendy, un-cles Eric and Patrick and friends Violet, Joan and Valentine.
TIMOTHY LEEHappy birthday to you Timmy! It has been fun watching you grow from day one till now when you just turned one. Birthday wishes from mum Faith, brother Elias, aunts Mercy and Brenda and friends Oscar, Keboi and Bienvenu.
BRIAN NDUNGU ITOTIA Brayo, may the Lord who has brought you this far bless you with each good thing and fill each moment with delightful and grati-fying things. May He hold you close, grant each day what is needed most. May his fa-vour remain with you forever. We love, cher-ish and pray for you daily. Birthday wishes from dad, mum, grandpas and everyone that loves you.
ABBY TULA WAMAITHA LINCOLN Happy Birthday dear Abby. With loads of Love from sister Lexy, brother Kito, mom and dad and the large family and friends. You are a strong and brave girl. May you live to fulfill God’s purpose in your life.
BRYAN MURIUKI KAMANYIAs you turn three, we glorify God because of his love for you. Best wishes from your sister Sandra, brother Trevor, parents Judie and Mike, grand-parents, uncles, aunties and cousins. May God shower you with His love and blessings. Happy birthday Brayo!
NINNAYNINNAH JEMUTAI ROTICH Happy birthday Rotich. It’s your fourth birthday and we wish you God’s blessings. Best wishes from mom Dama Reds, bro Glen, sis Gennelle, grandma Stellah, Terry Reds, Eva Reds, Eddah Reds, and your uncle Limo.
birthday wishes
November 13, 2011sunday nation ��5
ACROSS1. Charge or duty charged on income, property, sales levied by a government2. To propel a boat by oars4. To straw seed upon the earth5. 8th Solar planet in order from the Sun8. To decompose9. Betrayal of one’s allegiance to his country11. Nevertheless12. Range of knowledge13. A large motor coach
DOWN 1. A belief held by one as true2. Defeats overwhelmingly
3. To possess4. The ermine in its summer coat of reddish brown6. To clean or smooth the feathers with the beak7. Fish eating sea eagles10. Hardy cereal plant grown for its seed and fodder
A long, long time ago when man had not even learnt how to wear clothes
or domesticate animals, cat and rat were great friends. They lived together,
helped each another, ate together, and taught their children especially on how to protect themselves from predators.
When it came to food, the two usually provided in turns. However, at some point, cat’s family didn’t have any food so they had nothing to contribute when it was their turn to provide food. They, therefore, had to rely on rat’s family as they waited for their crops to mature. One day the king of all animals decided to hold a feast for all animals. Because rat was a friend of cat, she was sent to inform cat about the feast. However, rat did not inform cat about the feast. She kept the information to herself.
On the day of the feast, rat and its fam-ily woke up earlier than usual and crept out of the compound they shared with cat. By the time cat’s family woke up, rat and her family were gone. Initially, cat did not worry about rat and her family. But as hun-ger began to bite and cat’s kittens began to cry for food, cat decided to get them food from rat’s house. Cat was surprised to find the door locked. So she decided to wait. As the evening approached, there was still no sign of rat. Eventually cat and
her family went to bed hungry. By morning, rat’s family had still not ar-
rived. Cat’s kittens were weak with hunger. They couldn’t even stand. In the evening, rat’s family finally arrived. Cat asked rat where they had been and rat was not able to explain because it would mean admitting that they had attended the feast
without informing cat. Cat angrily grabbed rat’s young ones for her kittens and rat ran away with her remaining children. Till this day, cat chases and eats rats because they still want to know why rat had disap-peared that time in the past - leaving cat and her kittens to starve.
- KIPLANG’AT SEMPAI
Whooping cranes (Grus Americana) are tall birds with long legs. These majestic white birds live
in groups and frequent marshes, shallow lakes and lagoons. The whooping crane is named for its loud call. These cranes feed by foraging with their bills and gobbling up plants, shellfish, insects, fish and frogs. Once they were threatened with extinction. In the 1941 count there were only 16 living birds. But since then, breeding programmes have boosted their numbers. Their decline in numbers was due to loss of wetlands, hunting and people collecting their eggs. They lay two eggs at a time and the chicks sleep standing up. The highest-flying crane is the Eurasian Crane, which can fly at an altitude of 32,800 feet.
easy sudoku
crossword
did you know?HOW CAT AND RAT BECAME ENEMIES
Felin
e Com
ics fo
rYou
ng N
ation
Why did you get such a low mark on the maths test?
Because of absence.
You mean you were absent on the day of the
test?
No, but youwere.
Answers on page 8
THE WHOOPING CRANE CHICKS SLEEP STANDING UP
The rules of Sudoku are quite simple. You are pre-sented with a 6x6 grid of boxes, some empty, some filled with numbers in the range of 1 to 6. That gives you 2 rows, 3 columns and also 2 larger squares of 2x3 boxes.The idea of Sudoku is to completely fill the empty grid squares with numbers in such a way that the following conditions hold true:1) Every row should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that row.2) Every column should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that column.3) Every 2x3 square should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that square.
young nation
Answers on Page 8
compiled by Mworia Muchina
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1
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13
it’s story time
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November 13, 2011sunday nation6
young nation
Fun pagePHOTO ALBUM
Prime Bank chairman Rasik Kantaria presents sanitary towels to Loresho Girls Pri-mary School pupils recently. The bank aims to supply 2,000 girls from disadvantaged schools around the country sanitary towels worth Sh1 million for one year. The dona-tion comes at a time when several studies have shown that most girls are absent from school due to menses for four days in a month, thus losing 13 learning days equivalent to two weeks of learning in every school term. Photo: Correspondent
Children from different families pose for a photo with officials of Sadolin paints after a fun-filled day during this year’s Kamili Organisation Family challenge, held at Sanctuary Farm, Lake Naivasha. The challenge aims at rais-ing money to go towards provision of affordable care and improve quality of those suffering from mental illness in Kenya, organised by Kamili Organisa-tion based in Kabete. Photo: Correspondent
Help the crocodile find his way to the pond.
Who am I? Fill in the blanks to find out.
Peter: How do pigs get to the hospital?Charles: They use the HAMbulance.*****************************************Molly: What room is never entered?Faith: A Mushroom. *****************************************Nick: What is a racer’s favourite sauce?Patrick: Ketch-up! (Catch up!)
- SHEILA KIMANI
jokes
Teacher: How many cats can you put in an empty box?Denis: Only one. After that it’s not empty! *****************************************Janet: What is higher without the head, than with it? Sharon: A pillow. *****************************************Teacher: What bet can never be won? Brian: The Alphabet.
- SHEILA KIMANI
riddles
November 13, 2011sunday nation ��7
SUD0KU
solutions
SPORTS QUIZ
BY SAMMY [email protected]
Michael Phelps is one of the most sto-ried athletes in Olympic history. He
cemented himself as a true sports legend in 2008 after winning a record breaking eight gold medals at a single Olympic games, but had already been dominat-ing the swimming circuit for years prior. Phelps’ meteoric rise to success and is a true marvel of modern sport, but his story started out like any other young swim-mer’s – by getting comfortable in the water.
Back home, Jason Dunford has been a source of pride worth all the emulation from budding talents. It was he, who won Kenya’s first swimming Commonwealth gold medal. Despite being 14 years younger than his idol Dunford, 10-year-old Francis Agolla is determined to do what Dunford is yet to achieve; win an Olympic gold medal. “I like the way he swims and the fame he has brought to himself and the country as well. One day, I’d like to be better than him and win an Olympic gold medal,” says the Makini School Standard Five pupil.
When he started swimming at five years of age, Agolla was terrified of dunk-ing his head under water. By age nine, however, he had become an avid swimmer. Already, he has claimed accolades in over 10 championships and for him, this is just the beginning. “I took up swimming as my first sport because it would open for me doors to success and enable me to travel to many countries as well,” says Agolla, who also has football, tennis and table
tennis as his alternative sports.To some, it would be quite difficult to
cope with sports and books, but trust the swimmer who enjoys butterfly and breast-strokes, as he has no problem dealing with both. In fact, he came top of his class in his last examinations. So, just how does he manage to excel in both disciplines? “I try to avoid postponing any work. I also make sure that I complete my school work as-signments on time and to concentrate in class,” says the swimmer, to whom no dish comes next to his Fish and Ugali. “I keenly follow through during lessons and it is the same with swimming. I’m strict with what I do and I train twice daily.”
Although he hasn’t represented the country in any international champion-ships, the youngster is focused on mak-ing his debut next year in March in South Africa. Already, he has started working towards achieving that dream. Last month during the Nairobi Amateur Swimming Association AAA swimming gala at Aga Khan High School, he emerged tops in boys’ 100m breast stroke and 50m breast stroke.
“We are happy at the constant growth of talent in the sport in the country and as we are readying to host the Africa Senior Swimming Championships early next year, we hope to see more young swimmers coming through the ranks,” notes Kenya Swimming Federation public relations of-ficer, Winnie Kamau.
SWIMMER AGOLLA A BUDDING STAR AT 10
ACROSS1. Tax 2. Row 4. Sow 5. Neptune 8. Rot 9. Treason 11. Yet 12.
Ken 13. Bus DOWN1. Tenet 2. Routs 3. Own 4. Stoat
6. Preen 7. Ernes 10. Rye
young nation
CROSSWORD
sports time...
CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION
Francis Agola of Makini School competes in the 50m Individual Medley breast stroke in the NASA AAA Age groups swimming gala last month at Aga Khan High School.
Answers 1. Dennis Oliech2. Auxerre3. French League 1
November 13, 2011sunday nation8
