‘RANGI YA THAO’

The bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made and God loves all his children. I have often heard people make fun of this verse by saying that some people are more fearfully made than wonderfully made. I cannot say that I have never used this verse to make fun of someone but lately I have taken time to appreciate people regardless of their looks. They say that beauty is skin but I often wonder whether everyone is really keen on understanding the meaning of this phrase. This is because the sad case today is that most people this days base other people’s character in accordance to their looks rather than their personality.

I had the pleasure of visiting Mombasa at the start of this year and I was so excited. I was looking forward to visiting the town everyone referred to as “Mombasa raha”. I had a lot of expectations towards this visit but I did not anticipate the shock I would get at seeing the number of women who have bleached their skin. I once came across a woman whose bleaching had gone wrong leaving her face which was dark in color with patches of lightness. I must admit she wasn’t a pretty sight to behold. I remember recounting what I had seen to one of my workmates and all I got was no surprise plus her advice to get used to bleaching cases gone wrong over there. It not like I had never seen a woman who had bleached her skin before, I just had never encountered one whose bleaching had gone wrong before.

This ordeal and three other more made me ask myself the question of why would someone risk damaging their skin permanently and looking horrible in order to be light??  What is so abhorring about the dark color that many people are bent on changing by bleaching it?? Is there some privilege that society accords to light skinned people that dark colored people do not get?? Questions, questions I kept asking myself about this bleaching trend that is gripping our country. It made me wish that these many ladies who have bleached their skin can sit down with me and share the privileges they are now getting in order to give me an insight to the causes that make them risk damaging their skin.

As an avid reader of living magazine which is an issue in the daily nation every Wednesday, I once encountered a story about a woman who struggled with being taunted about her dark color leading to her having a low self-esteem. She spoke of how it took her a long time for her to accept herself and embrace her dark color. Why would fellow Kenyans who most are of dark color torment another fellow Kenyan due to her dark color. I mean we are all African so we are all dark according to white people no matter how one is light skinned we are still black to them and I doubt getting rid of one’s dark color can change this. Maybe this is one of the reason most ladies are bleaching their skin these days. I have had guys give compliments to each other due to the fact that the other guy has a light skinned girlfriend. Apparently being light skinned makes you automatically beautiful nowadays. May be this is another reason why many women and even small girls are bleaching their skin in order to be considered beautiful by society.

 Lupita Nyong’o while being honored with the best breakthrough performance award at the 7^th annual black women in Hollywood luncheon last year she talked about dark beauty. She talked about how a small girl wrote to her telling her of how she wanted to bleach her skin so as to change her dark skin color when she was inspired by her not to do so as she has embraced her dark color. This is a woman who has woman an Oscar award despite the fact of her dark skin color which she has embraced. This should be an example to girls out there that you can achieve anything despite of your skin color and still be regarded beautiful.

Selling of bleaching products is illegal in Kenya so accessing the bleaching creams, pills, ointments and lotions is not allowed. Many bleaching products are obtained in the market still as traders have found a way to have access to them. According to pressbox.co.uk, every bleaching product contains two main chemicals, hydroquinone and mercury, both toxic. These products work in the short term to lighten the skin by stopping the production of melanin in the body. The more one uses this product the more at risk they have of having skin cancer. These are the extreme dangers of bleaching ones skin.

 I believe that no one should require society’s validation when it comes to outward appearance. People should base other people’s character on their personality and not looks. Maybe if this happens we will have less case of females’ lightening their skin through dangerous means in order to be considered beautiful. If one has no self-love changing of skin color cannot change this. So next time your mother, wife, sister, girlfriend, best friend or anyone in your close relations wants to change their skin color please remind them they are all beautiful and they should embrace their color because 20 years down the line they might regret it.

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Why single parent and not just parent?

A man sits in a baraza where the other men around him sit as usual members. They have always been men with a topic, mostly ranging from sports especially soccer to the mediocre Kenyan politics. Being a mid-week with boring or no politics and soccer to discuss, a woman passes just near the baraza, she unfortunately becomes the topic of discussion. One would think maybe as usual they would discuss the beauty in her, citing their desires for her (it’s a manly thing) but this one was different.

The man says “that woman is with no husband, I wonder what will become of his son. The poor boy will have no values, he will perform poorly in this education, and he might be even a thug. My kids will lead a good life, I’ll always be there.”

That poor boy is the one writing this article, as much as I has been ages since this words were said about my mother and I. I have been strong since, my mother has been a pillar than no man could have ever made. Weak as women may be, single mothers are stronger in all matters pertaining parenting.

I had no male figure in the home but the hustle that my mother did put was enough for me to man up. I wanted to be a man of her life, one that would provide all that she missed taking care of me. That by itself created a leader in me, silent, quiet but always calculating.

With minimal education, I needed to school just for her. Not because she asked but to compensate the time she missed for schooling because of the poor family she comes from. There were no fees for many kids, only her male at least brothers did a bit of schooling but up until it was enough for them to fend for the family and to become men.

She didn’t teach me how to shave, a reason I keep my beards long enough and take it to the barber for my shaving but yes am creating jobs here. I know the value of not doing everything by myself. To share.

As men continue with their talk, my single mom did the actions; as a matter of fact it’s better to have one great parent than two average parents. I may have left the disciplinary part, yes she was tough on me, a reason daily I learn the tough love back then, every day I celebrate my mother, she is my hero.

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EBOLA Q & A

What is Ebola?

· Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a highly contagious and severe illness.

· Ebola first appeared in 1976. The origin of the virus is unknown, but fruit bats are considered the likely hosts.

How is Ebola spread?

· Ebola is spread through close contact with bodily fluids of an infected person: blood, sweat, urine, stool, saliva and semen.

· It can also be spread through indirect contact with contaminated areas, such as soiled clothing or bed linens or used needles.

· Ebola is NOT spread through the air. A person must have come into direct contact with a person who shows symptoms of Ebola to get the disease.

· Corpses infected with Ebola are highly infectious, placing funeral attendees at risk for catching the disease.

Who is most at risk?

· Health workers;

· Family members or others in close contact with infected people;

· Mourners who have direct contact with the bodies of the deceased as part of burial ceremonies.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

· Sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle and joint pain, headache and sore throat are the first signs.

· This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding.

· The incubation period (time from infection to onset of symptoms) is from 2 to 21 days. The patient is contagious once they begin to show symptoms. They are not contagious during the incubation period.

· Ebola symptoms are similar to malaria and cholera (fever, vomiting and diarrhea). If you or someone you know has been in an area known to have Ebola virus disease or in contact with a person known or suspected to have Ebola and they begin to have symptoms, they should seek medical care immediately.

· Ebola virus disease infections can only be confirmed through laboratory testing.

How is Ebola treated?

· There is currently no specific treatment or vaccine to treat Ebola.

· Patients are often dehydrated and require oral or intravenous (IV) fluids and are given medication to help stop bleeding and pain.

· To help control the spread of the virus from person to person, people who are suspected or confirmed to have Ebola are placed in isolation from other patients and treated under strict safety precautions by health care workers.

· Because the incubation period for Ebola is from 2 to 21 days, family and friends of infected, or potentially infected people, may be monitored for up to 21 days as a precaution.

· An infected person has a greater chance of surviving Ebola if they seek medical treatment early at the first signs and symptoms of the disease.

· To help control further the spread of the virus, both people that are suspected or confirmed to have the disease should be isolated from other patients and treated by health workers using strict infection control precautions.

Does everyone infected with Ebola die?

· Although many people die from Ebola, some people are able to fight the disease off with the help of professional medical care.

· Survivors of Ebola are NOT contagious. However, men who have recovered from the illness can still spread the virus to their partner through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery. For this reason, it is important for men to avoid sexual intercourse for at least 7 weeks after recovery or to wear condoms if they do.

· If in question of your symptoms, it’s always better to be cautious and seek medical attention. This protects Ebola from spreading to family and friends in the early stages.

· The sooner you get medical help, the greater your chances of survival.

How can I prevent myself and others from getting Ebola?

· If you suspect someone close to you or in your community of having Ebola virus disease, encourage and support them in seeking appropriate medical treatment in a care facility.

· Wash your hands frequently with hot water and soap, especially after using the bathroom and during meal preparation.

· Do not eat animals you find dead in the wild, or handle any dead animal. Meat should be cooked thoroughly before eating.

· Inform others around you of the signs and symptoms of Ebola, and encourage anyone who looks or feels ill to seek medical treatment as early as possible.

Can I catch Ebola from a person who has died from it?

· Yes. DO NOT handle or touch the bodies of people who have died from Ebola. Seek professional help.

· Avoid attending funerals of people who have died from Ebola. The body is still highly infectious. If you must attend, do not touch anyone, especially the deceased person. Wear long sleeves and pants to help protect yourself.

Why do health care workers wear masks, gloves, and suits when treating people with Ebola?

· Health workers treating patients with suspected or confirmed illness are at higher risk of infection than other groups.

· Health care workers must wear special protective clothing to help prevent them from getting sick, too.

· Anyone who is handling patients or people who have died from Ebola needs to wear this protective clothing. Only let professionals handle people who have died from the disease.

· Although the sight of some of the protective clothing and equipment can be frightening, remember that inside those protective suits are normal people who are helping sick people get better.

Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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KEY FACTS ABOUT EBOLA

Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is the human disease caused by the Ebola virus. Symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and headaches. Typically nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point, some people begin to have bleeding problems.

Key facts

• Ebola is transmitted through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals and humans.
• Outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
• Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus
• Severe acute viral illness often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding
• No licensed vaccine for Ebola is available. Several vaccines are being tested, but none are available for clinical use
• Pig farms can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms.

Source: WTO http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/  

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