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Kenya’s political noise is at an all time low, probably at a negative 10 degrees, amidst this tough ravager by the name Covid-19. Amidst the current depressing turn of events, innovations are cropping up like mushrooms on a Virgin land. Let me share with you three innovations and top creativities, amongst many others that are coming up in Kenya.
1. KEMRI discovery of mass testing kits: This is going to save Kenya as a nation millions of shillings that would have been used to import these kits https://kenyanreport.com/2020/04/08/kemri-innovates-covid-19-testing-kits-makes-kenya-first-african-country-to-kick-off-mass-testing/
We really aught to congratulate the researchers at this institution for this massive first innovation from Africa.
2. Our Old tailoring Industry is on a rebirth: Top on the list is the Kitui County Textile Centre (Kicotec) that is based at Syongila has now been turned into a 24 hour production house that is reported to be producing 30, 000 pieces of masks a day. At this factory, over 400 women just got jobs overnight. (News link: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001367532/two-firms-begin-mass-face-masks-production
This factory, plus Eldoret – based Rivatex are now contributing a sizable portion of the projected 60 million masks required by Kenya during this pandemic. Turns out that there is no point of importing masks from China.
It must be said that we are still trying to figure out how we will ever relate with this aforementioned country, given the negative information that we are now digesting about Africans mistreatment. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/13/asia/china-guangzhou-african-blacklash-hnk-intl/index.html
3. Ventilators discovery by two young Kenyan men: This pair of innovators is now being supported by the Kenyan government to scale up their discovery. As vehicle manufacturing companies such as General Motors move to produce many ventilator to help fight this pandemic in the World, such innovations music also be praised and supported: https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/51592-innovative-duo-makes-local-ventilator-record-4-days
With this trend, you can be assured that the list of innovations will surely be growing. More innovations will be shooting up, fast and furious. We have seen 160 beds hospital in a playing field, several philanthropic activities like some done by Optiven Foundation which has placed 4, 000 books for sale to support families affected by Covid-19. https://www.optivenfoundation.org/news-and-blogs/4-000-books-to-be-sold-to-support-the-less-privileged-as-country-battles-covid-19/
Initiatives such as online fundraising to support of Covid-19 committee by Government, the adopt a family in Kibera initiative https://www.the-star.co.ke/business/kenya/2020-04-13-private-sector-wage-resource-war-against-coronavirus/ are super impressive innovations that must truly be appreciated, especially during this tough time that the World is going through.
The challenge is on all our researchers, thinkers and anyone who believes that they can be able to provide any viable solution to our current fight against Covid -19 and beyond: https://youtu.be/MRJV0Ia6K_w This is the right time to plug in and to be counted; to be part of the great men and women as well as institutions that will officially deserve to be on the scroll of honour.
Thoughts by
George Wachiuri: A Leading Entrepreneur, a Published Author, Philanthropist, Youth Empowerment Enthusiast, a Family man and CEO of Optiven Group
Contact Optiven Group: 0790 300 300
Email: admin@optiven.co.ke
Website: https://www.optiven.co.ke
