tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1871798318483663802024-03-13T18:30:41.552-04:00Conversation 4 Action~LOOKING BACK AT WHERE WE SLIPPED, NOT WHERE WE FELL~Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-17564236460805849232015-05-26T13:27:00.000-04:002015-12-11T13:30:19.406-05:00Canadian East Africans urged to invest back home
By Esther Essie Wambui (@westesita)~~~~~~
Diplomatic representatives from the five East African countries that also form the East African Community [EAC] met with investors in Toronto this week.
The East African Diplomatic Representatives: From Left-Right - Jack Mugendi Zoka (Tanzania), Ms. Umtoni Shakilla (Chargee d'Affaires for Rwanda), John L. Lanyasunya (Kenya), Speciose Nzeyimana (Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-34984480025358572742015-05-08T13:17:00.000-04:002015-12-11T13:19:29.184-05:00Education is President Obama’s Grandmother’s Passion
By Esther Essie Wambui (@westesita) ~~~~~~
Mama Sarah Obama in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
She is proud of her grandson. After all, he is the President of the United States of America, a position whose holder is considered to be the most powerful person in the world.
But at the moment, that’s not what she wants to talk about; although she kindly acknowledges that the name Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-87353441411581204242015-04-12T12:59:00.000-04:002015-12-11T13:01:58.580-05:00Ontario Kenyans mourn victims of Garissa University Attack
By Esther Essie Wambui (@westesita)
Kenyans living in Ontario gathered in Toronto on Sunday April 12 to mourn the 148 people killed when al-Shabab terrorists attacked Garissa University 10 days ago.
Names of the identified Garissa victims were called out
The interfaith ecumenical prayers service held at the Consolota Missionary Centre, paid tribute to both the dead and injured Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-56057487466369059992015-04-08T12:28:00.000-04:002015-12-11T13:22:12.464-05:00#147NotJustANumber
#147NotJustANumber - Photo Courtesy Henry Ndirangu.
A partial list of names of those murdered at the Garissa University College attack in Kenya on April 2, 2015.Credit: http://wakenyacanada.com/147notjustanumber/
Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-64670100342855261732015-03-27T13:53:00.002-04:002015-12-11T12:38:32.340-05:00Winter is almost over at Lake Ontario
Photo by Essie Esther Wambui
Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-8689711137344095932014-08-05T13:02:00.000-04:002015-03-05T13:33:53.674-05:00Lessons From a Scarred Tomato
The scarred yet sweet & juicy tomato
This is a special tomato.
"Why would such a blemished and imperfect tomato be
special?" You might ask. Let me explain: This tomato is special for the
simple reason that it’s picked from our garden. I grew it. Planted in early
May, we gave it TLC for three months till harvest time in August.
I wouldn't buy this tomato or any that looks like Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-2267733778390728912014-06-20T11:00:00.000-04:002015-01-20T14:45:53.535-05:00Delicate Northern Summer Blooms
A pair of fresh & beautiful white peonies
These light pink peonies appear so fresh in the morning.
The tiny spider webbed a home in these beautiful surroundings
Peonies are delicate and don't bloom for long and this hot pink one seems to die up first.
Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-83066795223686556852014-05-29T05:30:00.000-04:002015-01-20T13:41:25.256-05:00Basking in the Agony of Spring
Spring is here or to be more cliché “spring has sprung”.
I always look forward to spring. Living in the North makes
you constantly watch for those first buds. It is pure bliss and radiance when
they appear, yet with it comes the agony. Allergies - the sniffles, itchy
throat, watery, red eyes, etc. The worst part is, while sometimes the allergies
last for just a couple of days to a week, itConversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-44608474443702333432012-09-25T00:30:00.000-04:002015-03-18T21:49:27.365-04:00Wildfires Plague EcuadorI have never been happier to see the rains come. Disregarding
etiquette and discomfort to my neighbours, I cheered loudly, thanked God and
walked a little in the rain to celebrate the relief. It has been very dry here.
There has not been a drop of rain for months and Ecuadorians have taken to
looking into the skies daily for a sign of darkening clouds.
The summer of 2012 brought devastation to Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-21424822686523495832012-09-23T18:59:00.001-04:002015-01-20T15:21:16.382-05:00Ecuador Summer 2012 Wild fires
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlTvFoLGI-U
Ecuador is experiencing devastating forest fires. According
to news reports and anti-disaster officials, there have been 3069 forest fires
since June 1, when a period of drought set in. The fires have wiped out 17,484
hectares of woods and scrubland high in the Andes as well as 142 hectares of
crops, while another 31 hectares of crops were affected Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-65893584920382392042012-07-20T16:56:00.000-04:002013-11-25T17:58:43.957-05:00Kenya; a world leader for mobile money - World BankI am sharing this article as it aligns with my thoughts; that the best change in developing countries originates from within.
How Kenya became a world leader for mobile money
Submitted by Wolfgang Fengler on Mon, 2012-07-16 14:37
What if anyone owning a cell-phone, whether rich or poor, also had access to financial services with the ability to save and send money safely, no matter Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-7780796083767367362012-04-12T00:30:00.002-04:002012-06-18T11:58:45.493-04:00Racism the Latino WayIs there racism; are Ecuadorians racist? I’ve been asked this question numerous times. I didn’t address this question yet as I thought I should first understand the country and its people deeper - looks can be deceiving. I can quote a number of reports and research papers that show people of Afrodescent [Afro Ecuadorians] and Indigenous groups face some form of discrimination or other. Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-6121553090994614482012-04-08T15:30:00.011-04:002016-01-11T20:23:53.369-05:00Easter in Quito – No place for Easter bunny or eggs
Pictures by Essie & M Futkowski.
Easter and Semana Santa is a good time to be here as it is packed with religious, cultural and art events. Unlike Christmas which I found a tad bit too bland, the Holy week is far more emphasized and the best time to experience an elaborate outward expression of the Christian faith and Catholicism, imbued with elements of Andean culture. Semana Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-20554587240051433882012-01-05T10:33:00.013-05:002012-02-23T15:23:54.906-05:00Fiesta de Año Viejo & Feliz Año NuevoIn early December, around the same time nativity scenes start appearing, stores also stock rows upon rows of dolls and effigies. These range from tiny to life-size, made to represent famous and infamous people, political figures, folkloric characters and disliked people including foreign leaders.
Masks
Courtesy:Ecuadoratyourservice.com
All this is in preparation for the Fiesta de Año Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-46319510433337362242011-12-29T20:03:00.013-05:002012-02-22T12:15:21.532-05:00Merry Christmas from EcuadorChristmas Day in Ecuador is a day for family, and exchanging gifts is very important. Actually, one of the first items to appear on supermarket shelves is an assortment of gift baskets of various sizes that employers ‘are expected’ to buy for their workers. Contents range from a bottle of wine, to cooking oil, rice, spices and other food items.
Having decided to remain in Ecuador for Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-47554631346759338502011-12-19T08:37:00.022-05:002015-03-18T21:52:49.740-04:00The Memorable Face of Gratitude…The persistent tagging at my jacket from behind caught my attention. I turned around to investigate the source and was surprised to see the face of a small boy looking up at me. He was going on in a barrage of Spanish that I could barely make out and he seemed agitated. In his other hand he was holding out the toy truck we had just given him and he appeared to be giving it back to me. AfterConversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-39627780704001931682011-12-15T10:59:00.003-05:002015-03-18T21:52:18.739-04:00Chumillos-Images
Clare Fitchett shares Candy with kids
we met along the way
The Beautiful landscape
Breathtaking, Ecuador is
Plenty of grazing land for the sheep
Reminds of of my uncles farm in Nyandarua,
Central Kenya
More beauty
The Kids sit quietly observing the
Proceedings
Calves tethered by the roadside
Linda Kolodziej, Kyung Whitaker and
I take a photo moment with
some local Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-85507290346202727152011-12-12T16:44:00.014-05:002015-03-18T21:53:14.453-04:00Santa Came Eearly to ChumillosOn the Saturday morning of December 10th, a bunch of Canadian expats and/or their spouses drove to the mountain village of Chumillos in a convoy of four cars packed to the brim. We were on a mission to deliver Christmas gifts to the villagers and the gathering point was at an elementary school called Carlos Iguamba Andrango. Sharing during Christmas brings tremendous joy to many and makes the Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-46140512308061215562011-12-04T10:29:00.012-05:002012-01-10T14:29:09.677-05:00December 6 and Fiestas de QuitoOn Thursday last week, one of my classmates asked me if I liked chivas. I didn’t know what that was so he explained that chivas are the brightly decorated open "party" buses that I’ve been seeing all around town lately. These buses run along the city streets with live bands playing and people riding around on them in a festive mood; dancing, singing and shouting "Viva Quito"!
In December, Quito,Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-75731971134649373662011-12-01T12:34:00.002-05:002011-12-06T09:15:25.802-05:00Ecuador: HIV/AIDSThis small Andean country with a population of about 15 million people has a concentrated HIV epidemic, with approximately 0.4 per cent of adults infected. Quito, the capital city has an estimated prevalence of 19.3 per cent. The rate of infection is said to be steadily increasing.
Image courtesy of Women News Network
Ecuador HIV statistics: People living with HIV -37,000; HIV prevelance - Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-80433939150713458352011-11-12T14:24:00.003-05:002012-04-19T00:40:36.407-04:0011/11/11 was a memorable day, except not for something worth rememberingSomeone asked me what I’d do to make 11/11/11 memorable. I had no idea since I wasn't doing the expected like having a baby or a wedding. All I knew then was that it was a Friday, my day off, and I could do the special but repetitive things I do most Fridays. Go for a morning run, Skype and later join some girlfriends for a coffee. I even received an email from a journalism community asking if I Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-90021513527415314252011-11-01T23:18:00.024-04:002015-01-20T15:07:42.379-05:00It’s the day of the dead in Ecuador, but maybe only for the long deadNovember 1 is "Dia de los Difuntos" [Day of the Dead] here in Ecuador and most of Latin America. This is a time of respecting and remembering the people who have passed away. On this day, family and friends gather together at cemeteries to honour those who have died, with love and laughter. They make "guaguas de pan" or bread people and a special blackberry juice called "colada morada". Then theyConversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-66081279214264017052011-10-30T13:08:00.005-04:002011-12-01T13:09:22.904-05:00An earthquake started off my weekendWhen you move to a new country, you hope to become a part of them; their culture, their food, their way of doing things, generally, part of their good. I doubt anyone wishes to be caught up in the ugly; the poverty, disease, crime, prejudices and biases. In a new country, we want to attend more baby showers, weddings and if possible never have to be part of a friend’s funeral. We can be prepared,Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-75889402251979388452011-10-10T14:37:00.010-04:002013-07-01T10:44:05.259-04:00Ecuador: CultureExamining what constitutes Ecuadorian culture, I’ve come to the conclusion that if you were a short-term visitor, your viewpoint of this country’s culture would highly depend on whom you socially relate to or spend time with. The security guard who catcalls when I walk past the gate, the British-educated university professor, the rich housewife with a trail of help [maid, nanny, driver], these Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187179831848366380.post-17492040050655053342011-10-03T11:10:00.006-04:002011-12-01T13:09:22.908-05:00Relearning old habits, in and around QuitoBuenos dias, Buenas, Hola, are words casually thrown your way as you walk around Quito, often times not within the city, but around it. Come to think of it, this may not be as casual since greeters always spare moments to catch your eye. The complete opposite of Toronto, where one of the first lessons I learnt was to as much as possible avoid eye contact with strangers.
So, here I’m in Quito, Conversation 4 Actionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13861859394904733240noreply@blogger.com0