Latest news with #Turkana
Arab News
09-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Rare bone-eroding disease ruining lives in Kenya's poorest county
LODWAR, Kenya: Joyce Lokonyi sits on an upturned bucket, fingers weaving palm fronds as the wind pulls her dress to expose the stump of her amputated foot, lost to a little-known disease ravaging Kenya's poorest county. Mycetoma is a fungal or bacterial infection that enters the body through any open wound, often as tiny as a thorn prick. Starting as tiny bumps under the skin, it gradually leads to the erosion of tissue, muscles and bone. The fungal variety is endemic across the so-called "mycetoma belt" -- including Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and northern Kenya -- with funding and research desperately lacking. Once the disease has reached the bone the only option is amputation. "I was able to slightly walk, although the disease had eaten all my toes," Lokonyi, 28, told AFP. She was shunned by the local community, she said. "They used to say that when you go to someone's home, you will leave traces of the disease where you stand." She was unable to afford medication despite her husband selling off his goats, and amputation became the only option. "I accepted because I saw that it was going to kill me," she said, a pair of battered crutches lying on the sand beside her two-year-old daughter. But she has struggled with the aftermath. "I have become a good-for-nothing, I can't work, I can't burn charcoal, I can't do anything," she said. In Kenya's poorest county, Turkana, around 70 percent of the population lives beneath the poverty line, with healthcare limited and hard to reach. Mycetoma disproportionately affects rural communities of farmers and herders, according to the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative , a global NGO. It was only recognised as a neglected disease by the World Health Organization in 2016. Ignorance and misdiagnosis remain widespread. "Doctors are not aware of the disease," Borna Nyaoke-Anoke, DNDi's head of mycetoma research, told AFP. "If you're used to donkeys, you don't start seeing zebras everywhere." The scale of the problem is difficult to estimate, but Ekiru Kidalio, director of Lodwar Hospital in Turkana, said they "rarely go a week without finding a case". He added that the local population, 80 percent of which is illiterate, often turns to traditional medicine. By the time they come to hospital "the condition is already advanced such that it's not easy to reverse". Medication is also expensive -- treatment takes up to a year and costs as much as $2,000 -- and comes with dizzying side effects. Diagnosis and treatment are not free under Kenya's overwhelmed health system, leaving patients at the mercy of foreign donors or seeking sums that are unimaginable for subsistence farmers. In Lodwar Hospital, lab technician John Ekai bends over his microscope and examines a suspected mycetoma sample. "Mycetoma is a very neglected disease, no-one is giving it attention," he told AFP. He has become the go-to man for suspected patients, handling his charges with a mischievous sense of humour that puts them at ease. Ekai has treated more than 100 mycetoma patients in the past year, but has seen only five recoveries, with many simply vanishing back into Turkana's arid plains. He worries for those who have disappeared: "The mycetoma will grow and grow and maybe... lead to amputation." During AFP's visit, he examined young mother Jennifer Ekal, 19, who had lived with the disease since she was 11. "I was in school but I decided to leave because of my foot," she said, showing her swollen and painful extremity, hidden beneath a red-and-white dishcloth. Four doses of medication a day appeared to be helping, she said. But as she gathered up her daughter, three-year-old Bianca, she admitted she was worried about the future. "I do not want to think about the worst."
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Climate front lines: Indigenous people battle brunt of global warming
Around the world, indigenous communities have become something of a human early warning system for climate change. Living in close relationship with their natural surroundings - whether in Africa, Asia, Latin America or the South Pacific - they are often the first to experience the devastating consequences of a warming planet. And yet, these same communities hold critical knowledge that could help combat it. Stewards of nature's balance Despite making up just 5% of the global population, indigenous peoples manage nearly 80% of Earth's remaining biodiversity. According to a study by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), areas under secure indigenous land rights suffer significantly less deforestation than others. "Indigenous peoples are key players in the climate agenda," says Germán Freire of the World Bank. "[They are] the guarantors of large tracts of forest and ecosystems critical to the planet's well-being." But that guardianship is under threat from all sides: deforestation, environmental degradation, pollution, rising sea levels and extreme weather. The challenges are mounting - and so are the stories of resilience. Rising sea levels force displacement Rising sea levels are forcing indigenous communities from their ancestral homes. In Panama, around 1,350 members of the Guna ethnic group were relocated from the small island of Gardí Sugdub (Crab Island) to a mainland settlement last year. The island, just 2 kilometres off Panama's Atlantic coast, is expected to be fully submerged by 2050. The Guna relocation is considered one of Latin America's first climate-induced resettlements. In the South Pacific, entire nations face similar threats. Low-lying island states like Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. Tuvalu, north-east of Australia, is predicted to be largely underwater within decades. In response, Australia announced it would grant permanent residency to affected citizens. The Solomon Islands offer another stark example. The indigenous Walande community, once based on a small offshore island, was forced to relocate to the mainland after severe spring tides in 2009. But the threat persists. According to Human Rights Watch, seawater is now breaching protective dykes at the new site, while traditional food sources are disappearing as gardens are washed away and fish stocks dwindle. "Walande's story is a warning that communities cannot face the climate crisis alone," said Erica Bower, climate displacement expert at HRW. "Governments have a duty to support those affected." Drought threatens herders in East Africa On the other end of the climate spectrum, East African pastoralist groups such as the Maasai, Turkana, Samburu and Borana are being driven from traditional grazing lands due to prolonged drought and erratic rainfall. More than 10 million livestock perished in 2021 and 2022, according to the World Bank. The impact on people has been just as severe - around 2.1 million individuals in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia became climate refugees in 2022, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Many pastoralist families have been pushed to give up their nomadic way of life and move to urban areas in search of stability. Efforts are now under way to mitigate this forced migration: restoring degraded lands with sustainable grazing techniques, building rainwater catchments, planting drought-resistant crops, and offering pastoralists new income opportunities such as dairy processing. Traditional ways of life under threat Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts in the Kalahari Desert - spanning South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana - are putting immense pressure on the delicate ecosystems that the indigenous San people have relied on for generations. As primarily hunter-gatherers, the San depend on a rich diversity of plants and animals now increasingly at risk, warns the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The erosion of biodiversity is also taking a toll on cultural traditions. According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the San's spiritual and healing practices are being disrupted. One example is the Hoodia plant, long used by the San for medicinal purposes. It now faces serious threats - not only from climate change but also from overharvesting driven by global pharmaceutical demand. Pathways forward: Sustainable agriculture, forest stewardship In Namibia, the government has designated communal conservancies such as the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in the country's north-east to help protect the traditional lands and livelihoods of the San people. These initiatives aim to preserve cultural and economic practices through reforestation, sustainable hunting and farming, and ecological education programs tailored to local communities. Across the globe, land rights remain a cornerstone of effective climate action. On the island of Borneo, the indigenous Dayak Tomun community from Kinipan has long resisted the encroachment of palm oil plantations that threaten the rainforests they call home. These forests, located in Indonesia's Kalimantan region, are not only vital carbon sinks but also among the last habitats for critically endangered species like orangutans and other rare wildlife. Rainforests under threat: The fight for indigenous land rights Rainforests are vital to the health of our planet - absorbing vast amounts of greenhouse gases and acting as essential carbon sinks. Yet in Borneo, these critical ecosystems are being rapidly destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations driven by global demand. For years, the Dayak Tomun people have fought to secure legal recognition of their ancestral forest lands. Despite submitting extensive documentation and expert assessments multiple times, their efforts have so far been in vain. In reality, Indonesia's indigenous communities are only recognised after enormous struggle, and even then only rarely - despite having lived here long before the state of Indonesia existed, the Rainforest Rescue organization states. Meanwhile, corporations can easily obtain concessions for logging, plantations, or mining - often without consulting the indigenous communities whose lives and cultures are most affected.
CairoScene
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Tunisia's E-FEST in Tataouine Announce Line-Up April 11th-13th
Tunisia's E-FEST in Tataouine Announce Line-Up April 11th-13th After a seven-year hiatus, the festival is back with a mission to reconnect art, technology, and community. For over a decade, E-FEST stood as a beacon of digital culture and artistic innovation, transforming the Carthage Cathedral into a playground for creatives, musicians, and visionaries. After seven years of absence, the festival that defined a generation is making a powerful return—this time in Ksar El Ferch, Ghomrassen, from April 11-13, 2025. Stepping into this new chapter, E-FEST stays true to its roots—blurring boundaries between genres, disciplines, and perceptions, while embracing the local landscape and its rich history. Beyond the music and digital art, this year's E-FEST holds a deeper mission: every ticket sale will go directly toward the restoration of Ksar El Ferch, a historic site that will serve as the festival's new home. The E-FEST 2025 lineup is a bold mix of electronic, experimental, North African, and global underground sounds, featuring performances from: Don Pac, Insan Insan, Zar Electrik, Aita My Love, Hamza Nasraoui (Dawan), Turkana, Abdullah Miniawy & Maurice Louca, Ammar 808, MC Yalla & Debmaster, Erkez Hiphop ft. Wisdom, Leïla Koumiya, Kabylie Minogue, Zied Meddeb Hamrouni, Azu Tiwaline & Cinna Peyghamy, Benjemy (حيّ / Haï), Nidhal Yahyaoui (Hattaya), Noura Mint Seymali, Raïna Raï, 3Phaz, and Gymkhana. For more info and tickets visit
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Over 20 people are missing after local clashes at the Kenya-Ethiopia border
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya has deployed heavy security at its border with Ethiopia after an attack by armed men in what authorities describe as cross-border clashes. Twenty people are missing. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday said the government was collaborating with authorities in Ethiopia to find the missing people. Fishermen from Ethiopia clashed with Kenyan counterparts at the Omo river on Saturday, Turkana County governor Jeremiah Lomorukai said Sunday. Local authorities said 15 boats are missing. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The Turkana community from Kenya and the Dassanech community from Ethiopia share economic activities such as pastoralism and fishing. The area in the past has seen livestock raids in neighboring villages. Kenya had hired more police reservists to assist in the border area, but raiders often flee into Ethiopia. Murkomen said Kenya would establish a border post where all people entering would be checked.
Associated Press
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Over 20 people are missing after local clashes at the Kenya-Ethiopia border
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya has deployed heavy security at its border with Ethiopia after an attack by armed men in what authorities describe as cross-border clashes. Twenty people are missing. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday said the government was collaborating with authorities in Ethiopia to find the missing people. Fishermen from Ethiopia clashed with Kenyan counterparts at the Omo river on Saturday, Turkana County governor Jeremiah Lomorukai said Sunday. Local authorities said 15 boats are missing. The Turkana community from Kenya and the Dassanech community from Ethiopia share economic activities such as pastoralism and fishing. The area in the past has seen livestock raids in neighboring villages. Kenya had hired more police reservists to assist in the border area, but raiders often flee into Ethiopia. Murkomen said Kenya would establish a border post where all people entering would be checked.
