Monday, November 6, 2017

The Nubian Souk

Every success story has a beginning and every beginning is made easier when a friendly hand can guide your path. The Nubian Souk is that friendly pathfinder for Nubian Entrepreneurs. As a market bursting with rich and colourful cultural essence, the souk is the perfect place to spend an exciting family day out; it promises something for every member of the family.


What to Expect

The Nubian Souk brings together entrepreneurs from the Nubian minority tribe presenting a wide variety of cultural and non-cultural goods and services for your family. This is the place to find the perfect addition to your home décor in the form of skilfully handcrafted Nubian artefacts. From Nubian mats to the very lovely food trays and covers (kuta and tabaga) to Nubian traditional clothing, the Souk guarantees an exciting shopping experience. The market creates a platform for a diverse range of businesses (both start-ups and pre-existent) to market their brands and as such the range of items (both traditional and contemporary) sold are a reflection of this.



There’s more!

No family day is complete without the perfect eat-out experience. The Nubian Souk comes with  an impressive choice of delicious meal options in a food court that guarantees both a taste of irresistible Nubian cuisine as well as other cuisines.

For the little ones bubbling with energy there's a play area with amusement rides, bouncing castles, pool, water boats, face-painting, horse and camel riding.


Karibu

The Nubian Souk is the Nubian Community's way of opening the doors of our community to other Kenyans and guests from beyond Kenya. It is a brotherly invitation to enjoy a beautiful day with us while supporting our community members in a bid to improve the status of living through entrepreneurship. It is an effort at promotion of creativity within the community and preservation of culture and unity.

VENDORS CONTACT nubiansouk@gmail.com or +254715859120

Friday, October 27, 2017

Kisra Commitments – A Rough Guide To Having The Nubian Kisra You Want

MAKE KISRA BATTER, CALLED L'AJIN

Mix 2 cups of whole corn (maize) flour and 2 cups of water. Cover and set to ferment for 12-24 hours. Fermentation is complete when bubbles appear in the ajin, and the l'ajin tastes sour. Fermentation is accelerated by humidity and heat such as found in Kampala, Uganda. In colder fermentation takes more time. After the l'ajin has fermented, add 1 cup of wheat flour and 1 cup of water and mix well.
HEAT SOURCE AND A FLAT PAN
Traditionally, kisra is cooked on a flat metal pan known as 'sasi' and is balanced over either stones called 'ludaya' or on a 'jiko' or charcoal stove. Most times the flat metal pan is balanced on four stones. Then fire wood or reeds are set on fire and fed intermittently to maintain an even heat. The cook sits on a low stool and simultaneously feeds and maintains the fire, while making the kisra. Anyone who has cooked kisra this way knows the discomfort of sitting near fire, and having hands or feet burnt


After Mixing L'ajin and Setting Up the Flat Pan.
POUR KISRA L'AJIN ONTO A FLAT PAN.
Preheat the pan. Traditionally, Nubians use sautéed brain of a cow (tayuq), to grease the pan. Scoop 1/3 cup of l'ajin, spread one swoop onto top third of the pan. Use a plastic spreader to spread the ajin evenly over the pan using left-right sweeping motions. Refer to demonstration video on how to sweep l'ajin..



REMOVE COOKED KISRA, FLIP ONTO FLAT PLATE.

After spreading the l'ajin, within 1 to 2 minutes it will start to rise and lift up from the edges. Lift the kisra from one edge, and in 1 motion flip onto a flat plate. Layer, then fold into individual rectangular kisra leaves. Serve with your favorite stew.
EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE.
Mastering cooking kisra takes time and practice. There are multiple variables. First; the consistency of the l'ajin. It cannot be too thick, nor too thin, otherwise it will not spread evenly. Second; the fermentation process. The l'ajin must be sufficiently fermented; it is carbon dioxide gas rising out of the ajin that creates the sponginess and lifts the batter. Fourth; spread the ajin evenly over the pan. It takes months of experience to get this right.

Writer: Ayub Mzungu

Monday, October 23, 2017

Eating the Nubian Way: dining ettiqutte you need to know.

Eating the Nubian Way: dining ettiqutte you need to know.

By Ayub Mzungu

Most traditional Nubian food is eaten with the hands; this is done by tearing off a piece of 'gurusa or kisira,' to dip/pick (gravy) meat.

There will always be a way to wash your hands before and after the meal. Sometimes boys/girls, housewife will bring a basin and pitcher to the mat or table.

It is polite to eat with your right hand - the left is considered unclean and therefore you should avoid using it if you can.

Women and girls used to eat separately from the men as shown in the picture below. But this has changed and only occasions like karama and weddings where segregation is still the norm.

Although most of the above are now forgotten, the picture gives us another opportunity to explore our past (dining manners) history.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Cultural Grab 101-Nubian by Nasra Nuralain



Nubian ladies do slay with their unique way of dressing. Nubian women appreciate when people talk about their traditional attires. It was such a pleasure to come across Nasra Nuralain, a self-taught designer and entrepreneur, Kenyan Modest fashion Blogger dressed in Nubian attire and talking about the Nubian traditional attire. She indeed inspires ladies to try different outfits from different cultures, have a look at her blog.

Click the link to read her article on the Nubian Attire:

 
Here are some photos:






PHOTOGRAPHY BY @mohabig on INSTAGRAM
STYLED BY @biniyanubi on INSTAGRAM
HEELS BY @backyardshoez on INSTAGRAM

Special Thanks to Toma Abdul.

A very Special Thanks from Latasabah to Nasra Nuralain, she slayed !!

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Saidi Hassan

Surgeon and Chairman of the University of Nairobi's Department of Human Anatomy. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug 3, 1965, he died of cancer in Nairobi on Aug 29, 2017, aged 52 years.
Saidi Hassan was a teacher, but also a lifelong student, completing a doctorate in surgery from the University of Nairobi just last year. Colleagues said he was not pursuing education for its own sake, but for the opportunity to improve his skills and to acquire knowledge he could share. “He had an idea of impacting others”, said Daniel Ojuka, a lecturer in the University of Nairobi's Department of Surgery. “His interest was in developing people.”

Peter Gichangi, an Associate Professor in the University of Nairobi's Department of Human Anatomy, said Hassan had that impulse from an early age. Hassan and Gichangi attended medical school together at the University of Nairobi in the 1980s, where they were both selected for special training in human anatomy. Over the course of the training, Gichangi said Hassan was constantly thinking about how the course could be improved for future students. “By the time he finished, he was convinced that we need people who have a clinical background to teach anatomy”, Gichangi said, reflecting his concerns that the people teaching the course only had academic experience. “It would mean that the clinician would present the anatomy in a manner that makes sense to a person who finally becomes a doctor. That drove him to join the department and teach anatomy from the perspective of a clinician”, Gichangi said.

Hassan joined the Department of Human Anatomy at the University of Nairobi in 1996 and rose quickly, becoming Chairman in 2011. The year before he was named an Associate Dean of the university's School of Medicine. At the same time, he followed through on the commitment he had expressed to Gichangi years before, continuing to work as a general and laparoscopic surgeon at Kenyatta National Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital, both in Nairobi.

Hassan's students said he was a committed teacher, willing to interrupt almost anything he was doing to answer their questions or provide support. “He basically treated them like his own children”, said Nelly Bosire, a specialist obstetrician gynaecologist, who met Hassan during her internship at Kenyatta National Hospital. “He socialised with them. He was happy to open his door and welcome them into his home.” But his students said Hassan also emphasised that there was a responsibility that came with their education. “You could go to him with an idea and he asked you, ‘What are you looking at achieving with it? How will it help the institution or the hospital?’”, said Benjamin Wabwire, a surgeon, who worked under Hassan during one of his clinical rotations. “He would encourage you not to do things just because it's a requirement, but you've got to do them for a reason.”

Hassan helped revive the Surgical Society of Kenya, serving as its Chairman from 2013 to 2015, and was the driving force behind the launch of the Annals of African Surgery, the Society's journal. Ojuka said he questioned Hassan's decision to start the journal, wondering whether regional doctors would be willing to contribute. But he said Hassan was convinced they would take advantage of the opportunity to share their research. It turned out, Ojuka said, Hassan was right. The biannual publication has been running since 2007 and Hassan remained its Editor in Chief until his death. “He was instrumental in growing it to one of the continent's premier surgical reads”, said Associate Editor James Kigera. “He worked hard towards indexing of the journal and was instrumental in having the journal join the African Journal Partnership Program, which has helped grow its profile.”

Later in his career, Gichangi said Hassan became concerned about trauma cases in Kenya, especially the lack of understanding of where and how they were happening. Hassan decided to pursue a PhD in surgery at the University of Nairobi and used the opportunity to help create a registry of trauma cases, with the idea that it could help guide national strategy for addressing the issue. “What set him apart from the rest of the regular clinicians and surgeons is that he was in pursuit of excellence in the things he did”, Gichangi said.

Hassan made time, though, to help develop Kibera, the slum in Nairobi where he was born. Colleagues said he helped parents living in Kibera find schools for their children and was involved in developing projects to improve sanitation in the community. Gichangi said Hassan was also an avid basketball player who encouraged his colleagues to leave the office to get exercise. Hassan is survived by his wife, Husna Hassan, and three sons, Asad, Harith, and Thuwain.



SOURCE :: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)32489-3/fulltext 

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Lessons on mentorship

Despite the fact that his funeral took place within 24 hours as his religion requires, Prof Saidi will be mourned for a very long time.

I met Prof Saidi after I completed medical school, while doing my internship at the Kenyatta National Hospital. He was one of the consultant surgeons in my surgical rotation and despite our interaction lasting only six weeks, he left a lifetime impression.
Many other colleagues were far luckier than I. Prof Saidi taught them anatomy, a cornerstone course in medicine, in their first year of school. He later taught them surgery during their clinical rotations.
YOUNG PROFESSOR

Every single person who interacted with Prof Saidi had exactly the same things to say about him. A brilliant mind with the utmost humility. He made everyone feel at ease and would demonstrate the most complex human body anatomy with such simplicity and ease that left his students awed.
At a young age, he earned his professorship, an achievement that is no mean feat in the world of medicine. He brought about such positive change in the department of anatomy in the University of Nairobi that he will forever be remembered for.
At a personal level, he inspired hundreds of his students to be better doctors, researchers and teachers through mentorship. He never hesitated to take calls from his resident doctors who consulted on patients even when he was not on call.
Prof Saidi spent the last eight years of his life battling a rare cancer that had no cure. By the time of diagnosis, he was at the point of no return. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and seeking sympathy, he took the high road. He made peace with the fact that death was imminent and he only had a few years left.
In eight years, he became a professor, headed the department of anatomy, did research and published numerous papers to his credit, mentored hundreds of young doctors and treated thousands of patients.
At a personal level, he secured the future of his family, knowing he would not be around long enough to see his babies grow to manhood. Over and above his immediate family, he contributed greatly towards the community that raised him, giving something back when most of us wouldn’t even think to. He supported the Nubian University Students’ Organisation, Madrasatul Falaah Society and the Haiba Foundation in Kibra.
It is hard to imagine that one soul could achieve so much is such a short time and yet the Kenyan public that he served so diligently had never heard of him. It is a wonder that he had never been awarded a presidential recognition for such selfless service. This must make us re-look at our societal values and what we hold as important.
MENTORSHIP LASTS A LIFETIME

In the field of medicine, mentorship is such an integral part of the profession. It is clearly upheld in the Hippocratic Oath, just to emphasise how critical it is. Beyond the undergraduate degree level, continued learning is more focused on apprenticeship, acquiring skills beyond the books, by observing your seniors and learning the tricks of the profession.
But aside from acquiring knowledge from books and skills from practising under supervision for years, the one thing that lasts a lifetime is mentorship.
We learn how to conduct ourselves in the profession through mentorship, to uphold ethics and dignity from those gone before us and to practise humility in the care of our patients by reaching out in consultation with our colleagues.
It therefore amazes me when a patient concludes that their doctor is unqualified because they dared to pick up the phone and consult a colleague before writing that prescription. Or that they called in another doctor to review the patient before coming to a conclusion. In medicine, learning never stops.
Doctors will even hold conferences to discuss special cases that require more attention. That is being a good doctor.
'FITNESS TO PRACTICE'

The danger in private practice especially where doctors do not belong to a structured setting, is that it is easy for a doctor to get caught up in their world and miss out on the rapid advances in medicine. It is incumbent upon them to make an effort to interact with others so as to keep abreast on the new developments. But aside from that, in moments when a doctor is worried about their patient and they do not feel too confident, knowing that there is a mentor a phone call away to consult with makes all the difference.
Doctors are also human. They face the same challenges as other people. They suffer from depression, broken families, addictions, financial challenges, parental inadequacies, ill health and death. Coupled with the very demanding job they do, it is easy to hit breaking point. Current research shows alarmingly high evidence of suicide among doctors the world over. Strong support systems are necessary to ensure they scale these heights with ease and remain productive and safe to their patients.
Currently in Kenya, the regulatory body for doctors, The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board has put in place a robust “Fitness to Practice” committee to support doctors in need. The Kenya Medical Association has also set up a support system to reach out to doctors countrywide who are in need of support.
It costs a lot to train a doctor. This should motivate us to do all that is possible to keep the doctor fit to serve. Mentorship does not cost much. It does not take away from the mentor, it is a two-way enrichment for both parties. I do not know who Prof Saidi looked up to when he needed a shoulder to lean on professionally but he has taught all of us something that we should aspire to be.
In his honour, the least we could do as colleagues in the profession is to step into his shoes in our own small ways and mentor those who come after us.

SOURCE:
http://www.nation.co.ke/health/Lessons-on-mentorship/3476990-4082122-w8mu9jz/index.html