AJIRA DIGITAL PROGRAM

The Ministry of ICT in partnership with the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, the Ministry of Education and partners in the civil society and private sector have set up the ‘Ajira Digital Program’ to bridge the gap between skills demand and the high unemployment rate (especially amongst youths) in Kenya.

The program aims to introduce young people to online work and provide the tools, training and mentorship needed for young people to work and earn an income. The online jobs include writing opportunities available on such platforms as UpWork and iWriter.

http://ajiradigital.go.ke/find_work

WHEN THE WHIRLWIND PASSES 15-YR CELEBRATION

OWN A PIECE OF AFRICAN HISTORY

In the year 2001 A.D., the narrative ‘When the Whirlwind Passes’ was published by Alexander Nderitu who was born in Kenya – the land of his ancestors.

The crime story, not whispered by the fireside nor passed down orally from generation to generation, turned out to be the first written long-form narrative (or ‘novel’) from Africa the Beautiful to be published exclusively on the unearthly domain of ‘cyber space’. Thus spake the Daily Nation:

‘Brilliantly written…The story is fast-paced and the characters are built well…If you can access the book, please do. It will be worth the energy.’

The Daily Metro, which is now as extinct as pre-historic man, commented in this wise:

‘WRITER PURSUES UNTRODDEN PATH…Perhaps fittingly, he shares a birthday with William Shakespeare…’

This month marks the 15^th anniversary of the digital novel. To celebrate, the crime/suspense novel has been re-issued, with a new cover, new ISBN number, and various edits. Ten readers (one reader per day) also stand to win PDF copies digitally autographed by the author by participating in a Facebook Challenge whereupon they will answer questions about the scribblings or the scribe himself. May the best armchair crime solver win – and end up owning a piece of African history… 

Get the book here: www.AlexanderNderitu.com

ALEXANDER NDERITU PHOTOS

  

Alexander Nderitu - Author, poet, playwright

 

Alexander Nderitu speaking at USIU-Africa University

 

 

Alexander Nderitu (left) with WorldReader CEO David Risher

 

AUTHORS 'R' US: Novelist Yvonne Owuor and Alexander Nderitu

 

E-kitabu founder Will Clurman and Alexander Nderitu

 

 Alexander Nderitu performing poetry at The Thai Place resturant

 

Alexander Nderitu at a Pitch-a-Dream bookswap event

 

Alexander Nderitu speaking at ROFFEKE rock festival

Alexander Nderitu holding a copy of 'The Moon is Made of Green Cheese'

Alexander Nderitu 

 

Alexander Nderitu - artist about town

Alexander Nderitu at Mageuzi Theatre

 Alexander Nderitu at a book launch

 Alexander Nderitu speaking at USIU-Africa University

 Alexander Nderitu speaking at USIU-Africa University

 Novelist Moraa Gitaa and Alexander Nderitu

 Alexander Nderitu at a Kwani Sunday Salon

 lexander Nderitu at a Kwani Sunday Salon

 Alexander Nderitu

 Alexander Nderitu at the annual Jigger Staircase Relay

Alexander Nderitu at Dayster Creatives, Daystar University

 Alexander Nderitu at a book launch

 Alexander Nderitu at a book launch

 A high-schol kid shows Alexander Nderitu his mastery of e-readers

 Alexander Nderitu - born to write, forced to work!

 Alexander Nderitu at CCL event

 

Alexander Nderitu at CCL event

 

SCRIBBLING RIVALRY: Poet Caroline Nderitu and novelist Alexander Nderitu

 Poet Caroline Nderitu and novelist Alexander Nderitu

 Alexander Nderitu speaking at USIU-Africa University

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

 Muthoni Muhunyo of Worldreader, Will Clurman of E-kitabu and Kenyan e-book pioneer Alexander Nderitu

 Somali poet Sahro Ahmed and Alexander Nderitu at StoryMoja Lit Fest

 Alexander Nderitu teaching poetry to young schoolchildren at StoryMoja Lit Fest

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

 Alexander Nderitu AMKA interview at Goethe Library

Author Joe Khamisi and Alexander Nderitu

Guerrilla Marketing for Artistes (workshop)

'Artists often have a hard time getting their art work out there and appreciated. And it's not because it's not good work. It could be amazing work. But it's because you don't have the marketing or communication skills to let people know what you are doing.' - Evan Carmicheal, entrepreneurial advisor, on 'How to Promote Your Book Without Spending Money'

'The fact is, if there wasn't marketing, the world wouldn't go around...It's the marketing first, and then being good at what you do.' - Marshall Wayne, film maker, on 'Garth Brooks and James Patterson Used Marketing to Become Famous'

'Guerilla Marketing for Artistes' is one-day workshop designed to give artistes the power to amplify and control their market appeal, whether they seek such appeal for commercial reasons or private goals.
Good for: Writers (of any genre), musicians, thespians, professional marketers, PR practioners, other artists
Venue: 7th Flr, Norwich Union Towers, Nairobi City (CBD)
Limited places available: 25 pax
Cost: Kshs 1000/=
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016
Enquiries: http://www.alexandernderitu.com

In this workshop, you will learn about:

• Marketing Basics

• Frontal Assault - The News Release

• Artistes in Marketing - Tales From the Battlefield

• Network Marketing – Forging Strategic Alliances!

• Branding

• E-mail Marketing - The Stealth Weapon!

• ‘NicheCraft’

• Publicity vs Advertising

• Content Marketing

• Navigating the Modern Technological Terrain

....Among other tactics

PLUS: A CD containing:

• J. Conrad Levinson’s ‘200 Marketing Weapons’

• Selected videos on marketing and writing

• 'CHANGING KENYA'S LITERARY LANDSCAPE (2012 Onwards)': A highly acclaimed research e-paper to give you the intelligence information you need before storming the entertainment scene!

Full details: www.alexandernderitu.com/artistes.html


 

First Chinese-to-Kiswahili Poetry Book Launched

By Alexander Nderitu (www.AlexanderNderitu.com)

Twaweza Communications, in partnership with Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, have produced the first poetry book to be translated from a Chinese dialect into Kenya's national language, Kiswahili. The verses were written by renowned Chinese poet Jidi Majia and translated into Kiswahili by Kenyan writer Philo Ikonya (from an English version). The 128-page book, entitled 'Maneno Ya Moto Ya China', was launched on 22nd July 2016, at the Confucius Institute in the University of Nairobi. Those in attendance included Prof. Kimani Njogu, Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia, cultural analyst Dr. Nyairo and Prof. Jane Mutiga.

Some remarks:

Prof. Kithaka Wa Mberia (poet, playright, UoN linguistics lecturer): 'Many influential works have come to us through translation - Neruda (Spanish), Pushkin (Russian). Nyerere brought Shakespeare to us...When we understand other cultures, we minimize suspicion and misconceptions...We should not just translate literature from the big powers. Hopefully, some Kikuyu, Pokomo, Kiswahili poetry will also be read in Beijing or Berlin or elsewhere because someone translated them.'

Prof. Njogu (Twaweza Communications): 'Every dissertation written by a Korean is translated at the expense of the Korean gov't...We need a National Book Translation Fund...and a National Book Policy.'

There have been a few other Sino-Swahili translations (eg. Chairman Mao's 'Little Red Book') but 'Maneno Ya Moto Ya China' is believed to be the first such translation of a creative work.

Assorted images from the book launch:

  

 Alexander Nderitu at the Confucius Institute: