We extend the right hand of friendship and Greetings from Tanzania! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Tanzania to make your Once In A Lifetime Tanzania Safari vacation the best it can be!

 Tanzania Safari News Straight from the Serengeti!

• On our latest Tanzania safari tour at Arusha National Park, our guests enjoyed the high-flying acrobatics of the black-and-white colobus monkeys!

• You’ll always see the Giraffes of the Mikumi National Park, eating from the Acacia trees along the Mkata river so be sure to include that in your Tanzania safari package.

• As the sun began to set, an aardwolf emerged from its burrow to hunt among the termite mounds at Serengeti National Park, a rare experience to be seen for our Once in a Lifetime Tanzania safari vacation guests.

• As the rains begin to fall on the crater, the male black rhinos of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are beginning their courtship rituals with the females. If you’ve seen these rituals in TV documentaries, you’ll find it even more intriguing live and up close during your Tanzania safari vacation!

Tanzania Safari News!

DATELINE- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Cirkovic: Simba won’t just sit back, defend

Source article can be found at: www.thecitizen.co.tz

Simba head coach Milovan Cirkovic has vowed to go on the offensive against Al Ahly Shandy of Sudan on Sunday despite carrying a convincing Confederation Cup first leg lead.The Serbian whose side clobbered the Sudan’s representatives 3-0 at the National Stadium almost a fortnight ago said the battle was not yet won, therefore they will attack from the outset.

Cirkovic, who prefers a 4-4-2 formation, expressed his respect for Al Ahly Shandy saying that the Shandy based club has been almost “unbeatable” when playing on their home ground.

“We have not qualified for the next stage yet, 3-0 is a normal margin for a good team to overturn and Al Ahly Shandy are among those good teams, so we have no option but to fight to the last minute,” he said.

The Serb added: “We will play an attacking game from the outset because if we play a defensive game, we will put ourselves under a lot of pressure and end up conceding.“We don’t want a situation where Al Ahly will possess the ball. We have to attack and defend and that is how I want my boys to play on Sunday,” he said.

The coach, who guided Simba to the 2011/12 Vodacom Premier League title, said his players were in a positive frame of mind especially after recording a 5-0 win over nemesis Yanga on Sunday.

“The victory over Yanga was special, we played very well and I believe that it will inspire my players to keep the winning rhythm going,” he said. Simba arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday ready for the 100-kilometre journey to Shandy town where the showdown will take place.Should the Msimbazi boys eliminate the Shandy side, they will face a team that will fail to qualify for the last eight of the African Champions League.

We here at Once in a Lifetime Safari are rooting for our Tanzanian “Home” team, Simba SC, as they progress in the Confederation Cup! Let’s go Simba SC!! Msimbazi Street Giants for the win! Whoo-hoo!!

DATELINE- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Tanzania: Gas Company Plans Massive Investments

Source article can be found at: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke

NORWEGIAN oil and gas giant Statoil, which recently announced huge discovery of proven five trillion cubic feet of gas off the Southern coastline, plans a multibillion dollar investment in liquefied natural gas plant (LNG) in the country over the next decade.

The company has therefore asked the government to invest heavily in education to create a pool of highly qualified and skilled human resource to serve in the prospective oil and gas industry.”The huge LNG plant that we envisage will definitely require many people with relevant skills…this is the challenge for Tanzania to prepare well in advance to supply the market with the requisite workforce,” Statoil ASA President and Chief Executive Officer Helge Lund said in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

He advised Tanzanians to put emphasis on science education for their children as potential geologists for Statoil, which would prefer having over 95 per cent of its workforce sourced locally.”Although we don’t have skill deficiency in our operations right now, we foresee acute shortage of skilled people in a decade time when we expect to start production,” Mr Lund said.

Statoil Country Manager Bjorn Albert Holbaek Rasmussen said the gas and oil giant aspires doing professional, efficient, competitive and high valued business.Mr Rasmussen said the company is investing a lot in technology, saying oil and gas is a complicated industry whose economic impacts can be realized over long period. He said the good relation between the company and the communities around its operations is of paramount importance.

The company announced in February 2012 that it had encountered indications of natural gas in the Zafarani exploration well in the Block 2 licence offshore in Southern Tanzania. Industry analysts have described the new and largest ever discovery in the country as a potential catalyst for large scale natural gas developments in Tanzania.

The huge gas discovery reinforces the country’s hopes to become a gas production and distribution hub serving fast-growing Asian markets.Statoil operates the license on Block 2 on behalf of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), with a 65 per cent working interest while ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Ltd hold the remaining 35 per cent.

Statoil has been in Tanzania since 2007 when it was awarded the license for Block 2. TPDC has the right to 10 per cent working interest in case of a development phase.

Bill McLaughlin from Once in a Lifetime Safari says, “ We feel that Statoil, requesting the government to invest in the education of local Tanzanian students, shows the great importance the company has in ensuring that it supports the local economy by employing future workers within Tanzania, instead of outsourcing. The future of Tanzania will be great if they focus on the education of children today”

Check back with OnceInALifetimeSafari.com next week for more updates from Tanzania and start booking your Tanzania Once In A Lifetime Safari Tanzania adventure today!!

Jambo (Hello) from Kenya! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Kenya which can help you plan your Once in a Lifetime Kenya Safari vacation!

 Some Kenya Safari Vacation Highlights!!

• Some of our Kenya Safari adventurers were lucky to see the Hunter’s Hartebeest, an extremely rare and endangered antelope near Crocodile Point at Tsavo East National Park!

• Kenya Once in a Lifetime Safari birdwatchers had the opportunity to get some great action photos of Jackson’s francolin in their natural habitat along the safari trails at Aberdare National Park.

• Before you go on your Once in a Lifetime Kenya Safari vacation, watch the Movie “Born Free” about George and Joy Adamson and Elsa the Lioness. Once on safari, be sure to go to Meru National Park and pay your respects at Elsa’s gravestone. It is a powerful and moving sight to behold!

Kenya Safari Vacation News!

DATELINE- Nairobi:

Kenya Airways, Cellulant Partner To Launch ‘KQ Mobile’

Source article can be found at: www.coastweek.com

Kenya Airways, in conjunction with local IT firm Cellulant, has launched a new mobile technology platform that will enable the airline’s customers to enjoy enhanced interactive services.

In a trendsetting move, Kenya Airways now becomes one of the first airlines in Africa to deliver a mobile phone-based solution as part of its customer service information enhancement program.

Speaking when he confirmed the new development, Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni said that the information will be delivered on their customer’s mobile phones via multiple channel solutions.

The recently launched service dubbed ‘KQ Mobile’ can be accessed through the short code *737# and will allow the airline’s customers to conveniently access information on their flight status, timetable, cargo services, ticketing and query their Msafiri Miles status.

Powered by Cellulant, the new KQ Mobile platform can also be accessed while roaming across all 56 Kenya Airways destinations.

The service comprises bulk SMS and USSD platforms.

Bulk SMS enables the sending of SMSs to the airline’s staff and customers through local and international mobile operator networks.

USSD (which stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) platform enables a subscriber’s phone handset to perform certain business/information transactions by dialing a certain code.

“At Kenya Airways, our commitment to diversify customer service information delivery channels beyond the traditional platforms remains one of our key business priorities.

“Our partnership with Cellulant is expressly geared to explore new avenues to achieve this goal,” Naikuni said.

He added: “Our ultimate goal is to leverage the convenience element presented by a mobile phone to deliver a range of services and information to our customers, staff and stakeholders.”

With the activation of KQ Mobile, Kenya Airways is now well positioned to deliver customer information on a real-time basis, as well as tailor services to its customers.

According to Cellulant’s Chief Business Officer Paul Ndichu, the new partnership with KQ will afford the national carrier a range of interactive mobile based platforms to engage its passengers and customers among other stakeholders including staff.

“The goal of the partnership is to leverage the mobile phone to provide various information services to KQ customers, staff and other stakeholders in order to improve communication, enable itinerary and disruption management, payments and, importantly, to provide passengers the opportunity to customize their travel experience with ease,” Ndichu explained.

“This a great value-added tool for our European, Middle Eastern, and Asian guests who choose to fly Kenya Airways as they begin and end their African safari holiday,” says Bill McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Once in a Lifetime Safari, “Kenya Airways is at the forefront of African airlines providing customers with 21st century technology.”

DATELINE- Kiganjo:

Fish production in Central region up by 19 per cent

Source Article can be found at: www.eaststandard.net

Production of fish in Nyeri County has increased significantly in the last one year, a new report shows.

The survey by National Trout Hatchery in Kiganjo, Nyeri, indicates production has gone up by 19 per cent in the last five years.

Revenue from trout also increased from Sh225,000 in 2005 to Sh1.2 million last year.

The officer in charge of the hatchery, Justus Njue, attributes the rise to increase in fish demand by locals as well as tourists.

“We have already closed production for this year but we have not met the demand despite surpassing our targets,” says Njue.

However, the report says the number of riverine trout has reduced over the years because of human activities such as over exploitation and degraded habitats.

“Currently, naturalised trout populations are found deep in the forest where there is little or no anthropogenic influence. Even in protected areas, the threat of fish poachers for riverine fish is very real,” reads the report.

The hatchery produces two tonnes of fish per year but Mr Njue says they are aiming to increase that number to five tonnes. The report shows fingerling production had surpassed the target by 7.2 per cent. The fingerlings were, however, seven per cent less than the previous year, an aspect that was blamed on high mortality.

The report attributes the increase in general production to infrastructural expansion. The move to start own fish feeds production unit has also enabled the farm to cut expenditure.

To further increase production, the hatchery is in the process of remodelling ponds from rectangular to circular. The current ponds are big in size and many areas in the pond remain unutilised thus reducing productivity.

Njue notes that the hatchery is yet to reach its maximum production capacity due to water flow fluctuations in Sagana River.

We here at Once in a Lifetime Safari support the efforts of the National Trout Hatchery and hope our guests will get a chance to visit the hatchery during their Kenya safari vacation.

Book your Kenya Safari vacation today and be sure to check back next week here at OnceInALifetimeSafari.com for the latest information from Kenya, KWAHERI!!!! (GOODBYE!!!!)

Jambo (Hello) from Kenya! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Kenya which can help you plan your Kenya Safari vacation!

 Some Kenya Safari Vacation Highlights!!

• Elephants and Egyptian Geese are frolicking in great numbers, they have been arriving at the swamp region below Observation Hill in Amboseli National Park. This is creating a wonderful viewing experience for guest while exploring this unique park while on their exciting Kenya safari vacation.
  

• While some of our Once In A Lifetime Safari guests were on their Kenya safari vacation expedition, a larger than normal number of Baboon families seemed to be congregating around the Karsa waterhole at Sibiloi National Park. This event provided a fantastic up-close photo opportunity for these Kenya safari adventurers!

• During a Kenya safari adventure, a family of Hyrax were spotted while safari hikers were in the alpine zone of Mt. Kenya National Park. A great treat for these Kenya trekkers!

Kenya News!

DATELINE- Nairobi:

Ondieki the Fisherman: Kenya’s first ever opera

Source article can be found at: www.theeastafrican.co.ke

Ondieki the Fisherman was written 39 years ago by Francis Chandler, who was then the head of English at Limuru Girls’ High School, to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary. Inspired by an essay by his student Sarah Alai, which recounted the tale of a foolish, wife-battering fisherman called Ondieki, Chandler wrote both the libretto (text) and music of the opera. He wrote the music for the lead soprano Mariam specifically for the voice of the 16-year-old Rhoda Ondeng,’ who has since gone on to become an internationally renowned opera singer.

Until now, Ondieki has lived only in the memory of Chandler, Ondeng’ Wilhelmsen and the former students of Limuru Girls’, including Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch, who was the guest of honour at the gala night of the opera’s revival.

However, thanks to cyberspace, Chandler and Ondeng’ Wilhelmsen recently contacted each other, after which Chandler rewrote the opera to include male voices and Ondeng’ Wilhelmsen was the producer of the historic revival of Ondieki the Fisherman at Braeaburn Theatre on the stormy night of Friday, April 20.

Mariam was played by Elizabeth Njoroge, Charles Dickens Awany was Ondieki, Ben Katumba was the chief, Maggie Gitu was the witchdoctor and Linda Muthama made a very memorable storyteller.

The story is set in the village of Bandari on the shores of Lake Victoria, where the storyteller and the villagers in the chorus Mjinga, tell the story of Ondieki and his battered wife Mariam. When the witchdoctor arrives, the villagers ask her to perform some magic, which she has never succeeded in doing, but this time, to her horror and surprise, her words “turn the singer’s tale into present scenes” actually come to pass.

The Ballet of the Mending of the Nets marks the “turning” of the scenes from the singer’s tale into “present scenes” and also depicts the fate of Ondieki, who eventually drowned in the lake, dragged down by his own nets, which he always refused to mend.

In these “past scenes” Ondieki ignores the advice of the village chief and continues to batter his wife Mariam who, after some reflection in her aria Long Ago, puts together her belongings and leaves him the following morning at dawn.

The music is melodic and pleasant to listen to, even for an audience that is not well acquainted with opera, perhaps because it has more arias (“proper” songs) and choruses than recitatives (singing that sounds more like speaking).

The production as a whole was a showcase for Kenyan talent, with Alakie Mboya-Owuor as the director, Kiggundu F. Musoke conducting the orchestra and refreshingly innovative choreography by Jade Pesa and Julius Owiti. The chorus comprised singers from the choirs Cantus in Choro and Taifa Mziki and former students of Kenyatta University. All this is a promising sign that with appropriate funding, there is enough talent in Kenya to create world class theatre productions.

But what makes this a Kenyan opera?  Is it because the story is based on a fictitious village on the shores of Lake Victoria, about a fisherman called Ondieki or is it because of the Kenyan costume with villagers dressed in colourful lessos, except for two in Maasai attire despite the lakeside setting, or is it because it is produced by a Kenyan opera singer who was in fact the original  lead soprano? It is a Kenyan opera for all these reasons and the fact that in many ways its journey, from when it was first written to its restaging in April,  reflects all the things that define what we call Kenya, including the “Englishness” that we are wont to deny. As you are enjoying your Kenya Safari, we here at Once In a Lifetime Safari highly recommend seeing this performance live, as it is a rare once in a lifetime experience!

DATELINE- Yatta:

Kenyan villagers grow their way out of food aid

Source Article can be found at: www.trust.org/alertnet/news

In the remote east Kenyan village of Makutano, Jane Mutinda Maingi is feeding maize to her Friesian dairy cow, bought just a week ago with proceeds from selling produce grown on her one-hectare plot.

Despite frequent droughts in the semi-arid Yatta region, the 60-year-old mother of six has healthy maize crops on her farm, as well as vegetables such as chilli peppers and cucumbers, some destined for the export market.

“Since my childhood, this area has never been known for agricultural production,” she says. “In fact, until two years ago, the government and other humanitarian organisations always had a default programme of bringing us food aid every year.”

Tired of this dependency, several households in Yatta came together in 2009 under a church-led initiative aimed at stamping out hunger and ending the need for food aid. They called their project “Operation Mwolyo Out” (OMO), “Mwolyo” meaning food aid in the local Kamba language.

They started to invest in ways of harvesting and conserving water, and to experiment with a mix of indigenous and innovative methods of dry-land farming. The approach quickly bore fruit.

The scheme now has a membership of 3,000 registered households, with 2,000 more hoping to take part.

“It is the first programme I have seen that has managed to end dependence on food aid,” says Lawrence Kiguro, associate director for livelihoods and resilience at international aid group World Vision Kenya, which helped the community-led scheme get off the ground.

Titus Masika, director and founder of the Christian Impact Mission, which leads the OMO initiative, says participants listen to a wide range of advice about dry-land farming and how to adapt to climate change. “But we never implement any of it without trialing it in our own way,” the church bishop explains.

He spreads out a newspaper from 2009, when drought hit the Ukambani region, including Yatta. “One story moved me to tears. It was the story of Ngina Wambua from Ndeke village in the neighborhood, who had died of hunger three days after giving birth to twin daughters,” he recalls.

He was also upset by a television report about how local mothers were prostituting their daughters to get food. These incidents prompted him to bring together agricultural and marketing experts – originally from the local area but most now working elsewhere – to think about how to resolve the hunger situation.

“After our deliberations, we discovered that the main problem across the Ukambani region was water – and that gave us an entry point,” he explains.

The team then came up with a model for hunger eradication in Yatta, which was published in a booklet with help from World Vision. Costing 500 Kenyan shillings ($4), it serves as a reference guide for Yatta residents.

World Vision’s Kiguro regards the OMO project as one of Africa’s most successful community-driven initiatives focused on individual households.

“As a development NGO, we are learning lessons from it as well, so that we can implement them elsewhere,” he says.

Other international aid agencies are also interested in how it operates, including Norwegian Church Aid and Church World Service.

The OMO model has seven pillars, starting with the mobilization of local people by the church, self-help groups or other associations.

The community must then find a suitable way of harvesting water and enabling households to store it. Today, each participating family in Yatta is required to have a water pan, a small reservoir dug out on a slope to capture rainwater run-off for irrigation and other purposes.

They must also explore appropriate agricultural techniques and invest in high-value horticultural farming to generate income, as well as growing maize which goes to feed the family.

Farmers start out practicing the OMO method on one hectare of land each. Maize is grown on one half to ensure local food security, and the rest is allocated to horticultural crops.

They can expand the approach to more land once they are producing enough food to feed their dependents comfortably and making some profits.

OMO members are also branching out into making value-added goods like fruit juice, as well as running services such as village-owned shops and milling machines. And they are involved in finding suitable markets for what they produce, both locally and further afield.

Thanks to all this, a region where people were dying of hunger just a few short years ago is now producing enough food for all its residents, supplying produce to Nairobi and even selling to international markets.

“The people of the Ukambani region should be proud of themselves,” says Bill McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Once In A Lifetime Safari, LLC. , “They have proven that they do not have to rely on organizations for food aid support, be sure to stop by one of their shops if you get a chance and help support their efforts!”

Book your Kenya Safari today and be sure to check back next week here at OnceInALifetimeSafari.com for the latest information for your Kenya safari vacation, KWAHERI!!!! (GOODBYE!!!!)

We extend the right hand of friendship and Greetings from Tanzania! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Tanzania to make your Tanzania Safari  experience the best it can be!

Tanzania Safari News Straight from the Serengeti!

• Tanzania safari explorers have been amazed at Lake Manyara, where’s it’s like a life-size game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos congregating at this Tanzania Hippo pond!

• As Tanzania safari guests were exploring Tarangire National Park, they didn’t have to look for the lions roaming the grasses since most of them had their fill and could be seen lounging up in the trees! 

• In the southeastern plains of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania safari explorers have seen cheetahs stalking for their dinner of elands and impalas.

• While on your Tanzania  safari, be sure to visit the Tamarind tree at Katavi National Park. At this famous landmark, remember to leave an offering for the legendary hunter, Katabi, whose spirit is said to inhabit the tree, so that you may receive his blessing for a successful Tanzania African Safari vacation adventure!

Tanzania News!

DATELINE- Dodoma, Tanzania:

Tanzania in new initiative to save maize and cassava

Source article can be found at: www.theeastafrican.co.ke

Tanzania has launched two research initiatives to fight and control contamination of maize and cassava by mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are poisonous chemicals secreted by naturally occurring fungi that attack crops in the field and during storage, making them unfit for human and livestock consumption.

The research will determine the extent of mycotoxin contamination in food and develop a solution thereby improve the health and livelihoods of millions of families in the country.

The first project, a six-month research funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) under the Feed the Future initiative, will establish the extent and spread of mycotoxin contamination of maize and cassava at the homestead and in markets in Dodoma and Manyara.

The second project, funded by Meridian Institute on behalf of the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa, seeks to develop a safe and natural biocontrol technology that can effectively reduce aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnuts in the field and during storage.

“The innovative biocontrol solution being proposed in the project works by first identifying and then introducing the naturally occurring non-toxic strains ‘the good fungus’ that can out-compete, displace and drastically reduce the population of their poisonous cousins ‘the bad fungus’,” said Martin Kimanya one of the project partners for the Tanzania Food and Drug Administration.

“It is an economically viable and environmentally safe way to control aflatoxin contamination if correctly applied.”

The biocontrol project has been successfully piloted in Nigeria under the name Aflasafe, where it has been shown to reduce contamination by up to 99 per cent.

Country specific biocontrol products are also being developed for Kenya, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, and Zambia.

According to Dr Kimanya, inadequate pre and post-harvest management practices among smallholder farmers lead to the high and unacceptable levels of mycotoxins in maize and contribute to the high statistics of stunted growth in children under five.

“While there has been a great reduction in the percentage of stunted children in the country from 44 per cent in 1996 to 35 per cent in 2010 due to improvements in the health of mothers, we are still far from achieving our Millennium Development Goal to halve stunting by 2015; a key factor we need to address is to reduce mycotoxins in staple foods,” said Dr Kimanya.

We here at Once In A Lifetime Safari, applaud the efforts of the Tanzanian government in battling this harmful contamination to help the citizens of Tanzania live more fruitful lives.

DATELINE- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Tanzania battles elephant poaching

Source article can be found at: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke

Elephant poaching in Tanzania’s game reserves and national parks is back in full swing as international poachers with local connections kill an average of 20 elephants for their ivory every month.

Wildlife officials say a well-organized group of poachers has been slaughtering elephants for their tusks, which make their way to ivory markets in Asia.

The latest attack occurred last week when eight elephants were poisoned near Tarangire, the country’s third largest national park in western Arusha, taking the death toll to 87 in the first four months of 2012.

Analysts said the continued poaching could hurt tourism, one of the country’s biggest foreign exchange earners. Tourism earnings increased by 11 per cent in 2010 to $1.28 billion, helped by the global economic recovery.

Wildlife experts say the current elephant massacre is a stark reminder of 1970s, when well-armed poachers decimated elephant populations, often with impunity.

African Wildlife Foundation director Saleh John said the killings in the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem suggested that poachers have embraced poisoning as an effective method of mass slaughter of elephants.

Nebo Mwina, acting director of the Wildlife Division in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, said, “The surge in elephant poaching is triggered by a sharp rise in the demand for ivory in China.”

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the price of raw elephant tusk in China has more than tripled in the past year, from $270 a pound to more than $900 a pound.

Ms Mwina said, between 2008 and March 2012, poachers have killed a total of 776 elephants in various national parks. In 2008, 104 elephants were killed, while in 2009 and 2010 poachers slaughtered 127 and 259 jumbos respectively. The figure for 2011 poachers was 276.

Tourism Minister Ezekiel Maige told The EastAfrican that poaching has assumed alarming proportion mainly because of limited resources on the part of the government. “We need a $77 million budget per year to be able to ensure all our national parks are sufficiently secured, while the current budget stands at $38 million annually,” Mr Maige explained.

“Elephant poaching is an issue we here at Once In A Lifetime Safari take seriously,” says Bill McLaughlin, Managing Partner, “our guides are always on the lookout during our Tanzania Safaris for poachers and report any sightings immediately to the proper authorities.”

Check back with OnceInALifetimeSafari.com next week for more updates from Tanzania and start booking your Tanzania Safari vacation packages today!!

We extend the right hand of friendship and Greetings from Tanzania! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Tanzania to make your Tanzania Safari experience the best it can be!

This Week the Weather in Dodoma, Tanzania (4/30-5/06) is:

This Week the Weather in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (4/30-5/06) is:

Safari Vacations in Tanzania:  News Straight from the Serengeti!

• A few more weeks and the Wildebeests will begin their migration to the north.

• Watching the elephants and giraffes on the plains from a hot air balloon is a real treat!!

• Within the Ngorongoro crater rim, large herds of zebra and wildebeest were spotted grazing, while nearby several lions were lazing in the sun.

•  Some endangered Abbot’s duiker were sighted on the foot slopes of Mt.Kilimanjaro’s lush mountain forest!!

Tanzania News!

DATELINE- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Huge Gas Deposits Found in Tanzania

Source article can be found at: http://www.eastafricanewspost.com

The government has started working on strategies to prepare Tanzania’s economy to accommodate huge investments in the natural gas sector in anticipation of major commercial discoveries in the next five years.

The imminent commercial discoveries, whose quantity is yet to be determined, will result into “multi-billion dollar foreign direct investments,” which would add significant revenue flows to the government coffers, as well as take a big part of the country’s export volumes, the facts that will, in pure technical terms, make Tanzania a “gas economy” said the minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Mustafa Mkulo in a letter he sent to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last month.

Tanzania is expected to receive an FDI of around $7 billion from just one company, Ophir Energy and its partners British Gas. Other multinational companies like Petrobras and Statoil are in drilling programs in 2012.

The country has proven natural gas deposits of about 7 trillion cubic feet. It is estimated that Tanzania will confirm around 60 trillion cubic feet of natural gas from the current 7 trillion cf.  About 3.5 trillion cubic feet of the reserves have already been commercialized with natural gas wells being drilled in Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay gas fields. Tanzania’s gas reserves border those of Mozambique in the Ruvuma basin where commercial natural gas reserves of about $800 billion have been discovered by Eni SpA and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. The reserves are 36 times more valuable than Mozambique’s economy.

“Discussions on how to position the country to best take advantage of the huge natural gas potential have been initiated,” Mr Mkulo added in his letter to managing director of IMF Christine Lagarde. To prepare the economy for major gas investments the government is drafting a natural gas master plan as well as a gas and petroleum revenue management bill. The bill will cover the budget treatment of gas revenue.

Bill Mc Laughlin, Managing partner of Once in a Lifetime Safari believes this can only help Tanzania grow and prosper. “The natural gas deposits do not affect and of the reserves or parks , but it will help with tourism as foreign investors come to Tanzania and see the beauty of the country and come back with their families for a Tanzania Safari.”

DATELINE- Karatu District, Tanzania:

Exim Bank Supports Karatu District hospital

Source article can be found at: www.newhabari.com/theafrican

EXIM Bank Tanzania through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has donated building materials to Karatu District hospital in Arusha region. The donated materials include bags of cement provided to aid the completion of a theatre room which is currently under construction.

Speaking shortly after receiving the donation from the bank recently, the Karatu District Commissioner, Mathew Sedoyeka said the donation will support the government’s efforts to improve peoples’ health in the region.

He said the theater building whose construction will cost 89m/- upon its completion will see the hospital providing surgical services differently from the current situation whereas operation patients are referred to the Karatu Lutheran Hospital. “I am very happy that Exim Bank has chosen to support our district hospital by donating these materials which will enable us to move a step further in completing the hospital’s theater building.

“There is no doubt that a well equipped theater, will be able to save lives of Karatu district residents who are at the moment forced to travel long distances to the Karatu Lutheran Hospital, which is miles away from here,” he said.

“At times when patients especially expectant women, who happen to face delivery complications, are in dire need of surgery services in order to save lives of both the mother and the child, accessing the service on time becomes a big challenge,” he said.

On his part, the Exim Bank, Karatu Branch Manager, John Njau said his bank will continue to support various community development activities at places where it operates.

“Our Bank is pleased to support projects geared towards improving the health sector. We are aware that our business will only grow if we have a healthy community. Supporting the community means supporting our customers as a way of giving back part of our profit to the community. We will not get tired to do so,” he said.

We here at Once In A Lifetime Safari are supportive of the community and applaud Exim Bank on their donation to help improve the lives of the citizens in Karatu district. Check back with OnceInALifetimeSafari.com next week for more updates from Tanzania and start booking your Tanzania Safari adventure today!!

Jambo (Hello) from Kenya! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Kenya which can help you plan your Kenya Safari!

This Week the Weather in Nairobi, Kenya (4/30-5/6) is:

This Week the Weather in Mombasa, Kenya (4/30-5/6) is:

Some Kenya Safari Highlights!!

• At the Samburu National Reserve this week, a new male Beisa Oryx was born!

• At Lake Nakuru National Park, some Lion prides are almost ready to welcome some new cubs!

• The Cheetahs are having fun racing across the savannah at the Masai Mara Game Reserve!

Kenya News!

DATELINE- Mombasa:

Kenya Marathon Runners Await Olympics Decision

Source article can be found at: www.bangkokpost.com

In just a week’s time the Kenyan athletics selectors will reveal the final list of the men and women runners who will represent the country in the 2012 Olympic marathon in London in August.

Kenya is facing tough choices over the runners it will field for the marathon for the London Olympics in August, with plans to unveil the team next week.

The women’s list appears all but sealed after Mary Keitany inspired a Kenyan podium clean sweep in the London marathon, whereas in the men’s selection selectors face a headache to pick the best three runners from a star-studded field.

The results in both the Boston and London marathon — which were used as the Olympic trial races — have made the selection even harder and it is likely that some of the athletes drawn from the shortlist Olympic men’s squad of six named in January may not make the team.

Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang, the second fastest man of all time, went clear in London of a class field in the closing stages and won in a time of two hours, four minutes and 44 seconds, taking the gold medal.

Bill McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Once In a Lifetime Safari says, “The Kenyan Olympic committee has a hard decision to make and I do not envy them one bit. All the athletes are excellent runners and whoever ultimately makes the team is sure to make their fellow Kenyans proud, representing their great country on the grandest stage of all.”

DATELINE- Nairobi:

Nairobi City Council Gets ISO Award for Service Delivery

Source Article can be found at: www.nation.co.ke

The City Council of Nairobi was on Tuesday awarded the International Standard Organization (ISO) certification for service delivery. Although residents of Nairobi have long accused the council of providing poor services, with complaints ranging from water shortage, poor street lighting, bad roads, land grabbing and corruption, outgoing Town Clerk Philip Kisia said tremendous achievements had been realized in the last three years, hence the award.

Speaking during the presentation of the certificate at City Hall, Mr Kisia explained that his team had brought reforms in five key sectors, including finance, information communication technology, planning, asset valuation and human resource.

He said his mandate when he joined the council three years ago was “transformational leadership”, saying he had been able to dismantle cartels that had deep-rooted systems in the council. He cited the issuance of single business permits, saying it now takes one day to process these instead of three weeks when the cartels reigned.

Mr Kisia, who is leaving the council to run for Nairobi governor in the next General Election, said the planning department was ranked among the worst in Africa when he took over but is now ranked first in sub-Saharan Africa and 35th worldwide by the World Bank.

“ISO certification is not about the certificate but changing the way things are done from now henceforth,” Mr Kisia said in his last engagement as town clerk on Tuesday.

He said though he received negative publicity, he had been able to pay off debts amounting to Sh4 billion and the council can now sustain its huge payroll of about Sh580 million a month. He also said the council revenue would increase by Sh5 billion once the e-payment system is rolled out in the next few weeks. Mr Kisia said he had also addressed the issue of retirees’ dues, which were pending from 2005, by paying out about Sh500,000 million.

We here at Once in a Lifetime Safari congratulate the Nairobi City Council on their achievement and hope that only good things continue as we work together to make Nairobi and Kenya the premiere Safari destination for tourists.

Book your Kenya Safari today and be sure to check back next week here at OnceInALifetimeSafari.com for the latest information from Kenya, KWAHERI!!!! (GOODBYE!!!!)

Jambo (Hello) from Kenya! This is where you can find the latest weekly information about what’s happening in Kenya which can help you plan your Kenya Safari!

 Some Kenya Safari Highlights!!

• At the Samburu National Reserve , after several years, Kamunyak, a lioness who adopted oryx calves was spotted.
• At Shaba Game Reserve, Crocodiles are sunning on the bank of the Northern Ewaso Ngiro river
• Hippos are congregating in the Mara and Tale rivers at the Masai Mara Game Reserve!

Kenya News!

DATELINE- Mombasa: Kenya aims to be top tech hub Source article can be found at: www.itweb.co.za/

A plan to make Kenya one of the world’s top 10 tech hubs by 2017 has been unveiled by the country’s ICT Board. The “master plan” was released by the Kenyan government’s ICT arm at the Connected Kenya summit held late last week in Mombasa, which brought together government and industry experts.

Kenya ICT Board chief executive Paul Kukubo said the aim is to produce 500 local medium-sized ICT firms and help create 20 Kenyan tech companies, which will have multinational reach, in the next five years. The East African country is streaking ahead of much of the continent in terms of its uptake of the Internet, as undersea cables such as Eassy and Seacom have connected the nation to high-speed broadband. Thus ensuring stability in the Kenya government who is also promoting Safari expeditions. During the past 4 years, Once In A Lifetime Safari has been serving Kenya’s tourist with unique Kenya Safari adventures.

According to Bill McLaughlin, “the stability and additional economic prosperity within the country of Kenya is very good news for its citizens and fellow Kenya Safari adventurers”. Kenya, which has an estimated population of 41 million, had 10 492 785 Internet users at the end of 2011, according to Internet World Stats. This figure is higher than that of Africa’s economic powerhouse, SA, which only had 6 800 000 Internet users as of the end of 2011, according to Internet World Stats. SA has an estimated population of 49 million.

DATELINE- Nairobi: African business leader appointed new president of ARGASource Article can be found at: www.allafrica.com

Kofi Annan, Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa , has announced the appointment of a renowned African business leader from Kenya, Ms Jane Karuku, as the new president of the organization. Ms Karuku was selected after an exhaustive international search process. She joins AGRA from Telkom Kenya a subsidiary of France Telecom-Orange where she has been Deputy Chief Executive. She takes over from Dr Namanga Ngongi who is retiring after five years as the first president of AGRA. “Hundreds of thousands of poor rural households in Africa have already benefited from AGRA’s work and under Ms Karuku’s leadership we can look forward to continued success in moving African farmers along a path to prosperity and ensuring food security,” said Mr Annan.

As Kenya’s Safari industry has prospered during the past 10-15 years, some of the local Kenya farmers have had challenges in finding and cultivating land to expand their agriculture efforts. Once In A Lifetime Safari is happy to hear the appointment of Ms Karuku and her efforts to bring a sense of well being to Kenya’s agricultural endeavors.

Bill McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Once In A Lifetime Safari LTD (Kenya Based Safari company) stated, “I am grateful to Ms Karuku’s efforts in continuing to assist Kenya’s local farmers. Over the past decade, Kenya has seen a tremendous surge in tourism in the Safari industry.” Ms Karuku’s career has spanned over 20 years, most of which has been spent in the agricultural sector. She has held senior positions in a number of successful international corporate entities including Farmers Choice and Cadbury Limited where she served as the managing director with responsibility for 14 countries in the East and Central African region. Ms Karuku was educated at the University of Nairobi and holds an MBA from California National University.

Book your Kenya Safari today and be sure to check back next week here at OnceInALifetimeSafari.com for the latest information from Kenya.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, KWAHERI!!!!

(GOODBYE!!!!)

Here is one example of a vacation package you can choose: On day one you arrive at the Mombasa Moi Airport and are greeted by an agent, who drives you to the beautiful Mombasa Continental Beach Resort to relax and get ready for your upcoming adventure. On day two you travel to Tsavo East National Park where you see wildlife such as elephants, buffalo, zebras, lions and giraffes! Day two ends with an overnight stay at the cozy Ashnil Arubu Lodge.

Day three is also spent exploring Tsavo East National Park, because with the largest wildlife sanctuaries on the east coast of Africa, there is a lot to see… On day four you travel to Tsavo West National Park, which is known for its unique terrain created by recent volcanic activity. During your Tsavo West excursion you visit an underwater observatory where you can watch hippopotamuses and fresh water crocodiles in their natural habitat.

Day five begins with some more exploring and then you travel back to Mombasa. The next two days are spent enjoying Mombasa Continental Beach Resort. At the resort, you can tour Haller Park and the Bamburi Forest trails, go Buccaneer Diving, play a round of golf, see the Dolphin Show, and much more. On day eight, after some time relaxing on Shanzu Beach, you are driven back to Mombasa Moi Aiport for your return flight home.

This is just one of the many Safari Vacation Packages that are available to you. Vacation packages include overnight accommodations, Kenyan park entrance fees, airport transfers, breakfasts, lunches and dinners during your time in Africa, exclusive use of a safari vehicle throughout your adventure, and an English speaking driver/tour guide. Book your once in a lifetime Kenya safari vacation today!

As you have returned home, you are now realizing why a Once In A Lifetime Safari adventure truly is a Once In A Lifetime experience.

It is our sincere wish that all of your Safari expectations and dreams have come true. We are so happy you and your fellow explorers decided to share your Safari adventure with us. Please note any comments on this blog regarding your African Safari expedition. It is our Safari team’s goal not only to meet, but exceed our guest expectations.

Now that you have returned back home, please share your Once In A Lifetime Safari experiences with your family, friends and neighbors. Please keep us in mind if your future plans are to take another Once In A Lifetime Safari holiday.

Warm regards,

Bill

Jambo to all of our Once In A Lifetime Safari fans!

Once In A Lifetime Safari is very excited to see many of our previous safari guest returning back to the continent of Africa.

Our safari coordinators have been receiving reports from our Once In A Lifetime Safari guides and their guest. They have indicated the weather has been spectacular while on their safari holidays in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa.

We have also been receiving reports that many of Kenya and Tanzania’s watering holes are being visited by large numbers of popular and unique animals.

This is great news, especially since in the past few years we have been experiencing droughts in many of Kenya and Tanzania parks and reserves.

With watering holes full and grass growing tall, the wilderbeast migration is in full swing.

All of our Once in a Lifetime Safari coordinators are waiting for your itinerary request for a Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa exciting safari vacation.

Warn regards,

Bill McLaughlin
Founder
Once In A Lifetime Safari LTD/LLC
info@onceinalifetimesafari.com
727-415-3449