Every Sunday morning at 7.55, BBC Radio Four broadcasts a five-minute appeal for a good cause.
Listeners are invited to respond by sending cheques to a Freepost address or making payments online or by telephone. Last week, the appeal concerned Kenya.
Nigerian-born British actress Nikki Amuka-Bird explained that the global feminist group Womankind Worldwide was working on a groundbreaking project in primary schools in Kibera, Nairobi, to assist abused girls.
According to the United Nations, more than a third of Kenya females have experienced physical violence from a partner, while 17 per cent have suffered from sexual abuse. Despite this, 90 per cent of Kenya girls do not receive any medical or other support.
To address this problem, Amuka-Bird explained, the charity installed secure metal boxes, known as Talking Boxes, in Kibera’s schools.
Girls can write down their experiences and post them into the boxes without fear of being identified or shamed.
Trained mentors then visit each school weekly, go through the notes and hold group discussions with girls on the issues raised.
CULTURAL PRACTICES
Where there is an urgent need to intervene, mentors meet with the girls one-on-one and help them to access help.
According to Womankind, complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death among Kenya girls aged 15 to 19, mainly due to practices such as female genital mutilation.
Kenya, it said, was a country where men held positions of power, with women accounting for only 18 per cent of seats in the national parliament and 5.8 per cent at county level. “This means Kenyan women’s needs and concerns go unheard,” Womankind argues.
It adds, “Even though the Constitution of Kenya 2010 improved women’s rights, many still have limited access to justice and are unaware of their rights.”
Furthermore, while devolution created opportunities for women in leadership, they needed support and skills to participate effectively, the charity said.
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When it comes to football, what many non-sporty people do not understand is that supporting your team goes far beyond simple loyalty and actually enters the realm of love.
Peter George, aged 65, a fan of the Midlands club, West Bromwich Albion, was watching a home game with visiting Newcastle United when he began to feel unwell.
He had picked up the coronavirus and within three weeks was in hospital in an induced coma. Peter’s family received no response when they tried to communicate with him, and as his vital organs began to fail, his wife, Teresa, was called in to say goodbye.
But Teresa had other ideas. “He had always been mad about the Albion,” she said, “so I thought, Music! Albion music!”
A compilation of tunes played regularly at Albion games was put together, a nurse was asked to hold the phone close to Peter’s ear while the tape was played and, lo and behold, the patient’s legs twitched.
Said Teresa: “You could see the wonder on his face.” On April 13, Peter came off the ventilator and last week returned home, having made a full recovery. One-nil to the Albion!
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One of the nastier results of the national lockdown has been an increase in spitting attacks on police and key workers.
The National Police Chiefs Council said there was a 14 per cent rise in assaults on police in one month compared with last year.
The increase was largely due to suspects spitting at officers while claiming to be infected with the coronavirus.
Nottingham police officer Anthony Brice was arresting a man in Worksop when he spat in his face. Officer Brice later tested negative for the virus but said he and his family were “incredibly anxious” before the result was known.
His assailant, Daniel Hagerty, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison.
Mr Brice attributed the rise in assaults to the “frustrations of the lockdown”. He said, “We police get the brunt of it when people don’t like being told what to do.”
Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said, “Now we are seeing these people go to prison, which is where they should be.”
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Another upsurge caused by the lockdown, but a much nicer one, has been in the consumption of cream teas.
Analysts reported that afternoon tea topped the list of online searches for food takeaways.
The traditional cream tea is a light meal of scones, clotted cream (Devon or Cornish) and jam, with a pot of tea. Many purveyors add sandwiches and cakes to the usual menu.
Business chef Victoria Austin said afternoon teas were now her bestsellers and made up for losses from cancelled wedding parties and birthday celebrations.
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Four terrible tea jokes:
What sort of tea do Italians like? Spaghett-tea.
How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.
What is the difference between the England football team and a tea bag? The tea bag stays in the cup longer.
Said the coffee cup: Tea is for mugs.
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