ALWAYS NO CHECK CHECK DANCE OFF COMPETITION

Mist emerged the winners of this year’s Always Dance off Competition dubbed ‘Always No Check Check Dance Off’, rising out of 100 groups of female contestants from across the country who gathered at Central Park to showcase their dancing talent before a panel of professional judges, family, friends and well-wishers.
Always, a leading brand in sanitary pad protection in Kenya gave girls aged 12-18 years an opportunity to portray their confidence and to express themselves through dance. The competition was a huge success as students, parents and friends made their way to Central Park in support of their best dance crew. The competition this year was unlike any other held in the past as the contestants formed groups of four and performed their well-rehearsed dance routines to the ‘Always No Check Check’ jingle played in different renditions of rock, ragga, kapuka and hip hop. The girls portrayed tremendous skill and talent.



Speaking at the competition, Always Brand Manager Riccardo Cele said that girls generally feel less confident during their monthly periods and their self-esteem is also low. The dance off competition is therefore an attempt to raise esteem and build self confidence among the girls. “The always dance competition is an avenue for girls to express themselves and feel free about who they are and to show their talent through music and dance,” Riccardo added.
As a way of motivating the girls all participants walked away with prizes Always branded merchandise while the winners took home KSH 80,000 and Ksh 60,000 for the runners-up The brand has always had a keen interest in the girl child and through initiatives such as ‘Always Keeping Girls in School Program’ a partnership with the Ministry of education, it has supported girls in schools by providing them with free sanitary pads. This program has also given more than 20,000 girls information guiding and counseling with key focus on puberty and how to handle themselves during their menses.

LARRY ASEGO DONATES FOOTBALL KITS IN KISUMU

After successfully providing football kits to Makadara youths in Nairobi, Larry Asego and his team took the initiative to Kisumu last Saturday.
“The idea is to give football kits to deserving junior teams because this talent has to be tapped at a tender age,” Larry said.
The junior team from Nyawita slum received kits from kind donors like Kiss 100’s Caroline Mutoko who donated footballs, Keval from www.kshiv.org who helped source for 40 full football kits, Heartstrings Kenya provided lunch for the over 60 children who showed up for the games while Oxfam provided transport and prize money for the tournament.
Oxfam GB staff member Alun McDonald promised to support a club that will name itself after his home team – Swansea.
“Next we are hoping to find an organised junior football team in Mombasa, Kilifi or Malindi,” Larry said.
He added that this initiative aims at building football teams to reckon with in the East African region and beyond.

CON ARTISTE MAKES AWAY WITH CAROLINE MUTOKO’S SH1 MILLION

A shady businessman has been accused of conning Kiss 100 Radio presenter Caroline Mutoko out of Sh1 million during her social campaign to equip secondary schools in rural areas with water tanks was charged on Thursday 12.
George Titi Kadu defrauded the presenter by pretending to be an agent of an international company and that he would supply 16 tanks to schools in Kenya, but with the financial support from the presenter.
Being the torch bearer of the education campaign, she was called Kadu and was informed that he would supply the schools through Otung Limited. But the schools which were to receive the tanks were contacted, administrators said they had received no water tank.
When Caroline contacted Pioneer Water Tanks head offices in Australia, but they disowned Kadu saying they had even told him to stop using their name.
Kadu said has denied the charge before a court in Kibera.
The case will be heard on January 13 next year.

Caroline Mutoko’s updates from Geneva

Kiss100 breakfast show presenter Caroline Mutoko is travelling back to Nairobi at the end of the two-day Geneva conference called by Kofi Annan and reports on her experience in the Swiss city.
“The experience in Geneva has been sobering but also enlightening. Sobering because it’s so clear that we have a coalition government that is resistant to reform simply because implementing the reforms laid out in the national accord means a change in the status quo.
“Enlightening because it’s clear that Kenyans must push the political class forward. In fact, a member of the government delegation said, ‘It’s important that we remember that the political class will find it hard to begin reform if those reforms mean editing themselves out of the picture.’ Kenyans must find a way to work towards pushing the political class into reform.”
On a lighter note Caroline met AC Milan’s Philip Senderos and his team who were also staying at the Intercontinental on Monday. “I met them only in passing on the corridor. They were in their red-track suits and all speaking French or German. I didn’t know footballers have a workshop!”
The Standard’s News Editor Ben Agina managed to get snapped with the bald headed football star.