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AA of Kenya - Village Cares
Driver Education - The Key to Safer Roads

By Francis Theuri – CEO, AA of Kenya

Have you ever driven behind someone you were sure has never been to driving school? Such a driver will give all the wrong signals, change direction without warning and make a host of other wrong moves.

Driver training (driving schools) started as a business in the United Kingdom in 1960. The concept quickly spread to Kenya being a British colony. In 1962 AA of Kenya, then called the East African Automobile Association started a driving school with only one car – a Ford Anglia. The driving school was under the leadership of M A S Northcote and other ex-British army men who instilled discipline in driver training. AA of Kenya has to date maintained this discipline in its learner-driver, refresher courses and defensive driving training.

Driving is serious business. A split-second decision can result in life or death. Driving is a career for many, a source of their livelihood and that of their dependants. What then does one need to look for in identifying a credible driving school?

To say the least a driving school should be legally registered offering the requisite number of hours for training. With the new driver training curriculum recently introduced by the National Transport & Safety Authority, it is important that one familiarizes with the different classes or driver training and their requirements.

A reputable driving school would only hire highly qualified and skilled driving instructors. It will also ensure that instructors are hands on in transferring skills and knowledge to their pupils. Enrolling your loved one to a school without any proven track record can lead to a disaster. Remember that driving is no simple task and must be learned the best way possible.

One may also want to enquire about the certification and training required for driving Instructors. Such documents include; Instructor’s license and a Driving License.

Just like anything, before you do business with a company, it is important to carry out research on a driving school. You can ask for referrals or recommendations and even read feedback from past clients.
As a road safety champion in Kenya, AA has in addition to these basic requirements for driver training invested in extensive instructor training and certification by the Kenya Teachers Technical Training College. This means that our instructors are qualified and certified teachers able to effectively transfer knowledge to a variety of students.

In addition, AA offers Defensive Driving course for drivers who have already been behind the wheel but find themselves in need of additional tips to survive complex driving environment. There are courses that are especially designed for fleet owners and corporates who provide their staff with vehicles. Such courses greatly contribute to attitude and behavior change. Organizations whose drivers have gone through the programme report low accident rates among their drivers.

In situations where an employer needs to ascertain the suitability of a driver before entrusting him with a vehicle, AA carries out tests which further evaluate the competency of an employee. Parastatals, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, individual employers, PSV Saccos and private organizations have taken advantage of this service which seeks to foster road safety within their operations and in the country.

More Reasons to Partner with AA Driving Schools
Motor Cycle Riding Instruction:

  • We are proud to be associated with the campaign to make riding safer by training motorcycle (boda boda) riders across the country.
  • Refresher Driving Course: For drivers who wish to acquaint themselves with specific driving skills.
  • Advanced Driving Course: For practicing (experienced) drivers who want to enhance their practical driving skills.
  • AA Driving Manual: Which a comprehensive study material for both new learner drivers and experienced Drivers. It includes a comprehensive chart of road signs and is recommended for every new student and is a useful reference for all drivers.

AA Kenya
0709 333 002
aavillage@aakenya.co.ke

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Village Cares
Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre

The Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre (DMI Centre is a not-for-profit registered medical charity founded in May 1999 with the aim of educating the public about diabetes. This was in response to the alarm raised by various international and local organisations about the increasing number of people being diagnosed with diabetes.

DMI offers the following services to the community:
● Education and training on diabetes management and prevention
● Health education
● Diabetes awareness activities
● Diabetes screening and monitoring: Blood glucose, blood pressure, weight and BMI
● Foot care: education on foot care, foot screening and monitoring for early detection of foot complications, referrals for foot and diabetic wound management
● Community medical camps (organized in rural areas countrywide)
● 3-day residential camps for children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes organised during school holidays
● Provision of insulin to young people aged below 18 years with Type 1 diabetes from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
● Forums for parents of children with diabetes (education and counseling sessions)
● Home visits to monitor children with Type 1 diabetes
Every year, Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre organizes several events including golf tournaments and walks, to raise awareness and funds that go towards sustaining the noble cause.
To offer support to this great initiative call 0722 755 828 or e-mail info@dmi.or.ke

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Village-Cares

Village Cares
M.P. Shah Hospital’s Campaign to Raise Cancer Awareness

M.P. Shah Hospital organized a cancer awareness drive at Village Market to sensitize the public on the importance of early cancer detection and embracing healthy lifestyles to prevent cancer.
The campaign took place in the month of October, coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month as promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to increase attention and support for awareness, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Throughout the campaign period, employees of the hospital wore pink ribbons which are a symbol of breast cancer awareness. The hospital also pitched a tent at the Village Market courtyard where shoppers engaged with cancer awareness materials and educational content. Hospital staff also urged members of the public to undergo early breast cancer screening test.
Alongside these activities, the hospital carried out mammography, breast ultrasound and pap smear tests at its newly opened Village Medical Centre, which is located on second floor at the new wing.
According to the African Cancer Organization, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women globally, with more than two million being diagnosed with the disease annually.
For more health information and medical checkups, visit M.P Shah’s Village Medical Centre today.

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Village Cares
Connecting with the City’s Keepers

At the start of the year, Village Market partnered with the City Council of Nairobi – Westlands sub-county, to offer soft-skills training to county staff. The two-day event was designed to provide practical knowledge designed to build the professional capacity of the sub-county’s workforce, and to bring the county government’s services closer to Village Market’s tenants.
45 staff drawn from various departments within the sub-county received training in interpersonal skills, communication skills, image as well as personal branding. The event also offered a platform for Village Market staff to learn from the city’s keepers about the demands of public service. Both organizations shared meaningful conversations on how best to sensitize Nairobi’s residents to be better custodians of the city.
For 24 years now, Village Market has embraced responsible business practices by reaching out and touching the lives of its surrounding communities. Our involvement in the society is hinged on four pillars: Arts and Culture, Education, Environment and Health. We continue to partner with like-minded organizations and individuals to make a difference in the environment and the lives of people. Should you wish to support our social responsibility efforts or learn more about what we do, kindly contact us on:

Tel: 020-712 2488/90
Email: admin@villagemarket-kenya.com

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Village Cares - World Oceans Day
Empowering Young People to Care About Our Oceans

Can children and youth help generate a new wave of support for sustainable oceans? The answer lies within us. If we don’t empower them to care and support conservation and preservation of nature, who will?

The best time to have the sustainability conversation with Kenya’s children is now. They are our future and our actions and decisions will impact them either positively or negatively.

On World Oceans Day – 2019 World Wide Fund for Nature – Kenya (WWF-Kenya) partnered with Village Market to inspire young people to care and take action to protect our oceans. The young environmental champions had a chance to interact with marine experts from WWF-Kenya at Under the Sea – the ocean themed indoor play park at Village Market.

While at it they engaged in fun, interactive conservation-themed discussions on how the ocean freely gives us food and oxygen, and underpins trillions of dollars in economic activity worldwide.

Children were empowered to easily identify and understand the value of our oceans, appreciate the benefits as well as motivate them to do right and conserve the environment for a sustainable future.

Whilst our oceans may look vast and endless, we could lose them if we don’t take care of them.
We need to turn the tide on the decline in our coral reefs, mangroves and fisheries, and stop plastic pollution. It is disheartening that eight million tonnes of plastic are leaking into our oceans every year.

These conservation values need to be passed on to the next generation. It is for these reasons that Lily Dali – WWF Kenya’s marine expert explained to the young people why they need to use less plastic. She helped the children visualize how plastics choke our environment and leading to a decline in marine and human life.

Did you know that it takes about 400 years for the plastic you use once and throw away, to decompose?

Here is what you could do to stop plastic pollution:

• Say no to disposable plastic cutlery. We throw them away immediately after use
• Say no to plastic straws and instead contribute to plastic-free oceans
• Always carry your own reusable water bottle

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