Derrick Wachaya

Globe Theatre, Nairobi

Writer at Thred

God's son | Automated To New Adventures | Writer @ThredMag | Climate Activist @re1initiative | Comms Specialist

Featured in: Favicon

thred.com

sustainthemag.com Favicon

flipboard.com

Articles

Intense floods signal Nigeria’s growing climate crisis

3 days ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

‘Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is here. It is now,’ says Dr. Tunde Alade, a climate scientist and disaster preparedness expert based in Abuja. ‘What we’re witnessing are the compounding effects of poor drainage infrastructure, deforestation, and erratic weather patterns driven by global warming.’Nigeria’s national flood emergency agency says over two million people were displaced by floods in 2022 alone.
Bohlale Mphahlele's battle against Gender-Based Violence in South Africa

1 week ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

South Africa is dealing with a GBV crisis that has reached epidemic levels. The South African Police Service (SAPS) reports that from July to September 2024 more than 3 children and 10 women lost their lives each day. What’s more, 490 children were targets of attempted murder in this time frame, which shows a 35.7% rise compared to the year before. A nationwide study revealed that physical violence affected 33.1% of South African women aged 18 and above.
Nigerian students build AI to detect fruit ripeness and reduce waste

2 weeks ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

At Caleb University in Lagos, Nigeria, three students are tackling one of agriculture’s oldest and most overlooked problems, determining fruit ripeness. The trio has developed an AI-powered app that can instantly assess whether a mango is ripe, underripe, or rotten, a breakthrough that could drastically cut post-harvest losses and transform fruit quality assessment in Africa.
The deaf-led startup tackling deafness in rural Africa and beyond

2 weeks ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

‘Deaf children in Africa are often denied the right to education simply because they can’t afford hearing aids. We wanted to change that,’ says Sarah Molema, Deaftronics founder. So far, Deaftronics has supplied thousands of solar-powered hearing aids across the Southern African region. Countries such as Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Lesotho have already seen the life-changing impacts of this innovation.
Namibia to offer free university education from 2026

3 weeks ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

In a move set to transform the future of its youth, Namibia has announced that university and vocational education at public institutions will be free from next year. The government decision in Namibia to give free university education is a ground-breaking step that will positively impact the economic and social directions of the country. As of today, the unemployment rate among young people in the country is a worrying 44.4%.
Nearly all of the world’s coral reefs are being hit by mass bleaching

1 month ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

According to ICRI research, between February 2023 and April 2024, record ocean temperatures pushed reefs past thermal thresholds. Studies show the Eastern Tropical Pacific, the Great Barrier Reef, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Indian Ocean face the worst effects. Extreme bleaching occurs from just one meter below the surface to several meters down. For most coastal communities coral reef loss means more than an environmental disaster – it threatens their very existence.
Documentary by BBC Africa Eye triggers national reflection in Kenya

1 month ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

A new round of political debate and public outrage has swept across Kenya in the wake of the release of the explosive BBC Africa Eye documentary ‘Blood Parliament.’BBC Africa Eye’s new documentary ‘Blood Parliament’ delves into the chilling events of July 2024 amid protests against Kenya’s contested Finance Bill. It has exposed layers of brutality and prompted questions about state accountability, democratic rights, and police violence.
UN reports highlight sexual violence crisis against children in Sudan

1 month ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

As the civil war in Sudan continues, the United Nations recently released a troubling report detailing a rise in sexual exploitation of children. Sudan’s civil war that has been waged between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has brought extreme abuses against children among the other things, says latest reports.
I attended CGIAR Science Week at UN Headquarters in Nairobi

1 month ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

It was an incredible learning experience to attend the inaugural CGIAR Science Week held at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi. Last week, over 13,000 participants convened at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya to address the food, land and water systems’ key challenges against the threat of climate change. Several scientists, researchers, global leaders – including youth leaders – were present for this inaugural event.
Microsoft introduces 3D telemedicine technology in Africa

2 months ago | thred.com | Derrick Wachaya

Microsoft has introduced 3D telemedicine technology to increase healthcare access across rural and underserved areas in the African continent. Microsoft’s 3D telemedicine service uses cutting-edge holographic and augmented reality to deliver completely immersive, real-time doctor-patient consultations. As opposed to traditional telemedicine based on 2D video conferencing, the technology allows physicians to see patients in three dimensions for improved assessment of symptoms and conditions.