South Africa
I am an experienced business writer and editor. I write and edit annual reports on behalf of numerous listed companies including of one of South Africa's leading retailers and an integrated energy company. I develop content linked to an organisation's strategy, ensuring that their value creation story cuts through.
Massmart Integrated Annual Report 2016
Deep in the heart of Kenya's coffee growing region, a small yet impressive business is growing and changing the lives of local Kenyans. It is here in Ruiru District, Kiambu County that the noise of welding and banging signifies hope and opportunity at the BURN Manufacturing site that is producing revolutionary clean cookstoves.
Imagining life on an island conjures up images of white-sand beaches, the warm ocean and the whir of an overhead fan gently stirring the breeze. But when the fan stops running because there isn't enough energy to power the island for the day, the warm weather can become hot and the experience can become less pleasant.
The Kenyan Government takes the issue of healthcare very seriously. In fact, the Constitution of Kenya guarantees all Kenyans the right to quality healthcare. To deliver on its Vision 2030 commitment of 'more affordable and better quality healthcare,' the Government is focused on preventative healthcare services, which would help the overall industry as it is easier and more cost-effective to prevent illness, than to cure it.
Nestled in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is home to 92 million people. It is the most populous landlocked country in the world and is also one of the fastest growing economies in the world. While the economy is enjoying boom times, Ethiopia suffers from poverty, poor sanitation and a strained healthcare system.
The energy sector provides the backbone to support nearly all economic activity around the globe. The cost of electricity, quality of delivery and availability have a direct impact on the competitiveness of economies.
The recent article by Memeburn staff writer Nur Bremmen ' Should South African loyalty programmes reward social media engagement? ' shared excellent insights about loyalty programmes in South Africa. I would like to add to the discourse by providing additional insight as a mobile transaction platform provider and loyalty app developer to some of our country's best known retailers.
From East Africa to South Africa, the African continent is blessed with many stunning beaches. Here we reveal our top twenty beaches. Kenya is a one-stop beach destination, best known for its white sandy beaches and warm Indian Ocean. The crystal clear waters are ideal for surfing, kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving.
For many medical practitioners in Kenya, securing investment capital to purchase medical equipment is an ongoing challenge. Financial institutions are often reluctant to lend to doctors, especially those who operate as small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
Extracting oil and gas off Nigeria's coastline is challenging business, with oil located at an average of 1,000 metres below sea level. The wells used for extracting the oil rely on subsea trees to monitor and control the production of the well, which are often pushed to their limit to reach maximum output, necessitating service from trained professionals.
Journalism excellence was celebrated in Tanzania this week at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards 2014. The annual event brings together the most impressive journalists from across the continent to recognise their dedication to highlighting pressing issues facing Africa and to celebrate the role of journalism in Africa's development.
With South Africa's poor retirement outcomes persisting, financial services organisations are increasingly looking to new distribution channels to engage consumers, encouraging them to plan for their retirement. There is clear evidence from across the investment world that technology led advice, "Robo-advice", is gaining momentum.
Demand for power is outstripping supply in South Africa. As a result, entrepreneurs and businesses are finding their own solutions to supply-side constraints, and mobile phone giant MTN is no different. The multinational operator has rolled out the continent's first trigeneration electricity plant, powered by GE's Jenbacher engines, reducing its reliance on grid consumption while providing reliable and efficient energy to its Johannesburg head office.
Improving maternal and newborn health remains a pressing priority for many countries. But bringing both mother and baby safely through childbirth can be difficult in settings where health resources are in short supply. GE has launched a new portable ultrasound system designed for primary healthcare workers - including midwives, general practitioners, paramedics and clinical officers - especially in under-resourced areas.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, sixty kilometres from dry land, lies Ghana's offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) Block. The block has substantial crude oil deposits, located at a staggering depth of 1 100 meters. Extracting oil at this depth, with unpredictable weather conditions, requires major machinery, specialised technology and a highly skilled workforce.In oil fields around the globe, GE's technologies power the energy industry.
In the 1970s, as Nigeria was recovering from a painful civil war, strides were beginning to be made to increase industrial capacity and improve the quality of life throughout the country. It was during this time of transition that GE became invested in Nigeria's future, spanning a number of key sectors, including aviation, power generation, oil and gas, healthcare and transportation.
Jeff Immelt, CEO and ninth chairman of GE, has led the company through many changes, including an aggressive re-positioning of the portfolio in 2014, which includes the company's acquisition of the power and grid businesses of Alstom. The shift is taking GE closer to industrial infrastructure businesses, which will enable it to continue supporting development across the African continent.
Traditionally known as a trading port and historically considered to be the first Nigerian capital city, recent investments and industry growth have changed Nigeria's Calabar city.. With contracts recently inked, the transformation of Calabar into the power, oil and gas supply hub for West Africa is becoming a reality.
Africa is experiencing a reverse brain drain as many members of the African Diaspora are now returning home, encouraged by a positive economic outlook in their home countries. One of these countries is Nigeria. Since the 1970s millions of people, many highly skilled professionals, moved abroad.
This is the Year of Mobile. Consider this; global mobile app usage will account for more Internet traffic in 2015 than the desktop and mobile web combined. Drill down into Sub-Saharan Africa and a similar story is forecast. Sub-Saharan Africa is currently witnessing one of the strongest increases in mobile data use in the world.
The Investing in African Mining Indaba is considered the global premium event for influential stakeholders with a vested interest in Africa's mining value chain. As it wrapped up in Cape Town last week, despite a gloomy outlook for industry, a key take away was the significance of mining in driving economic development.Mining plays a key role in driving infrastructure development, attracting foreign investment, boosting exports, creating jobs and reducing poverty across Africa.
Throughout the continent, smallholder farmers are often marginalised, with many living in poverty, despite the huge potential of this sector and its contribution to food security. Having witnessed first-hand the hardships facing farmers in rural Nigeria, entrepreneur Titi Masha was determined to create solutions that would increase farming efficiency and revenue.
Howard Moodycliffe - MMA SA Advisory Board Member & Head of Marketing at wiGroup There is no doubt that mobile phone behaviour is changing. Only a decade ago, mobile phones were used to make phone calls, set your alarm and perhaps to send text messages.
Claudia Guirruta is one of the first female engineering graduates to take part in the prestigious GE Graduate Engineering Training (GETP) programme underway in Mozambique. GETP is a development programme designed to prepare engineers for work and to enable them to join GE's Global Field Service Engineering team."I am the first woman in my family to study engineering; it makes me proud.
Ghana, a country that is geographically closer to the "centre" of the Earth than any other in the world, is a West African country blessed with an abundance of natural resources. It is a significant petroleum and natural gas producer and is one of the world's largest gold and diamond producers.
Mobility is a critical sector across the continent. So when it was time for GE to appoint a new leader for GE Transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya's Thomas Konditi, chief financial officer for GE Africa, was the natural choice.In his work for GE Africa, Konditi's responsibilities spanned 25 countries, ensuring that he can draw on extensive global and regional experience.
Howard Moodycliffe - MMA SA Advisory Board Member & Head of Marketing at wiGroup There is no doubt that mobile phone behaviour is changing. Only a decade ago, mobile phones were used to make phone calls, set your alarm and perhaps to send text messages.
Addressing energy challenges in sub-Saharan Africa requires thinking outside the box. While major infrastructure projects are making progress in the region, current power supply constraints can hamper economic growth. This is particularly true in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil-producing nation.With multiple refineries around the country, Nigeria is dependent on a consistent power supply to process crude oil.
Kenya is firmly positioned in the centre of Africa's innovation spotlight. It is highly regarded as the business hub and economic engine of East Africa and is referred to as Silicon Savannah.
Africa has emerged as the most promising growth region in the world, exceeding global growth rates by an average of two percentage points per year. Contributing to the continent's growth is the vast array of industry, natural resources and services.
Charles Ogingo hails from South Nyakach County in rural Kenya, where he has seen first-hand the daily challenges that farmers face in bringing their produce to market. Many in rural Kenya, which is home to three quarters of Kenya's population, rely on agriculture for income.
Over the coming months, the impact of the proposed Retail Distribution Review (RDR) is likely to be publically debated as financial advisors and business prepare to respond to the Financial Services Board's (FSB) paper.
As Africa's most densely populated nation, with over 140 million people that call Nigeria home, the stress on the healthcare system creates enormous challenges for industry and the country as a whole. And when people are able to see a doctor, their treatment is often hindered by out-of-service medical equipment.
Welcome to the GE Reports Sub-Saharan Africa blog. In the coming weeks and months, we will be showcasing the range of projects and partnerships that have formed the foundation of GE's success in Africa.
Oxygen: the stuff of life. For residents of Siaya, Kenya, oxygen is about to take on new meaning, with the launch of the country's first oxygen manufacturing plant on 19 November. The Hewa Tele plant is a Ksh50 million public-private partnership developed by the GE Foundation, the Centre for Public Health and Development and Assist International.
There is excitement in the air at the MAPESS Vocational Training Center in Soyo, Angola as students eagerly await the arrival of new equipment and practical materials for their electricity and welding courses. The 11 computers and three printers will enable them to gain the knowledge and practical skills to find work in the LNG industry once their course completes.
In Africa, where education is seen as a blessing, children are hungry to learn and often walk long distances to attend school. But according to UNESCO, many children do not have the opportunity to attend school because their labour is needed to either help at home or bring additional income into the family.
While the South African economy narrowly missed entering into recession in the second quarter of 2014, consumers across the country are feeling the pinch. Consumer spending is subdued as the daily grind is forcing consumers to reconsider their spending and to take stock of their financial situations.
Nigerian cuisine consists of an array of foods from the hundreds of ethnic groups that make up the population. The heady mix of spices and variety of tastes makes for a diverse and interesting local flavour. While each meal might include different produce or meat, one consistent item that features at all Nigerian dinner tables is bread.
With regulatory change on the horizon in the form of RDR and the TCF policy, this is not the time for South African CIOs to navelgaze. The Retail Distribution Review and Treat Customers Fairly policy are set to be the biggest shake up to the South African financial services industry in recent years.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is sometimes known for the challenges it has faced over the past decade brought about by war and political instability. While the wounds of war are still fresh, the country is making progress in moving forward and stabilising the foundations of the economy, with 8.5 per cent growth forecasted for 2014.
A consistent electricity supply is perhaps one of the most important enablers of economic development across Africa. From Algeria to Zimbabwe, however, a reliable power supply is not a given, with much of sub-Saharan Africa experiencing frequent, unpredictable power outages.
For the first time, South African investors can now invest directly in a little known US real estate investment class previously known only to institutional, hedge fund and ultra high net worth (UHNW) investors.
In 2009, GE signed its first ambitious company-to-country (C2C) agreement with Nigeria as a clear sign of its commitment to the African powerhouse. Fast-forward five years, buoyed by the success of the first C2C agreement, a renewed C2C is in place. The C2C serves as GE's holistic commitment to Nigeria's future.