Volume 1, Issue 5 24th - 30th July, 2023

THE OASIS
NEWSLETTER
A Publication from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor

JOOUST
USAID Boresha
team visits Good tidings

Inside
Jamii boosts
Weihenstephan- for the visually
JOOUST’S
Triesdorf impaired in
internet
University of JOOUST
infrastructure
Applied Sciences

The Oasis-Digital Edition

 The Oasis Digital Edition
GOOD TIDINGS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN JOOUST

Participants testing the Hable One devices with their smart phones as guided by the Facilitators from Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA)

J
aramogi Oginga Odinga visually impaired persons 2023 at the Special Needs
University of Science to easily navigate through Education Skills Laboratory
and Technology has their phones or tablet. that was attended and
received donations of witnessed by the faculty
nine Hable One devices While expressing gratitude members, county officials
from the Kilimanjaro Blind to KBTA’s gesture, the Ag. and a number of visualy
Trust Africa (KBTA), a Vice Chancellor Prof. impaired students. It was
charitable organization Joseph Bosire lauded this noted that of the nine Hable
based in Nairobi. A Hable initiative adding that it One Devices received,
One device is an assistive is in conformity with some will be donated to
device for use by persons the University’s objective students and staff, while
with Visual Impairment (VI) of inclusivity through the remainder will be
which KBTA, in partnership creating a dynamic learning retained in the department
with the developers, use environment that is for future training
to enhance digital literacy accommodative to all learners.
and skills to learners The Department of Special Kilimanjaro Blind Trust
with visual impairment. Needs Education and Early Africa is currently
The Hable one device is Childhood Development, enhancing digital literacy
a miniature keyboard led by Prof. Charles and skills to learners with
and easy-to-use remote Omoke, conducted a user visual impairments (VI) in
access for a smartphone or testing activity on the 6 countries within eastern
tablet, designed to enable same day, 18th of June, Africa including Malawi.

1
 The Oasis Digital Edition
Their main objective is
inclusion of those with
visual impairments through
delivering ‘an end to end,
Education to Employment’
program hinged on 3
pillars namely; access to
digital literacy & skills for
VI learners from primary
school to University, access
to STEM subjects, coding
and other digital skills
to high school learners
in order to widen their Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Bosire (left) receiving the Hable One devices donated by KBTA

access to career choices

and an employability skills
program that supports
VI young graduates
to gain professional
skills in order to access
mainstream employment.

This donation comes

as a big boost to the
University which through
the Department of SNE
has over the years made
concerted efforts to furnish Dr. Rose Koweru (right), a faculty member School of Education Humanities and social Sciences
the SNE Skills Lab. . The (SEHSS) examines the the Hable One device by hand.

department has previously

attracted funding by the
National Research Fund to
run a 3-year project that
lapsed last year whose thrust
was Promoting Awareness
and Participation of
Persons with Disabilities in
Education and Community
based Programmes (PAPPS)
within Siaya County.

Mr. William W. Gichia, Regional Technical Coordinator, KTBA presenting the donation at the Vice
Chancellor’s Office accompanied by the Chairman, Department of Special Needs Education, Prof.
Charles Omoke ( far right)

2
 The Oasis Digital Edition
JOOUST TEAM VISITS WEIHENSTEPHAN-TRIESDORF UNIVERSITY
OF APPLIED SCIENCES

JOOUST faculty members and the WiehenStephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences pose for a group photo

A
team comprising for Research. competitive partial
School of scholarship awards,
Agricultural and Fostering the partnership JOOUST Alumni were
Food Sciences Faculty JOOUST Faculty members successfully recruited
members Prof. Stephen were able to attend a series and are undertaking the
Agong, Prof. Monica Ayieko, of four Workshops and International Masters
Prof. Darius Andika, and educational Seminars at in Farm Management
Prof. Christopher Gor the University in varied Programme at HSWT.
made a consultative visit to topical areas namely: Another six Undergraduate
Weihenstephan-Triesdorf “Business Management” Students have been enrolled
University of Applied for Partner Universities, for a Summer Course at the
Sciences (HSWT) from the “Corporate Planning” for University.
2nd - 7th of July, 2023. The our partner universities,
objectives of the visit were Entrepreeurship Workshop Consultative meetings
to assess the progress made and TAP Workshop on While at Triesdorf campus,
in terms of collaboration Design Thinking Idea the discussion revolved
between JOOUST and Pitch and “Developing around a planned high
Weihenstephan-Triesdorf digital teaching materials” profile workshop set to be
University of Applied Agricultural Economics. hosted in Kenya, involving
Sciences and to firm up relevant Ministry Officials
future proposal and plans Additionally, through including The German

3
 The Oasis Digital Edition
Ambassador, DAAD
Regional Office in Nairobi,
and other Education/
Research Stakeholders.

Also discussed was the

possibility of exploring joint
Supervision of Postgraduate
Students and admission of
IMFM Graduates for PhD
programs such as Food
Security and Sustainable
Agriculture and possibly as
Graduate Assistants/Tutorial Dr. Michael Nyagol(left) and Prof. Christopher Gor (center-right), take a group photo with fellow
participants during the scheduled workshops and educational seminars
Fellows. They equally
pitched for collaboration on
calls for Research funding
by Faculty members from
HSWT and JOOUST.

In closing, the two teams

agreed that a Multidiscipliary
project proposal could
be considered by Faculty
from both Institutions with
components of: Agricultural
Economics; Horticulture;
and Animal Science.
Prof. Christopher Gor exchanging greeting with a faculty member from WiehenStephan-Triesdorf
University of Applied Sciences

A smaller group of the delegates attending the workshops held at the WiehenStephan-Triesdorf
University of Applied Sciences

4
 The Oasis Digital Edition
USAID BORESHA JAMII BOOSTS JOOUST’S INTERNET
INFRASTRUCTURE

Prof. Anthony Rodriguez, Director ICT (left) with the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Bosire (Center) receiving the smart switch donation from the Chief-of-

T
party JOOUST-UBJ, Dr. Solomon Orero(right)

he JOOUST-USAID through assessing the the United States Agency for

Boresha Jamii (UBJ) latest market demand and International Development
project six donated trends, embracing a user- (USAID) implemented by
D-Link Smart managed based approach in meeting Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
switches and Small Form- its clients’ needs and of Science and Technology
factor Pluggable (SFP) engaging key stakeholders as its prime with PATH
transceivers for port towards the advancement Kenya and SCORE Kenya
connection to enable data of tech services within the as its Sub Awardees. The
transfer. A team led by the University. The Director, project also works with
Chief-of-Party Dr. Solomon Prof. Anthony Rodrigues, four local implementing
Orero delivered the gadgets echoed the University’s keen partners in the counties
on the 18th June, 2023 standpoint on enhancing of Kakamega, Kisumu,
during a courtesy call to the private and public Vihiga and Nyamira.
the Vice Chancellor’s office. partnerships for greater
developmental impact. The aim of the program is to
This is an initiative of provide integrated activities
the Project to assist the JOOUST USAID Boresha to achieve the Kenya
University enhance its data Jamii is an integrated Project Health Partnership for
networking infrastructure. that undertakes PEPFAR, Quality Services (KHPQS)
The Directorate of ICT is Reproductive, Maternal, goal and objectives,
constantly seeking new ways Neonatal, Child Health and building on USAID’s
to enhance user experience WASH activities, through investment in health

5
 The Oasis Digital Edition
systems strengthening,
F P/ R M N C A H / WA S H
and Nutrition through
supporting the Ministry of
Health in achieving journey
to self-reliance (J2SR)
in Cluster 5 Counties of
Western Kenya Region.
The focus is to increase
the use of Quality County
led health and social
services in the following
programmatic areas : HIV
care and treatment, Family Prof. Joseph Bosire (Center) chairing the session attended by a team from the Directorate of ICT and
JOOUST-USAID Boresha Jamii
Planning, Reproductive
Health, Maternal, Neonatal,
Child and Adolescent
Health and Nutrition
(FP/RHMNCAH), Water
and Sanitation (WASH),
and mitigating social
determinants that affect
Orphans and Vulnerable
Children (OVC), Key and
Priority Population (KP/PP)
and Voluntary Medical Male
C i r c u m c i s i o n ( V MMC ) .

The program is based Prof. Anthony Rodriguez addresses the JOOUST-USAID Boresha Jamii team

in Jaramogi Oginga
Odinga Univeristy of
Science and Technology’s
Kisumu Campus.

The ICT personnel from both parties Mr. Joseph Okene, JOOUST (right) and Mr. Joachim Oduong ,
JOOUST-UBJ (second right) listening in on the remarks

6
 The Oasis
A Newsletter of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
University of Science and Technology
A publication from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor

You are all welcome to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology stand, at the Agricultural
Society of Kenya (ASK ) grounds, in Mamboleo!

Editorial Board:
Ms. Keziah Ogada, Dr. George Odhiambo, Mr. Godfrey Binaisha, Mr. Oscar Osika,
Ms. Lizzy Misiga, Ms. Yvonne Akinyi, Ms. Sharon Meroka, Ms. Rejoice Gudu