- African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories
AFRICAN PROVERBS WORKING GROUP MEETING
Date: Saturday, 26 April, 2014
Venue: Maryknoll Society House, Nairobi, Kenya
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Members Present
1. Rev. Joseph Healey (Host and Moderator of www.afriprov.org website) Executive Board Member
2. Joseph K. Muriithi (Recording) Executive Board Member
3. Cephas Agbemenu (Chair) Executive Board Member
4. Francis Njuguna
5. Angelica Chelo Katabarwa
6. Sikitoka Mboni
7. Simon Rurinjah
8. Margaret Ireri Executive Board Member
9. Gabriel Odhiambo
10. Laur Mwepu
11. Elias Bushiri Elie
12. George Atido
13. Fidele Kabasele
14. Tyty Mukendi
15. Cyprien Ntambara
16. Jeremiah Wamukota Sudi
Absent with Apologies
1. Dr. Gerald Wanjohi
2. Rev. Thomas Komakech
3. Dr. Kamau Wango
4. Sister Grace Njau
5. Richard Benon Chelo
6. Jemima Birugi Chelo
7. Caroline Njoroge
8. Seth Wekesa
9. Angela Riziki
10. Allan Babunga
REERENCES TO CELL PHONE AND EMAIL ADDRESSES
- Fr. Joe Healey (Moderator) +254-572-522-977; jghealey@aol.com
- Cephas Agbemenu (Chair); +254-723-307-992; cyagbemenu@yahoo.com
- Dr. Gerald Joseph Wanjohi; +254-717-012-207; gwanjohi33@gmail.com
- Sr. Grace Njau (Recording) +254-722-260-078; anngracenj@gmail.com
- Simon Rurinjah; +254-722-441-248;
- George Pirwoth Atido; +254-732-789-712; george.atido@gmail.com
- Ricardo Benon Benjamin; +254-701-606-346;ricardo.benon@gmail.com
- Angelica Chelo Cyamanzi; +254-712-066-589;angelcheylo@yahoo.com
- Martin Kamande- CORO FM; +254-721-603-791;kamande19@yahoo.ca Martinkamande@kbc.co.ke
- Tyty Mukendi-Wa-Mulumba;+254-722-885 013; mukendiwamulumba@yahoo.fr
- David Ndungu Kamau; +254-722-690-002;
- Francis Njuguna; +254-720-434-819;osnjuguna@yahoo.com
- Jeremiah Wamukota Sudi; +254-722-405-690;sudiwamukota@yahoo.com
- Cyprian Ntambara (new member) +254-734-513 665;ntambaracyprien@gmail.com
Minutes of the Meeting
1. The meeting started at 10.45 am with a prayer by Rev. Joe Healey.
2. This was followed by self introductions by the members present.
3. Appointment of New Members to the Executive Board. The Working Group agreed through a show of hands to appoint Joseph K. Muriithi as an executive board member and to serve as the secretary. For the sake of gender balance, the Working Group appointed Ms. Margaret Ireri as an executive board member and to serve as assistant secretary.
4. Matters arising from the previous meeting.
4.1. Reports on the outstanding projects that had been funded were made. It was reported that Seth Wekesa (10 booklets to be provided by Cephas), Allan Babunga and Jeremiah Sudi had handed in their copies of the 100 proverbs booklets. Fidel Kabasele reported that he had not completed his booklet but had made good progress having collected the 100 proverbs in the local language, translated into French and is only remaining with English translation. It was agreed by the group that he doesn’t need to have them translated in Kiswahili.
4.2. Two other projects that had been funded following the waving of the benefactor’s conditions to have to wait for the outstanding projects to be completed and submitted. These were Margaret Ireri’s collection of Mbeere proverbs and Angela Katabarwa’s collection of Rundi proverbs.
4.3. It was reported that the new policy of disbursing funds in two instalments seem to be working. It is pushing the recipients to work harder for the balance. The $500 support for projects is to be split into two with the first $250 given at the beginning of the project and the remaining $250 after submitting 10 booklets to the moderator.
4.4 It was also reported that Cyprian Ntambara who submitted his booklet during the meeting had been fully funded for the Rwanda Proverbs that he worked on.
4.5 Elias Bushiri received $250 being the first part payment of his project on Gusii Proverbs (Kenya).
4.6 The Rev. Sikitoka Mboni was awarded the first $250 to start his new project on Tembo Proverbs (DRC) that had been on the waiting list.
4.7 Tyty Mukendi is to liaise with the Moderator to collect $250 being the first half support for his project of Mashi Proverbs (DRC) that has also been on the waiting list.
4.8. Two new proposals were approved. The first one was for Margaret Ireri on “Kikuyu Proverbs on Money and Wealth”. This project was initially proposed by Caroline Wanjiku Njoroge. However she gave up on it due time pressure on her part. The Working Group has agreed to award Margaret Ireri $250 to continue with the project. The other project was proposed by Laur Mwepu in Lwalu language proverbs from the Kasai Region of DRC towards the border with Zambia. The group has agreed to award Laur Mwepu with $250 to start his project.
4.9. To summarize: The following had their proposals approved for which 50% of the grant is to be given to them:
- Margaret Ireri: Kikuyu Proverbs (Kenya) on money and wealth.
- Laur Mwepu: Lwalu Proverbs (DRC).
- Cyprien Ntambara: Somali Proverbs.
5. Future Collections:
- Laur Mwepu – Bemba (DRC).
- Margaret Ireri – Tharaka (Kenya).
- Gabriel Odhiambo – Luo (East Africa).
6. African Proverbs of the Month shall be:
6.1 May 2014 from Tembo Language (DRC)
6.2 June 2014 from Lwalu Language (DRC).
7.0. A. O. B
7.1. It was proposed that our next meeting should arrange the table and seats to face the LCD screen to enable members to use the internet directly for our meetings.
7.2. It was announced that the next meeting will be at Kenyatta University. The date will be given later.
7.3 It was suggested that the board finds suitable ways of dissemination of African proverbs and sayings to the youth and parents.
7.3. The chair encouraged members to carry out new projects with passion and to try to complete them on time.
7.4 Please visit the African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories Website (including the “African Stories Database” and “Facebook Page”)
8.0 Closing remarks
Members were very grateful to the Maryknoll group for the sumptuous lunch. The Rev. Sikitoka Mboni offered the closing prayers in French. Amen.
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 2.45 p.m.
