My Hometown

 

I was born and raised in Kisumu, a tiny, loud city in western Kenya. Due to the tense political situation in the country, Kisumu, the turf of opposition politics, was a rough place for an upbringing. The annual “Sabasaba” rallies, marked by violent protests along every street of the town, spelt danger to us children in an equal measure to adults. There was no place in Kenya where the riot police met their wanton brutality like in our beloved Kisumu, thus forging our innocent young minds into renegades. We grew up taught to opposition by the marginalisation and lack of care that our city and region received from the central government.

Despite the political troubles that plagued Kisumu, it was bursting with cultural heritage and pride. The dominant Luo people of the city were renowned for their love of fun, leisure, and pleasure. The Luo Benga, Rhumba, and Ohangla music permeated every corner and nook of this country. Members of other tribes and races appreciated music created by legendary Luo artists like Okatch Biggy, Owino Misiani, George Ramogi, Osito Kale, Bana Kadori, Ochieng Kabasele, and Aluoch Pamba. I loved the song Helena wange dongo by Okatch Biggy. I still dance to its tunes.

Kisumu, situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, traditionally known as Nam Lolwe, was home to the pioneering intellectuals of western education in this country. It was the first town to have an African mayor in colonial Kenya. It has produced numerous scholars who have achieved great feats for this country. Myth has it that the fish-eating culture of the Luo people made them brighter than other tribes or communities in Kenya. Furthermore, comedians like Eric Omondi theorise that every adult in Kisumu has a college degree.

Kisumu's hot and wet climate was sometimes frustrating, especially during the dry season when our pockets were dry. The high room temperatures of over 32 degrees Celsius, the scorching outdoor sun, and the dusty roads could sometimes make it the worst place. However, there was love and marvel when the August rains came, and children sang and screamed, “koth bi abia” (rain, just rain).

Nowadays, it rains there in December and even January. They were the hottest and driest months in the city. Things have changed for the better. I hope my hometown becomes more peaceful and lovelier than before.

Orthodontic Appliance

 

 Usually, the teeth of the upper and lower jaws misalign when they close. This occurrence is known as malocclusion.

Malocclusion is not a serious health problem. However, it can present serious craniofacial anomalies characterized by a distorted face and one finding it hard to speak or chew food.

Serious cases of malocclusion are usually corrected using orthodontic treatment. However, a surgical procedure is necessary in severe cases.

Definition Of An Orthodontic Appliance

Orthodontic treatment uses an orthodontic appliance to correct malocclusions. Thus, an orthodontic appliance is a dental gear that applies force on the teeth of the upper and lower jaws to correct a malocclusion.

Types Of Orthodontic Appliances

They are two types of Orthodontic Appliances; active orthodontic appliances and functional orthodontic appliances.

Active Orthodontic Appliances

 

These dental gears apply pressure on the teeth to fix and match with other teeth on the upper and lower jaws. Examples of active appliances are

· Expansion and Labial Segment Alignment Appliance (ELSAA)

· Palatal Expander, Self-ligating Edgewise Appliances

· Begg Lightwire Appliances

· Tip-edge Appliance

· Preadjusted Edgewise Appliances

· Quad Helix

· Tri Helix

· Bi Helix

Functional Orthodontic Appliances

These are dental gears that apply pressure on the upper and lower jaws. They alter the position of the jaws to correct the malocclusion. Examples of functional appliances are

· Orthodontic headgear

· Orthodontic facemask

· Herbst appliance

· Twin block appliance

Recommendation For Orthodontic Treatment

Anybody above the age of eight is eligible for orthodontic treatment. However, orthodontic treatment is more suitable for children than teenagers or adults. Children have soft, pliable bones. Thus, orthodontic appliances work better on children’s teeth and jaws than on teens and adults.

If you suspect or feel that your child needs orthodontic treatment, visit an orthodontist with the child. Orthodontists have the knowledge and experience to determine your child's eligibility for treatment. They also know the most appropriate treatment and appliance options for correcting your child’s malocclusion. Your child's oral health is safe with an orthodontist.   

Multiculturalism: A Necessity

 

As the world marks 100 years since the end of World War I, there are fears of the rising demand for monoculturalism in the US and Europe. People must remember that monoculturalism was a principal cause of the rampant wars raving Europe in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Most importantly, people have forgotten that monoculturalism was a primary cause of the first and second world wars.

Even today, the primary force behind the many global conflicts is monoculturalism, the inability to tolerate and respect other people and their different cultures. Fortunately, today, 11th November 2018, serves as a reminder that monoculturalism and a high-spirited nationalism are the critical ingredients for international wars, as they did over 100 years ago. Over 20 million people died in the first world war, virtually wiping out the young generations of that time.

Proposition for monoculturalism

 Proponents of monoculturalism argue that it is the only way to create peaceful coexistence in the world. They claim that people who share the same culture and heritage are more likely to live peacefully than people of different cultures.

This argument may be right. Observing the high crime levels in the metropolitan urban areas than the less diverse rural areas, one may believe this argument is valid.

However, the push for monoculturalism and limitation of diversity is a vanity venture. Humans are interdependent. Their communities and societies are interdependent. Nations are also interdependent.

Interdependence makes multiculturalism a necessity

 The interdependent nature of humans as individuals, communities, or societies makes creating and maintaining monocultural nations and societies impossible. The presence of international trade; the need to produce goods on a large scale; and the need to maximize profits make humans interdependent, which advances multiculturalism.

International trade and multiculturalism

International trade is the exchange of goods and services across national boundaries. Comparative advantage makes international trade a necessity. Since different nations have different resources, they must rely on one another to meet their needs. For example, much of the world relies on the Middle East to meet its energy needs. Similarly, the Middle East relies on the US and Europe for expatriates to work in their energy industry.

Now, during these exchanges of goods and services across national boundaries, merchants and experts must travel and live in different countries to make trade successful. Local economies need them to promote local businesses. These merchants also need to be treated well and feel welcome. Thus, local people need to accept and respect these foreign merchants and experts to enjoy the benefits of international trade that improves their living standards.

Production and multiculturalism

As mentioned earlier, countries need industry experts to produce quality goods and services to make them profitable. Many foreign expatriates work in the energy, building, and construction industries in the Middle East. These expatriates have helped the Middle East tap into their energy resources efficiently, which has made them rich.

The US carries out an immigration program every year. It recognizes the benefits of immigrants in improving the creativity and innovation of a country, which results in increased economic growth and development through the production of various quality goods and services. Many US fortune 500 companies have foreigners as their CEOs. These companies perform well. Thus, they indicate that countries need foreigners to get talents and skills they cannot tap locally.

Africa is a continent rich in resources. However, it needs more capital to tap into these resources. Thus, Africa relies heavily on foreign investors to help it establish industries and use its resources. Investors come mainly from Asia, Europe, and North America. They help create industries that produce goods and services and offer employment to people. Thus, African countries must create conducive social climates for these foreigners to reap the benefits of direct foreign investments in their countries. They must encourage immigration.

Profit Maximization

The recent past has witnessed a rise in corporations whose primary objective is maximizing profits. One of the critical strategies in maximizing profits is reducing the cost of labour. Companies strive to reduce this cost by outsourcing cheap labour. Companies have taken out their production facilities to countries where labour is cheap. Others have opted to import cheap foreign labour. Thus, so long as profit maximization is the primary objective of corporations, outsourcing is necessary, and it promotes multiculturalism.

Conclusion

Multiculturalism is inevitable. Societies need different people to create robust economies that offer good jobs, produce goods and services, and develop. People depend on one another due to their differences. Thus, they must be close to one another to get the necessary help.