SAFARICOM, BRITAM, CHANGAMKA MICROHEALTH, PSI, LAUNCH AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE OPTION FOR KENYANS

 Leading integrated communications provider Safaricom Limited has partnered with leading insurer Britam, Changamka Microhealth - one of Kenya’s pioneering mobile Health Financing technology providers and PSI, a leading global health organization to launch Linda Jamii, an innovative and affordable healthcare insurance option.

Targeted at more than 35 million uninsured Kenyans, the Kshs.12, 000 per Family premium cover will provide clients with access to a comprehensive medical cover comprising in and out patient cover, maternity cover and a hospitalization income replacement benefit of Kshs.500 per day, to take care of lost income while in hospital.

The premiums are payable in installments via MPESA, with quality healthcare  being available after accumulating  Kshs. 6,000 and  the balance being saved in a premium deposit facility on the user’s mobile phone.

Speaking at the launch event, Britam’s Group Managing Director Benson Wairegi said the health services will be offered through leading public and mission hospitals where starting from when the deposit is paid., families will thereafter have up to six months to pay the difference, for the annual cover.

“A majority of the families we are targeting have little disposable income and are therefore not able to raise enough money to get a health insurance cover, given the payment options available. The downside is that these are the same families who delay seeking health care, making treatment more complicated and therefore expensive in the long run, “ he added.

Linda Jamii will offer inpatient and outpatient covers for a family of two parents and an unlimited number of children, and will cover HIV and other pre-existing conditions. It will also cater for funeral expenses in the unfortunate event of the death of those insured.

Safaricom’s Chief Executive Officer, Bob Collymore said Linda Jamii is yet another innovative proposition that demonstrates the convenience that M-PESA affords customers. He explained that lack of adequate healthcare coverage entrenches poverty among a majority of Kenyans.

“Linda Jamii is a timely product at a time when cancer, diabetes and other potentially expensive illnesses are on the rise. It is worrying that more than 35 million Kenyans are still not able to access timely and quality healthcare because most insurance products are designed to suit high income earners,” he noted.

“With over 15.2 million customers already using M-PESA, “ Collymore added, “we believe that we can help boost initiatives aimed at helping raise a generation of health Kenyans who will be instrumental in helping achieve the objectives of Vision 2030”.

Changamka has installed an end to end internet based electronic platform which is hosted on the Safaricom cloud; and with the capacity to manage more than 100 million insurance policies. The technology enables users to save little by little using MPESA until the required threshold is reached.

The product is an innovation that enables individuals register on a mobile phone, thus tackling the age old problem of distribution of Microinsurance products. In addition healthcare services are provided on either a computer or an internet enabled mobile phone.

Ends....

Nokia introduces ‘Slam’ on the new Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206

·         Nokia Asha 205 is the ultimate social phone, with a QWERTY keyboard and new

Facebook button

·         Nokia 206 delivers bold color and impressive 47 days of stand-by time

·         Nokia launches Slam – an exclusive new service that enables fast content sharing

Nokia today unveiled two new devices in its Mobile Phones portfolio, designed for offering consumers great Internet experiences at affordable price points. The Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206 are both available in single SIM or dual SIM versions and give people innovative ways to access social features and share their favorite content. Both devices reflect Nokia’s heritage by combining world-class design and long-lasting battery life.

Introducing Slam for fast, in the moment content-sharing

The Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia 206 are the first Mobile Phones devices to include Nokia’s exclusive Slam feature. Slam allows consumers to share multimedia content like photos and videos with nearby friends almost instantly. Slam works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones without the need to pair devices, and without the recipient needing to also have Slam*. In just a few clicks, people can ‘Slam’ their content to another device faster than with Bluetooth alone and without consuming Internet data.

“The latest Nokia devices give super-social consumers new ways to express their personalities through design, color and innovative new features like Slam,” explains Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. “Both devices are built with the trust and quality people have come to expect from Nokia, and offer smarter Internet experiences that help save money today and tomorrow.”

Nokia Asha 205: the ultimate social phone

The expressive Nokia Asha 205 has a pleasingly tactile QWERTY keyboard.  It also introduces a new, dedicated Facebook button, making it the perfect device for social people who want the fastest access to their Facebook profile. Combined with eBuddy Chat, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail, the Nokia Asha 205 is designed to allow that people are never more than a few clicks away from their social networks.

Other key features of the Nokia Asha 205 include:

·         eBuddy screen notifications that keep users up-to-the-minute on new conversations

·         The free Nokia Life+ web app, including the Life Skills and Live Healthy services

·         A comprehensive mobile entertainment package, including 40 free EA Games available for download, along with tens of thousands of other apps available from the Nokia Store

·         Available in single SIM and dual SIM models

·         Dual SIM model features Nokia’s exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device

·         Great standby time: up to 37 days with single SIM and up to 25 days with dual SIM

The Nokia Asha 205 is available in Cyan, Magenta and Orange. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 205 is around USD 62, excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Nokia 206: beautifully bold Internet

The Nokia 206 features a classic alphanumeric keypad and a generous 2.4” display, giving ample room to surf the Internet, play games, or chat with friends. People can also enjoy fast access to Facebook and Twitter right from the home screen. Featuring a vibrant color palette including Cyan, Magenta and Yellow, the Nokia 206 is the ideal phone for those who want familiarity and ease of use, coupled with beautiful design and all the benefits of the mobile Internet.

Other key features of the Nokia 206 include:

·         Imaging technology that optimizes photos taken with the 1.3MP camera for sharing on Facebook 

·         A comprehensive social and mobile entertainment package with eBuddy Chat, WhatsApp** and a gift pack of 10 free, premium content items

·         Available in single SIM and dual SIM models

·         Dual SIM model features Nokia’s exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device

·          Impressive standby time: up to 47 days with single SIM and up to 28 days with dual SIM

The estimated retail price for the Nokia 206 is around USD 62, excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The new devices take full advantage of the Nokia Xpress Internet platform, which uses Nokia's cloud technology to reduce data consumption by up to 90%, helping consumers enjoy more affordable Internet access. They also feature Nokia Nearby, a web app that helps consumers discover points of interest such as restaurants, shopping and ATM machines close to their location.

*’Slam’ currently not compatible with iOS and Windows Phone devices

**Available on single SIM variants only

Epson targets the country’s movie enthusiasts and sports lovers

launches Full HD, 3D home cinema projectors

November 27, 2012 – Epson has announced the launch of a range of Full HD projectors offering 3D experience targeted at film enthusiasts, sports lovers and gamers in Kenya..

The EH-TW6100W projector is packed with the latest technology that includes wireless Full HD connectivity, new wireless HD transmitter with five HDMI inputs allowing non-wireless devices to be connected.

The projector also features a Radio Frequency (RF) 3D technology that provides a strong signal for 3D glasses and is also equipped with 2D to 3D converter. The EH-TW6100W projects Full HD content wirelessly - even from non-wireless devices, which can be connected using the included wireless HD transmitter.

The EH-TW6100W comes with a pair of USB-rechargeable, Radio Frequency, lightweight, active shutter 3D glasses, which can be used up to 10 metres from the projector.

Commenting on the launch of the new projectors, Epson Regional Sales Manager for East Africa Mukesh Bector said the company was keen to introduce products that are tailored towards different market segments with a view to increasing the firm’s footprint in the region. 

Mukesh said with the projector, 2D HD content can be converted to 3D at the touch of a button, while automatic colour optimisation, 3D depth adjustment and super-resolution technology further enhances the viewing experience.

“Since we entered the Full HD 3D home cinema market a year ago, we’ve added some great new functions to our home cinema products, as well as improving our wireless connectivity. Our new wireless Full HD transmitter features five HDMI inputs, four more than previous models. Users can now effortlessly control even more devices with a single remote control,” he said.

. Features	EH-TW6100W
Full HD 1080p big-screen experience with bright 3D technology	●
Wireless connection offers Full HD cinematic viewing without cables1	●
Wireless HD transmitter with 5 HDMI inputs	●
Enjoy exceptional image quality with Epson’s 3LCD technology	●
40,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks	●
Equally high White and Colour Light Output of 2,300 lumens	●
Super-resolution	●
Easily align the projected image with manual horizontal and automatic vertical keystone correction	●
2 x HDMI 1.4	●
5 colour modes in 2D mode and 2 in 3D mode	●
Convert high definition 2D content into 3D	●
1 pair of USB rechargeable active shutter glasses for 3D viewing2	●
3D depth adjustment	●
Two powerful 10W speakers	●
3-year lamp warranty	●
Projector chassis colour	White

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LG ELECTRONICS & HOTPOINT APPLIANCES TO LEVERAGE ON NEW PRODUCTS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE IN GROWING MARKET SHARE

Leading consumer electronics manufacturer LG Electronics is betting on energy efficient, aesthetically pleasing and innovative new products, with support of a strong distribution network, to grow its market share in the coming year.

The company which has been on an innovation trajectory has announced a raft of measures aimed at maintaining its market dominance while at the same time driving the environment sustainability agenda.

Speaking during the end of year LG dealers convention, LG Electronics Managing Director Mr. Josep Kim said over the past year, the company had embarked on customer service enhancement drive aimed at ensuring that customers enjoy the best experience of its products.

“2012 has been a challenging year for LG Electronics, Hotpoint Appliances and indeed our entire dealer network. Not only have we unveiled cutting-edge technology products to the market but we have also enhanced our service offering with the revamping and official opening of the LG Customer Care Centre along Ngong Road, which complements the three existing Hotpoint service centers. On this front, we have also boosted our mobile service commonly referred to as the Care & Delight bus to ensure that our customers in remote locations are not left out,” said Mr Kim.

Mr. Kim added that the initiatives were geared towards cementing LG’s position in the Kenyan market and reiterated that the company will continue rolling out more products that address the changing preferences in this dynamic industry.

During the convention, LG also unveiled four new products that the company hopes will strengthen our position in the Kenyan market and the region at large. The new products are -84LM9600 –The World’s First 84” Ultra Definition 3D LED TV, BH9520TW – Cinema 3D Sound Bluray Home Theatre, GRP237 –Side by Side Refrigerator with Linear Compressor, non-plumbing &  hygiene filter, and the 1480YD25 - 6 Motion Washing Machine.

“These are the latest products available worldwide and bring a new generation of technology to the Kenyan market. We are betting on these products to drive our business agenda in the course of the New Year,” said Kim.

Hotpoint Appliances Managing Director Mr. Shailesh Kanani said the partnership between the two companies had grown over the years. Continuous efforts are made to provide Kenyans with the latest products, available countrywide with unparalleled backup service to ensure ultimate consumer satisfaction. Kanani thanked all the partners for their invaluable support which has enabled this growth and superior brand presence over the years.

“Through our partnership, Kenyans and other residents of the region have been assured of conveniently accessing genuine LG Electronics products whose warranty is assured at our widely spread distribution network,” said Mr. Kanani.

Regionally LG Electronics has expanded its market territory to include Zambia and Malawi while in Kenya; the company has embarked on an ambitious exercise to develop its distribution network through encouraging brand shops with the existing dealer network.

Kim decried challenges associated with land-lockedness which he termed as a major hindrance to the logistics of delivering products in most countries. The East African region is currently only served by two ports.

He also mentioned the escalating counterfeit menace as another key challenge to the company’s business in the region.

“We are however taking precautionary measures to ensure that our products are tamper proof and the technology used is beyond the creativity of counterfeiters. LG Electronics will also continue partnering with government agencies charged with eliminating counterfeits to ensure that battle is won,” said Kim.

ends….

P&G Announces Progress Toward Long-Term Vision in Annual Sustainability Report

Delivers absolute reductions in all operations footprints and improves the lives of over 400 million children worldwide

Procter & Gamble Company, the makers of Pampers, Always, Gillette and Duracell released its 14^th annual Sustainability Report, demonstrating its commitment to making everyday life better for people around the world through an integrated approach to environmental and social responsibility. The report includes the Company’s sustainability results from the past Fiscal Year, announcing absolute reductions in its energy, waste, water and CO₂ manufacturing footprints over the past five years.

“P&G's commitment to environmental and social sustainability is unwavering,” said P&G Chairman, President and CEO Bob McDonald. “From our founding, we have invested in the communities where we sell our products, and we have embraced the responsibility of ethical and sustainable operations. To grow and thrive for another 175 years requires us to accelerate our sustainable innovation and resource efficiency so that we have less environmental impact and, at the same time, continue to invest in our communities to help create the conditions for future growth.”

The report shared specific progress in P&G’s sustainability focus areas of Products, Operations, and Social Responsibility. Highlights from this year’s report include:

Launching Pilot in the Philippines to Address Global Issue of Waste

·         After conducting a comprehensive study in the Philippines, with the cooperation of government stakeholders, P&G designed an integrated, profitable and replicable waste management business model that extracts value from materials that would otherwise be thrown away. In partnership with the Asian Development Bank, P&G is working to pilot this self-sustaining model in the Philippines beginning in 2013.

Eliminating Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus in Six Countries

·         The Pampers “One Pack = One Vaccine” partnership with UNICEF has been providing vaccines against Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) for more than five years. The disease takes the life of a baby every nine minutes, but is easily preventable by a vaccine. With help from Pampers, six African countries have been validated by the World Health Organization as having eliminated MNT — Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Uganda.

Committing to Sustainable Forestry

·         As a member of the Consumer Goods Forum, P&G joined other member companies in a pledge to help achieve Zero Net Deforestation by 2020. To act on this commitment, P&G is announcing two new goals. First, all virgin wood fiber in its tissue/towel and absorbent hygiene products will be third party certified by 2015. Second, all paper packaging will contain either recycled or third-party certified virgin content by 2020. In combination with P&G’s existing goal to ensure sustainable sourcing of palm oil by 2015, these goals demonstrate P&G’s commitment to working towards zero net deforestation by 2020.

Decreasing Days of Illness and Absenteeism through Handwashing Education

·         As part of Safeguard’s work to promote handwashing, P&G joined up with Save the Children to develop workshops in schools across Mexico. After working with more than 13,000 children in southeastern Mexico, data showed that diarrheal illness rates decreased by 50% and related school absences were down 11%.

P&G’s environmental results demonstrate progress toward its long-term environmental vision, which was announced in September 2010. The vision includes powering plants with 100% renewable energy, using 100% renewable or recycled materials for products and packaging, sending zero manufacturing or consumer waste to landfills and designing products that improve lives while conserving resources.

“We are pleased to share meaningful progress toward our long-term vision, and will continue to embrace environmental challenges as opportunities to innovate,” said Len Sauers, Global Vice President of Sustainability at P&G. “The issues we all face require collaboration and collective responsibility to address, and we are committed to working together to find solutions that ensure our improvements are delivered in an economically sustainable way.”

In addition to marking P&G’s 14th Annual Sustainability Report, this is also the 14th consecutive year the Company has been included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. P&G is also among the Corporate Knights “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” and is 5th on Gartner’s “Top 25” list of Global Supply Chain Leaders.

BRICS bank 'focus of upcoming summit'

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa aim to conclude the setting up of a BRICS development bank at the next BRICS summit, taking place in Durban from 25 to 27 March next year, says Deputy International Relations and Cooperation Minister Marius Fransman.

"If this happens it would give a major boost to some of the development needs we have," Fransman told a panel discussion on the topic, "South Africa: A strong brick within BRICS", at the University of Stellenbosch on Wednesday.

At the last BRICS summit in New Delhi in March, leaders of the five countries considered a proposal to set up a BRICS-led South-South development bank, funded and managed by BRICS and other developing countries.

The International Relations and Cooperation Department, under an initiative led by Director-General Ambassador Jerry Matjila, is also considering setting up a think-tank to look at diplomatic and economic opportunities between South Africa and its BRICS partners, Fransman said.

He said South Africa's overall trade with BRICS countries had more than doubled from US$9.2-billion in 2005 to $20.4-billion in 2010, while Africa's trade with BRICS countries was expected to reach one-third of total trade on the continent in 2015, up from one-fifth of total trade in 2010.

Fransman listed the three main objectives that South Africa seeks to achieve from its BRICS membership as boosting job creation and the domestic economy; supporting African infrastructure development and industrial development; and partnering with South partners to overall world governance organisations such as the UN Security Council.

South Africa also needed to look beyond its population of 50-million and at how it could position itself in a continent of one-billion people that is fast rising economically, Fransman said.

The rationale for South Africa's involvement in BRICS should be in how it could link the African continent with the other BRICS members.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

SONY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES VAIO E AND S SERIES IN KENYA

Sony fuses speed, portability and functionality with new VAIO series

Leading consumer electronics brand Sony has launched a new line-up of its VAIO laptops in the Kenyan market. With two new models namely the VAIO S and VAIO E Series, Sony plans to tap into the growing market for high performance, portable laptops that transition easily from office to home, providing consumers with top range performance in a stylish yet functional package. 

Built with the consideration that consumers are increasingly leading their lives on the go, the new line-up fuses speed with sleek high-end designs to present a sturdy easy-to-carry laptop ideal for business, on-campus and on-the-move use.

Both series in the new line-up come equipped with the latest Windows® 8 64-bit Operating System and 3rd generation Intel® processors, with the VAIO S Series featuring an Extended Battery and slot-in optical drive, which not only achieve the beauty of the full flat slim design and increase the rigidity of the frame, but allow consumers to use the laptop for extended periods when there is no power or power source.

“We appreciate that in a market where the pace of life is increasing, consumers need their laptops to be fast, functional and easy to carry, which is why these series are designed to provide powerful computing performance that essentially makes them full-featured mobile PCs with all the technologies needed for full mobile computing,” says Shibuya Akira, Senior Manager, VAIO Marketing, Sony Middle East and Africa.

At a time when more people are choosing to use laptops over PCs whether in the workplace, home or school, the new VAIO models strive to meet rising consumer expectations in an increasingly competitive market.

Says Mr. Akira: “Not only do consumers want laptops that work; they want laptops that are designed with them in mind, which is why in addition to being powerful, fast, portable and sleek, our laptops also come with features that enhance the Sony VAIO experience.”

The new VAIO line-up offers features that cover both work and play, with the “xLOUD” and “Clear Phase” technologies cancelling out distortion caused by boosting volume levels to give clear sound necessary for movies and games

Add to that the built-in HD web camera, PlayMemories Home photo editing feature and a dedicated ‘ASSIST’ button that provides one-touch access to VAIO Care for basic maintenance services, and consumers have a laptop built for work, school, on-the-move and all the work and play in between.

The Sony VAIO S Series and E Series are now available across authorised outlets countrywide with one year local warranty provided by Redington and Anisuma Traders.