Sidian Bank Signs Ksh990 Million Deal With Oikocredit

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Sidian Bank Signs Ksh990 Million Deal With Oikocredit

Staff Writer - September 24, 2021

Sidian Bank has signed a Ksh990 million deal with Oikocredit. The funding deal will enable the bank to support onward lending to the SME sector...

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Adam Ibrahim was working with the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, in his home country, Sudan, when conflict between rival armed forces erupted in early 2023 and he became a refugee alongside thousands of others who continue to flee the ongoing violence. Sudan is one of the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crises, with more than 30.4 million people – over half the population – urgently needing humanitarian assistance, yet the 2025 Sudan humanitarian needs and response plan is severely underfunded, with only 13.3 per cent of the required resources received so far. Forced to flee the country with his family after the war intensified, Mr. Ibrahim returned to help people affected by the war in Darfur. Ahead of World Humanitarian Day, marked annually on 19 August, he described his journey, from aid worker to refugee and back again to Sudan. “I was at home helping my daughter revise for her grade six exams, scheduled for the next day. Then, out of nowhere, the sound of heavy gunfire shattered the silence in my hometown, Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur state, which remains gripped by insecurity and critical shortages of basic services. At first, I thought the gunfire would pass quickly. I rushed to stock up on food supplies and water, enough for six days. But, the streets became battlegrounds. All I could do was try to keep my family safe. Despite the chaos, I continued to work. Electricity and Internet access were sporadic, but I kept my phone charged to send daily updates to the OCHA Head of Office. It gave me purpose amid the uncertainty. Eventually, it became too dangerous to stay. The journey of displacement On the 39th day, we fled. Our family of 10 began a harrowing journey with no clear destination, only the desperate need to escape. We left behind more than just walls and belongings; we left behind a life built with love and hope. Our journey took us first to Nyala in South Darfur, then to Kosti in White Nile State. From there, we crossed the border into neighbouring South Sudan and eventually reached Uganda, a country I had heard offered stability and a good education system for children. The journey by car took 23 days. My children had no passports, and there were no refugee camps for Sudanese nationals at the time. To my relief, migration authorities in both countries were kind and supportive. In Kampala, we rented a house and received asylum status within three days. The moment I held our refugee cards, I exhaled deeply and thought ‘we’ve made it.’ I enrolled my children in school and began working online, finally finding a sense of stability. Here I was, an aid worker now a refugee, needing the same support I once provided to others. Returning to Zalingei Months later, I faced a difficult decision. Do I stay with my family or return to Darfur and continue the work I had done for years? I chose to return. Leaving my family behind was incredibly hard, but their safety was paramount. I returned to Zalingei with a renewed sense of duty to serve those still trapped in the hardship I had endured. I was also the sole breadwinner for my family and needed to ensure they could survive in Uganda. My hometown changed When I arrived in Zalingei, I barely recognised it. Buildings were scarred with bullet holes. I found another family sheltering inside our house, a doctor and his family whose own home had been destroyed. I let them stay, setting aside a small section for myself and a colleague. The house had been looted. Windows were gone and our belongings had vanished. I had hoped to find my children’s school certificates, photos, any documents left behind. But, they were gone. Everyone was armed, even children as young as 15. People were tense, traumatised and always bracing for the next wave of violence. Machine guns and wreckage in West Darfur I didn’t stay long in Zalingei. Soon I was called to El Geneina in West Darfur, a town devastated by violence, and whose people desperately needed humanitarian support. El Geneina’s streets were strewn with the wreckage of burned-out military vehicles. Armed men patrolled in pickup trucks mounted with machine guns. The humanitarian needs were immense. People lacked food, shelter, household essentials, healthcare, clean water and protection, but we never had enough resources for them. Family, sacrifice and hope for Sudan It’s heartbreaking to witness the suffering caused by the recent donor funding cuts. Many organizations have been forced to scale back their operations, leaving countless people without help. Still, we did all we could. Between 2023 and 2025, we reached more than 800,000 displaced people with critical assistance, in West and Central Darfur. I also went on to work with OCHA colleagues in Chad to coordinate cross-border humanitarian convoys into Darfur. These convoys were lifelines, delivering food, medicine and supplies to communities cut off by conflict. Today, I remain in Sudan. My family is still in Uganda. I visit them once a year, but the separation is painful.”

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In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) is today using its participation in the FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) Technical Seminar 2025 (Rome, 8th – 10th October) to announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17, a next-generation inkjet press engineered for industrial-scale corrugated packaging production. Capable of digitally printing up to 8,000 m2 per hour (15 million m2 per year), the corrPRESS iB17 delivers offset-like quality directly onto corrugated boards up to 1.7 m wide with water-based inks and primer for indirect food contact. The highly automated corrPRESS iB17 enables cost-efficient short- to medium-length runs with ultra-fast turnaround times and requires fewer operators and lower skill levels. Designed for seamless integration into existing production environments, the corrPRESS iB17 offers outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, and extends the economic benefits of digital printing far beyond traditional short-run applications. Building on Canon's proven expertise and experience in commercial digital printing and following the development roadmap presented as a concept at drupa 2024, the Canon corrPRESS iB17 will address the evolving needs of corrugated converters that face increasing pressure to deliver shorter runs with more variants, faster turnaround times and premium quality, and all without compromising cost efficiency. Offering industrial-scale throughput at up to 8,000 m2 per hour, the corrPRESS iB17 allows converters to achieve cost-efficient production for runs up to 20,000 m2, extending digital printing viability well beyond traditional short-runs. Supported by automated printhead cleaning and quality control systems, the press minimises operator intervention while maximising production efficiency. The system’s design also reduces waste through efficient print on demand and eliminates the use of printing plates and chemicals. Unlike conventional technologies, the corrPRESS iB17 does not produce contaminated water, which then has to be filtered or released into the wastewater system. Featuring Canon's proprietary, high-performance, 1200 dpi piezo printheads and specially formulated, water-based pigment inks and primer, which provide an extended colour gamut with CMYK and later OVG, the corrPRESS iB17 achieves pre-print offset-like quality in the post-print process. This improves production efficiency by eliminating the traditional lamination step while reproducing vibrant, accurate and consistent colours, sharp text and precise detail on both coated and uncoated topliners at rated speeds. The system also uses an advanced spot primer that ensures optimal ink adhesion and colour reproduction across the full range of corrugated materials. The ink is jetted onto the board immediately after the primer application without any drying in between, minimising the impact of drying on the board and contributing to a highly reliable production process. The sophisticated Canon drying technology in the corrPRESS iB17 has been optimised to minimise corrugated board stress and energy consumption and to increase production efficiency. Covering approximately 80% of retail packaging applications, the system supports coated and uncoated boards up to 1.7 m wide and 1.3 m long, and ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm thick, at a linear speed of 80 m per minute. Unusually for a digital corrugated press, Canon owns all the key components in the printing process – printheads, inks and drying – enabling Canon to optimise the system’s performance more easily. This high level of integration and synchronisation will result in exceptional levels of productivity and reliability. By combining proven proprietary inkjet technology with an industrial board transport system, Canon has developed an innovative press that delivers offset-quality prints with outstanding productivity and digital flexibility, all developed for indirect food contact applications Jennifer Kolloczek, Senior Director, Marketing & Innovation, Production Printing, Canon EMEA, commented: “Corrugated converters face rising demands for shorter runs, more variants and faster turnaround without compromising quality or cost. We’re thrilled to now announce the Canon corrPRESS iB17 — a digital corrugated press that empowers converters to respond to the changing demands with agility and unlock growth. For Canon, the corrPRESS iB17 marks a major milestone in our journey to becoming a key player in the packaging industry and we’re especially excited that EMEA customers will be the first to benefit from this innovation. Although we’re new to corrugated, we bring many years of collaborative innovation from industrial-scale commercial print and will combine our digital expertise with converters’ value-chain knowledge to drive progress in packaging together.”

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Industry players say limited access to timely financing has remained a major bottleneck in the sector, often disrupting supply chains and leading to post-harvest losses, especially for perishable goods. FPCK estimates the fresh produce sector currently supports more than three million livelihoods, with potential to scale further if structural challenges such as access to credit are addressed. Analysts note that such solutions could improve efficiency in agricultural value chains, reduce reliance on expensive informal credit and support expansion of Kenya’s horticulture exports.

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As global carbon markets shift from rule‑setting to real transactions, with Article 6 mechanisms advancing and compliance‑driven demand such as CORSIA coming into sharper focus, attention is turning to where credible supply and policy certainty can be delivered at scale. For Africa, this marks a transition from carbon market readiness to delivery. Against this backdrop, the Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) 2026 will take place from 13–15 October 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together policymakers, investors, buyers, project developers and market enablers at a pivotal moment for global carbon markets. The Summit is delivered with the support of the Ministry of Environment of Rwanda, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and AUDA‑NEPAD, and with support from private sector partners such as SGS and Anthesis. Rwanda has emerged as one of Africa’s most advanced carbon market jurisdictions, with active engagement under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and a strong focus on mobilising climate finance. “Rwanda has made a deliberate choice to position carbon markets as a tool for climate action, investment mobilisation and long-term development,” said Dr. Bernadette Arakwiye, Minister of Environment, Rwanda. “Hosting CMAS 2026 reflects our commitment to building credible and investable carbon projects that deliver real value for our economy, communities and climate goals.” At a continental level, carbon markets are increasingly seen as a strategic financing mechanism for development. “The Summit provides a timely platform for African countries to shape the future of carbon markets in line with the continent’s development priorities, and reflects the growing momentum to build credible, high-integrity markets that deliver real value”, said Olufunso Somorin, Regional Principal Officer, Climate Change and Green Growth Programme, African Development Bank. “The Bank remains committed to working with our countries and partners to strengthen the policy, regulatory, and institutional frameworks needed to scale carbon markets, attract investments, and ensure Africa is well-positioned in global carbon markets.” “As Africa transitions to a low‑carbon economy, the mobilisation of private capital is needed at scale to support climate mitigation activities and build climate‑resilient infrastructure,” said Kumesh Naidoo, Carbon Markets Lead at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). “As a regional DFI, the DBSA recognises the importance of carbon markets as a climate finance tool and has intentionally stepped forward to support their development through carbon financial instruments, capacitation support and the building of a robust carbon project pipeline. Partnering with CMAS 2026 provides the DBSA with a platform to advance these objectives.” CMAS 2026 is held under the theme: “Africa’s Carbon Markets on the Global Stage: Delivering a Strong Pipeline of Projects, Capital and Transactions at Scale”. As scrutiny on carbon market integrity intensifies, Africa’s carbon assets are increasingly viewed as tools for financing development and strengthening economic sovereignty. “High‑quality carbon markets offer Africa a unique opportunity to translate its vast natural capital into tangible economic value – mobilising finance at scale while empowering countries to pursue development pathways that are both sustainable and sovereign,” said Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub. Designed as a market‑enabling platform, CMAS 2026 focuses on alignment between policy, capital and delivery. “We are deliberately shifting the focus from readiness to delivery,” said Emmanuelle Nicholls, Group Director: Green Economy at VUKA Group, the Summit organisers. “CMAS brings policy, capital and projects into the same space to support real transactions and long‑term market credibility.” The programme includes Article 6 and CORSIA workshops, investor and buyer roundtables, curated project presentations, deal rooms and solution‑labs addressing key bottlenecks such as early‑stage finance, MRV capacity and authorisation in practice. Ministerial roundtable and targeted networking formats support coordination and commercial outcomes. Register: https://apo-opa.co/49Kcmpy Get involved: https://apo-opa.co/3R8m6DR

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Sidian Bank Signs Ksh990 Million Deal With Oikocredit

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From aid worker to refugee and back in war-torn Sudan

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Canon Announces the corrPRESS iB17, a New Digital Press for Industrial-Scale...

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