When Bien-Aimé Alusa Baraza, better known simply as Bien – or if you may, baldman, announced his Alusa Continua world tour, anticipation soared not only in Kenya but across the global African music diaspora. Best known as a founding member of the legendary Afro-pop band Sauti Sol, Bien has stepped into the solo spotlight with confidence, charisma, and conviction. The tour, spanning East Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia, is a cultural statement about the evolution of African music, identity, and artistry.

From Bandmate to Frontman

For over a decade, Sauti Sol dominated Kenya’s and Africa’s music scene with chart-topping hits and electrifying live performances. Their collective success built a solid foundation, but Bien’s decision to carry the torch as a solo act marks a new chapter. His artistry balances the vulnerability of his songwriting with the boldness of his stage presence. The Alusa Continua tour name itself reflects continuity, a reminder that while the group dynamic may have shifted, the creative journey remains unbroken.

Homecoming and Reunion

The Nairobi leg of the tour at Carnivore Grounds became a defining moment. Tickets sold at a rapid pace, underscoring the hunger for homegrown talent on big stages. Beyond Bien’s solo catalogue, fans were treated to an emotional surprise when fellow Sauti Sol members – Savara, Chimano, and Fancy Fingers-joined him on stage. The reunion ignited nostalgia, proving that while Bien’s solo career thrives, the brotherhood of Sauti Sol remains intact. This blend of past and present captured the essence of the tour: a celebration of growth without erasing history.

Kenya to the World

The Alusa Continua tour extends far beyond East Africa, with stops in Paris, Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Dallas, and even Melbourne. This global footprint highlights the increasing demand for African music on international stages. Bien is not only carrying Kenyan sound across borders, he is embedding it into global playlists, diaspora nightlife, and mainstream cultural conversations.

This cross-continental reach mirrors the journeys of Afrobeat giants from Nigeria or amapiano pioneers from South Africa. For Kenya, often under-represented in global Afropop, Bien’s tour signals an important shift: Kenyan music is claiming its rightful place in the global spotlight.

Why It Matters

The significance of Alusa Continua lies in what it represents for Kenyan and African music:

• Representation – Bien shows that Kenyan artists can headline international tours and draw diverse audiences.
• Cultural Exchange – Each show becomes a platform to share Swahili lyrics, Kenyan rhythms, and African storytelling with new listeners.
• Economic Value – Successful tours contribute to a growing creative economy, spotlighting the role of music in livelihoods and cultural diplomacy.
• Continuity – The reunion moments with Sauti Sol demonstrate that solo careers do not mean the end of shared legacy; they can coexist and enrich one another.

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Little did I know that would be my new norm. Anytime I was going through depression, rejection, or stress, I would run to my razor. We had formed a bond that could not be broken. It had become my new best friend and something I could rely on during my low times.

I was still in highschool when I started self-harm. If not for the razor, since I was doing homescience, I could burn myself with an iron while ironing my sample or hurt myself each time I machine stitched my sample.

It now became a concern to my friends since I was always in a sweater or found it awkward to remove a sweater. My marks were easily noticeable. Some said it was peer pressure or I just craved attention; maybe it was true. Since if I talked, we would be repeating the same issues over and over again. My school mum broke down when it dawned on her that I was engaging in that act. I was the one who was afraid to reach out and address what I was going through. I thought my friends wouldn’t understand, and they would see my issues as petty.

I remember this one Sunday when my then-bestie came and found me without a sweater with the marks all over my hand, and we talked. I opened up, and to my shock, she was also self-harming.

I was a bit concerned that it flash backed me to a time I met a friend in the homescience room. She had cuts all over her hands, and hers were both vertical and horizontal. She tried to cover them, but I had already seen. She shared her story and told me several girls that were self-harming, and it was true. We were using it as a way of coping, and the majority of them didn’t want to share their story with someone who hasn’t self-harmed because they wouldn’t understand.

But her story made me feel as if I didn’t have any problems in life, and my issues could be solved.

We went home for the holiday, and I was going to form four the next term. I used to wear my sweater and wouldn’t remove it no matter the weather. My mum noticed and immediately knew something was a miss since she knew I wore sweaters during the cold weather only. This one time I was chilling outside when a neighbor saw my marks and got curious which also raised my mom’s eyebrows.

I went back to our house, and my mum came in furiously. The first thing she told me was ‘umekuwa wa illuminati kazi ni kujitoa damu,‘ and I knew my mum would beat the shit out of me if I didn’t say the truth. I explained everything in black and white.

I started crying and went to sit next to her. She also joined me in crying. It was a very painful moment seeing my mum cry. I told her how depressing school was for me, how the diet affected me and the cateress didn’t want to know if I had an issue not unless I had a letter from a hospital. She called ‘my alleged dad’  whom helped in settling this dust – we talked and agreed I won’t self-harm again, and  that they would take care of my diet.

I was happy because at the time I had ulcers so bread, beans, and ndegu used to affect me. She made sure I was never eating bread again, and I was taken to the special diet table. To me, that was one problem solved, two remaining; Girls and academics.

We went back to school, and I didn’t self-harm for a while until the results of our exams came out. I had failed terribly and instantly knew I had let myself down. Worse still, my mum wouldn’t feel good about the results.

I resorted back to my habit, this time with a blunt object. It did more harm than I could ever imagine. My hand was swollen, and I couldn’t do anything with my left arm. I called my mum and told her everything, since she was the only person I called my whole high school period. I asked if she could pay for extra classes and she agreed. She was so understanding and gentle to me. She didn’t want me to lack anything or say I failed because I didn’t have resources.

One common phenomenon in a girl’s school is lesbianism. Sometimes you just find yourself as one not because you wanted but circumstances forced you to be. I was one, something now I’m not proud of saying. But I didn’t do those things people used to do, mine was simple small talks, cuddles, and hugs.

Lesbianism affected my mental and physical health in high school. Fighting with girls for girls, being the talk of the school, betrayal from friends, constant cases, kidogo nipewe expulsion in form three because of lesbians. Around that time, I used to self-harm a lot with the machine stitch because it was exhausting.

Girls were always on my neck. My class teacher was nice and understanding, something I came to realize when I was finishing school. She always had my back and talked to the administration on my behalf and promised them I would change. I didn’t, but I went quiet – no friends, just one or two, avoiding conflicts with people, and focusing on my studies because I was failing terribly.

Fast forward to after I had finished high school, I had gone for nine months without self harming until one fateful Friday morning when I was told by a friend that my mum had passed away.

I got confused because my family weren’t communicating. My mum’s phone was off for the first time since I was born – she had never missed any of my calls even if she was busy she would call later. Well, this one was different.

That Thursday that she passed everything was normal, but people kept calling to ask how I was and how I was fairing with University life. At first, I thought it was normal until the day I came back to my senses those were just hypocrites trying to figure out if I had known my mum was no more.

I went to a secluded place with a razor. The aim wasn’t to self-harm but to commit suicide. I didn’t feel any pain, all I was thinking was my mum. Why she left, maybe even it was a lie. I recalled our last call which was on Wednesday night. She was okay though she had hinted that she was sick and had medicine.

I knew my mum was good at secrets and suffering alone, but I didn’t know she would hide all those from me. I was the best thing in her life, and she was my person, we went through heaven and hell together. Maybe if she told me she was sick, I would have been sick and worried about her and not concentrate on my studies. Of course, that is true. But I would have been there for her during her last moments, I would have held on and be strong for us.

I was shattered, knowing I would never recover from that. Blood oozed from my hand, yet I felt numb, devoid of pain. All I longed for was my mom. A friend came and escorted me to the health unit, where they stitched my cuts. The doctor checked in on me, but little did he know the turmoil within.

They contacted my aunt, who assured she was coming for me, and a counselor was sent to talk to me. The counselor, a woman, made an effort to comprehend, though she was visibly upset. The news of my mother’s passing reached me via text. When she asked about my origin, I mentioned Nakuru, affirming my Catholicism.

Confirming on her phone, she discovered my mother’s photo in the church group, indicating she had passed away a day prior, around ten in the morning. A whole day had passed, and no one bothered to inform me. The details of mourning and burial are stories for another day, but during that time, I starved myself for two weeks, my weight dropping to about 28kg. Food held no taste, and hunger eluded me entirely.

Self harming became part of me, we were now conjoined together each time I miss my mum my razor or a lighter would be there to help me ease the pain. I fell in love with red marks on my body. Therapy couldn’t help because to me, no one would ever understand what my mum’s death did to me.

It changed me and my whole life, I was used to calls and texts daily from her to none. No one to call or ask me how my day was. People who promised to be there for me had vanished. I realized I was all alone and it would be like that until my last breath. It’s tough losing the only parent you’ve known your whole life and to me she went too early, we had dreams we were to achieve together.

Luckily I met someone who found me still grieving for my mum. He knew how I felt and understood my pain more than anyone else. He knew how tough it was especially given my age. He made a vow to be there for me always and walk with me throughout the journey.

I still self harmed and that made him mad but he had made peace with it after hearing my past. I couldn’t recover from self harm, it was part of me. At times I felt guilty that I self harm and hid it from him but I was protecting him from my emotional damage. I didn’t want to ruin us.

I was also doing drugs and alcohol when we met but agreed if we dated I wouldn’t do that. It was tough for me given that those were my solace. I tried so hard but I gave in twice to velo and alcohol, something I regret ever doing. I had done damage to myself and betrayed our relationship.

I lost something that would have been beautiful and worth keeping. He helped me heal but I never noticed, I was always happy with him and he was my person but I was too weak to say no to alcohol. I messed up big time.

I still self harmed when he left but that was the last time I was doing it. I made peace with the reality that I was a mess and needed help.

I am still going for therapy sessions, started reading books and listening to podcasts. Each time I feel low I go outside for a walk and listen to music or cry my heart out but not cutting myself or doing drugs and alcohol.

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Recognizing the pivotal role of knowledge in this mission, the UN has launched a series of free courses aimed at fostering understanding, awareness, and action in the realm of gender equality.

Whether you’re a student, activist, educator, or simply someone passionate about making a difference, these courses offer invaluable insights and tools to propel positive change.

Here’s a comprehensive list to get you started:

1. I Know Gender 1-2-3: Gender Concepts to get Started
   • Click to access: I Know Gender 1-2-3
2. Women’s access to justice explainer video
   • Access to Justice Video
3. Using Gender Statistics: A Toolkit for Training Data Users
   • Gender Statistics Toolkit
4. e-Toolkit on Gender Equality in Education
   • Gender Equality in Education Toolkit
5. Mainstreaming Gender in Voluntary National Reviews
   • Gender in Voluntary National Reviews
6. Adolescent Girls’ Agency, Safety, and Wellbeing Playlist
   • Adolescent Girls’ Playlist
7. E-Learning on Gender Statistics (Arabic)
   • Gender Statistics E-Learning (Arabic)
8. UNICEF Gender Equality Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action Playlist with Interactive Game
   • UNICEF Gender Equality Commitments
9. SDG Indicator 5.a.1 – Equal tenure rights for women on agricultural land
   • Equal Tenure Rights for Women
10. eGovernment for Women Online Toolkit
    • eGovernment for Women Toolkit
11. How to Communicate HIV
    • How to Communicate HIV
12. Abortion in Argentina: conceptual and operational tools for the full implementation of Law 27,610. Second Litter.
    • Link: Abortion in Argentina Course
13. Co-responsible masculinities – Promoting the participation of men in care work.
    • Co-responsible Masculinities
14. Journalistic Coverage of the Right to Legal Abortion
    • Journalistic Coverage of Abortion
15. Digital gender violence. Approaches from the ESI
    • Digital Gender Violence Course
16. Men and Masculinity (ES)
    • Men and Masculinity Course (ES)
17. Introduction to feminist communication
    • Introduction to Feminist Communication

Explore more free gender related courses on the UN Women platform here, , Visit UNFPA website or visit the UN SDG:Learn website here to delve deeper into the world of gender equality and sustainable development.

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What is the Youth Transforming Transportation Initiative?

The initiative has one clear goal: encourage young changemakers from all over the world to take part in the sustainable transport conversation and provide them with a platform to share innovative solutions that will help unlock financing for greener, safer, resilient, and inclusive transport, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

How to Participate:

1. Register: Sign up to attend the Transforming Transportation conference either in person in Washington, D.C., or online.
2. Attend: Join all plenary sessions of the conference either in person or by streaming them online.
3. Share: Draft a blog (maximum 800 words) showcasing your innovative solution to unlock financing for sustainable transportation.
4. Submit: During the breakout session titled ‘Creating jobs through youth-led innovations in green mobility’ on March 20, you’ll receive instructions on how to submit your blog. Submissions will be accepted until March 22, 2024.

What They are Looking For:

The initiative wants to hear your fresh ideas that are both innovative and scalable, with the potential for clear and measurable impacts. If your solution has a geographic focus, make sure it covers locations currently working with the World Bank.

What Happens Next:

Two submissions will be selected for publication on the World Bank Blog platform, and a group of participants will be invited to a hybrid session with a senior transport expert at the World Bank to share their solutions and discuss pressing challenges in the transport sector.

Register Now

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The conference targets young individuals passionate about nature. It is scheduled to take place in Japan in August 2024. The event will bring together more than 100 youths from various parts of the world to exchange ideas and strategize on nature conservation. They will collaborate on projects and gain insights from each other.

The objective is to make positive contributions to nature and support global biodiversity objectives. The meeting will feature activities such as music, art, and discussions to motivate young leaders to take proactive steps towards a better future.

Selected participants may receive assistance with travel, accommodation, and meals. It is essential for applicants to have a good command of the English language since the conference will be conducted in English.

Deadline: MARCH 30

Apply

More Details

Highlighting over a decade of active youth engagement in the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Youth Conference on Biodiversity (IYCB) will be held in August 2024 in Yokohama City, Japan, in a collaboration between the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), the Ministry of Environment of Japan, the City of Yokohama, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Japan Biodiversity Fund.

IYCB will take place from 25 to 31 August 2024 in Yokohama, Japan, and will bring together more than 100 youths from all over the world to connect, collaborate, and share experiences about their work and interest in biodiversity. (Please note that arrivals and departures from/to Yokohama will be arranged on August 24 and September 1, 2024). 

The one-week programme will highlight the role of young people as agents of change for the benefit of biodiversity. It will provide young people with an opportunity to develop bonds and networks with other national and regional participants from diverse sectors, and create a movement to drive transformative change for the success of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in particular, its targets 22 and 23, and Section C (n) on intergenerational equity.

Through music, art, culture, discussions and workshops, the young leaders will engage in creative sessions and develop projects to amplify their voices, spark innovation, and drive meaningful action for a sustainable future, in harmony with nature.

IYCB participants and their partners will get hands-on experience at working in a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach. The gathering will also support the implementation of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2023–2030).

The goals of the 2024 International Youth Conference on Biodiversity are:

1. Empower the global youth community to actively share their insights on biodiversity within diverse programs and sectors that will drive transformative change through a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach.

2. Encourage young people to rally around the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and CBD objectives

3. Facilitate the creation of projects that strengthen their national, regional and global community’s ability to support biodiversity towards achieving the 2030 targets and following National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) in their national contexts.

Bring:

GYBN hopes that IYCB will help to further mobilize, empower and coordinate young people and youth organizations that are working for Biodiversity.

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Must be an active member of a youth organization/movement/network/community that is working on Biodiversity on the local, national, regional and/or international level.

NOTE: youth members must be between 18-35 years old by the time of the conference

2. Committed to biodiversity-related objectives ideally with a strong engagement background, or familiar with the KMGBF, CBD and/or NBSAPs.

3. Must commit to sharing knowledge and implementing outcomes gained from the Conference.

SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPANTS

Youth from developing countries and, subject to the availability of resources, other youth in need of assistance may be eligible to receive support from the organizers. In such cases, support will cover transportation to/from the conference venue in Yokohama, accommodations*, meals, and/or other relevant expenses.

*Accommodations will be in shared facilities (dormitories, shared bathrooms etc.).

APPLY

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Are you that young changemaker? Apply now!

Deadline: April 5, 2024 at 23:59 EAT (Nairobi, Kenya)

Young Champions of the Earth will be selected, one from each global region: Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, West Asia and two from Asia and the Pacific. Each winner will receive:

1. Mentorship, capacity building workshops and access to a UN community of experts
2. An introduction to dignitaries at the Young Champions of the Earth award ceremony
3. Publicity and recognition through interviews and online and global media
4. US$20,000 in seed-funding

The 2024 Young Champions of the Earth will be required to share their journeys through videos and blogs on this website for up to one year. If you have at least 6 months experience working on a big idea to protect or restore the environment and will be aged between 18 and 30 on 31 December 2024, you are eligible to apply.

The community

More than just an honorary title, the Young Champions of the Earth prize aims to nurture the next generation of environmental leaders. Applicants who demonstrate a strong willingness to learn will be granted access to mentoring and skill-building opportunities and to a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and experts.

Are you ready to take action?

If you have a bright vision for the future of our planet, you can become a Young Champion of the Earth!

APPLY

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