KBC Channel 1

Author: Claire Wanja

  • AFIDEP wins UN Population Award for 2023

    AFIDEP wins UN Population Award for 2023

    The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is the laureate of the 2023 United Nations Population Award in the institutional category, United Nations announced late on Wednesday in New York, US.

    Making the announcement, Ms. RawaZoghbi, Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations who also is the Chair of the U.N.Selection Committee said: “AFIDEP’s evidence-based approach and collaboration with governments, civil society organizations, and international partners have resulted in impactful programming and positive outcomes in areas such as family planning, maternal health, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and African population dynamics.”

    The statement added that the organisation plays a vital role in shaping policies and programmes that promote sustainable population growth in Africa.

    The UN Select Committee on Population Award also comprises representatives of nine other UN Member States. The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs serves as the representative of the Secretary-General, United Nations, and UNFPA serves as its secretariat.

    “It is with great honour and immense gratitude that I accept the 2023 U.N. Population Award on behalf of the African Institute for Development Policy, AFIDEP. This accolade validates the significance of our work and serves as a catalyst for further growth and progress in our mission towards a better and more prosperous future for all Africans, said Dr Eliya Zulu, Founder and Executive Director, AFIDEP.

    Dr Zulu said AFIDEP’s success is a collective effort of many. “Through the founding Directors’ vision, the Board of Directors’ strategic leadership,hardworking staff, resource partners, partnership with UNFPA, other U.N. agenciesand non-governmental organizations, and supportive policymakers,AFIDEP triumphed many start-up challenges,” he said.

    According to Dr. Thomas Munthali, Director General, National Planning Commission – Malawi, AFIDEP has remained one of NPC’s leading partners in research and policy analysis and advisory that has informed the formulation and implementation of the Malawi 2063 national vision.

    “The quality of their input demonstrated their pedigree in offering solutions to various challenges affecting countries around the globe. Congratulations to team AFIDEP on the Award,” he said.

    The award has not come as a surprise. AFIDEP has played a significant role in elevating the demographic dividend as an essential development paradigm in Africa, working in collaboration with national governments, regional intergovernmental entities, the African Union, development partners, philanthropies, and civil society to achieve this cross-sectoral collaboration.

    The Institute has worked in over 20 African countries on the demographic dividend paradigm and also directly supported 15 African governments in developing Demographic Dividend intelligence to stimulate political traction, leading to ten countries incorporating the D.D. principles in their medium and long-term development strategies, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

    AFIDEP’s support to the African Union contributed to the landmark decision to designate “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth”was the development theme for Africa in 2017. Twelve of the 23 governments we supported in East and SouthernAfrica have integrated the demographic dividend framework into their development strategies.

    Empowering women and girls, importantly harnessing their skills and talents, is central to the continent’s socioeconomic development, consequently realizing the D.D. Women and girls account for half of Africa’s population. To this end, AFIDEP has supported policy enactment and programme implementation that increase the girl child’s prospects in education and employment, including ending teenage pregnancies and child marriages in Africa.

    “Even as we celebrate, we acknowledge that progress is uneven, and mostcountries are likely to fall short of their human development SDGs by 2030. We, therefore, call on U.N. Member states to ensure that boys and girls stay in school at least up to the secondary level.Governments should increase domestic financing to counter the effects of the debt burden,COVID-19, climate change, and local and global conflicts,” said Dr Zulu.

    Additionally AFIDEP congratulates the First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, the 2023 individual category laureate of the 2023 U.N. Population Award.

     

     

  • Silicon Savannah: Sama identifies Kenya as an ideal machine learning investment destination

    Silicon Savannah: Sama identifies Kenya as an ideal machine learning investment destination

    Kenya is set to experience a significant economic boost as Sama, the leader in providing data annotation solutions that power the AI models of the future, confirmed plans to enhance its Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) investments locally.

    Banking on recent engagements with the national government players including the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and the BPO Association of Kenya (BPOAK),

    Sama confirmed its corporate plans to continue using Kenya as a global delivery site to de-risk machine learning (ML) models.

    Speaking when she confirmed the corporate commitments, Sama Vice President of Global Delivery, Annepeace Alwala, said the firm has expanded its service offering to include data annotation solutions.

    “In Kenya, thanks to quality talent, Sama, is today a key player in the data annotation market providing best in class computer vision data labelling services. These services are delivered under the Sama data curation, annotation and validation business lines which we deliver for more than 25% of Fortune 50 companies who trust Sama to help them deliver industry-leading Machine Learning models,” Alwala said.

    She added: “The local BPO Industry is growing at a steady rate with the BPO Association of Kenya estimating that we will jointly create more than one million jobs against more than      $400 million USD in revenue. This makes the industry an important economic player with contemporary global solutions provision capacity.”

    The government’s supportive policies and significant investment in infrastructure are attracting several international companies seeking to establish operations in Africa. Other factors include Kenya’s strong labour force, competitive operational costs, and a favorable business environment resulting in job creation, economic growth, and enhanced global competitiveness.

    Sama, which started its operations in Kenya in 2011, has since expanded its labour force to over 3,000 employees, primarily drawn from Kenya but with over 20 nationalities from several African countries. As a training-data company, Sama focuses on annotating data for artificial intelligence algorithms by providing computer vision solutions that power AI and machine learning models.

    In Kenya, Sama offers a range of BPO services, including data validation, data curation, image and video annotation, content moderation, customer service support, data entry, software development, and 3D Point Cloud annotation for variety of industries, including autonomous transportation, MedTech, agriculture, and retail solutions.

    “Kenya has the potential to become a major player in the global BPO market, and we are excited to be a part of this growth. For over a decade, we have provided individuals who are most likely to be excluded from formal sector jobs. Through our purposeful impact hiring process, we connect individuals from low-income backgrounds, those who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue education beyond secondary school, and those who, prior to joining Sama, lived in extreme poverty with fair paying entry-level jobs,” Ms. Wendy Gonzalez, Sama Chief Executive Officer said.

    Over 25% of Fortune 50 companies including Google, NVIDIA, General Motors, Walmart, Ford, Microsoft, eBay, Ford, and Glassdoor, trust Sama to help them deliver industry-leading machine learning models.

    “Kenya’s skilled workforce, multilingual capabilities, and cultural compatibility are some of the key factors contributing to its competitive advantage in the global outsourcing landscape. As the sector continues to grow, we will work with the government and other stakeholders to help make Kenya an international BPO destination,” Ms. Gonzalez added.

    Over the last decade, Kenya’s BPO industry has continued to attract a surge of global businesses seeking to outsource their operations, creating numerous employment opportunities and driving economic growth.

    In 2020, Sama became the first AI data labelling company to receive B Corp Certification, formally committing to create positive impact for employees, communities, customers, and the planet. Its training and employment program were recently validated by an MIT-led Randomized Controlled Trial.

  • Aifluence named winner of the Visa Everywhere Initiative Kenya finals

    Aifluence named winner of the Visa Everywhere Initiative Kenya finals

    AIfluence, Africa’s 1st AI driven Influencer Marketing Platform has been named as the winner of the Kenya edition of the 2023 Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI), a global innovation program and competition for start-ups and fintech companies. 

    AIfluence, received a $20 000 USD monetary prize and progresses to the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) regional finals. The winning start-up at the CEMEA Regionals will participate in the global finale, which will be held in September in San Francisco.

    Other winners include, Leja who won the audience favorite award while the social impact prize went to Ndovu with the two Fintechs each receiving $10 000 USD.

    “We are delighted to announce the winners of the Visa Everywhere Initiative Kenya competition. This competition has demonstrated the wealth of solutions that exist to solve our country’s current and future commerce challenges. We are proud to recognise these start-ups who have exhibited remarkable innovation and a deep commitment to making a positive impact in their sectors,” said Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Ag. General Manager for East Africa at Visa.

    More than 200 applicants entered the competition from across the country, each with solutions aimed at delivering innovative payment and commerce solutions to consumers and businesses.

    AIfluence is a technology driven advertising platform that identifies trusted voices that engage, nurture, and activate the right audience to accelerate customer acquisition and growth for global brands. The platform focuses on taking advantage of the budding creator economy by boosting financial literacy, development of payment solutions and the provision of tools and resources to enhance the sector.

    “This is not only a win for AIfluence but a win for the continent. We are looking to empower the young people in the creator economy by helping them build sustainable businesses and collaborating with Visa will provide tremendous synergies that will empower the youth of this continent. The Visa Everywhere Initiative has provided opportunities for those of us in underserved sectors to showcase our solutions and it is an honour to be this year’s winner of the Kenya edition,” said Nelson Aseka, CEO of AIfluence.

    From the right, Ambassador Meg Whiteman, United States Ambassador to Kenya, Founder and CEO of AIfluence, Nelson Aseka and Eva Ngigi Sarwari, Visa country Manager Kenya.

    Leja is a finance management app for micro, small and medium sized enterprises focused on building financial infrastructure for MSMEs while Ndovu is an embedded wealth management platform aimed at building a savings and infrastructure ecosystem.

    The CEMEA finals will be lives treamed on July 27 on TechCrunch – a leading online publisher focused on the tech industry and the start-up ecosystem.

  • Kenya’s YAKWETU™ named amongst finalists for 2023 WIPO global awards

    Kenya’s YAKWETU™ named amongst finalists for 2023 WIPO global awards

    Kenyan Entertainment Technology Start-up- YAKWETU™ Online Limited, has been named as 1 of the 25 finalists for this year’s World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Global Awards which celebrates excellence in the use of Intellectual property (IP) for positive impact at home and abroad.

    Now in its second year, WIPO Global Awards recognises small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from around the globe, that are successfully commercialising their IP-backed innovation and creativity in an exceptional manner, that also improves society.

    In a near-tripling of participation from 2022, WIPO received 548 submissions from 58 countries across all regions of the world, and a wide variety of sectors – including the creative industries, food, green energy technologies, health, and more.

    The 25 finalists are drawn from 16 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Latin America. China, from where half of all applicants hailed, accounts for six of the finalists – the strongest showing from a single country.

    “We are thrilled to be recognised for our work in Content Protection (Anti-Piracy) and Monetisation, via our first proprietary Retail service – MyMovies.Africa™, which securely encrypts Animations, Documentaries, Features & Shorts from Africa, before making them available to Rent or Own to our Customers worldwide”, says Co-Founder, Content Director & Chief Executive Officer – Ms. Trushna Buddhdev-Patel.

    “As an Entertainment Technology Company, YAKWETU™ is also deploying more innovative Anti-Piracy Interventions, to legitimise the Retail of entertainment & educational Content in Africa.”

    This announcement follows an October 2021 recognition, when YAKWETU™ was 1 of 5 (from over 200 applications) admitted to the 2nd Cohort in Kenya of the Next INnovation with JApan (NINJA) Accelerator; which concluded with the Launch of their Fundraising in January 2022.

    The WIPO Global Award 2023 winners will be announced publicly at a live-webcasted awards ceremony on 11th July in Geneva – Switzerland, held during the WIPO Assemblies, where winners will showcase their achievements.

    WIPO Global Award winners will receive a customized 1:1 mentoring package to bolster their IP strategies, including funding facilitation, partnership opportunities and publicity support.

  • India increases Africa lending in the race to counter China

    India increases Africa lending in the race to counter China

    Africa has become the second-largest recipient of credit from India as the country tries to catch up with China in expanding its influence in the resource-rich continent.

    Forty-two African nations received about $32 billion or 38% of all credit extended by India in the last decade — just a few percentage points below its neighbors, Harsha Bangari, the managing director of India’s Export Import Bank said in an interview.

    The bank is an instrument of India’s “economic diplomacy,” Bangari said, adding that the South Asian nation has also opened up 195 project-based lines of credit worth about $12 billion across Africa, three times the number it has in its own region in the last decade.

    “Africa has made good use of credit lines,” extended for projects that include health care, infrastructure, agriculture and irrigation and India is seeing a steady increase in demand, she said.

    Despite the recent efforts by India to engage with countries in the world’s second-largest continent, the nation has lagged behind its bigger and wealthier neighbor in making inroads in Africa. While China’s loans to Africa have dipped since 2016, overall in the 10 years to 2020, it pledged $134.6 billion to African nations, according to data from Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center. That’s almost 11 times more than what India has offered.

    China has also made an early move to tap mineral resources in Africa. The North Asian nation is tapping new centers of lithium supply, helping it navigate a tight market for a key metal for electric vehicles.

    The country is also the biggest buyer of bauxite from Guinea, which holds one of the world’s largest reserves of the ore used to make alumina and is invested in developing the world’s biggest untapped deposit of high-grade iron ore in the West African nation.

    The foreign ministry in Beijing didn’t reply to a request for comment.

    However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has pushed for greater reach into Africa, boosting both economic and diplomatic links. As the continent deals with the economic fallout of the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, New Delhi is seeing an opportunity to push deeper into the continent.

    In the last nine years, 18 of the 25 new Indian embassies or consulates were in Africa. In February, India hosted 48 African countries at the Voice of Global South summit. Modi has also been championing India as a representative of the Global South and using platforms like its presidency of the Group of 20 nations to draw attention to the debt crises in developing economies.

    “We are trying to think 25 years from now,” external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a speech on June 28. “And ask ourselves where are we likely to be in 2047 and what should we be doing now to prepare for it.”

    China’s quantum of financing is bigger than India, but New Delhi let’s governments decide what they need and doesn’t burden them with the sort of vanity projects Beijing is often critiqued for, Bangari said.

    “If you see the projects which India has supported you will see they bring a lot of benefits to the economy.”

    Source: Bloomberg 

     

  • Weatherman urges caution as cold weather peaks at below 18°C

    Weatherman urges caution as cold weather peaks at below 18°C

    The month of July marks the peak of the cold season in the Highlands East of the Rift Valley and Nairobi County.

    The Kenya Meteorological Department says temperature forecast for July 2023 indicates that “this zone, as well as parts of the Southeastern lowlands (parts of Kajiado) are expected to experience cool temperatures.”

    The statement signed by the Director of Meteorological Department Dr. David Gikungu says some of the days within the month may experience maximum temperatures below 18 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures of below 10 degrees Celsius.

    “Most of the northern sector is likely to experience high temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, except over Marsabit and parts of Isiolo counties where temperatures are expected to be moderate,” says Dr. Gikungu.

    Rainfall and Temperature map for July weather. Source: Kenya Meteorological Department

    He says the rest of the country is likely to experience moderate temperatures between 20 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius which he notes are a lot warmer, “going by the long term mean for the month of July.”

    Among the potential impacts, the weatherman says is the fog formation in the areas that are expected to experience cold and cloudy conditions may pose a danger to motorists due to low visibility.

    “Care should be taken while driving in these areas especially along the Nairobi to Naivasha Highway and particularly on the Kikuyu-Kinungi stretch, light rains and drizzles may also cause roads to be slippery,” he says and adds, “All are advised to take utmost care to minimize accidents that may result from such weather conditions.”

    Dr. Gikungu is warning that fog may occasionally disrupt operations at the Wilson Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airports.

    The forecast by the Kenya Meteorological Department says the cool and chilly conditions may cause cases of respiratory diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, flu, and the common cold are likely to increase in areas such as Nairobi, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, parts of the Central and South Rift Valley, and parts of the Highlands West of the Rift Valley.

    To avoid contracting diseases, he says, it is advisable to dress warmly and to follow the advice of the Health Authorities. The Weatherman is also advising the public to avoid using charcoal jikos in poorly ventilated houses “because they emit carbon monoxide gas, which can kill if inhaled.

    The near to below average rainfall expected over the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin, Central and South Rift Valley may be conducive for harvesting. Farmers in these areas are advised to take advantage of the dry spells expected within the month to harvest their produce and reduce post-harvest losses.

    Dr. Gikungu is cautioning that there could be a shortage of food, water, pasture and browse in counties that are in drought alert phase like Taita Taveta and Kitui counties owing to the dry conditions expected. “There may be incidences of crop damage due to frost in parts expected to experience low temperatures.

    The weatherman is warning of cases of lightning strikes in areas over the Lake Victoria Basin and Highlands West of the Rift Valley especially in Kisii, Kisumu, Nandi, Bungoma around Mt. Elgon areas, and Kakamega Counties. “The public is advised not to shelter near metallic structures or under trees to prevent loss of life,” he says.

    Water availability over the ASAL areas may decline due to the dry weather conditions expected in these areas. Residents are advised to use the available water sparingly and embrace water conservation practices to ensure their water needs are met during the month.

    By Judith Akolo

     

  • Justus Ambutsi Wabuyabo to act as CEO at NuPEA

    Justus Ambutsi Wabuyabo to act as CEO at NuPEA

    The Board of Directors of Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), in consultation with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, has appointed Justus Ambutsi Wabuyabo as Acting CEO with effect from 1st July 2023.

    He will succeed Eng. Collins Gordon Juma, who proceeds on terminal leave effective 30th June 2023 and has served as CEO since 2016.

    Wabuyabo holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Moi University and a Masters Degree in International Law from the University of Nairobi.

    He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 22 years of experience. He is also a Certified Public Secretary, Commissioner of Oaths, a Notary Public and an Accredited Governance Auditor. He is a Member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), East African Law Society (EALS), Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) and the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS).

    Wabuyabo joined NuPEA in 2019 as Director, Legal and Regulatory Services and Corporation Secretary. He previously served as General Manager, Legal and Corporate Services at National Water and Harvesting Authority. He has also served as a lecturer at Kenya School of Law and Mount Kenya University.

    The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency is a State Corporation in the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.

    Its mandate is to undertake development of Kenya’s nuclear power programme, as well as research in energy technologies. Further, it is tasked with spearheading capacity building for the energy sector.

  • Senate invites EACC to probe suspected water graft in Kitui

    Senate invites EACC to probe suspected water graft in Kitui

    The Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds wants Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate suspected embezzlement of public funds in Kitui County Government, which has invested over Ksh IB in its water company, Kitui Water and Sanitation Company (KITWASCO).

    The Senate Committee noted that the Kitui water company is facing insolvency and that despite the County Government pumping between Ksh 8- 10M  into the company every month, the company has a Ksh 500M debt.

    The ownership of the water company is said to be in private hands despite being a county public investment.

    These issues were raised on Tuesday when Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe appeared before the Senate Committee to respond to malpractices revealed in the Auditor General’s Report. The Committee is currently interrogating Governors concerning water and sanitation companies in their counties.

    EACC has two liaison officials who sit in the Senate Committees to pick issues that require anti-corruption enforcement actions.

    The Kitui water company has a high percentage of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) at 55%. This means that it cannot account for revenue receivable from 55% of its water resource. Most water companies across counties have high percentages of Non-Revenue Water beyond the allowable maximum of 25% as per the Water Service Regulatory Board Guidelines. This is due to illegal connections, water theft, bribery, and corruption.

    Wajir Water and Sewerage Company has the highest Non-Revenue Water percentage at 82% meaning that revenue from 82% of the water resource cannot be accounted for. It does go to the County Government.

  • Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa to host medical exhibition in Nairobi

    Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa to host medical exhibition in Nairobi

    Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa are set to host the region’s largest medical exhibition in Nairobi, from 11-13 September 2023 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

    With the theme of “Redefining healthcare delivery in East Africa”, the event will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health Kenya and will strive to bring together the international and regional healthcare communities to improve healthcare delivery for the people and transform the future of healthcare in East Africa.

    The event aims to attract over 5,000 healthcare and laboratory professional visits from around the world, making it the biggest healthcare exhibition in the East African region.

    The event will also showcase over 150 leading global brands from over 20 countries like Abbott, Snibe Diagnostics, Crown Healthcare, and more. Confirmed countries participating at the event include France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Cyprus, Switzerland, Türkiye, Kenya, China, India, United Arab Emirates and United States.

    The event will also include participation of key regional healthcare organisations including the Kenyan Healthcare Federation, the Association of Clinical Pathologists, the Surgical Society, the Medical Association and the National Public Health Institute.

    In parallel to the exhibition, the free-to-attend congress will feature the Healthcare Summit 2.0 conference and the Laboratory educational sessions conference tracks will also take place throughout the 3-day event to offer a collaborative environment for healthcare and laboratory professionals, policymakers, researchers, and technology experts to discuss challenges and opportunities in achieving better health systems.

    The diverse line-up of regional and international experts will share cutting-edge insights and best practices on Healthcare Excellence, Public Health, and Equity to address public and private healthcare challenges in the region.

    Some of the featured speakers at the event include Adama Thiam, Head of Emergency Operations Support and Logistics – WHO, Dr Muthoni Karanja, HIV Prevention Specialist – Department of Defence Kenya, Gerald Macharia, Chairman – KNPHI and Aaron K Mulaki Head of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, African Constituency Bureau for the Global Fund.

    Commenting on the announcement, Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa Exhibition Director Tom Coleman said, “With the growth of the healthcare and laboratory industries in East Africa, Medic East Africa and Medlab East Africa, will showcase the latest innovations and technologies driving the industry forward in the region, as well as provide the ultimate platform for meeting colleagues and discussing the latest trends impacting their respective industries.”

    The convention will be a trading and business-sharing platform for industry professionals to promote interaction and trade amongst C-level management from hospitals, leading manufacturers, key government professionals, investors, dealers, and distributors.

    Visitors will be able to source from 9 dedicated product sectors, including medical equipment and devices, imaging and diagnostics, disposables and consumer goods, healthcare and general services, medical laboratory, and wellness and prevention.

  • Be alert and stay clear of fraud: Smart guide for going overseas

    Be alert and stay clear of fraud: Smart guide for going overseas

    As international tourism races to consolidate its recovery in 2023, Kenya is moving at a faster rate than the global average. This is according to the Kenya Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2022 which  indicates that the country registered a 72.4% recovery rate against 2019 numbers which is above the global average of 63% recovery.

    This shows that Kenya is experiencing increased activities in the tourism sector either inbound or outbound.

    With the surge in travel demand from the country, visa applications submitted for various countries are at volumes higher than ever before. With this increased demand for visa application appointments, scammers pose as employees or associates of the organisation; or touts who promise an early appointment at an additional cost to embezzle job-seekers and innocent customers alike. Here are some of their common modus-operandi particularly in the digital space:

    It is important for applicants to bear in mind that appointment slots are offered online based on the volume of demand or forecast, and in conjunction with the Embassy’s own internal capacity planning. Once scheduled, they are recommended to be at the Centre 15 minutes before the appointed time to avoid missing your slot. We strongly advise all applicants to be careful of touts and fraudulent parties who falsely promise early appointment bookings in exchange for payment.

    Touts could also reach out to customers via chat apps, offering simple assistance such as booking an appointment slot to apply for a visa when appointments are available online on a first-come-first-served basis completely free of cost.

    The service fee charged for applicants are duly approved by respective client government and is made either cash deposit in the nominated bank account or through EFT/Card online. This is depicted on our platforms like the customer facing websites for the understanding of our applicants with an official receipt issued if service is availed. Service fees vary for each country and are dependent on the different services provided, to offer applicants an enhanced visa application experience.  Applicants may visit our website www.vfsglobal.com for more details on service fees and charges for optional value-added services. Please note that services like Premium Lounge are an optional service for applicants for an additional fee to enhance their overall application experience and are not mandatory.

    Phishing is a commonly used fraudulent attempt to acquire personal & sensitive information such as passwords & credit card details, through digital means by misusing official credentials. Considering the presence of imposter sites, it is important to be mindful to never share your personal information on an ‘HTTP’ website to begin with. Always look for websites that begin with ‘HTTPS’ when you are likely to seek or share information.

    Another technique used by a scammer is to trap unsuspecting aspirants with the false promise of overseas settlement. An all-too-frequent strategy involves a scammer using new software and other technology to clone official web pages of companies like VFS Global and mask their phone numbers, so it appears that the call has indeed come from an official line. The victim is then asked to verify the number on the official website, leading him/her to further believe the caller. The initial call is backed by fabricated job offer letters and official-looking documentation sent via email. To show acceptance of the job offer or immigration opportunity, the email states that the individual will have to make an up-front payment and share personal information to take things forward.

    With the presence of location pins and information on popular social media and search platforms, many such fraudsters create a fake presence using the company credentials like logos, official name etc. and include their contact details in the details provided on these pages that deceive genuine travellers who mistake these details as the official presence of the company.

    As you embark on your visa application here are some warning signs you should look out for that indicate a scam:

    First, scammers usually request advance payments to personal bank accounts with the threat of visa application rejection or deportation.

    They may also seek for personal information under the pretext of re-validating information in the application.

    Emails about job offers or immigration are sent from fabricated email IDs, usually via commonly used personal email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo.co.in, etc.).

    Watch out for pixelated and out-of-proportion logos used on fabricated documentation (such as job offer letters and contracts).

    Remember that all communication stops with the scammer once payment has been made.

    Furthermore, one must be very careful in what they share, like their passport or visa application numbers via public domains on the internet or social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook, as scammers are constantly on the lookout for such information.

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENT VISA APPLICANTS

    During student season, which typically starts from mid-May and goes on till September, the rush for visas is high especially for Australia, Canada and select Schengen locations. Thus, it is important for students to be wary of miscreants looking to take advantage of this peak demand period. Here are some key tips to key an eye out for:

    • Students are advised to exercise caution when being approached by third-party entities who pose as visa service providers, promising an appointment or favourable visa decision by misusing our company’s name or otherwise.
    • Students should also conduct proper due diligence and vet the details of the educational institutions that they intend to study at.
    • Given the unprecedented pent-up demand for outbound travel from Sub Saharan Africa, it is advisable to apply for visas as early as possible to avoid falling prey to such grey operators.

    Tackling fraud at VFS Global

    To make both applicants as well as the general public more aware of such fraudulent entities, VFS Global ensures adequate measures are in place including stringent data privacy norms to tackle fraud-like messages at multiple touch points, including:

    • Prompt replies to email enquiries or complaints
    • Communicating measures to detect fraud on our social media platforms regularly
    • SMS and call centre voice messages
    • Advertisements/posters

    By Hariprasad Viswanathan, Head – Sub Saharan Africa, VFS Global