May 17, 2023
Burkina Faso: Teen Mothers and Depression - Lack of Support From Partners and Violence Are Big Drivers in Malawi and Burkina Faso
Up to one in four African girls have their first child before the age of 18. Becoming a mother at such a young age can lead to mental health problems like depression. Research… Read more »
South Africa: Winnie and Nelson - New Book Paints a Deeply Human Portrait of the Mandela Marriage and South Africa's Struggle
A powerful new book on Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has just been published. Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage is at once a double biography of South… Read more »
Ghana: Venice Architecture Biennale - How Pioneering Ghanaian Architects Reckoned With Tropical Modernism
As curator of the 2023 Venice architecture biennale, the Ghanaian-Scottish architect, Lesley Lokko, has chosen to highlight the African continent as "the laboratory of the future". Read more »
Africa: Pivotal Points in the Covid-19 Pandemic - 5 Essential Reads
Experts have made it clear that the end of the COVID-19 national emergency, which was lifted on May 11, 2023, does not mean an end to the pandemic. But this shift signals a… Read more »
May 16, 2023
Africa: How Does Food Get Contaminated? The Unsafe Habits That Kill More Than 400,000 People a Year
Unsafe foods, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), contribute to poor health, including impaired growth and development, micro-nutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable… Read more »
South Africa: Did South Africa Sell Arms to Russia? Only a Series of Unlikely Scenarios Could Have Made It Possible
On 11 May 2023 the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, claimed that South Africa had secretly exported arms to Russia in December 2022. The announcement rapidly fed into… Read more »
Kenya: Kenya's Political Elites Switch Parties With Every Election - How This Fuels Violence
Barely seven months after leaving office, Kenya's former president Uhuru Kenyatta is battling to keep together the party that won him a second term and a majority in parliament in… Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's Street Food Adds to the Plastic Problem - Green Leaves Offer a Solution
Street food is popular in Nigerian cities. Most of the local food delicacies are sold by vendors whose livelihoods depend on informal subsistence activities such as local food… Read more »
Africa: Architecture After Covid - How the Pandemic Inspired Building Designers
Walking during lockdowns, following protocols and restrictions, city dwellers witnessed the birth of a new architectural aesthetic. Read more »
South Africa: National Anthems - How Composers in South Africa and India Are Reimagining Them
The rousing notes of the British national anthem God Save The King rang loudly in London's Westminster Abbey when King Charles III was crowned - and in official and informal… Read more »
May 15, 2023
Ghana: Black and Bold Queens Is a New Children's Book Celebrating Women in Ghana's History
A new children's book, Black and Bold Queens: Women in Ghana's History explores the lives of 16 notable female pioneers and leaders in the West African country, with a strong focus… Read more »
South Africa: Justice Yvonne Mokgoro - Trailblazing Defender of Justice, Human Dignity and the Constitution
Many great legal minds have made important contributions to the development of the law, justice and constitutionalism in South Africa. One figure who stands out as a particularly… Read more »
Sudan: Sudan Is Awash With Weapons - How the Two Forces Compare and What That Means for the War
Armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has escalated following an outbreak of violence in April 2023. There is intensive… Read more »
Ethiopia: Ethiopia's Ambitious Housing Policy Divides Communities
The shortage of adequate housing in cities is an issue around the globe, particularly among developing countries that are rapidly urbanising. The UN estimates that more than one… Read more »
Rwanda: Thriving in the Face of Adversity - Resilient Gorillas Reveal Clues About Overcoming Childhood Misfortune
In 1974, an infant mountain gorilla was born in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Researchers named him Titus. As is typical for young gorillas in the wild, Titus spent the first… Read more »
South Africa: Study Shows Networking Skills Boost Job Prospects for Unemployed South African Youth
The fact that more than half of the South African population is under 30 years could be beneficial for the country's economic growth and development. But South Africa has not been… Read more »
May 14, 2023
Ghana: Ghana School Students Talk About Their Social Media Addiction, and How It Affects Their Use of English
Social media networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube and Instagram have been shown to have significantly transformed student behaviour. But the focus has been on… Read more »
East Africa: Most East African Refugees Are Hosted Close to Borders - It's a Deliberate War Strategy
There are close to 4 million people living in refugee camps across Africa. Of the more than 300 camps, nearly 70% are situated within 30km-50km of an international border. They… Read more »
Africa: Souleymane Cissé Is Honoured As One of Africa's Boldest and Most Pioneering Film-Makers
Souleymane Cissé is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest African film-makers of all time - and the world's most prestigious film festival, Cannes, agrees. The… Read more »
South Africa: Fear and Loathing in South Africa - Book Examines How Anxiety Plays Out in Everyday Life
Social scientists have shown how freedom in South Africa has lost its meaning for many in the country. Despondency about democracy is on the rise as the promise of prosperity under… Read more »
May 12, 2023
Africa: How to Navigate Difficult Conversations With Your Teenager
Important conversations with teenagers are among the biggest challenges of parenting. They can feel like walking a tightrope. Lean too much - or too little - into commands and… Read more »
May 11, 2023
Africa: Our Research Shows Home Working Didn't Harm Mental Health At the Start of the Pandemic - but Things Changed Later On
One of the key changes to our daily lives brought about by the COVID pandemic was, for those able to do so, working from home. According to UK data, almost 60% of people were… Read more »
Sudan: Sudan Refugee Crisis - Aid Agencies Face Huge Challenges As Hundreds of Thousands Flee Violence
Sudan stands on the brink of yet another civil war sparked by a confrontation between two generals: the head of Sudan's Armed Forces, General Abdelfatah El-Burhan, and the head of… Read more »
South Africa: Zulu Vs Xhosa - How Colonialism Used Language to Divide South Africa's Two Biggest Ethnic Groups
South Africa has 12 official languages. The two most dominant are isiZulu and isiXhosa. While the Zulu and Xhosa people share a rich common history, they have also found themselves… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa Walks a Tightrope of International Alliances - It Needs Russia, China and the West
Relations between the People's Republic of China and Russia on one hand and the west, specifically the US, on the other have become increasingly tense in recent times. For the US,… Read more »