· August, 2011

Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from August, 2011

Senegal: Grants for Pilgrimage to Mecca and Rome

  30 August 2011

Mamadou Sarr on assirou.net reveals [fr] how much money Senegal provides for pilgrimages: “The Senegalese government subsidizes the pilgrimage to Mecca to the tune of 1 billion 350 million CFA Francs [around 2.8 million USD] on years when no Christian pilgrimage to Rome is organised, and 1 billion CFA [around...

Brazil: Mozambique Cedes Land to Brazilian Agribusiness

  30 August 2011

Mozambique is ceding 6 million hectares of land to Brazilian farmers. The idea is to draw on the Brazilian experience in the Cerrado, a biosphere similar to the African savanna, where industrial cattle grazing and soy plantations have already devastated 80% of the richest grasslands in the world.

Sudan: Sudan's Desire to Join the East African Community a Headache

  29 August 2011

Flight Africa notes that Khartoum’s application to join the East African Community is causing a diplomatic headache the member states: “No longer having any direct borders with any of the East African Community, the regime in Khartoum is thought to have placed their membership application to not only spite the...

Kenya: Local Webcomics

  29 August 2011

Kenyan Guru writes a post about Kenyan webcomics: “With the number of people finally discovering the power of blogger,there has been a rise in the number of blogs that are getting attention from the local internet users…So today I decided to track down some local webcomics and I was lucky...

Cameroon: Deeply homophobic laws

  28 August 2011

Talking about risk of toughening the law on homosexuality in Cameroon, the bonaberi.com site reveals [fr] that: “While the first paragraph of Section 347-1 of the penal code banned homosexuality, the second and third sections state sentences of up to eight years for homosexuality committed by minors between 16 and...

Zimbabwe: On Libya, Gaddafi and Mugabe

  27 August 2011

As news of the fall of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi lit up the web, the Zimbabwean blogosphere was not left behind. Meanwhile, rumours have been circulating that the man deposed after four decades in power is in Zimbabwe.

Somalia: Food Security Emergency Spreads Despite Aid

  25 August 2011

As the Horn of Africa deals with what the Food and Agriculture Organization is calling the “most severe food security emergency in the world today,” experts warn that conditions in famine-stricken Somalia are likely to further deteriorate. Juhie Bhatia examines the spread of the disaster.

Kenya: Meet Kenyan Female Social Innovator

  24 August 2011

Mworia blogs about Crystal Kigon, the founder of Voices of Africa: “Crystal’s organization in conjunction with Intersat Africa have been working on a project that aims to take the internet to rural areas in a way that is fitting culturally and sustainable economically, environmentally and socially.This has to be one...

Africa: The Potential of Local Brain-Drain

  24 August 2011

What is the potential of local brain-drain in Africa? Read Idd Salim's post: “We all know African Tech Solutions. Ushahidi, Mpesa come to mind. Apps made by Africans for Africa. Because African solutions are made on an empty stomach, they address a REAL need. A real problem. Not AngryBirds. HungryCoders....

Mauritania: 13 Activists against Child Trafficking Arrested

  24 August 2011

Four advocacy organizations against human trafficking note that a peaceful sit-in outside the Bureau of juvenile affairs was organized [fr] by l’Initiative pour la Résurgence du mouvement Abolitionniste (Ira) to denounce the insufficient measures taken against child trafficking in Mauritania.  13 members of the association were arrested following the protest....

Togo: 3rd BarCamp Selects the Translation for “Blog” in Ewé Language

  24 August 2011

In its presentation of the third edition of BlogCamp Togo, togocouleurs explains  that [fr] the Togolese blogosphere coined a new word for “blog”  in the Ewé language (spoken in Togo, Ghana and Benin) : “with the vote taking place directly on the ETTIC [fr] (‘Togolese Space for Information and Communication Technologies’)...

Ethiopia: A Woman Dedicated to Serve Her People

  24 August 2011

EthioHealthCare writes about Liya Abera, Director of Bala Health Center in Ethiopia: “Basically ,what this health center focuses on prevention of diseases mostly on those which are pretty common in that area like malaria, oro fecal disease etc. And also focuses on minimizing woman and child death as well as...

Ethiopia: British Media Fuels Aid Apathy

  24 August 2011

According to Ethiopian blogger, Daniel Berhane, British media fuels aid apathy: “At a time when about 12 million people in the horn of Africa suffer from the worst drought in 60 years , British media is busy disenchanting private donations…Alas, at a time when only a third of the needed...

Ghana: The Chicken Thief Readers Around the World

  24 August 2011

Fiona, a blogger based in Ghana, shares photos of people around the world reading her new book, The Chicken Thief: “If you've been following The Chicken Thief on Facebook you may have seen the fantastic photos that readers have been sending in of the Chicken Thief in their corner of...

Ghana: Meet Ghanaian Spoken Word Artist

  24 August 2011

One Ghana speaks to Mutombo, a Ghanaian multi-talented artist who specializes in spoken word poetry” “He has blessed several stages since he started his beautiful art form. The list of major shows he has performed includes Portrait of an Excellent Woman 2008, which took place at the National Theatre.”

Liberia: Voting Ends in Liberia's Referendum

  24 August 2011

Voting ends in Liberia 23rd August referendum with the Liberia's Election Coordinating Committee (ECC), which deployed 400 elections observers throughout 15 counties reporting that voting was peaceful. The referendum was marred with an error on the ballot paper…

About our Sub-Saharan Africa coverage

Zita Zage
Zita Zage is the Anglophone Africa Editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Jean Sovon
Jean Sovon is the Francophone Africa. Editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Dércio Tsandzana
Dércio Tsandzana is the Lusophone (Portuguese) editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.