Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from May, 2017
26 May 2017
Ethiopian Protester Sentenced to Six Years Behind Bars for Facebook Posts

The 30-year-old activist has been an outspoken opponent of government’s violent response to the popular protest movement. And he is not alone.
25 May 2017
The Election of Dr. Tedros as WHO Director-General Isn't Exactly Uniting Ethiopians
"You won a free election, congratulations. Now, why don't you try that here in #Ethiopia?!"
24 May 2017
When a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Wrong Words

The story of how a photo of a horrific accident in the Democratic Republic of Congo seven years ago took on a life of its own. WARNING: Contains violent images.
22 May 2017
Helping Write The Story of Sex Workers in Uganda

Every day over 300 women go to Bwaise, a slum district in northern Kampala, Uganda, to sell sex.
21 May 2017
Ethiopia’s Cholera-Denying Candidate to Lead the World's Top Health Body Is Taking a Battering Online
"I fear that the WHO’s reputation will be tarnished and credibility questioned if it elects Dr. Tedros Adhanom."
16 May 2017
As WHO Director-General Election Nears, Ethiopia’s Candidate Is Accused of Cholera Cover-Ups
"Finally! The @NYTimes calls out @WHO DG candidate @DrTedros for covering up cholera epidemic using the euphemism of Acute Water Diarrhea."
14 May 2017
For Refugees in Seattle, Rising Rents Mean the Search for Home Isn’t Over
As rents rise in Seattle on the US west coast, Congolese refugees are facing the very real threat of homelessness.
Everybody Is Hailing Billboard-Topping Musician Teddy Afro, Except Ethiopian State Media
State broadcaster EBC failed to air an eagerly awaited interview with a beloved artist known for his political independence.
12 May 2017
This Platform Has Helped Thousands of Migrants Reconnect with Their Families Back Home
Around the world, an estimated 65 million people who, for one reason or another, have been forced to flee their homelands. This platform aims to reunite broken families.
How a Rural South African Village's DIY Telco Lowered Its Communication Costs

"Of course all of this is not about the internet itself, it is about the collaboration, the skills, the social needs, the building something together."
10 May 2017
Where to Find the Best African Food in Paris, According to the African Diaspora
Global Voices reviews of the best African restaurants in the Paris region, tried and tested by natives, as well as those discovering African food for the first time.
7 May 2017
Nigerians Celebrate the Release of 82 Chibok Girls from Boko Haram's Captivity
The girls were set free following negotiations between the government and Boko Haram militants.
Singer Teddy Afro's New Album Holds Fast to His Vision of a Diverse, Yet United Ethiopia
Known as the Bob Marley of Ethiopia, some claim that Teddy Afro’s songs represent a defeated ideology -- but his albums are generating record sales.
6 May 2017
A Bus Crash Claims the Lives of Dozens of Children in Northern Tanzania
The East African nation has one of the highest rates of road fatalities on the continent.
4 May 2017
Nigeria’s President Has Disappeared Again, and Nigerians Demand to Know Why
Buhari recently returned from Britain after weeks of medical leave, but questions about his health resurfaced when he skipped a federal executive meeting on April 12. And he's still missing.
3 May 2017
Tanzania's President Fires 10,000 Civil Servants Over Forged Qualifications
The decision is part of President John Magufuli's stated drive to reform the civil service.
For Opponents, WHO Director General Nominee Tedros Adhanom Represents Ethiopia's Repressive Government
Ethiopians who feel marginalized by their country's government are campaigning hard against him online.
2 May 2017
Fighting Fire With Fire: African Regional Body Proposes High Costs for Internet Shutdowns

A new proposal would cut off technical resources for governments that shut down the Internet. But if governments go offline, the effects will unquestionably be felt by the public.