Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa
Mauritania: A racial pyramid seemingly resistant to change
"This is not the Africa of Lumumba, Nyobe, Cabral and Sankara."
Sudan uprising: Sweeping reforms usher in justice and freedom
These laws show the identity of a new Sudan that recognizes rights, diversity, freedom of belief and expression.
Tanzanians debate the meaning of new ‘lower-middle-income’ World Bank status
The World Bank’s updated classification of Tanzania as a middle-income country has evoked a national debate about what development means and how it should be measured — as election season approaches.
As COVID-19 cases climb in Cameroon, a cleric claims his herbal cure works
In Cameroon, many doubted Archbishop Samuel Kleda's claim that he created an herbal cure for COVID-19, but he says he has cured over 1,500 people of coronavirus symptoms so far.
This women’s college in Ghana leads the way on e-learning during the pandemic
St. Teresa’s College of Education, one of five female-only colleges in Ghana, is leading the way with e-learning by consolidating the use of messaging applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.
Sudan uprising: Nertati sit-in, the new wave
On June 28, citizens in Nertati, Darfur, held an ongoing sit-in with several demands: An end to armed militia attacks on civilians, disarmament, the arrest of perpetrators and agricultural protection.
How COVID-19 affects education for people with disabilities in Ghana
In Ghana, students with disabilities shifted unexpectedly to online learning and faced several technical, economic, and social challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nigeria declares ‘state of emergency’ on rape and sexual assault
In Nigeria, a culture of rape and impunity persists, making it difficult for victims to hold their abusers accountable. Police often dismiss rape cases and blame the victims.
Netflix picks up ‘Resgate,’ the first Mozambican film to appear on the platform
African productions are gaining traction on the platform.
Network marketing in Tanzania turns billionaire dreams into nightmares
Network marketing companies have mushroomed in Tanzania over the last five years, preying on vulnerable youth with billionaire dreams that often end in huge financial losses.
Taking down statues: France confronts its colonial and slave trade past
Amid global action against racism, France has been divided for several weeks over what to do about statues of historical figures that are connected to slavery and colonialism.
Harrowing tales from African domestic workers in Lebanon
African domestic workers are essentially slaves in the Gulf and Arab countries, under the Kafala sponsorship system that allows this exploitation and abuse to continue.
Afro-Czechs on visibility, racism and life in the Czech Republic (Part II)
"For Czech society, accepting that a non-white person can be Czech is too unusual and often not digestible."
Afro-Czechs on visibility, racism and life in the Czech Republic (Part I)
The Czech society started discussing ethnic discrimination and diversity after the fall of Communism, which had erroneously claimed to have eradicated racism.
People with disabilities left stranded during national lockdown in Uganda
In Uganda, the needs of marginalized people — especially those of persons with disabilities — were conspicuously absent in President Yoweri Museveni’s COVID-19 directives.
Remembering Amadou Diallo, a Guinean victim of police brutality in the USA
Amadou Diallo, a Guinean in the USA, was shot 41 times by NYC police. His family sued the city and settled for $3 million and created the Amadou Diallo Foundation in...
Fish prices spike as Cameroon’s mangroves face total depletion
Cameroonians rely heavily on mangroves for fish and firewood, but exploiting its resources has pushed it to the brink. A spike in fish prices is largely blamed on mangrove depletion.
The Kano COVID-19 deaths: Forced relocations and disinformation creates widespread confusion (Part II)
Forced relocations of children contributed to the possible spread of COVID-19 and online disinformation along ethnoreligious lines added to the general confusion surrounding mass deaths in Kano State, Nigeria.
The Kano COVID-19 deaths: Stories untold (Part I)
Our research reconstructed the failure of authorities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Kano, which resulted in hundreds of deaths despite persistent mass media and social media documentation.
No medicine, no healing: Sudan’s pharmaceutical crisis
Since 2016, medicine prices in Sudan have risen exponentially. To make matters worse, the government’s central bank lacks the foreign currency necessary to import essential drugs from abroad.
About our Sub-Saharan Africa coverage
Amanda Lichtenstein is the Sub-Saharan Africa editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
