Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from January, 2010
Malian Bloggers on the 2010 African Cup of Nations
Toujours pas sages from Bamako, Mali and elsewhere share [Fr] everything you wish to know about the Soccer African Cup of Nations on CAN 2010, a blog created for the occasion by members of French Lingua team Boukary Konate and Claire Ulrich. The blog enables you to follow the games...
Kenya: Kiswahili an optional subject
Bumni writes about the decision to make Kiswahili an optional subject in Kenya: “The subject will no longer be a compulsory paper in the Standard Eight national examinations…”
Africa: AfricaKnows Project
Erik discusses AfricaKnows Project: “AfricaKnows is a new project by TED Fellows Josh Wanyama and Sheila Ochugboju. Their job: to tell a different story of Africa, through big pictures that let you see directly into the heart of African cities.”
Zimbabwe: The state of Zimbabwean economy
The state of the economy in Zimbabwe from Economic Views of Zimbabwe blog: “We closed 2009 with an average inflation rate of minus 7,7%, but from April this year it is likely that the negative numbers will start moving quickly into less comfortable positive inflation rate figures. Because of the...
Announcing the Technology for Transparency Network
Rising Voices, the outreach and citizen media training initiative of Global Voices Online, has launched a new interactive website and global network of researchers to map online technology projects that aim to promote transparency, political accountability, and civic engagement.
Ethiopia: Cultures collide in Ethiopian blogosphere
What happens when cultures collide? One of the best places to find out is the Ethiopian blogosphere, with its writers spread across the Ethiopian Diaspora, from China, through Europe to the United States of America.
D. R. of Congo: The hazards of neglect
Congoblog is a marvel. Every post deserves a mention, but here are some of the more arresting posts to have appeared so far in January 2010.
USA: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 and became arguably the American Civil Rights Movement's most prominent advocate and speaker. In the United States, he is honored by a national holiday, observed the third Monday in January of each year. Today, many bloggers in the United States are honoring his memory with dedicated posts, linking his legacy of social justice with issues of today, demonstrating that 42 years after King's assassination, his words are just as relevant.
Africa: Free Kiswahili synthetic voice for Freedom Fone
Brenda writes about free Kiswahili synthetic voice for Freedom Fone, a project of Kubatana in Zimbabwe: “In recognition of the competitive mobile phone tariffs prevailing in east Africa and the willingness of organisations there to experiment with information on demand voice services, we will create our first localisation of the...
Senegal offers free land to Haitian earthquake survivors
Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade, has been making headlines by offering free land to any Haitian earthquake survivors who wish to "return to their origins," according to a spokesperson. Online, the proposal has been received with almost universal ridicule.
Mauritania: Hanevy Ould Dahah Remains Imprisoned
In June of 2009, Global Voices Advocacy was the first to report that Mauritanian editor Hanevy Ould Dahah, who runs leftist site Taqadoumy, had been arrested over a comment left on the site. Ould Dahah, sentenced to 6 months in prison, should have been released on December 24, however, on December 26 it was reported by blogger Nasser Weddady on Dekhnstan, that Ould Dahah was still being held.
Nigeria: Nigerian bloggers take on would-be bomber Umar Abdulmutallab
On December 25th, the world was taken by surprise when news broke that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian citizen, had nearly succeeded in detonating explosives on a Northwest Airlines flight between Amsterdam and Detroit. At first, many Nigerians reacted with shock and disbelief, some even doubting whether Abdulmutallab was truly a Nigerian.
Uganda: Museveni distances himself from Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Sokari posts a YouTube video showing Ugandan President distancing himself from Anti-Homosexuality Bill: “Nonetheless it is not clear how much of the Bill he is distancing himself from so the pressure needs to be kept up as clearly it working.”
Zimbabwe: Putting information in the hands of Zimbabweans
Kubatana's Freedom Fone Project helps put information in the hands of Zimbabweans: “The Freedom Fone project aspires to help civic organisations extend their information in an audio format to mobile phone users.”
South Africa: Photos of first day in school from readers
Dispatch Now has a gallery of photos from their online readers after they asked them to send pictures of little ones having their first ever day at school.
Uganda: Fredi Mutebi: Multi-color wood artist from Uganda
Fred Mutabi is a multi-color woodcut artist from Uganda who has long used his artistry to convey the fragility of the human condition in Africa and to celebrate the natural beauty of Uganda, his homeland.
Africa: African textiles for contemporary African Art décor
Myweku.com explores the use of African textiles for contemporary African Art décor: “Framed, used as wall hangings or for soft furnishings such as scatter cushions, African textiles with their bold geometric designs and sunny colours are perfect for the Chic look. strip-woven Kente cloth, from Ghana, is one example of...
Kenya: During severe drought, a role model emerges
People, crops and animals throughout Kenya are suffering from a prolonged drought. One young woman's thoughts are to the future and how to better build her community.
Africa: 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Starts: What Do We Expect?
This year Africa’s in the sports arena for all the right reasons. First to shine the spotlight is definitely the Confederation of Africa's (CAF) African Cup of Nations being held in Angola which is just a stone’s throw away from South Africa, which hosts the World Cup in June later on this year.
Madagascar: New Threats to Protestant Church and Free Speech
The beginning of the year in Madagascar has been marked with yet more protests where protesters have been fired upon and the harassment of those perceived as close to the former regime of Marc Ravalomanana, including several journalists and the protestant Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.
Africa: AdWords in Africa
Miquel discusses Google's AdWords in Africa: “While it would be an excellent method for African bloggers to get a bit of money to cover their internet expenses, Google doesn't offer payment options for any country in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
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