Take a Look at the Africa the Media Never Shows You · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

Screenshot of some of the images found under the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou on Twitter.
The portrayal of Africa by mainstream media, particularly Western media, paints it as a dark, ugly, hopeless place that is ridden with civil war, militant groups, corruption, violation of freedoms, starvation, chaotic urbanisation and utter desperation. This gives people who have never being to Africa a false, misleading impression of the continent.
Africans on Twitter have came together to showcase the beauty, diversity and innovative modern architecture of the continent that Western media rarely show their audiences. It all began with the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou by Twitter user Mango:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou join us in the HT showcasing the beauty of Africa!
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Soon, other Twitter users from all over joined in the effort. Here's a sampling of tweets from the campaign.
Nairobi, Kenya:
Nairobi, Kenya #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/Vez4qHspjr
— talhas wife #3 (@ShamsaAhmed) June 23, 2015
Antananarivo, Madagascar:
Antananarivo, Madagascar #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/zY69whnM4F
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Khartoum, Sudan:
Khartoum, North Sudan 🇸🇩 #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/YV2mTgSSsh
— ForgottenBeauty (@forgottenFINES) June 23, 2015
African food:
#KCA #VoteJKT48ID BadassAfricanne: “Africans eat bugs” #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/PcuWxhbYKD
— A. Handy As (@Ar_Handy) June 23, 2015
African weddings:
African Weddings #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/EdpDnMV2Y4
— I Am THE CULTURE (@Toussaint215) June 23, 2015
Limpopo, South Africa:
Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/IRGaBsZNRc
— Lesego Semenya (@LesDaChef) June 24, 2015
Somalia:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou SOMALIA pic.twitter.com/CiiZCItC9s
— deeq mahamud (@Deeq744Deeq) June 23, 2015
Lagos, Nigeria:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou IN LAGOS an entire city built from reclaimed land from the sea. Significant progress pic.twitter.com/6KIbckZMa2
— Village HeadMaster (@misterkaris) June 24, 2015
Uganda:
The Pearl Of Africa, UGANDA. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/zp9UBGm1Wf
— This Is Uganda (@ThisIsUganda_) June 24, 2015
Côte d'Ivoire,:
HOME. IVORY COAST. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/fIuJ0v0jnU
— rochana (@itsrochana) June 24, 2015
Soweto, South Africa:
Soweto, South Africa ❤ #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/atK30zuAf1
— Lesego Semenya (@LesDaChef) June 24, 2015
Traditional African villages:
various traditional African villages #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/POTS6RzNwW
— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015
Aswan, Egypt:
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Nubia houses in Aswan, Egypt pic.twitter.com/iLoI3Vhy3Q
— Nad!a A. (@Nadiaalie) June 23, 2015
Cape Verde:
My family's beautiful country of Cape Verde #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/14KSQZ0fuI
— Christina (@tinaaxlopes) June 24, 2015
There is an increasing yearning among Africans to control their narrative, and the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou is just one example. Sites like Africa is Country and This is Uganda  have also come out to challenge portrayal of Africa in mainstream media.