Africa: Recent Episodes
Voice of America
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Benin set up a service to allow people to register their business online. The E-registration system has worked so well that this West African country is now the world's fastest place to start a business, according to a U.N. agency. Moki Edwin Kindzeka narrates this report by Anne Nzouankeu in Cotonou, Benin. Camera: Anne Nzouankeu
International aid groups are calling on Burkina Faso's government to let them help register the country's internally displaced people. The Norwegian Refugee Council says the government is taking weeks to register IDPs for food and other aid, forcing some back into dangerous areas. Henry Wilkins reports from Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso. Camera: Henry Wilkins
Kenyan authorities say the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced thousands of youths onto the streets, and many are turning to crime. To meet the challenge, aid groups are trying to reintegrate homeless youth through sports with the goal of keeping them out of trouble. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
Blockchain data platform has ranked internet-using Kenyans as the world's top peer-to-peer, or P2P, cryptocurrency traders. The group's survey shows that many Kenyans use form this of trading because they don’t have access to centralized exchanges. Lenny Ruvaga looks at the challenges and what this means for the industry in Kenya.Camera: Amos Wangwa Producer: Lenny Ruvaga
Disabled fashion designers have long struggled against discrimination, especially in developing countries such as Malawi. To combat the problem, Malawian fashion brand House of Xandria on Saturday organized the country's first fashion show featuring creations by designers with disabilities. Lameck Masina reports from Blantyre. Camera: Dan Kumwenda
Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei says it wants to train up to 3 million African youths to work with digital technology, including cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence. Already, Nigerian students who took part in a Huawei-sponsored ICT competition say the benefits, including possible job placements with the company, are enormous. But experts warn there could be potential negative impacts of China’s growing tech influence in Africa. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja. Camera: Emeka Gibson Producer: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
Zimbabwe resumed in-classroom teaching this week, but thousands of teachers are protesting a lack of personal protective equipment and say they will not go back to class until the government addresses their concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe Produced by: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
Nigerian health officials say nearly 1,800 people have died from cholera this year, with cases found in more than 20 states around the country. To combat the bacterial disease that is spread by dirty water, Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Environment is urging proper hygiene and organizing mass cleanups in affected areas. Timothy Obiezu reports from the capital, Abuja.Camera: Emeka Gibson
Kenya is stepping up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign by setting up inoculation centers in public spaces like malls, markets, and bus stops. Authorities hope the extra convenience will lift a vaccination rate that stands at just two percent. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.
COVID-19 restrictions are not just keeping students out of the classroom, but also out of the laboratory. The University of Johannesburg is helping students replicate the experience through virtual reality. Linda Givetash reports from Johannesburg. Camera: Zaheer Cassim Producers: Zaheer Cassim, Marcus Harton
Despite COVID-19 vaccines being available to all South African adults, uptake remains low with just 20 percent of adults having received a first dose. The Muslim Association of South Africa is one of many groups combatting vaccine hesitancy by delivering jabs to doorsteps. Linda Givetash reports from Johannesburg.Camera: Zaheer Cassim, Producer: Marcus Harton
The impact of the pandemic has increased wildlife poaching around Africa's national parks, as people who lost their jobs hunt the animals for food. To help protect the animals, anti-poaching organizations have been formed, including a squad of vegan, women rangers. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Hurungwe, Zimbabwe. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
The Somali government reopened schools this month despite a new wave of coronavirus infections. As Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu, there are concerns about whether measures to prevent the virus from spreading in classrooms and beyond will be sufficient. Video editor: Roderick James
Saturday (August 21) is the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, a day that is unfortunately relevant in Burkina Faso which is engaged in fighting Islamist militants. A Burkinabe nonprofit, Go Paga, is helping widows and orphans grappling with the loss of husbands and fathers to rebuild their lives. Henry Wilkins reports from Ouagadougou.Producer: Henry Hernandez
Too often, the judicial system can overlook convicted prisoners who can’t afford to hire lawyers, especially in developing countries like Kenya. But one aid group, Justice Defenders, has been training inmates how to write appeals, represent themselves, and gain back their legal rights. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
When Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in April, she vowed a U-turn in politics from her predecessor, the late John Magufuli. But the arrest of opposition leader Freeman Mbowe in July has dimmed hopes that Hassan will her turn back on Magufuli's iron-fisted style of rule. Charles Kombe reports from Dar es Salaam. Camera: Rajabu Hassan Producer: Mary Cieslak
For decades, African athletes have traveled all over the world to take part in the Olympic Games. Yet Africa itself has never hosted the Games, and some are asking what it would take for an Olympics to happen on African soil. VOA’s Mariama Diallo has this story.Producer: Jon Spier
Volunteers in Kenya are working to counter misinformation on the coronavirus among people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Social media posts have been circulating harmful, false claims that the use of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV can also prevent and even cure COVID-19. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
A recent report found that community leaders in Burkina Faso are exploiting internally displaced women, demanding sex or money in return for food aid. One local official said these reported incidents could be the “tip of the iceberg” in a displacement crisis of 1.3 million people. Reporter Henry Wilkins spoke to a victim in this report from the town of Kaya.Camera: Henry Wilkins
About half of Nigerians, especially youth, would be willing to leave the country for a better life, according to a July World Bank survey, an increase of nearly 20% since 2014. The report blames poor job opportunities and economic hardships, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. But as Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja, some Nigerians who have tried migrating to Europe illegally say the risks are enormous.Camera: Emeka Gibson Video editor: Jason Godman
Doctors in Nigeria are on strike over unpaid salaries and poor benefits. But the strike by some 40% of the country’s medical workforce comes amid a fresh wave of coronavirus infections, severely straining Nigeria's health care system. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja. Camera: Emeka Gibson Producer: Mary Cieslak
Malawi had nearly seven million malaria cases last year, more than a third of the population, with 2,500 lives lost to the mosquito-borne disease. However, one village has become a model for how to eradicate malaria and in June was honored as the first ever to have zero malaria cases for a whole year. Lameck Masina reports from Machinga district in southern Malawi.Camera: Dan Kumwenda
A new report by human rights group Amnesty International says Ethiopian government forces and Eritrean forces have been systematically raping and abusing hundreds of women and girls in the conflict in the country's northern Tigray region. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Aid groups say COVID-19 has caused greater suffering, both psychologically and economically, to women than men, especially in developing countries like Kenya. Lenny Ruvaga looks at one aid group helping women get through the pandemic in this report from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
The mining industry has long been one of South Africa’s largest sectors, but women are still a minority in its workforce. Now, a group called Women in Mining South Africa is trying to change that through a mentorship program to help young women enter the field. For VOA, Linda Givetash reports from Johannesburg. Camera: Zaheer Cassim Produced by: Zaheer Cassim
On Healthy Living this week, we take a look at drownings worldwide, including in Senegal where the number of drownings rises as temperatures rise in the country. Also, how Zimbabweans are coping with stress from COVID-19 using the "friendship bench." These topics and more on this week's show.
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, on a visit to Sudan and Ethiopia, has starkly contrasted the trajectory of the two countries, saying Sudan is on a fragile path to democracy, while Ethiopia is mired in conflict and facing famine. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact has led to cuts in foreign aid from donors like Britain, which this month slashed its aid budget by $5.5 billion, hitting those on the ground in Africa. The funding loss is felt in Burkina Faso where it could shut down a group that helps thousands of gender-based-violence and rape survivors. Henry Wilkins reports from Kaya, Burkina Faso.Camera: Henry Wilkins.
As crime rates in Kenya shot up during the pandemic, a Kenyan developer who was a crime victim himself created a mobile application to help people alert police about emergencies. The application has been so successful that Kenya’s police force has adopted it. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Robert Lutta Produced by: Rob Raffaele
Kenyan officials have given citizenship to 1,600 stateless Shona community in the country, fifty years after their ancestors migrated. The ethnic Shona, who have been struggling as stateless people for rights and benefits, celebrated their new status. Lenny Ruvaga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact has led to cuts in foreign aid from donors like Britain, which this month slashed its aid budget by $5.5 billion, hitting those on the ground in Africa. The funding loss is felt in Burkina Faso where it could possibly shut down a group that helps thousands of gender-based-violence and rape survivors. Henry Wilkins reports from Kaya, Burkina Faso Camera: Henry Wilkins
This week on Healthy Living, a look into cosmetic surgery. We hear from Doctor Frédérique Yao-Dje, an Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine Specialist in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire who tells us more about the growing demand for cosmetic procedures in Africa. Plus, would you alter your body to feel better about yourself? We have your reaction from Jos, Nigeria. These topics and more this week.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has stretched people’s mental health everywhere and Zimbabwe is no exception. But some Zimbabweans hit hard by the stress have found unique support at the "Friendship Bench," now the country’s biggest counseling service. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare.Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
Cryptocurrencies make headlines for shaking up the financial world but, they’re also gaining ground in less developed countries. In Kenya, an American economist who introduced blockchain technology for low-income urban customers has extended the cashless system to the countryside. Ruud Elmendorp reports from Kilifi, Kenya.
Some Nigerian companies are using coconut and palm shells to make charcoal briquettes in an effort to slow ongoing deforestation. Nigeria banned charcoal exports after a World Bank report showed the country lost nearly half its forest cover in just a decade. Timothy Obiezu reports from Kuje, Nigeria.Camera: Emeka Gibson
Somalia lacks a national power grid and relies on imported fuel and wood and charcoal for its energy needs. But energy experts say with the longest coastline in mainland Africa and an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day, Somalia has great potential for onshore wind and solar power. Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu.
Camera: Mohamed Sheikh Nor Produced by: Marcus Harton
Kenyan aid groups and analysts say the al-Shabab terror group is preying on young people who are struggling during the COVID pandemic, to recruit them into their ranks. To counter the effort, local groups in Kenya hold outreach sessions in low-income neighborhoods, as Ruud Elmendorp reports from Mombasa.
The United States and several other countries have called for calm in Tunisia after violent protests broke out following the suspension of parliament Sunday. Tunisia's president invoked purported emergency powers to sack the prime minister following months of demonstrations over a worsening economic crisis. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
Camera: Henry Ridgwell
Kenya’s first female assistant commissioner of prisons, Wanini Kireri, is changing the leadership landscape in the prison system. Kireri oversees both men’s and women’s prisons across the country, where her leadership style has been hailed as humane but firm. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi. Camera: Amos Wangwa
Students in Malawi have begun classes in what is being billed as the world's first 3D-printed school, constructed by joint venture group 14Trees. The Swiss-British group says the quick construction of computer-built schools can help alleviate a shortfall in classrooms in countries like Malawi. But as Lameck Masina reports from Salima district, Malawi, the cost remains a challenge.
Burkinabe triple jumper Hugues Fabrice Zango in January set a world record to hop, skip and jump more than 18 meters indoors. Zango is on his way to the Tokyo Olympics and stands a good chance of bringing home Burkina Faso’s first Olympic medal. Henry Wilkins reports from Ouagadougou.
More than half of the Kenyan capital's nearly 5 million people live in slums, where many young people are lured by drugs and crime. In one neighborhood, a group is using the game of chess to help transform the lives of young people. Lenny Ruvaga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
The UN has called Africa's Sahel region 'the canary in the coalmine' for the effects of climate change: drought and desertification that contributes to conflict and migration in the region. Burkina Faso rapper turned farmer Art Melody channels the struggles of being on the front line of climate change into his music. Henry Wilkins reports from Ouagadougou
Hundreds of women and girls in Ethiopia’s Tigray region have reported brutal rapes at the hands of soldiers in a war that is still ongoing, despite last week’s government troop withdrawal. As VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Mekelle, the rape victims who come forward say they are only a small percentage of the women and girls who have been brutalizedCamera: Yan Boechat, Producer: Marcus Harton
Conservationists in Zimbabwe are trying to rally opposition to a Chinese coal mining project planned in a district within the country's biggest national park. Critics say locals and wildlife will be affected and are urging authorities to move away from coal production toward renewable energies. Most Dinde villagers in Hwange district say they are opposed to the coal mining project by Beifa Investments, but many are unwilling to speak up for fear of retaliation. One of the few willing to express his concern was Morris Sibanda. Morris Sibanda one of Dinde community in Zimbabwe's Hwange district says he is opposed to the coal mining project by Beifa Investments. (Columbus Mavhunga/VOA)“My fears are - one: we shall be evicted. Secondly, we have a river called Nyantuwe [where] we get water. That’s our main source of water. Definitely, if this mine succeeds, my fear is that toxic acids maybe found in the river. We don’t have boreholes; we have no anything,” Sibanda said. About 600 families fear being displaced if the coal project goes ahead. Other villagers are worried that the project will take away grazing land for their cattle and wildlife. But Beifa Investments continues with its exploration project. Zimbabwe’s government says Dinde’s people were consulted before the company was allowed to start mining. Amkela Sidange, the education and publicity manager for the government’s Environmental Management Agency, says an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report addressed and cleared all of Dinde’s concerns. Amkela Sidange, an official with Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency, says an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report addressed and cleared all public concerns about the coal mining project by Beifa Investments. (Columbus Mavhunga/VOA)“An EIA for exploration was done and public consultation was also done. Their fears are all taken care of. In fact, as long as the EIA was done, it is being monitored by the agency. So, nothing is going to be done which is outside what the agreement was in the EIA for exploration,” Sidange said. Farai Maguwu is the director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, a local NGO opposed to the Dinde coal mining project, partially because there are no clear plans on where the villagers will be taken if they are displaced. Maguwu said there are also environmental concerns. “Zimbabwe is intending to have a green economy by 2030. We are also aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 33% by 2030. But that will not happen as long as the country ...
A proposed law aims to prevent South Africans from getting firearm licenses for self-defense. While gun critics say limiting access to guns has proven successful in reducing the death toll, some gun proponents argue that taking firearms out of some hands — specifically, women’s hands — will deepen what South Africa’s president has called a “second pandemic,” of gender-based violence. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg. Camera: Zaheer Cassim Produced by: Zaheer Cassim, Bronwyn Benito
The COVID pandemic has strained families forced to work and study at home together with an added stress for couples who are also business partners. In Kenya, such life-work partnerships experience a struggle not only to earn a living but also to keep their families together. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi.
The African wild dog, or African painted dog, is one of the world's most endangered mammals, with fewer than 7,000 remaining, mostly because of human-wildlife conflict. In Zimbabwe, the Painted Dog Conservation group finds and removes thousands of snares every year that can kill or injure the dogs, and turns them into crafts to raise funds for their protection. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Hwange, Zimbabwe.
Around the world, more than 75 million people clean, cook and provide care in private homes, according to the International Labor Organization. Their work is often demanding, informal and unregulated, but that could be changing. Allison Lékogo Fernandes reports from Dakar.Camera: Allison Lékogo Fernandes Produced by: Allison Lékogo Fernandes
Hollywood actress and special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency Angelina Jolie is praising Burkina Faso's efforts in helping people displaced by Islamist militants. But rights activists say Burkinabe authorities have also been fueling the conflict by detaining hundreds of people without charge, including IDPs, and also by extrajudicial killings.
Uganda's reinstatement of a coronavirus transportation lockdown through the end of July is squeezing the ability of many people to earn a living. Street market traders are forced to bicycle, walk long distances or just sleep in the market. Halima Athumani reports from Kampala.Camera: Francis Mukasa Produced by: Marcus Harton
Long before sunrise on June 21, 2021, Ethiopians in the capital queued to vote in the country's first election in six years. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said it would be the country's "first attempt at a free and fair election." "I came early to vote for whom I believe will bring us a bright future," said Tenaye Melkamu, wearing a pink knit hat and thick scarf. Now, officials are tallying the ballots in the prime minister's first electoral contest after more than three years in office. And as the country awaits results, the northern Tigray region is once again plagued by violence as it approaches eight months of war.Ethiopian officials said voting was finishing and preliminary results would be known in five days, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 22, 2021. (VOA/Yan Boechat)"No one is moving now," one young man told VOA from his home in Tigray, after describing a day and a half of chaos and fear. He cannot be named for security reasons. Three different militaries have controlled his town in the past two days, where several houses have been destroyed and three people have been killed, he said. In another part of Tigray, witnesses reported a bomb dropped by a plane killed dozens of people and wounded dozens more, according to Reuters news. The road to the regional capital, Mekelle, is also closed, preventing wounded patients from reaching the main hospital. Many voters arrived at polling stations before the 6 a.m. start time, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 21, 2021. (VOA/Yan Boechat)In the capital, Addis Ababa, the roads were calm and people seemed somewhat relieved on Wednesday. Voting had been tense with many people waiting long hours because of missing ballots and election workers. By Monday night, after the polls were supposed to close, millions of would-be voters were still waiting to cast their ballots across several regions. "I'm exhausted," said Eden Hagos, a voter in central Addis Ababa, after waiting for about 10 hours on Monday evening. "Maybe I will go without voting. I have two children who have been at home all day." Not voting But by Tuesday evening, officials said almost all of Ethiopia's polling stations that had opened had finished accepting ballots. Preliminary results are expected within the coming days. About a fifth of country's 547 parliamentary constituencies, however, were not voting. Opposition leaders said the election had hundreds of irregularities, such as missing ballots and, in some places, monitors ...
In a report this month, the World Bank predicts Zimbabwe's economy will grow 3.9% this year even as the country sees an alarming spike in poverty levels, especially in urban areas. The report says a record 7.9 million Zimbabweans are "extremely" poor, earning less than 30 U.S. dollars a month. But as Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, the government says good rains are expected to help lift the agro-based economy with a bumper harvest. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
In northern Cameroon, councils of traditional rulers were customarily all men but in the last two years have opened to women. These pioneer female deputy chiefs are battling early marriage in a region with Cameroon’s highest rate of child marriage. Moki Edwin Kindzeka narrates this report by Anne Nzouankeu in Mokolo, Cameroon. Camera: Anne Nzouankeu
As the United Nations recognizes World Refugee Day, families in the Tigray region of Ethiopia continue to be forced to flee war, often only to be displaced again by violence or the massive social and economic strain caused by the crisis. VOA’s Heather Murdock has this report from Shire, Ethiopia. Camera: Yan Boechat
The odds were against Adieu Achul. Her family members were killed in present day South Sudan when she was just a child, and she grew up in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp. Achul worked hard to become an entrepreneur and activist, and now collects donations for residents of the camp. Juma Majanga has her story from Nairobi. Camera: Jim Makhulo Produced by: Jason Godman
Nigerian lawmakers are set to vote on a bill criminalizing ransom payments after reports that payoffs were made to resolve a series of mass kidnappings. The bill, which would impose stiff prison sentences, is being criticized by relatives of kidnap victims. Timothy Obiezu reports from Kaduna, where many kidnappings have taken place recently. Camera: Emeka Gibson Producer: Jason Godman
Uganda, Africa's largest refugee host, is imposing restrictions on movement after another spike in COVID-19 cases, and that’s creating an even greater economic struggle for the vulnerable in urban areas. One refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is finding a way to overcome that struggle and help other refugees.Cutting polythene bags, using leftover material and then sewing, Noella Kabale and her team are hard at work as they make, among other items, masks and sanitary towels.Kabale arrived in Uganda in 2011 from the DRC, fleeing civil strife. She settled in Kampala, but little did she know life was going to be even more difficult.Living hand to mouth, Kabale got vocational hands-on training for arts and crafts and eventually formed the Refugee Entrepreneurship Association with her small savings.FILE - A couple waits for the COVID-19 vaccine at the Butanda Health Centre III in western Uganda, April 27, 2021.Kabale said the group is working to overcome perceptions that refugees are beggars by producing items to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.“I know putting on a mask is not a guarantee," Kabale said. "But at least it’s going to enable this one person to curb the spread of COVID. So, our community cannot really afford, to get … like, every person could not afford to buy a pad. So, we sat down, we have the material with us — why can’t we support our own community?”The Refugee Entrepreneurship association group consists mainly of divorcees, single mothers and youths, many of whom are victims of gender-based violence. Most of the products made by these women are sold online and during functions, and that money is used to run the association.Leoni Mudumbi said life has changed since she joined the group in 2018.“Thinking about Congo and living here, mixing those thoughts would kill us," Mudumbi said. "She [Kabale] started by counseling us, and we then started teaching ourselves how to make all the things you see here. It really helps us.”Uganda is home to about 1.5 million refugees, 92,000 of whom live in urban areas.Julius Mucunguzi, communications chief in the prime minister’s office, says over the years, refugees have become vital members of the community.“Refugees are just not in countries as a burden," Mucunguzi said. "Yes, they are burdened, but they have a contribution they make. And that is precisely one of the much [key] issues that define the refugee policy of Uganda.”FILE - People ...
Voters in Ethiopia are preparing to cast ballots Monday in what will be Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s first electoral test since he took office in 2018. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Addis Ababa that the run-up has seen both unprecedented free expression and reports of campaign suppression, with one region at war and not voting at all.Camera: Yan Boechat Produced by: Barry Unger
The man known as Zambia’s founding father has died at the age of 97. Kenneth Kaunda rose to power during Africa’s heady post-independence period, when dozens of former European colonies gained their freedom. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg on the death of this African giant.Produced by: Zaheer Cassim
In northern Cameroon’s refugee camps, fighting over natural resources between host communities and mostly Nigerian refugees has caused tensions and environmental damage. Local groups, with the support of the U.N.’s refugee agency, are working to reduce conflict and improve the ecology by reforesting in and around the camps. Anne Nzouankeu in Minawao, Cameroon, has this report narrated by Moki Edwin Kindzeka.Camera: Anne Nzouankeu
Nigeria’s women activists were on the frontline in last year's mass protests against police brutality but say they do not always get the same recognition as their male counterparts. From Abuja, reporter Timothy Obiezu looks at the role of Nigerian women activists. Camera: Aisha Yesufu Produced by: Bakhtiyar Zamanov, Jason Godman
The last Formula One race on the African continent was in 1993 – at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit north of Johannesburg. The circuit has now gotten a facelift in hopes of once again hosting motor racing’s most prestigious events. Romain Chanson filed this VOA report narrated by Carol Guensburg. Camera: Romain Chanson Producer: Betty Ayoub
The last Formula 1 race on the African continent was in 1993 — at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit north of Johannesburg. The circuit has now gotten a facelift in hopes of once again hosting motor racing’s most prestigious events. Romain Chanson filed this VOA report narrated by Carol Guensburg. Camera: Romain Chanson
When the leaders from the world’s wealthiest nations met at the G-7 summit in Cornwall, England over the weekend, they announced a vaccine sharing initiative that would see a billion shots spread across the world. Now, it’s up to aid and advocacy groups to overcome vaccine hesitancy. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.Produced by: Arash Arabasadi
In past years, pilgrims and tourists have flocked to Axum, a holy city in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Today, many of its streets are quiet, and many businesses are closed due to more than seven months of war involving the national government and a regional political party that led the ruling coalition for three decades. Continuing battles in the countryside are deepening a strain on the city, as VOA’s Heather Murdock reports.Camera: Yan Boechat
Ivory Coast was the first country in the world to start vaccinating through the COVAX initiative. But putting shots in the arms of people has not gone without a hitch. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo checks on how the country’s vaccination effort is going three months after the start of the campaign. Camera: Eric Biantuadi Produced by: Bronwyn Benito
Authorities in Kenya are taking steps to eradicate trachoma, an infectious disease that is a leading cause of blindness in Africa. About 7 million people in central Kenya are at risk for the disease, as Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi. Camera: Amos Wangwa
A private game reserve in South Africa is collaborating on a project to rescue trafficked pangolins - a scaly mammal that is one of the most smuggled species in the world. Romain Chanson has the story from the southeast province of KwaZulu-Natal in this report narrated by Carol Guensburg.Camera: Romain Chanson
Some 200 bodies have been buried in shallow graves in and around the town of Hawzen, Ethiopia after more than seven months of war in the Tigray region. As VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Hawzen, residents fear the fighting will continue and more people will be killed.Camera: Yan Boechat, Produce: Jason Godman
Kenya's Wildlife Service says for the first time in 21 years not a single rhinoceros was poached in the country's national parks in 2020. To maintain the progress, it is conducting the first ever wildlife census and placing mobile container housing in parks for rangers. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi. Camera: Robert Lutta
Since the brutal civil war in Ethiopia's Tigray region began in November, many health care centers in the area have been looted and destroyed. Parents often have to travel for weeks to get care for children injured in battles. VOA's Heather Murdock has more from Mekelle and Edaga Hamus in Ethiopia.Camera: Yan Boechat
In Ethiopia’s Tigray region, millions of people are in desperate need of food aid, and even in Mekelle, the regional capital, displaced families say that on some days, they have nothing to eat. As VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Mekelle, hunger is only one element of the growing crisis stemming from the conflict in the region.Camera: Yan Boechat.
Saudi Arabia is requiring all pilgrims for the scaled-back, annual Hajj in July to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In Tanzania, where vaccinations have still not begun, Muslims hoping to go to Mecca are urging authorities to start jabbing. Charles Kombe reports from Dar es Salaam. Camera: Rajabu Hassan Producer: Robert Raffaele
An investigative report this year accused the Burkina Faso representative of Swiss American tobacco giant Philip Morris of funding terrorism through tobacco smuggling. Despite a U.N. report also calling him a smuggler, Apollinaire Compaoré, has rejected the findings in an exclusive interview for VOA with reporter Henry Wilkins in Ouagadougou.Producer: Jason Godman
In Senegal, some growers are trying new farming techniques to reduce the use of man-made chemicals and improve crop yields. Allison Lékogo Fernandes checks on an agroecology experiment in a Dakar suburb. Camera: Mbaye Ndir Producer: Betty Ayoub
The United States is warning Ethiopia and Eritrea that they may face further U.S. actions, including Magnitsky Act sanctions, if those stoking violence against civilians in the Tigray region do not reverse course. As VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports, leading U.S. lawmakers also support tougher measures to end the atrocities.
Kenya's Department of Gender says reported cases of gender-based violence have nearly quintupled during the COVID-19 pandemic. But campaigners note that stigma and fear of reporting abuse means the number of cases that go unreported is many times higher. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi. Camera: Robert Lutta
Uganda hosts Africa's largest population of refugees, and psychologists say the rate of attempted suicides among them has jumped during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporter Halima Athumani looks at efforts to help those who fled physical danger only to suffer from deadly mental trauma. Camera: Francis Mukasa
Escalating insecurity and communal violence in Nigeria appears to be strengthening separatist movements across the country. Among those movements is the Indigenous People of Biafra – a group that advocates an independent state in a part of Nigeria that tried to break away more than 50 years ago. More from Timothy Obiezu in Abuja.
Kenya's population of donkeys is once again under threat after the High Court lifted a 2020 ban on donkey slaughterhouses, allowing them to resume selling the meat and skins to Asian markets. The high price for donkey skins for use in Chinese medicine has led to donkey poaching and fears the working animals could soon go extinct. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
Thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo fled their homes to escape lava flows from an erupting volcano near Goma. While most of the city was spared, those who returned to the outskirts Goma Sunday found their homes destroyed. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.
Somalia this year was hit by a double punch: a second wave of coronavirus and political turmoil over elections that threatened to spark armed conflict. But while political tensions cooled, the impact on the economy is ongoing, as Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu.
The Burkina Faso-developed malaria vaccine is not the only solution to the mosquito-borne disease being tested in the country. Scientists in the West African nation have been breeding genetically modified mosquitoes that may reduce the ability of mosquito populations to spread malaria. Henry Wilkins reports from Bobo Dioulasso on Burkina Faso's cutting-edge research.
The Ivory Coast resort town of Grand-Bassam is known for its beaches and French colonial architecture. Recent flooding and the passage of time have taken a toll on the city’s historic buildings, but some people are determined to fix things, as Yassin Ciyow found in this report narrated by Carol Guensberg.Camera: Yassin Ciyow Produced by: Robert Raffaele
Nigeria's chamber of commerce has warned that increasing violence and abductions are turning off investors and damaging the economy. Officials says unless security is improved, the economy will not recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja, Nigeria.
Nigerian officials say the coronavirus pandemic's impact on the economy and social distancing have tripled the number of mental health cases. In response, Nigeria has launched the first toll-free, 24-hour helpline staffed by trained psychologists and counselors. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.
South Africa launched a new phase of its vaccination scheme this week, rolling out vaccines to the over-60 crowd. VOA's Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg. Camera: Zaheer Cassim
Somalia's Ministry of Education has for the first time introduced braille in schools for the country's blind and visually impaired people. Mohammed Kahiye reports from Mogadishu.Camera: Mohamed Rage
Eid al-Fitr is a special time of year for nearly half of Africa's population, who are adherents of Islam. But this year's celebration is different amid a continuing pandemic and the devastation it has caused across the continent. VOA's Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg.Camera: Zaheer Cassim, Amos Wangwa Produced by: Marcus Harton
Somalia received 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in March, but health officials say less than half the doses have been used. Authorities attribute the slow uptake to fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and misinformation about the vaccine itself. Mohamed Kahiye reports from Somalia's capital. Camera: Mohamed Rage
Fifty-seven-year-old Kenyan Joyce Kago’s three marriages ended when she couldn't have children, leaving her alone and struggling to make ends meet. Joyce is one of many childless women in a society where having children is key for acceptance. Ruud Elmendorp reports from Thika, Kenya.
Senegal has a long tradition of interfaith respect and tolerance. In honor of that, young Christians made a goodwill gesture by distributing snacks to Muslims breaking their fasts one evening during the holy month of Ramadan. Allison Lékogo Fernandes reports from Dakar. Carol Guensburg narrates. Camera: Bachir Yazz Bodian Producers: Carol Guensburg and Betty Ayoub
U.S. President Joe Biden is touting a range of accomplishments as he hits the milestone of 100 days in office. But has he made any impact in the African continent? VOA’s Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg.Camera: Zaheer Cassim.
Lawmakers in Botswana, a country with a high and increasing rate of rape cases, recently set up a committee to address the problem and plan to establish a sex offenders registry. But campaigners like rape survivor Refilwe Mooki say those actions don't go far enough, as Mqondisi Dube reports from Gaborone.Videographer: Reference Sibanda
Zimbabwean sculptor David Ngwerume is gaining attention for works inspired by the pandemic. One of his collections urges people to get vaccinated and another reminds people to take health measures hammering home a message to curb the spread of the virus. Ngwerume’s latest piece is called “Michael Jackson,” named after the late U.S. pop icon who was well-known for wearing masks and a glove. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare.Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
For a second year Nigeria's Muslim population, the largest in West Africa, is celebrating the holy month of Ramadan under the cloud of COVID-19. Nigeria's mosques have resumed communal prayers and daily fast-breaking, which were banned last year, raising concerns among health officials. Timothy Obiezu reports from the capital, Abuja.Camera: Emekas Gibson Producer: Barry Unger
For a second year, Nigeria's Muslim population, the largest in West Africa, is celebrating the holy month of Ramadan under the cloud of COVID-19. Nigeria's mosques have resumed communal prayers and daily fast-breaking, which were banned last year, raising concerns among health officials.Since Ramadan started April 13, Isah Idris joins hundreds of Muslims who observe special evening prayers at Abuja’s NASFAT mosque daily.And once the prayer has ended, they all proceed for the Iftar, a large meal to break the day's fasting.Idris said he struggled during Ramadan last year because of the pandemic."As of last year, even for food in my house, God bears me witness, I found it difficult. It was my mom that helped me, but fortunately this year, I have food in my house. I do my iftar here, and I also do my Sahur here," he said. Sahur and Iftar are meals to mark the beginning and end of a day's fasting.Hundreds of people at the mosque benefit from free meals through Ramadan. But feasting and communal prayers were halted last year as the coronavirus restrictions held firm.Many like Idris who depended on such meals struggled to get through the fasting.Muslim clergy and head of the NASFAT mosque, Sharafadeen Abdulsalam, said they found other ways to hold prayers."Most of our lectures last year were online. People didn't come to the mosque last year to observe Taraweeh. People didn't come to observe the five daily prayers," he said.But things are different this year. Nigeria is seeing a lower number of cases, and mosques across the country are once again holding regular meetings and prayers.But the World Health Organization and Nigeria's CDC are also warning of a possible rise of COVID-19 cases during Ramadan.A Muslim man leave after prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan at Lekki Central mosque in Lagos Nigeria, April 16, 2021.Mosque secretary Abimbola Okunola said they’re taking steps to prevent that."As you are entering the mosque, there's provision for you to wash your hands. We have a tap, about four or five taps at the gate. So, as you're entering, the first place you'll go to … there's an arrow, and there are some security personnel that will ensure that you wash your hands," he said.Okunola said everyone entering the mosque must also wear a face mask, in line with WHO recommendations.Charity banquets and other communal gatherings remain banned in many countries around the ...
A Cameroonian company has created a veterinary counseling app designed to help farmers and ranchers detect animal diseases and give them guidance. The app is aimed at animal breeders who live in remote villages, far from veterinarians. Moki Edwin Kindzeka has this report by Anne Nzouankeu in Douala.Camera: Anne Nzouankeu
Senegal banned single-use plastics a year ago, but the regulation has been poorly enforced and plastic waste still litters the coastline and threatens health. For Earth Day (April 22) this year, a group of Senegalese surfers, scuba divers, and activists took matters into their own hands and to set an example for others to follow. From bottles and bags to food wrappers and fishing nets, plastic waste is piling up on Senegal’s beaches, harming the environment that people and animals depend on. A bird stands atop a mound of rubbish overlooking a polluted canal in Dakar, Senegal, Apr. 23, 2021.Toxic chemicals from plastic leach into the water and can build up in fish, which are a vital part of the Senegalese diet. Senegal’s Ministry of Public Health notes links between plastic pollution and infertility, heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. “All of these products that are used by the industry can be dangerous," said Public Health director Dr. Marie Khémesse Ngom Ndiaye. "In terms of pollution, they can attack all of our organs, but equally those of animals. But especially, as you’ve seen in all these documentaries and studies, it impacts marine life.” The Senegalese government passed a law in 2015 banning single-use plastics, but little changed. The law was rescinded to make way for new legislation that specifically targeted plastic cups, straws, plates, bags and bottles. It went into effect in 2020, but it’s still rarely enforced. “There is not necessarily enough information," said Aisha Conte, president of Zero Waste Senegal. "The population, the users, are not well enough informed about the existence of this law and its different statutes.” Franck Chabert, owner of the Barracuda Dive Club, pulls rubbish from the sea floor during an underwater cleanup for Earth Day in Dakar, Apr. 23, 2021.To mark the anniversary of last year’s ban, and this year’s Earth Day, Dakar’s Barracuda Scuba Diving Club and activists held a coastal cleanup. Clean Senegal’s Khadim Diouf wore a plastic costume while sorting the waste to underscore the need to make an impact. Volunteers sort rubbish found under water and along the beach during an underwater cleanup for Earth Day in Dakar, Apr. 23, 2021.“I think we can do it — us, the citizens of the world," he said. "I don’t just mean the citizens of Senegal, but the citizens of the world. Everyone must protect their environment. That’s what we must do.” Until then, Diouf and other activists said they ...
Burkina Faso has a growing comedy scene that despite the international popularity of French-Burkinabé comedian Roukiata Ouedraogo is still dominated locally by men. But a fresh initiative hopes to change that, as Clair MacDougall reports from Ouagadougou.Camera: Clair MacDougall
Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, is home to more than half a million internally displaced persons, or IDPs, living in crowded camps with poor sanitation where the coronavirus can spread rapidly. In the holy month of Ramadan, these vulnerable IDP families rely on food aid to survive. Reporter Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu.Camera: Mohamed Sheikh Nor Produced by: Jon Spier
A new Nigerian art gallery opened in Los Angeles this year reflecting a growing international interest in contemporary African art. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details.Camera: Roy Kim, Rodmy Dorcil, Michelle Quinn
COVID-19 has been brutal for Africa, the world's least developed continent — yet it hasn't been as bad as some feared, despite delays in vaccination rollouts. Anita Powell reports from Johannesburg. Camera: Zaheer Cassim Produced by: Marcus Harton
Spain’s leaders worry a world economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could send large numbers of African migrants to Europe, using Spain as a gateway. In this report narrated by Jonathan Spier, Alfonso Beato in Barcelona reports that Spanish authorities are holding thousands of West African migrants, including potential asylum seekers, in emergency camps set up on the Canary Islands.Camera: Alfonso Beato
While many countries with Muslim populations have imposed coronavirus restrictions during the holy month of Ramadan, Tanzania, which is more than a third Muslim, has not. Despite President Samia Suluhu Hassan's shift away from her predecessor's COVID denial, the new leader has yet to take up measures recommended by global health authorities. Charles Kombe reports from Dar es Salaam. Camera: Rajabu Hassan Produced by: Mary Cieslak
Relations between the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces and the media have been strained in recent months, after several journalists were beaten by army troops while trying to cover a demonstration. In hopes of improving matters, top army officers played two friendly football (soccer) matches with members of the media. This was no ordinary match. Guns and boots filled the Phillip Omondi football grounds. Most of the spectators were dressed in army fatigues. The no-nonsense military police feared by both the public and media cheered loudly as the match between military generals and the heads of several media outlets kicked off. The army generals, decked out in white and blue shirts, were led by the chief of defense forces, General David Muhoozi. The media team was dressed in neon green and grey and led by owners of media houses Nation Media, the New Vision Group, and several others. General Muhoozi says the match was meant to consolidate and strengthen the relationship with the media given what he called, the various highs and lows in their interactions. “No, no, no, we are not apologizing for anything. We are saying that we are partners. The other day you scratched me, I scratched your back, so. But bottom line we are partners. We are in this together. We can’t avoid each other. We are in each other’s faces every day. So, what better way to strengthen our partnerships, than through such light moments," he said. The first match between media managers and army generals ended 3-1 in favor of the media. A second match between field reporters and a team of captains, colonels and lieutenants ended with the media side winning again, 3-0. The media may have been the better team Friday, but previously have been mercilessly beaten with batons and sticks by the same army. The last encounter was in February when several journalists were beaten as they covered a march by the National Unity Platform to deliver a petition to the U.N. human rights office in Kampala. The party was protesting arrests, abuses and detention of their party members. Robert Sempala, the national coordinator of the Human Rights Network for Journalists, says Friday’s matches were a good starting point for better relations. “They have been beating us and we are running away. They beat today we run away again. And we are running to nowhere. So, we thought we would have ...
Nigerian authorities are stepping up efforts to vaccinate more people against COVID-19 after a slow rollout blamed on misinformation. Authorities aim to vaccinate over 80 million Nigerians by year’s end but are running far behind schedule. An Abuja vaccination center, which opened March 16, one week after Nigeria's official vaccine rollout, vaccinates between 50 and 100 people daily. It is one of many vaccination locations in the Nigerian capital. Abuja resident Olu Agunbiade visited the center to get his first shot and says receiving the vaccine makes him feel safer. "I can venture out into the world with a form of protection," he told VOA. "I know that doesn't mean I can't still contract COVID, but at least I have antibodies, I can fight it.” Nigeria received about 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine early last month. Authorities say they will vaccine around 80 million people by the end of the year, but so far, only about 1 million have received shots. Although authorities say more Nigerians are now getting vaccinated, Abuja Primary Healthcare Board Executive Secretary Ndeyo Iwot says vaccine hesitancy and misinformation about the coronavirus are to blame for the low numbers. "There's a very big problem. Now start from the beginning, how many people even believed that we have the pandemic here? And now you want to bring vaccine for what they did not believe in the first instance? We have a lot of work to do," Iwot says. As workaround, authorities are trying to increase vaccine awareness in communities, villages, and marketplaces. Despite this, though, citizens like Richard Uka insist they will not get the vaccine. "To be sincere, I don't think this is necessary, to me it's not necessary," Uka told VOA. "And I believe that in Nigeria nothing works. How do you think that that vaccine works or how do we know that it works?” Nigeria needs to vaccinate about 150 million citizens by next year to attain herd immunity. Iwot, though, says getting adequate doses of vaccines may prove difficult. "Looking at the pandemic situation in Europe, India and the U.S.A. and the U.K., some of them are experiencing the third and fourth spikes now and India that was giving us is also having spikes now. So many of the dosages they have will be consumed there," Iwot told VOA.Very few African countries are able to manufacture the coronavirus vaccines, creating heavy dependence on foreign manufacturers. The World Health Organization says the continent has so far received less than 2% of the global 690 million doses of the coronavirus vaccines.
Zimbabwe's government this month reported nearly 5,000 teenage pregnancies in January and February — a major jump from previous years. Advocates are blaming the rise on coronavirus lockdowns and poverty. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, Zimbabwe. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
South African mobile communications company Vodacom South Africa, with British parent company Vodafone and charity Hestia, has launched a free mobile phone application to support targets of gender-based violence, which has soared during the coronavirus pandemic. The application, “Bright Sky,” provides information for people to identify gender-based violence and get counseling and emergency help. Franco Puglisi reports from Johannesburg.Producer: Rod James. Camera: Franco Puglisi.
Tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe, Africa's largest tobacco producer, are pinning their economic hopes on the addictive plant. Despite anti-smoking campaigns ahead of the World Health Organization's No Tobacco Day (on May 31), farmers say the crop is one of their biggest earners. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Murehwa district, Zimbabwe. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
Checking the spread of the coronavirus through handwashing is a challenge in Kenya, where many people can’t afford soap. To help, a Kenyan charity is making soap out of vegetables to hand out in city slums. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Robert Lutta
Zimbabwe's main opposition party says the government is again cracking down on critics with a prison sentence given to 28-year old Makomborero Haruzivishe. A court found him guilty of inciting violence, but rights groups say the real aim is to intimidate protesters demanding more financial support for the poor. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
Kenya's tourism sector is taking another hit after a fresh lockdown announced last week for Nairobi and four surrounding counties because of a record surge in coronavirus infections. Victoria Amunga in Nairobi looks at Kenya's important tourism industry and how tour companies are struggling to survive.Camera: Robert Lutta.
The coronavirus pandemic has increased hunger and food insecurity in Zimbabwe, which was already struggling with a poor economy before the pandemic began, according to a government report released this week. The World Food Program says the problem is especially acute for unemployed urban dwellers. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
A Kenyan music producer is taking his work to remote villages to record up-and-coming artists on location to offer something new and different for Kenya’s competitive music industry. Juma Majanga caught up with producer Presta George in Awendo, Kenya, and filed this report.Camera: Jim Makhulo, Producer: Henry Hernandez
VOA traces the beginnings of the conflict that grew into a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. In early November 2020, the federal government of Ethiopia — led by Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — launched a military campaign to regain control of the contested region from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front fighters. We explore the human cost of the armed clashes, which have reverberated across neighboring countries, destabilized communities, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Uganda resumed rugby league games in March, but much of the excitement was on the sidelines, where the unique snack of boiled cow hoof, known as kigere, has a popular following. From Kampala, Halima Athumani has more. Camera: Francis Mukasa
A team of nine South African students and young professionals won a Cape Town competition to create a zero-carbon home, just ahead of Earth Day on April 22.Experts say the house design, which incorporates solar power, passive cooling, rainwater harvesting and a food garden, could help reduce the nation's carbon footprint.The first My Clean Green Home — a local building and design competition — challenged designers to build a house that produces no carbon emissions, with a budget of $12,000.Sharne Bloem is the architect for the winning team, Mahali, which means "place" in Swahili."It's a good way to bring what we believe, what we studied, to the general public," Bloem said. "And actually, to share this with the city of Cape Town and the festival and to educate people more about net-zero carbon buildings." The team built the house from recycled steel containers and pallets. Despite the small size — just 70 square meters — the house's quality surprised members of the public like Louis Farrow, who were invited to view the winning entry. "Being green is always expensive. So, it can't be rolled out to everybody. But if this is sustainably, economically viable ... [it makes] lots of sense," Farrow said. Cape Town authorities say buildings consume 38% of the city's energy and generate 58% of its carbon emissions. They aim to have all new city buildings carbon neutral by 2030. Mary Haw of Cape Town Sustainable Energy Markets Department says the idea is to inspire people. "People can take elements from this home and bring to their own houses if they can think about what a house might be," Haw said. Net zero means emissions are balanced by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. Georgina Smit of the Green Building Council of South Africa says the concept should not be limited to Cape Town. "My Clean Green Home project could definitely be applied nationally. It is an example about a project that is net zero. You can go and see it; it's been built with materials that we already have available and actually it's possible," Smit said. For years, South Africa has suffered rolling power cuts that leave people without electricity for hours at a time. Green building experts say the country's power problems could, ironically, help drive more South Africans to net-zero buildings.
The coronavirus pandemic has made a deep mark in Africa’s megacities, such as Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi. But more than half of the continent’s population lives in rural areas, which large-scale lockdowns have effectively sealed off. VOA’s Anita Powell visited one small South African town to see how its residents are coping under pandemic restrictions.
Eddie Simelane is a patient. Every two months, this 46-year-old, HIV-positive father of four wakes up early to line up at a government clinic near eSwatini’s capital for his supply of free anti-retroviral medication. The emaSwati are no strangers to pandemics. This small nation, formerly known as Swaziland, has one of the world’s highest HIV prevalence rates, estimated at over 27%. But it’s not that pandemic that scares him, Simelane says. It’s coronavirus. He says he’s lucky to have not fallen ill, but says it’s thrown his life into disarray. “Here in eSwatini, COVID-19 has taken many lives that I’ve heard of,” he said outside a clinic on a foggy morning last week. “And the difficult part of it is the economy. The economy has been down and there’s been no jobs for everybody for something like a year now.” He’s not exaggerating the effect of this pandemic — in a nation that is smaller than all but three U.S. states, everything feels like it hits closer to home. While eSwatini has only reported some 17,000 cases, and just under 670 deaths, its small size makes each loss seem much bigger. eSwatini, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control, has seen 1,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people — and 55 deaths per 100,000 people. But the population is just over a million people. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, eSwatini’s COVID-19 mortality rate stands at 3.9%. That’s more than twice the U.S. death rate, of 1.8%, and also higher than the death rate in the continent’s epicenter — and eSwatini’s biggest neighbor — South Africa, which is 3.4%. And it has affected lives at all levels of society. Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku fell into this job because Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini died of COVID-19 in December. He said the past year has been tough. “It’s something that we had never seen before, we had never experienced before,” he said. “So, when it started, we tried to manage it. The first wave, I think we fairly managed that, but the second wave, which was brutal, this is when we felt overwhelmed. But it taught us certain things that we have now put in place so that if the next, the anticipated — which I really don’t want — the third wave, we think we will be more prepared than the first and second waves because ...
One of the biggest challenges in getting past COVID is making sure people get vaccinated. One South African youth choir is trying its own way to convince people to get the shot, as Romain Chanson reports. Videographer: Romain Chanson
Ugandan environmentalist Vanessa Nakate is taking the fight against climate change to schools, rallying students to join the fight. Ahead of Earth Day (April 22), Halima Athumani covers one of her school rallies from Kampala.Camera: Francis Mukasa
Funding, coronavirus and societal attitudes make educating the deaf a challenge in Egypt
Cameroonian music lover Paul Tchana opened a tiny record shop in the early 80s and built a collection of more than 5,000 original vinyl records. When compact discs arrived, his little record store struggled but eventually became a kind of museum, with customers going there to learn about music history. Moki Edwin Kindzeka has this report by Anne Nzouankeu in Yaounde.
Zimbabwe's musicians have been struggling to make a living since the coronavirus pandemic prompted the government to ban concerts and other entertainment to prevent the spread of the virus.Before COVID-19, award-winning Zimbabwean singer Diana Samkange-Nyazema frequently performed in her home country and across Africa. Now, no longer on stage or in the spotlight, she can be found at her farm in Mazowe district, about an hour's drive west of Harare. Diana Samkange-Nyazema, an award-winning Zimbabwean singer, is seen at her farm in Mazowe district, about an hour’s drive west of Harare, March 18, 2021. (Columbus Mavhunga/VOA) The coronavirus lockdowns stopped large gatherings and events – like concerts – forcing Samkange-Nyazema to look at other ways to make a living. "During the lockdown, I learned one thing that I didn't know over the years: You will never go wrong with agriculture. People will always eat. People will always want farm produce. That business, for me, is quite stable. It will bring income; I now know that money comes from the soil to also do other things – to boost my music business," she said. "I have found that there is stability in agriculture at the moment more than (the) music side," she added. "But I am saying given the two, I am definitely going to be biased because I am a musician. That defines who I am. I am Diana who sings. So, music is going to be my first love, but I need to survive." The 32-year-old Afro-pop singer co-owns the farm with her husband, Calvin Nyazema. They are putting in irrigation pipes and have set up beehives to collect "eucalyptus honey" from their 300,000-tree plantation. Nicholas Moyo, executive director of Zimbabwe’s National Arts Council, is seen in Harare, January 2021. (Columbus Mavhunga/VOA)Executive Director of Zimbabwe's National Arts Council Nicholas Moyo says he does not know when the ban on live performances will be lifted. But, he says, Zimbabwe's government recognizes the plight of musicians who have been unable to work because of the lockdowns. "So, we can say currently we are working on more of a stimulus package because we realized release may never take us anywhere," Moyo said. "But the government, through the department of Social Welfare, continuously assists Zimbabweans that are in need." However, critics say lockdown relief payments of about $12 a month per family is not even enough to buy bread. Independent Harare-based economist John Robertson says authorities need to increase financial support for the vulnerable. "So, it's really up to an individual if you find yourself in a difficulty. There is nobody who (is) going ...
The U.N. refugee agency calls Burkina Faso the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis, with more than one million internally displaced people and counting. Among the displaced are some 140,000 disabled who struggle with discrimination, exploitation, and accessing aid, as Henry Wilkins reports from Kaya, Burkina Faso.
Tanzanian President John Magufuli has died at the age of 61, ending days of speculation and official denials about his whereabouts and health. Magufuli was known for massive infrastructure projects, intolerance of critics and a free press, and his denial of the coronavirus pandemic. Charles Kombe in Dar es Salaam has this report on his legacy. Camera: Rajabu Hassan Producer: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
Almost all school kitchens in Kenya use high-emission, wood-burning fuel to cook food for students. But a government campaign ahead of this year's Earth Day (April 22) aims to transition the kitchens to cleaner fuels by the end of this year. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi.Camera: Amos Wangwa
A group of women pick tea leaves at a plantation in Kenya’s tea belt in the Rift Valley, where harvesting has traditionally been done by hand. This labor-intensive practice is said to ensure the region produces the high-quality tea that is among the country’s top foreign exchange earners.But now, Kenya's tea-farming industry, the world's third-largest after China and India, is facing job losses after a court ruled in January against a labor union's attempt to ban tea leaf harvesting machines. Workers fear the machines will take their jobs, while tea farm owners say mechanization will make the industry more productive. Zipporah Onserio, 46, lost her job picking tea leaves because of the harvesting machines. She says since the big factories brought in the equipment, most of the fields they used to work in have been turned over to machines and tractors. Now people who pick tea by hand are jobless, she said. Onserio was one of hundreds of employees who lost their jobs at a tea plantation in Kericho, 270 kilometers west of Nairobi. Kenya Tea Workers Union representative Jared Momanyi says job losses are likely to increase. “Before the introduction of the machines, in Bomet alone we used to have … over 50,000 employees! As we are talking now, I can tell you the number is around 5,000 to 7,000,” Momanyi said. Multinational companies in the tea belt have argued in court that the harvesting machines will help cut production costs by more than half, making their product more competitive in the world market. However, trade unionists say mechanization has a high human cost, with some 10,000 people already laid off even before the court verdict in favor of the tea companies. For a region that depends on the income from tea workers, community leaders such as Jones Mutai say the impact of greater job losses will be dire. He says insecurity will become a major problem. The unemployed youths will take out their frustrations on the wealthy, says Mutai, and the wealthy will bear the burden of the entire community. Despite the possible job losses, the Kenya Tea Growers Association’s CEO Apollo Kiarie says embracing mechanization is the only way to keep the sector alive. “One machine, its cost of production is about 40% less than if you were to use hand machine in an acre of land. So, you look at it and you see, you [are] able to balance your cost of production, you are able to ...
When Burkina Faso’s former president, Blaise Compaore, fled a 2014 uprising to Ivory Coast, he left behind a private zoo of exotic animals. The animals were starving to death until a nonprofit stepped in to rescue them and this year reopened the zoo to the public. Henry Wilkins reports from Ziniaré, Burkina Faso.Camera: Henry Wilkins .
Mali is one of Africa’s largest cotton growers. But most of its harvest is shipped abroad. VOA’s Bagassi Koura takes us to a women’s cooperative working to add more value to that cotton at home.
A massive locust outbreak continues threatening farmers’ fields in East Africa. Now a Kenyan company says it has a solution to turn the pests into profit. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.
Boko Haram militants have terrorized northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade, driving what the United Nations says are more than 2 million people from their homes. VOA’s Haruna Shehu visited with internally displaced people in Borno state as authorities prepare to resettle them closer to home. Camera: Haruna Shehu
Doctors in Zimbabwe say they are worried about the slow pace of the country's COVID-19 vaccination program for front line workers. As Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare on reasons why some people are not rushing to get vaccinated.Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
The White House is calling for a full, independent investigation into human rights abuses in the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports on the ongoing violence in Tigray that has left 3 million people in need of food assistance.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the marginalization of vulnerable groups like persons with disabilities. In Nigeria, disabled people account for one third of those living in extreme poverty leaving aid groups scrambling to help those in need during the pandemic. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.Camera: Simpa Samson Produced by: Marcus Harton
Tunisian police are arresting social media activists for criticizing the government online and calling for protests, according to rights groups.Ten years after Tunisia’s Arab Spring uprising for democracy, the country has been hit by a wave of riots and protests over ongoing political unrest and a poor economy. While protesters take to the streets, bloggers criticize authorities online. Rights groups say police are cracking down on them with at least 50 arrested so far this year. Sitting in his bedroom, Ahmed Ghram said he was jailed for two weeks because of a Facebook post. "When you are treated less than a human for that long it, kind of, leaves its mark on you. It is shameful for the government and for the people that we can still get prosecuted and arrested for our freedom." Tunisians Protest Amid Political Standoff Ennahdha party rallies thousands in demonstration of support for government amid tug-of-war with President Kais SaiedTunisian activists say a decade after the Arab Spring, there is still a price to pay for speaking their minds. Thirty-three-year-old Aymen Dridi is protesting in Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis with other social media activists. Freedoms are threatened, says Dridi. Today freedom of speech is being attacked, he says, and people are still getting arrested during the protests. Rights groups say progress after the Arab Spring is being reversed.Amna Guellali, Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International, is in her office, analyzing the situation in Tunisia. "After the revolution, freedom of expression became a reality in Tunisia," said Guellali. "But we noticed in the last three years an increase in prosecution of bloggers and activists for their online posts. We call on the Tunisian authorities to repeal these abusive and oppressive legislations.” Authorities are using a pre-Arab Spring law to threaten internet freedom and those who “insult or disturb others” with up to two years in prison. Mohamed Ali Bouchiba, co-founder of Bloggers Without Chains, is very critical."Article 86 of the Telecommunication Code was written in an era where there was no Internet, meaning before the Arab Spring and before the youth got freedom of speech,” says Bouchiba. “Charging under it is a systemic state policy that aims to shut mouths, prohibit any attempt to discuss politics and make it a taboo,” he says. Tunisian authorities declined requests for a comment.
Senegal opposition leader Ousmane Sonko is out on bail after being indicted on a rape charge that has sparked violent protests across the country over the past week. Sonko has dismissed the charge as politically motivated and has called for more protests against the country’s president, as VOA’s Mariama Diallo reports.
With COVID-19 still limiting travel, a Cameroonian startup has created a system that allows African medical patients to have an online consultation with doctors abroad. Moki Edwin Kindzeka has this report from Anne Nzouankeu in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Camera: Anne Nzouankeu
With no end of cash shortages in sight in Zimbabwe, the use of mobile money has become the order of the day in the southern African nation. As Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, the central bank says it is happy with the situation and wants 90 percent of all transactions to be electronic. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
In large parts of Africa, including Kenya, the humble donkey has been under threat from poaching for allegedly magic potions. To discourage thieves, Kenya last year banned donkey slaughterhouses and this month is holding its first donkey festival to encourage their protection. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi. Camera: Amos Wangwa Produced by: Rod James, Jason Godman
France may soon join a handful of countries with laws aimed at repatriating stolen money and assets to their countries of origin. But anti-corruption watchdogs say the draft legislation needs changes to ensure the assets don’t go back to corrupt leaders. Lisa Bryant reports from Paris. Camera: Lisa Bryant, agencies
Kenyan wool-buying cooperative is using its economic power to encourage shepherds to keep their flocks in enclosed areas to help save an endangered bird. Wildlife experts say the efforts to save the Sharpe's Longclaw bird, which lives in Kenya's central grasslands, are welcomed and could be applied to other endangered wildlife. Brenda Mulinya reports from Nyandarua, Kenya. Camera: Amos Wangwa
For more than 100 years, International Women’s Day has been celebrated by honoring the achievements of women globally.But this year, because of lost jobs and increased burdens of care at home, women have fared worse economically than men.According to data from the International Labour Organization, a United Nations agency, globally women have suffered more job losses related to the pandemic than men. About 5% of women in 2020 lost work, which could mean losing a job or experiencing reduced hours, compared with 3.9% of men."Every time something happens in the world, women are hit with twice the violence,” Anchia Mulima, coordinator of Lemusica, an organization supporting women and girls in Mozambique, told VOA.Throughout the pandemic, the United Nations has highlighted the disparities between how women have been affected by the crisis compared with men.“Gender inequalities have increased dramatically in the past year, as women bear the brunt of school closures and working from home,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.According to U.N. Women, 58% of employed women globally work in “informal employment,” or jobs without much regulation and often without taxes or benefits. Women are also more likely to work in industries hardest hit by the pandemic, such as hospitality and child care.In the United States, Black and Latinx women faced more layoffs in 2020 and have seen slower gains in recent months than their white counterparts.A man holds a sign and the portrait of a victim of femicide in front of a metal fence with the names of other victims surrounding the National Palace ahead of the International Women's Day in Mexico City on March 7, 2021.According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 8.9% of Black women and 8.5% of Latinx women were unemployed in February — compared with 5.2% of white women.“It's easy for us to make general sweeping statements of COVID-19 is affecting women in the workplace, but it's affecting different groups of women disproportionately,” Minda Harts, an author and advocate for Black women in the workplace, told VOA.“Hospitality, leisure — some of those industries have a very high concentration of Black and brown women. And so in 2020, we realized that a lot of those industries were heavily affected,” Harts said.Even as women around the world have faced economic challenges, higher unemployment, and the burden of child care as schools close, they have found ways to use their skills and inspire others.Nubia Rocío ...
One year into the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, thousands of families are struggling with deepening poverty and unemployment. A survey by the charity Twaweza, shows 60% of Kenyan families can no longer afford three meals per day.In her one-bedroom house just on the outskirts of Nairobi, Rebecca Adagala prepares vegetables for the day’s dinner. It is the only meal she and her grandchildren can afford in a day.A year ago, things were different for Adagala. She earned enough from her grocery store job to ensure that her family was well fed.Now, though – one year after COVID-19 struck Kenya – Adagala can barely afford one meal a day. She said sometimes she only has water to drink for her supper and, if she is lucky, a family member who hasn’t lost their job buys corn flour for the family’s meals.The Kenyan government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 with lockdowns have led to rising unemployment.More than 1.7 million people lost their jobs in the first four months of the pandemic.A survey by Twaweza, a nongovernmental group, shows that in the last six months of 2020, more Kenyans were worried about where their next meal would come from.James Gichira, a director with Twaweza said the situation is dire.“Seven out of 10 of the households said that they fear the economical impact much more than health impact,” he said.A food pantry run by a charity group in Kenya is in high demand as people without jobs cannot feed themselves. Nowhere is the need greater than in the informal settlements, said charity director John Gathungu.“We are not able to go there freely to distribute the food that we used to distribute, since most people are not going to work, they remained in the villages, I mean their houses, so when they hear there is food being distributed there is almost a stampede,” he said.Even though Kenya’s coronavirus containment measures have hurt the economy, the government, through its spokesman, Cyrus Oguna, said it is determined to balance the scales by keeping the public safe while also ensuring people are able to put food on their tables.“The government has been able to start programs to put money in the pockets of those who had lost their livelihoods by initiating weekly stipends,” he said. Many like Rebecca Adagala, however, they have not yet received these government stipends.
Africa’s year with the pandemic has been a challenging one, full of suspense and surprises. VOA’s Anita Powell looks back at the continent’s bout with the virus, which has infected at least 2.8 million people and killed about 72,000, according to the World Health Organization. She reports from South Africa. Camera: Zaheer Cassim
Both the United States and the United Nations are calling for an immediate end to the fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and for access to independent investigators, amid reports of ongoing atrocities against civilians. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Burkina Faso’s opposition has stepped up pressure on President Roch Kabore to follow through on a campaign promise to allow former President Blaise Compaore to return from exile. Supporters say Compaore, who fled to Ivory Coast after being ousted in 2014, would bring back security, while critics say his influence is limited and he should face justice. Henry Wilkins reports from Ouagadougou.Producers: Henry Wilkins, Henry Hernandez. Camera: Henry Wilkins.
United Nations data shows Africa's Sahel countries have the highest rate of child marriage in the world, with more than half of all girls being married before the age 18. Henry Wilkins reports from Burkina Faso on a former child bride who fled her 54-year-old husband and now mentors other child marriage survivors.Producer: Bronwyn Benito