http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/ a MercatorNet blog about Africa webmaster@mercatornet.com(Michael Cook) editor@mercatornet.com(Michael Cook) http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12225 by Robert Odero

The African woman is neither a mirror image of man nor a slave. She feels no need to imitate men to express her personality. Her work, her own genius, her preoccupations, her way of speaking, and her manners mask an original civilization. She has not allowed herself to be colonized by either men or male culture http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12225 Sunday, May 19 2013 Harambee Robert Odero http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12184 by Eugene Ohu

There is something beautiful when Africans tell their own stories. When the story tellers are children, it has a charm all of its own. This is the ambitious and heartwarming project that soschildren.org has undertaken at the www.our-africa.org site. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12184 Thursday, May 09 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12181 by Eugene Ohu

Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe warns African countries to be more security conscious against foreigners and former colonialists who are bent on a renewed and more vigorous plundering of the continent's resources. Such resources include Coltan, a major component of Sony's PlayStation. 80% of the world's Coltan resides in Congo. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12181 Wednesday, May 08 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12151 by Obianuju Ekeocha

In spite of economic difficulties in their own backyard, and despite claims to nobler motives, the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway unite to sustain a massive injection of funds to some infanticidal projects in Africa. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12151 Wednesday, May 01 2013 Harambee Obianuju Ekeocha http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12136 by Michael Cook

The Economist hosted a debate on the topic: How real is the rise of Africa? This short video summarises the ensuing discussion. Fascinating stuff. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12136 Tuesday, April 30 2013 Harambee Michael Cook http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12134 by Robert Odero

"What is Africa for you?" Everyone loves a good story because they fascinate, edify and humanize us and help us interpret our world. Ultimately, every story represents a certain vision or picture of reality. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12134 Monday, April 29 2013 Harambee Robert Odero http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12127 by Nwachukwu Egbunike

Madonna, who adopted two children from Malawi, may be on the short-leash of love with her adoptive African country, who now call into question the true motives behind her celebrity-aid efforts. All now mired in controversy... http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12127 Friday, April 26 2013 Harambee Nwachukwu Egbunike http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12099 by Chinwuba Iyizoba

An African woman Uzoamaka Maduka, starts a new literary magazine "American Reader" in a bid to help transform American literary culture. Her motivation: "So many of the voices in fiction that are out there are deeply neurotic white male stories of how, 'Oh, I had weird sex'; I kind of felt like, I really don't want to sit still for this". http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12099 Saturday, April 20 2013 Harambee Chinwuba Iyizoba http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12061 by Eugene Ohu

Early this year France promised a quick pullout from Mali. It now wants to install a 1,000 strong permanent force in the African country. Some say that the French have more personal reasons to want to prolong their stay, reasons that have nothing to do with fighting terror. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12061 Thursday, April 11 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12043 by Robert Odero

The solution to ethnicity is to celebrate diversity. It consists in respecting the other as the other. Africa has abundant examples. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12043 Monday, April 08 2013 Harambee Robert Odero http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12024 by Michael Cook

Africa is an exception. The rest of the world should pray that it stays that way. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12024 Wednesday, April 03 2013 Harambee Michael Cook http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11994 by Michael Cook

A collection of paintings and sculpture at the Princeton University Art Museum examines the many roles that Africans, both slave and free, played in 16th century Europe. This video from The Economist helps to reveal forgotten histories. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11994 Monday, April 01 2013 Harambee Michael Cook http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12000 by Francis Onwumere

First there were mobile phones. Then fast internet. Then tech hubs. 45 of them across the continent. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/12000 Sunday, March 31 2013 Harambee Francis Onwumere http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11992 by Nwachukwu Egbunike

Chínụ̀álụmọ̀gụ̀ Albert Àchèbé (1930-2013) was called back home on Friday March 22, 2013. Achebe was controversially quiet: a writer who told his story, not minding the consequences. Writer, novelist, poet, critic and professor was acclaimed the father of modern African literature. His book, Things Fall Apart published in 1958, holds a record of 11 million copies in sales and has been translated into about 50 languages. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11992 Wednesday, March 27 2013 Harambee Nwachukwu Egbunike http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11970 by Eugene Ohu

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first trip abroad is to Africa, underscoring the importance of this region to his country’s economic future. Xi’s first stop is Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital where he has already signed some landmark deals with the government that includes developing ports and industrial zones, and granting the country interest-free loans. Understandably, the United States is panicking because China is threatening their previous dominance in Africa’s economic life and more importantly, in the mind of the African. The US is to blame for this. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11970 Monday, March 25 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11901 by Eugene Ohu

8 years after Gleneagles, Britain’s former prime minister Tony Blair writes that "Aid has transformed Africa" praising his own efforts and those of Bono and Bob Geldof, and that Gleneagles can “claim some credit” for whatever progress might be noticeable today in Africa (health, economy, education). Yet there are those like Greg Mills writing from South Africa who argue that "Bob Geldof is wrong about Africa" and that instead of external aid, it is effort from within, such as improving governance and transparency that is helping Africa. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11901 Saturday, March 09 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11879 by Nwachukwu Egbunike

The Economist seems to be learning some manners; they have finally labeled Africa a hopeful continent. This is pleasant surprise because only three years ago, they had written often the continent as a hopeless one. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11879 Saturday, March 02 2013 Harambee Nwachukwu Egbunike http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11857 by Eugene Ohu

With less than three days to the end of the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI I will like to return to what to many can become a vexed question. The last time it was “Will the Pope come from Africa?” today I am asking instead if there are perhaps values that an African Pope can offer the Church and the world. This is because in the end, the answer to such a question would indicate the new direction, if any, that the Catholic Church will take and how faithful the new Pope will be to its founder. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11857 Monday, February 25 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11855 by Michael Cook

Rwanda. A byword for mayhem and darkest Africa, right? Well, once up on a time. But the latest news from Rwanda is that the improvement in its healthcare statistics are so good that it might export its systems to the United States. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11855 Monday, February 25 2013 Harambee Michael Cook http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11850 by Robert Odero

Starting with the so-called African "Cult of the Ancestors", the author identifies some values that this continent has, such as life, and the awareness of being part of a family - a close-knit community. He recognizes that many of these values being given, rather than made, do not depend on the human will for either their existence or interpretation. These and many other values are true wealth that Africa offers the rest of the world. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11850 Friday, February 22 2013 Harambee Robert Odero http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11820 by Eugene Ohu

Since Pope Benedict XVI's February 11 shocker to the world of his coming retirement, a floodgate of speculations has opened in the world media. Is it finally time for an African Pope? http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11820 Thursday, February 14 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11812 by Eugene Ohu

Harambee Africa International has started accepting entries for the biannual “Communicating Africa” media awards. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11812 Tuesday, February 12 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11793 by Fiona Leonard

Would you believe me if I told you that writing a positive story about Africa would be bad for a newspaper's readership stats? Would it sound more believable if you heard it from a columnist at the New York Times? http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11793 Saturday, February 09 2013 Harambee Fiona Leonard http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11790 by Michael Cook

If you want colour and exuberance, it's hard to beat a funeral in Ghana, according to The Guardian. (Click here for a gallery of snazzy caskets -- real works of art which put boring teak shoe boxes to shame.) "We estimate that the cost of funerals in Ghana often runs into thousands of dollars," a UK life insurance executive in Ghana says. "There is obviously this cultural thing that seems to have spiralled slightly out of control." http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11790 Friday, February 08 2013 Harambee Michael Cook http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11770 by Eugene Ohu

Ondo State in western Nigeria is leading a two-year revolution through the astute use of communication and technology. By distributing cell phones to poor pregnant women in rural areas, it has reduced maternal and infant mortality by 30%. While lobbyists and nations with population agendas are busy bandying doubtful statistics about the causes of maternal and child deaths, officials from this little state of 3.4 million people, located 100km from Lagos, discovered why so many women were dying. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11770 Sunday, February 03 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11764 by Eric Kathenya

Dr Margaret Ogola has entered that rare group of writers published in life and in death! Her 4th fictional title Mandate of the People was launched on 28 January 2013. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11764 Thursday, January 31 2013 Harambee Eric Kathenya http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11754 by Nwachukwu Egbunike

Boko Haram recently announced a cease fire in its violent campaign in Nigeria. Since 2009, Boko Haram has created a fountain of blood, bullets and bombs, claiming over 1,000 deaths. Although the announcement may have momentarily doused tense nerves, it has not translated into a national jubilation. The reasons are legion. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11754 Tuesday, January 29 2013 Harambee Nwachukwu Egbunike http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11745 by Eugene Ohu

Nigeria is set to criminalize same-sex unions, and defaulters when convicted will spend 14 years in jail. This is contained in a bill which has passed all required readings in the senate and should soon be signed into law by Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan. Many nations of the West such as the United States are worried by this and since the announcement of this bill early 2012, have been mounting pressures, overt and subtle on the Nigerian government and legislators, to kill the bill. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11745 Monday, January 28 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11759 by Eugene Ohu

Launching MercatorNet's blog about good news from Africa. http://www.mercatornet.com/harambee/view/11759 Saturday, January 26 2013 Harambee Eugene Ohu