As Abdoulaye collapsed under a desert tree, his priorities shifted when he encountered neighbors fleeing from militia attacks. They had found two small children whose mother was killed, leaving them abandoned. Abdoulaye, determined not to leave the terrified children behind, welcomed them and continued his escape with his wife, Hawaye. After the conflict in Sudan escalated in April 2023, Abdoulaye and Hawaye sent three children to safety in Chad. Upon arriving at Arkoum refugee camp, in eastern Chad, they found their children, who embraced their new siblings. Now, Abdoulaye and Hawaye participate in a foster family program by the Jesuit Refugee Service, supported by the UN Refugee Agency (), which includes eight other refugee families in Arkoum and 55 in the Hadjer Hadid region.
脕蹿谤颈肠补
As Abdoulaye collapsed under a desert tree, his priorities shifted when he encountered neighbors fleeing from militia attacks. They had found two small children whose mother was killed, leaving them abandoned. Abdoulaye, determined not to leave the terrified children behind, welcomed them and continued his escape with his wife, Hawaye. After the conflict in Sudan escalated in April 2023, Abdoulaye and Hawaye sent three children to safety in Chad. Upon arriving at Arkoum refugee camp, in eastern Chad, they found their children, who embraced their new siblings. Now, Abdoulaye and Hawaye participate in a foster family program by the Jesuit Refugee Service, supported by the UN Refugee Agency (), which includes eight other refugee families in Arkoum and 55 in the Hadjer Hadid region.
Augustina Akosua Asor Tufuor鈥檚 entrepreneurial journey started at the University of Ghana Business School. She founded Tropical Snacks to create all-natural plantain chips from surplus local produce, aiming to bridge the gap between small farmers and consumers. However, she faced challenges in accessing finance and market information. To address this, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () and the International Trade Centre launched a program called Empowering Women and Boosting Livelihoods through Agricultural Trade () in 2021. This program aims to increase women鈥檚 competitiveness in trade through strengthened knowledge, skills, and access to finance.
Fonio is an ancient West African cereal that is a staple food for many families in northern Ghana. It's versatile and, once boiled, can be consumed as couscous, porridge, or turned into flour for baking. It is a versatile crop that generations have relied on, for both food and livelihoods. Christabel Kwasi, a 29-year-old farmer, is eager to teach people across Ghana how to grow fonio and prepare dishes with it, so they can have food always. 鈥淥ur grandparents were telling us, [in] our forefather's time there was a lot of hunger. So fonio is the type [where] if you don't even have money to buy chemicals [fertilisers], you can still farm it, feed on it鈥, Christabel recalls.
The overall long-term strategic objective of the The General History of Africa programme is to promote inclusive African societies which are just, democratic, respectful of human rights and the rule of law. See more information on .
Boulsa City, in Burkina Faso, has become a reception center for people fleeing surrounding villages due to blockades, poor road conditions, and lack of basic services. Over 50,000 displaced people have arrived in the city, and the authorities are acquiring land to set shelters up temporary shelters. Schools and administrative buildings are currently being used to house the displaced, but overcrowding and lack of hygiene facilities remain a challenge. The humanitarian community assisted 2.9 million people in 2023, but an estimated 6.3 million people will require assistance this year in Burkina Faso.
Minova, a cholera-endemic area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is experiencing a resurgence of the disease due to the unexpected arrival of more than 120,000 people since February. The number of cases has increased significantly, and the area is now isolated and difficult to access due to flooding, landslides, and armed groups. NGOs and UN agencies are deploying teams to support the emergency response, including setting up safe water distribution points, cholera treatment centers, and awareness-raising activities. Thanks to the efforts of humanitarians and local health workers, the number of cases in the area decreased at the end of March. But given the scale of the task, how long can humanitarian organizations continue to help people in need?
The Zukpuri Community Resource Management Area in Ghana's Upper West Region is a protected area that aims to conserve biodiversity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable practices, and preserve the cultural and medicinal heritage of the region. It was created in 2021 through a partnership between the Upper West Traditional Healer鈥檚 Association, rural communities, and traditional authorities, with support from the implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (). The project aims to conserve biodiversity, improve local livelihoods through sustainable practices, and preserve the cultural and medicinal heritage of the region.
The climate crisis is causing a vicious circle of vulnerability that makes it harder for affected communities to recover, with women, children, older people and people with disabilities experiencing disproportionate impacts. As participants at this December discussed ways to accelerate action on mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance, we look at how climate change is affecting Eastern and Southern Africa. A third of countries vulnerable to climate change are in Eastern and Southern Africa. The region鈥檚 worst drought in recent history left 32 million people facing severe food insecurity. Rising temperatures are linked to deadlier natural disasters and diseases. Shifting weather patterns impact conflict and more.
Apply today to participate in, an initiative that offers training, support, pitching and networking opportunities to help women entrepreneurs access financing and succeed. The program provides investment readiness training, business skills training, pitching and matchmaking opportunities, all critical to helping women-led startups scale up their businesses. She Wins Africa is open to women-led startups operating in sub-Saharan Africa in any sector. Applications close on September 15th, 2023.
鈥淓nergy is magic. As simple as that. As we speak, Africa is a dark continent 鈥 600 million people without electricity. But Africa is all energy sources. So, this is a paradox that needs to be broken.鈥
Cristina Duarte always brings great passion to any task she takes on. Now Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, she works tirelessly to help the continent imagine a better tomorrow, one which not only meets its people鈥檚 needs, but also fulfills their dreams.
鈥淭he solutions for our challenges are all in Africa. You name it: Energy, Africa, financing for development, Africa, food insecurity, Africa. But for some reason, we still look outside of Africa for those solutions. Why?鈥
Born to an activist father who was integral to independence movements across Lusophone Africa, Cristina grew up instilled with Pan-African values. In this episode, the former finance minister reflects on her role in reforming Cabo Verde鈥檚 economy, on bringing power to remote villages, and how one chance encounter changed her mind about marriage.
Photo credit: 漏IFAD/Daniele Bianchi
Africa Day is an annual commemoration of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963, now the . In 2023, the Pan-African Organization is celebrating its 60th anniversary under the slogan: 鈥溾 (#OurAfricaOurFuture). Activities to mark this historical moment will be organized all over the world to showcase major successes, milestones, challenges, and the way forward under , Africa鈥檚 blueprint and master plan for transforming the continent into the global powerhouse of the future.
Africa鈥檚 economic activity is expected to expand by a moderate 2.7% in 2022 and 2.4% in 2023, following a rebound of 5.1% in 2021, according to .
Two decades ago, Jean Nkeramihigo and Francine Kanyana moved to the commune of Vumbi, in Kirundo, Burundi, in search of land so they could start their own farm and bring up a family. Twenty years later, the couple's life is different from what they hoped for due to climate change. Like other vulnerable families in Kirundo, Jean, Francine and their 12 children rely on humanitarian assistance and paid labour to survive, sometimes with only one meal per day. The couple were among the 40,000 vulnerable people assisted in April 2022 by to help them to meet their basic food needs.
As the population of cities and urban areas in Africa is set to explode in the coming decades, how can we ensure an adequate supply of water for city dwellers?