Diaspora responds to Idai
controls, it’s something,” says Lydia Numuburu, a Ugandan journalist. — Nominated by Lydia Numuburu (@namlyd)
Koffi Olomidé is one of the most famous names on the African music scene. He is also a convicted rapist, having been found guilty of the statutory rape of a 15-year-old dancer by a court in France in March. Olomidé, whose real name is Antoine Agbepa Mumba, was given a twoyear suspended sentence.
It was unclear what effect this verdict would have on his career, but the Congolese musician continued to receive invitations from clubs and venues across the continent to perform — including at the Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg and the Shimmy Beach Club in Cape Town.
But South Africans had other ideas. A hastily arranged campaign, under the banner “Stop Koffi Olomidé”, attracted huge support for a petition to stop his performances in the country. Bowing to this public pressure, both venues announced that the shows would be cancelled — thereby depriving Olomidé of an influential public platform, and a chance to rehabilitate his reputation. — Nominated by Koketso Moeti (@Kmoeti)
Last year, Ethiopia was one of the most difficult countries for other African countries to get into: in a measure of visa openness by the African Development Bank, it ranked 50 out of 54 countries. This poor record was even more embarrassing given that Addis Ababa is the home of the African Union.
But things changed this year when the government made it possible for citizens of any African country to obtain a visa on arrival, in an explicit effort to foster a closer bond with the rest of the continent.
“This social bond of interaction of Ethiopians with the rest of Africa’s systems could be more facilitated, and the flow of business and investment, and of course tourism, could be easily felt here in Ethiopia,” says Sileshi Demisew, a spokesperson for Ethiopia’s immigration department.
Part of the AU’S continental integration schemes is to promote visa-free travel for all Africans within the continent. Ethiopia’s open borders are a positive step in the right direction. — Nominated by Ryan Cummings (@ Pol_sec_analyst)
When Freeman Chari heard that his country, Zimbabwe, was being battered by Cyclone Idai, he wanted to help. But what could he do from Ohio in the United States, where he currently lives? He quickly set up a Gofundme campaign online, in an effort to raise a few thousand dollars to help with the relief effort in Chimanimani region, which was worst hit. The response exceeded all his expectations. More than 2000 donations later — mostly small contributions from other Zimbabweans in the diaspora — he had raised more than $84000 to buy desperately needed food, blankets and building supplies.
Not all of the money raised by Chari could be used for the immediate emergency response, so he has put the remainder into developing local schools — installing electricity, fixing up the school buildings and buying chairs and desks.
“Together we can complete this journey and transform some lives,” he said on Facebook.
Chari’s efforts have made him a hero in Chimanimani, and a symbol of how one person, harnessing the collective power of thousands, can make a real difference. — Nominated by @Tichray, @jay_maveneka, @Kusemashepard
The Niassa National Reserve in northern Mozambique has just celebrated a full year without a single elephant dying at the hands of poachers. The milestone is a remarkable achievement and shows that the war on poaching can be won.
Between 2011 and 2014, the number of elephants in the Niassa reserve decreased from 12000 to just 4400 as a result of poaching, according to ANAC, Mozambique’s National Conservation Area Administration.
Something had to change, so the government put together an elite policing unit to help rangers combat the poaching. The tactic worked, with poaching incidents becoming less and less frequent.
“ANAC hopes these celebrations will increase the level of awareness of society in general, and of the communities who live in and around conservation areas in particular, of the importance of protecting biodiversity,” the state conservation agency said. — Nominated by @_mwaa_