africa posts

07.05.12 - “Nairobi’s central hospital is overcrowded and under-resourced”
Kenya needs to address the fundamental inequalities which plague its medical facilities in order to continue on the road to development, says Simon Hart, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Britain living in Nairobi. Kenya’s development is hampered by its unequal society, in which an increasingly rich elite are polarised with the millions who hover over [...] ... more

01.05.12 - “I come from the Buganda tribe, and our staple food is matooke”
In the East African nation of Uganda, every ethnic group has its own cuisine, helping to define not only its tastes but also its cultural identity. Diana Phoebe, 25, living in the capital city Kampala, reports. Uganda has more than 52 tribes. Each of these tribes has its own culture, and a staple food that [...] ... more

01.05.12 - YourCommonwealth wins ‘Communicator of the Year’ award
The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Affairs Division has scooped ‘Communicator of the Year Award 2012’ for its innovative youth-led website YourCommonwealth.org. Director Katherine Ellis and Youth Affairs Officer Layne Robinson received the award on 26 April at an inaugural ceremony in London to mark 63 years since the establishment of the modern Commonwealth. Mr Robinson asked for [...] ... more

18.04.12 - “Jim Yong Kim’s candidacy for the World Bank fell short”
The capabilities of newly chosen World Bank president and health tsar Jim Yong Kim are not in doubt, however his African rival was arguably the best candidate for the job, according to Nnadozie Onyekuru, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria. “When economists from the World Bank visit poor countries to dispense cash and advice, they [...] ... more

02.04.12 - “In Kampala, the long wait for the bus is finally over”
Commuters in congested Kampala, the capital of Uganda, are now enjoying cheaper daily transport fares. Yet as Commonwealth Correspondent Steven Nsubuga, 27, reports, not everyone is delighted with the changes. Having been to a couple of African countries – and for good measure one country in Europe – I can say with as much assurance [...] ... more

30.03.12 - “I say to myself that Nigeria’s golden age is just a dialogue away”
Fierce debate in Nigeria about whether a national congress on its future should be convened shows that the country has a problem with political dialogue, according to Nnadozie Onyekuru, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Maiduguri. “So many of the great human dramas of our time are being played out on the Nigerian stage. For example, [...] ... more

26.03.12 - “Local fabrics are one of the strongest signs of African culture”
Across Africa, one would hope that home-grown garments would be more popular than western jeans and t-shirts, however the reverse is often true. Commonwealth Correspondent Ayodeji Morakinyo, 24, from Nigeria, delves deep into this story of style and substance. Fashion is a statement of who we are. Whether we are young or old, white or [...] ... more

26.03.12 - “The trouble with Nigeria? The people encourage wrongdoings”
If a Nigerian governor substitutes merit for nepotism, it is partly because it is the only guarantee to enjoy retirement at the hands of friends, family and townsmen, writes Nnadozie Onyekuru, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Maiduguri. “There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The [...] ... more

23.03.12 - Commonwealth Writers: A World of New Fiction
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in 2011, the Commonwealth Foundation re-launched its prizes to form part of Commonwealth Writers. The prizes act as catalysts to target and identify talented writers from different regions who will go on to inspire and inform their local communities. Commonwealth Writers – a World of [...] ... more

06.03.12 - “Sharing my skills and knowledge to empower other young people”
Helping to organise a recent training workshop for unskilled youths in Rwanda was a rewarding experience for David Masengesho, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent and intern-trainer at an NGO based in Kigali. From 4 to 19 February, 33 young male and female employees and high school and university graduates took part in “Why Essential”, a training organized and [...] ... more