What Can the World Learn from Africa?

www.ozy.com Sponsored by Wednesday, July 08, 2020 By virtue of being the continent with the most potential to evolve and develop, a lot of stories still remain untold within Africa. There’s the good, the bad, the ugly — and the unexpected. At OZY, we lay out these stories as they are. Today, we look at the many forms in which this potential is manifesting, from presidents attempting different solutions to contain the pandemic to the bold entrepreneurs forcing their way to the forefront of global entertainment. Time to press play. business innovators 1. Another Kind of Stimulus Qat leaves — chewed or brewed in tea, causing excitement or even euphoria — are the stimulant of choice for the Horn of Africa as well as parts of Kenya and the Middle East. This addiction has led to the rise of microeconomic activity; most consumers are male, while most sellers are women trying to feed their families. With lockdowns and restrictions on imports continuing, [wives in Somalia are rejoicing]( because disposable income formerly used to buy qat is now being repurposed for domestic use. But importers are worried about a lack of business. 2. Spreading the Wealth Former Wall Street banker [Tokunboh Ishmael]( is now committed to impact investing especially in women-led businesses across West Africa, where female small- and medium-sized business owners outdo their male counterparts in output and fiscal discipline, but find it harder to access capital. Some of her projects include microfinance bank loans and providing cooking gas to low-income households. [3. Money on the Move](20) African tech entrepreneurs are using the coronavirus pandemic — and the growing demand for contact-less financial transactions — to push through greater mobile banking in a part of the world that is a pioneer in the field, yet has large sections of the population outside the formal banking system. [Read more on OZY]( 4. Stream Team [Llewellyn Adams](, a 28-year-old Namibian entrepreneur, has been building Donlu Africa, one of the few indigenous streaming platforms in southern Africa, for the last five years with a very lean team. Now Adams and Donlu have to withstand an onslaught from established streamers like Apple Music, which made its way into Namibia recently. But he’s not giving up just yet. [Advert]( [Advert]( ups and downs of covid-19 1. School’s Out Kenya announced Tuesday that it will [keep schools shut]( until at least January 2021 because of the pandemic, even as President Donald Trump pressures American states and local authorities to [restart physical classes]( in the fall. Kenya has 8,500 recorded COVID-19 cases, while the U.S. has more than 3 million. [2. Aggressive Tack]( Ahead of a crucial election later this year and keen to ensure the safety of its citizens, the Ghanaian administration went into overdrive on all fronts, especially with testing measures and publicity. While a trial of easing lockdowns went worse than expected, Ghana’s early measures seem to have made it a model for other developing economies to follow. President Nana Akufo-Addo is himself in isolation despite testing negative recently. [Read more on OZY]( 3. A Madagascar Miracle? In April, the island nation made global headlines after President Andry Rajoelina announced that an herbal treatment previously used for treating malaria was producing miraculous results with citizens infected by COVID-19, and as a preventive measure. Rajoelina sent samples to other African nations, while the World Health Organization announced it was studying its touted efficacy. Since last week, however, Madagascar [has instituted fresh restrictions]( after a recent spike in cases, up to hundreds daily. 4. Breakthrough in Senegal Researchers at a Dakar biomedical research institute [developed a $1 rapid testing kit]( to help the administration improve its testing capacity. The Pasteur Institute, which previously developed a yellow fever vaccine, has continued with its work despite some of the staff getting infected. 5. Virus Veterans They’re among the poorest nations in the world. But the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan have learned how to fight killer diseases the hard way, in recent years, after battling Ebola. So they [bootstrapped their COVID-19 response]( using the same tools, enforcing stricter entry checks than some developed European nations and setting up a national hotline. [6. Stay Safe and Fight On]( Times are changing so get this breathable two-ply cotton mask to keep yourself and others safe, while making a statement. You can wash and wear this mask again, because the fight for justice continues. Best of all, 100 percent of profits go to your choice of racial justice organizations. Get it from the OZY store today. [Shop Now]( checking the climate [1. Ancient Success]( As Chad faces an existential threat from climate change in the semi-arid Sahel region, farmers are using an ancient tactic, the Zai, to use water more efficiently and enhance crop yields. Farmers dig pits to catch water and then add compost and manure to attract termites that then burrow even deeper, allowing nutrients and water to seep into the subsoil. The government is also embarking on an agroforestry drive. [Read more on OZY]( 2. Climate Child Brides After deadly cyclones affected at least 3 million people in southern Africa, poor farming seasons and other indirect impacts have led to an [increase in underage marriages](. In 2015, UNICEF raised the alarm that the number of child brides on the continent could increase to 310 million by 2050, given the current status quo. [Activists in Malawi say]( 1.5 million girls are at risk of getting married because of climate change-related events. [3. Fish Tale]( This the true story of teaching not just a man but an entire society how to fish. The self-declared state of Somaliland had no tradition of fishing, with a desert lining most of its coast. But faced with increasingly severe droughts — including one in 2017 that killed more than half of the region’s goats, camels and sheep — Somalilanders are now building a fishing industry that’s creating jobs, bringing back compatriots who had left, empowering women and changing diets. [Read more on OZY]( entertainers go global [1. Pipeline to Prominence]( The Nigerian musician Eazi has been tapping into his background as a former startup owner to begin a quiet revolution in African entertainment. His emPawa outfit has birthed Joeboy, the breakout star on the continent last year, along with initiatives like a bootcamp and accelerator program for grooming artists to conquer Africa and then the world. One Eazi signee produced tracks on Beyoncé’s last album. [Read more on OZY]( [2. Amapiano, the Sound of the Streets]( South Africa has always been responsible for setting the tone of the house and electronic music coming from the continent. Amapiano, a new subgenre with a smoother and softer groove, has taken over the streets of the rainbow nation, from Pretoria to Durban and Johannesburg. Better still, it’s inspiring creators across the continent and in the diaspora. That includes an Afrobeats dancer who’s created a dance move that mirrors the amapiano sound. [Read more on OZY]( 3. Hello, Foreign Labels Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record label, [has established its foothold]( in Nairobi, Lagos, Abidjan and Johannesburg with an eye on exporting the next global superstars, while Warner Music Group has a partnership with Lagos-based Chocolate City Group. Expect more to arrive to mine a continent’s worth of talent. [4. A Marketing Maverick at Netflix]( As more people of color get into places of authority at global entertainment platforms, more and more African content is getting noticed and a stream of global recognition is afoot. Bozoma “Boz” Saint John has joined Netflix as its new chief marketing officer, following the footsteps of her friend Funa Maduka who exited last year. Under Maduka’s leadership as director of acquisitions of foreign films, Netflix came with guns blazing to the major international award shows and spread its tentacles around the world. [Read more on OZY]( [5. A Moroccan Trap Pioneer](20) Issam Harris’ recent deal with Universal is said to be the biggest any Arab artist has ever signed. Aside from paving the way for breakout videos like [“Nike,”]( Harris sees the contract as a means to fulfill his vision, make music the way he wants and, most importantly, do it for his countrymen. [Read more on OZY]( know these names [1. Ali Darassa]( Shortly after signing a peace accord last year, the Central African Republic issued a presidential decree naming leaders of the 14 armed groups that control most of the country as government advisers. Darassa, the head of one of the biggest groups, reneged, but the government is still courting him — with cash and more — in its attempts to maintain peace at all costs. [Read more on OZY]( [2. Raphael Luzon]( Libya’s Jewish population declined from 30,000 before World War II to zero in 2004, gradually vanishing under the authoritarian rule of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who denied Jews civil rights, confiscated their assets and forbade them from ever returning. But Luzon never forgot his homeland, even though he fled to Italy as a boy. And as the chairman of the Committee for Libyan Jews, he is now keeping the history of his people alive by fighting for their right to return home. [Read more on OZY]( [3. Boureima Nadbanka]( He’s the leader of the Koglweogo, a vigilante group of around 40,000 men that has sprung up across Burkina Faso’s arid savanna, especially in parts gradually falling away from government control. Translated from Mòoré, one of many local languages in Burkina Faso, Koglweogo means “guardian of the bush.” For many Burkinabes, Nadbanka is a symbol of resistance against terrorist insurgency and represents law and order in places where otherwise there is almost none. But he has gained infamy in near-equal measure and is himself awaiting a high-profile criminal trial, accused of involvement in a massacre. [Read more on OZY]( [4. Farida Nabourema]( Like father, like daughter. As some elderly presidents continue to catch tenure elongation fever in her native West Africa, this 30-year-old activist has stepped into her father’s shoes as she tries to end the presidency of the son of Togo’s long-lasting presidential dynasty. [Read more on OZY]( [5. Stella Nyanzi]( Troublemaker extraordinaire Nyanzi is a Kampala-based academic and activist who has become a real-life representation of Newton’s third law of motion for Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1982. For every action of Museveni’s government, she has issued an equal and opposite one for good measure — and there’s no stopping her. [Read more on OZY]( 6. Lotanna Odunze This Nigerian blogger and tech professional overcame personal challenges to [perfect a writing system]( she invented back in 2009. Called Ńdébé, it is a brilliant integration of ancient Ìgbò designs with contemporary patterns. [TV]( | [Podcasts]( | [News]( | [FESTIVALS]( Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](