Roye Okupe, the co-founder and CEO of YouNeek Studios is contributing to Nigeria’s growing animation industry with his female superhero series, “Malika, Warrior Queen”. The story of Malika is inspired by Queen Amina of Zazzau (Zaria), the 15th century northern Nigerian ruler
Kylie Kiunguyu
Africans rising Zimbabwean scholar Tererai Trent among the first ten life-size statues erected in New York to honour women championing gender equality
Tererai Trent is among ten women including media mogul Oprah Winfrey, conservationist Jane Goodall, activist Janet Mock and chemist Tracy Dyson whose statues have been unveiled in New York. The women are being honoured for their contributions towards gender equality by Statues For Equality
Lifestyle Facebook to add 10 more African languages for third-party fact-checking program
According to a joint statement by Africa Check and Facebook, the number of languages covered by the social media platforms fact-checking effort will expand by 10 in an effort to monitor the accuracy of news shared on Facebook and curb fake news
Africans rising Congolese Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe discovers a new Ebola treatment that can cure symptoms in just an hour
The frequent Ebola outbreaks across African countries over the past two decades have caused a massive loss of life and devastating economic effects. Thanks to Congolese Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Ebola is now a curable disease and the destruction it has caused on the continent could soon be a thing of the past. Dr Muyembe says the new treatment can cure 90% of infections.
Politics and Society Women in Kampala’s Nakawa market are united against sexual harassment
Sexual harassment in the informal sector is pervasive, widespread, and alarming. Although the lack of regulation within the sector is a blessing of sorts for small scale traders and artisans, it leaves the women vulnerable to sexual violence and harassment. Something that women in Kampala’s largest markets are fighting to change.
Lifestyle Kenya: Emergency services in Nairobi can be hailed as easily as a cab on Rescue.co
Despite there being an above average number of ambulances in Kenya’s capital, most arrive in 2hours or longer, thus defeating the notion of emergency services. Rescue.co; a solution that is designed and functions like a ride-hailing app or food-delivery service; has created one of the largest networks of Kenya’s best first responders.
Lifestyle South Africa’s city of Johannesburg holds first official black queer ball
South Africa has joined the fray of ball room culture; an originally American countercultural phenomenon rooted in necessity and defiance. In the late nineteenth century members of the underground LGBTQI+ community in large cities organized masquerade balls in direct defiance of laws and as a means to find community and belonging.
Africans rising Meet Crystal Chigbu the Nigerian mother de-stigmatizing disability
Crystal Chigbu’s personal experience with an amputee child inspired her to start the IREDE Foundation in 2012 to bring hope, joy, and purposeful living to all children living with limb loss, their families and caregivers. The Foundation also provides prosthetic limbs to children across Nigeria.
Arts and Culture Lupita Nyong’o narrates Discovery Channel’s docuseries which explores life on the Serengeti Plain
The ‘Serengeti’ is the title of a new, six-part wildlife docuseries series by the Discovery Channel debuting this August. The series will highlight the majestic animals of Tanzania’s Serengeti region and their day-to-day lives. It will also feature an original score and narration by Academy Award-winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o