12th March 2014
Washington DC, USA
Africa has had a “bad start” to 2014. Or so I keep hearing. But I wonder, how does a whole continent have a bad start? Do a billion people collectively have a bad day? What people usually mean is that Africa has experienced a lot of violence this year. No denying that. Horrific atrocities in […]
Read more on Africa 2014: pessimism, optimism, or both? | Reply
30th April 2013
Washington DC, USA
Last week I went to Columbus to talk to representatives of the 50,000 or so Somali diaspora community living in Ohio. It was hosted at a community learning centre set up to help Somali youths succeed in school. It seems to be working as I was told growing numbers are going to university. I set […]
Read more on Talking Somalia in Mogadishu, London and… Columbus, Ohio | Reply
3rd April 2013
Washington DC, USA
It is a warm morning, and I’m standing in a crowd of Africans. Many of the women are in brightly coloured dresses; the men sport a variety of styles of headdress. A minibus pulls up and we squeeze more of us on-board than I thought possible. As we’re about to shut the door someone leans […]
Read more on Africa, Texas | Reply