All Africa
For South Africa's students, college means promise 鈥� if they can get thereCollege access has grown dramatically since the end of apartheid, particularly for black students. But so has awareness of the challenges they face trying to graduate. And for many, like star student Naledi and her family, that struggle starts before they step on campus.
First LookIvory Coast, chocolate giants team up to make cocoa production more sustainableIvory Coast is the world's biggest cocoa producer, but agriculture of the plant has led to mass deforestation. In order to prevent losing all its forest cover by 2034, the country is exploring new ways of tracking cocoa production and developing agroforests.
First LookBurundians reunite with childhood savior, this time as refugees in RwandaMaggy Barankitse,聽who once rescued hundreds of children聽during Burundi's civil war, has reunited with many of them as adults as they flee to neighboring Rwanda. Refugees can now work in a restaurant opened by Ms.聽Barankitse in Kigali and run by refugees.
First LookThread war: Rwanda takes a stand against cheap, secondhand clothes from the USRwanda has raised tariffs on secondhand clothing shipped from the US claiming the cheaply sold cast-offs undermine local textile companies. In response, the US is suspending duty-free status for clothing manufactured in Rwanda.聽
First LookMore people choosing to walk, instead of drive, in congested NairobiA growing number of the city鈥檚 workers are opting to walk to work to avoid the daily traffic scramble and to cut air pollution caused by vehicle emissions. But walkers still face a tough road ahead, including a lack of safe pedestrian pathways.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela: For many South Africans, 'She was the movement'The anti-apartheid icon, who passed away Monday, first came to national prominence during her then-husband's decades of imprisonment. But she carved her own legacy as one of the country's most important activists, embodying many black South Africans' pain under apartheid and their disappointments after it.
In South Africa, a push to reclaim an Afrikaans as diverse as its speakersFor many South Africans, the Afrikaans language is strongly associated with apartheid rule, and whiteness. But it is the first language of millions of nonwhite South Africans, too 鈥� and its roots are as complicated as the country's.
First LookDespite volatility, bitcoin finds growing support in African economiesBitcoin has fielded criticisms from governments around the world for its unpredictable market value, but in some African countries, supporters of the cryptocurrency are seeing growing interest in its trade.聽
For doctor in Congo's overlooked conflict, 'crisis fatigue' isn't an optionA few years ago, conflict here didn't rank high on a list of the world's crises, or even Congo's. That's changed, although aid groups have struggled to attract attention. On the ground in Kasai, though, there are remarkable stories of generosity.
First LookNestle offers aid to struggling Kenyan coffee farmersAlarmed by a steep drop in Kenya's coffee production, Nestle is working with farmers to boost bean production and quality. The company provides seedlings and training for fertilizer application and pest and disease control.
First LookUS partners with local groups to fight fake news in KenyaDoctored videos of US and European news agencies reporting false information on Kenyan politics are circulating throughout the country. The US embassy is working to fight the spread of this content and promote fact-checking on social media.聽
After fall of a dictator, young Gambians push into politicsThe fall of Yahya Jammeh especially emboldened young voters, many of whom had known no other leader. Now, they hope democracy can help boost their voices and tackle the issues driving thousands of their peers toward Europe.
First LookKenya's president and opposition leader promise to unite countryKenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga pledged on Friday to bring Kenya together after elections last year turned violent. 'We have a responsibility as leaders to find solutions. Elections come and go but Kenya remains,' Mr. Kenyatta said.
In Nigeria's diverse Middle Belt, a drying landscape deepens violent dividesThe region has long been a hotbed of sectarian conflict, particularly between farmers and herders. But a drier, hotter environment has intensified divisions over ethnicity, religion, and culture 鈥� a pattern seen in other parts of the world, as well.
Sierra Leone's elections may look like a party 鈥� but pride in the polls is seriousSixteen years after the end of hostilities, memories of Sierra Leone鈥檚 brutal civil war keep enthusiasm for elections high. But that's just one factor contributing to typically high turnout.
Church at helm of Congo protests: From state partner to 'spiritual opposition'As President Kabila's rule has dragged on, the Catholic Church鈥檚 role in the political crisis has morphed from one of moral condemnation to active resistance. For today's Congolese, the church's vocal role is hardly surprising 鈥撀燽ut previous generations might have seen it differently.
First LookMiss World pageant empowers South Sudan's women to spread peaceAmid a violent five-year civil war, some young women are using international beauty pageants to advocate for peace, both at home and abroad, drawing attention to the plight of young girls in South Sudan.聽
As 'Black Panther' hits screens in Africa, 'the hero is all of us'In Marvel's depiction of Wakanda, many African fans see something rarer than vibranium: a big-screen image of Africa that defies Hollywood stereotypes.
First LookSevere water shortage prompts Cape Town to ask tourists to turn off the tapsAs Cape Town's water supply dwindles, the city's lucrative tourist industry reconsiders how to market the region to visitors. For many hotels and conference centers, reducing water consumption is now just another part of the tourist experience.聽
First LookTech-savvy Kenyan youth return home to farmIn Kenya, a country with the highest youth joblessness rate in East Africa, thousands of young people are returning home to rural areas to take up farming, although some still see the profession as undesirable.
