Victor Ochen: Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

Victor Ochen

Ugandan peace advocate Victor Ochen has been nominated for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize by the American Friends Service Committee. He has been a steadfast advocate of nonviolence. The American Friends Service Committee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.

Victor Ochen founded the African Youth Initiative Network in 2005 to work in two critical areas: the medical rehabilitation of those who have suffered from the physical and psychological trauma of war and promoting youth leadership. The organization is committed to making peace and justice a reality for the victims and survivors of war.

The American Friends Service Committee wrote in its nomination letter about Victor Ochen:

“Victor Ochen has consistently shown both commitment and effectiveness in his efforts to address the needs of victims. He has worked for transitional justice, while simultaneously promoting human rights through nonviolent means, nourishing the leadership skills of other young people, and challenging systemic issues that lead to the continued vulnerability and suffering of war victims.”

The northern region of Uganda suffered for two decades from a horrific conflict that traumatized innocent civilians.  The displacement of people from their villages caused social degradation that threatened the survival of the population. Peace has returned to the area and people are rebuilding their lives.

In May 2014, the African Youth Initiative Network organized the first national war victims conference in Kampala, Uganda. The goal was to develop a road map for a successful transitional justice process to address the wounds of war to achieve national reconciliation. Desmond Tutu, the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, addressed the conference.

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Nobel Peace Price Laureates

 

Development Boy

Satire is a way of using humor to show that someone or something is foolish and counter-productive.  It can show the weaknesses or shortcomings of a person, government or society. Satire often uses irony and sarcasm to expose and discredit the targeted folly.

Satirists in literature and pop-culture have included Jonathan Swift, Rudyard Kipling, Mark Twain and Will Rogers. Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden” is an exposé of institutionalized imperialism characterized by Eurocentric racism and Western aspirations to dominate the developing world.

Take up the White Man’s burden, The savage wars of peace–
Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought.

The world of development and foreign aid has attracted critics and satirists. Author Dambisa Moyo and economist William Easterly have been leading critics of the current global system of foreign aid to the developing world. Moyo’s “Dead Aid” and Easterly’s “The White Man’s Burden” boldly confront politicians and celebrities who have called for increasing aid to the developing world by demonstrating that these policies have caused many world leaders to abandon national responsibilities to their citizens, increased the temptation for corruption, hindered the development of an economic middle-class and altered the purpose of democratic elections in parts of the world. The failure of aid to “trickle down” to the grassroots level has resulted in the dramatic increase of well-intentioned charities and philanthropic organizations who act as surrogate providers of vital services, including healthcare and education. They are not criticizing emergency relief aid that is necessary after natural disasters or unexpected circumstances. They also exclude the type of compassionate partnerships that connect people to local stakeholders in struggling communities.

“Development Boy” is a brilliant parody of development idealists and institutional do-gooders. It was created by School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) students at Columbia University. Daniel Cohn is currently pursuing a Master of International Affairs at SIPA.  He is a development professional, poet, and musician from Vermont. His academic and professional background has focused on West African and Chinese development.

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Take me on a trip I’d like to go someday.
Take me to Malawi, I’d love to see Guinea.
I really want to make a difference with you.
You’ll be my development boy.

“Development Boy” is a parody of “American Boy” by Estelle featuring Kanye West.

Land Grabs in Africa

Big land deals in Africa are leaving people homeless and hungry. Families are being unfairly removed from their land and left with no way to grow food or earn a living. Poor families are often evicted without their consent, no warning and no compensation. Many of these cases involve ancestral lands that families have occupied for generations. Communities are being ripped apart.

A land grab is when when governments, banks or private investors buy up huge plots of land. Land is often acquired by international corporations or foreign governments looking for cheap agricultural space. The food is exported to feed people in another country. Crops are also grown to meet bio-fuel interests in wealthy nations. Free or inexpensive land boosts the profit margins of companies engaged in this gross injustice.

Land and Power is a film by award-winning animator Tim Wheatley. The film tells the story of a farmer who is evicted from his land. It’s based on actual events and highlights serious issues that are happening involving large scale land deals. The film is part of an Oxfam food justice campaign. The film uses a printmaking technique that was inspired by Ugandan artist Fred Mutebi.

An exclusive, acoustic version of “In My Place” by Coldplay was created in partnership with Oxfam. The band’s fans filmed themselves to raise awareness of land grabs and its devastating impact on communities.

Please visit Stop Land Grabs to learn more about this issue.

The Price of a Pencil

Jackson Kaguri is the founder of the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project. The organization helps orphans in rural Uganda to end systemic deprivation, poverty and hunger through a holistic approach to community development, education, and healthcare.

He is also the author of “A School For My Village“.  The book weaves together tales from his youth with the inspiring account of starting the school and changing the lives of many children. He proves that one person can really make a difference in the world.

Jackson shares his experiences with audiences around the world. His presentations recount the people and events in his life that led him from a small village in Uganda to receiving accolades from presidents and leaders for turning tragedy into hope.

He tells the story of a pencil in a TEDx presentation in Traverse City, Michigan USA. The inspiring story is about a man in rural Uganda who ensured that his five children received an education by breaking a pencil into five pieces.

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We could go in and hand them money and drop food from helicopters like international aid does. We don’t do that. We’ve gone in their homes and sit down with them asked them, what can we do to support you. .

Solar Sister

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Solar Sister is an innovative social enterprise that empowers women in Africa with economic opportunity and clean energy. Solar Sister combines the breakthrough potential of innovations in affordable, portable and durable micro-solar technology with a deliberately woman-centered direct sales network.

Women use their “business in a bag” to become Solar Sister entrepreneurs, earning an income and bringing much needed clean energy. Access to clean energy technology enhances education, improves health and safety and provides economic opportunity.  Through economic opportunity and the transforming benefits of solar technology, women are able to lift themselves, their families and their communities out of poverty.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has developed the concept of “Momentum for Change” as a way to demonstrate the multiple benefits of addressing climate change and to transform misperceptions surrounding taking action on climate change. Solar Sister has been recognized for their positive efforts to address climate change in Uganda.

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Follow Solar Sister:. 

         

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UPDATE: Solar Sister is featured on CNN.

Solar sisters spreading light in Africa

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African Superwomen

Women have long been the backbone of societies in Africa. It’s common to see images of women carrying babies on their backs while doing other chores: fetching water and firewood, digging in the garden, washing clothes, cooking food, winnowing grains and pounding with a pestle. This is all done to ensure that their families are fed and nurtured. These activities are done in humble obscurity. African women are now emerging from this  reality to find their place in traditionally patriarchal societies.

Women are now gaining their place in leadership roles in the new millennium. Women are now presidents of nations, government leaders, business executives, peacemakers, and agents of change.

These are some of the women who are radically changing the perception of woman’s roles in Africa. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. It’s intended to be a starting point for people who wish learn more about the changing roles of women in Africa. If you know a African woman who you believe should be recognized, please provide information about her in the comments below.

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Marieme Jamme (@mjamme) is a Senegalese-born, French-British entrepreneur and technologist with a passionate commitment to helping empower Africans through education, leadership, and economic development. She is the founder of iamtheCODE.

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Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg (@wanjirukr) is an activist and social entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Akili Dada and a director at African Women in Agriculture Research and Development (AWARD).

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Dambisa Moyo (@dambisamoyo) is a economist and author of the bestselling book Dead Aid.  In 2009, She was named one of 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

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Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) is a feminist author who is on a mission to destroy patriarchy. She’s an award-winning columnist and an international public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues.

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Magatte Wade (@magattew) is a speaker and entrepreneur from Senegal. She’s passionate about the role of enterprise to tackle social issues and encourages people to “criticize by creating”.

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Evelyn Namara (@enamara) is a tech entrepreneur and Pan-Africanist. She has a strong background in information technology and systems management.

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Rosebell Kagumire (@rosebellk) is a multimedia communications strategist working on peace and conflict issues in eastern Africa. She’s passionate about promoting the work of journalists and bloggers to enhance human rights coverage.

Dambisa Moyo

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Author and economist Dambisa Moyo is an outspoken critic of foreign aid to Africa. In her best-selling book “Dead Aid“, she explains the state of post-colonial development policies in Africa and challenges the belief that billions of dollars in aid sent from wealthy countries to developing African nations  helps reduce poverty and stimulate growth. To the contrary, she boldly confronts politicians and celebrities who have called for increasing aid to Africa by demonstrating that these policies have caused many African leaders to abandon national responsibilities to their citizens, increased the temptation for corruption, hindered the development of a middle-class in Africa, and altered the purpose of democratic elections on the continent. The failure of aid to “trickle down” to the grassroots level has resulted in the dramatic increase of well-intentioned charities and philanthropic organizations who act as surrogate providers of vital services, including healthcare and education.

Moyo makes it clear that she is not criticizing emergency relief aid that is necessary after natural disasters or unexpected circumstances. She also excludes the type of compassionate aid that connects people of one country to another.

While aid programs worked in post-World War II Europe and Japan with the Marshall Plan and has been successful in Asian countries like South Korea, the same strategies have not worked in Africa. While aid continues to increase from wealthy countries to Africa, poverty rates have escalated and growth rates have declined. There is evidence that the continent is currently experiencing worse circumstances with massive foreign aid efforts than it experienced during the independence movement of the mid-20th century.

In this video, Moyo discusses her thoughts about foreign aid to Africa with Canadian pollster and media pundit Allan Gregg on “Allen Gregg In Conversation“. She moves beyond criticisms and provides ideas for self-reliance and sustainability regarding the future of Africa.

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Dambisa Moyo makes a compelling case for a new approach in Africa. Her message is that “Africa’s time is now”. It is time for Africans to assume full control over their economic and political destiny. Africans should grasp the many means and opportunities available to them for improving the quality of life.
Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General

Since writing “Dead Aid“, Moyo has authored “How The West Was Lost” and “Winner Take All“. Both books address the challenges of a global economy in an ever-changing world.

The Thing That Happened

“The Thing That Happened” is a short documentary about turning tragedy into triumph. The film is the story about Hope North. The school is located in the northern part of Uganda.

Unfortunately the region suffered for two decades from a horrific conflict that traumatized innocent civilians.  The displacement of people from their villages caused social degradation that threatened the survival of the Acholi people. The Acholi people are the ethnic group who are located in the region, commonly referred to as Acholiland.

Now that peace has returned to the area, people are rebuilding their lives. Hope North is a haven for the young victims of Uganda’s struggles. The school is dedicated to facilitating healing and peace building. The long-term vision of the school is to become a model education center for other cultures dealing with the aftermath of conflict. Hope North is an active experiment, implementing best practices, and aspires to be part of a global community with shared interest in contributing to peace dialogues.

Peace is created when you have the correct knowledge. If you don’t have knowledge then you are insecure and insecure people are the ones who cause trouble.

Hope North is a great example of Ugandans helping Ugandans for a better future.  They deserve to be recognized for their incredible efforts and  supported for pursuing sustainable development and self-determination.

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Please follow Hope North:

    

Champions of Change

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On January 30, 2012 the White House honored 14 leaders in American Diaspora communities with roots in the Horn of Africa as “Champions of Change“. These leaders are helping to build stronger neighborhoods in communities across the country, and are working to mobilize networks across borders to address global challenges.

These individuals represent a diversity of ethnicity, gender, age, faith, education, and personal experience. Each one brings a unique perspective to community building at the grassroots level in America and abroad. The passion that they each have is a testament to the dedication in their advocacy and mobilization efforts.

Each of the 14 leaders was given the opportunity to discuss the importance of what they doing at the local, national, and global levels.  The entire “Champions of Change” ceremony can been viewed below.

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You can learn more about each “Champion of Change” and read in detail about their work by clicking the link below.

The White House “Champions of Change” blog

Africans to Follow on Social Media

Social media has revolutionized how people communicate with each other. It has become the standard for personal and professional networking. It provides an effective and inexpensive method of connecting people with other people, products, causes, ideas, and information.

Applications like Facebook and Twitter are made more useful because of the proliferation of devices such as smartphones and digital tablets. Individuals are constantly utilizing these devices, which makes it possible to stay in constant contact with them.

I’ve been following innovative African thinkers for several years in the quest for understanding and wisdom. That is the reason for compiling this list of “Africans to Follow on Social Media”. These are individuals who have proactively decided to have a strong presence in cyberspace.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. It’s intended to be a starting point for others who wish to engage in a dialogue regarding issues that impact Africa and Africans.

This is an African proverb that expresses the challenge of speaking the truth depending on your perspective:

Until the lion learns to speak, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.

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Social media is giving a voice to the lion. Many Africans are using social media to continue the African tradition of storytelling. The audience has become the global village.

Marieme Jamme (@mjamme) is a London-based social entrepreneur, blogger, and technologist with a passionate commitment to helping empower Africans through education, leadership, and economic development. She is a co-founder of Africa Gathering.

TMS Ruge (@tmsruge) is a photographer and social entrepreneur who is the co-founder of Project Diaspora. The innovative Villages in Action conference is a great example of grassroots community engagement to find solutions to global challenges.

Maurice Kirya (@mauricekirya) was named the winner of the Radio France International (RFI) Discovery Prize for Best New African Artist in 2010. He has won numerous awards for his unique style and talent.  His music and videos are available on his website and Reverbnation.

Binyavanga Wainaina (@binyavangaw) is an author, journalist, and winner of the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing. His memoir, “One Day I Will Write About This Place” was published in 2011 and his satirical essay “How Not To Write About Africa” caught the attention of millions of people around the world.

Kathleen Bomani (@katebomz) is a passionate social commentator and activist on African issues.  She is an event coordinator with TEDxDar.

George Ayittey (@ayittey) is a Ghanaian economist, educator, author, and founder of the Free Africa Foundation. His book, “Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future“, sends a call for a Cheetah Generation of young Africans to become innovative, fast-moving entrepreneurs to take charge of their countries.

Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg (@wanjirukr) is an activist, social entrepreneur, and Assistant Professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco. She is the founder and director of Akili Dada.

Ida Horner (@idahorner) is an entrepreneur and inspirational speaker who has developed an expertise on sustainable development and issues affecting poverty stricken women in Africa.  She is the founder of Ethnic Supplies.

Emeka Okafor (@emeka_okafor) is an entrepreneur and venture catalyst who lives in New York City. He is the curator of Maker Faire Africa and the creator of Timbuktu Chronicles.

Dambisa Moyo (@dambisamoyo) is a Zambian economist and author of the bestselling book “Dead Aid“.  She was named as one of 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2009.

Andrew Mwenda (@andrewmwenda) is the managing editor of The Independent magazine in Uganda and a prolific critic of foreign aid to Africa.

Milton Allimadi (@allimadi) is the publisher of Black Star News in New York City and the author of “The Hearts of Darkness: How White Writers Created the Racist Image of Africa“.

Solomon Jagwe (@soreel) is an animator and independent filmmaker. He is passionate about preserving wildlife in Africa and is working on the animated film “Galiwango“. The film is about a mountain gorilla’s tale of survival and perseverence.

Kambale Musavuli (@kambale) is a Congolese human rights activist raising awareness and mobilizing people around the world to bring an end to the injustice and violence in Congo. He is the spokesperson for Friends of the Congo and a coordinator for Breaking the Silence.

Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) is an award-winning columnist and an international public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues. She is a lecturer and researcher on the growing importance of social media in the Arab world.

Magatte Wade (@magattew) is a self-proclaimed cultural adventurer and entrepreneur from Senegal. Her newest adventure explores the world of love, happiness, peace, and human sensuality. Discover Tiossano.

Evelyn Namara (@enamara) has a strong background in information technology and systems management.  She is the country director for Solar Sister in Uganda. The organization seeks to alleviate energy poverty by empowering women with economic opportunity by utilizing the potential of solar technology.

Vava Tampa (@vavatampa) is an activist raising awareness for the struggles of the Congolese people. He is the director of Save the Congo based in London.

Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@abocco) is an entrepreneur with a focus on technology. He is a passionate advocate of African arts and entertainment. He is the founder of Museke, which gives global exposure to African musicians.

Saran Kaba Jones (@sarankjones) is a social entrepreneur and an advocate for clean drinking water in Africa. She is the founder of FACE Africa. The organization implements water, sanitation and hygiene projects in rural Liberia with an emphasis on sustainability, gender equality, and local ownership.

Nii Thompson is (@myweku) is the founder and editor of MyWeku. The website covers a diverse range of topics including music, film, fashion, culture, and politics related to Africa.

Rosebell Kagumire (@rosebellk) is a multimedia journalist working on peace and conflict issues in eastern Africa. She is passionate about promoting the work of bloggers and journalists to enhance human rights coverage.

Jackson Kaguri (@Twejaka) is an author and founder of the Nyaka Project based in western Uganda. His memoir “A School For My Village” is an inspiring story of how one person can really make a difference in the world.

Calestous Juma (@Calestous) is a professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He specializes in science, technology, and globalization issues that impact Africa.

Shirlene Brown (@jamati) is the  Editor-In-Chief of Jamati.  The publication is a premier online destination for African entertainment. The portal covers African music, film, fashion, books, sports, and lifestyle.

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