3 videos, all inspiring. She talks about Ushahidi, Mzalendo and blogging. You can read Ory Okolloh’s bio below this post. CNN’s David MacKenzie reports… 1. IT activist Ory Okolloh talks about the success of her Ushahidi software which has been used in several disasters across the world… 2. About how she took on Kenya’ politicians… [...]

“Easily Nigeria’s most influential contemporary writer, the author of Half of A Yellow Sun and The Thing Around Your Neck reveals an impatience with modesty.” The new Nigerian youth magazine, Y!Naija recently did a Q&A session with her. See below. Y!Naija: What is your favourite virtue? Chimamanda Adichie: Honesty Y!Naija: What are your favourite qualities in [...]

Once upon a time, Forbes’ rich list seemed like an exclusive club for Americans and Europeans. Today, a couple of African have proven to the world that when given the chance, they can rub shoulders with the high and mighty. Notably, four out of the ten men on this list belong to the Sawaris family, [...]

I was uber ecstatic to read this  in the Financial Times via Emeka Okafor. It features commentary from an emerging markets focused private equity firm I’m very excited about, Actis Capital According to the FT, “Partner Mark Richards says Actis has the financial firepower and will deploy it in a new investment partnership with a leading [...]

(CP-Africa)- CNN has an interesting video feature on how the use of mobile phones are helping solve access to health care and coordination problems in Rwanda. -For instance, hospitals are tracking expectant mothers via text messages. Expectant mothers also text updates to the hospitals about their health statuses and all these are stored in a [...]

Kenya/East Africa’s Equity Bank as we all know has been an important financial force of empowerment in the region, providing much needed financial services to the poor. Equity Bank’s CEO, James Mwangi in the video below speaks to CNN Marketplace Africa about his company’s role in providing financial services to the poor in East Africa. [...]

Interesting feature via @CNN Kigali, Rwanda (CNN) — Six days a week Bernadette Ndizigiye puts her skillful hands to work. Stretched out on the floor of an empty classroom in Kigali, Ndizigiye and 20 other women weave baskets to earn their keep. Her job at the Agaske Project, a government run cooperative, has earned Ndizigiye [...]

Weekly good news newsletter from our media partner Having trouble viewing this post? Click here Africa The Good News newsletter | 21 July 2010 #59 Top Stories AU appoints peace ambassadors for Africa Monday, 19 July 2010 The commission of the African Union have announced the appointment of an Advisory Council and Peace Ambassadors to [...]

“Something inside (So Strong)”  performed by Lira featuring Soweto Spiritual Singers for Nelson Mandela.  Published by Universal Music Publishing. Used by Kind Permission. [via Ato Ulzen-Appiah]

Africa has too long suffered from pessimism of description as well as pessimism of prescription. This focus on problems and challenges obscures the importance of hope as a vital ingredient for change. Hope is a key variable driving African development through innovation and social invention. To me this is not just a theory, but a [...]