Top Pick: Rural Africa Weekly Report

 

It’s the beginning of a new week and as part of our tradition, Rural Reporters collates a weekly report on development in rural Africa and its environs. The reports include are some of our top picks of recent must-read research, interviews, reports, blogs and in-depth articles to help you keep on top of global crises.

Here are the updates from the previous week.

 

 

Education

Way Forward: Thoughts From The First Nigerian Education Summit  

The Education Partnership Centre (TEP Centre) in partnership with other development stakeholder organised the first Nigerian Education Summit at Protea Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos to determine if the Nigerian children are really learning in schools.

The summit which sees the formal launch of LEARNigeria, a citizen-led household assessment of learning in Nigeria which will generate useful information on education and learners in Nigeria was graced by industry stakeholder in Nigeria education system including Former Minister of Education – Oby Ezekwezili, Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit – Mr Foluso Phillip, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, amongst others.

Here are thoughts how Nigeria can develop its educational sector and how the country can meet up with achieving the desired result as we move towards Post 2015.

elearning 2015 To Focus On ICT For Education In Rural Africa

High-level presentations at eLearning Africa, Africa’s leading conference on technology for development and education, will focus on the role ICTs are playing in transforming the continent’s rural economies by improving access to information and training.

Reports indicate that over 70 per cent of African workers are employed in farming and the role ICTs can play in boosting agricultural growth has been identified by the African Union as a key factor in making a reality of its 2063 Vision of a “transformed continent.”

 

Culture

In Pictures: The Difference Clean Water And Toilets Make In Kenya

In developed countries such as the UK, it’s easy to take simple things like flushing a toilet or a glass of water for granted.

But an estimated 2.5 billion people (more than one third of the world’s population) do not have access to basic sanitation such as toilets.

And then there’s the issue of fetching water. The average distance walked by women in Africa and Asia to fetch water? A sobering 3.5 miles.

 

Up close and personal with the many faces of Africa: Amazing portraits of rural tribespeople one photographer captured after spending nearly a decade scouring the continent

These are the faces of a continent – Africa up close and personal.

The tight frames they are shot in barely seem to hold these people as they stand proud and stark against deep black backgrounds.

The images are the work of John Kenny, a 38-year-old photographer who has spent much of the past decade travelling around south, east and west Africa, pointing his camera at the most unforgettable faces he can find.

There is the young Mumuhuila girl from Angola who illustrates the obsessive pride the women of the tribe take in their hair thanks to the colourful beads, shells and animal oils woven into its strands.

A girl from the Oromo tribe in eastern Ethiopia wears a striking, sequined headscarf. One day she will likely carry an umbrella to shield her from the sun like many older Oromo women.

Development

 Project Launched To Reduce Lightning Deaths In Africa, Targets Schools

With thunderstorms in the forecast after our long winter, it’s time to review the basic lightning safety rule: When you see lightning or hear thunder, no matter how far away, take shelter in a substantial building – one with electrical wiring and plumbing – or in a vehicle with a hard top.

This, and other lightning safety messages over the past several years have taught many Americans to immediately take shelter from lightning, cutting the U.S. lightning death rate from more than 400 per year early in the 20th century to less than 30 today, Ronald Holle, a meteorologist with Vaisala, Inc., told a session on lightning safety at the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting in Phoenix in January.

 

Decent Employment Opportunities for Young People in Rural Africa

Over half of the African continent’s population is below the age of 25 and approximately 11 million young Africans are expected to enter the labour market every year for the next decade, say experts.

Despite strong economic growth in many African countries, wage employment is limited and agriculture and agri-business continue to provide income and employment for over 60 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population.

However, laborious, subsistence-oriented small-scale agriculture is often not the preferred choice of work for many young people.

 

UK Start-Up Powers Rural Villages In South Africa
Samsung and Pavegen collaborated to give shoppers in Sandton City shopping mall a positive take on renewable energy, as part of Samsung’s ‘What If I Can’ campaign.

The 68-tile walkway, situated within the entrance of the mall, powers an interactive data screen, displaying real-time footfall data and providing an immediate visual payback.

The ‘What If I Can’ campaign, initiated by Samsung, focuses on shifting ideals and mindsets towards a more optimistic, proactive way of thinking. By providing shoppers with the means to generate renewable energy through a simple act of movement, the campaign emphasises the fact that one person can impact the lives of others. The positivity behind this message is in line with Pavegen’s ethos, as its kinetic tiles unite communities in an engaging form of renewable energy generation that is readily available and literally beneath their feet.

Women

Sexual violence; short skirt, she was drunk, it was late, is that all?? Certainly not!!!

The rots in our society Is a reflection of who we are as people, the values we nurture and the things we hold dear. Unfortunately women and girls continue to bear the brunt of societal vices. I want to speak specifically to the subject of rape and sexual violence that is not only widespread and seemingly adopting new faces but also that discussions that emerge from this tragedy are worryingly dynamic in all manner of ways.

We currently stand at 1 in 3 women, will or have experience violence in their lifetime, what is more problematic about rape and sexual violence is that victims’ predicaments go beyond the moment they are physically raped to after the rape. They are forced to deal with victim blaming answering to all manner of insults and even the audacity of some people bringing in the pleasure discussion within such a horrific context.

We might want to ask ourselves some very serious questions, because let’s face it, we are part of this society that so happily condones rape, watch in silence or simply legislates about rape at all levels , including the United Nations security council against violence without so much as enforcing them laws.

Elections

20 Reasons Why INEC Might Conduct Successful Elections In Nigeria

Reaction has trailed the postponement of the 2015 general elections. Some electorates felt it was a way to manipulate their votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) however claimed that the election was postponed in order to put better plans in place to conduct free, fair and credible elections. According to Mrs. Ijeoma Igbokwe, Lagos State Head of Voters Education, “The new development in election process is to eliminate fraud and malpractice to the barest minimum.” INEC has embarked on sensitization process and answering of FAQs about the election.

These are 20 reasons gathered on why the election might be a success in Nigeria: The new con .

 

Busayo Sotunde is a prolific writer with special focus on Business, Entrepreneurship, Reproductive Health and other development issues in Africa. Her articles have been published by different outlets including Investing Port and Ventures-Africa.com. She has a penchant for reading and sustainable development. Follow Busayo on Twitter @BusayomiSotunde
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