China doubles loans to Africa, now $20 billion, and agrees to operate responsibly

China said Thursday it would offer $20 billion in new loans to Africa, underscoring the relationship’s growing importance, as Chinese companies agreed to operate more responsibly on the resource-rich continent. Beijing has poured money into Africa over the last 15 years, seeking to tap into its vast natural resources, and China became the continent’s largest …

Exploring 50 years of conservation with the African Wildlife Foundation

Celebrating over 50 years of conservation success in Africa, this video highlights the range of unique approaches and diverse landscapes in three of the African Wildlife Foundation’s Heartlands: Maasai Steppe, Kazungula, and Congo. African Wildlife Foundation *** All footage was exclusively filmed on location in each Heartland by AWF VP for Philanthropy and Marketing, Craig …

Liberia joins the ISA and becomes the next great place to surf

Liberia is working toward a future removed from its troubled past – and doing so, partly, through surfing. Eight years removed from its last civil war, the country has a growing tourism industry, part of which circulates around its 350 miles of pristine, white-sand coastline in Western Africa. It was for that reason and the …

Nelson Mandela and Google create a virtual museum of his life

For a look at the future of digital museums, check out the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory’s new digital archive composed of thousands of scanned documents from the African leader’s life. With the help of a $1.25 million grant from Google, the center digitized thousands of documents and images that illustrate the life and times of South Africa’s first …

Africa is experiencing the biggest falls in child mortality ever seen

Child mortality in Africa has plummeted, belying the continent’s “hopeless” reputation. The chart below shows the change over the most recent five years in the number of deaths of children under five per 1,000 live births. Sixteen of the 20 have seen falls, but the more impressive finding is the size of the decline in …

From the makers of Earth…Disney Nature’s new film – Chimpanzee

The movie received great ratings from Rotten Tomatoes – Certified Fresh 76-80% More clips – Oscar’s Extended Family & Naptime vs. Playtime Photos – Facebook Twitter – @DisneyNature  

My initiation into the African way of life

The Peace Corps Chronicles, Part 2 My Initiation With the quest for vision underway, it was now time to make action speak louder than words. So, I visited the nearest optometrist which is 70 kilometers from my village. He is a Botswana doctor, currently working abroad, and after discussing my needs, the arrangements were made. …

A quest for vision in Namibia

The Peace Corps Chronicles – Part 1   The Beginning As a Peace Corps Volunteer in an African village, I am a teacher, librarian, HIV/AIDS coordinator, after-school program manager and all-around helper for any school functions. Upon arriving here in Namibia, I had a great ambition to accomplish many things in my two-year service. I …

The glory of M&M's

*This is a cross post from a new 1X57 project – OmuthituSchool.com* — Have you ever been away from home so long that you start missing the strangest things? For me it’s always hometown doughnuts and Mexican food. For Spence, who has been in Africa for 16 months, it’s M&M’s. Here’s a message I just received from him: …