BBC News Africa

On the 9th August, in 1956, four women- Lilian Ngoyi, Sophia Williams DeBruyn, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph - led a 20,000 strong, multi-racial women’s march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, which was the seat of the ruling apartheid regime at the time. The women were petitioning the government against the introduction of passes which were used to separate black South Africans from the rest of the population and limit their movement. Produced by Esther Ogola Illustrations by George Wafula Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

South Africa has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Africa. The backbone of the country’s response were community health workers with a mission to test and identify the infected. Predominately women, these front line workers were tasked with navigating the stark inequalities of South Africa to test those in some of the richest neighbourhoods on the continent and also people living in some of it’s densest townships, where social distancing is impossible. Filmed over six months, #BBCAfricaEye follows Tshego, a nurse and mother from the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg, fighting a virus that brought her face to face with stigma, poverty and corruption. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica *** BBC Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever. You can check out all Africa Eye investigations here: https://bit.ly/bbcafricaeye *** Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ #documentary #investigativejournalism #investigations #africa #southafrica

Tens of thousands of refugees are fleeing Tigray into Sudan because of instability caused by armed conflict between the Ethiopian and Tigray regional government. Watch as BBC’s Jameisha Prescod examines some of the consequences of the crisis. Produced and edited by Anthony Irungu. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Lebanese architect Leila Meroue is using a technique intended to build shelters on the moon, to build a sustainable school in the Senegalese village of Tivaouane Peulh. The bricks are made using sack cut from a long roll into individual bags and filled with local earth, clay and just a little cement to bind the mix. Originally designed to build shelters on the moon, Leila says that the bricks are easy to transport and fill on site. They are also the ideal building material for the hot climate because the earth and clay mix soaks up the cold air at night and deflects the heat during the day, keeping the classrooms cool as well as being resistant to rain. Produced by Kerry Alexandra Filmed and edited by Alassane Dia Executive Producer: Marko Zoric Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

News that Ethiopian-American Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King, was on the shortlist for The Booker Prize was received with celebration on the African literary scene. With Ethiopia on the brink of another conflict - as clashes intensify in the country's Tigray region - the historical war at the heart of the novel offers a commentary on current events in ways the author could not have foreseen. The Shadow King is about an orphan girl named Hirut living in Ethiopia in 1935 amid the threat of invasion by Mussolini. The Booker Prize is the UK's most prestigious literary award open to any novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. Maaza Mengiste spoke to BBC's Princess Abumere about getting shortlisted and about the context which inspired her book. Interview filmed in September 2020. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Two African women are in the running for the 2020 Booker Prize, in a historic first for the UK's most prestigious literary prize. One of contestants, Zimbabwean Tsitsi Dangarembga, with her novel This Mournable Body. Booker recognition has helped highlight the author's principled stand against corruption in her country. The Booker Prize is the UK's most prestigious literary award open to any novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. Tsitsi Dangarembga spoke to BBC's Princess Abumere about getting shortlisted and about the characters who inspired her book. Filmed in September 2020. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

A year long investigation by #BBCAfricaEye has uncovered damning evidence of a thriving underground network in Kenya that snatches babies from their mothers and sells them for a profit. The secretive and highly lucrative trade preys on the country’s most vulnerable, stealing children from the streets and even the maternity ward of a major government hospital. Njeri Mwangi reports from Nairobi. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica *** UPDATE: 🇰🇪 Three years since the broadcast of the 2020 investigation ‘The Baby Stealers’, #BBCAfricaEye revisits some of Nairobi’s poorest neighbourhoods to find out what impact the investigation had in the fight against child trafficking in Kenya. Watch 'What Happened to the Baby Stealers?' here: 🎦 https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rswDstGDyvs You can also watch the second follow-up documentary, 'The Baby Stealers: A Mother's Story', here: https://youtu.be/n7r0ZmQnhHg *** BBC Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever. You can check out all Africa Eye investigations here: https://bit.ly/bbcafricaeye *** Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ #babystealers #nairobi #kenya #documentary #investigativejournalism #investigations

Ghana's longest-serving leader, former flight lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, who died on 12 November 2020, had an enduring legacy as 'the man of the people'. He twice seized power in Ghana but returned the country to democratic control. Through decades of speeches and interviews, this is how he spoke of his vision for Ghana and for Africa. Video produced by Miriam O'Donkor. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a financial strain on a lot of countries across the world. One of those countries is Zambia. The country has had financial issues before Covid-19, but the effects of the pandemic have not made things any easier. The situation has reached the point where Zambia may default on its debt - essentially failing to pay instalments on bonds issued by the government which are held by banks. Why is this bad for Zambia, and how could this affect the rest of the continent? Video by Jameisha Prescod. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

“Growing up, I didn’t know that homegrown foods are organic.” In the Volta region of Ghana, Banku and Okra soup is one of the main dishes many grow up with - but Latifah loves her Okra with spinach Eba. In this episode of our series ‘Aroma’, Latifah Saula #LatifahCooks shares her grandmother's recipe, along with stories of how her upbringing shaped her cooking today. Series Producer: Sarah Tiamiyu. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Palm oil is used in the production of almost half of all products sold in supermarkets globally, according to WWF, the global environment campaign. In Nigeria, palm oil is an essential ingredient for cuisine, and is also used in household goods like soap. Many families rely on farming oil palm trees for their income. Ezimma Ogbonna and her family have been producing palm oil for decades. She told BBC News Igbo about the process of making palm oil, and how she has used the proceeds to sustain her family. Produced by Ikechukwu Kalu and Chiemela Peter. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Tensions have been building between the Tigray region and the Ethiopian federal authorities in the capital, Addis Ababa. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has accused forces loyal to the regional government of Tigray, The People's Liberation Front (TPLF), of attacking a federal army base and has sent in the Ethiopian military. The rising tensions increase the prospects of an internal crisis spilling over across the the borders. TPLF is alleging the military offensive is punishment for organising its own election for the Tigray parliament in September, in direct defiance of the federal government following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Reporter: Emmanuel Igunza Produced and edited: Anthony Irungu Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

This is the first school of its kind in Mogadishu - it is a school for hard of hearing or deaf children. Before it was founded by the Somali Deaf Association, children found it hard to communicate in their communities. But now, they have as much chance as their non-disabled peers. Produced by Bella Hassan and Mohamud Abdisamad Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

The best scams always come in disguise. And Crowd1 is the most audacious scam we’ve ever seen. It looks like a high-tech marketing business that’s making a ton of money for people across Africa. All you need is a smartphone and some hustle. But behind the promises and the hype, #BBCAfricaEye’s Ayanda Charlie finds some ugly truths, some wealthy scammers, and a whole pyramid of lies. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica *** BBC Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever. You can check out all Africa Eye investigations here: https://bit.ly/bbcafricaeye *** Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ #crowd1 #africa #investigativejournalism #documentary

One week after the Nigerian armed forces shot peaceful anti-police brutality protesters in Lagos, the BBC’s Mayeni Jones spoke to Ephraim, a British-Nigerian activist at the heart of the Lagos protests. Originally from London, Ephraim, witnessed the shooting at the Lekki Toll Bridge on Tuesday 20th October. While video footage shows men in army fatigues opening fire, the army has said that reports of its involvement are fake news. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

America has always been a melting pot, but one small town in Georgia stands apart. Nestled in the shadow of Stone Mountain – the birthplace of the modern Ku Klux Klan – Clarkston has become home to many refugees from all over the world. People from over 40 different countries have found a home here and this upcoming election will be the first time many of them can vote. BBC Focus on Africa's Victoria Uwonkunda went there a week before the election to see what life's like for Africans there. Filmed and produced by Aaron Akinyemi. Additional editing: Maisie Smith-Walters.

With cutbacks in trade and foreign aid, it’s clear that Africa is no longer a priority for America. Donald Trump has never visited the continent during his presidency. The repercussions of America's foreign policy towards Africa are being felt by thousands of people on the continent - especially women. Nomsa Maseko reports from Lesotho. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Nigeria has seen weeks of protests against police brutality, as protesters called for the end of a special police unit known as SARS, accused of unlawful arrests, torture, and extra-judicial killings. The unit has been disbanded by the president, but Nigerians are still protesting, saying the whole police force needs to be reformed. The BBC’s Yemisi Adegoke speaks to families whose lives have been forever changed by police violence, as they seek justice for their loved ones. Filmed and edited by Joshua Akinyemi. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

Aisha Yesufu is known as one of the co-founders of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, working to rescue the schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok, Nigeria by Boko Haram militants in 2014. She spoke to BBC Africa about her role in the historic anti-Sars protests in the country, and why she has felt compelled to make a difference for the country's youth. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

A BBC News Arabic investigation has uncovered systemic child abuse inside Islamic schools in Sudan, with boys as young as five years old routinely chained, shackled and beaten by the “sheikhs”, or religious men in charge of the schools. The investigation also found evidence of sexual abuse. For 18 months, reporter, Fateh Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani, filmed inside 23 schools across Sudan. He found boys shackled and chained and witnessed brutal routine beatings. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica You may also be interested in this Africa Eye investigation: https://youtu.be/8RBAPVY4S-U *** UPDATE: This #BBCAfricaEye and @bbcnewsarabic investigation won the #Amnesty Media Award 2021 for Best Investigation. *** BBC Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever. You can check out all Africa Eye investigations here: https://bit.ly/bbcafricaeye *** Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ #investigativejournalism #documentary #africa #sudan

In the 20th episode Zeinab Badawi makes a huge and broad sweep across Africa examining the struggle for freedom, even in the face of bloody crackdowns: a veteran Mau Mau fighter in Kenya, a member of the resistance in Algeria’s brutal war of independence, from one African president whose ancestor fought the French and from the grandson of the Mahdi who defeated Britain’s General Gordon. And she talks about that heady time of independence with the families of three of Africa’s best known independence leaders: Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, Congo’s Patrice Lumuba and Senegal’s Leopold Senghor as well as the son of the legendary Nigerian singer Fela Kuti. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

In this episode Zeinab Badawi travels to Angola, DRC and Congo in central Africa to bring the history of the great Kongo Empire. She hears about the critical role played by women in African history such as Queen Nzinga who battled the Portuguese for a quarter of a century in the 1600s and a few decades later Kimpa Vita who was burned alive after her failed resistance. Why were Africans unable to resist the tide of European control? One woman of nearly 100 relates her memory of Belgian rule in the Congo, during what became known as the 'Scramble for Africa’. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to South Africa and Zimbabwe and sees how southern Africans gradually came to grasp the destruction and suffering that would be inflicted upon them by white settlers. We find out how the original inhabitants of the Cape tried to resist white settlers and the cruel reprisals they endured. We hear about the story of Shaka, King of the Zulus from a descendant of his family and how he helped reshape the map of modern southern Africa as well as the heroic battles of Shaka’s successors against those intent on seizing their riches and land: the greed for diamonds, gold and other resources that impoverished Africans and enriched white settlers, likes Cecil Rhodes. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/

In this episode, Zeinab Badawi visits Ghana and sees how momentum in the trans Atlantic slave trade led to competition for enslaved Africans between European nations who built numerous slave forts along West Africa’s Atlantic coast. She hears about the inhumane conditions in which slaves awaiting shipment were kept and how women were selected and subjected to rape by their captors. Also what do African academics believe were the main reasons behind abolition and why did many Africans return to the continent such as to Liberia? And how were they received by local communities? Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/