Dahomey: A triumphant tour highlighting cultural restitution

The film Dahomey by Mati Diop has begun its global tour with a warm reception in Benin, following its premiere in Senegal. Through the perspectives of young Beninese students, the film delves into the return of 26 art pieces restituted by France between 2021 and 2023, sparking a profound conversation about the role of cultural restitution in reclaiming African history. This compelling narrative sheds light on colonization's historical and modern implications while fostering meaningful and engaging dialogue. Journalist: Lefty Hounnou

Publications

Society 31 March 2023

Sadibou Marong committed to the protection of journalists in Africa

Sadibou Marong is a Senegalese journalist who holds the position of West Africa Director of Reporters Without Borders (RWB), based in Dakar. The RSF organisation in Dakar works to defend and train journalists and strengthen the network of correspondents and local partners, mainly in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin and Togo. During this interview, Sadibou Marong talks about, among other things, the injustices suffered by journalists in Africa, the obstacles facing press freedom and the evolution of journalism on the continent.

Society 3 March 2023

Interview with Djaïli Amadou Amal

Born in the north of Cameroon, Djaïli Amadou Amal is a writer, activist and feminist who has not hesitated to escape two marriages, one of which was forced to make a living from her passion for writing and defending women's rights. Thanks to her novel "Les Impatientes", she was the first African finalist for the 2020 Goncourt des lycéens prize in France. In this novel, she drew her inspiration from the condition of women who are asked on their wedding day to be patient. This novel is now crowned worldwide and is even on the final year curriculum of Cameroonian high schools. In this interview she tells us about her association and conception of feminism for women's progress in Africa.

Society 1 March 2023

The Vegetable Garden Club

The Vegetable Garden Club was created almost five years ago and has more than 800 children and teenagers participating in the project. They are between 4 and 17 years old and come from schools in Douala and Yaoundé in Cameroon. The main objective of this club is to allow children and parents to reconnect with nature and learn about agriculture and animal breeding. In this country, agriculture contributes to about 17% of the GDP.

Society 1 February 2023

DRC: Young people gather every day to bring aid to the war-displaced

Since March 2022, violent confrontations between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the March 23 rebel movement (M23) have displaced several thousand people in the eastern DRC province of North Kivu. According to the UN, about 510,000 people have been displaced in the territories of Rutshuru and Nyiragongo. The Goma actif Collective, formed by young activists and citizens, provides food aid to the most vulnerable women and children.

Society 20 January 2023

Guest: Eric Pounewatchy

Éric Pounewatchy is an actor, director and screenwriter, born in Bangui, Central African Republic. He arrived in France at the age of 1 in the 1970s and spent his childhood in Sarcelles, a suburb of Paris. In this interview, he tells us about his achievements and contributions, among which the documentary "Sometimes destroy, often build, always serve", which talks about reconciliation between the army and the population in the Central African Republic in 2014 following a politico-military crisis.

Society 4 January 2023

LAAF’s project on therapy for men who have been abused

In Nigeria, a young woman who survived sexual abuse, found the strength to teach other victims how to overcome this ordeal. Her foundation Life after Abuse strives for a better social awareness of sexual violence and the post-traumatic convalescence of victims. Halima Layeni focused her attention on marginalized adolescents to whom she offered listening sessions and therapy. She then realized that young men who were victims of abuse needed more adapted therapy. Our correspondent in Abuja, Ugo Uyanna followed her to understand her approach.

Society 16 December 2022

Between war and inflation, a daily struggle for the inhabitants of Goma

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, inflation is forcing the inhabitants of Goma to limit their meals. They are subject to soaring prices and restrictions caused by the war. On the one hand, they are forbidden to leave their village. On the other hand, food shipments remain blocked in the north of the country by the rebels. Traders find themselves short of products and are forced to sell at a loss to survive.

Society 23 November 2022

Snake hunters save lives in Guinea

In Guinea, snakes terrorise and attack the population. In Kobikoro, a village located 80 km from Faranah, a snake killed a dozen people. Khalo Moussa Keira and his son belong to a family renowned for snake hunting. The Keiras are constantly being solicited and travel around the country to treat victims of snake bites. This tradition of the Keiras is passed down from generation to generation and has helped save over 24,000 lives according to them.

Culture 10 November 2022

Annick Kamgang, Cameroonian and Guadeloupean artivist

Annick Kamgang is a committed illustrator who documents the society that surrounds her through her ironic and caricatured drawings, both in the press and in literature. More commonly known as Kam, her drawings are inspired by her childhood in Cameroon and the political movements of the 1980s. Her best-known work, "Lucha", illustrates a group of Congolese youth committed to human rights.