Crooked scales
By: Carolyn Thompson and John Van Dusen ANKASA – Ghana’s cocoa farmers say purchasers are stealing from them using improperly..
By: Carolyn Thompson and John Van Dusen ACCRA – More Ghanaians die from diseases related to diarrhea than any other cause of death,..
By: Carolyn Thompson and John Van Dusen ANKASA – Ghana’s cocoa farmers say purchasers are stealing from them using improperly..
A growing number of decomposing whale carcasses are washing up along the shores of Ghana. Since August, ten whales have been spotted. That..
On Tuesday, the world celebrates Human Rights Day, and the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Click here to see..
By: John Van Dusen ACCRA — Ghana’s media landscape is a shell of its former self. Twenty years ago there were only a handful of..
By: Carolyn Thompson ACCRA – A naval worker whose life jacket malfunctioned was swept away by strong currents after the life boat he..
ACCRA – On a crammed minibus in downtown Accra, a radio announcer is reading a newscast in Twi, one of the local languages in Ghana,..
By: Carolyn Thompson ACCRA, Ghana – In a working class neighbourhood where open sewers reek of feces and vendors sit on rickety stools..
By Carolyn Thompson ACCRA – Dozens of women in red and black dresses stream through the aisles, with small candles atop their heads..
By: Carolyn Thompson ACCRA – The trotro was full but I didn’t want to wait. It can take half an hour for the minibuses to fill up..
By: Roohi Sahajpal DAR ES SALAAM – Today, human rights activists around the world commemorate the 11th annual World Day Against the..
By Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania – Welcome to Pippi House. Karibu sana. Please feel at home. This is Tanzania’s only safe house for..
by Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania — As a boy growing up in Tanzania, Juma Kittyler never gave the game of rugby much thought. In fact,..
By Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania – Every Monday morning as the sun rises, 8-year-old Kelvin Mushi wakes up and puts on his neatly-pressed..
by Terri Fikowski I’d seen poverty in my first few weeks in Africa. I mean, who wouldn’t expect to witness some form of..
By: Abby Wiseman HIV patients line the hallway of the Fevers Unit Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. They wait for hours for their name..
By Abby Wiseman Adelaide pulls out one of her large lactating breasts and plunks it into the mouth of her 10 month old baby while..
By Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania – Meet Martha Mganga. She’s a 50-year-old Tanzanian woman with albinism. She’s not afraid to use..
Every May 3, journalists, activists and media organizations in developing countries around the world acknowledge the importance of World..
Gbessey Musa is a long way from home. Three years ago, he left Sierra Leone in search of a job that could provide for his family. Chasing..
In a country burgeoning with traffic congestion, increasing economic growth, and a stark urban-rural divide, Ghana’s Bamboo Bikes..
Living in Liberia through the country’s wet season, I find myself nostalgic for the relatively dry climate of Vancouver. To witness a..
Journalists make the news. They find the issues, gather the reports, and tell the stories. But how they do this can have a lasting impact..
Evolution is accepted by 97 percent of scientists in the United States but by only 61 percent of the public, according to the Pew Research..
When Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo contracted polio as a nine-year-old, his symptoms worsened to the point where his nerves were affected and his..
This week, my colleagues and I decided to examine urban sanitation and the associated health issues for Ultimate Radio’s Morning Show. We..
At eleven years old, Thema, a native of Kumasi, hopes to be a nurse when she grows up. Currently, however, she is employed wandering..
“This man continued giving us biscuits and bananas every day for close to two weeks. So it’s like he used that way to drag so many..
Last weekend, on a mission to buy a pineapple, some friends and I walked to the “Amakom traffic lights” – a major intersection..
In Chichewa, the widely-spoken language of southern Malawi, being pregnant or “kunkhala ndi pakati” translates to being in the middle..
I’ll never forget my first day in a Malawian newsroom. I came in eager, ready to utilize countless hours of preparation and training done..
Very little light illuminates the abandoned railway line that cuts down the center of the squatter community of Kejetia. The large field..
Some men wore fitted suits. Others were dressed in traditional kente clothing. The event started an hour and a half after its scheduled..
“I was detained, in jail for 7 days for no reason,” said Comfort Chitseko, who was arrested by Malawi police in October for allegedly..
Northern Ghana is a powder keg, waiting for a fuse. Whether it’s a dispute over the enskinment of a chief or over a bad left turn in..
The old “respect your elders” adage has customarily been an important part of Malawian culture, with the elderly able to depend on the..
Not long after cutting their teeth, North American children are encouraged to call forward their dreams and consider the question, “What..
With two hands gripping the steering wheel and the right turn signal flashing, 21-year-old Vanessa Nsona’s concentration does not waver..
“My studio is so full you could bake a loaf of bread with the heat,” says Awonatey Hippolite, the exuberant host of Voice of the Youth,..
Ghanaian witch camps are a cultural phenomenon I have yet to fully experience and understand. Although I have read much about them and..
Skewered meat sizzles on kickstand grills along the main M1 highway, a whole pig is slaughtered in an open-air butcher’s market shack, a..
Skewered meat sizzles on kickstand grills along the main M1 highway, a whole pig is slaughtered in an open-air butcher’s market shack, a..
A build or remodel is not typically what the doctor ordered to stave off chronic stress and depression; the process risks construction..
When I met 16-year-old Chikondi Phiri, she was struggling to lift a weighty load of firewood on top of her head. I offered her a helping..
On May 19, the JHR chapter at Tamale’s International Institute of Journalism hosted a community forum about witchcamps. Among the..
Ghana has taken a major step toward reducing its under under-five mortality rate with the introduction of two new vaccines for rotavirus..
Mami Sandow started hearing voices when she was nine years old. “She used to roam, talking anyhow, climbing some kind of trees,..
Mami Sandow started hearing voices when she was nine years old. “She used to roam, talking anyhow, climbing some kind of trees,..
The flag flies at half mast outside Malawi’s parliament building where thousands of civilians have braved long line-ups in smoldering hot..
Co-written with Sibongele Zgambo from Zodiak Broadcasting Station Its 10 p.m. in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, and the nighttime vultures..
Ronald Gomo, 37, is a fisherman who would rather live alone than associate with the other fishermen who reside on the shorelines of..
Thanks to poor conditions, and a focus on punishment instead of rehabilitation, Ghana’s prisons have become “universities of crime,”..
Thanks to poor conditions, and a focus on punishment instead of rehabilitation, Ghana’s prisons have become “universities of crime,”..
It’s April 25 and 12 year old Blessings Phiri traveled, by foot for hours from his village to sit in the waiting room of Kamuzu Central..
Joyce Banda was sworn in as Malawi’s newest president on April 7 under the terms of the constitution, following two days of political..
Media freedom in Malawi has been commonly deplored, but amidst the political transition that brought Malawi its first female head of state..
A child abuse case is being covered up by Tamale’s Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DVVSU), a Ghanaian legal expert says...
Isaac Muralaudira is 8 years old and has never visited a dentist. He suffers from periodontal disease and tooth decay. “His gums are..
“Mostly ladies are known to be shy … [too] shy to talk in public.” This is a strange declaration from Bridget Nambah, a DJ and..
Money doesn’t grow on trees, but in Nkalo village it grows near one. In the centre of the village a tree has become the site of new..
“How long we waiting?”, Lucy asks, as we sit under a small mango tree. We are sitting outside the Cienfuegos Suglo Specialist Hospital,..
“How long we waiting?”, Lucy asks, as we sit under a small mango tree. We are sitting outside the Cienfuegos Suglo Specialist Hospital,..
In Ghana fewer than 10 per cent of workers belong to a trade union. While the minimum wage has almost doubled since 2008, at 4.48 Ghana..
Eletina Mwale has worked on several tobacco estates since 1985. Currently, she works on a tobacco farm in Salima, Malawi. “I have been in..
July 21, 2011 was an unruly day in Lumbadzi, Malawi – a violent protest paraded through the streets. While some citizens were using the..
The children of Kachitsa Village, a small village of 1,000 in the northern outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi, are adamant about their religious..
Violet Banda is not your average 21-year-old. A poised, confident and outspoken child rights activist, Banda personifies the power of radio..
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
He says he feels weak. Plastic tubes protrude from his arms and connect to a rectangular machine next to his bed. They are coloured crimson..
He says he feels weak. Plastic tubes protrude from his arms and connect to a rectangular machine next to his bed. They are coloured crimson..
You’ve been in an accident in Malawi – where do you go? If you said the emergency department you could be wrong. A few months ago my..
“You want me to do what? You want a copy of all my questions?” It’s the third time today I have spoken with Gabriel Nii..
LILONGWE, Malawi – Primary schools in Lilongwe are over their capacity. There are not enough classrooms to seat 8,000 or more students..
Three thousand women were leaping out of their seats and waving their hands in the air amidst a chorus of cheers. A continuous line of..
As the first-ever judiciary strike in Malawi enters its fourth week, the doors to over 200 courts remain closed and justice has generally..
Lilongwe street vendors have been headlining Malawi media for quite some time and it doesn’t look like their name will be out of the news..
“The lights are back on? Lets celebrate!” It’s become the common expression for us after moving to Malawi a couple of weeks ago...
Depending on your perspective, Rev. Macdonald Sembereka is either a valiant hero or an impenitent villain. To some, he is a human rights..
The electricity had been out for 24 hours where I was staying in Namiwawa, Blantyre, either due to the heavy seasonal rains or the theft of..
The electricity had been out for 24 hours where I was staying in Namiwawa, Blantyre, either due to the heavy seasonal rains or the theft of..
If all goes well, the justice system within a democracy goes like so: A crime is committed. The criminal is reprimanded. The authorities..
In June 2009, Accra High School partnered with Amnesty International (AI) for an initiative called the ‘Human Rights Friendly School..
The tattoo on sixteen-year-old Halima Bintu’s forearm is faded but you can still see the scars. The thin crooked letters engraved across..
Here’s the thing about microphones: Stick one in front of a fool, and he just gets louder. Unfortunately, you can’t really blame him,..
The debate raged on about Mali. To go or not to go. West Africa’s tourism hotspot was calling me, but I couldn’t ignore the..
The debate raged on about Mali. To go or not to go. West Africa’s tourism hotspot was calling me, but I couldn’t ignore the..
Please, for the purposes of smooth narration, allow me to lump you in with all the others: short and scruffy street brats, dirt-faced and..
Rush hour in Accra: It’s where meticulous, Ghanaian refinement goes to die. You see adults, grown men and women in formal wear, hurl..
Ghana has long been regarded as a beacon of hope in West Africa and the world will be watching in 2012 when it will mark its 20th..
Ghana has long been regarded as a beacon of hope in West Africa and the world will be watching in 2012 when it will mark its 20th..
A neighbour stopped me on my way to work. “Hello?” she called out. “Hello?” It was October 21, one day after Colonel Muammar..
A neighbour stopped me on my way to work. “Hello?” she called out. “Hello?” It was October 21, one day after Colonel Muammar..
The hundreds of women and few men who populate the camps sprinkled throughout Ghana’s Northern region have been branded witches by..
The hundreds of women and few men who populate the camps sprinkled throughout Ghana’s Northern region have been branded witches by..
The first time someone told me that I need to start understanding “human rights from an African perspective”, I’ll admit, I was taken..
“We live in a global society. Whether we like it or not, we’re connected. “ Michelle Newlands – a Canadian intern working for..
I was already sweating as I darted through the path of cars and tro-tros whizzing down Labadi Beach Road. I was in an appreciative mood..
Last week, Ghana commemorated International Mental Health day on October 10th. By the close of the day, parade floats that had been driven..