Crooked scales
By: Carolyn Thompson and John Van Dusen ANKASA – Ghana’s cocoa farmers say purchasers are stealing from them using improperly..
Media Internships
Death by numbers
By: Carolyn Thompson and John Van Dusen ACCRA – More Ghanaians die from diseases related to diarrhea than any other cause of death,..
Whale carcasses washing up in droves
A growing number of decomposing whale carcasses are washing up along the shores of Ghana. Since August, ten whales have been spotted. That..
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On Tuesday, the world celebrates Human Rights Day, and the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Click here to see..
Tracking Ghana’s media
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..
Naval death reinforces need for safety policy
By: Carolyn Thompson ACCRA – A naval worker whose life jacket malfunctioned was swept away by strong currents after the life boat he..
Ford Nation making waves an ocean away
ACCRA – On a crammed minibus in downtown Accra, a radio announcer is reading a newscast in Twi, one of the local languages in Ghana,..
The art of poverty
By: Carolyn Thompson ACCRA, Ghana – In a working class neighbourhood where open sewers reek of feces and vendors sit on rickety stools..
Awoonor’s cultural legacy
By Carolyn Thompson ACCRA – Dozens of women in red and black dresses stream through the aisles, with small candles atop their heads..
Beyond the 9 to 5 in an informal economy
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..
Human rights activists in Tanzania fight to abolish death penalty
By: Roohi Sahajpal DAR ES SALAAM – Today, human rights activists around the world commemorate the 11th annual World Day Against the..
A safe home for abused Tanzanian girls
By Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania – Welcome to Pippi House. Karibu sana. Please feel at home. This is Tanzania’s only safe house for..
Tackling Development in Tanzania
by Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania — As a boy growing up in Tanzania, Juma Kittyler never gave the game of rugby much thought. In fact,..
St Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes
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..
Hyena Ground
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..
Pharmacist strike hurts aids patients
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..
Living on Abokobi’s illegal landfill
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..
A modern day Mother Teresa: Tanzania’s Sister Martha
By Adam Bemma ARUSHA, Tanzania – Meet Martha Mganga. She’s a 50-year-old Tanzanian woman with albinism. She’s not afraid to use..
World Press Freedom Day in Tanzania
Every May 3, journalists, activists and media organizations in developing countries around the world acknowledge the importance of World..
False promises of Liberian gold
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..
Riding Towards Sustainable Development
In a country burgeoning with traffic congestion, increasing economic growth, and a stark urban-rural divide, Ghana’s Bamboo Bikes..
Rain in Liberia and how weather becomes an issue of health, and even life or death
Living in Liberia through the country’s wet season, I find myself nostalgic for the relatively dry climate of Vancouver. To witness a..
Breaking News, Breaking Hearts: How Ghanaian Media Handles Tragedy
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..
No faith in science: a Homo sapien rights issue?
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..
Polio effects linger in Ghana despite vaccines
When Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo contracted polio as a nine-year-old, his symptoms worsened to the point where his nerves were affected and his..
Day Cares and Dump Sites: Sanitation Problems in Kumasi
This week, my colleagues and I decided to examine urban sanitation and the associated health issues for Ultimate Radio’s Morning Show. We..
When Household Chores become Human Rights Abuses
At eleven years old, Thema, a native of Kumasi, hopes to be a nurse when she grows up. Currently, however, she is employed wandering..
Searching for the man with biscuits
“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..
Finding Accountability for Vehicle Safety
Last weekend, on a mission to buy a pineapple, some friends and I walked to the “Amakom traffic lights” – a major intersection..
Secret Women
In Chichewa, the widely-spoken language of southern Malawi, being pregnant or “kunkhala ndi pakati” translates to being in the middle..
Take it slow, my Canadian friend.
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..
Poverty prevents some Ghanaians from seeking education
Very little light illuminates the abandoned railway line that cuts down the center of the squatter community of Kejetia. The large field..
This land is your land, this land is my land
Some men wore fitted suits. Others were dressed in traditional kente clothing. The event started an hour and a half after its scheduled..
Revamping the Malawi Police Service
“I was detained, in jail for 7 days for no reason,” said Comfort Chitseko, who was arrested by Malawi police in October for allegedly..
Mob justice in Northern Ghana
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..
“Mind the gap” – The crippling impact of HIV/AIDS on family composition and elderly Malawians
The old “respect your elders” adage has customarily been an important part of Malawian culture, with the elderly able to depend on the..
When beggars should be choosers – How the promise of remuneration is heading off freedom of movement and free choice of employment in Malawi
Not long after cutting their teeth, North American children are encouraged to call forward their dreams and consider the question, “What..
Driving change in Malawi – Signposts and speed bumps on the road to gender equality
With two hands gripping the steering wheel and the right turn signal flashing, 21-year-old Vanessa Nsona’s concentration does not waver..
Radio empowers youth in northern Ghana
“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,..
Repatriating Ghana’s “Witches”
Ghanaian witch camps are a cultural phenomenon I have yet to fully experience and understand. Although I have read much about them and..
“Meating” halfway – The growing importance of soy in Malawi
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..
"Meating" halfway – The growing importance of soy in Malawi
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..
Remodel to rehabilitate – The need for mental health aftercare and rehabilitation treatment in Malawi
A build or remodel is not typically what the doctor ordered to stave off chronic stress and depression; the process risks construction..
Understanding the link between gender and climate change
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..
Ghanaian journalist lectures JHR chapter about rights media
On May 19, the JHR chapter at Tamale’s International Institute of Journalism hosted a community forum about witchcamps. Among the..
Ghana makes inroads against child mortality
Ghana has taken a major step toward reducing its under under-five mortality rate with the introduction of two new vaccines for rotavirus..
Barriers to mental healthcare in Ghana’s Northern Region
Mami Sandow started hearing voices when she was nine years old. “She used to roam, talking anyhow, climbing some kind of trees,..
Barriers to mental healthcare in Ghana's Northern Region
Mami Sandow started hearing voices when she was nine years old. “She used to roam, talking anyhow, climbing some kind of trees,..
How Malawi will remember late president Bingu Wa Mutharika
The flag flies at half mast outside Malawi’s parliament building where thousands of civilians have braved long line-ups in smoldering hot..
Children in Malawi run away due to lack of food
Co-written with Sibongele Zgambo from Zodiak Broadcasting Station Its 10 p.m. in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, and the nighttime vultures..
Malawi’s fisherman more likely to catch HIV: Reports
Ronald Gomo, 37, is a fisherman who would rather live alone than associate with the other fishermen who reside on the shorelines of..
Ghana’s prisons: ‘universities of crime’
Thanks to poor conditions, and a focus on punishment instead of rehabilitation, Ghana’s prisons have become “universities of crime,”..
Ghana's prisons: 'universities of crime'
Thanks to poor conditions, and a focus on punishment instead of rehabilitation, Ghana’s prisons have become “universities of crime,”..
Malawi recognizes World Malaria Day
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..
The future of press freedom in Malawi
Joyce Banda was sworn in as Malawi’s newest president on April 7 under the terms of the constitution, following two days of political..
World Press Freedom Day event reveals media freedom in Malawi has a new landscape
Media freedom in Malawi has been commonly deplored, but amidst the political transition that brought Malawi its first female head of state..
Ghanaian police covers up child abuse, says legal expert
A child abuse case is being covered up by Tamale’s Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DVVSU), a Ghanaian legal expert says...
Rural Malawi’s inaccessibility to oral healthcare
Isaac Muralaudira is 8 years old and has never visited a dentist. He suffers from periodontal disease and tooth decay. “His gums are..
African women in media: Making waves in radio
“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 lending sparks new-found rights for women in Malawi
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..
"You are doing great job" : feedback from stakeholder in Tamale
“How long we waiting?”, Lucy asks, as we sit under a small mango tree. We are sitting outside the Cienfuegos Suglo Specialist Hospital,..
“You are doing great job” : feedback from stakeholder in Tamale
“How long we waiting?”, Lucy asks, as we sit under a small mango tree. We are sitting outside the Cienfuegos Suglo Specialist Hospital,..
Health Services Workers Union makes inroads in Ghana
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..
Exploitation of Malawi’s tobacco tenants
Eletina Mwale has worked on several tobacco estates since 1985. Currently, she works on a tobacco farm in Salima, Malawi. “I have been in..
Victims of Malawi’s bloody protest speak
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 Zion Bata
The children of Kachitsa Village, a small village of 1,000 in the northern outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi, are adamant about their religious..
Radio waves inspire change in Malawi
Violet Banda is not your average 21-year-old. A poised, confident and outspoken child rights activist, Banda personifies the power of radio..
In Malawi when ‘Life’ gets tough, it gets banned
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
In Malawi when 'Life' gets tough, it gets banned
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
Kidney disease: a ‘silent killer’ in Ghana
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..
Kidney disease: a 'silent killer' in Ghana
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..
Collateral damage: Police report policy delays treatment for accident victims in Malawian emergency rooms
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..
Hacks versus flacks: Ghana edition
“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..
Teachers in over crowded schools on strike for unpaid ‘double-shift’ wages
LILONGWE, Malawi – Primary schools in Lilongwe are over their capacity. There are not enough classrooms to seat 8,000 or more students..
Not skirting around the issue: Malawian women take on gender norms
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..
Justice Adjourned
As the first-ever judiciary strike in Malawi enters its fourth week, the doors to over 200 courts remain closed and justice has generally..
The street vendor’s motto: “Freedom is bought by blood”
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..
Developing energy-saving lights and solar lights to improve standard of living in Malawi’s cities and rural areas
“The lights are back on? Lets celebrate!” It’s become the common expression for us after moving to Malawi a couple of weeks ago...
Malawian human rights activists risk their lives for free speech
Depending on your perspective, Rev. Macdonald Sembereka is either a valiant hero or an impenitent villain. To some, he is a human rights..
“It’s God’s will” isn't good enough
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..
“It’s God’s will” isn’t good enough
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..
Vigilantism and the right to security
If all goes well, the justice system within a democracy goes like so: A crime is committed. The criminal is reprimanded. The authorities..
Grade ‘A’ Empowerment
In June 2009, Accra High School partnered with Amnesty International (AI) for an initiative called the ‘Human Rights Friendly School..
It takes a village to raise a child… plus foreign aid and government support, of course
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..
The thing about microphones
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,..
French sanctions driving Mali’s tourism industry down the drain
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..
French sanctions driving Mali's tourism industry down the drain
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..
Open Letter to Sobbing Beggar Child
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..
No Country for Old Women
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's youth leaders urged to resist inciting violence during 2012 election
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’s youth leaders urged to resist inciting violence during 2012 election
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..
'Yesterday was an historic day'
A neighbour stopped me on my way to work. “Hello?” she called out. “Hello?” It was October 21, one day after Colonel Muammar..
‘Yesterday was an historic day’
A neighbour stopped me on my way to work. “Hello?” she called out. “Hello?” It was October 21, one day after Colonel Muammar..
What to do about Ghana's witch camps?
The hundreds of women and few men who populate the camps sprinkled throughout Ghana’s Northern region have been branded witches by..
What to do about Ghana’s witch camps?
The hundreds of women and few men who populate the camps sprinkled throughout Ghana’s Northern region have been branded witches by..
Human Rights from an African Perspective
The first time someone told me that I need to start understanding “human rights from an African perspective”, I’ll admit, I was taken..
Social Media and the Power to Create Change In Ghana
“We live in a global society. Whether we like it or not, we’re connected. “ Michelle Newlands – a Canadian intern working for..
Finding God In Ghana
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..
International Mental Health Day: Rewind. Repeat. Play. Stop.
Last week, Ghana commemorated International Mental Health day on October 10th. By the close of the day, parade floats that had been driven..