Unfamiliar Africa is intended to be the book that records solutions that come out of Africa. Everyday, the people of the continent of Africa are solving difficult problems, thriving under challenging conditions, forging forward and setting new limits.
The people of the continent are fully alive, inspired, and they provide tremendous contribution to world development and welfare. This lived reality, however, has been suppressed by well established ideas of a continent with nothing but a people in poverty, conflict, and hopelessness.
Currently, there is a heavy focus on carrying out what could be likened to an autopsy on Africa and formulating theories upon which to understand the aggregate poor development performance of the continent as a whole. This approach has undoubtedly created useful knowledge on formulating policies and partnerships to fight against the problems that face the continent.
Unfamiliar Africa has a different agenda. It aims to bring together, into one platform, the stories of solutions in the continent. These include individuals, organisations, businesses, artists, that are breaking new ground with their roles in families, communities, and organisations. It aims to bring to the spotlight both the solutions that may be deemed small, to those that break new world records. Perhaps what is also most exciting is getting coverage on developing ideas and efforts, to learn and appreciate the making of life by ordinary citizens.
Unfamiliar Africa aims to be open to everyone from anywhere who has a desire to contribute helpful stories from the continent. In particular, it seeks to have people from the African continent using this platform to record stories upon which we can build more life-giving solutions. It is the vision of Unfamiliar Africa, therefore, to have regular contributors from every country in Africa; from people who are creators and witnesses to these stories. People can therefore submit formal contributions under specific themes, ranging from medicine, science and technology, architecture, to music, languages and fashion. Contributors may also create blogs if they intend to be regular bloggers, to cover on-the-ground stories about their communities, or fields of expertise, of general topics of their interests, focusing both on ideas, developing projects, and what has or is working.
This resource is meant to not only cover both covered and uncovered stories of solutions, but it is a resource that can only thrive by being constantly developed itself, to keep it relevant and useful to all users. Once gain, this innovation will come from all those who seek to partner with this idea.
Unfamiliar Africa is therefore a brand, philosophy, and an image of an Africa that is abundant with humanity, music, strength, capabilities, smiles, and blessings. Contrary to the images that pollute our minds about this continent, there are images that are hardly ever seen. Like a smiling child in Africa. Like a capable individual. We have that. We are that.
