Mercedes Sayagues
THE LONG WAIT
While Mozambique's economy surges, its youth lie in limbo hoping for jobs.
Sugar cane juice with a dash of ginger and lemon is a favourite thirst quencher in Maputo. It is sold along a stretch of the capital’s sea-facing Marginal promenade between the Maritimo and Naval clubs. Young men make this juice while standing and cranking old-fashioned machines. Sergio is reputed to sell the freshest sugar cane and the strongest ginger.
Read the AFRICA IN FACT story here
ON THE LINE
Mozambique' s new Museum of Fisheries is a lovely addition to Maputo's urban fabric, at the entrance of the fishing harbour. We also look at the problems of artisanal fishing, conservation through marine sanctuaries and how to build a sustainable future for the vital industry.
Read more at OGOJIII magazine
An African story that deserves to be told
Forget Europe. When last did you hear about the lengths poor countries go to in welcoming the unfortunate multitudes fleeing war, asks Mercedes Sayagues in City Press, South Africa.
Al Jazeera, my favourite TV news channel, annoyed me last week. It ran a story gushing about a tented camp for 150 Afghan refugees built in a small village in Bavaria. “Exemplary!” the reporter enthused. “Germany is showing the world how to do it.”
Really? Efficient camp-building ought to be expected from Europe’s wealthiest and most technologically advanced country. And camps, unlike cars, don’t have to meet noxious-emissions standards. No need to cheat. Instead, the media could look at east and central Africa – yes, Africa’s dark heart and the frequent source of newscast horrors – for leadership in welcoming refugees. ....More here