Africa

World News

The Party Of Nelson Mandela Struggles To Attract New Voters

6:15am June 08, 2016

by Peter Granitz

South Africa has been a de facto one-party state since the end of apartheid in 1994. But the ruling African National Congress is losing support among South Africa's youth.

Was It Worth It For Lesotho To Sell Its Water To South Africa?

6:11am June 08, 2016

by Robert Smith

What happens when a country decides to sell its water then hits a drought? Our Planet Money team takes us to a country in Africa that might have given away its most valuable resource.

Amina Ali Nkeki, 19, is one of the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014. She was found last month wandering in the Sambisa Forest, a Boko Haram stronghold, with her 4-month-old baby.

Health & Safety

The Long Road Back From Boko Haram

1:34pm June 07, 2016

by Diane Cole

How will 19-year-old Amina Ali Nkeki remake her life? The experiences of former captives suggest what might help — and what will not.

An Afghani child was one of Gilkey's "little buddies."

David Gilkey: What A Funny — And Deeply Caring — Photographer

7:35pm June 06, 2016

by NPR Staff

The NPR staffers who worked with Gilkey pick a favorite photo and share some memories.

Medical worker Abaare Hussein extracts a Guinea worm from a child's leg in Savelugu Village in northern Ghana in 2007.

The Last Days Of Guinea Worm

6:37pm June 06, 2016

by Jason Beaubien

The world has wiped out only one human disease: smallpox. Guinea worm disease looks like it's on the verge of being the second.

Queue Listen Now

Former President Jimmy Carter delivers a lecture on the eradication of the Guinea worm at London's House of Lords on Feb. 3. The lecture title: "Final Days of the Fiery Serpent: Guinea Worm Eradication."

Jimmy Carter May Soon Get His 90th Birthday Wish: No More Guinea Worm

6:09pm June 06, 2016

by NPR Staff

The former president tells why it's taken nearly 30 years to bring the Guinea worm to near extinction — and what's next on his agenda.

Queue Listen Now

World News

Ethiopian Runners Say They Face Discrimination

1:45pm June 06, 2016

by Gregory Warner

When Ethiopia barred its best distance runner from competing in the 2016 Olympics, many saw it as an act of ethnic discrimination. Another runner from the same ethnic group says he was exiled.

Queue Listen Now

What's the median age in Africa? To find out, take our quiz. Above: Crowds wait for a festival in Maiduguri. Bonus question: Where is Maiduguri? Answer: It's the capital of Boron State in northeastern Nigeria.

Health & Safety

Quiz: Do You Know Enough About Africa To Win Big On 'Jeopardy!'?

7:00am June 05, 2016

by Anders Kelto

How many countries are in Africa? 1, 15, 54 or 122? Take our beginner's quiz and test your knowledge of the second-largest continent in the world.

Health & Safety

You've Never Met A Prom Queen Like This One

7:00am June 04, 2016

by Vicky Hallett

Her parents were in exile from South Africa. She went to an international school in Kenya. And she never expected to wear the tiara.

Popole Misenga (right) trains at Rio's Instituto Reacao on April 14.

For The First Time, A Team Of Refugees Will Compete At The Olympics

7:17pm June 03, 2016

Ten refugees — swimmers, runners and judo athletes — have been named to the first-ever Olympics refugee team. They'll compete this August in Rio, where two of the refugee athletes already live.

Queue Listen Now