Chronicle: To read and write – a question of dignity

Some years ago I met, almost on a daily basis, a group of street children – boys only – who were living in the centre of Maputo. They made their living by helping cars finding somewhere to park and then they watched the cars. I imagine that this is a universal way to make a living for street children.

These boys, who were between seven and twelve years old, had no reason what so ever to trust grown-ups. They had been … Read more

The art of listening in The New York Times

I came to Africa with one purpose: I wanted to see the world outside the perspective of European egocentricity. I could have chosen Asia or South America. I ended up in Africa because the plane ticket there was cheapest.

I came and I stayed. For nearly 25 years I’ve lived off and on in Mozambique. Time has passed, and I’m no longer young; in fact, I’m approaching old age. But my motive for living this straddled existence, with one foot in … Read more

Chronicle: Why doesn’t Africa help its own people?

Swedish newspapers were recently full of images of politicians holding empty plates in front of themselves saying that they had donated their lunches to those plagued by starvation in the Horn of Africa. The NGO Diakonia initiated this campaign, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Who does not want to help?

What does it mean to starve? No one has said it better than the former head of SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) Bo Göransson, when he described … Read more

Chronicle: What is the meaning of the male nipple?

It is actually quite extraordinary that the French revolutionaries around the year 1789 managed to come together and write a new constitution, which for mankind contained some decisive proclamations. They gathered in some resonant assembly halls in old Paris where it was almost impossible for the hearing impaired secretaries to hear the arguments that were shouted out. Yet they managed to write down a constitution for new modern time; the decisive proclamations echoing of … Read more

Chronicle: Henning Mankell on Mozambique in The Guardian

This weekend The Guardian published an article by Henning Mankell where he urges people to travel to Mozambique before the country loses its innocence.

To read the article click here.

Henning Mankell in The Times

As Penguin and the Aids organisation (RED) launch a new set of classic novels, Henning Mankell, the creator of Wallander, considers the power of storytelling in Africa. To read the article in The Times click here.

Chronicle: Little girls carrying bricks on their heads

A couple of weeks ago I met an African architect in Berlin. His name is Diébédo Francis Kéré. He comes from Burkina Faso and divides his time between working in Germany and his native country. His name is worth remembering, a most fascinating architect.

Diébédo Francis Kéré told me the following: his work in Burkina Faso is based on an idea that he calls “social architecture”. To give you an example: There is a great lack … Read more

Chronicle: A photo that makes me feel ashamed

In a recent issue of the magazine “New African” Henning Mankell discovered a photo portraying Mia Farrow standing with a group of african children. That photo made him feel ashamed.

Quite recently I happened to see a photo in the African magazine New African (issue 488, October 2009), a magazine which is among the best in its genre. Its perspective is clearly African and it focuses on such diverse subjects as politics, economics, sociology and culture. … Read more