James Townsend

CNN: Braving lions to deliver Maasai nomads’ vaccines – Delivering GAVI’s lifesaving vaccinations to children and families in need is a persistent challenge in Africa. But in Tanzania there is a further challenge: delivering vaccinations to its nomadic tribes constantly searching for water and fresh pastures. The search can span over 100 km, with untold

NYT: Malaria or Mars? – In a time of limited resources and deadly issues such as HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, scientist Alexander Kumar wonders if perhaps we should be focusing our scientific endeavors (and money) on more earthly problems, before returning to the stars to conquer the red planet. (Alexander Kumar) Globe and Mail: Keep

NYT: Promises on AIDS Are Not Enough – We know how to end AIDS. Experts know at the moment how to control the global spread of the virus. What’s missing however, is enough money and political will to apply proven tactics. (Editorial) CNN: ‘Give African women a voice,’ say activists – In many cases, it

Foreign Policy: The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers – Foreign Policy has released its annual “portrait of 2012’s global marketplace of ideas and the thinkers who make them.” Aun San Suu Kyi and Thein Sein top the list, for demonstrating that “change can happen anywhere, even in one of the world’s most repressive states.” Moncef

CNN: Why the world is ignoring Congo war – “The wars in [The Congo] have claimed nearly the same number of lives as having a 9/11 every single day for 360 days, the genocide that struck Rwanda in 1994, the ethnic cleansing that overwhelmed Bosnia in the mid-1990s, the genocide that took place in Darfur,

CNN: ‘Change is imminent’: African CEOs look to bright future – When the business champions of Africa meet together in forum, the topic is not how can we save Africa, but rather, how we can help Africa grow. Optimism is rising among Africa’s businessmen and women, and through careful planning, they hope to create a

WP: Experts turn focus on preemie birth rate in developed world; US worse than most –Premature birth in Western countries is already a delicate situation that requires a large amount of care so that the children can survive. In the developed world, premature birth rates are even worse, and children do not have the specialty

  AllAfrica: Ending Stigma Key to ‘Getting to Zero’ – Testing, access to treatment, and educating the public are all vital tools in the fight against HIV/AIDS. But to truly reach zero, one must first combat the stigma against HIV that prevents people from finding the courage to get the help they need. (Kopano Sibeko) WP:

NYT: Saving a Program That Saves Lives – Ten years ago, when medicine effective in combating malaria in tropical countries first hit the market, it was far too expensive for most malaria sufferers who had to rely on cheaper alternatives. The Global Fund sought to amend this by subsidizing the costs of malaria medications so that

CNN: What will four more years of Barack Obama mean for Africa? — Support for Obama as “Africa’s son” is a common theme among people of the continent. Yet America’s previous president, George W. Bush, has historically done more for Africa than his predecessor. How Obama will define his position on Africa during his second term

  Harvard Business Review: Out of Africa – Justin Fox reviews several newly released books about Africa, including Roger Thurow’s The Last Hunger Season. Fox notes that after years of “filling bookshelves with big-picture polemics about what’s wrong” with Africa – and “what’s wrong with Western attempts to fix it” – several books this year offer

NPR: Meet the four African women who are changing the face of coffee – Your morning coffee has a history, and chances are, it starts in Africa. Even more certainly, the production probably started in the hands of women. It’s estimated that 70 percent of the maintenance and harvesting of coffee beans are done by