Makoko has the dubious honour of being dubbed the world’s largest floating slum: up to 300 000 people are said to live here – in full view of every person stuck in the notorious Lagos traffic on Third Mainland Bridge. Some view the settlement as an eyesore, and there have been repeated attempts to move parts of the community, sometimes by force. The air is prickly with tension when we arrive. We learn that a community dispute erupted in violence...
“Do not complain, never whine, make every effort to change the things you do not like, and do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.” - Maya Angelou My name is Arafa Salim Said, I am the fourth child in a family of seven. I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at the tender age of eight months and I have been an outright warrior ever since. Sickle cell disease is a severe hereditary form of anaemia which mutates haemoglobin...
The highlight of my weekend was watching a 200-strong crowd shout in unison: Poverty is Sexist. We were gathered on International Women’s Day to launch ONE’s new campaign in the presence of government and UN officials, action/2015 partners, celebrities, the media and over 200 ONE supporters at Indaba Conference Centre in Johannesburg.