Latest Stories from Derrick
How Ghana’s dolphins pay for an empty ocean
In a recent DW Documentary investigation, an annual killing of thousands of dolphins in Ghana demonstrates the overall destruction of marine ecosystems and desperation of the coastal communities struggling to find any alternative means to make a living. For generations, the ocean has been providing for the entire coastal communities in Ghana. In the context of unpleasant statistics provided by a recent DW Documentary investigation, an estimated number of dolphins...
Africa overtakes Asia as global epicenter of hunger
According to recent statistics by the UN, there are currently more hungry people in Africa than anywhere else around the globe, revealing how climate change, conflicts, and economic instability affect the global hunger situation. According to a recent UN assessment, Africa has surpassed Asia to become the global epicenter of hunger. This marks a geographical change in terms of hunger and famine in the world because the continent now hosts more...
My takeaways from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Last month, delegates, negotiators, observers, researchers, youth advocates, and representatives from civil society convened for the 64th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany. Here are my main takeaways. As I returned to Bonn during this year’s SB64, like most returning observers, I had expectations of technical meetings filled with dense negotiating texts and procedural debates. Behind each...
Gabon shutting off social media for under 16s isn’t a progressive move
In recent months, the option of freely using the internet has become increasingly difficult to achieve in Gabon as a result of new digital regulations. Under 16s are now prohibited from creating personal accounts. During the past year, the internet has seen increasingly strict limitations and restrictions. The initial temporary nationwide social media shutdown that was imposed on the country during a time of political unrest has now been fully...
Anger towards migrants is reaching crisis point in South Africa
South Africa is regarded as the land of opportunities on the continent, but at this time, there is fear of settling within its borders for African migrants. In townships and inner-city neighbourhoods, African migrants are once again becoming targets. Caught in a cycle of violence, exclusion, and suspicion, this crisis evokes a familiar sense of unresolved conflict. However, this time around, it goes deeper than mere politics. It’s...
Meet Gen Z talent Gout Gout: the fastest U20 athlete ever
At just 18 years old, Australia’s Gout Gout has arguably become the world’s fastest under 20 in 200 metres race With an amazing time of 19.67 seconds for the 200 metres event, Gout Gout holds the fastest world under-20 time, making him the fastest athlete under twenty years old in history. But it is not only the fastest among the youngsters, it places him alongside the best sprinters period. At the...
Young Africans are creating comics that reflect their culture using AI
While the Global North debates AI ethics, young Africans are using it to tell stories rooted in their own cultures. In the Global North, whether AI use can ever be considered ethical in creative spaces is becoming a gray area. But for many Africans, the conversation is shifting away from who owns what and more about access and opportunities for creative expression. At the heart of it all is Kelele...
Will carbon markets help Africa or is the whole thing a myth?
Companies in the Global North are increasingly purchasing carbon credits to offset their emissions, while projects across Africa are encouraging farmers to adopt climate friendly practices that can generate those credits. The process is theoretically simple. Farmers plant trees or adopt other practices that help to sequester carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. This is then measured and sold to companies as credits to help them offset their own impact...
What’s up with the UK’s new study visa restrictions?
A recent move by the UK government may alter the educational routes of thousands of young people in the Global South, especially those from areas experiencing conflict. Recently, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announced a plan by the British government to stop issuing study visas to students from various countries in the Global South. These include Cameroon, Sudan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. If everything goes as planned, the policy...
Young Africans are being blackmailed into joining Russia’s fight
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Africans became the target of numerous deceptive recruitment practices, leading to hundreds of deaths. During this year’s parliamentary intelligence briefing in Kenya, it was reported that over 1,000 nationals, who were lured by the prospect of high-paying jobs, were recruited and deployed to fight with no training and no clarity about their roles. Such is the case with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine...
