Mahugu

Picture this for a minute: Kenya has one of the most sophisticated if not advanced money transfer systems in the world -Mobile cash transfer service. People can even transfer money from their bank accounts to the service accounts via their phone. They can then access their money through a local grocery store that offers the service!

For those looking for a garden variety ATM, there are dozens of National and International banks covering most major Kenyan towns. These form a large network of money spitting ATMs that support MasterCard, Visa, Plus and Cirrus international networks.

  If you watch a currently running National Geographic programming featuring two spear carrying bare-chested “Kenyan Maasai warriors” learning about ATMs, refrigerators, and other simple things you might be tempted to think Kenyans use abacus to count.

In one episode “Taking-on-New-York” they admire an ATM as if Africans are still using smoke signals to send text messages. The show does more to recklessly reinforce stereotypes than promote any culture. The fluency in which the two “morans” speak English suggests that they are well schooled. One of them even admits to have been in New York before yet he has never seen the tall buildings! He doesn’t know if a hotdog is not a real dog? Give me a break. To Americans that is supposed to be rib-splitting funny.

The above is not an isolated case by any measure. There is a disgusting imbalance and lack of positive programming on Africa and its people on American television.  Most of what Americans know about Africa is through television.

There is a great correlation between the broadcast media and perception. It is no coincidence that majority of Americans view Africans as ill-informed. Ironically most Americans still think Africa is one country under Mandela. Who is not informed here?

What does the overwhelming the negative depiction do the efforts of those trying to attract investment and tourism? It’s like swimming in glue! Simplistic depictions of the continent and its people by western media have a devastating impact on Africa ’s investment climate.

Investments create jobs and wealth which lead to improved education and healthcare. The opposite is also true. Lack of investment translates to more poverty, limited access to education and healthcare. Poverty and poor health leads to loss of lives. And more negative news. The vicious circle continues. 

Sadly when it comes to media bad news sell far much better than good news apparently because it attracts attention and curiosity. Unfortunately, viewership increases when there are tragedies, controversies or scandals going around. 

Africa is a natural hunting ground for bad news for two main reasons. First, there are some hot spots. Issues like Darfur obviously benefit from extensive media attention. There is plenty of genuine bad news ready for harvest. Secondly, Africans do not have well developed strategies to counter the negative media portrayal.

For investors to see Africa that is worthy of investments it is the Africans themselves who must take responsibility for how their continent is portrayed. A good example is how Italians reacted against shows like HBO “The Sapranos” and the MTV “Jersey Shore ”. 

Africans around the world should use alternative mediums to tell their true story and set the agenda. Stake holders and well-wishers should engage media outlets to encourage fair and balanced depiction of Africa and its people. As the saying goes,if you don’t tell your story, somebody will- their own way.

Staff

Billions of dollars have been poured into Africa for the last 50 years by donor nations, charities and Africans living abroad. This has benefited very few. The results dictate a need for a swift change of strategy to a more sustainable one-private enterprise.

One of the major obstacles of African attempt to attract investors and tourists is the unbalanced reporting and gross negative portrayal of Africa by the western media. Negatives images attract donors. This has driven most investors to India ,China and other Asian countries.

Most western investors are not aware of the plentiful low-cost labor, plenty of fertile land and under-exploited potential for tourism that Africa offers. Like any other continent African has its own trouble spots. Africa’s potential is as good if not better than Asia . Below are a few simple steps you can take to help Africa without breaking your bank.

• Support African friendly businesses abroad and in the continent. Trickle down effect contributes to less dependence on foreign donations.

• Use alternative mediums to tell the true African story and set the agenda.

• Engage media outlets to encourage fair and balanced depiction of Africa and its people

• Write a protest letter to publishers of movies, TV programs, articles or books portraying Africa in negative way.

• Use new media to share real images of Africa with the world.

• Use new media to share stories of African optimism and successes with the world.

• If you are an African living overseas encourage family members back home to look for income generating activities.

• Help finance family members Education and /training and discourage handouts.

• Help look for markets for African goods abroad and services.

• Encourage reasonable African leaders to create favorable business climate for foreign and local investors.

• If you are an African living overseas, discourage stereotyping Africans among coworkers.

• Encourage your company to outsource or establish call centers in Africa.

• If you are an actor, avoid movie or television roles that depict you as an informed African.

• Encourage tourism to Africa countries.

• Encourage the sound African Governments to set up public relations units to counter negative media coverage.

• Promote African made products abroad.

• Use African friendly and African made products

• Educate your western friends about Africa.

• Spend your vacation dollars in Africa

• Use new technology to highlight to Western investors the advantages of the plentiful low-cost labor, plenty of fertile land and under-exploited potential for tourism that Africa offers.

• Use new media to explain to the West that the best way to help is not only through charity, but also by investing in companies and projects offering a commercial rate of return. This will save their tax dollars.

• If you never been to Africa- Learn about Africa from reliable resources

•  If you're a teacher or a parent , teach kids about Africa.

• If you are a student, do a research paper on Africa .Start an Africa Club in your school.

• If you are An African living in USA, write to your senator about supporting fair trade opportunities for Africa

 Most Americans and Europeans know very little about Africa and its people. It is also unfortunate that whatever little they know is from biased movies and cable documentaries. They see one hungry, war-mangled African country not 54 independent states. Movies are meant to entertain so they naturally twist the reality or present only elements that produce the desired shock effect. In the process Africans are portrayed as unintelligent and primitive people waiting for foreign heroes to rescue them.

On television, documentaries programs meant to show traditional richness end up depicting African natives with some primitive flavor- some sub-human unintelligence. All these images perpetuate commonly held stereotypes and reinforce racist attitudes.

It should also be noted that the misinformation has a profound effect on how the Africans in living abroad are treated and regarded.

African poverty has a big market. As long as cable channels can increase viewership, Hollywood can sell millions of copies, shady charities can stay in business and rogue African elites can maintain their lifestyles using foreign aid, this is a foolproof business model.

This unholy alliance drives away potential direct investors. That means more poverty and consequently more images to harvest and sell. The vicious circle of misery continues.

Of course some parts of Africa have real problems that sometimes benefit from media coverage and foreign aid. We definitely have some charities that do great work. But the fact remains that most non-emergency issues can be solved by encouraging private enterprise.

What would other communities do if they were negatively portrayed? Try these on Italians or Jews! What are the 50 million Africans who are already middle class doing to break this vicious cycle?

Yes, we have 10 Million middle class Africans living abroad, more than 2 million of those live in USA . Another 40 million well to-do Africans live on the continent’s numerous modern urban centers. This is a group that has access to new media. Did you just say smart-entrepreneurial tech-savvy middle class Africans in modern urban centers?  How dare you? This is the Africa they don’t want the world to see.

Billions of dollars have been poured into Africa for the last 50 years by donor nations, charities and Africans living abroad. The results dictate a need for a swift change of strategy to a more sustainable one: Private enterprise.

One of the major obstacles of Africa’s attempt to attract investors and tourists is the unbalanced reporting and gross negative portrayal of Africa by Hollywood and the western media. This has driven most investors to India , China and other Asian countries.

Most western investors are not aware of the plentiful low-cost labor, fertile land and under-exploited potential for tourism that Africa offers. Africa’s potential is as good if not better than Asia .