Africans 的个人资料Africans At Microsoft照片日志列表更多  |  工具 帮助 |
|
|
7月25日 Founders of successful Ghanaian university were Microsofties
Today, Ashesi University is regarded as the top private university in Ghana. The university has grown from a student body of 30 to 400 in 6 years; its graduates are achieving job placement rates far higher than that of other Ghanaian universities; and feedback from recruiters and hiring managers about their professional performance has been extremely positive. Patrick will be speaking to Microsoft employees next week to share his vision for Ashesi’s continued growth and highlights the ways in which numerous current and former Microsofties have been helping Ashesi University make a real impact on the African continent. Joe Dadzie (Principle Group Program Manager, OMPS R&D) and Nina Marini (Sr. Product Manager, Unlimited Potential Group) will also speak about their experiences as founding members of the Ashesi team. See Patrick’s talk at TEDGlobal held in Tanzania in June 2007. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and holds conferences bringing together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). Patrick spoke passionately about the critical role that a liberal arts education can play in forming true leaders for Africa and the world. Ashesi University (http://www.ashesi.org) was founded in 1999 by Patrick Awuah (Program Manager, RAS team, 1989-97) and Nina Marini (a current Microsoft employee). Advisors and supporters from the past and present Microsoft community include Bill Bliss, Paul Maritz, Mike Murray, Bill Neukom, Gurdeep Pall, David Thacher, David Treadwell, Todd Warren and many others. Technorati Tags: Patrick Awuah,Ghana,Ashesi University,Microsoft,Africa,Africans,education,degree,university 7月23日 USA: Macys.com has Rwandan Peace Baskets, helps African women.
The collection features traditional hand woven baskets as part of a unique partnership "focused on trade, not aid". The initiative creates employment opportunities for thousands of weavers and, as a result, has been able to positively impact many communities in Rwanda. Increased earning potential has enabled people to buy clean water or water purification tablets and HIV/AIDS medication as well as food, directly improving quality of life and building bridges between tribes. The baskets make great gifts and are unique conversation pieces that give people an opportunity to learn about and share cultural information, as well as contributing to a sustainable economic model that empowers African weavers (predominantly women). Go to macys.com to buy a basket or learn more about the Path to Peace collection. 2 new job opportunities with Microsoft in Africa
Here are two brand new opportunities in the region - please contact Odette Engelbrecht (i-odenge at microsoft.com) for more information, or to submit an application. Business Development Manager - Democratic Republic of Congo - Full time employee
PR and Events Manager - Dakar, Senegal - Contract opportunity
Requirements:
7月22日 Zimbabwe starts the healing process at last?
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe (L) shakes hands with Morgan Tsvangirai (R), leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), in Harare July 21, 2008. Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis. 7月18日 Nelson Mandela Celebrates 90th BirthdaySouth Africa marked Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday today. The man who once led the opposition movement against the former Apartheid government, later became the first democratically elected president of a unified country in its first free election. Festivities were held throughout his native country and around the world.
This week's issue of Time magazine pays tribute to the leader with a cover story "Mandela at 90: The Secrets of Leadership." Managing Editor Richard Stengel, who wrote the piece previously spent over a year working with Mandela on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom and had previously called Mandela the closest thing the world has to a "secular saint".
Click the links below to access the related stories:
6月26日 Zimfest in Tacoma, Washington July 4-6!
At a time when Zimbabwe faces unprecedented challenges, it is becoming more important for us to celebrate the good things. Join hundreds of people in the Puget Sound area over the long weekend to experience the music and joy of Zimbabwean culture! Zimfest 2008 will be held July 4–6 on the beautiful campus of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. About Zimfest: The Zimbabwean Music Festival is an annual celebration of Zimbabwean music and culture. The first festival was organized in Seattle in 1991 and has travelled up and down the Pacific Northwest Coast since then. The mission of the Zimbabwean Music Festival is twofold: to provide a venue for the increasingly international community of students, teachers, and performers of Zimbabwean music to come together and share, and to foster the growth of that community by reaching out to an ever-wider audience through educational and performance initiatives. The vision of the festival encompasses the diverse aspects of Zimbabwean performing arts and a wider perspective on culture and education. The festival now presents over 100 workshops and over 30 hours of concerts. Click here to learn more! 6月25日 Microsoft is hiring in AfricaHere are some cool job opportunities in our African offices - check out our West, East Central Africa recruiting site for more information, or to apply!
To learn more about Microsoft in Africa, see our regional website.
6月16日 Inflation in ZimbabweA friend of a friend in Harare recently got this letter from her ISP:
Dear Ms [name removed for privacy] This is to inform you that ZOL has suspended billing as of Monday this week (9th June). We have also stopped taking new dial-up customers until we can get extra line capacity from TelOne. We decided to defer sending bills because of the unpredictable and unsustainable economic situation - particularly the rate of devaluation. Please note, you will eventually get billed for your subscription and any extra usage - this is not free service, but at this point choosing the value to bill you would be no different to gambling at the casino - we would be picking a random number! In under one week, the official rate has gone from about 850 billion to over 2.5 trillion - about a three-fold or 200% increase. It appears the rate is moving by well over 100% a week, so assuming we bill you on a Monday, you pay by Wednesday and we spend the money by Friday - if we are lucky we lose over half the value of your payment and this week would have been even worse. That leaves us contemplating over-charging you 100% or more, just to have any chance of staying still. This is unreasonable by any measure and is not fair to you. Most of our customers have been with us for many years and have built considerable loyalty at ZOL. Therefore we feel we can count on you to pay your bill when it comes and you can count on us to charge a fair and reasonable price that is as low as possible. Thank you again for your support during these tough times. As usual we assure you of our absolute best in every effort to keep you connected to the Internet as fast and efficiently as possible. Best Regards The ZOL Crew 6月12日 UtterancesWe have a new Zimbabwean summer intern who did an online project called "Utterances" in response to the Zim election.There is a lot of discussion and concern amongst the Zimbabweans about the upcoming election run-off but also a sense of powerlessness and frustration - how can we help? What can we do?
Here's an exerpt from an email that went around recently:
"With all the discussion around the US election processes, we can't lose sight of another important upcoming election in Zimbabwe, June 27. There are far more egregious things than media-controlled propaganda that can impact voters’ rights and the accuracy of a Presidential Election. Mugabe’s “regime is distributing food mostly to its supporters and that those backing the opposition are offered food only if they hand in identification that would allow them to vote.” (read article #2) It’s not a fair election if you have to choose between physical safety or being able to eat, and your right to vote. “According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among those displaced by election-related violence are more than 10,000 children.” (article #1)
What can we do? We can't do NOTHING. Pay attention. Stay informed. Talk about it and spread the word. People who self-identify as “African-American” - make it your business to care about the Africa part of your identity. You can do a simple web search using “help Zimbabwe” and get a myriad of hits and options. In the email below are email addresses you can put to work. Take your pick and do that dang thing!
1. Mugabe Accepts UN Official to Help With Zimbabwe’s Runoff Election Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe says he will allow a United Nations high-ranking envoy to help the country conduct a free and fair presidential runoff election later this month. http://voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-06-06-voa3.cfm
2. Zimbabwe could see 'massive starvation' If the situation continues, "massive, massive starvation" will result, U.S. Ambassador James McGee told reporters in Washington by video conference from Harare. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24999167
3. Zimbabwe orders aid groups to suspend work Zimbabweans increasingly are unable to afford food and other essentials with agriculture paralyzed by land reform and the world's highest rate of inflation. "By introducing restrictions against aid workers in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwean government is attempting to hide the worst of the state-sponsored violence from the eyes of the world," said Amnesty International. 6月3日 Africans at Microsoft Newsletter May 2008
Who is JANINE - our VP for Membership Development?
I believe that if you don't make changes, you can't make progress in life. That's why membership development appeals to me: careers are all about growing and transforming! I enjoy helping people through transitions, and find that sharing knowledge and experiences is a good way to do that. There are so many talented Africans at Microsoft, and we have the power to transform how Microsoft does business with Africa, by changing it from within.
Did you Know? * Nollywood, the Nigerian Film Industry is a $250 million operation owing its success to digital technology, creative energy and the entrepreneurial spirit of the movie makers.
Editorial Perspective by Wambui Kihanya Leadership and Execution at all Levels are Key to Unleashing Africa’s PotentialI have always thought leaders are not only born but can sometimes be made in time. This past week, I had lunch with a friend and a mentor and while we were discussing the veracity of that cliché, she made a point that resonated with me - leadership is not to be confused with ambition. A leader is one who has the ability to affect human behavior to accomplish a mission. The fundamental premise is that a leader is able to influence others to follow, execute and deliver progress. This is the leadership needed in Africa to leverage resources and bring to light positive stories told about Africa. What many people hear about Africa is poverty, disease, civil war, slavery and other not-so-positive stories. What they may not hear is the huge market potential, the work in progress to turn around Africa and more that is going on in Africa. While candor is important about the problems in Africa, this is not the only reality. For example, on civil war, there are 53 nations in Africa and less than 10 have civil wars. Africa's story needs to be told differently to highlight action being taken to combat problems and opportunities that exist. When WECA (West, East and Central Africa) leadership was at Microsoft in April, they presented the opportunity that lies in Africa through its sheer size and market potential. One of the stories about Africa is about poverty, yes, Africa has some of the poorest countries but there are some positive stories. Africa is wealthier across the continent than say India: the average gross national income (GNI) per capita across all 53 African nations in 2005 was about $954, more than $200 higher than India's according to the Harvard Business Review.
Harvard Business Review, June 2007 South Africa was voted a top off-shore call center, by 2020 Nigeria is forecasted to be among the top 10 economies in the world. Leaders are key to communicating and helping to realize this potential. One of the discussions at the WECA gathering was on Africa's brain drain and how to get talent to stay in or move back to Africa. Fred Swaniker, a Ghanaian returned to Africa and founded a leadership academy aimed at retaining graduates to work in Africa. In this academy, if the graduates work in Africa for 10 years, their tuition debt is waived and if not, then they will pay back full tuition. Among the top leaders to speak at the academy is Pfungwa Serima, GM at Microsoft South Africa. Great leadership is not the only necessity for progress, but with enough of it and ambition from all levels to execute, Africa’s scarce resources will be sufficiently leveraged, economies will grow, and the story of Africa will be more positive. “We are focused on realizing Africa’s potential through people and technology and we can achieve this through capability & capacity building at Microsoft and with our partners, focus on IT for education, government & society, and with innovative approached to Africa’s challenges,” - Thomas Hansen, GM Microsoft WECA
Six Steps to Getting Promoted By Janine de Nysschen, Group Audience Marketing Manager We held our first career brownbag recently and talked candidly about the things you need to do at Microsoft if you want to get promoted. Here’s a recap if you didn’t attend: · Do what you love, love what you do. Key question: don’t ask do I enjoy my job? instead ask do I know what I enjoy? Then start figuring out how to do the things you enjoy, building it into your career plan. · Be yourself, brand yourself. There’s a connection between your personal brand and your professional reputation. Decide how you want to be judged, and remember your actions and interactions add up to how people describe you and the value they think you bring. · Careers don’t have built in GPS. Map out what you want and the plan to get there. Look for opportunities that give you new skills, a better network and specific experiences that grow your career. · It’s not who you know, but who knows about you. Promotions are about perceptions and performance. What other people say about you is more important than what you say about you. Get a mentor to help you navigate your career. · Work smart, not hard. Remember, Microsoft rewards jobs that help the company grow its business. Get deep, go broad and learn to be strategic. And 20% of your effort should get you 80% of your result. · Understand how it works, ask for what you want. Promotions have three pillars: business, budget and performance - find out about your team’s cycle and criteria. Know what you need to move between level bands. Ask your manager where you fit in the 20/70/10 framework.
Tell us your story: From Redmond to Lagos, An Interview with Ken Spann Africhat: What do you do at Microsoft? Ken: I’m currently a Senior Program Manager for Windows Server. We just completed Windows Server 2008, a 3-year effort and will be wrapping up the Hyper-V TAP soon. I have been working here for the last 3 of my 8 years at Microsoft! Africhat: Your relocation to the Nigerian subsidiary, how did this come to be? Ken: From a post on the discussion group alias about opportunities in Africa. As I lived in Ghana in 1999, I was interested and reached out to contacts in WECA. Africhat: What was your experience when you traveled to Nigeria? Ken: I traveled to Lagos, Nigeria on April 7th 2008 my first time there. Upon departing from the plane I immediately felt at home among the throngs of people that looked like me. I did not take into account Jet lag and after the 17-hour flight from Seattle, went immediately to the Microsoft Office on Victoria Island. Jet lag eventually caught up with me later in the day. The most striking part of my trip was meeting so many skilled and passionate employees in that office. They are doing an incredible job without knowledge of many of the tools and resources we take for granted in Redmond and in other parts of the world. I was greeted warmly (in addition to a Nigerian lunch served daily at the office!) and immediately felt at home among my soon to be teammates. Africhat: Are there challenges you saw and how could they be eliminated? Ken: One of the main challenges is the lack of a bridge between our African employees and US employees. Imagine if we construct a virtual 8-lane highway between US employees and those in Africa, that continually carries information, tools, opportunities, and challenges that flow over that highway! A network, perhaps leveraging Facebook. Africhat: Anything you like to see more of or less of from Africans at Microsoft? Ken: Africans at Microsoft should do more of what they do. After all it was through one of the threads that I learned of opportunities in Africa. I think that you can (since many of our members are from some of the 49 countries of WECA) help to dispel the wrong stereotypes people have of Africa. Yes, there is abject poverty but Lagos, a city of 12 million people is a vibrant a city like others NY, Paris, London, or other chic metropolitan area. Perhaps expats can form knowledge centers around a particular topic or country so that our counterparts in WECA have a resource they know will respond to issues. Also, more collaboration (unless it already exists and I am simply not aware) between BAM and Africans at Microsoft since after all, are we not all Africans? Africhat: What you are looking forward to in Africa? Ken: Being a part of the Microsoft fuse that will ignite the technological and economic explosion which is about to occur across Africa. Microsoft will not only add value to the businesses and corporations of Africa, create opportunities for new and existing partners, but we are committed to providing millions of people with opportunities. In this global economy, physical location is minimized by the communication means at our disposal. I will take Redmond and the contacts and friends I have made. Rest assured I will leverage the contacts. However, I will not abuse as Charles Barkley in his Fave Five with Dwayne Wade Africhat: Your final thoughts? Ken: I like to quote a story I heard: "Two salesman went to Africa in the 19th century to sell shoes. The first one saw everyone walked barefoot. He booked passage back the next day, totally despondent, muttering to himself, "I can't sell shoes in Africa, nobody wears them." While this story is set in the 19th century, it was still relevant in the 1990’s. Do you know that 9 years ago, Nigeria government approached multinational telecommunication companies to put a bid for the mobile communication license in Nigeria? These companies asked PriceWater House Cooper to carry out research on Nigerian market. PHC reported statistics such as current usage of phone is one phone to 10,000 people, majority citizens live on less than $1 a day, even if they afford the handset they will not afford making regular call. Based on this, the multinational telecom company pulled out. MTN (South Africa) decided to take the plunge, MTN made their total investment cost payback within the first 2 years of operations in Nigeria. The profits made in Nigeria every year is more than profits made in all other countries in which MTN operates – together. Microsoft, like the second salesperson, and MTN saw no one had computers and wired “Hurry, send computers with Microsoft software, no one has computers here!
An African Recognized: Gladys Kenfack Receives Social Enterprise Award At Seattle Univeristy’s Annual Business Plan competition with AgriDev, Gladys Kenfack won a Social Enterprise Award. The business plan focused on creating a food processing co-op in the Village of Dshang in Cameroon. It would help preserve food for fighting hunger after harvest season, create jobs, reduce food waste, increase income circulation to increase demand for dryers and lightly processed foods and raise money for micro loan programs. The critique she received was that the plan was too broad so she decided to select a small portion of the business plan to implement as proof of the concept. Gladys is graduating in In Gladys’ words as to what is next for her, “I am very passionate about designing and researching new technologies and new innovations for emerging markets. Microsoft, has a ton of opportunities for one to develop that passion further. For me, winning this Social Enterprise award at Seattle University was more than just a monetary prize. It helped making the project crispier and boosting confidence in the impact that the project could have on many lives back home.” Kudos to you Gladys!
Microsoft in Africa: Business Unusual - How Technology is Shaping Africa - By Patrick Onwumere, MSIT APEX Candidate This year’s Stanford Africa Business Forum was informative and engaging. Keynote speakers and panelists were experts in their fields and along with attendees from Stanford’s academic departments and industry representatives discussed Africa’s potential: future and realized. Dr. Reuben Jaja, the President of the USA Africa Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the BFI Group Corporation, gave an address on what is missing in Africa and how Africans can get connected. He broke down production in Africa into 4 areas: land, labor, technology, and capital. With 24% of the global land mass, 13% of the world population, and as the trailblazers in technology (started along the Nile), Africa has 2% of the global GDP. In general and in relation to Dr. Jaja’s keynote, the panels discussed the role of Africans in the Diaspora and that they are the bridge to move Capital and Technology back to Africa. For Africa to remain relevant, it needs effective leadership, accountability and individual contributors in the production and manufacturing space of Africa. On Information Communication Technology (ICT), the speakers and panelists agreed this area has grown exponentially in the last few years. Another keynote speaker, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) stated that Nigerian telecom industry has enjoyed growth of over 50MM lines in less than 7 years and that the needs of the industry are constant electric power supply, ICT Reliability, and Fiber Optic Infrastructure. He said there great opportunities in the communication space and “You don’t have to be in Africa to make a change.” Call to Action: Entrepreneurship is a state of mind and to be successful you need to create an innovative strategy that tackles problems without focusing on the corruptions and challenges. As Africans at Microsoft we need our Engineers - Think about modifying or adapting the technologies here to meet the needs in Africa. Business People - Think about what business models have worked here and how they can be modified to work in Africa’s market. All -Think about innovative ideas to address the socio-political challenges and stealth modes to bypass the governments status quo. "Ideas are the real capital - Everything else is just money" Deutsche Bank
Faces, Places and Spaces of Africans at Microsoft By Vera Arthur, Search Media Analyst Meet Nneka Keshi, New York Office
Nneka’s initial challenge at Microsoft was understanding the dynamics of getting things done quickly in a multi-matrixed organization. She has since learned that identifying the key stakeholders up front and getting their support or input speeds up the process. An aspect of her job that she enjoys the most is the customer relationship and enabling customers achieve their goals on the Microsoft advertising platform. I asked Nneka what she thought could be done to improve online marketing in Africa and she indicated that for Africa, we should begin by reaching out to the masses and begin with mobile marketing since this is an industry that has increased immensely in Africa. That would be the starting point. The last thing Nneka wants to share is a quote: “A dream is just a dream, but a goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” Those are words she tries and remembers as she navigates her career.
Kelly Brock - An Honorary AfricanIf you are on Africans DACs, you could not have missed Kelly Brock’s emails diligently leading efforts to help to get Emmanuel Dismas and his family settled in Washington or thanking those who had offered help. Kelly, a business administrator with Windows Server, showed an amazing zeal advocating to others what this refugee family needed from housing and clothing to a landing a job at Microsoft. What was also amazing, was how many people responded with donations both money and needed items, and acting as interpreters. Through her efforts, Kelly became aware of other families who have relocated from Tanzanian refugee camps. If you are able to assist, reach out to Kelly (or leave a comment on the blog). What an amazing show of concern, action and leadership in an area of need! 5月29日 AfricaNews - African Millennium celebration kicks offAfricaNews - African Millennium celebration kicks off - RSS english Posted on www.africanews.com Sunday 25 May 2008 - Ethiopian News Agency. Photo: Michael Poliza The celebration of the African Millennium here would further scale up the relation among African countries to a higher level, senior officials and diplomats of various African countries said.
The African Millennium celebration has been launched in Ethiopia on Saturday. Representative of the Sudanese Ministry of Culture, Nesredin Shul Game and Head of the Egyptian Information and Press Council told ENA that the celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium as an African Millennium is the pride of all African countries. They said Ethiopia contributed a lot for the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and African Union (AU). The African Millennium celebration is unique in that it is celebrated on the same day with the celebration of the 45th founding anniversary of OAU.They noted that Africans should further continue supporting each other in the new millennium. Director General of the Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Secretariat, Seyoum Bereded said the celebration is special in that it is held in Addis, the hub of Africans.He said as Ethiopia is the symbol of sovereignty for African nations, all Africans have colorfully celebrated the Ethiopian new Millennium. Renowned artists from Egypt, Sudan and Somalia have staged music concerts as part of the celebration, which was attended by Ambassadors of various countries and Ethiopian senior government officials including Minister of Information, Berhan Hailu. The celebration continued on Sunday. This article was innitially published at www.ena.gov.et 5月8日 Spend the Evening with an Ethiopian Author in Seattle this Friday May 9Heads up if you’re looking for something to do tomorrow night – Seattle library will be hosting an evening with Dinaw Mengestu, author of “The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears”…
4月30日 How to Avoid 10 Top Driving Mistakes | Newsweek Enterprise - Business Travel | Newsweek.comThese driving tips may have been developed in Africa, but they're applicable EVERYWHERE! - Check out the article here:How to Avoid 10 Top Driving Mistakes | Newsweek Enterprise - Business Travel | Newsweek.com 4月29日 Four African countries recently celebrated important days...So this is a little belated, but still – Happy Independence Day to Sierra Leone, Togo and South Africa for Sunday and Happy Union Day to Tanzania for Saturday! Check out some interesting facts below about each of these African countries!
Union Day commemorates the unification of Zanzibar and Tanganyika in 1964. Later that year (in October), the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar officially changed its name to the United Republic of Tanzania, however according to the Tanzanian government website, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is a unitary republic consisting of the Union Government and the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government.
Tanzania – home to over 33 million people - is the biggest (land area) among the East African countries (i.e. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) with a spectacular landscape and a large concentration of wild animals. Its geography includes pristine sandy beaches as well as Africa’s highest and snow-capped mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Dar es Salaam is the commercial capital and major sea port - it serves neighbouring land-locked countries of Malawi, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, as well as Eastern DRC. Other sea ports include Zanzibar, Tanga, and Mtwara. Because of its geographical and locational advantage, Dar es Salaam Port presents itself as the gateway into East and Central Africa.
Kiswahili (also known as Swahili) and English are Tanzania’s national language – click here to learn a few words!
The Dismas refugee family who arrived in Seattle a few months ago, and whom many of us have met, spent years in a refugee camp in Tanzania before coming to the US. Kelly Brock, who has been a pillar of support for Emanuel Dismas and his family, is working diligently to help more families move from that same refugee camp to the US – if you’d like to help her help give these people a chance at a better life, feel free to reach out! Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa next to Ghana. The official language is French, however there are many other languages spoken beside that. When the slave trade began in earnest in the sixteenth century, the west coastal region was a major raiding center for Europeans in search of slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast."
In more recent history, Togo has been occupied by the Portuguese, then a German protectorate before being administered by the British and French after World War II. Togo ultimately declared independence from France in 1960.
With almost 7 million people, Togo remains one of the world’s poorest economies – partly due to is isolation and partly due to political instability.
Sierra Leone, another West African nation whose name means “Lion Mountains”, appears to have some fun Independence Day celebrations involving lanterns! Sierra Leone gained its independence from Britain in 1961 and declared itself a republic ten years later. Like Togo, it has a dark history involving the slave trade, followed by colonialism before ultimately achieving independence.
Two major Hollywood films have been produced that relate to Sierra Leone: Steven Spielberg’s film Amistad (1997, with Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins and Mathew McConaghey) is about an 1839 mutiny aboard a slave ship travelling towards the Northeast Coast of America; while Edward Zwick’s film Blood Diamond (2006, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou) is about conflict diamonds mined in Sierra Leone, Angola and Congo and sold in major diamond cutting centers to finance (and prolong) armed conflicts in Africa.
Unfortunately, according to Wikipedia, Sierra Leone is the lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index and seventh lowest on the Human Poverty Index,[11] suffering from endemic corruption,[12] suppression of the press[13] and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.[14]
Though South Africa achieved independence from Britain on 31 May, 1910, Freedom Day is the official Independence Day of South Africa. It is celebrated on 27th of April every year and commemorates the first democratic, non racial elections held in 1994. As the official independence day of South Africa, Freedom Day is celebrated to pay tribute to all those men and women who have made relentless efforts and sacrifices on behalf of the oppressed. On Freedom Day the people of South Africa pledge to re- commit themselves to safeguard their hard won freedom and also to completely wipe out the legacy of racism from South Africa.
The South African flag is the only 6-colored flag in the world and has an interesting story – having been originally commissioned as an interim flag only - and was a last-minute job, barely making it onto the country's flagpoles in time to herald the new South Africa. Almost 50 million people live in South Africa, and although internet penetration is low (single digits, probably mainly as a result of infrastructure), South Africans text message like crazy. J South Africa is a huge tourist destination as well as a key trade route with a comparatively healthy economy. Diverse wildlife abound and South African wines are popular around the world.
South Africa is a force to be reckoned with in the International rugby world as well as a prominent player on the world’s soccer stage – in fact the 2010 World Cup will be hosted by South Africa and already tickets are at a premium!
4月24日 Talks about Rwanda in Seattle
Gasana Mutesi, co-founder and President of Amani Africa, is coming to Seattle. She will talk about life in Rwanda and present plans for the building of the new school in Nyamata.
4月18日 Happy Anniversary, ZIMBABWE!I’d normally write a lot more about Zimbabwe but am a little crunched right now on a project. I will say, however (and yes, I am biased about my homeland!), that Zimbabwe is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Sadly, the nation once dubbed “the breadbasket of southern Africa” has experienced significant economic decline in recent years and, as you have all probably seen in the news lately, even though recent elections have won the opposition party a parliamentary majority, the presidential election is still unresolved. Read this interesting article sent through to us today - http://www.zimdaily.com/news/127/ARTICLE/2536/2008-04-17.html
Even though these are difficult times for Zimbabwe, we are still optimistically celebrating independence day, and according to the Washington State Africa Network, there is a Zimbabwe Independence Party in Seattle tomorrow night!
FYI, this chronology below shows just how long the road was for Zimbabwe to achieve independence… Hopefully “one man, one vote” will deliver a sunnier future!
Written by Lorrin Maughan, a Zimbabwean at Microsoft
4月15日 An interview with Charles Duze - African and founder of LittleDrops Orphanage FundRecently LittleDrops Orphanage Fund hosted their annual fundraiser event, Night of Hope, with the goal of raising money to help them continue their mission to help orphanages in five African countries. They are still working to achieve their fundraising goals for this quarter so please consider donating - click here.
Below is an interview with Charles Duze, an African at Microsoft and founder of LittleDrops Orphanage Fund, which he runs with a volunteer-only team in addition to his day job. Oh, and did we mention he's also an awesome chef who catered the whole fundraising event??
Africhat: What do you do and how long have you been at Microsoft?
CD: I’m an SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) and have been here four years in June – I’ve been in the same group (Outlook) and even the same office for the whole time! [editor: that is some feat at Microsoft, where we sometimes seem to move offices more than some people change clothes!] Some of the new features in Outlook 2007 that I worked on and owned include Electronic Business Cards, SharePoint Integration and the “ribbon” for Contacts and Distribution lists. I’m also really excited about the new features I a working on for “Outlook14”. Africhat: How did you come to be at Microsoft? Were you recruited directly from Nigeria? CD: I actually came to America to go to University – I studied Computer Science at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. I was in upstate New York working and studying for my Masters degree, when my Aunt suggested I go to a job fair being held at my University (Syracuse University), which is where I was interviewed by Microsoft. I was offered the job in January 2004 and the company let me finish my studies before starting my job in June 2004. Africhat: How did you come to be part of the Africans at Microsoft community? CD: One day in the parking garage, I ran into someone who looked Nigerian, so I introduced myself and we got chatting. After a while, we created the Nigerian Village Network where groups of people would get together for potluck and to hang out, so that’s how I got to know other Nigerians, which in turn led me to Africans at Microsoft. Africhat: What sorts of challenges did you face as an African immigrant to America?
CD: Having family (my Aunt) in Syracuse, NY made a big difference. Seattle was definitely more diverse than upstate New York – I was the only African student at my first undergraduate college! I did join the African Student Union at Syracuse but I’ve really always just thought of myself as Charles, rather than thinking of myself as different from my fellow students. Being an immigrant did, however, make me constantly aware of the need to achieve and to know what I wanted because my visa status was dependent on me having a clear definition of where I wanted to go. I’ve maintained those high standards ever since. Africhat: You also give back to Africa through the Little Drops Orphanage Fund – tell me how that came about. CD: Well when I first came to America my plan was to become a millionaire and then go back home and be a philanthropist. I’ve been here a while and I haven’t made my millions yet but I still want to make a difference. One day I was inspired by a story of one lady who raised just $2 from each of her friends, which grew to a decent amount of money and allowed her to do some good. I realized that if enough of us do a little bit, it soon grows into a lot – just like a drop of water isn’t much, but if you have enough drops you end up with an ocean – so I decided to stop waiting and take action together with some friends. Little Drops Orphanage Fund was set up in 2005 (we got incorporated in August and our IRS 501c3 status in December that year) with 5 core volunteers. In 2006 we expanded and now have more volunteers from Microsoft as well as companies like Boeing and T-Mobile. More importantly, we helped 7 orphanages in Nigeria that year. It was really useful to have my parents in Nigeria, who could interview the homes and establish relationships with them. Last year, we extended our reach into Kenya and this year we plan to expand again to support homes in Cameroun, Togo and Ghana.
This is an excerpt from an email we received from one of the homes in Kenya: “The children are doing fine. All have gone to school. They are so happy nowadays for they are not going to look for water outside. Last Saturday was a day for washing. All the clothes that they had never washed before were cleaned that day since the water was there the whole day. All of us remain so grateful to LittleDrops Orphanage Fund for helping us get water into our compound.” Africhat: What’s next for you Charles? CD: I would like to continue to make a difference in Africa (there is a lot more to be done) and here at Microsoft. I enjoy using my experience (good and bad) to mentor people and would love to help people grow their careers so if anyone is looking for a mentor, I would be happy to talk to them. Africhat: What piece of advice would you give a new African at Microsoft? CD: Have a clear definition of what you want and always work towards it; and remember that when it comes to making a difference in the world, every little bit counts – because many little drops make a mighty ocean. What an inspiring chap! Charles is truly proof that the author Sydney Smith was right when he said "It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can." Charles did what he could and as a result is having a tangible impact on the lives of over a hundred orphans in Africa. If you are interested in supporting LittleDrops Orphanage Fund - through volunteering, donating or other means, check out their website at http://www.littledropsorphanagefund.org/
4月10日 Employees Rally to Fight AIDS in Africa - an internal Microsoft event sponsored by Africans at MicrosoftEmployees Rally to Fight AIDS in Africa The toll the disease is taking on sub-Saharan Africa is felt by Microsoft’s African employees and many others. By Lukas Velush, Writer for MicrosoftWeb - April 10, 2008 Microsoft employees are uniquely positioned to help fight the AIDS pandemic, said Linda Coppess, a senior marketing manager with the worldwide EPG team. In Africa, AIDS has left 15 million children without parents. In some African countries, more than half the population is infected with the deadly disease. Every day, AIDS-related diseases kill an estimated 8,000 people worldwide, including 5,000 in sub-Saharan Africa, where the average life expectancy has dropped below 40 years. Every 14 seconds, an African child is orphaned by AIDS. Such numbers are so staggering that many people, including many at Microsoft, find it difficult to absorb them, much less know what to do to help those impacted by the disease. To make it more personal, Africans at Microsoft last week invited three speakers on campus to share their stories and call on employees to help. Bwalya Melu, who works with World Vision in Federal Way, told the tale of losing three brothers and their wives to AIDS in his homeland of Zambia. “Every time [I see the statistics on how many people are dying], I just wonder what I’m doing here,” Melu said. He says he has survivor guilt. “I live with the pain of having seen the deaths of hundreds of my friends and relatives.” Then he reminds himself what his mother told him: It’s important to have a voice to tell the story at places like this, where there are people who can help save lives in his homeland.
Another World Vision speaker, Dr. Ayoade Alakija, described how her first patient died from AIDS-related causes within 10 minutes of her meeting him. That was in 1992. “It touched me,” said Alakija, a public health specialist on HIV/AIDS and poverty who lives in Fiji. “It really impacted my life.” She soon made fighting the disease the focal point of her career. “When you see children and women dying, people all over the world, I just couldn’t sit back,” she said. “I had to somehow take responsibility and get involved.” Tamsin Smith talked about how a growing number of businesses are helping people living with AIDS in Africa by ensuring a percentage of the products they sell are given to The Global Fund to purchase antiretroviral drugs, which hold the disease’s symptoms at bay. Her company is RED, which partners with the world's most iconic brands—including Windows Vista—to produce (PRODUCT) RED branded products, said Smith, who is the company’s president. Purchasing a (PRODUCT) RED PC, for example, can pay for four to six months of such drugs. Smith encouraged employees to use their buying power to help by choosing (PRODUCT) RED branded products. Microsoft employees are uniquely positioned to help fight the AIDS pandemic, said Linda Coppess, a senior marketing manager with the worldwide EPG team. “I went to Africa and asked for this [discussion] to happen,” she said. “Since I came back, I have seen two separate worlds. I’m hoping that events like this inspire people to get involved.” Like Melu, Coppess called on Microsoft employees to keep working on the problem. Event organizers offered three calls to action: get educated about the disease; do something about it, including volunteering or giving money; and get behind Microsoft-driven efforts to help, including participating in (PRODUCT) RED. Melu said it’s unacceptable that most of the people infected with the disease don’t have access to drugs that really are very affordable. “That makes me angry, and I hope it enrages you,” he said. “The 5,000 people who will die today in sub-Saharan Africa are real people.” Beyond that, Melu and Alakija asked employees to brainstorm ways to apply their work skills to help in Africa, whether it’s creating programs to educate a generation of children without parents or applications to smoothly distribute drug regimens used to fight HIV and AIDS in rural Africa. Godwell Khosa with Africans at Microsoft reminded people that their volunteer hours can be matched by Microsoft funds through the employee giving program and Lorrin Maughan, an African and a marketing manager with Windows, encouraged people to think about ways they can use their day jobs to make a difference. People who want to learn more about AIDS in Africa can attend a free World Vision interactive AIDS exhibition in Bellevue May 8-12. Sign up at World Vision Experience. 3月29日 Zimbabweans go to thepollsIt's Election Day in Zimbabwe and all the Zimbabweans at Microsoft are waiting with baited breath to see if the official outcome (preliminary results are due on Monday) means the end of Robert Mugabe's 28 year reign. The military is out in force to quell any election day violence, as claims of vote rigging abound. Zimbabwe, once dubbed "the breadbasket of Africa" is in crisis - the economy has collapsed and hyperinflation is rampant - a loaf of bread these days is cheap at $10 million. There are very real concerns that these elections may precipitate civil war.
Watch this space for more as events unfold...
Is this what a loaf of bread really costs in Zimbabwe??
3月21日 Happy Independence Day Namibia!
Namibia is a relatively young independent nation, having won its independence in 1990 after a long period of administration by South Africa and an even longer war for independence (SWAPO actually launched their independence struggle against Germany in 1966).
Some facts about Namibia:
Recommended reading/viewing:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 1999 former Microsoft employee Patrick Awuah set out with a bold vision: to build a new university in West Africa that would raise the bar for higher education and, in the process, train a new generation of ethical, entrepreneurial leaders equipped with the skills to improve their own communities. 
|
|
