Newton, Einstein, Hawking — they showed us the power of one beautiful mind to radically alter our understanding of the universe. Clarisse Uwizeye could be the next genius to turn science on its head, yet the world nearly lost her beautiful mind.
At age seven, Uwizeye barely escaped the genocide in her homeland of Rwanda, fleeing with her family to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two years later, war came to Congo and the family had to run again, back to Rwanda. Her parents vanished, never to be seen again.

Symbolism will hang heavy this weekend when Barack Obama visits Soweto, the cradle of South Africa’s black liberation struggle, and Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela, who remained in critical condition in hospital last night, languished for years, plotting his nation’s rebirth [...]

At first sight, it seems unlikely – a continent most associated with war and famine producing globally significant scientific research.
However, in many ways, the groundwork is there – knowledge, ingenuity, willingness to learn and adapt, coupled with the rapid expansion of digital technology. All of this is really allowing Africa to play a major part in global scientific collaborations.

1. Ecoutez le texte audio de Mme Diakité à propos des manifestations d’étudiants à Dakar.
2. Consult the following Langaa book available from African Books Collective or Amazon: “University Crisis and Student Protests in Africa”

It is ironic how light skinned people want darker “tanned” skin. This is thought to be a sign of health and wealth. Having a tan all year round shows that an individual has the means to travel – or visit salons – to get that desired tone. However, light skin is also associated with wealth and prosperity. Darker skinned people sometimes desire a lighter tone because it is believed to be linked to higher life chances. As we see, “The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence.”

The act of giving is an age-old tradition in Africa, and recent economic gains have fuelled a philanthropy boom on the continent. But while philanthropic funding from the developing world is a staple for research activity in Africa, home-grown givers have yet to channel their money towards research. This may yet change. African policymakers are working on an African science and technology fund supported by gifts from the continent’s businesses. But progress on the initiative has been slow, and some experts think that a lack of science and technology funding from the country’s government is holding back development.

Research Institutes in South Asia, Latin America and Africa have received a grant worth US$110 m from the Think Tank Initiative. Twenty three of these countries benefiting from the grant are from Africa including eleven from West and Central Africa. Elisabeth-Laure Njipwo spoke with Kathryn Toure, the West and Central Africa Regional Director for the International Development Research Center, IDRC.

Students told me that things are “different” at AIMS. I asked them what they meant. One young woman student explained that “we get inside the problem.”
                “What do you mean,” I asked?
                “I used to find the answer, without understanding the problem. Now I know how to get inside a problem, take it apart and understand it. Once I have done that, I can go to bed. I know that in the morning I will be able to solve the problem because I understand it.”
                So many of us try to “solve” problems without first understanding them. Will AIMS students use the approaches they are learning to “get inside” and tackle the challenges of the continent?

Les étudiants m’ont dit que les choses sont « différentes » à AIMS. Je leur ai demandé ce qu’ils voulaient dire. Une étudiante a expliqué que « nous allons à l’intérieur du problème. »
               « Comment cela ? » ai-je demandé.
               « J’avais l’habitude de trouver la réponse, sans comprendre le problème. Maintenant je sais comment pénétrer à l’intérieur d’un problème, et de le démonter afin de le comprendre. Une fois que je l’ai fait, je peux aller dormir. Je sais que dans la matinée, je serai en mesure de résoudre le problème parce que je l’aurai compris. »
               Beaucoup d’entre nous essaient de « résoudre » les problèmes sans les comprendre. Les apprenants d’AIMS, seront-ils et seront-elles en mesure d’« aller à l’intérieur » et de relever les défis du continent ?

While many Tunisians remain unconvinced that things will change, others are impatient with the transition government that cannot bring about the changes they want quickly. Tunisians need to take the future into their own hands… The full paper is available here: A Prayer for Rain: Tunisia’s Next Steps, by Deborah Glassman