The outpouring of concern for the people of Ukraine has surprised world-weary observers who talk of “compassion fatigue”. Yet, the survivors of other conflicts question what they see as double standards. In the words of a Yezidi friend, “We suffered the same thing in 2014-2017 at the hands of Islamic State. Are we less human […]

As anyone who follows the news knows, the world is facing dark and frightening times. Only the hardest and most cynical hearts have not been touched by the suffering of the people of Ukraine. We all need some hope at the moment. Here is a ray of sunshine from Network for Africa: we recently asked […]

Some years ago, I was an election monitor in a West African nation just emerging from a devastating civil war. President Carter, then a hyper-active 82, was leading the team of international observers. He asked me to spend several days interviewing war lords about the peace process and the election campaign. I protested that I […]

Until recently, it was difficult to explain to people in high-income countries why superstition has such power in low-income societies. “Why do they still believe these things, despite all the evidence to the contrary?” some of our supporters would ask, both mystified and concerned. Now, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the divide within comparatively wealthy countries between people […]

Since the pandemic began, alcohol abuse in the US and UK has risen dramatically. Several recent surveys show one in five Americans are consuming an unhealthy amount of alcohol. The UK mirrors these findings, with an increased rate of alcohol-related deaths. Both countries are also acknowledging upticks in domestic violence. Now, imagine facing the equivalent […]

Season’s greetings. I owe you a catch up on what Network for Africa has been up to in these unpredictable times. I also want to thank you again for your support, especially as 2021 has been another challenging year. Thank you to all of you who have donated so generously towards our work. Here are […]

Rhett Butler may not have cared what Scarlett O’Hara thought of him, (“Frankly, my dear…”) but most of us are concerned about how we are seen by the world. Anyone who has lived with an alcoholic knows about putting on a brave face, pretending everything is normal, and dreading the judgment of strangers and friends alike. Grace […]

There’s no business like small business start-ups for getting you back on your feet. That’s the conclusion we’ve reached at our mental health project in northern Uganda. As part of the counselling we give people dealing with trauma and emotional issues, we offer training in setting up a small business. (These are called income-generating or […]

Depending on when you were a child, an adult probably told you to finish your meal because less fortunate children were starving in India, Biafra or Ethiopia. If you grew up in a relatively high-income country as I did, this may have marked the beginning of your awareness that you were comparatively privileged. The scale […]

Until the Covid-19 pandemic, it was difficult to explain the enduring power of superstition in traditional societies to people who live in the so-called developed world. Now, as North Americans and Europeans decline the chance to be vaccinated, we are reminded that people make choices based on misinformation in all parts of the world. In Sierra […]