Africa has had numerous conflicts that have often caused human suffering, and currently, organized terrorism is threatening peace and security on the continent. Poverty has compounded to the human suffering because millions of people on the continent cannot access food due to persistent draught. You have probably seen the images of African children crying with flies on their face, or drinking dirty water from the same pond with animals. Although Africa has had its fair share of problems such as the Rwandan genocide, there are great things that are happening on the continent, some of which go unreported.
In reporting what comes from Africa, the western media has always focused on the negatives, often overlooking the positive aspects of Africa. Peddling the distorted narrative about the continent has led to a situation in which majority of westerners perceive the continent as a desolate place or a place of hopelessness. While terrorism and poverty are major issues in Africa, these issues are not as widespread as they are depicted in the western media. Some of us who have had the opportunity to travel to Africa understand the fact that the way the continent is represented on the media is in sharp contrast to what Africa is actually is.
With a total of 54 countries, Africa has managed to grow socially, economically and politically because it home to the fastest growing economies. The investment on infrastructure has tremendously improved across Africa, and this has spurred trade and development. Today, tens of millions of Africans are connected to the national grid because some African governments such as the Kenyan government have stepped up efforts to increase their investment on the green energy solutions. In Nigeria, the number of the tech startups is increasing while in South Africa, medical tourism is growing. The mobile money is also big on the continent, and this is aided by access to cellphones.
Reporting negative things about the continent can scare aware people who may want to invest on the continent. It may also cause some people in the western countries to shy away from experiencing the beauty the continent has to offer. Therefore, there is need for the media in the west to showcase positive things that are coming out of the continent. Africa has demonstrated that it can be a powerful player in pursuing an agenda that benefits human kind. The media or the news companies can help shift the narrative, and portray the continent in a positive light.