Moses Richu

The wheels in my head have been spinning after reviewing my friend  Armand Konecsi-Luzny’s blog. He questions whether countries ‘position’ themselves, and considered Germany as one of his examples. German cars are generally known for their excellent craftsmanship, which influences the way we perceive Germany as a whole. Being from Kenya, I began to ponder how my country is positioned, which led me to a larger question; how is AFRICA positioned?

During my time at UBC, I have come to realise that there is a disparity between what African’s think of their continent (and country) and what people from other continents think of Africa and the 54 countries within it. Those who have had the pleasure of visiting an African country have generally been blown away by the stark contrast. The majority of those I have met who have not visited Africa mentally associate Africa with poverty, corrupt government, death, and the Maasai Mara.  They believe that it is a desolate, arid, undeveloped land. It must therefore be particularly confusing  for them to see African’s speak with great pride of their home, of the unforgettable beauty of the African sunrise, of the heart-melting warmth of the African people, and finally, of the great wealth that lies in Africa.

However, looking at the magazines and and other media available, I can not blame them. When discussing Africa, images of starving children are often splashed across the magazine pages, often accompanied by harrowing tales from the war-struck regions in Africa. While these stories are not false, one can not help but notice the absence of the tales of great success, such as the unfathomable development made in Rwanda since the 1994 genocide. Or of Kenya’s strides towards recovery since the 2007 tribal clashes. Despite this, I do not hold the media solely responsible, for we have all played some role in the development and maintenance of this ignorance.
This well-kept secret must be exposed, and the world’s false mental image dashed. After all, if Germany had never given the world a taste of it’s powerful machines, or Japan with its technology,  their industries would never have been where they are today. However, Africa faces some unique challenges; most obviously, a continent can’t be packed into a ship and sent across the world into showrooms or shop displays. Additionally, it is difficult to get the majority of the world to experience Africa, due to the travel costs involved.

With such challenges in then can we reposition the continent? What are your thoughts?