Safari Notes

Mauritius ranks 24th According to the Economist : The results of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2011 show that democracy has been under intense pressure in many parts of the world . The Economist Intelligence Unit of Democracy But, incredibly, Mauritius , the tiny island nation off the coast of Southern Africa, out of 165 countries - ranks twenty-fourth: This little country (population: 1.2 million) is the wealthiest, best-governed country in Africa. The World Bank put it first in its ranking of African economies (and 20th worldwide). The Mo Ibrahim Foundation ranked it first in its Ibrahim Index, which measures African countries based on rule of law, human rights, human development and economic opportunity. More instructive still is the ranking of Mauritius in the Index of Economic Freedom published by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. In 2010, this index put Mauritius in 12th place (out of 179 countries); in 2012

Remember the movie ' Hotel Rwanda '? Which told the very painful, gruesome story of how some Rwandans went through the genocide? Now there is another motion picture which, too, tells a story based on events during the Rwandan genocide. With a different perspective. It is a powerful, touching, very painful and eye-opening, award winning movie, Kinyarwanda: Forgiveness is Freedom - about those horrific one-hundred-or-so days of the Rwandan genocide - which resulted in almost one million people being mercilessly hunted and butchered; and the very peaceful, caring role Muslims played during that period:

Many of us have so much food to eat, everyday, that some of that food is wasted or thrown away. Ever thought of how difficult it can be to be hungry? For Muslims who fast during the month of Ramadhan, they know how hard that can be. There are millions of our fellow Mankind around the world, who, daily - have nothing to eat or too little food. There are millions who do not know where there next meal is going to come from. Hunger and malnutrition are still the number one risks to health worldwide :

For most Africans, since their countries got independence, BBC has been the most preferred and most tuned to - news channel from a foreign country. Then, for TV viewers, in the 1990s came CNN; which was then followed by Al Jazeera. All along, the French on their part have been transmitting news in French and in English. But, whoever thought of Africans tuning in to a Chinese news channel? That's what the main international Chinese channel is aiming at: CCTV (China Central TeleVision) - headquartered in Beijing,  is soon going to expand . The state broadcaster is launching a major expansion in pursuit of an international audience, increasing its overseas staff fivefold by the end of next year and almost tenfold by 2016 . It hopes to win millions of viewers in the US and Africa with English-language services produced in Washington and Nairobi ....... At the heart of operations will be six hubs: two probably in London and Dubai and others in South America and the Asia Pacific re

It is not how long we live that matters. It is what we do while living that does. For me, she has been the greatest Kenyan who ever lived. A philanthropist. A humanitarian. A politician. An activist. And one of the bravest and greatest campaigners the world has ever known. But, it is as one of the greatest environmentalist that the world has ever known that Wangari Maathai will always be known for and remembered for. That made her, worldwide, be so revered and so highly regarded like no other Kenyan. She was the first woman from the East and central African countries to have a doctorate. And the first African woman to have won the Nobel Peace Price.  Against poverty. Against injustice. For human rights. For women's rights. For peace. And above all, for the environment. She lived. She practiced. She did. And dedicated her life to. Bravely and courageously dedicated her life to. We will always fondly remember her and miss her as not only the greatest activist Kenya has ever know

"To .. all the dispossessed youth of Africa: for perpetuation of communion with ancestral spirits through the fight for African freedom, and in the firm faith that the dead, the living, and the unborn will unite to rebuild the destroyed shrines." ~ Jomo Kenyatta 'Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world. I believe strongly and sincerely that with the deep-rooted wisdom and dignity, the innate respect for human lives, the intense humanity that is our heritage, the African race, united under one federal government, will emerge not as just another world bloc to flaunt its wealth and strength, but as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is built not on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind.' ~ Kwame Nkrumah “African nationalism is meaningless, dangerous, anachronistic, if it is not, at the

Every day, all over the world, people like you are dedicating their choices to make a sustainable world a reality. We choose sustainability in our home lives, in our communities, in our political preferences, and in our careers. Together, these actions are adding up to huge momentum for change. We are slowly building power, but not yet enough to overcome the power of the fossil-fuel lobby. This month, you are invited to two world-wide events for our global movement for sustainable solutions to build our power: 24 Hours of Reality AND Moving Planet - Two ways to take part . + The Climate Reality Project