Keep Africa Alive, cont.

December 1, 2010 By 6 Comments

Today is World AIDS Day, which means you can expect the gatekeepers of Team: Save Africa to be in exceptionally fine form. In years past, Bono and (RED) have reigned supreme but this year brings a new contender in the form of Alicia Keys and her charity, Keep A Child Alive (KCA). Founded in 2003 by Leigh Blake, KCA has mostly wallowed in obscurity, only able to sit and watch as (RED) cornered the market. Not that KCA hasn’t tried. Who can forget their first attempt at grabbing the spotlight, 2006′s “I Am African” campaign?

I would file this latest stunt under the same banner but I can barely conjure up an eye roll, much less proper indignation. Better luck next year.–Sonja.

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Bling Bling

March 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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The scourge of TB in South Africa

January 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

India and China have the largest numbers of tuberculosis cases, and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been found in nearly every country. But it is South Africa, where TB often comes with HIV, that worries medical researchers.

The Atlantic.

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TELEVISION / AIDS QUACKERY

December 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Early December news report from German broadcaster Deutche Welle on the self-styled healers and profit-hungry businesses take advantage of the helplessness of people living with AIDS in South Africa. Until early this year, they had supporters at the highest level in government.

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TAKALANI SESAME

November 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Last week the children’s TV program, Sesame Street, celebrated its 40 year on air (in the United States where it was first broadcast).

My daughter, four, now favors Nick Jnr. but one and a half out of the first three years of her life was all about Sesame Street. (You can only lie for so long that there’s only one channel on TV.) Sesame is also a franchise so the program’s brand of liberal politics (hey what’s wrong with a little multiculturalism now and then?) that my daughter has been exposed to can also be seen in 125 countries. Like in South Africa where a local version (of course with stringent guidelines from New York City, of course) with its great includes an HIV-positive puppet (which has had the American right in a twist) as well as anti-pollution songs, like above.

So, to Sesame Street then, Happy Birthday.

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KENYA TO CONDUCT “CENSUS” OF GAY POPULATION

October 29, 2009 By 2 Comments

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So Uganda, with the help of their rightwing, American Christian boosters, want to “wipe out” gay people by making laws that bans even thinking about it. Now Kenya wants to do a “census” of its gay population. Their excuse is this is a way to fight AIDS. This is when it is common knowledge that most people infected with HIV and AIDS are straight and being gay is illegal (homosexual activity is punishable by up to 14 years in jail in Kenya).

More information.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES HEARTS JACOB ZUMA

September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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The paper’s editorial board, not a friend of Jacob Zuma, likes the change in the South African government’s AIDS policy. Most recently the new health minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, “… accepted a withering critique by South African scientists, who said the governing African National Congress party’s record on AIDS and health care was deeply flawed, and promised remedial action.”

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STIMULUS PACKAGE

August 24, 2009 By 1 Comment

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“King Mswati of Swaziland, ruler of some of the poorest people in the world, has sent his favourite wives on a [$6.3]-million shopping jaunt through Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Reports from the kingdom said that the king had dispatched at least five of his 13 wives and dozens of retainers to France, Italy, Dubai and Taiwan on a secret tour last week, using [$6,3]-million from the state budget. In Swaziland it is a criminal offence to criticise the private life of the king, Africa’s last absolute monarch. Swaziland is home to about 1.2 million people, more than two thirds of whom live in abject poverty on less than R10 a day. More than a quarter of the adult population has HIV — one of the highest ratios in the world. The king enjoys a personal fortune of about [$229 million], as the beneficiary of two funds created by his father, King Sobhuza II, in trust for the nation. He also receives money from the national budget for his family’s upkeep. Last year this totalled [$19]-million — more than was set aside for education.”

Via Dan Moshenberg

[Source]

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