The rise of weight-loss culture in Kenya
Kenya is witnessing a dramatic cultural shift as the traditional view of weight as a symbol of wealth gives way to a modern obsession with slimness. At the Nairobi Bariatric Center, once-quiet hallways are now bustling with patients seeking everything from Ozempic injections to advanced body-sculpting surgeries. While social media pressures and “unfat” hashtags drive […]
Gabonese designer elevates raffia clothing to high fashion
Gabonese designer Chouchou Lazare is turning a centuries-old material into high fashion, bringing traditional raffia from Central Africa to the runways of Paris. Working from his studio in Libreville, the self-taught designer transforms the palm-fiber textile into striking dresses, bustiers, skirts, and accessories. Raffia holds deep cultural meaning in Gabon, where it has long been […]
Meet Mama Sli From Sodwana Bay: The Dive Instructor Redefining Access To The Ocean For African Storytellers
Before she was a master of the reefs, Silindile “Mama Sli” Mbuyazi was a young girl terrified of the ocean, certain she would never enter the water. Her journey from profound fear to deep-seated love for the sea is the heartbeat of “Indoni Yamanzi”, a landmark film currently in post-production that captures her transformation from […]
Kenyan company reinvents broken glass into tableware
Nelly Gesare is on a mission to reimagine waste as something valuable. Gesare, who founded Greenthing Kenya in 2019, has a steady supply of materials. Nairobi generates a large amount of waste every day, up to 4,000 tons. However, only 10% of this waste is managed properly, with the vast majority ending up in dumpsites […]
The Comeback Kid: Why Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Is Reclaiming Its Title As Cape Town’s Third Space
Cape Town has always been a city of contrasts. Mountain and ocean. Old money and new energy. Tourists and locals weaving around each other in the same streets, cafés and corners. But lately, something feels…off. For many Capetonians, the city no longer feels like it belongs to them. It’s a quiet shift. Subtle, but deeply […]
How Abuja’s garden economy is transforming nightlife
Abuja’s nightlife is being reshaped by a fast-growing “garden economy,” as outdoor restaurants and lounges transform the capital into a hub for open-air leisure. Across districts like Wuse, Maitama, and Gwarinpa, entrepreneurs are turning green spaces into lively venues where residents can relax under trees while enjoying food, music, and conversation. What began as simple […]
Not Just A Party: The Rise Of Curated Cultural Nights In Jozi
By Kojo Richman When I first arrived in Johannesburg as a West African, what stood out most was the marketing. Big posters. Big names. Big parties. From the outside, it looked like nightlife here was driven by spectacle. Headline DJs. Packed venues. Hype-first energy. That language made sense to me. It’s familiar across many major […]
Can African art hold its ground in a globalizing market?
Africa’s art market faces a pivotal moment as global competition intensifies, particularly with Art Basel’s arrival in Doha reshaping the Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) region’s cultural landscape. The pressure is already showing: Marrakech’s edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has shrunk by over 25 percent, signaling strain on Africa-focused […]
Why Africa will lead the next fine dining revolution
While the rest of the world sees African cuisine as emerging, Marcus Samuelsson believes it has always been here. During a recent interview with CNN, the acclaimed Ethiopian-Swedish chef challenged the idea that fine dining standards must come from the West. He argued that Africa already has its own culinary traditions and techniques, pointing out […]
Cape Town: A City In Dialogue With The World
Cape Town has firmly established itself as one of the most compelling cultural destinations in the global art calendar. Here, contemporary culture does not reside solely within museums or fair halls, but unfolds across neighbourhoods, studios, historic buildings, and public spaces. At the heart of this momentum stands the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, a […]
