#FoundingWomen – 20 AFRICAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN TECHNOLOGY

Founding Women aims to increase visibility of role models for young African women and girls.

The book shares the inspiring entrepreneurship journeys of 20 African women in technology and aims to increase visibility of role models for young African women and girls
Founding Women , is a collection of first-hand accounts of 20 women who are defying the odds to build successful businesses in technology. Filled with practical advice and words of encouragement, this book speaks to any girl who has a dream but fears the odds might be stacked up too high against her.
Founding Women is a publication of the Africa Technology Business Network (ATBN), a UK-based social enterprise that works to promote sustainable development in Africa through technology innovation and enterprise.

“The release of this book is timely especially as the world marks International Women’s Day. We must recognise that the playing field is not even for all women. African women in tech are not often visible particularly as we are so under-represented in the sector. Founding Women is about highlighting role models to show girls and young women across Africa and the world, that technology is for them and that they too can become technology entrepreneurs if they want to. The book also speaks to a much broader audience because ultimately these women’s stories can teach us all something about going for our dreams and not giving up”, says Eunice Baguma Ball, author and Founder of ATBN.

As highlighted by the recent #MeToo movement, gender inequality continues to be a pressing issue world-wide, particularly in male-dominated sectors like technology where women face systemic barriers. Recent findings show that out of the $85 billion invested by venture capitalists in 2017, only 2% went to women, and less than 1% to black female entrepreneurs.
This book not only puts the spotlight on some of the challenges faced by African female entrepreneurs, but also showcases their strength and commitment to their visions.

All proceeds from the Founding Women book go towards supporting young African female entrepreneurs to kick-start their businesses. Learn more at HerFutureAfrica.org . Founding Women shares the inspiring entrepreneurship stories of 20 African women and how they deal with the challenges that can often come with navigating the male-dominated world of tech. Filled with practical advice as well as words of encouragement, this book speaks to anyone who has a dream but fears the odds might be stacked up too high against them.


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TRAVELS IN WEST AFRICA BY MARY KINGSLEY

I recently read the reprint of “Travels in West Africa” by Mary Kingsley.
It is always a pleasure to experience a time and/or place with someone who is actually living there.

Kingsley should also be a grand example to those who disbelieve in themselves, or listen to naysayers, without trying to do something.

Best about this book is not so much the adventure being told but the actual writing of it. The experience is of wonderful storytelling with delightful humor.

Kingsley is someone you will wish you could have known and someone you wish could have lived longer just to learn what else she may have done and perhaps chosen to share with us.
Roger Bentley, Andover

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60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THINGS FALL APART BY CHINUA ACHEBE TO BE CELEBRATED IN THE U.S

The month of March is the month of literature; it is full of literary events. This is the month in which European literary society celebrates the death of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote.

Surprisingly, it is also the month during which most of the celebrated writers died. It’s during this same month of March that Christians also celebrate the death of Jesus Christ.

Coincidentally, Africa and lovers of African literature are not excluded this year; the Smithsonian National Museum of African arts in collaboration with the American publisher, Penguin Random House are organizing the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Things Fall Apart, an epic novel by Chinua Achebe. The theme of the event will be The Ongoing Legacy of Chinua Achebe in Contemporary Art and the Current Moment.

The event will also feature a conversation between the Nigerian-American artist Victor Ekpuk and the historian Nwando Achebe, who is Chinua Achebe’s daughter.  

Chinua Achebe died in the month of March in 2013. This highly expected event will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2018. This is the first time Nwando Achebe is coming out to address the global audience about the legacy of her father, thus she is expected to give an in-depth discussion about her father’s legacy in connection to African history and current African conditions in global affairs.

The novel Things Fall Apart was published in 1958 by Heinemann Publishers under the African Writers Series. Achebe later wrote many novels, essays, a collection of poems and short stories

CREDIT:

ADVERTISEMENhttps://face2faceafrica.com/article/60th-anniversary-things-fall-apart-chinua-achebe-celebrated-u-shttps://face2faceafrica.com/article/60th-anniversary-things-fall-apart-chinua-achebe-celebrated-u-s

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/60th-anniversary-things-fall-apart-chinua-achebe-celebrated-u-s

3 BOOKS BY AFRICAN WRITERS SHORTLISTED FOR 2018 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD

The Lambada literary Awards committee now in its 30th year has chosen to recognize three books by African writers for its 2018 award for queer literature.

One of the books is the 2017 published anthology under the title Queer Africa 2 edited by Makhosazana Xaba and Karen Martin, both from South Africa.

The Queer Africa 2 anthology features twenty-one stories by African contributors, out of which five are Kenyans and one is a Ugandan. Some of the Kenyan contributors to the anthology are Alexander Opicho, Alexis Teyie and H W Mukami.

The Queer Africa 2 is on the finalist under the category of queer anthology. This is the latest book on queer theory in Africa. On its publication last year, it was introduced by Barbara Boswell as a collective show-casing of strange storytelling from the continent.

The anthology features other prominent writers like Nick Mulgrew, Unoma Azuah, Nancy Lindah Ilamwenya, Barbara Adair, Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene, Emma Paulet, Amatesiro Dore, Thato Magano, Bishara Mohamed, Matshepo Thafeng, Michael Agugom, S Van Rooyen, Jennifer Shinta Ayebazibwe, Wilfred Jean-Louis, Zukolwenkosi Zikalala, Juliet Kushaba, Alistair Mackay, Rafeeat Aliyu Ola Osaze, Idza L, Olakunle Ologunro, Victor Lewis, and Jayne Bauling.

Other two books on the list of the finalists for the award are both by Nigerian authors;  Lives of Great Men by Chike Edozien and Fimi Sile Forever by Nnanna Ikpo.

The Lambda literary prize is organized by Lambda Literary Academy, the oldest and largest literary and arts organization advancing LGBTQ literature in America. It is focused on celebrating the achievement in LGBTQ literature and art across 23 categories around the world.





CREDIT :

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/3-books-african-writers-shortlisted-2018-lambda-literary-award