"What I will say is that what I have learned for myself is that I don’t have to be anybody else; and that myself is good enough; and that when I am being true to that self, then I can avail myself to extraordinary things. You have to allow for the impossible to be possible". –Lupita Nyongo
Dear Martha,
You should be approaching your 45th birthday when you read this. Allow me to say, “Africa did rise and I told you so!” I hope that these predictions are immortalized on the internet to remind the world that it was our generation that changed the game. To quote one of my current African heroes, David Sengeh, “At this moment in history, my hope is that our generation will be known for saying ‘it is the youth who have transformed this continent’”.
Dear Martha,
You should be approaching your 45th birthday when you read this. Allow me to say, “Africa did rise and I told you so!” I hope that these predictions are immortalized on the internet to remind the world that it was our generation that changed the game. To quote one of my current African heroes, David Sengeh, “At this moment in history, my hope is that our generation will be known for saying ‘it is the youth who have transformed this continent’”.
As I write this, I am halfway through my Masters Degree in Engineering. I know you’ll find this difficult to believe but I’m considered part of an elite few as African female engineers still constitute less than 15% of the entire engineering workforce. In 2035, I hope this will merely be something that tickles you as Africa will have erased all the barriers limiting African women from achieving their full potential in all spheres. It goes without saying that if half the team is not playing we can’t really expect to achieve anything more than a 50% result. Rwanda has figured this out already, especially with their parliamentary representation, the rest of us are working to catch up.
My story, of course, would have been entirely different had my parents been uneducated and had not moved to Nairobi to seek jobs. By 2035, my expectation is that every child, rich or poor, rural or urban, has access to a quality education, decent healthcare services, clean water and electricity. Additionally, I hope the power of mobile banking continues to be leveraged to leap frog infrastructure that is slow and often inflexible. Mobile banking has been proven to deepen financial access as well as enable the provision of fundamental services that contribute towards a more equitable society. Only by bridging the gender gap and the rural-urban disparity, does Africa stand a chance at inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
My assessment of Africa today is we are a continent faced with monumental challenges. From food insecurity to effects of climate change and increasing violent extremism, it will take consistent extra-ordinary efforts from all of us to make our home a place we are proud of. This demands ethical leadership in all sectors that often comes at a high individual cost. Ethical leadership is more than just charisma. It requires tough decision making and the conviction to stand by those decisions. Africa is not poor, it’s just poorly managed. The good news is, we have proven to be a continent that generously rewards solution providers. This is evidenced by the increased investment by the private sector in several industries notably telecommunications and technology. In fact, the President of the African Development Bank recently tweeted, “The days of aid are over. We are now on a highway to boosting Africa’s prosperity, through greater trade and investments ‘without borders’ among our nations.”
By 2035, Twitter will have probably been replaced by something faster and much more intelligent. However, social media and the internet specifically has been one of the defining tools of our time. The digital sphere has served as one of the greatest equalizers among African youth from different cultures and religions. It has been used to fundraise for disaster relief, to raise awareness in times of distress and increase the democratic space in otherwise oppressed populations. In my opinion though, the greatest use of the internet has been in providing an alternative narrative to what is often preferred by Western media. Young Africans have elected to own and tell their stories. Representing ourselves through art, literature, music, fashion, film and photography and having the power in the palm of our hands to share that instantly with the rest of the world, has been a process of coming together and restoring our dignity. In the words of Danai Gurira, “Africans must not believe the lie that they are deficient because they are different.” In 2035, I hope that the celebration of our rich culture will be the norm and that the abundant opportunities in the arts and entertainment contribute towards financial freedom of the youth.
Social media has bridged the virtual barriers among Africans but the physical barriers still exist. However, in 2018 the epic African Continental Free Trade Area agreement was signed and this will go a long way in eliminating the physical barriers. Beyond trade, I envision that this uniting of African nations will encourage young Africans to tour freely within the continent, learn about each other’s cultures and build even deeper connections. I foresee by 2035 an Africa that is completely integrated – a continent that will be self- sufficient and negotiating with the rest of the world on our own terms as the single largest market but also one with a diverse and skilled labour force.
Today, as I write this, Africa is the youngest continent in the world. We also own 60% of the world’s unused arable land and enjoy a favourable climate in most parts. Agriculture, if done right, could serve as a solution to both food security and job creation. I believe in 2035 Africans will have stopped using crude tools for farming and agriculture will no longer just be the preserve of rural small-holder farmers. I am confident the billions we currently spend on food imports can be redirected to local markets. I hope value addition and agro-processing drive not just industrialization but also the demand for electricity and therefore strengthen the energy sector as well.
In summary, I believe that by 2035, my Africa will be well lit, well fed, properly integrated and industrialized. This “Africa of My Dreams” is one not fashioned out of naiveté or ignorance of how much work is left to ensure dignity for all our people. But I stay hopeful because every day I read things or hear reports about progress on the continent that remind me there’s remarkable beauty in the world if we just paid a little more attention. So, in the event that this letter gets lost in transmission, you could always use this blog as a reference. I look forward to being proven right!
From one Afro-Optimist to another,
Younger Martha (2018)
From one Afro-Optimist to another,
Younger Martha (2018)
*This was originally written in March 2018. I hope it serves as a welcome break from the current news cycle and a reminder to pause and reflect on the beauty around us. The images used were either taken by me or downloaded from Google, image credits to the owners. Yet again, welcome back to Shaping African Conversations!