"80% of the books that I write advocate for disabilities. So, we are using children born with autism, albinism, any form of disability... as the main characters in these books to inspire children..you can see that what started as just literacy and books has transformational and social impact." Hasfa
ADVERTISEMENTOn this episode of Inspire Africa, TV host Jerry Fisayo-Bambi returns with compelling stories of positive impact, innovation, and community development from Cameroon, Tunisia and Uganda.
The Tchoufack ‘Made In Cameroon’ Guitar
Cameroon can boast of several globally acclaimed guitarists playing a unique blend of traditional African music and contemporary styles. Clovis Tchoufack wanted to be one of them. But it’s instead in the making of guitars that he has managed to make a name for himself. Today, Tchoufack is also helping young people in Douala to learn how to play the guitar.
Tunisia- Solar electric tricycles in Tunis
With Tunisia aiming to curb pollution and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 46%, new mobility alternatives are hitting the streets of Tunis. Some of them are solar powered electric vehicles manufactured by a German-Tunisian startup Bako Motors. Founder of the green mobility start up Boubakar Siala and his team of engineers designed its engine to run for approximately 17,500 km per year just by harnessing clean energy from the sun.
Uganda: The literacy specialist getting children to read and write
Uganda’s Mago Hasfa is the founder of 'Read to Learn', a nonprofit focused on early literacy development for children. A social innovator and author of children’s books, Mago’s work over the past six years is now gaining international recognition.
This year she was selected for the Mandela Washington Fellowship to undertake leadership and academic training in the United States. Also, SOMA, Hasfa's multi-lingual app to improve literacy for refugee children in Uganda fetched her a 'Beyond the Limits' monetary prize in Nigeria. Hasfa says experiencing this brings her joy and encourages her work which is geared towards giving more "disadvantaged children access to relatable books, diverse reading materials, and an environment that gives them the platform to be able to read and fall in love with books".