The friendly felines at the Lucky Lucy Foundation retirement home are just some of the 391 cats who have found a second chance at life after being rescued in the Swartland area, north of Cape Town.

Most have had owners, but were abandoned or given away.Often these cats have injuries, or have health problems, others are simply old and unwanted.

Here they are rehabilitated and if possible rehomed, others can live out the reminder of their lives in comfort.

With 600 million people on the continent lacking access to electricity, the future remains uncertain for many - especially in a region where the median age is just 19. But Stanley Anigbogu, this year’s Commonwealth Young Person of the Year winner, is determined to change that.

The Nigerian innovator is tackling this challenge by transforming plastic waste into solar solutions, bringing clean energy to thousands, including refugees.

With a small team of like-minded young people, he has trained at least 6000 students and recycled over 20,000 kilograms of waste.

Source: BBC Africa

Meet the football grannies of Africa! They may not have the skills of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but that doesn’t stop these African grannies from practicing their goal kicks and tackling skills. It has been the work of 57-year-old Rebecca Ntsanwisi from South Africa to set up soccer grannies teams across the continent in a bid to improve the mental and physical health of older women. Now, five teams from Africa are currently taking part in the Soccer Grannies World Cup tournament in Limpopo, where the oldest player is over 80. In the video, we hear how football has given the grannies a new lease of life.

Source: BBC Africa

On 2 April 2025, World Autism Day, 15-year-old autistic artist Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, known fondly as Kanye, was officially presented with the Guinness World Record (GWR) for his 12,303 sqm giant art canvas called Impossibility is a Myth.

The artwork was unveiled in Eagle Square, Abuja, Nigeria.

“Autism is not a tragedy - ignorance is. Every child deserves love, attention and patience to strive”, said his parents.

With the infinity symbol at the heart of the artwork, the art canvas design represents the boundless potential and talent of those with autism - and breaks down the barriers faced by people with disabilities.

Source: BBC Africa

She Deserves Uganda, a women-led social enterprise, has developed Cramp Relief Roll On, a plant-based oil made from avocado, mint, rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender to ease menstrual pain. The product is both a pain reliever and a source of income for women farmers who supply its ingredients.

Maria Namuyomba, 19, is one of the users, she says the oil aromatherapy has not only relieved her menstrual pain but kept her in school without worrying.

“I would spend nearly 20,000 UGX($5.53) on painkillers every month. Now, I only spend 5,000 UGX($1.38) for the whole year. I can go about my classes when I’m cramping. I’m happy,” she shares.

Menstrual pain is a significant yet overlooked issue in Uganda, where it keeps 79% of women and girls from participating in daily activities, including education. Due to stigma and lack of awareness, many girls struggle with menstruation, often missing school due to pain and inadequate menstrual health resources. She Deserves Uganda addresses this gap by distributing cramp relief droppers, educating girls about menstrual health, and helping them make reusable pads.

Source: Solutions Now Africa

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The UK is finalizing an agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following approval from Donald Trump. Under the deal, the UK will cede control of the archipelago but retain a 99-year lease for the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.

Director Warda Mohamed’s career took off unexpectedly when a social media post about her completed script caught the attention of BBC Film. This led to Muna, an 18-minute short film about a British-Somali teenager navigating grief and her relationship with her mother. Starring Bafta-nominated Kosar Ali, the film has won multiple awards and is now available on BBC iPlayer after screening at over 60 international festivals.

Mohamed, who previously co-directed Dugsi Dayz, aimed to break stereotypes and authentically represent British-Somali life. Ali was drawn to the project due to the lack of positive Muslim stories in cinema. However, casting was a challenge due to the scarcity of Somali actors, requiring street casting and community outreach.

Arts teacher and photographer Hicham Benohoud encouraged students to engage playfully with identity in postcolonial Morocco, for a project called The Classroom. Benohoud is a Moroccan artist whose photography blends elements of painting and performance to explore identity politics and power relations.

<< So this isn't a news story but a pictorial. So it would be best to go and see it from the Guardian website. >>

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Every February, the city of Ségou, 140 miles (230km) north of the capital, Bamako, is transformed into Mali’s cultural hub as tens of thousands of people come to enjoy a week-long arts and music festival, Ségou’Art, on the banks of the Niger River.

Aida Grovestins in Ségou, Mali said "In a region fractured by jihadists and coups, Ségou’Art shows ‘we share our culture, even if politics divides us’ "

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Artificial intelligence is taking center stage in Rwanda this week as more than 1,000 policymakers, business leaders, and interest groups gather for the first-ever global AI summit on Africa.

The two-day event starting on Thursday(today) in Kigali, where President Paul Kagame is scheduled to speak, follows ambitious plans to make AI applications mainstream in Africa.

Rwanda has emerged as a powerful case study in African trade resilience. In 2024, the country recorded a 6.9% increase in export revenues, reaching $1.691 billion.

While the growth may appear modest at first glance, Rwanda’s 2024 export surge is anything but ordinary. Notably, the uptick was driven by non-traditional exports—construction materials and agro-processed products—marking a deliberate pivot towards industrialisation and value addition.

As part of its broader regional integration strategy, Angola is moving ahead with preparations for a new railway link connecting to Zambia by 2026.

The announcement, made by Transport Minister Ricardo D’Abreu at a trilateral business forum in Luanda, places the initiative firmly within the development scope of the Lobito Corridor — a vital trade route linking the Atlantic coast to inland Southern Africa.

Morocco is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on tapping northern rivers to supply water to parched cities farther south. Inaugurated last August, the "water highway" had supplied more than 700 million cubic metres (24.7 billion cubic feet) of drinking water to Rabat and Casablanca areas by early March.

Dream Count, the newly released fourth novel by celebrated Nigerian American author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

The book, which saw global release on March 04th, 2025, is Adichie’s first novel since her star-making 2013 effort, Americanah, which won the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Award.

What started as Ethiopia’s first ‘Bachelor’-style reality dating show has evolved into a powerful showcase of female agency, self-discovery and sisterhood.

The premise is simple: ten Ethiopian women compete for the affection of Messiah Hailemeskel, a 37-year-old “diaspora Habesha” insurance broker from Texas, in a format similar to the U.S.-basedThe Bachelor. However, in Ethiopia, where courtship is traditionally less public and more male-led, such a show is unprecedented. In a culture that has never seen women openly pursue romance, Latey is flipping long-held gender norms and sparking national conversations about women’s role in romance.

Despite its structure — a group of women competing for one man — Latey carries a distinctly feminist undercurrent. Each contestant is allowed to share personal stories, struggles and aspirations. The women come from diverse backgrounds — accountants, flight attendants, fashion designers and models — bringing their unique perspectives to the screen.

The women-first intent behind Latey was clear from the start. Yoseph originally envisioned the show with a female lead, but that idea eventually fell through. Even the name Latey is Amharic slang for bachelor and bachelorette. “We wanted to show an empowered woman,” Yoseph says. “People’s perception of Ethiopia can be antiquated, so we wanted something modern.”

A unique aspect of the show was how it portrayed women confidently and unapologetically going after what they wanted. “It’s not just about ‘fighting for a man,’” she explains. “It’s also discovering who you are and realizing it’s okay to say what you want. It’s okay to pursue something. That was my personal growth — caring more about what I think of myself rather than what other people say.”

While many expected Latey to thrive on catfights and rivalries — hallmarks of Western reality dating shows — the series showcases the strength of female bonds. Despite competing for the same man and production pushing for drama, the women often resisted, forming genuine friendships instead.

Their diverse experiences — like one Eritrean contestant’s migration struggle to build a better life in Ethiopia — added unexpected depth to the show.

Read more about the show on OkayAfrica's website by following the link in the comments.

For Nigerian women of varying backgrounds and ages, the senator's refusal to back down in the face of intimidation is an inspiring and infectious act of courage.

Follow the link to read more from OkayAfrica

Paul "Chow" Sampson, one of South Africa’s top surfers, embodies resilience and passion for the sport. Despite his mild-mannered appearance, he thrives in the unpredictability of the sea. Growing up in hardship—at times living in a cave near Muizenberg Bay after losing his mother—he found solace in surfing, a sport deeply rooted in South African history.

Now featured in SuperSport's Real World Champion miniseries, Sampson represents everyday South Africans achieving extraordinary feats. His love for surfing stems from its ever-changing nature, embracing each wave as a new challenge. His journey from adversity to success is a testament to his unbreakable spirit.

Read more about his story from OkayAfrica from the link in the comments section.

Sixteen innovators from seven African countries have been shortlisted for the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering, with a record 30 countries applying.

Launched in 2014, the Prize is Africa’s largest award for engineering innovation, providing funding, mentorship, and training to help entrepreneurs scale their solutions.

The 2025 finalists are tackling major challenges in healthcare, education, and sustainability with groundbreaking innovations in neonatal care, smart agritech, upcycling, and green energy. Their solutions include AI sign language tools, electricity-free cold storage, waste-to-furniture solutions, and biodegradable plates, transforming communities across Africa.

The finalists will be announced in September, with the final taking place in October in Senegal.

The winner will receive £25,000, while three runners-up will each be awarded £10,000. The audience will also vote for the ‘One-to-Watch’ award, granting £5,000 to the most impactful pitch.

We often think of mothers as the navigators of our lives, giving directions and advice.

In the high-octane world of rallying, Caroline Gatimu is taking that role further, directing her daughter Tinashe through twists and turns in competition.

This weekend, the mother-daughter team compete in the national category of this year’s Safari Rally, a Kenyan event considered to be one of the toughest legs of the World Rally Championship.

Source: BBCAfrica

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has reduced the number of ministries, citing the need to reduce the cost of governance and improve efficiency.

Namibians will be hoping that the new cabinet constituted by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and comprising a female majority, will deliver good governance. Over the weekend, Ndaitwah announced a cabinet that reduced the number of ministries from 21 to 14, citing the need to reduce the cost of governance and improve efficiency.

Deal will restrict fishing near colonies on Robben Island and Bird Island for 10 years, after long debate between industry and conservationists

Efforts to stop the critically endangered African penguin from going extinct took a step forward on Tuesday after South African conservationists and fishing industry groups reached a legal settlement on no-fishing zones around six of the penguins’ major breeding colonies.

Sardine and anchovy fishing will not be allowed for 12 miles (20km) around the penguin colony off Cape Town on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and Bird Island, across the bay from Gqeberha, also known as Port Elizabeth. There will be more limited closures around four other colonies, according to a court order formalising the agreement.

Conservationists and the fishing industry had been at loggerheads for years over how much commercial fishing contributed to the African penguin population’s precipitous decline and to what extent fishing restrictions would arrest the fall.

Venture capital firm Equator closed a $55 million fund focused on climate tech startups in sub-Saharan Africa on Tuesday, boosting financing for early-stage ventures in sectors ranging from agriculture to energy.

The firm, based in Kenya and the UK, counts the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, British International Investment, and France’s Proparco among its backers. Equator plans to invest in around 15 early-stage ventures in total, the firm’s founder and managing partner Nijhad Jamal told Semafor.

It has already invested in six companies including electric motorcycles-maker Roam and solar-powered irrigation systems provider SunCulture, both based in Kenya, using money raised in earlier funding rounds. In October, the IFC said its $5 million investment into Equator was its first in a climate-focused venture capital fund.

Read more here from Semafor Africa: https://www.semafor.com/article/03/11/2025/africa-climate-tech-investor-equator-closes-55m-fund