In the last three decades, Egypt has become host to refugees fleeing conflicts and persecution in Africa, Asia and Middle East. Many refugees have made Egypt their home and various refugee communities live amongst Egyptian, contributing to the Egyptian society. Though Sudanese are considered to be the largest refugee population, there are also large numbers of Somalis, Eritreans, Ethiopians, North Africans, and even more from Central and West Africa as also Iraqis. Refugees from the Middle and Far East also seek asylum in Egypt. In addition, there are an estimated 70,000 Palestinians. These refugees are often falsely identified as economic migrants, rather than a vulnerable population who fled their homelands due to political unrests and violence.

The Cairo Refugee Film Festival is an attempt to integrate refugees in their new host country:

Since the vast majority of refugees will never be resettled, integration in Egypt is of great concern and the need of the hour. This is possible only when when the misconceptions between the host communities and the refugee communities are cleared and an appreciation and understanding of the others' circumstances is fostered.

Against this backdrop and with a view to bring the refugee and the egyptian communities together, the idea of a film festival took birth.

Taking place from June 16 to June 20 at the Rawabet theatre in downtown Cairo, the festival being held in commemoration of the World Refugee Day, seeks to:

chronicle the lives, struggles, and achievements of refugee populations around the world from the 1930s to the present day. We aspire to break the Egyptian myth that the refugee movement is an Afro-centric problem and that refugees are always African. Through the medium of film, we aim to sensitize the Egyptian community on refugees’ stories, obstacles and resilience.

The blog also lists sponsors, collaborators and organisers, schedule, and workshops being held in conjunction with the event.

We are learning from Zambia Watchdog that only four countries in the SADC region recognise Africa Day as a public holiday:

Looking back, it seems like the unity demonstrated by Africans as they fought against colonialism and imperialistic dominance is no longer there. In some parts of the continent, leaders are so self-centred that continental issues have been relegated to the very bottom.

Is it not a shame that to this day, few African countries recognise Africa Day? Is it not a shame that very few countries on the continent have set aside this day as a public holiday? And what lessons does this teach the future generation?

Looking at the calendars of the 14-members of SADC, only four countries - Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe recognise Africa Day as a public holiday. In the SADC region, it is only Namibia which has made the singing of the AU anthem a permanent feature at public gatherings and in schools.

Jason Von Berg blogs about Africa Day related events that took place in South Africa:

So in celebration of Africa Day, there’s a whole host of things happening in South Africa. The annual Africa Day concert took place at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg…

Now speaking of music videos, here is another Africa Day-focused one, in which Namibian artist Gazza has teamed up with SA star Zola on a song called “Hold On”. The song is sponsored by UNICEF and Standard Bank Namibia and it calls on all Africans to unite against the atrocities and conflicts that damages the African image…

The best way to celebrate Africa Day is through hard work, writes the Root Cause:

Being an African, and a part of a new generation of South Africans, I am forced to look north towards the rest of the continent, and wonder if it will ever rise out of the misery and sadness that keeps it from really being a part of the world community.

But at the same time I have this terrible problem of being an optimist by nature; I have this faith that this is Africa’s century. A time to be nurtured from within. Really making a go for it!

The Irish Aid supported Africa Day celebrations in Ireland. Culch.ie writes about events in Dublin:

On Sunday coming, 24th May, from 12pm til 8pm, Africa Day are having a FREE outdoor event in Iveagh Gardens in Dublin 2. There is a huge variety of entertainment on offer here for kids as well as adults

There is a Flickr stream of Africa Day 2009 photos in Ireland:

Bock posts “Africa Day Limerick”:

They’re crazy, these Africans. What a shame they have to put up with Irish weather.

What a shame that any of us have to put up with Irish weather where it rains all the time.

Never mind though.

Africans have failed to learn key lessons about taking care of themselves, argues Angela Kintu in her post about Africa Day:

Africa has had a few tough decades with interference from our not-so-neighbourly neighbouring continents. And while the neighbours appear to be trying to make up for the bad times, conspiracy theories abound on how they are now colonising our minds since they no longer have legal access to our bodies. Maybe, maybe not. What is clear is that we have failed to learn key lessons about taking care of ourselves. We can be like penguins in a hole, looking up with our mouths open, waiting for someone to throw us a free fish.

In the twittersphere, the Irish Aid created a special Africa Day page.

Below are tweets that one finds on twitter about Africa Day:

NeoAid: There's more Africa than what usually makes headlines (poverty/AIDS/war/famine) - See Africa Differently this #africaday http://ow.ly/94cS

tsepeaces: Happy Africa Day! #africaday

NeoAid: If you happen to be in Ireland for #africaday, check out Irish Aid's celebrations at http://ow.ly/94aT or follow them @AfricaDay

neoaidcom: If you happen to be in Ireland for #africaday, check out Irish Aid's celebrations at http://ow.ly/94ay or follow them @AfricaDay

paoladm: #africaday hello a f r i c a ,http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/culture/africaday/

NeoAid: Happy Africa Day everybody! http://ow.ly/94ak #africaday

neoaidcom: Happy Africa Day everybody! http://ow.ly/949K #africaday

loopyginee: RT @Devcrossing: RT @mulumba Happy Africa Day ma peoples! #africaday- And to you too!!!

micknsk: RT @negrita How good and how pleasant it would be/Before God and man/To see the unification of all Africans. Africa Unite #africaday

Nicomedes Flores from Voces Bolivianas blogging movement in Bolivia explains how Open Source Software designed for the visually impaired helps him communicate online with chatting, emailing and blogging. Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, an UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union sponsored organization trains the blind and those with visual disabilities on how to use computers and communication technologies, and an employee and advocate of the ENOVIB network for the blind speaks to youth about how blindness can be an opportunity instead of a disability. Up to the North, in Spain, a designer comes up with videogames that visually impaired people can play, and posts demonstrations online, and in Nigeria and Canada, a woman blogs and vlogs about life as a deaf person who is rapidly losing her sight.

Nicomedes Flores is a Bolivian blogger who leads the Manuela Garandillas center for the blind in Cochabamba. Through his blog he makes the work the institution does known to the general population and on the following video, he tells us how Open Source Software makes it possible for him to surf the web, read and write emails and chat with others. The video has both English and Spanish subtitles thanks to DotSub.

This video by Itutelecommunication shows the beneficiaries of the computers, braille printers and voice synthesizers of the Adapted Technology Center for the Blind in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia:

Also in Ethiopia, Yetnebersh Nigussie arrives at the School for the Blind in Gondar and speaks to the students about how blindness has been an opportunity for her, and instead of holding her back, it has propelled her towards education and work, instead of an early marriage with back to back pregnancies. The video was produced by DarkandLight.org:

In Spain, Javier Mairena has designed a flash game that can be played by those with visual impairments. This “pong” style game uses sound cues to let the player know where the ball is headed. It can be downloaded here [es]. Following, a video demonstration of the game:

And last but not least, Coco, from Tactile the World tells the world what it is like to be deaf, and live with Usher's syndrome, which means that she will eventually lose her sight completely as well. Not only does she write a blog where she documents the ups and downs of her work in Nigeria helping with the curriculum of a Deaf-Blind School, but she also Vlogs, mixing advocacy, her adventures around the world trying to see as many things as she can before she completely loses her sight and a bit into the personal side of how she deals with her condition. She has transcribed some videos (which are in Sign Language), so that hearing people can read her transcripts, and so that blind people can have text the computer can read out loud to them, like this one, about her pet peeves (transcript available by following the previous link):

In her blog she also writes about Vlogging and the Deaf-Blind community, the need (or not) to caption or transcribe sign language videos, the importance of having a community, communicating between the deaf community and the deaf-blind community and some of the challenges being Deaf-blind presents:

More instances: Walmart just introduced speakers on debit-card machines by the cashier so that the hearing blind could listen and do their own checkouts. The same goes for millions of ATMs - there is Braille but no popup braille displays to replace the voice so that the Deaf Blind could read. To cross the street is a challenge for the Deaf Blind as there’s no vibrator visibly everywhere where it should be, but there’s of course the voiced warnings when the hand flashes or the white man’s flashing. Walk! Walk! Stop! Stop!

Food for thought.

The campaign to raise money for Aschelew aims at turning this sad story “with a handup and not a handout”:

We're going to turn a painful situation around, with a hand up not a handout. To do it, we need the help of friends… $10 at a time.

Here is the plan:

Here's what we're gong to do, and it's the SOLUTION to lifetime dependency: We're going to help Aschelew and his brother launch a sustainable source of income.

Your gift will make it possible.

We sat down with them and the town leaders and worked out a plan. Aschelew's brother is able to drive a donkey-cart and bring in some income that way. And Aschelew is naturally organized and can run a small store (with some hired younger help), and complete their income needs that way.

So we're going to build Aschelew and his brother that store! (plus, it'll be a house/store where they can live, instead of on the streets).

A team of volunteers will go to Ethiopia February 15 to work with the townspeople to build the store and houses for 3-4 more AIDS-affected families.

The Boy Without Arms campaign is also on YouTube.

The site has a list of the giving team:

Here's a running list of everyone contributing to help Aschelew get his store and other AIDS-affected families get homes thru this 48hr campaign (PLEASE let me know if I've missed your gift!).

And thanks to www.TheConvergingNetwork.com (Mitchell Ashley) for technical help on this site!

If you are interested in helping out or learning more about The Boy Without Arms campaign you can visit their site.

In the Fall of 2008 a major donor to charity: water mentioned that he wanted to take his nine year-old daughter on a trip to Africa. I offered to join them along with my nine-year old daughter, Julia. As so often happens with Scott Harrison, the founder of charity: water, the plan got bigger. Within a few weeks we were looking at a trip with five girls and their five fathers. Unfortunately, the original donor had to drop out of the trip and I added my older daughter, Katie. So now five girls, four dads and Scott are heading off to Ethiopia next week. We've armed the girls with four Flip cameras so they can tell us about themselves, can share their journey and can share the stories of the people they meet.

Five for Water is the name of the blog that these families have created as a way to raise awareness of the lives of children in Ethiopia:how clean water may very well be the greatest change they've seen in their lives, and why more people (and schools) should join in the effort.

In the previous video, which can be found on this post, young Campbell discovers that children in Ethiopia might have more in common with her than she previously thought: they are seeing the same math that she is.

However, there are some small but significant differences, as another one of the girls, Chloe, wrote:

Later when I was taking pictures of the children at the well, Gebre was telling me that the people did not really understand what camera’s and photographs were. When I showed the children the photo I took of them on the camera display screen, they looked very confused. Gebre told me a story that he took a picture of 3 boys, and showed one of the boys and asked him who was in the picture. The boy said well they are my two friends, but I don’t know who he is (pointing at himself). Of course he would not know what he looks like, as they do not have mirrors, to me I could not understand this, because of course I look in the mirror before I leave the house, to check I do not have toothpaste or breakfast down me. But here that probably would not worry them, but not knowing how you look! Its just so different here its like a separate world.

Or this that Carley wrote:

We visited a school. It was so poor… It was very sad… It made me think how fortunate I am. Most classrooms didn’t have desks, They sat on rocks instead. There was a chalkboard with holes in it…

I went to the library there was about 20 books. Some were story books, but lots of them were about HIV-AIDS.

And Campbell records young girls carrying big jerrycans filled with water, and states that:

Without water, girls often have to walk long distances carrying heavy water. It takes away from homework. Here I met a girl carrying a lot of water yesterday evening.
The number one reason that girls drop out of school is because they don't have clean water or bathrooms.

Getting water to these populations requires donations to cover the digging of wells, and then the actual procedure. In this post and video, they explain a how hand-dug wells happen:

There are ways in which you can help, and right around the corner comes the Twestival.

The Twestival is a worldwide festival being organized by groups of users of the popular micro-blogging tool Twitter which will take place on February 12th, with more than 100 cities participating. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to benefit the organization Charity:Water, and it has resulted in renewed attention to the problem of water; its scarcity, cleanliness and availability. You can read more about this completely volunteer initiative, and how to help: either by organizing a Twestival in your city, attending one or participating online.

Carrying Water by magnusfranklin