Stories from the Horn #139
october 12, 2021
Last week I asked about essays, whether you want them here or just want the links. Based on feedback, I’m going to include the occasional essay but will otherwise keep this as a resource of stories about the Horn of Africa.
BUT - please go subscribe to Do Good Better where you will get weekly essays, book lists, and a lot more.
If you follow any of the links below this week, let it be this one: Dhalinyaro. This is a film made in Djibouti, by a Djiboutian woman, and it is beautiful. Subtitles are in English and it is only $0.99 to rent on Amazon Prime. This will show you so much of what life looks like here and it is an excellent film. Highly recommended.
Here is a picture of one of our favorite local dishes: moukhbasa. This particular meal was cooked with tuna that we caught the same afternoon in Tadjourah.
Djibouti institutes a ‘pass sanitaire’ or vaccine requirement for the workplace
Malaria vaccine approved! This is massive good news. My daughter had malaria three times last year (or was it even 4…?) and so many people suffer and die from this preventable, treatable disease.
“The Gravedigger’s Wife” is Somalia’s first ever Oscar nominee and it was filmed in Djibouti
How Somali Women are Breaking Tradition to Write Novels
Infant mortality rates in Djibouti are 48.4 for girls and 52.6 for boys. For perspective, in the USA, the infant mortality rate is 5.9, per 1,000 live births (stats for 2019, released now).
Somaliland evicts 700 from souther Somalia in contentious move
Book: The Last Nomad. I mentioned this last week but hadn’t started reading it yet. Now I have read it for our Horn of Africa book club and it really, really good. I have not read anything so beautifully rich with Somali culture and the author does a wonderful job bringing Somalia to life. Highly recommended, buy it here.
Aar Maanta, Somali pop star, comes to Minneapolis to help kids discover their heritage
According to Reporters without Borders, a journalist has been arrested for covering militia attacks in central Somalia
World Bank program aims to help Djibouti reduce poverty
Ilwad Elmi, Nobel nominee, impacts Somalia
Djibouti’s Foreign Minister says Ethiopia will not break up
Somalia comedian, who helped Somalia laugh at itself, dies
Somaliland women’s influence felt around the world (Edna Aden in Salt Lake City)
Have a great week!