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The Kadama Widows Association is an NGO that focuses on helping people affected by HIV in Uganda. Founded in Kadama in 2002, one of its main objectives is to help HIV-positive women empower themselves in managing their finances and building self-confidence. The Kadama Widows Association is partnered with Africare, a UK charity started by diaspora Ugandans. Below are a series photos from one of the Kadama Widows Association's programmes: 

Women hold hands during an exercise which forms part of a regular group session at the Kadama Widows Association's (KWA) offices. During group sessions, the women, who are all living with HIV, discuss issues ranging from finance and welfare to self-confidence, and participate in activities which help them to be more independent and in control of their lives. 

A safe box is unlocked between participants' feet during a training session about finance. During these sessions the women can bank their money in the safes and discuss the most effective ways to invest their savings. 

A woman holds her savings account book during a finance training session. 

Women listen as Tabisa Bulandina, a successful KWA beneficiary, addresses them. 

Mary Mosinghi, Director of Africare, asks participants questions about their lives during a group session. As a member of the diaspora, Mary has been able to use contacts in the government, banking and medical sectors to help increase Africare’s influence at a national level. Mary says: "The diaspora have a wide range of contacts, which helps to provide easy access to persons of authority as well as helping to mobilise support".

Women laugh as they take part in group exercises at the KWA offices.

Friends laugh as a blindfolded lady tries to find an empty seat by touch during a group exercise.

All Photocredits: Will Boase

Think Africa Press welcomes inquiries regarding the republication of its articles. If you would like to republish this or any other article for re-print, syndication or educational purposes, please contact: editor@thinkafricapress.com

For further reading around the subject see:

Why is Uganda's HIV Rate Back on the Rise?	Kenya: HIV-Positive Women Doing It For Themselves	Uganda: Government Sued Over Maternal Healthcare

Dear Reader,

Last Thursday was World Malaria Day. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 219 million people are infected with malaria, and the disease kills 600,000 people every year. Financial support for campaigns against the disease has increased almost 20-fold since the turn of the millennium and a potential vaccine is being tested, but the battle against malaria continues.

Christine Van Den Wyngaert, a newly-resigned judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), has criticised the prosecution’s conduct in carrying out its investigations in the case against Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta. Many have been wondering what Kenyatta’s election to the presidency could mean for his case, the ICC and Kenya’s foreign relations. Kenyatta’s defence has been trying to get the case returned to the pre-trial chamber following the acquittal of one of Kenyatta’s co-accused, but in her comments, Van Den Wyngaert added that the shortcomings in the prosecutors’ conduct were not serious enough to warrant referral to the pre-trial chamber or a withdrawal of charges.

Think Africa Press is a proud partner of two events this week. On Thursday 2 May, the Africa Diaspora Awards ceremony will celebrate the achievements made by the African diaspora community in the UK. And on Saturday 4 May, the Oxford University Africa Society will be holding its 3rd Annual Pan-Africa Conference entitled ‘Towards a 21st Century African Renaissance: Sowing the seeds of success’. To register for the Africa Diaspora Awards ceremony, click here; and to register for the Pan-Africa conference click here.

North: Algeria: Bouteflika Flown to Paris Hospital After Mini-Stroke

West: Nigeria President Assures on Rebuilding Baga Town

Central: Taking the Fight to the DRC Rebels: The Potential Pitfalls of a UN Intervention Brigade

East: : What's Next for Kenya and the ICC?

South: South Africa: Fuel Price Decreases to Be Effected On 1 May 2013

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Poverty Has a Creation Story: Let's Tell It
	Why Africa Needs Its Own Ivy League Institution
	Kenya: The Supreme Court's Disappointing Judgment
	Malaria: The Ongoing Fight Against an Old, Adaptive Foe
	Review – Band-Aid for a Broken Leg

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

Dear Reader,

Egypt’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a proposed $4.8 billion loan ended in Cairo last week without an agreement being reached. Talks continued in Washington DC, US, at the weekend. With unemployment and poverty rising, the proposed loan could prove crucial in restoring Egypt’s faltering economy. However, implementing the IMF’s conditions for granting the loan – in particular the removal of food and fuel subsidies – could be socially and politically costly.

Egypt has reportedly dispatched armoured vehicles to Sinai in a bid to improve security in the peninsula. Security in Sinai is believed to have deteriorated recently and the region is home to a number of militant groups, criminal networks and people smugglers. In particular, many refugees from Eritrea have been taken hostage, tortured and held for ransom in Sinai over the past few years.

Uganda has generated controversy by re-tabling in parliament a proposed Anti-Pornography Bill. The bill is purportedly a reaction to an "increase in pornographic materials in the Ugandan mass media and nude dancing in the entertainment world", however the bill’s broad definition of ‘pornography’ means it would potentially outlaw a wide range of practices including the wearing of miniskirts.

North: Egypt: Walking The IMF Tight Rope

West: Review – Volume 3: The Skeletal Essences of Afro Funk

Central: Lubumbashi Takeover: “Governance by Substitution” in the DRC

East: Uganda's Anti-Pornography Bill: "If a Woman Wears a Miniskirt, We Will Arrest Her"

South: Setting up Shop in Lesotho: How the Chinese Succeeded

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	How Canada Dominates African Mining
	Living His Own Legacy: São Tomé & Príncipe’s Democratising Dictator
	Egypt: Human Trafficking in Sinai

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

Dear Reader,

The approval of Zimbabwe’s new constitution by referendum last month paves the way for the country’s first elections since the disputed 2008 polls. On the one hand, the upcoming elections could follow the pattern of the last ones and there is evidence of food and farming inputs being used to intimidate voters by both the ruling ZANU-PF and MDC parties. On the other hand, this election could be less competitive than the last with the MDC’s popularity appearing to have dipped significantly in recent years.

After over a decade of an effective cold war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, there have been increasing signs over the past year that the two long-standing enemies could be ready to talk again. If peace is to be achieved and be lasting, negotiations will have to address the root causes of hostilities rather than just disagreements over the border, and foster a deeper sense of cooperation and reconciliation.

Think Africa Press is proud to be partnering with two upcoming events at the start of May. On 2 May, the Africa Diaspora Awards ceremony will celebrate the achievements made by the African diaspora community in the UK. And on 4 May, the Oxford University Africa Society will be holding its 3rd Annual Pan-Africa Conference entitled ‘Towards a 21st Century African Renaissance: Sowing the seeds of success’. To register for the Africa Diaspora Awards ceremony, click here; and to register for the Pan-Africa conference click here.

North: Egypt Coptic Clashes - PM Calls for Arrests

West: Nigeria's APC: A Progressive Change or A Powerless Coalition?

Central: Who Owns the Land? Cameroon's Large-Scale Land-Grabs

East: How Could a Lasting Peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea be Achieved?

South: Who Gets to Eat? Political Food Manipulation in Zimbabwe

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Zimbabwe's Upcoming Elections: Do Tsvangirai and the MDC-T Stand a Chance?
	Why Eritrea is not the North Korea of Africa, and What We Should be Noticing Instead
	Heart-Warming Innovation Saves Mbale's Newborns
	Make Polio History – Experts Unite for Declaration

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

Dear Reader,

Several countries have made pledges to help fund development efforts in Darfur following a two-day conference in Qatar. Qatar itself offered $500 million and the total pledged is at nearly $600 million. However, money alone will not be enough to solve Darfur’s woes. Political problems such as economic marginalisation, lack of accountability, and ongoing conflict also have to be addressed.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt a global arms trade treaty last week. Many African countries were particularly emphatic that a treaty to better regulate the $70 billion trade was needed, and delegates from Africa often led efforts calling for a comprehensive and strong agreement. 154 countries voted in favour, 3 against and 23 abstained. The most noticeable abstention was from Russia, the world's second largest exporter of arms and a highly significant arms partner with much of Africa. 

With Uhuru Kenyatta set to be sworn in as president tomorrow, Kenyans are awaiting the release of a more detailed ruling from the Supreme Court regarding three election-related cases. On 30 March, the court declared Kenya’s general elections to have been free and fair, but remained silent on challenges around the electoral process. This surprised many, especially given that the court is led by well-known activist Willy Mutunga.

North: Why Has Libya Given $2 billion to Egypt?

West: Nigeria's National Health Bill: Delayed, Disputed and Desperately Needed

Central: CAR Rebel Chief Accepts Transitional Council

East: Darfur: Money Won't Buy Human Rights

South: Electric Avenue: Are South Africa's Cars Going Electric?

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Johnson Sirleaf Plays Musical Chairs: Liberia's Superficial Reshuffle?
	It's Time to Shine a Light on the Poverty Creation Industry
	The Arms Trade Treaty: A Pan-African Global Policy Victory
	Women's Rights After CSW57: A Battle Won, A War Continues
	Review – Power Punch

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

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Dear Reader,

Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – the BRICS nations – held talks in Durban, South Africa, last week. A raft of business and trade deals were reached but the summit did not see the launch of a much-anticipated new development bank, with delegates saying further talks are needed. The theme for this year’s meeting was ‘BRICS and Africa’ – many see this relationship as a match made in heaven but the reality is far more complex and uncertain. 

Michel Djotodia, the Central African Republic’s self-proclaimed president, has announced a new transitional government. Nicolas Tiangaye is to remain as prime minister and Djotodia pledged to step down in 2016 when elections are to be held. Djotodia and thousands of Seleka rebels deposed former president François Bozizé in a coup on 24 March after accusing him of failing to honour a peace agreement signed in January.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti has appointed a new prime minister amidst ongoing unrest in the country. The opposition, led by a coalition called the Union for National Safety, has been protesting over the results of February’s parliamentary elections which they claim was marred by fraud. Hundreds of protesters have been detained and at least six have been killed.

North: Egypt: Protests Continue in Cairo

West: Mali: Calm Restored in Timbuktu After Rebel Attack Is Repelled

Central: Failure Has Many Fathers: The Coup in the Central African Republic

East: At The President's Pleasure: Post-Election Repression in Djibouti

South: Zimbabwe's Upcoming Elections and the Political Reforms That Never Were

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Land, Labour, and South Africa’s Tumultuous Agrarian Landscape
	The 'Gang of Three', 'Midnight Six' and 'Daniel Phiri': Unpacking Malawi's Alleged Coup Plot
	ATT: "Let the World Know that Africa Will Not Agree to a Weak Treaty"
	A Small-Scale Farmer's Story in Malawi: Fertiliser, Planting and Dry Spells
	BRICS in Africa: A Development Dream?

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

Dear Reader,

The Seleka coalition – an alliance of rebel groups in the Central African Republic – has seized the capital Bangui. Rebel leader Michel Djotodia has declared himself president, while overthrown president François Bozizé has reportedly fled, though his whereabouts are unknown. Seleka’s offensive restarted last week after rebels accused Bozizé of failing to implement the peace deal signed in January.

Talks are ongoing at the United Nations headquarters in New York over a global arms trade treaty. Despite the fact that the arms trade is believed to be the most corrupt in world, there is relatively little regulation around deals. Developing countries account for nearly 85% of arms sales agreements, and small arms often filter down to the civilian level. Many African countries are particularly hopeful that an effective arms trade treaty will be agreed. 

Results from the Zimbabwe’s constitutional referendum were announced last week, revealing that 95% of voters approved the document. The new constitution will curb some presidential powers and bolster the protection of human rights, but many think it does not go far enough. 

North: Egypt: Court to Hear Challenges to Election Suspension

West: Corruption Pieces in the Mali Puzzle: Context, Military, Crime, and Peacekeepers

Central: Central African Republic: Rebel Surge Shatters Fragile Peace

East: Eritrea: Why Discontent Doesn't Necessarily Mean Change

South: Zimbabwe's Imperfect Constitution

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Can Feel-Good Activism Save the World?
	Displacement and Resistance: The Ogiek of Kenya
	Evicted from Ancestral Lands: Botswana's Basarwa Minority
	The Arms Trade Treaty: In Search of a Silver Bullet

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

The turmoil in Mali has been going on for just over a year with increasing international presence on the horizon. What started off as another in a series of attempted rebellions by the Tuareg ethnic group in northern Mali quickly intensified with a coup by the Malian army, and interventions by a range of outsiders including al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM), West and Central African troops and France.

The situation has reached momentary stability in the north with the international community trying to figure out what a stabilisation operation in Mali might look like. The UN Security Council is pushing forward the idea of deploying an official peacekeeping mission which would provide better funding and logistics for regional African troops.

International actors appear to recognise that resolving Mali will not come through force, but dialogue and addressing root causes. As one of the root causes of the crises, the link between corruption and insecurity needs to be addressed. Specifically, corruption in the military and the links to organised crime need to be tackled, but defining corruption properly in context and protecting an international operation from corruption are also crucial.

Corruption as a key issue is not a guessing game in Mali. It is a grievance among all Malians, including the army and rebels. For an international mission to not address corruption as a priority would be like trying to put together a puzzle while ignoring a piece that is right in front of you.

Corruption as a root concern

The most recent uprising of Tuaregs, a nomadic ethnic group in the north of Mali, stems from a long list of issues, from economic mismanagement by the central government in Bamako through to corruption. Previous Tuareg rebellions have resulted in defeat or negotiated settlements for greater autonomy and/or economic development. This time however, a better equipped rebel movement caught the Mali military off guard.

Part of the reason why the Tuaregs initially succeeded was the corruption within the Malian military. There are accusations that senior military staff stole from funds meant for equipment and operations. The overthrow of the government last March by a band of mid-level officers was reported to be an impromptu response to the Malian military’s struggles against the Tuaregs, with blame laying on government mismanagement.

Frustration over corruption is widespread in Mali. While the country has been held up as a relatively good example of democratic transition, citizens have been frustrated with elite corruption. Mali ranks 105th out 176 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. Foreign observers on the ground in Mali have expressed concerns that the current political class does not seem willing to change much of the habits that led to the current situation.

Going forwards

There are four critical issues related to the link between corruption and insecurity that an international intervention needs to take into account:

Contextualising corruption

Any international actors need to learn about corruption in context including local perceptions, key grievances, and stakeholders. While frustration with corruption is widespread in Mali, there will be difference in opinion in the north and the south on the nature of problems and ways to address them.

Corruption in defence

Tackling corruption in the military and security services will not be straightforward, and will likely be a long-term process. Drawing on past experiences, UN civilian staff addressing corruption need to approach it as a technical and political engagement issue. Internal checks and balances need to be strengthened on the distribution of funds for soldier pay and livelihoods as well as procurement. The military also needs to be held to account and adhere to democratic oversight. Moving reforms forwards, the military should be reminded of the effects of corruption on operational effectiveness.

Transnational organised crime

At a broad level, stabilisation and reconstruction programmes need to be integrated into a regional approach to tackle transnational organised crime. Mali serves as a transit route for narcotics, people, and weapons through West Africa, the Sahel, and Europe. Both Malian rebels and security personnel have been implicated in profiting from criminal activity.

Corruption risk in peacekeeping

Any peacekeeping or peace support operation will have to guard against corruption as well. Accusations are already arising over human rights violations by Malian troops, undermining the legitimacy of a national military. Incidences of corruption by international actors have occurred in other UN operations. Repeats of this misconduct will lead to hostility by Malians of all stripes leading to resentment of foreign troops, blocking any attempts at institutional reform, and possibly even expulsion of the mission.

Fitting corruption into any stabilisation efforts in Mali will be key to making a coherent picture out of the puzzle of ethnic and political divisions that leave the country open to militant groups, illicit activities, and a cycle of conflict.

Think Africa Press welcomes inquiries regarding the republication of its articles. If you would like to republish this or any other article for re-print, syndication or educational purposes, please contact: editor@thinkafricapress.com

For further reading around the subject see:

Mali's Model Democracy Myth	Post-Conflict Mali: Reprisal or Reconciliation?	Mali: Why the Hardest Part is Yet to Come

Dear Reader,

Ballot counting is underway in Zimbabwe following a referendum on a new draft constitution which would limit some presidential powers and pave the way for elections this summer. The main political parties urged Zimbabweans to vote yes, though some campaigners oppose the draft, saying it was the result of political wrangling rather than popular consultation. The vote saw a low turnout and the day was marred by the arrest of a prominent human rights lawyer and police raid on an opposition office. 

Thousands of refugees and combatants have crossed the border into Rwanda following renewed fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The rebel group M23 split and the two rival factions have been clashing. The rift emerged around the time a regional peace framework was being signed by 11 African governments. But as M23’s split shows, the framework’s top-down, state-focussed approach may not be enough to ensure stability in the eastern DRC.

As the dust settles of Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory in Kenya’s presidential election, Think Africa Press has been asking what lessons we can take from the election and, more specifically, what a Kenyatta presidency might mean for Kenya’s Asian community. 

North: Tunisian PM Outlines New Govt's Priorities

West: Old Wine in New Bottles? Justifying France’s Military Intervention in Mali

Central: Cooperation in the Congo: Will the Regional Peace Deal Bring Stability?

East: Exit Eritrea: How Could it all End for Isaias Afewerki?

South: Zimbabwe's Draft Constitution: By the Politicians, For the Politicians?

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	Experts Weekly: What Should be in the Post-2015 Development Goals?
	Africa’s ‘Demographic Dividend’: The Youth Will Decide
	What will Uhuru's Election Mean for Kenya's Asians?
	Dying on a Prayer: Preachers tell Zambians to Stop Taking ARVs
	Accessing Health Services in Uganda: Boda Boda to the Rescue!

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press

Dear Reader,

Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s new president-elect, called for unity and respect for the rule of law in an address to the nation following the announcement of his victory. According to Kenya’s electoral commission, Kenyatta won a majority by the slimmest of margins, gaining 50.07% of the vote, although his main rival, Raila Odinga, has vowed to challenge the result in court. 

Amidst ongoing peace talks with the Congolese government, the rebel group M23 has split in two. Sultani Makenga, head of M23’s political wing, and Jean-Marie Runiga, head of the military wing, fell out and their separate factions have engaged in deadly clashes. Although the Congolese government has said a peace deal will be signed on 15 March, it is uncertain what the split will mean for the negotiations.

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, Think Africa Press examined a range of issues facing women in Africa and actions being taken to tackle them. In Nigeria, for example, it is hoped an innovative new initiative will overcome transport problems related to maternal mortality by using taxi drivers as volunteer ambulance drivers. Meanwhile, a new public-private partnership is aiming to make a long-term, reversible contraceptive device more widely affordable and accessible. Women’s movements in Africa have long been amongst the most visionary and African feminism has in turn influenced the rest of the world. 

The Africa Redux Conference in Edinburgh will be taking place 21 March. Click here for more information and to register.

North: Egypt's Opposition Tactics: Black Bloc Violence vs. Canal City Strikes

West: Taxi for Maternal Mortality! Nigeria's Emergency Transport Scheme

Central: DRC: Will the M23's Split Upend or Help Peace Talks?

East: The Jadelle Access Programme: Making Family Planning Accessible and Affordable

South: Seychelles: Producing Fresh Ideas for Food Security

Below are a few highlights from the past week:

	How African Feminism Changed the World
	The Harlem Shake Tunisia-Style: Rocking the Body Politic
	Singing, Spirituality and Islam: If Music be the Food of Love
	Post-MDGs: It's Time to Listen to the People
	Women's Rights in CSW57: No More Trade-Offs or Compromises

All the best,

The Team at Think Africa Press