Former Child Fishing Slave Now Rescuing Others

When James Kofi Annan was six years old he was sold into slavery by his parents. He was forced to work punishingly long hours as a child fisherman on Lake Volta, and saw other child slaves drown from the hazardous work they were made to do. Years later, James eventually managed to escape, went back to school, and set up a charity credited with saving thousands of other Ghanaian children from slavery.

This was the year Outlook officially joined the quinquagenarian club. Yes, we celebrated our 50th birthday, and did it in style by launching Outlook Inspirations - a quest to find 50 of the world's most inspiring people. Listen back to our top Outlook Inspiration highlights - and how we picked our final three winners: Natalia Ponce de Leon, Kees Veldboer and Dorris Francis.

Christine Salem, a musician from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, is leading the revival of Maloya music. It's sung in Creole and has its origins in African ancestral trance ceremonies - but it was banned by the French when they first took over the island.

Image: James Kofi Annan
Credit: Anne L Geissinger