Page last updated 28 May, 2008
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Programme highlights
Friday 30th May
Last year 13 year old Maria Isabel Yirebatiya became the champion speller in Ghana. She has now travelled to Washington, USA, to battle with over 200 other young people in a national spelling competition. At stake is a $30,000 cash prize. Our correspondent Komla Dumor asked her how she first became interested in spelling.
Thursday 29th May
The conflict in Western Sahara between the Polisario Front and the Moroccan government has left unexploded bombs littering the disputed area. They pose an on-going threat to innocent civilians who may accidentally detonate one. Efforts are now being made to reduce the danger. In the capital of the Polisario-controlled territory, Tifariti, James Copnall attended a ceremony to destroy part of the Polisario's own stock of landmines.
Wednesday 28th May
An innovative energy project is taking shape on the waters of Lake Kivu, which borders Rwanda and DR Congo. The project funded by the Rwandan government, will see the huge methane reserves found in the depths of the lake being extracted and being used to generate electricity. If this pilot project proves to be successful, Rwanda could become self-sufficient in its electricity supply. Kevin Mwachiro reports.
Tuesday 27th May
Government representatives from Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, pastoralists communities and donor agencies have been meeting in Sudan to find a way of ending the violent and rampant cattle rustling across the borders of the three countries. Paul Loyie is a warrior from the Toposa community in south Sudan with experience of cattle raiding, our reporter Anne Mawathe asked him first how he got started in cattle rustling.
Friday 23rd May
Stop peeing in the street! That's the message from the authorities in the Ivory Coast as they embark on an education programme to improve the health and sanitation of the capital, Abidjan. John James reports.
Thursday 22nd May
In Namibia a pilot project to give very poor people cash is in action, it is aimed at closing the income divide in the country. Our reporter Frauke Jensen visited a village where the basic income grant was introduced four months ago.
Wednesday 21st May
In the north of Nigeria, it's a common phenomenon to see children begging on the streets. This is of special concern due to the implications not only for the children themselves, but for society as a whole. In the second of a series of special reports from Kano, in northern Nigeria, our correspondent Chris Ewokor reports on the dangers confronting these children.
Tuesday 20th May
On this day 36 years ago, the English and French speaking states of Cameroon became one country. Today Cameroonians celebrate their National Day with military and civilian displays all over the country. The theme of the day honours the army as agents of development. Our correspondent Randy Joe Sa'ah finds out more.
Monday 19th May
More than ten people have been killed in South Africa following co-ordinated attacks on people from other parts of the continent. The violence started in Alexandra and quickly spread to neighbouring suburbs. Our correspondent Mpho Lakaje reports from Johannesburg and speaks to migrants who have been left wondering if the people they live amongst are going to turn on them and attack them.
Friday 16th May
Can television help with reconciliation inKenya? A scheme is currently underway in Nairobi's second largest informal settlement, Mathare, that will give local residents an opportunity to learn how to digitally document their lives, give them basic journalism skills and put the result of their work on television. Tomi Oladipo attended a recent Slum TV screening.
Thursday 15th May - The Amazon Paradox on the BBC World Service
Vast swathes of African rainforests are facing a similar plight of deforestation to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. After a three year decline the tree felling and burning has suddenly increased. In Cameroon, these destructive activities on forests are impacting seriously on the lives of the indigenous people who are being forced out of their ancestral dwelling places, our correspondent Randy Joe Saah, reports.
Wednesday 14th May
Oil-rich Libya is using its wealth and foreign investment to re-structure its urban planning and groom its overall image. The country's budget for development this year is an estimated $30 billion including a wave of foreign money being injected into the economy to execute the new vision. Our correspondent in Tripoli, Rana Jawad, reports.
Tuesday 13th May
For almost 100 years Uganda has had a Jewish community. Founded in 1919, the community of Abayudaya, or Jews of Uganda grew to almost 3000 in the early 20th century. They suffered persecution under the regime of Idi Amin and their numbers dropped to less than 200. Now the community is growing again and these converts to Judaism have big plans for the future. Sarah Grainger went to visit them in the eastern town of Mbale.
Monday 12th May
As Manchester United are crowned English premier league champions for the tenth time, former Sierra Leone international Umaru Rashid - is so passionate about United that he composed a song in their honour. Our correspondent Umaru Fofana watched the last day of the premiership season with him on Sunday as he cheered his team to success.
Wednesday 7th May
A court in Kenya ordered a freeze on income from a luxury Nairobi estate belonging to the wealthy Hutu fugitive businessman, Felicien Kabuga. He is accused of bankrolling Rwandan militias who killed some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the genocide of 1994. Our correspondent Dayo Yussuf spoke to the Kenyan public prosecutor Keriako Tobiko.
Monday 5th May
Kenyan authorities are embarking on an ambitious plan of resettling thousands of people displaced during the country's post election violence. What do the victims themselves make of this controversial resettlement plan? Our correspondent Wanyama wa Chebusiri has been talking to some of them.
Friday 2nd May
Usually a woman's role in a band is either as a singer or one of the attractive dancers but in Guinea there's a group that tries to break out from these restrictions. "Les Amazones" or female warriors is the name of an all-women dance band - whose members also happen to belong to the para-military gendarmerie. The group was established in the 1960s, but after releasing their first album in the 1980's, they disappeared. Now they're back - and our reporter in Conakry, Alhassan Sillah went along to meet them.
Thursday 1st May
Liberia's rice cultivation was meagre during the country's long years of civil war but now self-sufficiency in the in-demand staple is an important national goal. Jonathan Paye-Layleh visited Bong County in the centre of the country to find out more.
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