1. Africa at large: Through the eyes of women

The Nation (Kenya), 28. September 2001

By Rita Maingi

Africa, to a lot of newspaper readers in the West, is a continent of death,
war, starvation and disease.

The enduring image of the people from this sad and dark continent is that of
dependents patiently waiting for help and handouts - from the West.

The West knows about Africa's leaders - Mandela, Mugabe, Moi, Obasanjo - and
their failures and achievements.

But rarely does it think about the tribulations of the oppressed African
woman.

This is probably because women never seem to own enough, fight or kill
enough to make headlines in most African countries.

The setting up of the first ever women's Internet newspaper, Africanwoman,
might change all this. A group of 36 women from Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and
Ghana have originated the project.

The paper will largely constitute news and features that seek to paint the
true picture of Africa through the eyes of women.

It will tackle issues affecting women like sexual harassment in the work
place, the effects of poverty, and HIV/Aids.

The group took a one-week training course in Ghana which taught writing
stories for a wider audience and how to keep the audience reading through
the use of anecdotes and captivating quotes. Stories on women, therefore,
will not need to compete for headlines, since they will already have an
audience.

Back in their countries, the women will come together once a month to write
and design stories on the Web as well as seek opinions of one another
simultaneously.

It is projected that by December this year, the paper will be published
monthly on the Internet and physically distributed to local reading and
discussion groups, community radio stations in the four pilot countries, and
beyond.

Another outcome of the project is the pairing of these writers with UK-based
journalists, who will act as their mentors. The mentors include national
news editors, British Broadcasting Corporation duty editors and a
cross-section of experienced writers working with various media houses.

All those taking part are experienced journalists working for African
newspapers, radio or TV stations. They will be expected to make known their
opinions and to set the agenda for women on the continent. They will also be
expected to reach women in other parts of the world through the Internet.

The idea for Africanwoman stemmed out of Worldwoman, a Web paper started in
Scotland and written by women journalists around the world.

The mastermind was Lesley Riddoch, an assistant editor with the Scotsman who
now hosts her own Sony award-winning show on BBC Radio.

Lesley asked her bosses to let her change the name of the Scotsman to
Scotswoman for just a day. Her intention was to focus on issues affecting
women directly and indirectly. "Of course, like they would have in any other
male-dominated paper in Europe, the guys thought I had gone out of my mind,
but I finally convinced them that other women journalists in the newsroom
and I would make it."

The women had to think of all sorts of logistic changes. Issues like
advertisements targeted at the clients for that day were crucial.

"We worked tirelessly, and that day the paper sold like hot cakes," says
Lesley. "By mid-morning all copies of the Scotswoman had sold out."

That was the beginning of Worldwoman on the Web.

Africanwoman is partly funded by the British Council, who will provide
offices in the pioneering countries to act as newsrooms for one day every
month during the first year, so that the women can establish themselves.

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